Blackkers

to be honest mate, you can't go much further without spending heaps and losing response anyway. But if you want more power and I assume you do, next job would be new turbo. The stock turbo will die an early death if you push it any harder supporting mods include but are not limited to: -fuel pump Walbro GSS341/342 for petrol or F90000267 for E85 -Z32 AFM -Injectors (if you want more than ~245rwkw on petrol or if you want E85 at all) -coilpacks/clutch if need be. Don't forget to run a direct battery feed for a new fuel pump regardless of which model you use. Good luck

Thanks for the advice mate, good to hear your backyard engine is still alive after 7 years of abuse! It's easy to be pedantic but I'm just making sure I haven't missed anything major. After cleaning the crank with kerosene and compressed air I plastigauged the main bearings and they all came up fine. Then installed the crank for hopefully the final time. I just borrowed a ring compressor so I can throw the pistons in this afternoon

Rings on. This is pretty easy so far with the manual

Okay noted. I will use the dowels! Head can't go on until I get it back from the shop anyway

Oh yeah I just realised the dowels sit around the threads where the head bolts down. Because I'm using studs I won't need any help to align the head surely

I picked up the block today. The machinist said it definitely needed a skim, a stone didn't do the job properly. So thank you for making me do that. It came out mint! now it's cleaning time before I can check the ring gaps then install the crank, rods and pistons and measure deck height. One quick question: What are those dowel things that sit in the deck? are they necessary and what are they for?

9 degrees is a long way to shift a cam. Are you sure? I'm looking into this at the moment because I'm in the process of putting my engine together still. with factory cams most people say around -2-4 degrees on the exhaust and +4-6 on the intake. I just want a good baseline to start with really. What is the consensus these days? in case it matters, the turbos are HKS GTSSx2 and the engine will be around the 9.3:1 CR but I don't know if that will make much difference to optimal cam timing. edit: sorry Stao for hijacking your thread

What is the point of a rising rate reg? something about squeezing more fuel out in the top end or something?

i doubt the stock reg will fit in that rail though. forget rising rate too, just set and forget

OP this is a very good idea. If you're in sydney you could ask Johnny to do it, he might even set your fuel pressure properly for a small fee

completely stock engine right? you might be better off leaving some timing out of it even if it can take it happily. Still it will be fun to see how the dyno goes. What clutch are you using? I'm up to replace mine soon

have you been on the dyno with that set up Johnny?

if its coming onto boost at around 4500 rpm then how likely is it the factory turbo? I don't know RB20's very well but I didn't think they were that slow to wind up.

43.5 psi with the air hose OFF the fuel reg. That's standard base pressure anyway. What ecu is in the car? why does this car even have an adjustable fuel reg if the fuel pump was factory?

fair enough then. After 5000 kms my RB25 has been topped up about 1-1.5L and smells like cheap vodka. running E85 of course. It sees a hard life though

I wouldn't dare go 10k on a factory original RB no matter what the oil is. But suit yourself, I guess keep an eye on the level and it will live

nothing wrong with using a thick oil mate. those engines are approaching 25 years old. ~10w40 or thicker I would suggest. Depending on boost level I guess; you want to keep the oil film strong when it's hammering. personally I don't use the super expensive fully synthetic oils as I end up burning most of it or blowby ruins it anyway. Just use a $30-40 bottle of semi-synthetic, make sure you don't ever run low on oil and change it very often.

Walbro all the way. Silent

660 is definitely on the short end of the spectrum for that turbo on E85. It might restrict your boost to around 18psi. Hard to say I use 1000cc injectors and 81% duty cycle with a 21U highflow 306rwkw. But my fuel pump isn't the best. You could bump fuel pressure up perhaps. but I'd be looking into a set of top feeds

The collar was warmed and pressed on. I believe this is the best way to do it instructions from Kiwi: 1. Our collars have precision ground internal bores which make it easy to gain the required .002 interference fit to shaft. Crankshaft must be machined by an engine shop/ crankshaft grinder. Must be ground with a finish similar to a crank journal. Most crankshaft grinder operators are familiar with the precise measuring to gain the .002” interference. The collar should never be fitted relying on the grub screws to hold it, with the correct .002 thou press on/ interference fit the collar will have sufficient hold to the crank. The grub screws are only to assure it not turning in event of pump lockup etc. 2. Gently warm collar to a light straw color and with a suitable mandrel knock the collar on very smartly. NOTE, the heat soak from the collar will grab it very quickly so it must be a very fast knock on technique to assure it fitting home easily. 3. Fit grub screws at journal end of collars at 180 deg away from each other, to ensure screws do not hit the crank bolt when doing up bolt.

Hey mate, this is by no means abnormal. What boost controller were you using? An electronic boost controller will have an option to hold boost after it peaks. I use a GFB ge-force 2 and the setting is called sensitivity or SENS. it works flawlessly, I could hold 20psi to redline if I wanted. I think it was about $280 from MRT in Sydney on special

Crank collar on

I plan to run 1.5+bar of boost through it on relatively small turbos with higher than factory CR. I can't see a reason not to other than the cost. haha well free is a relative term.. He asked me to tell my friends about his shop. So if anyone needs some work done, speak to Gary at Leon's engineering Artarmon he's an absolute legend. They chemical cleaned all the bits and pieces for free too

Okay the block is with the machine shop now. The owner is really looking after me, he's going to machine the deck and hone the bores for free. Also I got the crank back with the bearings they ordered. Also the crank collar is on. The rings I got are standard factory rings so I imagine I won't have any issues with sizing but I'm going to check the gaps anyway once I get the block back. Then I can assemble the bottom end, measure the deck height and order a head gasket. Can't wait to get it together

crazy. I had a massive leak in the plenum due to a buggered gasket and it only caused a lean and hunting idle. on boost AFRs were below 10 and it felt pretty powerless. also wouldn't reach normal boost levels