Hcr32 - Nelsonmx's Lightweight Track/street Build

[nelsonmxmarc]

Hello everyone!

This is a much anticipated and long overdue post. I have been a LONG, LONG time supporter and reader of SAU. A lot of the techniques I've adapted in my build come from none other than you all, so I extend a great deal of gratitude for that!

For the last 2 years i've been devoting a good amount of time to the Skyline community here in Montreal, Canada, and being that we get a good amount of snow (damn you guys!) we're granted a few months of the year to completely tear down our cars and rebuild them from the ground up! That being said, it has given me a lot of time to learn about every nook and cranny of this vehicle and has allowed me to help a lot of those with issues of their own through personal experience. About 90% of my aid has extended to GTRCanada.com; as our sole representation of the Canadian Skyline community, it has been a good driving force in helping me in my learning curve of developing, in my eyes, the most appropriately built car!

Currently i am the owner of a carbon fibre business, NelsonMX, specializing in quality automotive products. We also engineer and design structural support such as bracing, roll cages and even pioneer a front-mount plenum modification for RB20 owners in the area as well as Canada-wide. We're looking to get into the car restoration scene as well, having began there years ago with the purchase of a 1971 Porsche 911S. Cars are more than a hobby here, they're certainly a way of life, and i would love nothing more than to share my experience over the last two years with you all!

Hopefully the tips and tricks i extend here will help you on your own journey of creating the perfect, original piece of art in your minds eye.

Let's begin!

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 1 – 2009 Winter build

Synopsis of winter – 2009

My goal for spring of 2009 was an internally stock RB20det, producing 320 whp…

Engine compression was 141-142 across the board and was considered quite healthy.

I had been sourcing parts for some time, and this is a nearly complete list of my winter build;

• Greddy Profec b Spec 2
• XS Power – split dump/down pipe with. 3″ / 1.5″ divorced WG
• GTR Injectors + resistor pack
• New Windshield
• AEM UEGO wideband
• GTR Fuel Pump (OEM)
• OEM GTR Rims
• Strut Braces – Tanabe / Sustec
• Hawk HPS Brake Pads
• Goodridge Stainless braided brake lines
• Brembo rotors
• ACT Clutch – Pressure plate and 6 puck ceramic disc
• Fuel Filter
• Z32 MAF
• Godspeed FMIC
• Prosport gauges – Oil temp, oil pressure, boost + sandwich plate
• R34 Neo 6 GTT turbo
• Fresh top end gasket set
• Swap fluids
• Type M Skirts
• HID’s

Where she sat for 2009!

[nelsonmxmarc]

Prosport Gauge install - 2009

My center vent came cracked when I purchased the vehicle, and I’m the kind of person that has an absolute knack for perfection, or at least, to delete the kinds of things that remove from the perfection of the vehicle. So, I decided I’d remove the vent completely and replace it with a usable gauge slot.

As mentioned, they’re Prosport gauges and are VERY VERY nice gauges to look at, not to mention function properly and have had no issues to date.

To delete the vent, I needed to fabricate a holder for the 3 gauges. Using the vent as a template/mold, I made a carbon fibre replica in the same contour to fit.

BEFORE

AFTER

At any rate, basically you want to block off the vent entry from behind.

Using cardboard and tape (of all things) cut a suitable size of cardboard to block the opening of the vent then use tape to hold it in place. Voila, pretty simple..

I ran the EVAC to see if any air blew through – nothing. All air redirected to other vents.

This just saves any build up of moisture (A/C on hot day or vice versa) in the gauges and keeps them in good shape!

Greddy Profec B Spec 2 Install;

My install guide can be found here, with relevant facts and pictures..

http://forums.gtrcanada.com/gts-tech/t-how-to-install-greddy-profec-b-spec-ii-in-an-r32-gtst-47897.html

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 2 – transmission and clutch swap

Due to a noisy input shaft bearing, the transmission was dropped for an overhaul. Also, without any previous knowledge on the clutch and its condition, it was likely due for a change, and so it was!

The clutch wasn’t in terrible shape, however the flywheel was in need of turn;

After 15 years, it was in need of a swap..

Flywheel came back resurfaced and good as new.

Installed;

Center torque on flywheel is approx 105 ft/lbs. Also use red locktite, last thing you need is that thing coming off a few km’s from home!

Tip – definitely get a hold of an alignment tool for when installing the pressure plate and disc, this will make your life considerably easier.

I decided to try both ways for fun, and I can argue hands down that the installer is definitely worth getting your hands on.

Torque for the pressure plate was minimal – I’d say give a good tug on a 1/2″ breaker bar. Again, locktite, blue in this case as it’s less detrimental (more spacing for bolts, less tension on them than on flywheel).

Torque it down like you would a wheel; cross directionally, otherwise you may warp it a bit without noticing and end up having a larger issue at hand later..

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 3 – Brakes

Goodridge lines installed;

Brake caliper rebuild and paint;

Brake caliper rebuild/inspection is quite simple. Each pot, 4 in the front and 2 in the rear, slide out of their holder with ease. It’s best to inspect the pot (piston) external bore for knicks or scoring. If there’s any damage, its possible it could present a future problem, typically leaking or soft, spongey brakes.

Remember to apply a thin layer of grease on the pot face that meets the pad, as it will reduce brake noise and prolong precise and consistent brake feel over time.

Line install were a snap.. a little rust may make it difficult to remove the tabs holding the lines in place, however a bit of WD-40 and a hammer/screw driver combo works great. Took approx 30 min to remove old lines, install new lines.

Brake rebuilds are about 30 min per caliper not including paint, but it also depends on how meticulous you are as well…

Brake fluid: ATE Super blue – Easy to see when bleeding

I’d recommend picking up a Mityvac in the case you’re stuck swapping fluid on your own OR if you’ve got no power to the car (Brakebooster is electronically controlled). It’s a vacuum type system that sucks, rather than pushes the fluid through the lines and does a thorough job of minimizing air in the lines.

Also, when mounting the rear/front calipers, remember, bleeder goes at the TOP! That way any trapped air will make its way OUT, and not get trapped inside. When pulling the car out of the shop in the spring, my brakes were VERY squishy, lead me to believe something was catastrophically wrong, was simply just a judgment error! But keep the in mind.

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 4 – AACV Cleaning tips (Stalling issues? High RPM idle? look here..)

Here is the typical how to from Skylines Australia;

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Diy-Aac-Valve-Cleaning-and-t110431.html&st=40&start=40

One thing I’d like to introduce and what I’ve managed to find on my own behalf is a separate adjustment screw located under the thick coat of silicone on the rear side of the AACV unit.

On the back you now see this large brass screw. In OEM form, there is a thick layer of GREY/WHITE epoxy covering this bolt.. Heat it with a heat gun or torch (From a safe distance…)

Using a flat bladed screw driver, pry the epoxy off.

It’s old, so be patient, it will come off in chunks.

Now you can expose the brass screw behind.

****** COUNT THE AMOUNT OF TURNS OR DEPTH OF SCREW BEFORE REMOVING ****

At any rate you’ve now exposed all the innards of the AACV.. The solenoid comes off via 2 screws, and the idle screw simply unscrews and comes out.

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 5 – RB26DETT Injector install on RB20DET

First and foremost, no matter where you source your injectors from, no matter how convincing the guy is that they’re BNIB or never used, or lightly used, HAVE THEM FLOW TESTED AND CLEANED.

I went from a sporadic flow pattern of 113 – 115 across all 6, to 122 constant! No leaks, cleaned the filters through ultrasonic cleaning, then replaced all pintle caps and o-rings/grommets.

Best and safest 225$ dollars I’ve ever spent.

This was from Lew Dieslic off Sources in the West island of Montreal.

If you plan to do this mod to your RB20, please read this, it will save you a great deal of trouble beforehand, as most sites do NOT supply this information

Steps for RB26 injector swap

1. Before storage or before working on this particular section of the vehicle, run the vehicle with the fuel pump fuse OUT as to deplete any gas in the lines, as well as to remove any fuel pressure.

2. The intake plenum needs to be removed, runners can stay on head, for you to work with the fuel rail and injectors..

3. Carefully remove the clips from the injector plugs! It’s likely you’ll destroy a few tabs in the process but its not a BIG deal.. So don’t worry.. A loom is approx 770$ last I heard, so be careful.

4. keep these clips and pull the injector connectors free from the injectors.

5. unbolt the fuel rail (2 bolts) and pull. Since you burnt the excess fuel off by pulling the pump fuse, you wont have gas pouring out!

6. injectors are out!

7. now the step no one EVER tells you about

- Each connector to each injector fits in a certain sequence, like key and lock. There are grooves in the wiring loom connectors that fit the RB20 injectors fine, but do NOT fit the RB26 injectors. The grooves on the rb26 injectors are different, as well, the alignment of the front tab is slightly off center.

-I’ll take pictures for reference, because it’s hard to explain.. But some filing -needs to be done and some trimming as well..

8. Now that the trimming and cutting is done, the connectors will match!

9. Now we can begin wiring the resistor pack.

10. Follow this, or pm me for guidelines;

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Gtr-Injectors-Rb20det-t62674.html&pid=4321339&mode=threaded

In my case, the power wire was WHITE, and the wires to each injector were BLACK. Not sure what the significance is ..

11. Now find a place to mount your ballast! I used the solenoid mount holes for the hicas solenoid (which is now removed)

Chapter 6 – RB25 NEO turbo replacement and paint tips

RB20DET VS RB25DET Turbo size – Obvious size difference on the hot side snail

Don’t forget, when swapping, replace the RB25 wastegate with that of the RB20. RB25 wastegate is bench tested at 8 psi, the RB20, 10 psi. Will put less load on your boost controller solenoid, or if you’re not running a boost controller, will enable you to scrounge an extra 2 psi at no charge (of course with intake and exhaust mods, typical boost will be upwards of 12.5 psi on average.)

Paint;

Now get the wire wheel out and get to that grimey wastegate actuator!

Of course, this is the rb20det actuator, as it opens around 10 psi vs 7-8 psi like the rb25. You can tell the difference right off the bat in how stiff the actuator spring is between the 2 of them.

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 7 – AC Compressor faults – Blowing a fuse? Not working? Check your AC Compressor resistance

An issue with ac compressor’s is that, in time like anything else, they die.. What dies in an ac compressor is a part called the “windings”.

Lets understand ‘electromagnetic clutches;

Ohm’s law dictates basically how a circuit works in terms of amps, voltage and resistance..

In an electromagnetic clutch, such is the AC compressor, we have as coil of ‘windings’ surrounding an iron core. These windings are powered by your 12v source when you push the AC button. The resistance of these windings dictates the amount of current passed through them, in amps, and thus initiates the AC compressor sequence, whereby the iron metal core becomes charged, and draws the electromagnet towards it, pulling “open the clutch” and engaging the pump.

The problem with these systems is that over time the windings lose their protective layering and resistance DROPS. At which point your current becomes too much for the feedback loop of your cars ac electrical system, and BAM your fuse pops.

To alleviate this, you can have your windings REWOUND for a small charge, however it is really difficult to find a place that specializes in this sort of work because it’s a bit out dated..

Time for a new Ac compressor im afraid!

AC COMPRESSOR RESISTANCE MEASURES

A GOOD PUMP – 3 to 4 ohms of resistance

A BAD PUMP – less than 3 ohms of resistance

It may work at 2.5 ohms, but your fuse will blow within the hour, as the feedback system will take longer to recognize the current draw and your 15 amp fuse (or is it 10.. i forget) will take longer to reach breaking point.

Ok so now that we’ve had a little lesson in electromagnets, lets get down to the fun part!

The Test;

First and foremost, check the resistance measured in your leads.

Must factor this in when measuring resistance of compressor! So write it down.

Bad compressor readings;

Good compressor reading;

Now, people ask why I measure from there. Well, good point. This wire is the power wire to the windings from a 12v source. You must take your + or – lead and place it on the connector, while grounding the other to get your resistance..

So there you have it; blown fuse = short, or bad ac compressor windings.. Typically go for the compressor if there are no obvious shorts, because it’s highly unlikely those wiring bundles have short on their own..

Chapter 8 – AC pump reinstallation tips

If i were to rate it on 10 in terms of difficulty, 1 being hardest; i’d say 3.

HOWEVER and this is a A BIG however. If your turbo is still in, this will NOT be easy as the compressor, for me was full from the top and out of the engine bay through where the turbo would normally sit..

Otherwise, if you want to drop it out you’ll need to pull the PS pump to the side, or remove it entirely.

This is what causes people to not bother with swapping ac compressors but I highly suggest you do it regardless, it isn’t as bad as it seems and I hope to walk you through most of the mess..

• Step 1; Releasing Freon from charged system..

There’s a lot in here and it’s highly illegal to have this released to atmosphere. It’s supposed to be taken somewhere and suctioned out and recycled promptly, however, if you’re in a bit of a jam such as myself and car isn’t functional, be discrete…

BUT I do advise you get it done somewhere. If your car is working, take it to a shop and have the air removed professionally!!

Remove the cap on the check valve by the rad brace (red cap) and press the shradder valve fitting down to see if anything is in there.. PSHHHHH is a good thing because your lines are still charged and you can rule out having a serious leak.

WEAR GLOVES

Freon discharges from liquid to gas at VERY low temperatures (ie. why it’s for AC, duh). Get a 10 mm socket and a nice long extension and remove the fittings on the rear of the pump..

Wear a mask or something now, because the gas will start to discharge. Once you’ve got a good stream of air coming out, leave the room and open a door or ventilate it as best as possible.. Give it 15-20 min to discharge. I’m serious, there is a LOT in there

• Step 2;

Now that you’ve discretely discharged freon into your work place, return to the now ventilated and safe area to begin the removal process..

Get under the car, you will see the tensioner pulley for the ac compressor belt. Loosen the front of it with a 14 mm wrench, then a 10 mm socket will get the job done from the base of it, raising the pulley and removing tension.

Now pull the belt off and hang it out to chill.

You will see 2 bolts underneath the pump. Remove these LAST.

Look from the top, you will see 1 bolt on the far right.

There is another bolt on the far left in the same position. It’s likely you’ll hit the belt tensioner on the ps pump, so remove this bolt FIRST.

By removing this first, you wont have to mess with the pump being cocked and it will come out smoothly.

This is the one;

Ok, once that one is out, remove the other top bolt on the right, then proceed to remove the bottom 2 bolts ; AC compressor is free.

In my case, like i said, the turbo was off (IC PIPING TOO!), this is how my engine bay was when pulling the ac compressor;

• 
  ONE BIG TIP FOR INSTALL OF NEW PUMP!

The wiring connectors for power and the brown one are bolted down to the compressor housing. They’re very difficult to reach and connect when down there, so when you have the new compressor in hand, remove the bracket with the connectors on them and zip tie it to your ps pump reservoir line like so;

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 9 – Bellhousing reinstallation

If you plan to do this without a lift, get it off the ground at MINIMUM 3 feet to be comfortable and maneuverable under the car..

Make sure your jack stands are secure – please dont use hydraulic jacks, use stands that support a fair amount more than the weight of the car.. Jack points can be found in the owners manual..

Jackpoints i used are – 2 Rear; subframe to body mounts (flat plate type thing)

2 Front; front suspension cross member (where steering rack mounts) The 2 front are close together, so use additional support if you’re down there hammering away.

One good tip is to have the wheels off, since it’s supported by jacks.. Easier to slide in and out in the front and also easier to get the mouth of the bell housing in through the wheel well rather than clearing your side skirts and frame rails.

Lastly, grab a friend.. Doesnt have to be someone with any car knowledge whatsoever, just someone to give you a hand lugging this 140lbs (approx) piece of junk around..

1. Grab your bolts and keep them somewhere nearby

2. grab a small jack to help support the weight of the tranny

3. Stretch..!

Assuming you know what a bellhousing is, and a car; you should by this point have slid the bellhousing underneath the car, like i said, preferably through the wheel well.

Now, with it on the ground flat, pick up the rear as high as you can and slide the hydraulic jack underneath to support the weight of it. There is a flat spot on the bellhousing that is about the CFG of the unit, so use this to balance it out.. While you’re underneath, get that friend to jack it up until its about the heat of the motor.

Keep sliding it forward otherwise the starter dome wont clear the tunnel and will shift. You’ll have to drop it down again and jimmy it forward and etc.

Now, you’re about ready to slide the input shaft into the crank on the rear of the engine, you can’t see either input nor crank splines so this is where the stretching comes in..

Move the shaft into the rear of the motor. You’ll see about a 1/2″ gap at which point the tranny may no longer budge, this is because the spindles do not line up.. Don’t panic, i know it’s heavy, but with a little messing around, it should slide right in!

To give yourself a bit of help, put a few long bolts in the bottom of the bellhousing, at least this acts a support for weight and will save your life if it decides to slip off the jack. DONT SNUG THEM UP! They must remain loose!!

One trick i learned is that, if you use your knees on the mouth end (large opening that connects to motor) to jerk it around, as you grab from the back and swing it back and forth, it should slide right in, given that the motor and tranny are lined up properly.. If they’re not lined up, they’ll shift and it’ll make it seem like it wont move any further. If this happens, keep playing with the jack height until it finally pops in.

Now that its in.. Jack the rear of the tranny up all the way until your support cross member (actually the rear engine mount..) lines up with the holes on the body of the car..

Tighten that section in and remove the jack.

Now it’s just a matter of doing up all the bolts. It’s hard to remember where each one goes so just remember that some are threaded inserts and some are not, and require nuts. Dont forget there are also some with 2 washers (a lock washer and flat) and some with just a lock washer.. Either way, mix and match until its good and tight

The top 2 are a real PITA, but with some messing around, you can reach it from the bottom, as well as from the top of the motor by reaching down the back..

I did it all with the motor intact, so if your plenum is off or cam covers are off, you’re laughing.

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 10 – Turbo failure!

Due to an old, improperly balanced shaft and/or wheels, both compressor and exhaust side wheels exploded to pieces upon grazing the internal housing, bending both the shaft and destroying virtually the entire CHRA.

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 11 – GTR Hood wannabe; Cutting the GTST hood

Cutting the GTST hood.. Not as difficult as some people make it out to be.. but a good 35 grit wheel does a good job.. Just go slow not to burn the paint. Make sure to mask everything off, and put something down on the hood to keep sparks from burnishing the paint/scratching.

Carbon N1 Hood lip installed;

Chapter 12 – Ram air intake idea and Intercooler sprayer;

Ram air intake. An idea ive been plotting ever since last summer when i disassembled my freebie-scrapped r32. The passenger vent piping to the fan is the perfect candidate for a ram air system from the lower air dam on the front bumper.. sooo finally i got around to it..

Performance gains? Probably slim to none. My main criteria was to force cooler air into the induction system to cut down IAT’s. High IAT’s as we all know can hinder performance. Robyn at Almasi hosed down intake plenum on one run to show me the difference heat saturation has on HP numbers.. 10 hp gains were had – peaking at 285 hp. So this definitely peaked my interest… leading to my 3rd DIY for the day..

3. I pulled the rear window sprayer and routed it to my bumper rebar where miraculously there was a hole already in the proper location.

The reason for placement HERE is simple; this is the return column of the FMIC. Now when i shoot water, it shoots directly at the very end of the FMIC where the air returns to the plenum helping cool that portion before returning to the motor..

Used on the track with ice water made a notable difference, but not as clearly a difference as Alcohol. Ultimately it’s better but more expensive. Good option though for hot days (30+ on track).

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 13 – GTR Sway bar install

I’m going to start by saying that, besides a larger turbo, and a tune, this is by far the most noticeable modification anyone could make on a GTST. The route home from my work has a nice right hander into an S, then into a really well cambered right hander on an up ramp.. I could have sworn I was in someone elses car because this thing has never stuck so well to the road!

Definitely a great part to get your hands on if you’re looking for an affordable, DIY, handling mod.

Chapter 14 – RT615K’s and DIY Brake cooling ducts

Absolutely amazing tires. They stick very well in all conditions, and even in wet contrary to what most believe. I know Falken had been working hard at relieving their previous Azenis model from rain woes; certainly they’ve come a long way in comparison. On the track they grip incredibly well. We started the day off with a few wet patches, but with the sun out, track temperatures finally raised to about 22 degrees celsius midday. Dropping down to 28 PSI on all fours, I was able to get noticeable wear on the line indicators on the sidewall (there are 2 lines which dictate the amount of flex based on relative pressure, allows you to adjust for optimal PSI as well as see the fluctuations as pressure increases due to heat). After a complete day, and that of which was probably upwards of 40 laps, the tires stood their ground and are in more than 90% condition. Certainly offer my praises to anyone looking for a solid set of track / street tires at an affordable price – in comparison to the Direzza’s and RE-11′s.

DIY Brake Ducts

Chopped the fender liner to accommodate more air flow. Used some garden edging since the angle was approximately where I wanted to guide air, and bolted it to the frame. No rubbing, etc. Air tested it and it works very well.. At static sag as you can see, the caliper is very low, but with the wheels on and the car on the ground, it directs air flow directly at the calipers. I’m happy about it, nothing fantastic but I may go with my original plan this winter when I have the time and patience.

Chapter 15 – Track day

Our track day took part at Sanair; http://www.sanairracing.net/

We organized the event around the Skyline community as our local board, GTR Canada, had shown some interest in a track day. Luckily everything came through and we were able to have one heck of a day!

It’s a rather bland setup for a track, with one overly stretched straight away breaking the 200km/h mark. Brake fade was encountered early on, and due to the early morning air temperature of 5 or so degrees, there were a number of small spin-outs and near day-ending incidents, but all in all the event was very fun! It’s a fast track with intimidating walls and slippery off-camber corners. Great for beginners but word of caution, take it slow, and keep an eye on tire pressures. The slightest mishap will lend you a CAA ride home; these walls are NOT forgiving!

Here’s a small track clip of a feature film we’re involved in about the Skyline Community on the east coast. The final cut should air quite soon, but for now, here’s a teaser of our track day!

http://vimeo.com/15234000

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 16 – General maintenance – Coil pack and Plug tips!

Well for the last few weeks or so i’ve noticed a bit of a hesitation. Nothing to make me pull the car off the road and thoroughly inspect, but enough to start to toy with ideas..

I went over;

1. Plugs – BCPR6EIX-11 (gapped to .75mm).. approx 22,000 km on these.. Apparently time AND Km’s fly by.

2. Dirty MAF – I use a spray on K&N filter stuff after every wash. Keeps small particles from entering.. Save yourself the energy of telling me “I shouldn’t be using this stuff” because I’m well aware.. But i do do it for safety reasons and because it’s protocol with these particular filters. MAF hadn’t been cleaned since the build, so approx 11,000 km.

Anyways! I decided today, since its crappy out and i was already at work, to check it all out. Began by first and foremost, buying new plugs;

New plugs; BKR7E (pregapped to .8)

A small mention about plugs as people will see a difference in plug SIZE when going from the typical BCPR plugs to BK’s.

JIC vs. ISO plugs. BCPR/PFR are JIC, meaning the length of the plug from the seat to the top of the terminal are standard japanese length (specific for our cars), while ISO plugs like BKR7E’s like that of which i’m now using, are 2.5mm shorter from the seat to the top of the terminal.

No matter; they both work regardless because 1, the variance is nearly insignificant and 2, the length of the spring inside the coil compresses enough when touching the ISO plug, so there is still contact.

Also decided to do a compression test, which for most, like my self, is rather unnerving.

The test revealed 150-155 across which is considered very healthy!

Coil pack maintenance;

So after dropping the new plugs in, I went about my normal coil maintenance. 1 Thing I like to do is retape below the mounting bracket to avoid any electrical bridging if they get too hot and melt.. This is very typical with older coilpacks, so taking the precautionary meassures in advance can’t be a bad idea..

After which I proceed to baby powder the plastic boots. The mineral Talc, in baby powder is resistant to electical current. By filling the boot and blowing out the excess, it clings to the sticky rubber walls creating a sort of 1 track highway for the electrical current of your coil to flow through. This will prevent and unwanted electrical discharge or sporadic flow of electricity. Basically this just drives the electrical current to your spark plug, and maintains as such, that it will go no where else.

END OF 2009/2010 build! Thanks!!

Continue to the next page for my ongoing 2011 build

[nelsonmxmarc]

Onto 2011..

This year was bringing considerable change to my HCR. I was after a much lighter, balanced and 'properly' setup car. After 2 years, i've yet to use the AC, i've also yet to use the rear seats among other things.

The engine bay was becoming a mess and required an overhaul as well, and as for the motor itself, it needed a check-up and FINALLY, a refurbished turbo.

All of this, can be read right here

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 1 – Sound deadening – DEAD weight!

Winter build has commenced;

- Gutted the interior

- Removed the remaining sound deadening;

Tips; I’ve heard dry ice is good as it freezes the sound deadening and makes it easy to smash with a hammer, but if you’re not in pharmaceuticals or somehow have a connect for dry ice, the easiest method I have found is with a Pneumatic chisel.

Here’s a before and after shot;

After;

Messy, I know, but with patience, all that fluff and extra glue from the sound deadening will come off with Varsol. The rubber or so it seems to be “rubber” is actually sealant used to fill the holes left by the body construction. These can be removed, cleaned, and resealed once more as you will see shortly.

I decided on a small repaint, which actually changed down the line, but my initial plan was this;

Stay tuned to see how it really turned out!

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 2 – RB23

Engine ideas were tossed around early in the winter, and a 2.3 came to mind after a friend and I toyed with the idea of using RB26DETT internals in an RB20. Cost effectivity is moderate, but originality is spot on!

The reason for not going the typical 2.4 route that Tomei sells, is simply due to wall thickness. A 2.4 build requires 82 mil pistons. Stock size pistons are 78mm; thats a 4mm difference and if you’ve ever seen the walls of an RB20, they’re no laughing matter. So, for safety reasons, 81mm pistons would likely be our target size.

Here’s how to do it;

2.3 is achieved with;

• RB20 block
• RB26 Rods
• RB26 Crank
• 4AGZE pistons (Corolla) @ 81 mil (101 series are forged i BELIEVE)
• Head work to fit the longer stroke, so gutting, new valve seats, porting to match the new CFMS and etc..

Issues;

• Crank clearance on the RB20 block – Clearancing will be required for the RB26 crank counterbalances to clear the cylinder skirts. Not a serious issue, however an issue none the less.
• A bronze gudgeon will be required to fit the RB26 rods to the 4AGZE pistons. The pistons sleeve diameter is slightly less, thus small bronze spacers will be required to fit the RB26 rods to these particular units.
• Undeniably, the RB20 head does not flow very well. A 2.4 will increase CFM’s considerably, requiring a mass amount of headwork and proper flow testing. This is rather expensive, and likely the most expensive part of this build. If not done properly could result in poor hp/tq numbers due to starvation or resistance of air, as well as poor tune. Proper balance between both intake and exhaust side will certainly be required. Another note on this topic as well is the matter of intake plenum. A larger Greddy style or RB26 style intake plenum would be required in this case, as it would offer more/direct air to the cylinders while the stock plenum is quite robust and offers a myriad of casting flaws that increase air turbulence drastically.

4AGZE from the AE92 levin are forged stock, finding a set is really the only battle. They’re difficult to find, but ARIAS does make them, and forged. A set of four is likely to run around 700-800$, but that being said, this build could likely be had for less than 3000$. Luckily for me, rods, crank and block are already in my possession, what’s left is machining, and the head work will be taken care of on my behalf.

The goods to go along with this are;

• Tomei Poncams
• Tomei Valve springs
• Brian Crower valves
• Bronze valve guides
• Tomei metal headgasket (1.2mm to keep compression rather high – aiming at 9.2:1)

The block;

…And of course, the rest can be seen as the build goes on!

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 3 – Weight savings

So far, this is what I’ve removed from the already 1120kg Skyline;

Sound deadening; 2x this box, which actually came out to be about 75lbs;

Under-carpet dampening;

Rear ducting, rear passenger seats and other;

Wire wires wires… A large batch of useless speaker wire and stuff the useless owner sadly left in remote locations around the car;

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 4 – FRAM Oil filters, interesting document

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX0xrqvlsNI&feature=player_embedded

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 5 – AC Delete

Weights;

• Hoses and bolts are ~2.5 kg
• Condensor 3.5kg
• AC compressor, ~15kg

It’s relatively heavy, and for a ‘light’ build, it’s a killer. Will have to make due in the summer however I have yet to use it in two years!

Chapter 6 – Piping issue

Seem to have encountered a bit of a chafing issue on my intercooler piping;

Though he’s smiling, he’s not at all good and has been creating a rather serious lean issue for the past several months.

Since then it has been fixed, but this will be covered in our TIG welding section! I have also sold the piping and have gone in a completely different direction, care to guess?

[nelsonmxmarc]

Chapter 7 – Engine woes

Originally my plan was to leave the top and bottom end as is while building my 2.3 from my spare block, however after having seen this, it has prompted me to take another direction;

It’s a nail biting gouge, and though compression tested 150 across (refer to Skyline Build 2010), it seems that upon installation (from factory?!?) they chiseled into the cylinder wall with the ring compressor. It’s unfortunate, but just means the motor has to come out for a hone, bead blast the pistons and re-ring them OR swap in forged pistons. Keep in mind, another motor is being purposely built for this car midsummer /winter next season, so this motor is only to last until then and with my horsepower goal of 350-380whp, it’s more than doable with a stock top end. Worst case scenario is that the transmission dies before the motor! They’re real monsters.