Work Log: R33 GT-R

[PurpleStreak]

I'll start off by saying this isn't really a project with high dollar performance parts all going in at once; its just a day to day work log of what I am doing to the car and what I plan to do with it.

This is a 1995 BCNR33 V-Spec, bought with ~86k on the odo.

For the intro, since I am lazy, I will copy my post in the 'Media' section in the next two posts.

My car came with the following when I bought it:

- Unknown Exhaust w/ SARD Cat
- Greddy Radiator
- Unknown Oil Cooler
- Greddy Oil Filter Relocation Kit
- Custom OEM Bumper w/ molded air outlet for oil cooler, homemade inlet to oil cooler, stock turn signals removed and aftermarket LEDs molded in
- Blitz SBC iD
- Razo Turbo Timer
- Ultra Digital Speed and Rev Meter
- 'Potenza' Shocks
- Aftermarket HIDs with lots of glare
- Aftermarket Steering Wheel
- Kenwood MiniDisc Deck
- Nismo Oil Cap

I got the Japanese manual for the following with the car, so I assume it is installed:
Nismo Sports Clutch Kit w/ Lightened Flywheel

Table of Contents:

Part 1

In Japan - Posts 2,3
Getting the car home/ compliance - Posts 4,5
Interior touchups/Installation of Mine's 320 km/h speedometer - Post 6
Steering Wheel Replacement/ Replace Boots / M's pod filter adapters - Posts 30,31
Compression Test - Posts 37,38
Side Skirt Fix - Post 39

Part 2: Twin Turbo Build - Garrett 2860-5s (Botched)

Parts list - Post 43
Nismo Oil Separator review - Post 50
Stock turbo removal - Post 56
Turbo Fitting Installation (O2 sensor, braided lines, elbows, etc.) - Post 64
Block Fittings/ Turbo Installation - Posts 69,71,76
Installation of Gauges - Posts 72,83
Oil Separator Installation - Post 73
Fuel Pump Upgrade - Post 79
Boost Controller Routing/Restrictor Removal - Post 86

Part 3: Single Turbo Build - PT6262 Journal Bearing - 495 whp @ 21 psi, Shell 91

Parts - Post 103
Twin Turbo Removal - Post 114
A/C Delete - Post 115
P/S Reservoir Relocate - Post 116, 136
Water Temp Sensor in Water Neck - Post 130
New engine overview/turbo mockup - Post 132
Tial Wastegates and BOV - Post 134
Blitz EBC Overhaul - Post 137
Turbo oil drain line - Post 138
Wastegate assembly and mockup - Post 139
Haltech install and wiring - Post 142
Tomei oil pan baffle install - Post 146
Reimax oil pump gear and sump reinstall - Post 151
Reimax gear material comparison - Post 155
Nismo Oil Separator drain for single turbo application - Post 156
Intake Manifold removal and install - Post 160
Oil filter block modifications - Posts 161, 162
Engine pull and transmission separation - Post 163
Nismo Coppermix Twin Install and 1st Fireup (Fail) - Post 172
Random Engine Leak Fixing (HG, Front Main, Cam Seals, etc.) and Reinstall - Post 173
1st tune - 350 whp ( fuel pump issue) - Post 184
Random photoshoot - Post 187
Fuel pump issue culprit, botched hardwire attempt - Post 193
6boost twin scroll manifold with SIngle Tial V60 wastegate install, Downpipe mods - Post 199
Proper Walbro 400 fuel pump install - Post 200
Nismo Quick Shift and Cusco Shifter Bushing Install - Post 202
2nd Tune - 495 whp @ 21 psi - Post 203

[PurpleStreak]

Here is the car at Brave Auto in Japan!

[PurpleStreak]

[PurpleStreak]

I had some compliance work done in YVR (namely rear side markers), and some fluid changes. All belts had recently been changed. At the time, the HVAC blower did not work, so it was a sweaty drive back to Alberta! Another thing I discovered was that the aftermarket LED right turn signal did not work properly.

Here is the car back home:




It was time to tackle the turn signal issue. It was a 194/168 style connector for the LED turn signals, and this was apparently the problem. But the darn things were in such a place that I had to take the bumper off!




I ended up soldering all the connections and then everything worked good after that!

Here are some shots of the homemade oil cooler ducting with the bumper off. Also noticed that the inlet and outlet of the cooler are on the bottom; typical cooler installations have inlet and outlet on top, or outlet on top and inlet on bottom. I hope to replace this ugly ducting with something better looking and re-orient the oil cooler this winter.




Also the current bolting location for the oil cooler and all the ducting means I cannot remove the headlight without taking the bumper off. So I elected not to bolt up the headlight to the bottom bracket.

The second issue was fixing the HVAC blower. At the shop in Vancouver, they found that the blower would work if it had 12 V power directly to it, and that it must be a relay somehwere that was the issue. HVAC self diagnosis was inconclusive as well. After some digging, I found said relay mounted right behind the glovebox on what can only be described as some cold white plastic box.



Opened the black plastic part, desoldered the three pins holding the board down and found the typical disconnected copper bridge thing. Soldered everything back as it should be and then I had functioning air con!

Bolted everything back up, and then went to inspection and passed no problem. I clay barred and waxed the car to celebrate.

[PurpleStreak]

Another issue that surfaced on the drive back from Vancouver was that the car did not boost past 0.6 bar. The display and readouts still worked fine. I just assumed there was a boost leak and let it be. While in Calgary, I checked everything and found something I should have looked for in the first place.



After correcting this, car boost strong! But now the spooling and the recirc valves have gotten a lot louder. I am not sure if this is typically how loud it is, but it wasn't this loud on the first drive.

What I am currently working on is the interior. I changed the shift knob with a TWM Performance knob I had lying around. Since the boots are all worn out, I picked up some new ones on Fleabay.

The main goal was to clean up the famous rubber coating on the panels. I hope to remove it and polish the underlying plastic. I really don't want to paint it. This is the current state of the interior.



I have also been trying to change the steering wheel. The R33 GTST Series 1 steering wheel I bought earlier did not fit on the clock spring. So now I have bought a S15 steering wheel that is enroute as well.

I also picked up this Mine's 320 km/h cluster. It was considerably cheaper than the Nismo clusters, and it still has the 320 km/h reading that I will never reach. Unfortunately, it does not have the A-LSD light on the tach, so I am going to swap just the speedometer clock into the factory cluster.



And that in summary was what I have done so far. From now on the entries will be more prompt lol..

[den80]

Hey, good car,the funny thing is that i know this car,it came up on "portal search,when rightdrive were looking for the car for me in Japan,last year,but i ended it up with another GTR,hope you will enjoy it

[JDMricer]

I'm so glad no one here gives a flying **** about dot compliance, no gay extra side markers for me.

Speaking of markers those blinkers are awful. They may be hard to find but I would do my best to put them back. Sorry to hate but they are a disgrace. Also the person that used the bright orange hose to install the boost controller needs to be shot immediately.

clean car otherwise though, I look forward to your updates.

[cooke24]

I would just take off those stick on reflectors

[PurpleStreak]

Oh wow its been on the market for a year eh? Maybe its these 'unique' mods that drove people away haha

I am glad you guys are giving your honest opinions..TBH I left out the part where I almost bought stock turn signals and then had a look at the bumper and found out they had cut away the passenger side mount for the turn signal to enlarge the opening for the homemade duct %&*$$#@
And personally I don't mind the look of the LED turn signals (if they were new) but up close they are discolored and the paint is peeling off them so it looks bad..but like I said before its molded into the bumper, so short of getting a new bumper I cant do much..and believe me this will have to happen later down the road! But the hose in the pictures is showing bright orange..its actually a M's hose, darker red like in the picture with the bumper off..to each his own I guess!

Everybody keeps telling me to take those reflectors off; one of these days I'll have at er with a heat gun!

[flipridah17]

Nice car! I wonder who owns the other R33 GTR Midnight purple that was sitting at Fraser Wharves last month. It had a CF hood and Sparco hood pins.. RHD maybe?

[cschepp]

Car looks absolutely excellent all the way around. Some minor touches need to be made but your taking care o those. Nice car man, I'm extremely jealous!

[PurpleStreak]

Nice car! I wonder who owns the other R33 GTR Midnight purple that was sitting at Fraser Wharves last month. It had a CF hood and Sparco hood pins.. RHD maybe?

No idea, I hope the owner surfaces soon! I've only seen three R33s in person so far in the past two years

Thanks cschepp!

Haven't done a whole lot in the past couple of days. I have removed 99% of the gunk on the shift surround panel. Goo-gone works very well on this stuff! Just have to get some plastic polish and it should look good! (to me anyway)

I also picked up some pod filter adapters from Fleabay. These are from 'Demon Motorsports' in the UK...I went with these because I don't like the bolt on filters on the Apexi intakes; the M's kit doesn't have support braces.
These intakes come with mushrooms filters; I am going to check for fitment prior to getting some good cone filters.

I also got some white LEDs to go in the cluster and center gauges.
5 x WLED-xHP4T2-AC: LED T10 Wedge Base Bulb for the 192/168 style bulbs in the cluster
3 x 74-xHP3: Wedge Base LED bulb for the 286 bulbs in the DIN slot gauges

[ColinR33]

Beautiful car! Good to see some more BCNR33's in Alberta!

[PurpleStreak]

Beautiful car! Good to see some more BCNR33's in Alberta!

Thanks! Love your work log btw, you have a great car!

[JZ]

I also picked up this Mine's 320 km/h cluster. It was considerably cheaper than the Nismo clusters, and it still has the 320 km/h reading that I will never reach. Unfortunately, it does not have the A-LSD light on the tach, so I am going to swap just the speedometer clock into the factory cluster.



And that in summary was what I have done so far. From now on the entries will be more prompt lol..

Quick Question...would you know what size bulb is behind the temp and fuel gauges? Mine just blew out and I wanna order a new one but don't want to bother taking it all apart until I'm ready to replace it. The old owner of mine changed them all to very cool looking blue leds, gotta find a new one.