S2 Stagea RB25DET NEO stockish rebuild thread

[RBW49N]

8 hours ago, QLDR31 said:

Apparently the NEO has no washer in the inlet cam.

On the weekend I got the timing belt on. Did another rookie error had my torque wrench set to fp instead of nm. Over torqued the tensioner. So I tossed my new stud and nut and reused my old ones.

I bought a stud install/remove kit. The remove part is too long to remove the tensioner studs but the install part works well. I loctited the smaller stud.

My engine didn't have original the cam cover bolts so I have ordered them (another 3-4 week wait). Apparently the NEO bolts are different to everything else. But I have plenty to go on with.

Just make sure it has NEO cam covers as that’s why the bolts are different. The gasket on NEO covers is different as well

[QLDR31]

On 3/15/2023 at 5:41 AM, RBW49N said:

Just make sure it has NEO cam covers as that’s why the bolts are different. The gasket on NEO covers is different as well

Thanks, I didn't know that. I got cam cover gaskets in the OEM gasket kit so should be ok.

I bought a 29 piece silicon hose set today on eBay under $445 with tax. See how it goes.

The other day my cam cover bolts turned up and surprise surprise they look like what I already had. I knew they were different to older RB engines but didn't realize they were normal looking bolts.

 

[RBW49N]

2 hours ago, QLDR31 said:

Thanks, I didn't know that. I got cam cover gaskets in the OEM gasket kit so should be ok.

I bought a 29 piece silicon hose set today on eBay under $445 with tax. See how it goes.

The other day my cam cover bolts turned up and surprise surprise they look like what I already had. I knew they were different to older RB engines but didn't realize they were normal looking bolts.

 

Yeah they look like bolts someone found lying around the shed don’t they. 

[QLDR31]

On 4/23/2023 at 2:42 PM, RBW49N said:

Yeah they look like bolts someone found lying around the shed don’t they. 

O well I got shiny new ones now. Would of preferred to save the $60 for something else.

I noticed the oil cooler has a tiny leak so I bought three the o'rings for that. I thought they would be with the gasket kit. R33 manual says to torque oil cooler to oil filter bracket to 34-44nm.

Bolted on the exhaust manifold. My R33 manual said 3.9-4.9nm. Think this was a typo the exhaust heat cover are that torque. Another part of the manual says 27-31nm,

I still haven't bolted on the balancer. I was waiting till I have complete inlet and exhaust manifolds bolted on. Then hoist it up, bolt on the flywheel (so I can use it to lock the crankshaft). Then bolt the balancer on, timing belt covers and cam covers. Hopefully will be ready to drop in the engine bay by then.

Tips on torquing the cam covers? R33 manual says 2-3.9nm. Not sure how I can do this maybe hand tight. My 1/4inch torque wrench only goes down to 5nm.

[GTSBoy]

4 minutes ago, QLDR31 said:

Not sure how I can do this maybe hand tight.

Exert about half the force required to make the 1/4" TW go click when set to 5, and call it done? Or just do them up to 5 on the basis that 2-4 Nm is barely more than a sneeze? Is your TW even sufficiently calibrated to know the difference between 4 and 5 Nm?

[QLDR31]

The silicon hoses turned up yesterday. Most of them seem to match up. So do I need new hose clamps everywhere?

Thinking of tidying up the coolant hard pipes. I'm thinking: wire brush and rust disolver rusty bits. Clean off oil and grease and some silver gal paint.

Replaced orange with black o'rings on the oil cooler. Also did the one between the block and the sandwich plate.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

20 hours ago, QLDR31 said:

So do I need new hose clamps everywhere?

I reused most of the OEM spring clamps, you could replace the clamps if you wish, no real harm.

[QLDR31]

I was putting new o'rings on the injectors today. Then I was trying to put the insulator? at the tip of the injector. They seem to break. I guess I'll need some new ones? Any tips?

Slowly progressing:

[RBW49N]

15 hours ago, QLDR31 said:

I was putting new o'rings on the injectors today. Then I was trying to put the insulator? at the tip of the injector. They seem to break. I guess I'll need some new ones? Any tips?

Slowly progressing:

Looking good

[QLDR31]

Last weekend I got the harmonic balancer on, had to bolt the auto flywheel on so I could lock it with a thing I made up. Then removed the flywheel again. So I could bolt the engine back on the stand.

Also got the injectors on. The insulator things on the tips of injectors I managed to find 6 unbroken ones heated them up with heat gun and put them on. Luckily I had a spare set of injectors and rail to raid parts off.

This weekend i'm planning on bolting down the cam covers (buying a 1/4" torque wrench that goes down to 2Nm),  I got alloy cam halfmoon blockers, Bolting on the turbo and covers, bolting on the top of the intake manifold and finishing the plumbing. Should be pretty much ready then.

[QLDR31]

I cut up some cable tie saddles to secure the coil wiring loom (the threads were already tapped to 5mm). The build is nearly done just need to figure out a few more hoses like the IAC valve and bolt the turbo on. Anyone got a pic of the IAC valve? I'm pretty sure I know how it plumbs just not certain (closest pipe to coils to the red bung in pic, middle pipe to throttle body, last pipe to coolant stuff below via long hose).

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by QLDR31
more info

[QLDR31]

The engine and car are now in the same garage. I went to install the engine. It's been sitting in the same spot for a couple weeks. Found an oil leak. Luckily it was just the drain plug. I put the flex plate back on (93-103Nm). I can't find the torque spec for the four torque converter mounting bolts. They are smaller bolts then flex plate so probably less torque. Hopefully New years day i'll get the engine in. I also found a bunch of surface rust around where radiator goes so might tidy that up before putting the radiator in.

[QLDR31]

The engine has been in for months now. Unfortunately something is wrong, bell housing bolts are in but there is a gap less than 10mm between bell housing and engine. The engine can't be turned in neutral, so something fowling. Note its an AWD auto and everything is original parts. I was thinking of putting longer bolts in bell housing that way engine and gear box can stay lined up, lever a gap between them and turn the engine until it lines up. Any tips/advice would be helpful. I'm planing on towing it to work so hopefully I can get it running, a few mechanics there to help me.

[Duncan]

Definitely no gap is acceptable between engine and gearbox, I'd get it on a hoist, take the box off and check carefully before attempting to put it on again. 

Could be the fouling on the dowels on the engine, could be you have a manual instead of auto spiggot bush in the back of the crank, could be the input shaft was already bent (or it has been bent while installing), not sure what else, I've not dealt with an auto rb

 

 

[RBW49N]

It could also be the converter not all the way in

[QLDR31]

Thanks guys.

Hopefully nothing is fooked up.

The converter is meant to be bolted onto auto flywheel first hey? Not later. 

I like the hoist idea, I can do that at work. The tail shaft bolts are tight as fook and auto box is as greasy as fook. I guess ill need to put some wood between the sump and cross member to keep engine in position?

Doesn't have any manual stuff. Same engine and gearbox. That were original.

If the gearbox is busted i'll be looking for manual conversion.

[RBW49N]

1 hour ago, QLDR31 said:

Thanks guys.

Hopefully nothing is fooked up.

The converter is meant to be bolted onto auto flywheel first hey? Not later. 

I like the hoist idea, I can do that at work. The tail shaft bolts are tight as fook and auto box is as greasy as fook. I guess ill need to put some wood between the sump and cross member to keep engine in position?

Doesn't have any manual stuff. Same engine and gearbox. That were original.

If the gearbox is busted i'll be looking for manual conversion.

No the convertor needs to go onto the gearbox first 

[GTSBoy]

Well there's your prahblem.

[QLDR31]

Thanks guys.

Are you meant to tighten the converter bolts through the starter motor hole?

Think my plate between gearbox and engine is one piece.

Im heading up there tomorrow.

[QLDR31]

Maybe I used the wrong sandwich plate as well. Used one piece instead of two piece.