What Have You Done To Your Stagea Lately?

[Daleo]

Question: what happens when you've replaced pretty much everything you've broken with brand new parts?

Answer: You start breaking the brand new parts just to keep life interesting!

Probably a bit dramatic, but I took the beast for its first proper drive early yesterday morning - holy crap: it's awesome! the thrust is incredible: couldn't be more happy with the 10 min dirive I got in before blowing the intercooler hose off the plenum! It was fantastic!

Of course, being the unprepared moron I am, I didn't have a screwdiver in the car, but we managed to sort the hose issue out by using a 5c coin to turn the screws on the hose clamps, and off I went to my mech for a spanky new blue silicone bend: problem solved!

Disappointment struck when conducyting this running repair in the back hills, as I noticed that my "new" radiator was spitting coolant where a couple of the tubes meet the end tanks...

Now, I'm a reasonable king of guy, and quite patient, but this has really made me start to wear the angry pants again: The last radiator I had was 2 years old when it let go after a mere 1600km of driving, and it wasn't a cheap Chinese Ebay special either: it cost thousands, was a custom order triple cross-flow unit from one of the best in the business (apparently), with a transmission cooler built into one end tank, and an engine oil cooler in the other. My entire cooling suystem has been built around this setup, at great cosyt in both time and money to get everything working how it should.

I have had previous rants about the last failure: the manufacturer tried to claim incorrect coolant was used (it wasn't: we followed their advice to the letter), and it took 6 weeks to get them to agree to provide the new unit at cost price to me as a "sign of good faith". Fair enough: it was outside their 12 month warranty period, so I was happy to take it on the chin. I discovered that the failures I had experienced are well documented, and quite common amongst other clients of this company, as was the attempted warranty-dodging, with many other people coming out of the situation worse off than me...

This time, however, the part is just less than 12 months old, and hasn't even been fitted to the car for more than 3 months of the past 12. Unacceptable!

I dropped the manufacturer a line yesterday to attempt to discuss the issues, and as soon as I mentioned that I had another failure, they tried to pull the "incorrect coolant" card, followed by various other attempts blame the way the car is set up. The fact is, after about $3000 total spend on the 2 units, we tested every single hypothesis they came up with for the prvious failure, in order to not have to go through the whole process again.

I guess the bottom line is that the rad will need to be removed again, and taken to them to inspect, but I'm looking at another couple of months of mothballing the poor old girl again while we get this new issue sorted.

I could conceivably re-engineer the cooling system to take external coolers etc, but the cost will be significant, and I'm stubbornly strong on principle...

Rant. Over.

Watch this space...

A mate of mine had the exact radiator rotting issues with the same brand as yours in a Lexus V8 powered Hilux; he ended up going to Aussie Desert Coolers.

5 years on; using whatever coolant he likes, rad is perfect.

They will build whatever you want; and aside from being a bit brusque over the phone the product speaks for itself.

[KiwiRS4T]

Either of you if you don't want to publish the (dodgy) brand can you PM it please?

[Daleo]

Either of you if you don't want to publish the (dodgy) brand can you PM it please?

Done.

[Footo]

Got my super pro lower inners and adjustable caster bushings fitted today. Feels noicccee and no more knocking from underneath the car

Edited September 23, 2013 by Footo

[Jetwreck]

Got new wheels on the car! just gotta get the new tyres on em now......it's a little tricky because of the profile to get in and out of my garage with the front bar!

On other news Falken have there new tyre out(453's) ......good news because new better design apparently.....bad news because now there $100 more each! I liked it when they were $200 each fitted!

[skyguy3804]

Got Dale's undercar brace bar & the Transgo Shift Kit fitted to my M35 yesterday.. What a HUGE difference in both the way the car handles and the gear changes. Absolutely loving how the car feels thru gear changes.. nice, strong, and quick!! No more lazzzy gear changes now. Also, cornering feels sooo much better, car is really planted to the ground in fast corners and front end feels 'together' now. Definitely worth every penny IMHO

Huge thanks to Scott for the quick installation, Dale for manufacturing a great product, and Craig for supplying such a fantastic shift kit.. Great forum, great ppl

Thanks guys!!

Cheers,

Chris.

[Blek]

Got new wheels on the car! just gotta get the new tyres on em now......it's a little tricky because of the profile to get in and out of my garage with the front bar!

On other news Falken have there new tyre out(453's) ......good news because new better design apparently.....bad news because now there $100 more each! I liked it when they were $200 each fitted!

Pics (of the new wheels)

[M35woah]

Pics (of the new wheels)

They're the Signature 3 piece Tommy Kaira's. Because gap is awesome .

Edited September 25, 2013 by M35woah

[Jetwreck]

Worth $7000 too! Don't knock the price because you'll get banned from Admin!

[Blek]

The only gap I am interested in, is on a woman.... dat gap

AAYYOOOOOOOOOO

[Howaitonaito]

The only gap I am interested in, is on a woman.... dat gap

AAYYOOOOOOOOOO

Or as my dad says: "last time i seen a fork like that had a koala sitting in it" hahahah

[gleeson]

headlights are now painted.

Edited September 26, 2013 by gleeson

[Daleo]

Very nice.

[skyguy3804]

headlights are now painted.

Very nice indeed Dave

[Rudi_ARX-TURBO]

had bendix ultimate pads fitted to my r32 gtr callipers today , stops on dime now, ready for the cruise on sunday

[scotty nm35]

headlights are now painted.

Mine next mate?

[gleeson]

Mine next mate?

Yeah and your grill while we're going

[rb26stagea]

took mine for a quick drive last night: it';s awesome! If anyone on the Gold Coast is interested in joining me for an early morning drive on the weekend, let me know: My new baby is due any day now, so I'm trying to get as much driving fun in as I can before it arrives (and before my radiator gets too bad), then I'm pulling the cooling system out and attempting to fight my way through a warranty claim.

[180fan]

Changed oil and filter, as well as the fuel filter. Also replaced my damaged front right guard with a slightly less damaged one.

Now to get it all shiny for the cruise on sunday!

[stageaharts]

18 x 9.5 +22 Volk Rays Gram Lights 57DR in black

235/35/18 Federal 595 RSR's

GK Tech V2 adjustable Rear Camber & Toe Arms

'93 R32 GTR Pull type gearbox

Extreme cushion button clutch (installed by Kidafa, thanks kid!)

Nismo GT Gear Knob

Greddy Informometer

Pioneer DEX-P99RS

JL Audio C5 6.5" Splits

Series 3 R33 GT-R seats

Greddy catch can w/ speedflow lines & fittings

Setrab oil cooler w/ speedflow lines & fittings

New Nissan Thermostat

Radiator flushed

AM Performance low mount manifold

AM Performance split dump

Garrett GT3076R w/ speedflow lines & fittings

Tial 44mm external Wastegate

Splitfires

Deatschwerk 1000cc injectors

Walbro e85 fuel pump

E85 tune

Ran 290rwkw on the heartbreaker dyno...

Now more serious, new build 50% complete:

Tomei Rods

Tomei Pistons

Tomei Oil Pump

Tomei Sump Baffle

N1 Water Pump

Ross Harmonic Balancer

Deck Shaved

Head fully reco'd

Oil control mods

Supertech Valve Springs and Titanium Retainers

Tomei 256 Poncams

ID1000 injectors with fuel rail and Turbosmart ext. Fuel pressure regulator

Still e85 of course

I think that's it, I'll update with the dyno sheet when it's all done...