the phantom

Hi MattR, a 33 GTR or GTS23t?

Whats the twin plate on road characteristics like...oh yeah...and how much?

Hi riceline, The oil feed diameter is indeed exactly the same as I have used. Although I didn't take the feed from where you have. Apologies for being vague, but I did this about three years ago so I'll have to check. I took the oil feed from the side of the block. I'll have a look and get back to you. Thats not to say what you have done isn't satisfactory however, I just chose a different supply path. As Joel has also suggested, check the cam timing. The number of teeth are irrelevant. What's important is lining up the TDC crank mark with the cams. The backing plate on the cam cover has two marks which line up with corresponding marks on each of the cam gears. This is what you have to line up with the crank mark...don't worry about how many teeth this may take. This will vary depending on the tensioner bolt position. The noise comming from the front of the head....the crank position sensor must be mounted with the original rubber gasket, WHICH INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL SPACERS, which fit into the three bolt positions, regardless of whether or not the outside cam cover is installed. Failing to include these or do something else equivalent will bring the sensor too close to the exhaust cam once mounted. The cam gear bolts will then hit the back of the sensor assembly, and create a noise. Also the backing plate can become warped and rub on the cam gears as well. I have experienced both these situations, which, after a mild heart palpatation proved to be easy to correct. I would again stress that you solve this quickly without letting the engine idle for extended periods whilst still in its fresh state. I have ruined a few engines in the past trying to figure out running issues with a newly built engine. This is not the ideal time to have this happening, although I understand your dilemma. I would check all of this first. I can supply you with information on how to check your AFM with a digital multimeter if none of this helps.

Hi Munro, What exactly is it about dog boxes that makes them a pain in traffic? Do they refuse to change or is it a noise/harshness issue?

I've also experimented with an HKS EIDS. It can be helpful in some situations, but isn't good enough in my opinion to adequately solve other underlying issues responsible for idle problems. It intercepts and modifies the AFM signal to the ECU. It replaces the AFM signal when it drops suddenly, such as on throttle closure, and substitutes it with a constant voltage which is adjusted for magnitude and duration, as required to eliminate the stalling. It's one dimensional nature is the reason for its inadequacy in my opinion. Although I am particular about idle quality, others may find it acceptable.

Hi riceline, Sorry to hear about your malodies Personally, I dont think fuel is going to 'age' and 'go off' significantly in two months to the point that it effects engine running....something else is wrong here. For my external oil feed to the VCT I used an off the shelf copper line kit with a modified fitting, as used to connect oil pressure guages. It's also is quite thin, I suspect in the 1 to 2 mm ID range (1/8 th inch OD). I've done about 60,000km with it and haven't had any problems. I'd start with the obvious....check ALL hose connections thoroughly for leaks. I'd also suggest new plugs as a start, the least you can do on a new engine after all that effort!! Failing that it may be an electrical problem. Check for spark. I'd also give the AFM a check to see if its giving an appropriate output. This sounds similar to what happens if you disconnect the AFM whilst running, or if its faulty. I've had a previous bad experience with a fuel rail that was delivered complete with injectors to an "injection specialist" (I use the term very loosley!)for cleaning. Upon return and installation, it all went south. To cut a long story short, the morons didn't lubricate the o-rings on the side feed injectors prior to re-installation. When pressed in, the o-rings were torn causing fuel to continuously leak into the engine whenever the fuel pump was running causing extremely rich and bad running.... The only other suggestion I would make is try to solve this issue VERY quickly. If the engine is new, ie new rings/bore/hone ring seal problems may occur down the track if the engine is run for extended periods like this. It doesn't take much...

I'll also vouch for Unley Nissan...I've bought lots of stuff from them at good prices and quick delivery

Hi Sydneykid, Curious to hear about the results of your rotating mass reduction experiments. Have you produced any sort of measurable results thus far? I guess in racing it all matters, but I was just wondering if you have been able to deduce how much power was being sapped by the heavy pulleys experimentally? Also, I dont understand how the state of engine balance, i.e. dynamic balance of the crank, and static balance of rods/pistons etc, has anything to do with the harmonic balancer. I was under the impression that its task was to reduce torsional oscillations, not moments produced by dynamic imbalances which lead to crank bending perpendicular to its axis. Do you think you'll get an accurate representation of torsional effect without the use of an encoder device on the crank snout? Interesting...

Joel, Didn't do any mods to any oil feeds. All I did was screw a grub screw into the VCT supply hole in the head to block it off,and fed it externally via another fitting screwed into the side of the head. The only gallery type mod I did was enlarge the front water gallery on the block to more closely suit the 25t head with a standard head gasket.

Hey Sydneykid, Do you use normal pump grade premium 98 with the 9:1 CR and 400rwkw in your RB31DET's, or something else...

Another thing about the conversion that I hardly ever see mentioned.... The additional height of the block. When I test fitted the engine, the crossover piping just rubbed on the hood lining. The BOV was in complete contact with it. This could have been the result of slight displacement of the piping from the different turbo fitted. Maybe that is why this hasn't been mentioned so often. Leaving it this way would have resulted in the lining being ripped to shreads, and consequently giving the game away. Additionally there was no way the aftermarket strut brace originally fitted could fit. It would hit the throttle assembly. The solution was to make 10mm thick adaptor plates that fit between the engine mounts and the block They have 4 coutersunk allen bolts that attach the plates to the original engine mount holes on the block. The plates then have 4 new holes drilled and tapped about an inch directly ABOVE the other 4 holes, which the engine mounts then bolt to. Effectively once installed the engine is lowered about an inch, bringing it back into line, allbeit still slightly higher than the original. The crossmember does not allow further lowering without maintaining some sump clearance. The holes in the crossmember that hold the rubber mount pad that the other end of the mounts bolt to need to be elongated outwards to accept the new engine mount positions, which now splay outwards that little bit further. Bear in mind the original strut brace could still not be fitted without hitting, although a different design may be OK. The block to gearbox brace also needed to be slightly relieved to clear some obstructions. From memory, I think it was the drivers side one fouling on the steering rack or lines, but I may be mistaken. I defintely needed to relieve at least one of them. This is all straighforward, but it did make the conversion slightly more than just a bolt-out-bolt-in affair in my case. Maybe this all makes sense to someone who has had this issue... I forgot to mention that the radiator fan shroud also needed to be slightly relieved as the fan is now also about an inch lower....

Just a note on radiator and heating issues in general on an RB30DET from personal experience... I've been running one of these for almost 3 years now with about 1 bar, and a big front mount IC in front of none other than the standard RB25 radiator that came with the car originally. I have had absolutely no overheating issues whatsoever. The temp guage did not budge from the original point after the conversion, nor does it move under the most sustained and abusive of engine treatment possible on the road, even on 40 degree days with the AC on and no AC auxilliary cooling fan, which had to be removed to fit the IC. This is also confirmed with the PowerFC temp display. So, if anyone is concerned, don't bother with changing or upgrading radiators.

I need a pair of front struts including springs for an R33 GTSt....

I've recently purchased a set of Arias pistons for another RB30DET in the pipeline. The pistons were provided by Rocket Industries specifically for this conversion. The compression is supposedly in the order of 8.5:1 but measurement will tell. The spec sheet provided with the pistons states a clearance of 4 thou. Interestingly however, it also states that if the pistons are "PRO-COATED" the clearance can be reduced to 2 thou. I've only breifly investigated what "Pro-Coating" is as far as Arias is concerned. There was a "Pro-Coating" service provided by a NZ company but I'm not sure if this is the same treatment. Regardless it appears to be a typical dry moly type coating. However I fail to see how this would stop piston expansion due to heat. Perhaps the Arias treatment also includes a ceramic coating on the piston crown which would probably reduce the amount of heat entering the piston and hence limit expansion. I think some consultation with Arias is in order. OEM clearance specs for the RB25/26 from the JPNZ R33 manual are : RB25DE/DET 0.5 - 1.4 thou (approx) RB26DETT 1.4 - 2.2 thou (approx) Of interest is the fact that if the Arias pistons are indeed "Pro-Coated" the clearance falls within the OEM RB26 spec.

Spot on Warpspeed, Have you seen the ESC400 @ http://www.boosthead.com/home.php It looks like an eaton driven by 3 starter motors providing about 18 hp and drawing 1200 amps from a seperate deep discharge battery...interesting.... p.s. I finally have my yt1500A (m90)...this is going to be a very interesting mechanical installation, but it should just fit...and be out of sight as well.

Isn't there a pressure sensor also with the kit?

Hey Steve, I had a thought regarding the appauling nature of the procedures and methods adopted by Regency. What if the department was forced to become ISO Quality Assured. That way there would have to be predetermined procedures and methods that must be adhered to so as to satisfy regular auditing. This way, car inspections would not follow the alignment of the planets regarding what is and isn't allowed, but rather follow close procedural requirements. Such acreditation also allows for customer liason and complaints resolution. Further, since the importation of vehicles now requires the relevant companies to be so acredited, then does it not follow that the inspection authority must also be similarly qualified? It is about time we had a decent means of inspection, and bring us in line with other states. I'm sick of such 'alignment' always reffering to nationwide consistency in traffic violations laws only. The lack of certification once passed, guarding against further defects on the road for the same mods has to stop. It simply is a means to justify salaries at the moment.

On an R33, the IAC is another valve, right next to the AAC, which bumps up the idle for the aircon. There is yet another valve under the plenum, a bimetallic valve, which provides additional air for cold idle.

AAC = Auxilliary Air Control In my case it was the pin withing the plug that was loose and poorly connected.

Kinks, On an R33 GTS25t the MAP sensor has no connection to the ECU...it purely drives the boost guage on the dash. Overboost is checked by monitoring air flow alone...

Some time ago when I was diagnosing this issue in my R33, I discovered a loose pin in the ECU plug. Even though it looked ok it wasn't making a connection. It just so happened to be the AAC drive wire. Needless to say this didn't fix my particular problem but it was a start!! I accidently noticed this whilst fumbling around the plug with the engine running...I noticed the revs climbing every time I nudged it. Personally I dont believe ECU resetting does anything. Long term trends should be adaptable as they happen not once when the car is new. This is just my personal opinion however....

just a general comment... The AAC valve is a proportional valve which controls the idle speed with assistance from the bimetalic valve when more bypass air is needed when cold. It also takes care of accessory, power steering and charging system load compensation. Another important function is to effectively slow throttle closing thus bringing the engine to idle nice and gently...i.e the hesitation in revs at about 1000 before dropping to idle. The A/C idle up is controlled solely by the IAC valve, which is only on/off in operation, and resides next to the AAC (on an r33 GTSt anyway). Justified2.4.....I dont think your problem has anything to do with the idle control system...the A/F ratio plot should show the problem...leaky BOV perhaps, or fuel delivery issues???

thanks steve

Pretty please Someone must have some flow bench results....

Having recently started playing with some engine simulation software, and noticing some interest in other posts, is anyone able to post flow bench data for standard rb25 and rb26 head flow rates at various lifts for a given test pressure?