simpletool

Sure you could take it back to the mechanics...but I usually find that the most painful and slowest since in this case it is likely something very simple.

Fuchs Supersyn in 5w-40...yes. Good stuff and usually well priced. I'm sick of the local shops being pathetic and only having Pentrite oils. That's right Repco and AutoPro I'm talking to both of you!

Time to learn how to change coil packs yourself. You'll need 2 hands, a socket set and a set of hex keys. Go get 'em cowboy/cowgirl. No seriously....the mechanic didn't put them on properly. Either a plug has fallen off a coilpack, the coilpack isn't seated onto the plug properly or the screws are missing from the coilpack brackets. Many mechanics are so hopeless it could be all 3. You will work it out by taking it apart and putting it back together. The coilpacks are under the cover in between the cam covers, under the cross-over intake pipe. Yes, you have to remove the cross-over pipe, then it is plain sailing. You do not have to remove the spark plugs. Make it a game and time yourself. If you do it in less than 60mins your GF owes you a blowey.

What you are both describing above is exactly the kind of subjective anecdotal evidence that doesn't show up in the lab. I admit however that there is not an objective test of all impacts an oil has in the engine and sometimes our 5 senses can be quite acute. My thoughts: Anyway, I have done some viscosity testing on new and used oils from my engine (RB25DET) after 7500km. I used 2 oils. Shel Helix Ultra 5-40 and Fuchs 5-40 supersyn or something. The viscosity was only slightly less at both 40° and 100° for the used oil so I gathered that my engine must be in decent condition as there was not much thinning of the oil due to fuel. The results was like 3cst less at 40°, which is 1% fuel dilution at most. Obviously viscosity does change dynamically in the engine under shear forces (due to polymer additives) so lab measurements can only mean so much. Getting the right viscosity, I think 5-40 or 10-40 is a good street viscosity, up to perhaps a 50 weight with synthetic base is the major requirement. A 60 weight oil is really only good for racing, especially endurance racing, or a rebuilt engine designed for it (yes, I know Nismo recommends 60 weight oil)...for racing! Using a 60 weight oil in the city when starting temps are <20°C is increasing bearing wear a hell of a lot. Lighter weight oils and modern cars. A lot of manufactures are now stating 30 weight oil, or even 20 weight. This is mostly so the cars use slightly (~2%) less fuel and generate less Co2 (for tax in Europe) and pass the oil efficiency standards. Especially in the empirical lab testing this lighter weight oil yields better efficiency but is almost certain to cause higher wear which is only evident once out of the warranty period. Going down each viscosity grade will decrease fuel consumption at light loads around 2 to 3%. So going from 50 down to 30 would be a 6% improvement at best if driven very carefully. If driven hard there would be less benefit.

Yeah lots of cars to steal off the streets in inner-west. I live in the area and regularly see insanely steal-able cars (common upper-models, RX7, supra, Skylines) on the streets in the same spots. and that doesn't even consider the expensive but not very steal-able cars such as Rolls-Royce and AMG/M3/M5, etc (but if you pre-book the theft it's possible to get rid of them I guess) I hope this issue was resolved in the most violent matter possible and with a nice return of the car!

Hey mate, just to help. You might want to investigate if this fits R33 GTST That would certainly increase your market if it does.

OMG that is a thrashing. Those tyres really took a beating.

I did all mine on the R33 but the R34 engine is probably bit different. I used mostly generic hoses straight and right angle sections - there is also one 135 degree section. don't forget the water line joins for the turbo feed line at the back of the head (if the R34 has that one). That is normally the first to leak - and the heater hoses and 4-way join at the bottom rear of the block under the intake manifold. All-in-all....good luck. I'm glad I did all mine at once in the end. You'll want to use genuine heater hoses (4 of them on the R33). These are intricately shaped and almost impossible to replicate with regular hose without kinking.

Could be a few bushes. Some silicon spray might help - definitely not oil. Rubber does not normally need greasing but polyurethane does (with special non-petroleum grease). If you have any poly bushes it could be them - check the upper control arm - both outer an dinner bushes, lower control arm inner bush, and mount at the top of the shock.

I got one of these from Repco (also sold at Tradetools) for $279. My R33 GTST is slightly lowered and it slides all the way under the front to the K-frame and jacks from there. Obviously there is not much clearance so you have to do small pumps at the beginning. The magic-lift system makes it quick to contact the car though. My suspension is pretty much SK spec, with ~350mm centre to guard height front. I also have the extra factory lip at the front. The high point of the jack is 145mm high my car is about 160mm at the front lip and sides) GJLUQ1500 - 1.5T MAGICLIFT™ LOW PROFILE · Innovative design of MagicLift™ offers a quicker lift to lift point for professional performance. · Low-profile design for maximum access, which fits easily and safely under vehicles. · Wide stance and low centre of gravity provides optimum stability under load stress. · Universal joint release mechanism provides precision control of load descent in any handle position. · Exclusive designed breather plug eliminates air in the hydraulic system, optimising jack performance.

Well it seems to be the bottom mount of the bilstein shocks against the mounting post. The inner metal tube of the bilstein is slightly larger than the post it mounts on. I noticed there was some slight play there and maybe around .4 or .5mm gap. I admit I've never put any grease on the posts. So I put one layer of PVC tape around the post and then greased it good and installed. Noise is mostly gone, possibly needs a touch more tape. I also replaced the top rubber bush in the sandwich mount with urethane. I figure this will help rebound response a little. Everything else seems in good working order - maybe the only slight rattle left is the boot mechanism. I probably just need a louder exhaust.

7kg/mm front is pretty damn hard, but I trust you know that.

Had another play around with the wheel off and bugger me if I can't find anything play at all in the connecting arms (although adding 1g and 1 tonne of weight may well change that). The rattle is still there and I'm thinking it is either the king pin at the bottom or the shock mounts at the body at the top. Meh...I'll try replacing the top shock mounts.

Ahh....excellent stuff chiksluvit. I have thought about getting slightly firmer springs for my bilsteins as the king springs seem too soft for me (the the shocks seem valved for firmer springs anyway in my mind). So the tein mediums are both firmer AND at least as comfortable. ?

+1.

I meant that a detuned Toyota engine similar to the 2.0L turbo from VW is not really a TURBO engine....more a torquey small capacity engine with good fuel economy....ala Audi/VW applications. So the people buying them needn't know it was even turbo - just like the VW/Audi customers. It just delivers good torque from a small engine in a larger car. the engine would be small turbo low revs and the FT86 engine would be larger turbo, more revs ala..Tiguan (125kw) Golf Gti (147kw) vs Golf R (188kw), Audi (199kw)

you'll need a token lebbo with chromies for full effect. Even if only in the background.

Nice, I've been tempted to just throw a new GB at it. I wonder if anyone supplies the new box cheaper than Just Jap?

Good points there Zebra. I'm unsure of the head room in direct injection applications.....something for the future. If Toyota are serious about the future they need something to complete with the DI turbo engines from Europe. I mean VW makes a 2.0L DI engine for the Gti and it ends up in about 20 models from VW, Seat, Audi, etc. I can't see why a DI turbo 2.0L can't be made for the FT86 and detuned slightly for use in Rav4, Camry, Levin/corolla, Rukus, Tarago, or anything under 1700kg really.

you'll need compressed air and a few quick grip clamps (to hold in the cylinder that comes out easiest).

Currently the focus is on direct injection with smaller turbos and high compression (but lower revs). Most of the direct injection Euro engines are making great torque and throttle response but don't rev high so they reduce consumption. I would love to see a direct injection, medium sized single turbo straight 6 with decent revs in a light-weight chassis (the next Z-car)? ie. If Nissan remade a sports direct injection straight 6 of say 3.0L capacity. All alloy with 10:1 compression, 10psi, twin scroll T3 (based around a GT2835 or some such) Direct injection Decent intercooler and exhaust with half-decent cams to make peak power at 6500rpm. realistic figures would be something like: 470Nm from 2500 to 5000rpm 290kw at 6500rpm Aftermarket would go b-a-n-a-n-a-s. Alternatively they could go S16 with even lower weight ~1200kg flat, new direct injection 2.0L with decent revs and have: 350Nm & 215Kw. Now that would be hot cake material.

And if manufacturers only cared about maximum speed they would ALL be forced induction. However, when a manufacturer also cares about throttle response and exhaust note they are hesitant to go turbo. A lot of Lambo's and Ferrari's are sold on sound, not whether they go 380 or 390kph. I think when you've got 300+ kw/tonne then other things become more important than extra power.

Honda F22C would be the best engine (as fitted to the best AE86s). then SR20 would be the next best perhaps centrifugal supercharger to keep the noise noice (similar weight to 4AGE but better design, more torque) You could also use a light-weight alloy V6 (perhaps 3.0L from the Nissan or Toyota)...but I don't know much about these. IMHO: Rotors - You want the compression as high as possible in rotors. Decompressing them is old-tech and/or for drag race motors only. With good engine management/tune/fuel and efficient turbines you want high compression and moderate boost ~10psi. Apart from reliability the biggest draw-back of rotors is the low compression.

Consistent with exhaust valve spring issues ???

ER34 isn't 7psi. The R34 runs more boost than an R33 which runs 7.5psi and the stock tables don't run into R&R until at least 9psi. If the stock gauge is reading 0.75 kg/cm^2 then that is a touch over 10psi. This is likely the start of R&R - which from what I read is more aggressive than the R33 R&R. You may also like to note that the stock gauge is mainly inaccurate in that it tends to read LOWER at higher boost than reality. ie. as boost rises it under reports so 0.75kg/cm^2 can be approaching to 1.0kg/cm^2 (14psi)! You could check the stock pressure by removing the bleed valve and testing again (also confirms you have removed the 2-step boost properly). The compare to readings after reinstalling the bleed valve. Compare and contrast. To recap - your aftermarket gauge is reading wrong almost certainly. You are probably running 10+psi. R34 doesn't like too much extra boost - get Nistune.