R32 Gtr - So Far..

[ls128]

Hey guys thought i'd post up the story of my GTR since I bought it in May 2012.

Bit of a story behind it before I bought it, was previously sitting at Autosport Kirrawee with a blown motor, and I had a look at it in (2011) when I was looking for a car for my P's.

This is how the car sat in the workshop then:

Long story short I didn't end up buying it, bought a VY Commonwhore for the last year and a half of my Ps, and the owner rebuilt the car with forgies, -5 turbos etc.

May 2012 came around and I was looking for a GTR - I saw this one advertised on gumtree (And local to me!) Not realizing it was the same one I had looked at a year ago, Maybe it was meant to be..

I went and test drove the car & after talking to the owner realized it was the same car I had looked at previously! Knowing the mechanic that built the car, I was fairly trusting when it came to purchasing it (didn't comp test or anything) Being 20, just started a new job(still on probation I might add) I ran out to the first bank that would let me and got a loan for it. In hind-sight, the loan was a bad idea, and I now know why dad didn't talk to me for 3 months after I bought it...but you live and learn right?

As I bought the car:

Right off the bat the mods began, first off the car did not have a grill - So I sourced one here off SAU and had it posted from WA! Then sanded back, prepped, primed and painted in Nissan Black which I was lucky enough to be able to buy in a spray can from my local auto shop(Peps)

So I was mostly just enjoying going from a VY v6 manual up to a GTR (A big jump) Luckily, I have a background in motor racing since a young age and know not to be too stupid! (That being said, was caught speeding (9km/h) over the speed limit 4 days after I bought it. 4 Days...

Fast forward to July 2012 and I go on a big charity cruise (500+ cars) from Silverwater to Wollongong, leaving the car park I was having severe issues selecting gears, car just wouldn't engage sometimes. Managed to get out of the car park and it seemed okay. Drove down to Wollongong, and attended the final meet point. Left the meet point and was getting maccas for lunch/early dinner and hopped into the car, started it put the clutch in.

Nothing. Dead. clutch went down to the floor no pressure at all. Hop under the car and see clutch fluid all over the ground.

At this stage, i'm thinking oh shit whats happened..So a tow truck is called, as I dont want to flatshift the 1.2hour drive home.

Get it home at about 9pm Sunday night. Not how I wanted the weekend to end.

Lots of swearing is said, and Monday afternoon after work I hop under the car, and see this:

So a new slave cylinder is ordered, and put on by me and my mate, and the clutch bled.

Fast forward two weeks and the clutch plays up again...at the worst possible time. This happened, on a very steep hill, as I was driving home basically flat shifting..

New Master cylinder is ordered due to the clutch supposedly not having enough pressure through the cylinder, and the cylinder is put on.

And bled, all seems good... until I stick my head under the dash and notice something, didn't get any good photos.

But I had somehow snapped the clutch pedal, Note car was running a OS Giken Twin plate (heaviest mofo i've ever felt) So the decision is made to take it all apart and get the pedal welded up - which didn't fix it. So I sourced a second hand clutch, brake and accel pedal from SAU for the low low cost of $10!

Put it all back together - and still doesnt work.

At this stage i'm over it and not working, so the decision is made to send it to Autosport to have the clutch pulled out and checked.

Turns out the plates are effed, so my dad has known Jim berry for several years so I decide to send it up to Jim to be rebuilt.

While the clutch was being fixed I did some shopping as I finally sold my old VY...

& 4 Federal 595's are purchased from Mick O in 235 and 255. However I then realise I need the same size due to the GTRs 4wd/hicas system.

So two 595s are sold to a mate, and two 255/40/18 Federal RSR's are purchased and my bedroom looks like this:

As well as some Camber arms..

And Tint done!

I got the car back from Autosport on the 25th of August. Right in time for my first track day in about a year with Southern Sporting Car club of NSW at EC North Circuit.

Enter my first track day in the GTR! I Had an absolute ball, however I did boil my brake fluid and overheat and boil the coolant - which I believe in turn lead to my head gasket blowing later in the year - but more on that later. Pics!

Either way had an absolute blast and set a time of 1.18 around the North Circuit (1second off my mate in his 380kw 2.8l stroker built gtr) So I was happy!!!

First day back at work after EC I trawled SAU for some new brakes, so I bought a set of second hand DBA4000 slotted rotors, with some factory gtr calipers and unknown pads (for 400!) + a set of Braided Brake lines. Also picked up a 32 GTR diff for $100 off the same guy!

Installed it all and happily plodded along driving the car until October where the car started over heating...

After many afternoons spent diagnosing the car, c02 testing the coolant, buying (two) new radiators due to one having a fault from factory, I worked out that the old Radiator was blocked, and this had caused the head to warp and in turn blow the headgasket (on the inlet side). So I had the decision to make of do I pay someone to fix it, or attempt it in my garage...

Enter rebuild of the top end...I have never done anything in regards to building a engine, let alone tackling a RB26 - Lucky I had my mate who is a fully qualified mechanic there to help (or do most of it..)

After ALOT of swearing and bourbons it was off...

Head was sent off to be machined and cams all reset, and was told it was slightly warped on the inlet side.

Check out this tool I made due to not having crows neck spanners!

Gaskets were Ordered, 3 layer Metal Nismo headgasket + HKS metal intake/ex gaskets plus a full Nissan Gasket kit for everywhere else, ARP head studs as well.

While doing the head I decide to try a new product called "Plastidip" and I do something a little different, to see how it goes. Plastidip is like a rubberised paint that can be taken off and not damage the original paint. Enter orange one side black the other - not everyones cup of tea, but it's my car so..

Ended up putting the car back together on the 31st of December, drove the car to the city on New years eve without a hitch - Even had a cop let me drive down a 1 way street so that I could get to where I was parking(And he commented saying how "Beasty" the gtr was - A nice suprise given the attitude of most police officers)

Enjoyed the car for a month, until dead on 1 month from when I finished the crank seal gave way (in hindsight should have been done when we did the head, but we were lazy)

So I pulled it all apart (not even in the garage) in my front lawn, set motor to TDC took all the timing gear off, and couldn't get the crank pulley off. So off to Autosport to have it heated with an oxy and removed. Already over the problems so I just paid Autosport to put it all back together to a running stage.

Currently the GTR is running well, no more issues with oil or coolant fingers crossed i'll get to enjoy it now

A few more pics:

This one is my favourite, made my gf hop out of the car and stand on the side of the road (not much room) in the middle of the national park!

So specs to date:

Fully rebuilt head, all work done by Anjor Engineering Mortdale

HKS Camgears

Stock cams for now

Garret 2860 -5 Twin Turbos running on about 12 psi

HKS pods in custom airbox

Full metal gaskets throughout the engine

Forged Pistons (unknown brand)

Apexi FC with hand controller

HKS Coilovers

Hardrace camber arms with -3.5 neg camber in the rear wheels

18x10+20 Volk Engineering rims with Federal RSR's 255/40/18

HKS EVC boost controller (not hooked up yet)

As I continue with the car i'll be sure to post updates...

[timmy_89]

Great thread. Nice build so far

[flavzz]

Great thread. What kind of power is the engine making? What's the power delivery like?

[Hadouken]

Any reason why youre running under a bar of boost on a built motor? Especially with -5's

[ls128]

Great thread. Nice build so far

Cheers mate!

Great thread. What kind of power is the engine making? What's the power delivery like?

It's only making around 250kw atw I believe, I havent had the time/money to dyno it since I got it cause it keeps breaking!

As for delivery the turbos seem to come on fairly early for -5's (around 2,600) and keep pulling, funnily enough I dont even know when full boost is made!

Any reason why youre running under a bar of boost on a built motor? Especially with -5's

Initially it was because I had just come off my P plates, didn't want *Too* much power, incase I got silly and cocky straight after my P plates.

As above I havent had time/money to re-tune for more boost since due to the various issues i've had.

I'm after some 800cc Twin spurt injectors and abit more dosh then i'll be seeing DVS jez for a retune and more boost

[Sl!m]

I did it first copy cat hahaha !

[ls128]

All Lies!!

Is it Plastidipped or powder coated?

And is the other side black

I did it first copy cat hahaha !

[ls128]

Bit of a weird one..

What is your oil pressure gauge meant to sit on at idle? I think mine may be faulty.

Sometimes on Idle it sits basically on 0 - not far enough down to make the warning light come on but still worrying, and only goes up slightly on acceleration.

Then other times, it will sit on the next line then go above 4kg/cm when under acceleration!

Any ideas?

[Tonks]

Sounds like a faulty pressure sender, i'd be getting a sandwich plate and get an aftermarket oil pressure sender and gauge.

Pretty sure the light will still work if the gauge craps out so just keep an eye out for the light.

[ls128]

I'm ordering a oil cooler + relocation kit soon, so you reckon get another gauge then?

[XKLABA]

Orange on black, nice

Looks like a good build

What AFMs are you running with the PFC

Oil cooler yes, relocator not such a great idea especially if you intend tracking it IMO

[ls128]

Orange on black, nice

Looks like a good build

What AFMs are you running with the PFC

Oil cooler yes, relocator not such a great idea especially if you intend tracking it IMO

One side, Black on black the other

Cheers mate.

Just the stock ones for now!

Why wouldn't a relocator be good on the track? I'm really sick of how annoying the filter is to change I want it easy!

[XKLABA]

If you change to the z32 AFMs get the apexi kit and lose the HKS filters, the set I had let dust around the edge of the foam

In my experiences the relocator kits can get air pockets which get released at less then ideal times and given how hard these cars get driven on a track makes it worse, i have spun a big end in both cars and both had relocator kits, the one in the 32 was removed 7 years ago and it hasn't done one since, plus it adds length between the oil pump and engine is less then ideal and variations in pressure as the thermostat opens to direct oil to the cooler from the filter

Remove the HICAS and that block next to the filter goes giving a lot more room to get to the filter

[Tonks]

Shouldn't the oil system self bleed any way? And if you over fill the sump like most gtr owners shouldnt that help to alleviate any others problems? Serious track work would require a baffled sump and extended pickup.

Maybe ask a quick question in forced induction forum or have a quick search, there's some pretty switched on dudes lurking in there.

[ls128]

Honestly after the headache taking the car to EC caused me, i'm not even sure i'll track it again - At least not for >6 months.

The convenience of the re-locator is just to easy.

I was going to remove hicas but it was too much of a headache and after the problems I have had I just wanted it running and to not mess around with what isn't broke!!

Shouldn't the oil system self bleed any way? And if you over fill the sump like most gtr owners shouldnt that help to alleviate any others problems? Serious track work would require a baffled sump and extended pickup.

Maybe ask a quick question in forced induction forum or have a quick search, there's some pretty switched on dudes lurking in there.

I do overfill it already, and would definitely be way overfilling if I have a cooler!