Sydneykid

Hi jarnkamin, tough question to answer without more details; What do you use your car for? What mods have you done? Why do you want to ditch the AFM's? And what other functions do you need?

I use standard coils:cheers:

I agree with ylwgtr2, it's probably time for a synchro refresh. But I would try an oil change first, we use Castrol Syntrax 75W-90

With overheating I have not found hardness to be an issue, as ace_nz posted the usual problem is straightness.

Are you asking for a comparison between a $2K job and a $8K job? Shoot it's your money, spend the $8K. PS; Personally I would spend $8K on an RB30DET, but that's just me....

Hi gts4diehard, your comments are pretty similar to my experiences. I also find the steering a little vague (have a read in the Stagea Suspension thread), the Whiteline stabiliser bars helped a lot. They stopped the exagerated roll and made the chassis respond quicker, but it really needs more caster on the front to give it some turn in. A set of Whiteline adjustable front radius road bushes are waiting (already on the garage shelf) to go in. I do like the long wheelbase stability and compliant ride, so I am upgrading to Bilstein shocks but keeping the standard springs, I will use the lower spring seat circlip grooves to get the height to where I want it. I find ours looses a bit of the vague feel when it has some front drive, I need to have a bit of throttle on in the corners. Then it simply rockets away from the apex without any apparent effort, in the wet this is quite freaky. I have absolutely no doubt that after the stabiliser bars, caster (inc full wheel alignment) and Bilsteins, our Stagera will handle better than most cars and way better than any other waggons. After all it is really a GTR waggon, so the potential is there. As for NVH, I really haven't noticed any "booming". Most people comment on how quiet it is inside for waggon. No, I haven't upgraded the stereo yet. Engine performance is similar to the R33 GTST, being very linear. But hauling around another couple of hundred kilos and the 4wd losses takes the edge off it up to around 100 kph. Then you start to feel the turbo push, if you didn't drive it out in the open, then you would only feel the heavy weight. Stageas have 2 stage boost limits with very low boost in 1st and 2nd, so you don't get the turbo surge to help overcome the inertia. An inexpensive and mild boost upgrade, thus removing the lower limit, will help immensly. I am going to try the Jaycar electronic boost controller on our Stagea. I don't like the look of the compliance cat fitted to our Stagea, it looks small and inefficient. It will be replaced along with the rest of the otherwise standard exhaust system. From the turbo back, it's all going. As the others have already said, ours cost $16K and with another $4K spent on upgrades, I will have a 200 awkw waggon that will out perform and out handle most sedans and coupe's easily. For $20K there isn't another waggon that even comes close.

Hi Prank, do they have a listing for Stageas? If not what did you ask for?

No:cheers:

Thanks, where can I get Thule stuff from?

I have no idea what you mean by "block cracking in the RB26/30". I have seen split bores from too much boost and poor temperature control, but I have seen that in RB20/25/26's as well. I have never used a crank girdle, I have seen one on a 1,300 bhp RB30 (it was 2wd), Nispro (and a couple of others) make them. They are needed when you are looking for more than 900 bhp. I don't believe it has anything to do with 4wd, more about block rigidity, which is always an issue on HUGE power straight sixes. The adaptor for the 4wd sump is pretty much just two pieces of billet alloy that bolt up to the bottom of the RB30 (2wd) block and add the bolt pattern for the 4wd sump. They also have couple of strengtheners to handle the weight of the diff and the drive shafts. Our old race team fabricator made a set over 4 years (75,000ks) ago and that car is still running. Don't ask, he isn't around any more, so next time I have to use one, we will have to start from scratch. Somebody asked about quench, I have found the standard Nissan RB26 quench to be the best. I have no evidence that anything else is better and we have tried a few. Alf asked about the thin head gasket, we ALWAYS o'ring the block and we have head gaskets made to suite. RB30's have been around for so long that there are heaps of people who make big power stuff (like head gaskets). Ceramic coating of the pistons crown works very well, but we only do it in conjunction with the valve heads, combustion chambers and exhaust ports. I have run an RB30 without block mounted oil squirters but with ceramic coating and it looks fine at its first pull down service. I can't find any differences in wear to the ones with oil squirters. Adding block mounted oil squirters to RB30 blocks is a real pain in the ass, so ceramic coating looks like a workable alternative. So onto Steve's questions; -ac/ps/alt brackets all bolt up? Yes -water points on the block the same? Small difference, damn obvious to anyone with engine building experience. Put the blocks side by side and it sticks out like ...... -If I use a vl na short motor with std pistons, at what rwkw do they start breaking? My rule of thumb is 475 bhp, others have achieved more. -if putting in forgies, any machining needed to pistons due to 4 valve head? Depends on the pistons you choose, the compression ratio you want and the camshaft lift you have. Generally speaking, no. -Advanatges keeping vct Same as for RB25DET, you can have small overlap at low rpm to improve power and larger over lap at high rpm to improve power. It really depends on the cams you use. For keeping with VVT, I like the Tomei Poncams 256 (non Neo) 260 (Neo), they work well with the standard valve springs, guides, retainers and hydraulic followers. If you are going ot use cams that don't work with VVT, need upgraded valve springs, guides, retainers and solid followers then I suggest an RB26 top end is a better (and cheaper) solution. -at what kw do the std injectors run out on the 3L(was running @high 80's @ 245rwkw with the 2.5L) I have never been able to get over 225 rwkw out of standard RB25DET (non Neo) injectors. Plus I have never built an RB30/25/26 with standard injectors. I have used the standard S14 SR20 480 cc injectors, they work very well with the standard RB30 bottom end (475 bhp) power limit. -What do you drink mate? Jack Daniels Hope that answered the questions:cheers:

Hi Steve, suggestions follow your questions; * I have a S1 R33 rb25det and it’s spun a bearing on No5. (looks like oil surge/starvation caused by motorkhana action at the springnats) Have you seen this happen on the rb's ? Unusual, unless the oil level was low. * Anyway... in a nutshell, I need to know EXACTLY what needs to be done to use a 3L block with my head. Drill and tap the hole for cam belt tensioner, otherwise bolt it up the same as you would for a replacement RB25 bottom end. *What vl block to use, na or turbo? Doesn't really matter until you get over 650 bhp, then I always hand pick a block anyway. * What forged pistons to use to keep compression close to the standard 9:1 ish We use JE Pistons, there are other choices. You can use your standard RB25 psitons and adjust the compression ratio (down) with a thick head gasket if you want. You can use standard RB30E pistons, they give around 8.6 to one using a thin head gasketand depending on combustion chamber volume. * Does the rb25 oil pump/water pump swap across? Yes * Manifolds swap across ok Yes * Exact measurements of new holes for timing belt tensioner etc There is an accurate drawing on the RB30 thread * vct issues If you want to run the VVT, then simply drill and tap into the main oil gallery and use an external (braided if you like) hose from there to the VVT inlet gallery on the head. Once again the details are in the thread. *loom requirements/changes Zero, none, zilch, not one.... as long as you use the RB25DET sensors (ALL of them) and the ignitor, coils etc. SIMPLY everything that plugs into th standard wiring harness needs to be swapped over from the RB25 to the RB30 block. * exhaust mods needed Mine fitted up without any mods at all. It depends on the closeness of the engine pipe to the firewall, some designs are a tighter fit than others. Worst case I have seen was a 15 mm spacer bertween the dump pipe and the engine pipe (two bits of 6 mm plate with a gasket in between and longer bolts to join it all together). *Water/oil gallery issues Zero, zilch, none, not any ............ *......the list goes on.... Ask away. *The team consists of my engine builder brother who usually works on V8's and our good mate the chassis builder, who is normally building drag cars so my rb25 stripped to bits on their engine stand is a new toy for them to work out. The more accurate the info I can give the boys, the easier and cheaper it will be. Anyone with engine building experience could do the swap in 1 day. Honestly, what you HAVE to do is a lot simpler that what you might WANT to do. It all depends on how much power you are targetting. I did a 475 bhp swap over in 9 hours in my old garage with a minimum of home workshop tools (no machine shop stuff). I put the 2 engines on engine stands, side by side and simply swapped the bits over. The RB30E bottom end was rebuilt using standard VL Commondoor service parts as they were cheaper than the same parts from Nissan. My best suggestion is it ISN"T hard, don't make it a bigger task than it really is.

I didn't think I was convincing you out of a Stagea, I really like mine. Except I can't find a decent tow bar manufacturer in Sydney. But that's not the Stagea's fault. The standard Stagea roof rails are triangular shape. Using the verniers, they are 35 mm on the outside and 30 mm on the underside and inside. That's ignoring the rounded corners. Maybe compare that with your Navara.

Hi Steve, we have now done 16 X RB30/25/26's. What is it that you want to know?

Yep, I had to change the design where it attaches to the radiator support panel (RSP). The original template was attached to the top of the RSP, but the Stagea RSP isn't straight, it bends backwards (towards the winscreen) once outside the line of the radiator. This meant I couldn't bend the air deflector downwards to clear the bump in the bonnet strengthener. So I had to resort to mounting the air deflector to the front of the RSP, and low enough so that it didn't need bending. That way I could use the same flat piece of aluminium, with the tabs for the mounting bolts being the only bends required. Since I had to modify the deflector, I took the opprtunity to make the inlet air scoop bigger (longer) at the same time. Plus I incorporated the sides of the scoop into the one piece, eliminating the joins. I am only going to test the air temperature this week. When I finish the Jaycar boost controller and fuel adjuster, I will try it on the dyno with the bonnet up and down. That will tell me if I have sufficient airflow from the scoop to the air filter snorkel.

It's finally complete, this is a picture of the finished air deflector fitted to the Stagea. It is held in place by 3 standard bolts (left to right in the picture) the horn bracket (12mm socket), the bonnet catch (12 mm socket) and the air con condenser (10 mm socket). It is slotted into the top of the grill at the front. The scoop is held in place by the standard air inlet snorkel clips and this is what the incoming air sees through the grill; This is a picture of the inlet air path to the standard air filter snorkel; Tomorrow, if it is a hot day, I will test the inlet air temperatures to make sure the scoop is functioning. I have 2 sensors and temperature guages, one I will fit to the front of the grill and I will stick the other in the inlet air stream inside the snorkel itself. This will test that only ambient temperature air is getting to the airfilter. If it is successful I will post up the templates for the air deflector and the scoop, which you could use without the air deflector if you wanted. Hope this is of some use, Happy New Year

As you may have seen in another thread, I have fitted a large transmission cooler. I wanted to do that before I finished the air deflector just in case I had to change its mounting or shape. I have finished a new air inlet scoop, it is a bit deeper and has folded sides, to catch and flwo the air a little better. Boxing day sounds like a good time to finish off the deflector itself and do the final install. As well as pictures, I will draw, scan and post up the templates so the designs can be duplicated. A few people have said they like the new scoop, which can be used on its own (ie; without the deflector). Merry Xmas:cheers:

Hi Duncan, Merry Xmas, do you have a Navara handy that you can measure the profile of the roof rails? Surely Nissan didn't make a unique profile just for Stageas:cheers:

The auto is pretty tough bugger, I have seen it in all sorts of Nissans from 300ZX's TT's to Patrols since the late 80's. It seems to be THE auto that Nissan uses in anything BIG. The insides are pretty tough, if you keep them cool and change the transmission fluid and filter regularly they last a LONG time.

Hi J, I drove an R33 GTST in SA a while back that had a new (performance) valve body fitted. Cost around $500 if I remember rightly. It certainly sportied up the change and reduced the slip. That car had 240 +rwkw and it wheeled up on the 1st to 2nd change. It was a bit harsher than standard on light throttle up and down changes, but not intolerable. I think you would need a more solid shift when the power gets up, otherwise the gearbox will kill itself with slippage. I will try mine at my power target (200 awkw) first, if it slip/slurs on changes I will grab one of those valve bodies and replace the standard one. Merry Xmas

The Davies Craig cooler is somewhat larger than the standard cooler plus it is a full tube and fin style, not a U bent piece of pipe with fins like the standard cooler. As you can see I attached it to the standard bracket. I drilled 2 extra holes in the cooler mount and bolted it to the bracket using the standard top stud and I drilled a new lower hole to match the cooler bracket. Tools used where a 10 mm socket and drive, cordless drill and a 6 mm drill bit. I had to remove the top horn while I worked as it was in the way, it also needed a slight bend upwards in the bracket to clear the new trans cooler. So did the lower horn, it need a slight bend forwards. Note that you need a 12 mm socket for their bolts. As you can see from the pictures I had to mount the cooler a liitle lower than would be ideal for it to line up with the Stagea upper grill. The bonnnet latch and the standard pipework limited the postion, so I compromised. It is in line with the engine fan which draws a lot of air through all of the cooler, so it should work great. I had to put a loop in each of the supplied rubber hoses to line up with the standard pipework. I used a couple of cable ties to hold the looped rubber hoses to the standard brackets as I don't like the weight of the hoses swinging off the 3/8 fittings on the cooler. The cable ties take the weight and stop any vibration loading from swinging hoses. I used thin green cable ties so they showed up in the photos, but I will change them to thick black ones later. Tools used where a medium philips head screw driver for the supplied hose clamps (I couldn't find my 6.5 mm socket), and the trusty 10mm socket and rachet. It is a pretty simple job, it really only took me about an hour to actually do the work. As usual, it took me 2 hours to work out exactly where to put it and how to mount it. So I hope I have saved you that time. PS; Don't forget to top up the transmission fluid, the new cooler and longer hoses will lower the level.

Hi J, the cooler in front of the radiator is for the transmission, it is in series with the usual coils in the bottom tank of the radiator. I am going to replace it with the new much larger one, but still keep it in series with the radiator coils. The same as the std cooler, the transmission fluid is cooled by the radiator water first, then cooled some more by the new cooler. This ensures that the trans fluid going back to the transmission is as cool as it can be. It's a bit tricky to mount as I want to make sure the FMIC will fit when I get around to doing it. Don't want to have to move the trans cooler again. The trans cooler will ensure minimum transmission wear, excessive heat really kills them. They start to get slow and slip on the gear changes before they eventually fail. So I guess it's a performance advantage by keeping the gearbox functioning at its optimum. Sorta like forged pistons, doesn't make the car go faster on its own, but makes sure it KEEPS going fast Unike the R32, which has hydraulic HICAS, the Stagea (without any HICAS) doesn't have a power steering cooler. There are some small fins on the return pipe to the power steering fluid reservoir between the radiator fan and the engine. I don't think I will need better cooling on the Stagea like the R32 race cars do, even though they don't have HICAS anymore. I am going to recycle the standard Stagea trans cooler as a power steering cooler to replace the simple loop of pipe that serves as the standard cooler on the R32 GTST. Pictures shortly:cheers:

I have finally fitted the large (Davies Craig) auto transmission cooler to the Stagea. The part number I chose was 678 which is the largest universal (280 X 216 X 19) I could find with 3/8" fittings. The catalogue specifies for engines "4.2 litres and over" I will post up some pictures of the installation tomorrow.

Has anyone found the right profile roof racks to fit the standard rails? I have had a look at a few in my local SupaCrap, the Nissan Navara looks like it might be close. Merry Xmas fellow Stageans:cheers:

I run heaps of ignition timing, everywhere. It makes the engine more responsive and builds boost faster. RB20's need that as the compression ratio is lower than RB25's and they give away 500 cc's as well. I use 8,250 rpm but I don't run a lot of boost, 1.25 bar is the max.

This isn't an RB20DET turbo, but its a good picture to show the pipe work (hose) that links from the compressor cover to the wastegate actuator. If you want to read boost at the turbo then T into this line.