Boosted Zed

Exactly Roy and I don't have big pockets to hold the money it's more for tools. In case you want to know since I opened UAS about 9 years ago I have only taken 1 week's holiday a year until this year I took two. I have three young daughters. I have invested many hundreds of thousands of dollars in this business and any profits go back into stock and equipment. I also spend probably way too much money on testing and on my race car. I am not in it for the money as my wage I take is very small. Bit of a sore point when someone tries to imply I am a rip off and just trying to make money. In the automotive industry margins are very tight I notice when comparing to others and also labour rate considering the premises, equipment, tools, service manuals etc required. I occasionally have customers who are in IT and have no to very small equipment costs and charge way more than we do an hour for example or other tradesmen that I use at home to fix washing machine etc and often spend only half an hour or less and charge a full hour plus travel cost or photo copy machine service guy who spends fifteen minutes charges $130 an hour plus travel. On weekends I often see himn in his Ferrari or Porsche. I know this is not in all cases just a comparrison. The very same guy said hey you did not quite spend two hours on the car I was watching. Or you quoted 3 hours to do the job and only took 2.5 so that is what I am paying, but if you quote 3 hours and problems happen and takes 3.5 or 4 hours, they say well that is all I am paying for. Then Roy as you mention big piece of billet alloy base plate and throttle plate and throttle cable plate NOT cheap. To ad to this set up and testing and designing, copying is much cheaper. Also as mentioned I have this handicap called overheads. If doing from home then do't have to pay a portion for rent whcih by the way is over $10,000 a month for starters. But then you get warranty, service packing advice etc from a performance shop with workshop, for testing and fitting etc etc

Sorry my bad PLAZMAMAN.

DETurbine the pics are not clear and the test car looks like a roughy. Does not mean the product is not good it may be. Show us dyno readings or better still flow bench tests, and also you obviously don't know who Plasmaman is as in Australia he is regarded as one of the best fabricators and sets up some serious race cars, not a backyarder. They cost way more than you think in machine work alone. They are quality. Skylinegeoff thanks again for your support and explain there. Options are fine but that is what they should be options not put as attacks.

Sounds like a freak you sure only 9.5psi. I should get my guys to dig out the run out of the computer. Had full exhaust also though.

Yes well anyone can get power with bigger turbo and more boost and stuff some more air in, but free power is removing restrictions and evening out the flow per cylinder. No you don't need to just a very good option. Benm or others if you want to be a test pilot before and after which will prove it we could do a deal with a guarantee. What will it be then the car was not the right colour or is the feeling we are not accurate or honest. Bold boardering on abrupt ( confident) but not dishonest and our testing is thorough. Talking bang for buck though if you spend say $1500 on Power FC maybe cheaper plus tune $2k plus and engine and dump pipe and a genuine 7 litre high flow cat fitted another $800 assuming it has cat back ram pod and FMIC and end up with 175 to maybe 200rwkw max, although most are around 175 to 190rwkw on our dyno. This is usually with 13 to 14psi. Not 12 to 13 psi as per test car. Or have less stress on the motor and run cooler and make same or more power for around $1500 could be cheaper plus fitting which would not be much, so?. I think that is bang for buck. Sydneykid I take it you say it works and good but not necessary or better bang for buck? How many Skylines have you seen with over 200rwkw with stock turbo I have only seen one or two. One was Sam RevitR33 I think his name here is and was around 205rwkw from memory and had everything including Power FC and it was pinging a bit on road or track or both as it was tuned to the max and had to back of some timing a bit. Getting better flow such as free flowing exhaust, cams and porting including match porting, if you have engine appart, are all what I call free power as improves flow, and is less heat and stress, and this plenum is another. At UAS my I often talk to my staff and customers re mods referring to the saying. " Good is the enemy of better" Also, " Stack everything in your favour" As far as rules, if racing, or cost allows. Maybe I should have said. Got this new plenum made by some guy called Plasmaman who reckons he is good. Stuck it on our dyno thing and makes more power than any other car and can't explain please help?

I had a bit more time to read through all this and Sydneykid your input is often good although you lost me with this statemnt in your post earlier. "Well, where does that leave me? Seems my original rule of thumb is still the best I can come up with, i.e.; don't change the inlet system unless you are changing the pistons. Because the inlet system is most certainly not going to limit the power or the response up to that point, and in light of quite a few cars now, maybe well past that point." What has the pistons got to do with the inlet. If the inlet and outlet of the engine has less restriction then less stress and heat on the pistons and less need to upgrade the pistons and will make more power. Or if you are saying the level of cost and power, then sort of different story but still? Just because uncle Theo runs factory plenum and does 9's he would probably do better if he had the Nismo intake plenum or Greddy extrusion honed. Is his stock though? The Nismo GTR plenum is beautiful as has machined trumpets inside also and would be my pic. For really BIG hp bigger custom plenum may work better. Geoff from SSS Automotive in Sydney qualified mech and circuit races a R32 GTR with Gibson motor says factory GTR plenum is good for up to 700hp then needs bigger or better. Can't remember which one he recommends but he is up on all this as it is his business and passion. However I suspect going to Nismo plenum would make more power even with stock turbo's although MUCH better design than the RB20-25 design which is not good. To say this car or that car did this and that with stock AFM or stock intake etc . They would be faster if had better plenum or no AFM probably etc. One could run a 10 second dragging a box trailer too but un hook it and might run a 9, don't temp 2Rismo, and circuit racing I am sure it would hit the walls a bit. He he. Also mentioned was the ECU on the car tested. IT WAS STOCK. I can dig out the readings from dyno computer but I remember it was rich like all other Skylines but maybe not as rich as normal and I mentioned to the owner if he got a programmable computer or piggy back fuel controller it would make more power. The factory plenum match ported and extrusion honed would also make more power but with common sense and theory from the experts such as Plasmaman, remember him, I think he knows his stuff this plenum will make more power. Again proven on our dyno and even if you factor in that it was possibly the best motor ever, although to clarify I belive it was only stock engien and not cracked open and STOCK turbo then this plenum must be good dont you think? It is not as if I am making some wild statement that makes no sense. It is good to debate and challenge and get input as long as we don't get tied up in debating ONLY. Keeping in mind 208rwkw is not a small amount more than it shold be comparing to others, as we have tested hundreds on Skylines over last almost two years now with a dyno and we know that a R33 GTS-T with the features it had only with stock plenum on 12 to 13psi should have made 160 to 170rwkw depending on intercooler and pipes, air filter, exhaust etc and condition of engine and turbo's etc and MAX maybe 185rwk and that would be a freak. Also the test car had stock cams and cam gear. Lastly Skylinegeoff made some good points and I did not want to mention my zed too much on Skyline forum even though it has lots of GTR parts. Anyway yes it makes way more power than it should. Previous engine made 407rwkw on pump gas with octane booster only. Set up as circuit car and second time at drags on street tyres with worn and slow factory box ran 10.89 130.25 mph. This is with stock S15 turbo's inlet and exh manifolds extrusion honed and match ported all flow bench tested and evened out etc and lots of other mods to lighten drive train and more. This brakes big mind sets and thinking as according to what has gone on in USA where there are hundreds of thousands of zeds and lots of big mods and some in Australia they all think you have to have big expensive Gucci turbo's and exh manifolds. To answer that it probably would make more power with better parts and money thrown at it, but shows what you can do. Not all bolt on parts make more power but this one we are talking about does. My zed makes more power down low than ANY motor I have ever seen on our dyno or even heard about 200RWKW at only 3400rpm calibrated dyno to tacho. This is due to the fact of the plenum having long runners. Might lose a bit down low which I can afford but will make more up top. By the way I have a custom intake plenum coming with six 50mm throttle bodies and larger volume plenum as it will make more power. Grant at Performance Turbo's made it in Perth and I bought it at a good price. Normally big cost to make a zed plenum and very tight under bonnet as sits on the motor not on the side. I aim to be the fastest all round circuit and drag car in Australia and chasing my mate Theo. This new motor we just dropped in yesterday with bigger turbo's and more will get me closer.

I will be there in the zed with GTR bits and skylinesaustralia.com big sticker on back bar, which I intend showing it to lots on Sunday in the motorposrts event. Come say hi if you are there.

VG30 VQ 35 getting done but will now be late this year or prob early next year. BIG mods to that one and will be BIG hp. This one has custom Twin GT28RS 380plus hp each, oversized valves and more.

Will advise when available and should be in next few weeks. Re temps the thing that makes the heat is the engine and turbo and this is what we are helping shield against. The heads are hotter than under bonnet temps.

I had a quick read as flat out getting the slot car ready for Wakefield this Sundays Datsun Nissan Nationals race day. Ginko Biloba no not all R33 GTS-T's with RB25 and stock turbo and ECU will make over 200rwkw and possibly most won't. This cars engine may be in much better condition than most etc etc. Still has a lot of hp for what is has and way more than it should and way more than we thought. With Ginseng as well even more power.

I know there are some Skylines going but mainly a zed and older dato event. Anyway one here going? I am taking to lot car for the motorsport event on the Sunday only. Dropped new motor in late yesterday.

They will prob be around $50 each at most. Prob is I have to get at least a hundred made and adds up to thousands and will take a long time to sell a hundred or more to need to get some funds back.

Yes and we found this on VG30 also. We also remove the throttle body heating on zeds for same reason. You could drill and tap and run external these water galleries although have not had a close look at it on RB26. It is accumulative if getting heated by coolant and combustion heat, removing or limiting one will help. Correct air would not spend much time passing through although at low speed road driving probably make more of a difference. Main point being it would help and better than factory gaskets which is a prob and way cheaper than Tomei or other gaskets. There is no benefit in heating the inlet charge unless you live in VERY cold climate and much more benefit in cooling or rather avoiding heating.

Not expensive for what they are and the tooling and machine work and smarts gone in. I don't think there is anything wrong with lower plenum although as mentioned can be improved with extrude hone. If made the lower runners, that is if there would be a gain they would be much more expensive and already saying too much. Everything is too much for Silvia's - 180SX and R32 GTS-T's as the cars are not worth much. We have not done final costings on them and may work out cheaper. Pretty good bang for buck for Skyline though. Waz up North Qld with heat you could really benefit with one. RB20 more efficient motor than RB25 as we find generally same condition and features RB20 and 25 make similar h power or RB20 a little behind but not equivalent to .5 litre. I would expect the improvements same though. Also for those with FMCI already and just want plenum which will be most I suspect we will be able to provide piping to meet up with throttle body and your intercooler pipe, as all are pretty similar and go through inner skirt just below washer bottle on drivers side where 3 inch hole is cut in inner skirt.

Sydneykid the intercooler on car tested was not ours but Plasmaman with the better core. I know the car as sold it years ago to Barry Jacobs from Serious Biz and has a stock turbo. BBQ No we don't play with dyno to bodge figures. We did not have before figures with this car and it took many months to make this kit and jig for it to be able to do others. We only found out about it after we tested on our dyno. We had no gain to make figures positive and even if did we would not do this. No they are not polished inside but as you can see the base plate is smooth and has trumpets machined into the thick base plate. Then the top piece is also a work of art as it is pressed and made from sheet alloy so also smooth and tapers towards the back to help with more even flow to each runner. I have seen some backyard jobs which flex and a bit rough and no comparison. With out doing a bulk run they would not be viable as too much set up and machining, for one or two this quality would cost a small fortune. BBQ No it was normal premium unleaded pump gas, no funny business and we were surprised it made this power also. I was so impressed I chased Oyay ( Plasmaman ) down and said we must have these as by far the best we have seen and the quality etc and only got better when I saw the base plates this week. The man is a genius and true craftsman. We are hooking up big time on lots of items stay tuned. No pinging and no adjusting timing, no prob with inlet temp sensor. Ben and Adam who run our dyno are not marketing mechanics and will not or would not fudge anything, they are more like technicians and their personality is the opposite end of bullshit. They tell it as it is. Rough surface is not good for flow at all that is why extrude hone works so much better for flow as smoothes out rough casting. Also keep in mind that the boost was only 12psi less than most making lots less power with more boost. Engine will run cooler and longer as less stress and less heat probs at the track. No you would not get plenum and intercooler before exhaust but just think if what I am saying and reporting is true then it blows some theories and money spent on lots of other things out the window a bit. If this car tested did have a full exhaust and Power FC or Microtech etc it would make more power again but maybe not a lot as turbo is over it's efficiency. It would do it easier that is for sure. Hey BMan good idea and I think I spoke to new owner re this option. It would be a real test then. Bman do you have the figures or are they on SAU somewhere from last year when we had results from RB25 stock plenum flow bench tests or I did them up? Any candidates out there with a Greddy plenum I will do a deal as I often do that we swap and if does not make at least a few rwkw more power then it is FREE, same deal with stock intake. I will bet my house and throw in my zed that the result will be positive and probably make a decent gain, and more with changing to intercooler also depending on what you have already. By the way we did lots of tests and changes to engine pipes on FTO's and nearly gave up after we hit $2000 in parts and labour r & r and changing and testing different lengths and pipe size and check with specialist books on extractors and exhaust design etc. Finally sorted and then released after proving around 3 to 5 kw at wheels gain. Not bad for normally aspirated motor. My cash flow was relieved when we sold about twenty, mainly in a group buy. If it did not work we would not have released them.

It has been used for this purposeas wel as many other applications for years. I am not aware of any probs only benefits. A hole lot better than aper ones the GTR's have from factory.

We will have them flow bench tested as have figures for the stock ones to compare. They will obviously flow better with stock or large turbo compared to stock one but may or may not be as good if you have a turbo you need a pole volt to jump over. I suspect they would be better than Greddy even with big flow turbo. If you got the Greddy extrusion honed may be a different story. Also if you think that everything made in Japan is top stuff or best then you believe in stickers as not always the case although generally true. Come around to UAS one day and I show and tell and I am sure you will agree. We have lots of items made for us here in Australia way better than anything in Japan. E.g. our upper rear control arms made out of lighter and stronger Chrome Molly tube, tig welded with much better quality rod end and billet alloy spacers instead of heavy cheap mild steel ones. Weight 937 grams compared to 1498 grams Cusco brand. Unsprung weight, big advantage. No tests on R32 but again common sense applies if makes more on R33.

Yes Sydney kid flow bench test is not conclusive but with common sense, theory and above all dyno test to back it all up hard to argue with dyno test. Also checked the thickness of the base and they are actually 16mm. We do lots of flow bench testing on our zed, testing different ports in heads and valves, and valve grinds, even found RB26 brass valve guides being shorter than the VG30 ones so less protruding into the port and proved a gain in cfm on flow bench test. Re the pressure drop with bends this is very general and can be more or less. We can talk and theorize back and forth and good to get input but the bottom line is OUR dyno tests prove it. We have never had a Skyline make this power even with addition of full exhaust and after market computer tuned. Keep in mind we have had hundreds on our dyno. Also re the pic of 25 yes but this is not all of them and good counting.

Top only yes. We have tooled up to extrude hone the lower runners also althugh test car did not have this. To have the ultimate you would do this and match port also as stock they are not the best. Ryno no firm price on full kit yet. There will be the normal 10% SAU discount or maybe more.

Link for more info. http://nismo.com.au/pricelists/pricelist_s...ylineengine.htm

I thought to make a post here as we have been receiving LOTS of calls and emails about our over due intake plenums. Plasma man Racing is making them exclusive for us. He makes the most beautiful and functional intercoolers, plenums etc in Australia. He has had a delay as had to make a huge press to make the top pieces, but should not be too far away now as he just finished making this press last weekend. 47 are being made. We have been doing extensive flow bench testing at Abrasive Flow Engineering in Sydney and found at no surprise the factory RB20/25 intake plenum is not very good as the middle two runners that the throttle body shoot at get way more air than the outside ones. So if you are tuning the middle runners need much more fuel. The plenums we are getting made has already been tested on a car with a prototype and made more power than any other RB25 SI or SII, and the test car was a I with stock dump and engine pipe and stock computer so even more impressive at 208rwkw. Three reasons. 1. Less pressure drop. 2. Lower intake temps. 3. More even air flow to each cylinder. This is from using QUALITY USA core, that is if getting the full kit, with smooth tapered end tanks and pipe work. Less bends and less pipe work being heated by radiator and engine. Less pressure drop as less pipe and less bends. 1/4 psi or more with each 90 degree bend. Far more even air flow to each cylinder from better design plenum, including machined trumpets inlets. I can't remember the thickness but think the main bottom plate is 12mm. Also we have found Greddy plenums to be very coarse inside and too big especially the runners and on dyno actually lost power. This has been confirmed with other workshops. Where ours definitely makes power. Free power as less stress on motor. Yes they bolt straight up with factory throttle or can use larger throttle body, factory throttle cable and fuel rail ready to go. When released they will be around $1500 each for plenums. Pic of progress.

We are in process of getting bakelite inlet gaskets for RB20/25 and 26. This material prevents heat transfer from heads to inlet plenum. For RB26 added bonus of replacing the factory paper throttle body and inlet plenum gasket which are notorious for blowing out and getting air leaks. Up to now only option is after market gasket such as expensive Tomei metal ones which work fine but still transfer heat. We have had the gaskets scanned and ready to make and will have in next week or so. We have already had made for VG30 300ZX. This is not a new invention as they are available on E Bay a while back for many engines in USA but not Skylines so we decided to do it. They will not be much more than factory ones depending on volume but way cheaper and better than Japanese aftermarket ones. 2 birds one rock deal. Wondering what the interest would be. Remember average of 7 degrees increase or reduction in temp means 1% plus or minus in power. PS If you have stock inlet gaskets and boost your GTR which is most then only a matter of time. Also never put strong solvent cleaners down throttle bodies as it can disolve the factory grey rubber type throttle body sealant and cause an air leak and idle will remain way too high. Pic is of my VG30 DETT.

We just did a big batch and getting some Hightemp black HPC coated and will have them available soon. $540 a pair exchange and probably extra $150 or so high temp black coated. Details and prices on our site very soon.

Obviously to do a proper test it would be changing to extrude honed manifolds only. We know they work from flow bench test and common sense using eyes and feeling it before and after. When you factor in how hard and fast air gets shoved through it then makes sense. My zed is testimony to this technology as it makes huge power especially down low and this is probably part of the reason. 200rwkw at 34000rpm over 400rwkw top end with stock manifolds match ported and extrude honed. All about thermal management and flow. Engine is like a big pump and if easier to get in and out then less heat and stress and more power. Free power. Also note we have tested some stainless manifolds on other engines compared to factory extrude honed ones and the factory one is better and won't crack, radiate less heat and better to HPC coat as better material to bond to.

Exactly and beat me to it as my guys are busy but was going to get them to do same re figures. The other prob is the face of the nut of the ARP SR20 is smaller than the factory nut so in a sense weaker. I would use factory rod bolts or Tomei VG30 might be OK.