Fry_33

If your exhaust is a bit suspect then maybe you could start taking pieces off it starting at the back. ie. take the rear muffler section off and go for a quick drive and see if you can acheive full boost. If you can then the muffler is probably cactus, if not, take the next section out. What psi was your car set to and getting to previously and what is it acheiving now?

I've had my car tuned on the dyno and got 180.7kW. I had been thinking about road tuning using FC-Datalogit. I created a spreadsheet of my IGN and INJ values and saw how much more advanced Pauls was than mine and how much more power he was making. I went straight out and bought the FC-Datalogit. My current tune looks seems to be the usual and has altered values in the mid to high range but not much, if at all, down low. I's love to pick up some power off boost. I first want to sort out my noisy timing belt, install my electronic boost controller (EVCIII) as my manual bleed valve lets the boost drop off high in the rev range (should control it down lower a bit better too). Once that's out of the way I will try to get a get the AFR's right and then start dialing in some ignition. Hopefully it will let me do this and pick up a bit of power. I have a fiarly quiet exhuast (HKS Super Dragger) which is probably holding me back a bit but I never have any problems with unwanted attention which I like.

It could be a blocked CAT, it won't be too bad at low revs but as you build revs and boost there is more exhaust gases and if it's blocked becomes a huge restriction and won't flow the required amount of gases to allow the higher boost levels.

If it is a plastic then I think this (Black Wow) might be worth a look . a bit pricey but it does amazing things. http://www.showcardetailing.com/eshop/shop...id=96&bc=no

Thanks Paul, will have to remember that when I get to that stage.

I just got my FC-datalogit and was having troubles with an error. I've got an R33 series 2 GTST and the Black datalogit. It eventually worked with com port 2 selected. I just chose the lowest com number available. I just hope it works next time I plug it in

Thanks for the responses guys. I am thinking it is just mechanical noise as it varies quite a bit. At idle it will sometimes be 1-3 and at others 5-10. I blipped the throttle at idle the other day and got 18 knock, reset the values tried to do the exact same thing a few times and the most I got was 6-8. My timing belt is noisy at the moment and I was hoping to retension it on the weekend and quieten it down. One of the threaded holes in harmonic balancer was stripped so couldn't use the puller I had and I ended up running out of time. So I put her back together without achieving anything.. very frustrating! Will try again in another fortnight when I get a chance. I have recieved FC-Datalogit and was able to connect it up. I haven't had a chance to try anything with that yet. Seeing as how Paul and Jono might read this (others will know too), what is the difference between advanced Knock and basic knock on the PFC. If I was to use Datalogit and log the knock values would I be safe in assuming that if the average knock levels are fine then the max knock values for the cells can almost be ignored as they could be caused by outdie influences. I'm assuming that if there was detonation then there would be tuning factors causing this and it would occur frequently and therefore the avg value would be high. Thanks again guys.

Thanks for the replies guys. It is all back together and still noisy which really is really annoying. I won't have a chance to try it again for another fortnight which sucks. I assume that I use a 3 leg puller (or similar) and grab the back solid edges as in the pic. What dry lube is best for this application?

I was just thinking about something like that.. wasn't sure if it would be strong enough, might give it a try. The M6 bolts don't actually go in very far do they. Just out of curiosity, do the bolts bottom out or does the threaded hole go right through the balancer? Later to put the harmonic balancer back on I just need to put the big washer and bolt in and tighten it up right?

Well my Gates Racing Timing Belt was making some noise so I figure I just need to retension it. I have taken out the clutch fan, radiator, CAS and the top timing cover. I noticed that my Arospeed adjustable cam gear was 2deg advanced and not retarded but then realised that the marks on it must be the wrong way around sothat was a big relief. I have loosened the bolt for the harmonic balancer which was fairly easy. The problem I have come accross is that I bought a harmonic balancer puller and got ready to remove the harmonic balancer. I put the M6 bolts in the top hole and that is fine. I put the other M6 bolt in the lower hole on the harmonic balancer and it gets to a point and doesn't tighten up any more. The damn thing has been stripped of thread! I am thinking my only option is to remove the current harmonic balancer with the pullers that grab the outside of the pulley. I would then get a replacement harmonic balancer and install this. Any thoughts or suggestions people?

I'd check out what is going on with the wires with preferably a multimeter or a test light. Find out whether the wires are supplying power or meant to earth the circuit. I'm not fantastic with electrical problem solving so I'm sure someone will correct me at some point. If there is a plug to your indicator disconnect it and see what each one does when the indicator is switched on. The disconnected wire could possibly be a missing earth wire? Is it possible to connect the 3 wires to the indicators?

It may help to see a pic or two, especially of the pipe you replaced, as this may give some ideas.

I think it would have to be a leak of some sort. If he had blown a ceramic turbine off he should have found bits of it in the cat shouldn't he? As stated I'd be re-checking hose clamps are tight and check for cracked hoses etc. I'd be checking the vac hose that goes to the BOV as if that's not on as soon as you hit boost it will more than likely open as it won't have boost pressure from the hose to keep it closed. You could block off the BOV by putting a thin metal plate underneath it to seal it off. Do this to just see if you can get onto boost, if so time for some new BOV's.

I have had another look at the knock levels today. I was able to look at what happens when it was cold when started. It started up and was at around 1200-1300rpm and knock was 1-2 which is good. As it started to warm up it the revs dropped down and I started to see the knock values rise, 10-14. Once it finally settles around 900-950 rpm the knock values lower to around 5 max. I am noticing the noise of my timing belt more at idle and it gets slightly louder at about 1000rpm. Maybe the noises by the timing belt drive are being picked up by the knock sensor. I was living with the noise of the timing belt as it was only intermitent but I think I will retension it next weekend. I have read some of the info on here about changing the timing belt. I don't need to change the water pump, idler and tensioner as that was all done with the belt by a workshop. I think I need to remove the Harmonic Balancer to retension the belt but I was wondering if you can work around it. If not, I'll just have to get a puller.

I don't know if you've sorted this out yet but have you checked you CAT? It may have colapsed inside and therefore blocks the flow.

The second line in the Rev/Idle screen is the Launch Control RPM. If the car is doing zero kmph then it will cut the ignition at the RPM value set here. I am not using this function yet as I still have my standard ceramic turbine wheel so don't want to unnecessarily punish it. I will eventually. I didn't realise til now there was an english version of the FC Commander manual (RX7) around, going by that it says the following. 3rd line is: F/C A/C ON = Deceleration fuel cut recovery RPM setting when Air Cond. is ON 4th line is: IDLE A/C OFF = Sets idling RPM level when the air conditioning is OFF 5th line is: IDLE A/C ON = Sets idling RPM level when the air conditioning is ON I'm sure I read somewhere once that there is somewhere else to set the actual F/C A/C OFF value in a different screen. It looks like I might just set the idle to 900 and see how that goes. I've never looked so I may as well ask where are the knock sensors located? Is there any point in having a look at them. Can you clean them? don't think so just thought I'd ask. Is there any common engine bay noises that have been known to show up as knock? I was finally able to get a steadyish reading using the timing light. Appears to be around the 13-14deg mark like the photo shows, probably closer to 14 than 13. My CAS is quite advanced as I have an exhaust cam gear that's retarded 4 deg.

A friend of mine started to have boost problems once and it turned out to be his CAT. The front part of the internal mesh had started to desintergrate and had sort of melted a bit so was block the majority of it, ie near zero flow. Could it be the wastegate(s) are stuck open?

I have a front mount, bleed valve @ 12psi, Stock Turbo, 3" Front/Dump Pipe & CAT back, Splitfires, newish fuel filter, and air filter. I was hoping to advance the timing around the lower section of the map as it wasn't touched ign wise in the tune I got. I was checking the knock before and it was a lower, it seems to fluctuates a bit, more than I'd like. If I blip the throttle it will more often than not go into the 10-15 knock range. Before I start going looking for problems that aren't there I thought I'd check a few settings. What Idle speed are you guys running? What are your settings in the rev/Idle screen? Don't get thrown by the second setting as it's an FC PRO. Mine are this (Air Conditioning is OFF): According to the workshop manual I have the idle should be at 650rpm, mine sounds like if it went to much lower in revs it'd stall. Do you have a description for all of the actual settings on the Rev/Idle screen? I couldn't see it in the FAQ. Maybe my timing light isn't working fantastically but when I check the timing, by letting the car warm up and then removing the lower brown plug from the TPS, the marks are jumping about. I can't get a confident reading. I was getting the signal from the large white wire going to Coil 1. I tried to take a picture with the camera to see if it could pick up what was going on. I ended up getting one pic to work but because I can't replicate the photo I am still not 100% convinced. it appears to be about 13deg BTDC. My ignition value at idle, and in that entire area are the standard values that come with the PFC. Map trace shows that it is using the usual location for idle. Thanks.

That is what I thought and why I asked the question.

I was just curious as to what everyone's knock levels are like with a PFC. I know they will all vary from car to car but at least it's a bit of a guide. I want to know cause my car at idle will see a knock value of 10-15. The ign value is only at 15deg for the idle map position.

Ok, a few people are throwingup what is what with the turbos but I think are sometimes confusing compressor wheels and turbine wheels. I don't know about the R34's but on the R33's to my knowledge the compressor wheel of the series 1 is Steel and the series 2 nylon. Nissan changed to a nylon compressor wheel to aim in faster spool up because of the lower weight. The turbine wheel sits in the exhaust and Nissan when for a ceramic turbine as it is lighter than using a steel wheel. It is bonded to the steel shaft. People say that the maximum boost you should ever run is about 14psi as the heat generated is higher and can weaken this bonding between the shaft and the ceramic turbine. If it comes off then the compressor may hit its housing and start sending pieces into your intercooler and possibly engine. Any increase in boost can lower the life of a turbo. Having said that my friend ran 14psi on his R32 without problems which also has a ceramic turbine. On cars with fairly standard mods there is not much point going over 10-12psi as you will start using more fuel for a very small power increase. If you want to make more peak power then a SAFC or similar should help you a more than likely if you are still on a standard ECU it will be dumping in plenty of fuel high in the rev range. The SAFC will let you lean this out and achieve a better power making air to fuel ratio. A peak power figure is not the be all and end all though. The fatter your power curve is the more average power you have. The more area under the curve the better it is. I'd get a front/dump pipe, set your boost to 12psi and install a SAFC or similar if you can't afford or buy a programmable ECU. You may experience coil break down once you start to ask more of them and may find you will need to change these too.

This is from the EBC website for bedding in their brake pads (It will vary slightly between manufacturers) Best procedure is to drive gently avoiding harsh braking unless in an emergency for first 100 miles. In the second 100 miles (up to 200) you can use gently increasing brake pressures when using the brakes. Only after 200 miles urban driving (not 200 miles on a freeway where brakes are almost unused) should you attempt to apply heavy load and heat to the brakes. To do this final bedding on a QUIET ROAD in safe traffic apply the brakes and slow from 60 to 10 MPH five times in a row. Then drive slowly for a few minutes if safe to do so to allow the brakes to cool. Try to avoid coming to a rest whilst the brakes are heated. A smell may be noticed from the warm brakes, this is normal. Repeat this procedure a second time after the brakes have TOTALLY cooled down. EBC pads get better with miles. Even after this bed in procedure it can take up to 1500 miles before the pads are at their best. In the meantime the pads will be good and safe but true potential not realised. EBC makes performance pads that last, they do not bed in within 5 minutes driving. Noises will be more likely during the first 1000-1500 miles use whilst this chemical bedding takes place. From memory there is a thread in the suspension and braking section that goes through brakes squealing. Have a read of that as it may give you a few more ideas. There is an antisqueal paste you can get that goes on the back of the pads. between the pads rear metal backing and shims and then between the shims and the piston.

The first question most will ask is have you bedded in the pads properly yet? Did you clean the anti squeak metal pads at all before reinstalling? Is it just the fronts or the rears, or both?

It is hard to fully understand what hoses you have going where from the descriptions given. If you show how you've hooked things up via photos or pics then someone may notice something that you will miss after looking at it for some time. A fresh set of eyes so to speak. It must be to do with the re-routing of the hoses etc as you say this is all that has changed. I just had a thought, is your standard inlet pipe fully intact, ie no leaks etc? Maybe there has been a compensation to help it to idle and when an intact inlet is placed a problem arises. Weird I know, just putting it out there.

Have you looked at the basics yet like plugs, clean air filter and fuel filter etc. Set the idle according to one of the threads on the forums somewhere to the correct rpm and making sure the base timing is set right. If that is all in order and the AAC is clean and your O2 Sensor is ok then other things left are things like leaks on the inlet and exhaust side. Exhaust gasket leaks are pretty comon on R33's as the turbo and manifold aren't supported and most cars have a dead manifold bolt or two (or more). These would affect the idle as well. I know you've probably thought of most of this I'm just thinking out loud.