What to powder coat?

[sonic99]

What bits and pieces in the engine bay should I get powder coated based on my photo below? 

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by sonic99

[joshuaho96]

On 12/3/2021 at 4:25 AM, sonic99 said:

What bits and pieces in the engine bay should I get powder coated based on my photo below? 

 

Usually you only do it to pieces that show corrosion. More important than that is your radiator has no fan shroud which is going to be a problem if you ever get stuck in stop and go traffic.

[sonic99]

On 4/12/21 at 5:49 AM, joshuaho96 said:

More important than that is your radiator has no fan shroud which is going to be a problem if you ever get stuck in stop and go traffic.

Thank you for pointing this out. I’ve seen two different mechanics over the years who failed to mention this 😭

can this be fitted relatively easily? What tools will I need?

Edited December 3, 2021 by sonic99

[Ben C34]

No way would you pull the inlet manifold off just to powdercoat it. You do that when the engine is out for work.

Are you planning on taking the car off the road for a month?

[joshuaho96]

On 12/3/2021 at 2:03 PM, Ben C34 said:

No way would you pull the inlet manifold off just to powdercoat it. You do that when the engine is out for work.

Are you planning on taking the car off the road for a month?

If you're incompetent like me and have a day job figure more like two months, pulling the intake manifold is a very involved job and it's likely that a lot of the rubber you touch isn't going to be reusable which adds a lot of waiting time as you order parts. I highly recommend using painter's tape and a sharpie to label every nut and bolt you pull. I also recommend after every major step that you take photos of the engine bay with a phone camera so you know the orientation of everything as it goes back together. The EPC part diagrams are good but no replacement for actually being able to tell what orientation a heater hose needs to be in, nor will it tell you what direction hose clamps should face so they don't grind into your intake manifold when you go to put it back on. I've also been keeping a journal of notes along the way, any little gotchas to look out for so you remember when you put it back together. It's a lot better than say a BMW S63/N63 engine but it's no walk in the park.

[joshuaho96]

On 12/3/2021 at 1:11 PM, sonic99 said:

Thank you for pointing this out. I’ve seen two different mechanics over the years who failed to mention this 😭

can this be fitted relatively easily? What tools will I need?

Part number is 21475-81T00, you will need some bolts and some foam strips to seal the gaps between the shroud and the radiator as seen here: https://nissan.epc-data.com/skyline/bcnr33/3935-rb26dett/engine/214/21475/

As for the actual installation I'm pretty sure you have to remove the fan from the fan clutch, pull it out of the engine, put the shroud around the fan, then lower the shroud + fan together back down into the engine and bolt the fan and shroud back in. I've never done it but I recall seeing people do it that way. I'm not sure your radiator is stock either, which might be why there's no shroud. Maybe a previous owner replaced the radiator, discovered it wouldn't bolt up/fit anymore and just tossed it.

[sonic99]

On 4/12/21 at 8:33 AM, Ben C34 said:

No way would you pull the inlet manifold off just to powdercoat it. You do that when the engine is out for work.

Are you planning on taking the car off the road for a month?

Should I paint with a brush instead? 🤣

[sonic99]

On 4/12/21 at 10:10 AM, joshuaho96 said:

Part number is 21475-81T00, you will need some bolts and some foam strips to seal the gaps between the shroud and the radiator as seen here: https://nissan.epc-data.com/skyline/bcnr33/3935-rb26dett/engine/214/21475/

As for the actual installation I'm pretty sure you have to remove the fan from the fan clutch, pull it out of the engine, put the shroud around the fan, then lower the shroud + fan together back down into the engine and bolt the fan and shroud back in. I've never done it but I recall seeing people do it that way. I'm not sure your radiator is stock either, which might be why there's no shroud. Maybe a previous owner replaced the radiator, discovered it wouldn't bolt up/fit anymore and just tossed it.

Thank you for all that! 

[GTSBoy]

Didn't we recommend just squinting?

[Duncan]

It's a cosmetic choice so up to your preference, but I get the cam covers, upper timing cover, twin intake pipe and plenum done. Couldn't find any good engine bay pics but they make it come up nice

[niZmO_Man]

IMO anything less than this isn't worth it