Steve

My vote has to be Federal 595SS - good grip and wear surprisingly well, best value tyre I have ever tried (and god knows I have tried many, from R comps to cheap crap)

HICAS works in two ways - at lower speeds (above 25 or 40kph from memory) it steers opposite to your front wheels, at higher speeds, above 80?kph, it steers in the same direction as your fronts - total steering is only around 1mm, but it enough to make the steering feel more lively when cruising and going a bit harder, but not when you go really hard. As you change speed through corners, the steering can either kick in (at lower speeds) or swap from opposite to steering the same direction as the fronts - this is really, really bad for hard driving. You will feel that the steering is slightly heavier at first once you remove it (only slightly), and you will need to remove the HICAS light bulb from the dash (or it will give you the shits) If you just cruise around and go for the occasional 'light' punt - HICAS is fine If you drive hard (track, MC, or similar) piss it off - all race cars remove HICAS, even back when they raced 32s at bathurst - for good reason. It would generally be cheaper to remove HICAS than to replace it. And lastly - any weight saving is good, even a few KGs. My thoughts (and I have driven both with and removed and driven without)

will definately need to pump the guards for legal fit - plus your track will be illegal (but bloody close) which should only be a problem if you go over the pits and they measure them. You will probably need to run a 215 tyre or the tyres may rub - or you pump extra and remove the inner guard (plastic) or fit glass wider guards. Getting similar offset on the rear will require rather more massaging of the guards than the fronts (just in case you were thinking of going down that path) I believe Tech9tyres can pump guards for you if your not up to it, they used to a while back.

ROFL...

LOL So I take it you dont like the taste of ass?

I cannot believe how lucky you are Earlier this year my wife got defected for the factory windscreen (and only the windscreen) on a toyota celsior - spoke to the sergeant in charge of the senior constable who defected the car, he did care, said car must go over pits, period - feel free to phone police complaints, ombudsman etc Went to pits, saw Reno, he cracked the shits (apparently the cops have been sending alot of cars though without defects), he tested the factory windscreen, put it over the pits (which we had to pay for) then he gave us a letter stating the defect was for a factory windscreen which was 100% legal, and the car should never have been defected in his opinion. We complained to the ombudsman, which did bugger all. Reno also said he was going to take it up with some head dude in the police because he was sick of his and the publics time being wasted. Maybe it helped to some degree, but your story is so very, very different from mine - buy a lotto ticket

Alot of confusion surrounds how multigrade oil is rated and what the numbers mean The oil pressure (and how thick the oil is) is determined by the W rating more so than the weight (in general) The W (W = winter rating) is tested differently to the weight - W rating is tested at low temps and measures how much oil flows (pours) over a given time, the weight of the oil is tested differently at 100deg C and determines how the oil resists shear at operating temps. Putting a 50 weight oil in an engine that is specified as needing a 30 weight, will have minor impact on performance, save for increased engine protection at higher temps (everything else being equal) Putting a 5W in an engine that is specified as needing a minimum 7.5W will have an impact on performance - more blow by, and may rev a bit easier. A 5W oil is more suited to an SR, 1JZ, 1UZ etc 20W is more suited to GenIIIs and older engines Another good example is 0W20 - it is used for time trials/qualifying quite often, but because it is so light, running it in a car that is not designed to run it will probably result in a rebuild in no time. The main reason I dont like 5W in an RB is blow by as RB engines are built quite loose, to rev, and therefore need a slightly heavier oil as a minimum - that aside, the reason its relevant in this case: 1/flow and pressure in an engine are directly inversely proportionate to each other - remember its a sealed system, lighter oil flows quicker, therefore pressure is reduced. 2/the manufacturer recommends a 7.5W which will not flow as quickly as a 5W and will therefore give increased oil pressure over a 5W (everything else being the same) The reason I dont like Mobil 1 is from my own and others experience, with both RBs and SRs, on the street and track... Mobil 1 degrades quite quickly when compared to other oils I have tried such as Castrol Edge and Motul (8100 and 300V) I know this personally from testing the oils on the street and track - Mobil 1 (5W, I have never used 15W Mobil 1) will last one short track session (about 5 minutes) before oil temps start rising (even with an oil cooler fitted) and oil pressure drops even further than when new, to the point where my oil pressure warning (set at 0.75bar) would come on at idle. Temps would see an extra 10-15deg C, at which stage I would back off to let it cool (around 100deg C) As mentioned before, Mobil 1 5W would fill a catch can very quickly (even in an SR!) once up to temp and you start leaning on the engine Similarly, on the street, after around 1 month, Mobil 1 started showing signs that it needed changing (temps, pressures) and would see a catch can half full - this is with very limited 'spirited' driving I have also seen and RB30ET kill itself on the track the first time it used Mobil 1, it just lost too much oil to the catch can and dropped pressure, had to be rebuilt. Castrol Edge has far superior heat handling properties to Mobil 1. The oil lasts at least twice as long as mobil 1 and retains oil pressure better at higher temps than Mobil 1 (that I and others have seen) I personally prefer Motul, it is used by Nismo amongst other motorsport companies, it lasts as well as the Castrol on the track (if not better) but the thing that really impressed me is that it displayed higher oil pressure and lower temps. I could also swear (seat of the pants, not dyno proven) that running motul oil the engine revved easier and was more responsive So, yes, I have seen engines pop using Mobil 1, and also seen pretty poor results myself in regards to how quickly it degrades in the engine. For a lightly driven, lightly modified street skyline, the Mobil 1 15W may be fine, but for my money, the Motul (or Castrol) is far, far better value (and similar price) I have seen too much evidence to the contrary to personally trust Mobil 1

OK, oil 101 As oil heats up, it gets thinner - 5W will be thinner than 15W given the same conditions (heat) the weight of the oil is it's resistance to shear (which is the second numer), ie, how well it adhears to metal surfaces and forms a film between them before it breaks down a 5W40 is the same weight as a 15W40, The higher the weight (number), the higher it's resistance (at 100deg C) to shear The "W" rating (winter rating NOT weight) is how well the oil flows (different test altogether) and designates its suitability at cold temps - the higher the number, the 'thicker' the oil is, and a thin oil in an engine that does not have tight tolerances results in blow by - FACT Have you ever had a look at what oils are recommended for engines that smoke and have excessive blow by? goes up to a 40W70 - and it works, because the oil is so thick I have owned and built a 440hp rb25, as well as worked in performance workshops here and in SA Bottom line, I really dont care that much if you replace your oil pump, its your money. The symptoms you state you have are probably more common than you realise, and dont necessarily mean your oil pump is stuffed So all I am saying is, you could spend $65 on some decent oil (Mobil 1 is NOT suitable for RB engines, no matter what your theory tells you, I live in a real world, and have experience) recommended from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE of having owned an RB (daily driver as well as track), and having serviced possibly hundreds of them, as well as knowing how oil is rated, not just guessing you can spend HUNDREDS of dollars, replace your oil pump, use mobil 1 again, and have low (lower than if you used the correct oil) oil pressure - based on the guess work of people who are just guessing based on god knows what. If you dont track your car, dont waste money on an oil pressure guage - you probably wont know what you are looking at anyway, and it is pretty much pointless on the street - except for pose value Your call (I really dont know why I bother replying to these threads, too many people who have had a car for 5 minutes, read user manual, and think they know it all) For all those whose egos I have hurt by telling them that Mobil 1 is crap in RB engines, or that your oil pressure guage is possibly for pose value only, get over it, your egos will recover if you grab some kleenex and cuddle up to your mums

There is your problem right there Mobil 1 5W40 is way too light for an RB, low oil pressure is just one symptom, you are probably also getting massive blow by - I almost filled a catch can in a couple of laps at Mallala, it seriously should never go in an RB

couple of things: After you change your oil, it will slowly start to degrade and loose viscosity AND pressure will drop Different oils break down at different rates Different driving conditions cause oils to break down at different rates Different weights of oil will cause different pressure Different oil filters can cause different oil pressure Rather than rushing out and changing your oil pump, change your oil, use a good quality 15W50 (I recommend MOTUL) and see what happens. If you are still concerned, take your car into a workshop and get them to check your oil pressure As mentioned above, the stock guage is not accurate but can work well as a guide

If you didnt notice the damage at the workshop, I am afraid you havn't a leg to stand on what so ever UNLESS he admits liability. Bottom line is you have to prove he smashed them, as you didnt notice the damage straight away, he could reasonably argue that the damage wasnt there when you picked up the car. Best bet, go and see the guy, ask him if he put the car on a hoist or not, if he says he used a hoist, you could point out the damage - he may be a decent guy, and like you, didn't notice the damage straight away, and be willing to fix it. Good luck

On apprenticeship wages, like he has heaps of cash to throw around, poor guy I hope you get him/them and they get what's coming good luck

I can vouch for that, easter weekend, open road outside a built up area, just before a 100 zone sign (90 in 80 zone) Ah well, havent been caught in over 20 years... it drove home the fact that multinovas dont slow people down, most people would probably drive to the road conditions rather than the signed limit - perhaps all the added concentration to make sure you dont slip a few kms over the limit is distracting people from paying attention on the roads We have had speed limit/speed camera/road toll propaganda shoved down our throats for years now, which the last couple of years road tolls totally disprove (remembering they have been using the speed/camera/death stats for some time to prove cameras stop deaths) bloody leaches

you take it over the pits, get permits if necessary. It is pretty straight forward, I had heaps done to my car when I brought it over from SA, all they were interested in was if it was roadworthy - I also got permits at the same time for heaps of stuff Usually to modify a car, you have to fill in an application to modify a vehicle, stating the reasons why you want to modify it (power upgrade, replacement etc) - if the proposal is reasonable you will be given permission to proceed and you must then present the car for inspection after modification is complete to receive permits. IF they are uncertain about the safety/design of modifications they may request you get an engineering certificate to state the mods comply with applicable legislation. I would recommend you have the car tuned to be streetable though, as if it is considered overpowered for the road (abstract I know) they will require you to detune it. If the guy doing the test mashes the accelerator (which they have to do to ensure there are no flats spots) and the car goes sideways/leaves strips etc - it wont pass So basically, if you bring it over, take it over the pits, they will inform you of what they required engineered and or changed, if anything at all (a good chance the inspector wont even know it was originally a twin turbo car anyway) simple

your a mechanic and you forgot about the 'heat thing'? dude, that's scary I get cranky when people pass on dis-information which could potentially be very, very costly to others, thus why my post was a bit aggressive rule number one of owning a car NEVER scrimp on servicing - I am very suprised that any mechanic would forget that, none of the mechs I have worked with ever have - seen too many cars stuffed because the owners wanted to save a few dollars in maintenance/servicing - happens too often Too many people don't seem to get it that it costs more to run a car than just putting petrol in it - i.e. fix it before it breaks sorry, starting to digress Nick033, it has been too long since I have done a timing belt to remember what was charged, as for parts can I recommend you get quotes on the parts (off forum traders) and give the mechanic doing the work the opportunity to compete on price - they dont make much on parts, but would probably appreciate a couple of extra $$$ and the chance to be competitive Would recommend gates timing belts (repco, covs etc stock them), and ring CBC bearings for price on the idler and tensioner, might save a few $$ for no loss of quality over nissan parts And if you are supplying your own bits, make sure you bring along some coolant of the SAME TYPE that you are currently running, or get them to do a radiator flush at the same time if you dont know what type it is (should always flush if you are changing coolant type, or replacing unkown type) hope that helps

So you know better than the manufacturer? What do you base this on? Do you understand WHY Nissan recommends replacing the timing belt? Your whole post is pretty stupid - you dont know how to read a timing belt sticker, which isnt rocket science, you dont understand why Nissan recommends the timing belt be replaced after 6 years, which is because heat effects the rubber of which the timing belt is made, and it gets weaker after it is exposed to heat And who on this gods earth will only drive 5,000km in 6 years? Even my grandma does more than that Really, its better to not post at all and let people think you are stupid than to make a post that removes all doubt It bloody annoys me how many people will spruke on as if they are experts when really they just dont have a bloody clue Replacing a timing belt is alot cheaper than replacing an engine

I checked up with welshpool years ago on this, they said left or right is ok, as long as it is visible from in front of the vehicle up to angle of only around 20 degrees to the front minimum standing at a specific distance. Boiled down to - make sure its facing frontwards and either side is ok If you want exact details, best ring welshpool and get it from them

best if you do timing belt to get tensioner and idler done too - they can and do seize Hyperdrive have heaps of runs on the board and are great guys, my personal favourite is Roiboi at Kensei garage - has been turning spanners on imports as long or longer than about anyone in WA

haha, this is the second one since they have been in, and all I hear is them blaming libs... WGMG - Politicians, bloody self serving leaches, the most convincing liar wins

didnt labour say they would control interest rates?

I dont know about anybody else, but I have noticed what I can only describe as bizarre behaviour by our law makers. Lets see if we can find a thread of logic here: Road law - now fines for MINOR speeding offences exceed the wrap for ASSAULTING police As reported in the sunday times a few weeks back - assaulting a police officer carries a $500 fine - that's it Get this car owners - YOU are guilty of a crime more HEINOUS than common assault if you accidentally exceed the speed limit IF you spin your wheels (even slightly, when leaving the lights for example) you are guilty of a crime so disgusting you should have your car impounded or even destroyed (you filthy disgusting criminals) - better off just having a few beers first so you are more relaxed and dont side step the pedal too quick - hell, the punishment is lighter - at least you get to keep your car (infact, you would be better off going for DUI and Assaulting the cop - sad eh?) maybe we need to keep a bottle handy in the car so if we do get pulled over we can just quickly down a couple of mouthfuls before they write you up for hooning? "did I spin the wheels officer? sorry, I couldn't tell I have had too much to drink/am too high/(insert some other lesser offence excuse here)" If you get pulled over for speeding, just pretend to be angry, push the cop when he pulls out the book, quick easy assault charge - it will be cheaper for you. - the road traffic act is a bloody joke anyway, end rant for the day

LOL, if someone is driving like a dick - stay away, simple, no problems

Instead of spending money on washers and self levelers etc, I would personally just leave them in there. I had HIDs on my sil80 for ages, NEVER got attention from cops (also had them with my strawberry face) - keep them adjusted properly, use a normal colour of bulb and you wont have any hassles. If for some reason you get pinged and need to go over the pits, don't stress too much as they are an easy swap to normal bulbs IF they say anything... (also there are imports on the road that got past compliance with their HIDs in place, such as my wife's Celsior) Its seems pretty bizarre that a country of over 200million people (japan) that is very public safety and consideration to others focused doesn't have a requirement for self leveling/washers and has hids on their roads as OEM equipment for a long time without dramas. Maybe the ADR is just another example bureaucracy gone mad Is there anyone on here that can give an accurate idea of the thinking behind these particular ADRs?

They are supposed to be replaced when the car is registered in Aust

Best value for money tyre (wear and excellent grip) IMO is the Federal 595, get them from Exley tyres in Willetton if you are SOR I have never been that impressed with Falken (havent tried the 452 though) they (215) wore quickly and when they let go, they really let go, and flatspotted very, very easily, I beleive Exley's also sell Falkens, so it would be worth giving them a try either way