Few Problems With New R33

[StringyWeevil]

Hi there, this is my firs post so be nice! This is my first skyline I purchased a couple of nights ago, r33 gtst series 1, 5 speed. There are a couple of noises which it has and a couple of issues, they may be related they may not. I have done a search and found a little bit of info but nothing that is identical to my problems.

Issue 1: In every gear between about 1500-3000rpm there is a vibration/grinding sound. As soon as you start to hear the turbo spool up it is gone, I have never owned a turbo so im not too familiar with their sounds if they are shot. It isnt blowing any white smoke. Could be a clutch issue, not sure of the age of the clutch but it engages very low on the pedal which indicates it is newish?

Issue 2: before i start the engine, but with the ignition on there is an unpleasant deep whine sound coming from the fuel tank, from inside the car it sound like an aerial going up. My first instinct was fuel pump, which i believe it is, but then when i listened right next to the fuel pump it sounded as a fuel pump should, a nice consistent quiet electronic whine sound. Is it normal for the fuel pump to be this loud? can also hear it over the engine under low revs. Or could this be a different issue?

issue 3: under full acceleration between about 4000-6000rpm in second gear (accelerates too quick in first to notice, havent got that high in 3rd or beyond) there is a pretty noticable flatspot. I have no idea if this is a fuel delivery issue or a turbo issue. Engine sounds fine, not like it is missing, but just has no pull in this rev range, before and AFTER up to 7000rpm it pulls hard.

these are all issues which I didnt notice during the test drive as I am not familiar with these engines, but on the hour drive home after getting accustomed to it these issues were noticed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!!

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

issue 2 is normal, fuel pump priming, the reason you didnt hear it again later was the system was already primed from before

issue 1 / 3, ill let others who know more bout gtst explain

btw: welcome to SAU

Edited May 11, 2012 by BWRGTR

[StringyWeevil]

When i listened to it close up in the boot i got my friend to turn on the ignition so i could hear it priming, so it was definitely priming when i listened, where is the actual pump located? because i listened to the top where it is installed but is that where the pumping is done? I know what a priming fuel pump sounds like normally, this was much louder and more "unhealthy" sounding lol It may just be what the fuel pump in skylines are like.

[StringyWeevil]

and thankyou for the welcome

[GTSBoy]

Big aftermarket fuel pumps as used in Skylines can be enormously noisy. You need to get someone who knows what a big Bosch or Walbro pump sounds like to give an opinion.

Low clutch pedal is not a good sign. Possibly needs bleeding, possibly needs pedal freeplay adjustment.

Flat spot could be low fuel pressure. Could be too much boost (and so the engine computer pulls out timing and adds fuel to protect the motor - it's called rich and retard amongst Skyline retards, or R&R). What boost is it running? What other mods does it have?

[StringyWeevil]

3-inch turbo back exhaust, pod filter, turbo timer that's it. Running stock boost unless there is a hidden boost controller. stock gauge doesn't go above 7, but not sure how accurate that is. Could the exhaust be causing too much boost?.

[GTSBoy]

When you say, "the boost gauge doesn't go above 7", are you saying that it does see 7 on the gauge when you boost it? Because if it does, that is waaaay too much boost. That's 13.5 psi, and your ECU will go all panicy somewhere just north of 10 or 11 psi.

[R34mac]

The vibration / grinding noise is from the gearbox - though I am not sure why. I had my car converted to a manual - using an R33 GTST gearbox with 80,000km on it. Had a new HD clutch thrown in at the same and it has always made a grinding noise at low revs when you put any load at all through the box. On mine it disappears by around 2000rpm.

I don't know the true reason - some say it is worn bearings and others say it can happen after a HD clutch has been fitted. All I know is the gearbox is still working fine 3 years later. The sound is still the same, hasn't gotten any worse.

Edited May 11, 2012 by R34mac

[StringyWeevil]

hmm, ill have to look closely next time i'm not quite sure if it gets to 7, I just know it doesnt go over. How accurate is the stock one? There is an aftermarket one installed but the previous owner didnt actually connect it lol so ill have to get on that this weekend and ill see what boost im getting then.

[GTSBoy]

A lot of people bag the stock guage as being completely shit. But the one in my car is 100% correct, and has been over the last 13 years. You mileage may vary though.

Don't necessarily trust the aftermarket one unless its reading matches the stocker's. It is unlikely that 2 different guages have the same error, so if they read the same, they're probably accurate.

[StringyWeevil]

Ok ill see how it goes this weekend with both gauges and post back. Do you know what could be causing the low rpm vibration?

Thanks for the help!

[StringyWeevil]

At full boost the gauge goes just above the halfway mark so i dont think its got too much boost for the stock ecu

[ClutchBurndout-:(]

Hi there, this is my firs post so be nice! This is my first skyline I purchased a couple of nights ago, r33 gtst series 1, 5 speed. There are a couple of noises which it has and a couple of issues, they may be related they may not. I have done a search and found a little bit of info but nothing that is identical to my problems.

Issue 1: In every gear between about 1500-3000rpm there is a vibration/grinding sound. As soon as you start to hear the turbo spool up it is gone, I have never owned a turbo so im not too familiar with their sounds if they are shot. It isnt blowing any white smoke. Could be a clutch issue, not sure of the age of the clutch but it engages very low on the pedal which indicates it is newish?

Issue 2: before i start the engine, but with the ignition on there is an unpleasant deep whine sound coming from the fuel tank, from inside the car it sound like an aerial going up. My first instinct was fuel pump, which i believe it is, but then when i listened right next to the fuel pump it sounded as a fuel pump should, a nice consistent quiet electronic whine sound. Is it normal for the fuel pump to be this loud? can also hear it over the engine under low revs. Or could this be a different issue?

issue 3: under full acceleration between about 4000-6000rpm in second gear (accelerates too quick in first to notice, havent got that high in 3rd or beyond) there is a pretty noticable flatspot. I have no idea if this is a fuel delivery issue or a turbo issue. Engine sounds fine, not like it is missing, but just has no pull in this rev range, before and AFTER up to 7000rpm it pulls hard.

these are all issues which I didnt notice during the test drive as I am not familiar with these engines, but on the hour drive home after getting accustomed to it these issues were noticed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!!

issue one, sounds like the input bearing (or whichever it is) on the clutch, mine does the same thing. (may need replacing, may not)

issue two, new fuel pump is in order unless its an aftermarket one.

issue three, sounds like your boost is to high, if the boost is to high it runs rich in the mid range. mine does the same over 9psi.

Edited May 12, 2012 by ClutchBurndout-:(

[GTSBoy]

Yeah, except that it sounds like it's only running 7 psi or so. So it should be fine.

[ClutchBurndout-:(]

faulty fuel regulator? richening the mixture

Edited May 12, 2012 by ClutchBurndout-:(

[StringyWeevil]

Matt, thanks for the ideas! I thought that when the input bearing is shot the gearbox makes a sound in neutral without the clutch depressed? mine makes no such noise, its only when im in gear at low revs.

how can I test the regulator?

[ClutchBurndout-:(]

yea mine does the same thing, im 90% sure its the one of the bearings on the fork/clutch. theyre usualy changed when the clutch is changed, so maybe a sign that the clutch is getting old? how is it to drive? no slipping?

Edited May 12, 2012 by ClutchBurndout-:(

[GTSBoy]

Do not confuse the thrust bearing on the clutch with the input shaft bearing in the gearbox.

Input shaft bearings do growl when shot. Under load.

Edited May 13, 2012 by GTSBoy

[StringyWeevil]

ok yeah sounds about right gtsboy, and how would I go about fixing that, is it an easy thing to do when changing the clutch? I havent had any slipping it drives really nice except for the sound it makes at low revs under load.

[ClutchBurndout-:(]

usually the bearing is in the clutch kit, you are unlucky if you dont get one with your new clutch when you buy it.