Looking for kind and geniue advices from you GTR guru's

[leung23c]

Hi guys. I am on a crossroad and don't know what decisions to make.

I will tell you guys my situations.

I bought a car with a freshly rebuilt engine with a tomei stroker kit done by a shop in Edmonton of which I naively thought it had a bulletproof bottom end. It doesn't. It was running fine for a while before everything going downhill. I spent a lot of money on upgrading turbos, injectors, intercoolers, electronics and many other mods hoping they will complement each other and fix up the car. Compression test reveal optimistic result so I thought the engine is still tight. So recently after all the works were done it was loaded up on a dyno and HORRIBLE NEWS. At 4500rpm Cam could hear through his equipment that my bottom end were making noises (he said the engine was going side way in metaphorical terms), aka coming apart. His best bet was something is loose and not torqued down or clearanced properly. To investigate by a professional shop it means $$$$. Either way it was only a matter of time it will come apart and it must need another engine rebuild...

So right now I have few ideas poped in my head:

1. Take out the engine myself and send it to a reputable shop to assess and reassemble the engine (Is there such a shop?) One of the shop I kind of want to try is Rawbrokage in Florida who specialize in RB26 and charge reasonably
2. Buy a stage 1 short block, re-use my current head and put it together myself and toss my current bottom end away.
3. Buy a used stock healthy RB26 long block and use it and toss the current one away. However many good used ones are R32 which implies narrow collar drive.....

Rebuilding the engine myself is not an option because I don't have the skills nor the balls to do it. I bet I will **** it up. I work 60+ hours a week as I have to manage my own business but I am willing to work on my car everyday after work from 10pm to 2am then go to work again. Having said that, I cannot afford to go into wrong path, again. I am willing to put in the effort, but I must get the result.

I am humbly waiting for your replies.

[tenkay]

You said you're willing to put in the effort for your desired result. What is your desired result, because that sways the answers in some direction.

[leung23c]

My desired result:

1. Reliable and durable street car. Regular maintenance which required you NOT to rip out the engine.
2. 450hp~500hp. 8000rpm limit. Ability to accelerate fully, occasionally .
3. STRICTLY no street racing nor any time on track.
4. Daily driver, even in the harshest time of winter.

Right now I have the following parts installed which I will utilize:

1000CC injectors
New stock clutch
Power FC
Nismo air flow
Tomei intank pump
Tomei M7655 Twin
Tomei turbo outlets
N1 oil pump (plan on upgrading)
Autobahn88 intercooler
LS2 coil converted

[RixR32]

If you are daily & winter driving this, and it will not see track time...AT ALL like you say, I would find a good used stock engine, or even a reman later build 33/34 longblock, and put it in.
I would stay stock-ish (hence - more reliable) though with maybe just the bolt-on basics.
All those pricey parts could fetch you some good cash, and if the "damage" isn't that bad once you pull the engine, or isn't there at all, you could likely make up all your costs through selling that stroker engine.

I say this because really, who needs a 500+ HP stroker GTR for the street only?
May only get you in some trouble..

Rick

[Bruizer]

Tough spot indeed, I've been there a few times.

Unfortunately, you can't blame cam for tuning someone else engine. If you have a print out of how it ran on the dyno (graphs) you might see the EGTs and AFRs to see if it was a tuner issue but Cam is good at tuning so I doubt it was his issue.

You bought the engine with the stroker already or bought then got the stroker done. Reason I ask is because who knows what's in there if you didn't see it. I had a strong engine with 160 on all 6 and it was a stock bottom end. Unless that tomei bottom end had 40,000 of mega hard usage or was built wrong, I'd believe it to fail then. Normally builder problems occur early in an engine's life.

My choices would be:
-If you got it built, I'd talk to the builder to see what he can do for you now.
- if you bought it like that and its more than 2 weeks ago, you're SOL. Find a new engine (Nissan long block, used unknown or new build long block)
-if you want a street car with 450hp, stay with a stock motor. No greasy shop touched it and its as per the manufacturer's specs. (Or buy an Evo 10 with a Cobb access port and make 400 reliable HP)
-I gave my engine and car to a shop in Calgary and they'll give it to me when it's done. All in all my rebuild will run me more cost than doing it myself + but it'll mean accountability for the shop if they do it all.

[Harvey]

You will definitely need an aftermarket clutch. Stock clutch is not gonna hold the power. I would suggest something civilized like nismo supercopper mix twin plate.

[Alak]

Eithet way, you are going to have to remove the old engine. I would take it out, strip it down to the short block and visually inspect it. These steps cost you nothing but your own time. The problem could be obvious and in-expensive, or it could be expensive or non-repairable. You really don't know until you have a look. So, have a look!

[MR666]

If time is an issue then pay someone to take the engine out and put it on a stand so you can look at it. I agree, you should do the things that cost you no money first. Take the pan off and look inside. You can buy platigauge almost anywhereand check the clearances and check the surfaces yourself, then torque it all back up one at a time. Minimal time invested on your part and it will then point you into the direction you need to go. If the bottom end is minimally damaged get it fixed (way cheaper). If damaged bad then give the short block away for beer, to someone who can part it or wants an expensive project. I have redone my engine for the last time so I have been standing where you are now (3 times) . I can say for me , NEXT TIME , I will be sending a note to RIPS and have them build me a RB30 short block. Give me a second here and . . . Robbie quoted me “Nzd8500 for the same as I have used to run 6s @ 193mph, 9,500rpm”. Using the bank of Canada currency converter so that is $7,130 (today). Then all you do is use the same parts from your old engine. But get the expanded oil pan or have someone do it for you as I blew my engine twice because of that. I cannot speak for you but this is the way I am going next time. And that should be in a few thousand kilometers with the way things have been happening for me.

[leung23c]

Thank you everyone for all the replies and support. It must sound silly to all of you but I really want to drive this particular car for a long long long time (like 20 years, if possible), and seems like waiting a while for it to be fixed up once again is OKAY for me. People ask me you can buy a very nice BMW for the money I spent but I just don't care. I love my car! So I guess I will take a break from it and think about exactly what to do.

[leung23c]

If time is an issue then pay someone to take the engine out and put it on a stand so you can look at it. I agree, you should do the things that cost you no money first. Take the pan off and look inside. You can buy platigauge almost anywhereand check the clearances and check the surfaces yourself, then torque it all back up one at a time. Minimal time invested on your part and it will then point you into the direction you need to go. If the bottom end is minimally damaged get it fixed (way cheaper). If damaged bad then give the short block away for beer, to someone who can part it or wants an expensive project. I have redone my engine for the last time so I have been standing where you are now (3 times) . I can say for me , NEXT TIME , I will be sending a note to RIPS and have them build me a RB30 short block. Give me a second here and . . . Robbie quoted me “Nzd8500 for the same as I have used to run 6s @ 193mph, 9,500rpm”. Using the bank of Canada currency converter so that is $7,130 (today). Then all you do is use the same parts from your old engine. But get the expanded oil pan or have someone do it for you as I blew my engine twice because of that. I cannot speak for you but this is the way I am going next time. And that should be in a few thousand kilometers with the way things have been happening for me.

Wow....I always thought I need to lose an arm and a leg to get a short block from builder like R.I.P.S, but doesn't seem to be the case. Like....I could have got shortblock from R.I.P.S if I made the decision before....Sigh....

[Bruizer]

You will definitely need an aftermarket clutch. Stock clutch is not gonna hold the power. I would suggest something civilized like nismo supercopper mix twin plate.

That clutch is ok but there's better. For the price I agree but it's limited to 650hp or something?

I can say for me , NEXT TIME , I will be sending a note to RIPS and have them build me a RB30 short block. Give me a second here and . . . Robbie quoted me “Nzd8500 for the same as I have used to run 6s @ 193mph, 9,500rpm”. Using the bank of Canada currency converter so that is $7,130 (today). Then all you do is use the same parts from your old engine. But get the expanded oil pan or have someone do it for you as I blew my engine twice because of that. I cannot speak for you but this is the way I am going next time. And that should be in a few thousand kilometers with the way things have been happening for me.

That's just the bottom end short block (no head or anything) and it's not bolt on. Some modifications needed to fit. For $1000 less you can get a Tomei stroker and have no modding to do.

[Black BNR32]

Option 3, except part out your existing bottom end. I bet the crank is salvageable and will be worth good money.

I'm in Saskatoon. Let me know if I can help.

[falcon]

I think a lot of people tend to go overboard with power on a gtr who don't really need it. Have you been in a 650whp gtr? I've been in a 550hp one and let me tell you it's sinking fast.

When I finally get an r34 gtr, my build will consist of arp studs, tomei head gasket, maybe some 2560's, an ecu with the fuel mods needed and I'm just going to drive the thing abd enjoy it.

I've built too many big hp cars and the extra hp is not worth all the extra work and maintenance.

Most people here would be happy with a well running, reliable (yes, gtrs can be very reliable) 400hp car.


That being said, my suggestion is to do a simple build, crank collar, cast pistons, forged rods, stock head and keep it cheap and reliable. If you tune it correctly, the cast pistons are what will keep it reliable. No need for $2000 forged pistons for a street car. I helped with a gtr build that made over 500awhp on twins with cast slugs. Reliably.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk 2

[falcon]

My desired result:

1. Reliable and durable street car. Regular maintenance which required you NOT to rip out the engine.
2. 450hp~500hp. 8000rpm limit. Ability to accelerate fully, occasionally .
3. STRICTLY no street racing nor any time on track.
4. Daily driver, even in the harshest time of winter.

Right now I have the following parts installed which I will utilize:

1000CC injectors
New stock clutch
Power FC
Nismo air flow
Tomei intank pump
Tomei M7655 Twin
Tomei turbo outlets
N1 oil pump (plan on upgrading)
Autobahn88 intercooler
LS2 coil converted

Lower that to being ok with a 7200 to 7400rpm limit and a stock bottom end will suffice fine. In place of a collar get an ati damper and don't beat on it. Ie bouncing off the limiter all day long.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk 2

[FBR]

Everyone above has given really good insights. I see what you are going for in goals but personally 450-500 hp is useless in snow and ice. I'd get yourself a cheap daily and try turning this into a "toy". Can be daily driving but you don't need to. Did you ever get receipts stating what was inside or when it was assembled what was done? Buying a built motor is sketchy. Always has been. I'd be pulling that motor and ripping it apart trying to figure it out. You stated that you don't have time or knowledge to do so. Send it off to a reputable specialist to be looked over. Have them confirm everything is OK. Throw it back in and try again. But once you start altering a engine block, it's my belief you've cut that engines life in half or more. I'd shove a stock motor in there with mild head work, bolt-on upgrades, and tune it. Once the shop has confirmed your stoker block is fine, sell it or keep it to build it up with better parts to drop in later for a monster motor.