Ant

Ahh, righto, thought it was one of you Stagea types who found it originally. Good point re the wiring being different on the same connector...!

Ok, here is the link to the ECU connector diagrams: http://www.blitz.co.jp/Operation-manual/el...ermeter-ecu.pdf Perhaps post up which model of Stagea you have (S1/S2, neo, non-neo) and which ECU connector (BN-1, BN-6) you have to verify or otherwise the info in this doco!

Err, I have Stagea ECU connector for cars 10/96 to 8/98 (series 1 I guess) listed as the same as the R33 (and R32 for that matter)? So it looks fairly straightforward to me, Stagea series 1 = R33/32, series 2 = R34, with the exception of the 260RS = GTR. Bah, tried uploading the PDF doco showing this but it is too large (320kb). Will try to find where I got it from....

Are the connectors the same as the ones at the bottom of this PDF: http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Nissan-Wiring.pdf Used that diagram when making up an adapter harness to fit the stock r/cass which came with the car from Japan into another car, worked like a charm.

ECU plugs are definitely different, according to the list I have cars later than 9/98 have the new type plug, and this is listed as the same as the R34 GT/GTT plug so that must be the NEO/series 2 changeover date. Note that all years of the 260RS and GTR use the earlier type plug (same as all R32/33's). The doco I've got showing the different plug types came from this forum, it is a doco from Blitz.

But, if you are lucky you might still have the S2 engine. Look at the back of the cam cover, there are 4 mounting points. If there is a black box sitting there with wires coming out, it is a S1 engine, if empty mounting points and no black box then it is a S2 engine. There are more than a few '95s around with the S2 engine, appears that Nissan ran out of S1 engines before they changed the body styling.

Skylines do prefer higher octane fuel, but a tune/aftermarket ECU isn't needed unless you are modifying it. About all you should do is reset the ECU, which causes it to relearn the timing advance parameters. Do a search on how to reset the ECU, there are several ways of doing it.

What is the model code on the firewall plate for the car you have/had? According to your sig it is a WGNC34 - is this exactly what the plate says? If so then it *should* be 4wd, the 'N' in the code signifies the 4wd drive train. Unless for some really odd reason the car has been converted to RWD at some point, son of rajab knows why but I guess anything is possible! Also what engine does it have - RB25DE or DET? Again according to your sig you say DE, but I thought all RS4's were turbo (ie DET)?

Was an option I think, have seen a couple of S1's with this bit lit up like a driving light. Haven't heard of any kits to retro-fit lights to ones that don't have the option. I suspect getting the kit from Nissan would be expensive, the parts list for this assy is listed in FAST but there are quite a few bits to it!

Errrrm, could be wrong but isn't that the rear wing he has in the pics? I think the GTR has that bit as standard, I have a feeling I've seen it on a S2 GTS25T at some point as well.

The 2.5L NA Skylines engines have a quite high compression ratio (10.something:1), so 96 is definitely recommended. I run 98 in my GTS25 Skyline (same engine as your 25X), found that the $'s/km work out to be pretty much the same as 96 - costs 5 - 10% more but gets me 5 - 10% further per tank.

Yep, look just behind the RH headlight down the side of the washer water container (it's got water in it right?!?!) and the pump motors for the front and rear washers are there. The container assembly is very easy to remove, is held in by 3 bolts. If the motor works, then check the pipe to the bonnet squirters for kinks, blocks etc.

Actually GTS is RB20E - 100kw of pure SOHC power, agree with Joe, don't go there if you don't have to. GTS25's post '96 have 147kw at the engine. Keep in mind the R33 is relatively heavy and a GTS25 is similar/slightly higher in power to the cars you've listed. But the engines have totally different characters, not much happening down low and in the mid range on the VTEC Honda's, whereas the RB NA engine is all about the mid range..... Also the Skyline is RWD (or AWD for the GTS4), so they don't understeer round corners like the FWD Hondas etc do. They are stupidly reliable, keep in mind it is fundamentally the same engine as the GTR has, and those can run 500hp all year and not break! Test drive them all and see which you prefer....

Good to hear it sounds like it is working. Yep, the idle will die down when the engine is warm, the ECU dynamically adjusts how far open the AAC valve is depending on temperature etc. If you switch the AC on at idle, the idle rpm should go up to 800 - 1100 rpm.

Quite possibly, if the connector wasn't connected properly then the ECU wouldn't be able to control the valve. Has the problem gone away?

The base idle is supposed to increase when the engine is cold and/or the AC is on, this is controlled by the Idle Air Control valve, sometimes also called the AAC valve. This valve can get gummed up and/or fail causing the problems you are having. See here for details on exactly what it is and how to fix: http://www.gt-skyline.net/ (link on the RHS to AAC valve stuff)

Again based on 1 weeks holiday in Japan.... 1) The culture and people.... 2) Trains that arrive when they are supposed to.... (huge novelty for us Kiwi's!) 3) The gadgets and gizmo's. 4) The fact that everyone knows which side of the escalator is for those who can't be shagged stepping, and which side is for those enthusiastic types who do. 5) Stupidly cheap and fast ADSL connections..... 6) Security/safety.

Err, I think ~1390kg is the 'dry' weight - ie with no fuel, people etc on board, this is the value normally quoted by the manufacturer ('cus it's the lowest!). 1580 is probably the average loaded weight which is the value the roading people use as not many cars travel round with no fuel and driver!

Is that turning the car all the way off (to the point at which you can remove the key) or just to ACC and back on? Also how long can you leave it between starts before it 'forgets' - more than 1hr? If < 1hr then that could be wiring, there may be some capacitance on the supply to the AC unit that holds up the voltage for this duration (and hence maintains the last set point). In any case check all the connections, not sure if there is a connection diag for the AC unit kicking round. It is very simple to take out to do this.

Most appliances supplied to Japan that have a 2 pin plug come with a grounding cable that you are supposed to run to a grounding point - ie a copper water pipe or similar. But since 90% of people have no electrical knowledge at all I'd expect that very few actually do this, and since many houses are apartments it is likely that whatever point selected to run the cable to isn't grounded anyway!

Both JDM cars: Daihatsu Naked. Toyota EXIV 'Exciting Version'. 'nuff said! Though remember the bulk of the silly names only sound silly outside their intended market, they make perfect sense to those within the home market.

I think that those connectors are for seat heaters, I've got them as well on my R33 and the seatbelt warning light still works.... Another thing I must check out in FAST when I get a moment, that will show what options are available for the seats!

The first one - keh?? The 20A cct breaker is more to do with limiting household power consumption than anything else - goes back to the whole vulnerable power distribution system (see no's 48 and 50!). I have a feeling it is in the Japanese regs somewhere. Also relates to the insanity of a 100V power system, 'tis a bastard to design for as all the current levels are double what they should be. And on the subject of Japanese power wierdness, check your appliances (fridge etc) for earth connections. See any? Nope, just as I thought. The regs say that you don't have to have 3 pin plugs in the appliances as most houses don't have 3 pin outlets. So many appliances are supplied with an earth lead that you are supposed to connect seperately to an earth point. Anybody want to hazard a guess how many people bother doing this..... At least a 100V zap isn't as bad as a 240V one.... So is poor old (!) Negatoro a bit, umm, shaken?

Check the chassis number against those listed in the recall notice, that will tell you if it was part of the recall. And read the recall notice completely, most of them say something about how to tell if the recall fix has already been applied. As for who pays - you're probably on your own there. Though it looks like you're from NZ so as you know the govt kicked up a bit of a stink regarding responsibility for recalls for imports during the MMC problems recently. So if you argue hard enough with a Nissan dealer and drop the words 'Mitsubishi recall' and 'precedent setting' they might meet you half way perhaps. And don't be too worried, judging by the lists for other manufacturers practically every make and model of car has been recalled at some point, most for minor stuff so it is just a fact of life......

Tehehe, blame me for that, after spending a week in Japan with Mr Gadget I knew he had a fair amount of pet peeves to get of his chest so I pointed this thread out to him...... I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned the obvious one, was told by him and another ALT that their Board of Education's instructed them to teach English with an American accent! A couple of minor ones based on a weeks experience of Japan: 1) Skyline museums that close without stating that they are closed on their website (But at least we found where it should have been, thanks to Dave's directions....). 2) Kids on trains that don't give up their seats for older people. 3) Pachinko. 4) Hello Kitty. 5) Echoing the others: Bozosoku - those guys don't realise that if they tried their tricks anywhere outside Japan the real bikie gangs would tear them apart in seconds! 6) The seemingly national obsession with school girls - actually I'm not sure if that is to be hated, it just seemed very, very, very dodgy..... 7) The 'Gaijin force field', you know when you sit down on a train etc some Japanese people (usually older ones?) will do anything to avoid sitting anywhere near you! But as per Inspector Gadgets comments from my brief experience there are just as many cool/fascinating/intriguing aspects to Japanese life!