Project 'Wheezy' Coupe

[Wheezy]

3 hours ago, Chris Rogers said:

what alternator is on that? the bracket I recognize. Aaron of Boost Doc sells that.

LS1 of a VT commodore

[Chris Rogers]

thanks. think I will try to find one off a LS based truck here. they wound a few of those to 230A.

[Ben C34]

9 minutes ago, Chris Rogers said:

thanks. think I will try to find one off a LS based truck here. they wound a few of those to 230A.

Just check first if they are interchangeable. The ls1 in commodores have different drive pulley offsets to the other variants in the states, and are mounted in a different location so potentially not interchangeable for 2 reasons

 

[Roy]

What pistons? If CP they appear to be about the same piston shape as mine. I've had to pull the engine out of my old bus so sifting through parts at the moment

[Wheezy]

43 minutes ago, Roy said:

What pistons? If CP they appear to be about the same piston shape as mine. I've had to pull the engine out of my old bus so sifting through parts at the moment

Yup. 9.0:1 CP from Spool Imports.
But the piston sits above the deck by about 30 thou; so we had to run a thicker head gasket.

[Wheezy]

With the help of a few mates engine & clutch is in!!!

Had some trouble with the ATI balancer I got from Erics Performance in the USA.
It's supposed to suit R33 GTS-25T i.e. ECR33 but the pulley for the PS pump is 4 rib, whilst my factory S1 R33 PS pump is 3 rib.

I've emailed them to explain and see if they can send me the correct pulley. I spent enough on it assuming it was to suit the engine/PS pump combination so I'm hoping they sort it out.

[Wheezy]

Transmission is in....
What a c you next Tuesday.

The cheap asses at Nissan couldn't even include a slave cylinder with a brand new transmission.

I upgraded the clutch fork and pivot ball whilst I was there to a Z33 item and Nismo pivot ball to suit the fork.

Will need to make new power steering hoses too. The R33 lines to suit the rack and pump go behind the oil pan but infront of the subframe.

Unfortunately with an extended pan there is no room to remove them if the ever needed to.

So going to get the HR31 lines and the R33 line as a template and get some made up to suit the rack and pump.

Next up is some easier stuff. Going to focus on plumbing for the intercooler and radiator.

By then should be able to work out where to run the oil filter and lines for oil cooler.

Edited February 9, 2020 by Wheezy

[Chris Rogers]

I will be watching to see how you do the cooler and keep the front area with AC intact. I'm swapping to a R33 condenser myself. that locates the majority of the stuff in the way on the factory item OUT of the way when the R33 is used. seems it was a popular mod with the GTS-R guys two dump the twin coils they used from factory.

[Wheezy]

7 minutes ago, Chris Rogers said:

I will be watching to see how you do the cooler and keep the front area with AC intact. I'm swapping to a R33 condenser myself. that locates the majority of the stuff in the way on the factory item OUT of the way when the R33 is used. seems it was a popular mod with the GTS-R guys two dump the twin coils they used from factory.

I never has AC in this car. It's possible to retain. But I think you need to invert the intercooler or run gtsr style AC lines?

[Chris Rogers]

Im doing it with a return flow cooler and R33 AC stuff. get a 33 next to yours and measure. its DAMN close. so mine will be all 33 gear with custom lines to the car. only way I can see to do it. I need AC here in TX. my cooling fans are also 2 speed electric ex A32 Maxima.

[Chris Rogers]

talk to jason romagura about it. his fits neatly with some relocation of certain things.

[Wheezy]

Fitted the oil cooler, remote oil filter, fuel pressure regulator and re did the lower intercooler mounts.

Dummy fitted the intercooler pipes. So far the hot side lines up with the new turbo.
Will need to check the intake side when I dummy fit the plenum.
 

I also had to buy new injectors as the spray pattern on my 1150s were sub par due to sitting for a while with E85.
Went 1650s for future headroom [emoji16]

Just need to do the oil cooler lines, fuel lines and new power steering lines.
Then start on the wiring with my brother in law.

[Wheezy]

R33 booster arrived on Friday as the HR31 turbo booster is physically massive and fouls on the plenum (so much so I couldn't fit it).

Got the intake on and there is plenty of room now!

I had a 33 booster spare years ago and sold it, should have fitted it years ago and not had the old rb20 plenum get scratched up fitting it.

You can see the difference between the boosters.
Anyone that wants a HR31 Turbo booster with BM44 from an  R33 hit me up. I'm keeping the BM50 on the car

Ran into some trouble yesterday however.
The aluminum casting of the power steering pump feed is quite porous.
Broke it when tightening the AN fitting I welded onto it last weekend.

Can get a billet piece from the US but they a seem to be NLA. Anyone know where I can source?
https://suspiciousgarage.com/collections/hoses-and-fittings/sr20de
It's a 34mm spacing and I don't think another genuine one is a good thing.
Perhaps, I might be able to use a 38mm turbo return and drill out the bolts to 8mm.

Edited May 3, 2020 by Wheezy

[Roy]

What headgasket did you end up choosing?

[Wheezy]

Spoke to Roy outside SAU as for some reason I couldn't login recently. Went Nitto.

 

My PS feed adapter didn't turn up so ordered another one from another vendor and its due tomorrow.
So PS lines should be done and dusted this weekend.

 

Did some heat wrapping instead on the weekend, lots of swears.
List of things to do before getting it turned over is getting shorter and shorter rather than longer for a change!

 

Also looking to ditch the PowerFC ASAP and going something more modern. My wedding anniversary present
No Haltech or anything tech for that matter.

[Wheezy]

Power Steering cooler is in, just need some more heat sleeve to protect the paint near the rad support and keep things tidy.
Am waiting for some billet hose separators to keep the lines tidy.

Next weekend I'll be finishing the fuel system.
It's my first time doing teflon lines but I think some more video tutorials and I'll be AOK.

Then at the end of the month, with the help of a mate I'm swapping in a super clean R32 GTR engine wiring loom to get it running on. (20 loom is a bit of a rats nest IMO).


Also found out my old man has a welder which can do Tig (I only have Arc here) so getting a torch for it and going to do the new intake pipe myself as I've been practicing on stainless with the guidance of my brother in law.
 

With any luck, I'll have it on the dyno by EOFYS in time for the new ECU (famous last words)

[mosquitocoils]

Getting to the pointy end now, not much to go! 

Good luck with the welding, I've just started a bit here and there over the last two weeks (to get my exhaust hooked up) and I gotta say, I suck haha. I'm realising the preparation is important as well which I now know I haven't been doing enough of. Slowly figuring it out.

[Wheezy]

Like anything, good tools are key. The quality of my braided lines has vastly improved since getting a decent of spanners and a proper vice tool to hold the fittings.

I've got an experienced person guiding me on welding technique, equipment, settings etc. But I must say, 20 years since I last did arc/mig and I remember why I hate those.
Tig is slower but for what I'm doing its the most elegant solution.

[Wheezy]

Swapped the semi slicks onto the new wheels.Rear hubs done and wheels fitted.
Front hubs didn't get finished in time so I'll put them on in the week.

Should be finishing the wiring and fuel system this weekend coming.
Then it's just intercooler pipes, trims and panels before to go I book it for a tune.

Also sorted out a Tig torch and regulator to put on my old man's welder.
Hired an argon bottle for $10 p/m so I can start practicing before I work on the new intake pipe and intercooler pipes to the plenum

[Wheezy]

Car is rolling again on the 5 stud wheels.

I spent Saturday with a couple of mates swapping the RB20 (R32) loom for an RB26 loom out of an R32 GTR.
A basic sensor check was AOK and the fuel system primes and pressurises. Have a hose leak under the back of the car which needs looking at. The lines are fairly new and E85 compatible gates stuff so hopefully haven't perished.

 

Still have some small things to tidy up on the loom (wrapping & mounting) and put the dash back together but it all looks to be working as designed.
I should be able to start the car up on the PowerFC in the next couple of weeks and get the Emtron fitted at Chequered once it's taken for its run in and tune.