'The weekend Terror' Project

[NismoS-tune]

Update.

Finally picked up an HKS fuel rail to replace my Tomei one (purely an aesthetics decision at the time) but it seems that the "badass" hKS one has a smaller bore by 5mm meaning it could very well be smaller than the OEM rail (had it bigger fittings). So I don't know if I'll use it. I figured, it's nearly 2x the price as the tome, should be better..... not?


Some more powder coated parts came back. Looks nice IMO. Started throwing in the bushes and attempted assembling the subframe a bit more. Seems I'm hung-up in the rear lower control arms, they don't seem to fit as intended.






Then came the ball joint confusion. The spherical ball joint is totally different by meaning it doesn't even fit the knuckle properly, it is a Driftworks R32 piece which was said to fit the GTR (not the fronts though)

Here is the new lower control arm

and the old lower control arm


There is enough play that I can't see it being an ok thing. Yes I can torque it down to stop moving but a little driving and my alignment could go up to 5mm more or less negative camber (depending where I mount it)



Here you can see how much play there is in the bushing sleeve (or whatever it's called), without the nut



The HICAS delete kit was also a bit off. The outer bracket has a 3mm wider opening that the bushing that came with the kit. Do I just torque it down and deal with a bent bracket or is it supposed to have retarded amounts of play?

I know I cheap'd out by going drift works (was only $1800 for everything) and not Ikeya ($3K+) but before I get mad and throw the lot in the garbage, anyone have some ideas?

[xcye]

There is a spacer on the old arm (the spacer is right at the cent of your picture). Take that out and put it on the new arm.

[cschepp]

Ok first things first please don't throw it in the garbage. I would like to see if I could make it work man if you no longer want to. I'm just wondering what the issue is with driftworks.... I know there was some serious issues with the group buy through someone on the forum but I'm wondering if it was the mistake of the gb organizer or strictly the company that had supplied it. I bought the driftworks lock out for my gts but didn't have any issues. Would I buy the entire kit after seeing the reviews, probably not. But on the other end of things ikeya multi link isnt horrible and that will be my next winters buy since I will finally have the car on the road this year. I gotta pm you a couple questions. I'm really enjoying your build but need some info on a few things....

Did you happen to get any news on the motor? Did you end up going with the same builder? So many questions... Lol

[NismoS-tune]

Did you happen to get any news on the motor? Did you end up going with the same builder? So many questions... Lol

No recent news. It was dropped off in January and last I heard over a month it was still waiting on the machinist. The builder (assembler in this case) was supposed to let me know if it was better to buy a new crank and all new bearings to start from scratch or crank polish for a new bigger thrust bearing. There are currently some assumptions as to what caused the crank walk but at this time, it's suspected to be the clutch. Either pushing too far (though the clutch maker said the discs would have exploded first) or constant pressure/bad adjustment? I'm not sure, I'm just another enthusiast who does minor jobs and pays the bills...

[NismoS-tune]

Still slowly going together. Out of days off now. Have to put things away again to give the wife her parking spot back lol.

The diff cover came back but with powder paint on the inside too where it shouldn't have. I'll be sanding down the mating surface so I can make a good gasket. Does anyone know if there is a purchasable gasket for the rear diff or is it just a gasket maker kinda thing? Also, if I left the cooked paint in the cover, is there any chance it could come off and contaminate the oil in a bad way? I have a diff I don't want to damage but the paint would be a major PITA to get off....

Getting the knuckles put on wasn't bad but the lower arm was a pita alone. Decided to stay with the Cusco sway bars after all (couldn't get a buyer since they're expensive) rather than going with whiteline, hopefully they won't make things worse with my 12/10kg/mm coil overs (660pound inch i think). I think they don't look too bad with the other colours. Still not the actual colour, the lighting isn't right I guess. Doesn't look as nice on the pictures...


It was a bad day when I finally killed my magical dead blow hammer... I've had it for nearly 6 years now but I got pissed off at a few things and used it where I shouldn't have... It had been my problem solver for quite some time but maybe it is the sacrifice that needs to be done to get the car to STAY running haha.


So I talked to a GTR buddy (velders) a few days ago and he mentioned the oem lower arm having a conical sleeve that was removable. Turns out it was the missing piece!

I haven't torqued everything down yet, since I have to remove the knuckle again for pressing the lower shock bush in (when it shows up) but it seems to fit nicely now. Don't mind the mad negative camber, I have not adjusted my settings yet. All the arms are adjustable, except for the front lower arm with was not GTR compatible... Might have to buy a different make of lower front arm next year if I need it.


I would have liked to overhaul or replace the rear drum brakes and hubs so it all looks new but I couldn't find some on time..


Next days off I'll tackle the front end which will be ready to mount back up. I'm not missing much now, just the engine, lower shock bushes and 1 outer lower balljoint. Once those come in, it's all labour and beer!!

[cschepp]

All I have to say is wow! Looks awesome man!

[NismoS-tune]

All I have to say is wow! Looks awesome man!

Ah thanks! In the end, it's not fast , not much for power nor does it have a good engine but at least it'll look pretty nice haha. I'll try to attend some car shows this year though I wish I would have painted my engine bay. Asked around but couldn't find someone to seam weld my engine bay so I decided not to touch up the paint, this time. Next time around I'll have a welder lined up, hope the engine lasts the season at least.

[frankiman]

yup that rear subframe is looking insane buddy!

i don't know about the powder coating inside the diff, if it was me i would get it redone, they can easily strip the paint off in an acid dip, or sand blast

[NismoS-tune]

Im out of town for a few weeks so we can get our mcmurray house ready to sell soon. With the purchase of the 2010 wrx and the pulsar not selling, it's time to unload something (been avoiding selling one of the houses but wanted to sell the red deer house... Wife won't let It go) so I'm officially moving to red deer soon as I had to make promises before buying another car. If by July it's not sold I haw to part it out cause I'm out of parking space (losing one of the 2 car garages). The gtr is safe until september before it has to go (taking a huge paycut and need to address priorities, don't worry the wrx is a blast)

Latest update on the engine is that the crank is reusable but hasn't been polished for the 1 new bearing. If its not here this month (6months later) (I am officially pullin the plug on this parts yard of a car so I can focus on something that I'll actually drive. I have a few ideas lined up which will most likely come in a rear mounted V8 format i prefer to not part out but if it does, I should be starting in September. Most parts are new or less than 2000km and all are genuine high end parts.

Thanks for following this spiraling money pit.

Edit: I am not entertaining inquires or offers on parts so please don't ask at this time. I have removed the parts list. Offers will be ignored on all parts but will entertain inquires on the whole lots (the car wont be under $25k nor close to that for those know what what I've installed over the years). I can email a list of parts to those who are actually serious.

[NismoS-tune]

The engine is for sale. We're talking about a second baby now so I need to free up some money. It's been at the builder's for 7 months (in 6 days) for the bearing replacement and crank polish but once it's comes back it's gotta find a new home. I don't mind parting the engine but the block would have to sell first.

If I don't get the engine back by the end of the month, it's going to a different shop (Located in Calgary) unless someone wants it at a discount, repairs aren't too expensive since it was a single bearing.

So to start off:

87mm CP pistons $625.00
R34 crankshaft $640.00
Eagle connecting rods $561.60
ARP 2000 connecting rod bolts $150.00
ARP uprated main studs $300.00
Nismo Grade 0/A Conrod bearing set (12110-RRR40) $139.93
Nismo Grade 1/B Conrod bearing set (12110-RRR41) $139.93
Nismo Grade 4/E main center bearing set (12110-RRR44) $57.40
Nismo Grade 4/E main inner bearing set (12110-RRR44) $144.99
Nismo Grade 5/F main inner bearing set (12110-RRR45) $144.99
Machining costs (for bottom end only) $2,200.00
Bare RB26 block with cradle $800.00

OPTIONAL PARTS.

ARP L19 head studs (Optional) $295.00

RIPS oversized oil pan, no diff (Optional) $1,312.50

Total paid for bottom end no extra options

$5,903.84

Total paid for bottom end with ARP head studs

$6198.84

Total paid for Bottom end with studs and oilpan

$7,511.34

Block and internals only. Does not inlude:
Crank pulley
clutch/flywheel
waterpump
oilpump
Tensioner/idler pulleys
head
oil pan

So, what price I can do, including shipping (I can deliver):

Total for bottom end no extra options

$5,000.00

Total asking for bottom end with ARP head studs

$5298.84

Total asking for Bottom end with studs and oilpan

$6,611.34

Should you choose to have it shipped instead, I think it should be no more than $300.

Take your time and let me know if you have questions. I've been getting more offers but the guys don't want to ship and I will only deliver in Alberta.

Franc

[TriniGT]

Any chance of selling the Nismo intake manifold?

[NismoS-tune]

It's ceramic coated and has 6 direct port water meth nozzles tapped into it. You're better off buying a new one at $1800...

[NismoS-tune]

It appears I’m due for an update, here is what has transpired over these years:

-Bought the car in March of 2009 where I soon after sold my Silver GTR of 4 years.
-Right off the bat, the “clean” car was making 0.6 bar when the boost controller was set at 1 bar which Turned out to be a hole drilled into the intercooler when the previous owner’s mechanic installed the new HKS bumper and needed to tie wrap somewhere which was welded shut. Still having only 0.8 bar, an old vacuum hose was found under the dash, left open, most likely from a boost gauge that was removed. Made 1 bar after that.
-On the way home from the first day I bought it, It was to be driven from Coquitlam, BC to Fort McMurray, AB (16 hour drive) before it started running on 5 cylinders just south of Edmonton. Ended up having to leave the car there for a month while I diagnosed the problem on week ends (8 hour drive round trip). It turned out to be a faulty coilpack and broken connector on the harness which both had to be replaced.
-Compression test was 160 on all 6 so I decided to go ahead with a few mods for more than 220whp.
-Fast forward to September 2009, The car was taken down to Red Deer where new turbos, intake manifold, vipec ecu and minor fuel mods were done over the weekend.
-The car didn’t quite make it to the dyno before the stock radiator ruptured (air pocket at the thermostat was suspected so the high pressure along with a nismo rad cap let it build up past the platic end tank ratings) and a replaced was sourced in Edmonton later that day. -By the end of the night, the car made 302whp at 1 bar with -5 turbos (nothing to be excited about) and was limited to that as I had run out of time for installing an HKS boost controller… had to run wastegate pressure. It was highly recommended that since the engine was 20 years old, it was better to stop there and rebuild the engine before making more power since the condition was unknown… ok.
-Come October, the car was parked for the winter. Since purchase, it had done 3,180 kms, most of which being the BC-AB drive and McMurray-Red Deer and back drive (leaving about 400km of intown driving).
-The car had run alright since the tune so I decided to move along with some more upgrades.
-After months of research, the engine left for BC January 27th 2010 where a known/popular import shop started the build. I had chosen this shop since it would ultimately be somewhat cheaper in labour costs that the nearby shops. They had worked on several GTRs over the years which all had good reviews. Slowly, more and more parts were sent to the shop. After about 3 months, rumors came around that the shop was going to close their doors. A month later, It was assured that if my engine could not be completed before the doors closed, that a new up and coming shop would complete it.
-5 months later, I got word that my engine was still being worked on and that one of the bearings sent were incorrectly sized (main center/thrust bearing was one of them), twice.
-4 months later my engine was returned to me in 1 piece (total of 13 months delay).
-The N1 block I had traded my entire engine for (which when back into another car to be run since it was minty) turned out to be nothing more than a factory replacement stock block (no serial number meaning nothing). The shop had supplied all the missing hardware for free so we were somehow even, though I had upgraded and supplied everything except for valves.
-Spring, 2011 came and the engine was reinstalled in the longtime empty engine bay. Only real issue that occured during the install was that during the install of my Mines cam cover baffles, I had to removed 4 cam cap studs (tomei brittle ones...) to trim down for clearance issueswhich I then broke one. I had used a crappy Princess auto torque wrench (though I had a canadian tire one and a napa one too... oops). I ended up having to drill out the broken stud, tapping a slightly larger hole and using a helicoil (the tomei stud was weaker than the stock bolts which I tested in fact), I believe the tomei studs could handle more lift stress maybe or stretch but over torquing was their fail point maybe. Best part was that I coudln't just get 1 tomei stud, I had to buy a whole new set at $200 some so I now had spares lol. The car started up after minor timing adjustments, break-in was completed after 350kms and 2 weeks of driving. There was an odd, faint but inconsistent sound coming from the engine but I had remembered hearing it before and knew it was minor (this later turned out to be the timing belt that was too tight).
-July 15th 2011, Still having no issues, the car was brought down to Red Deer to get some more parts installed (as I had run out of time) and tuning. No more excuses this time. New engine, mild/moderate mod list, 500whp here we go.
-The water meth system, battery relocation, new injectors, intercooler and boost controller were installed. Before getting on the dyno, there were some issues getting the car to start. Turns out I had my fuel pressure at 36psi which was too high I guess, so the car kept stalling. After 13 stalls and restarts (while the clutch was held in the whole time), the tuner noticed the engine was bogging down a few hundred rpm when the clutch was pushed it. He quickly identified that the crank was ‘walking’. Before any catastrophic failures occurred, the car was stopped and never started again.
-I had no choice but to leave the car in Red Deer since I had to be back to work in 2 days.
2 months after the breakdown, we ended up buying a house in Red Deer so the car was kept there under a tarp.
-Fast forward 2 more months, the engine was removed again and brought to a different local shop. The center main bearing was found to be finished (the front shoulder or lip was nearly gone which caused the crank to move a few mm) but the other parts seemed alright.
-9 Months later, due to busy shop schedules and miscommunication between the builder and machinist, the engine came back. During cleaning and assembly of the block, scratches were found on the block’s mating surface which wasn’t found before as it was under the head gasket material that had stuck to the block (was there before the engine was assembled initially). The scratches were deep enough to most likely cause sealing issues but shallow enough to need a minor decking job. The engine went back to the machinist to get decked.
-The clutch (twin Carbonetic Carbon clutch) was suspected to be the culprit, possibly having too much cover pressure, wrong release bearing/sleeve or the clutch adjustment was out though everything checked out fine. The actual cause was found to be the bearing clearance was too tight (the new bearing clearance was a healthy 4 thou so it must have been darn tight!) and the clutch riding during fueling issues/stalls (exerting much more thrust pressure than a stock clutch) on start ups, with no oil pressure, so many times that it only sped things up. This being back up by the fact it ran perfectly fine for 1,238 kms as I don’t use the clutch to start (and googling around all possible crank walk causes). I had since installed a tricky “crank walk safety switch” (haha) that would stop the car from starting if the clutch was in.
-Sept 17th 2012, the block returned from the machinist and the assembly started. While the builder quickly looked over the freshly decked surface for final approval, multiple hairline fractures were found on the cooling jackets near 5 head studs. Engine build round 2 has hit another failure wall and it hasn’t even left the engine stand yet. Paying the machining and labour bills still had to be done since it was pretty much needed to get to where I am now so thankfully it wasn’t a huge bill!
-September 18th 2012, The cracks can be repaired (by welding?) but where does one draw the line? Last year, my wife, the ‘project financial advisor’, had said that this was the last time she’d allow me to fix this thing so on this day it was decided that the block was no longer useable and that this project thread would come to an end.

I’m not certain how to proceed at this point but I’ll have some for sale threads popping up over the next little while.

I still have the other cars so I won’t be without a turbo car! On a positive note, the 5 month old WRX has done 6000kms with no problems compared to the 4,500km nearly 4 year old GTR!!

To all those that were possibly offended by me in any way over the years, if I seems irritable, annoying or even jealous over silly car stuff, know that I had some pent up issues which are now out in the open. Life goes on!

Cheers!

[Oakville]

So now the project is bye bye? drop in a factory motor so you can drive it! Give it one more crack down the road man....coming from another guy who's been under a tarp for 2 years, don't give up the dream.

[gtrjon]

great read. although blunt i always enjoyed your participation here.