R32 Gtr Build In Usa

[HarrisRacing]

EDIT - I wanted to leave this complete build thread untouched to show the slippery slope of the GTR build / restoration process. How sometimes things can go from mild to totally wild when attacking nearly every problem with the "while I'm in there" and "do it right, do it once" philosophies.

Just so you know, this project ends with a completely new 2.75L stroker engine on a BW EFR 8374 turbo...but it's a fun and informative read throughout. AND It's still under construction.

*******************

Greetings from up over?!

While I'm new to the GTR world, I am not new to cars. Actually I had recently sold my MKIV Supra Hardtop TT and went to look at a used R35 GTR that a local guy had for sale. I was SHOCKED to see his shop and found that he had two R32's just collecting dust. I asked some questions and we struck a deal on a Grey 1990 R32 GTR. The car had a slight intermittent rod knock in the higher (4k) rpm range and just coming from a TT inline 6 DOHC engine I figured it wasn't anything I couldn't fix. So I bought it, brought it home, and cleaned it.

So far the car looks to be in EXCELLENT condition with no signs of wreckage or anything. I am amazed that it made it to the US so recently in such good condition. This car will be 25 years old and will then be legal to drive here in the USA in Jan of 2015 so in the meantime I'm giong to address the rod knock issue and build up the car. Expect some pictures and information to follow in this thread.

First night was diagnosis of AC issues. Previous owner had cut the wire to the relay and wired it to a switch to force the AC on. I fixed this wiring properly and ran through the diagnosis on the AC setup. I found that I had issue 25 (sun sensor...typical), ALL of the 3X codes (31, 32, 34, 35, 36), and an out of range sensor for the suction air temp. I fixed the suction air temp with a 2.2k resistor I had and investigated the "mode select actuator". It was stuck fully extended to the DEF position and I helped it return back to the other positions manually. After pulling it apart I found that it had one broken gear tooth at the all the way extended position and I figured it was something I couldn't fix. I found the KUDOS MOTORSPORTS website and ordered the part. While I was on the website I saw that the GT2860 -7 turbos were apparently on sale for cheaper than I can get them stateside so I picked up a new pair of those and a pair of the spitfire coils (I hear they go bad as well). I'm sure they will make for a VERY fun street car.

I also realized that the car's ignition key didn't work with the doors or trunk so I took them apart, found that by switching the tumler parts around that I could use 5 of the 8 and still use the ignition key for the doors so I got them working 100% for $0.

My plans so far are to pull the engine this weekend and start the tear down so I know what I need to repair and to address the crankshaft issue (collar installation) at the machine shop. If all the bores check out good (I'm sure they are the car runs great), then I will order some factory bore size 86mm forged pistons for the engine and likely cheaper conrods (might as well put some manley or eagles for the extra insurance).

I tuned my MR2 turbo road race car (4th season straight sill kicking!), on an APEXi Power FC and hand commander, but I think I would likely go full Haltech PnP this time around as a laptop tune is so much easier to do. I learned the lesson on high boost and ceramic turbines with this car. Actually I learned that boost isn't all there is to high rpms...they eventually just overspin from freeing up the flow of the engine despite keeping boost under a set psi. Yep my ceramic wheel vanished and the car has since received a billet precision 557E turbo (which may be an AWESOME super-responsive turbo for a GTR if anyone would try it sometime?).

Any advice or input will be appreciated greatly. Also I'm thinking of dumping HICAS while I've got the engine out and wanted feedback on how far I can go with this while it's out.

Thank You,

Patrick Harris

[Redline_GTR]

Hi Patrick and welcome to SAU.

Congrats on the purchase of your GTR.

This looks like it will be a very nice build

[Anfanee]

One of the first to be registered in USA as well. Enjoy mate.

[NISSAN GTR]

Nice R32 there mate - Maybe get some original seats back in as well

[PranK]

Nice! Congrats on the car, love the dusty first pic.

[black bnr32]

check the valve guides

clean up the valve bowls

remove the exhaust port humps

gasket match the ports, exhaust manifold, turbo housings

clean up the casting on the oil and water ports between the head and block

consider deleting some hoses and the oil/water/cooler thing under the intake manifold

consider some better cams

don't hesitate to tighten up the stock valve lash

Edited August 30, 2014 by black bnr32

[HarrisRacing]

check the valve guides

clean up the valve bowls

remove the exhaust port humps

gasket match the ports, exhaust manifold, turbo housings

clean up the casting on the oil and water ports between the head and block

consider deleting some hoses and the oil/water/cooler thing under the intake manifold

consider some better cams

don't hesitate to tighten up the stock valve lash

Thank you and keep them coming. I worked only a half day today and made it to the shop for 1pm. By 5:45 I had the engine and trans out of the car. Didn't read a single instruction online at all. These cars really aren't THAT hard to work on but YES I 100% agree with you - The jumbled mess under the intake manifold will be relocated or removed...HICAS included!

someone definitely got into the bottom end as the oil pan had orange high temp RTV on it. The rear turbo was replaced at some point and orange RTV was all over that as well (honestly didn't get to look at turbos much yet) but they weren't pouring oil from them anywhere. Also someone had a different clutch disc in there, but it looks pretty worn so I'll still be replacing it. AND someone had replaced the engine mounts which is a shame because I ordered some new upgraded ones already.

I'm eager to put my mic on that crank this weekend (labor day long weekend for us) and see how bad that knock was (it was still intermittent under decel...not accel), and I'm well on my way.

*That's me in the white shirt and my brother in the middle and a friend (who LOVES NISSANS!) on the left.

Edited August 30, 2014 by HarrisRacing

[SiR_RB]

Awesome stuff keep up the good work mate

She looks like a very tidy gtr!

[HarrisRacing]

More news.

Finally got into the engine, but I wasn't the first one. Someone at least dropped the pan and diagnosed the damage before me, but I truly don't think they really tried to fix it.

REALLY BAD NEWS. Crank is trashed.

Rod bearings on #5 and #6 both spun. 6 bearing was super thin and broken.

Pretty much all the main bearings are trash. 5 out of the 7 of them simply "fell" out of the block on their own and would no longer hold into the spots. (see picture of strained bearings).

Block and Girdle Caps look great and MIC out round very close to the stamped sizes on the block. The bearings did their job and I'll be replacing the parts completely on the ones that spun.

Pistons 1-4 look great like the piston and rods complete could be reused.

.012" reduction in acceptable diameter on rod journal #6...so I started debating the grind .020" smaller than factory but then...

I get to the crank journal check and start with the dial on the center bearing...FAIL. Crank is bent .014" in the middle!

I marked the low spot on the crank and checked the other mains next to it...both are high (not as high as .014"), but it paitned the picture of a badly bent crankshaft.

Turbos are stock and both look to be in good condition (no oil, nomial shaft play). The rear one was rebuilt at one point because the name tag is bead blasted a bit compared to the front one. They are definitely good enough to sell off as spares or for someone to get cores for rebuilding.

I decided while I was at it to gasket match the turbo manifolds to the old gasket. I think I'll stick with these after porting. Should be fine on the -7 turbos and later I'll likely go single as opposed to spending all that on Tomei manifolds and such.

Now the big question (and I'll ask elsewhere), which stroker kit should I go with?

Patrick

Edited September 1, 2014 by HarrisRacing

[Anfanee]

More news.

Finally got into the engine, but I wasn't the first one. Someone at least dropped the pan and diagnosed the damage before me, but I truly don't think they really tried to fix it.

REALLY BAD NEWS. Crank is trashed.

Rods on #5 and #6 both spun. 6 was super thin and broken.

Pretty much all the mains are trash. 5 out of the 7 of them simply "fell" out of the block on their own and would no longer hold into the spots.

Block and Girdle Caps look great and MIC out round very close to the stamped sizes on the block.

.012" reduction in acceptable diameter on rod journal #6...so I'm debating the grind .020" smaller than factory then...

I get to the crank journal check and start with the dial on he center bearing...FAIL. Crank is bent .014" in the middle!

I marked the low spot on the crank and checked the others...both are high (not as high as .014), but it paitned the picture of a badly bent crankshaft.

Turbos are stock and both look to be in good condition (no oil, nomial shaft play). At least good enough to sell off as spares or for someone to get cores for rebuilding.

Now the big question (and I'll ask elsewhere), which stroker kit should I go with?

Patrick

HKS stroker brah

Or get an RB30 and Stroke that.

[PranK]

Was the RB30 in any locally delivered car in the States?

[HarrisRacing]

Was the RB30 in any locally delivered car in the States?

No...that's why that option is pretty much out. I'm sure freight would kill me.

I can get the BC 2.9L stroker kit for $4800 or so US. I was already budgeting $1400 for rods and pistons, so this is like a $3400 crankshaft adder. In all honesty I would be looking at a NEW RB26dett crank either way because I don't want to mess with regrind etc after I have seen what happens inside these engines first hand, plus the fact that there aren't piles of them in the junkyards. Of course the stroker comes with a better powerband.

I can get Tomei for around $5000 US. From what I understand the Tomei is lighter and is shorter stroke...so slightly less displacement, but I'm sure it's still quite responsive. They offer two different pistons as well...valve relieved or not. Anyone know if there's a power/response difference?

Edited September 1, 2014 by HarrisRacing

[Anfanee]

Suppose the big question is how much power do you want?

[Chris Rogers]

one that thought laterally on taking the engine out of one. from the bottom- well done!! thats the best way to get it out.

[HarrisRacing]

Suppose the big question is how much power do you want?

Found a new OEM crankshaft for $1200...LOT of money for any stock crankshaft IMO, but it's brand new and with new forged rods and pistons it should hold up well. There were some scratches in the bore of #5 and 6 that I could hang my fingernail on so I'm going to order 87mm pistons for it. I put the extra "stroker money" towards a Tomei oil pump and a new clutch (Exedy hyper single VF).

To answer your question this car will likely be able to push 400HP to the wheels pretty solid I would guess. If I'm not happy with that, the twin GT2860-7's will be coming off and a single will go on.

Still debating which ECU to order.

Also debating valve springs...are they needed for Tomei Poncams B?

Edited September 1, 2014 by HarrisRacing

[Anfanee]

You will make more than 400hp on -7's with a new engine. Should see around 420. If you guys have E85 there do that and see 450

Don't go the type B's and no valve springs are not needed. Either get Type A or Type R (i would lean towards the type R)

The type B's will give a good lumpy idle but with the -7's you want more response. otherwise you may as well have gone -5's. I will be pulling my Type B's out and putting R's in at some point.

Good choice on the oil pump

As far as ECU goes Haltech.

[skylinewithlearners]

Go Pro Cams!!

Oil starvation can be a big problem on stock 26's, would definitely look at getting that addressed!

Lots of GTR's here from Perth Australia have tried and tested the HKS 2.8L with sweet results. All just about yielding 700hp and +.

One of my favourites..

http://antilag.com/forums/showthread.php?57975-The-new-COCHEE-2.8-GTR&highlight=cochee

Theres a LOAD of R32 GTR's being built at the moment here in Perth if you want any ideas of mod lists!

http://antilag.com/forums/showthread.php?56123-Jakes-93-R32-GTR

http://antilag.com/forums/showthread.php?58554-DITB-GTR-Build

http://antilag.com/forums/showthread.php?56177-R32-GTR-Blast-from-the-Past

http://antilag.com/forums/showthread.php?60172-Another-32-Datsun

http://antilag.com/forums/showthread.php?62198-1990-R32-GTR-Build.

Looking forward to updates.

[HarrisRacing]

Still going strong!

Did the busy work today. CLEANING and CLEANING oh and CLEANING.

Then got the bug to do something fun so I ported the manifolds at the turbo inlets. I also fix and retapped some broken bolts and then stoned the faces so I'll have a better sealing surface when it's time to go back together.

Had more time so I took a better look at the turbo outlet pipes (O2 senser housings) since I am still decided between the tomei set or not (WOW they are expensive!). I came to the conclusion that for -7 turbos that I have on the way that they are fine after a bit of porting. Actually the shape of them isn't bad at all, but the CASTING from the bottom to about halfway up is terribly jagged. There is also a step in the outlet so I basically smoothed that and then ran my grinder as deep as I could up inside the housings to knock off the casting roughness and then ran the sandpaper flap wheel to smooth it out more. I think for the small amount of time spent on these few things I will see big changes on the spoolup and power.

I also cut the TWIN TURBO pipe for the slip-in divider. I need to hit the hardware store tomorrow to get some aluminum, but I'll bring this and the oil pan (Greddy sump on the way) to get welded up soon enough.

Next will be porting the heads (mild cleanup only), and lapping valves...I will check the valve guides while I'm at it.

Also tomorrow sometime I'll make a detailed list of what parts I plan to put on the car.

Patrick

[SiR_RB]

Yeh stock dump pipes are plenty for -7 turbos

[HarrisRacing]

Well we are taking a step back now...

Good thing I didn't order the pistons and rods that I was literally about to click BUY NOW on. The Nissan crankshafts are apparently on some intergalactic backorder and lots of people have been waiting on them for quite some time. I was notified that my order was backordered so I'm going back to the idea of going stroker and have decided on the BC 2.9L kit with the 79mm stroke. I am decided on the "sportsman" rods in this package as the only difference between them and the +625 rods are the fasteners (I talked to the BC tech about it). He said the sportsman rods would be very good likely up to 900-1000 HP depending on revs and that the 625 rods should be used after that.

I'm wondering which pistons (CP or JE) and CR to get as there are many options offered for both. I like to err on the side of more compression (9.0:1 max) as it makes for a more fun streetcar, but this one is already going to be stroked so maybe this won't be required...Maybe I'll just spec the stock 8.5:1

Despite the oiling and seriously strong rotating assembly I think I'd still like to set target revs around stock (7,800?) for insurance purposes. Looks like the build is going to be a bit more power anyway now so those -7 turbos might not be on there very long

Patrick