Duncan

Yeah I find it interesting how different workshops work in different places, one of our Canadian guys mentioned some -35 days recently too. Generally here it won't get below -10 in winter or more than 45 is summer but it does vary depending on location. This has been a cooler summer but there was still a run of +30 days where I am last week which makes it damn hot to work inside a metal shed with limited airflow. I'm pretty sure Neil's setup started like most Australian work spaces, steel framed shed with thin external steel sheeting....thus the addition of the internal lining and insulation. The floor will still be cold to lie on in winter though because pretty much no-one has a heated floor.

The PFC uses the cat overtemp light to flash when it detects knock, so there is an issue with your tune in that area. Injector duty at 91% is not really a problem on it's own, in theory even up to 100% is OK but if it ever calculated that it need 101% or more it will be leaner than planned and engine damage is highly likely, so staying under 90% is safer. In this case it is more likely you had too much timing at that point in the map for your engine. Don't rely on 30 year old electronics to detect knock and help you tune. Your tuner needs proper knock detection and tracing of the map to work out where it occurs, to correct that part of the map.

Just a quick warning that if you are not going to run an upper timing cover (even just for initial start up), the CAS will sit a few mm too close to the timing gear and will foul. You need to add 5mm spacers on the mounting bolts.

looks good....who knew you'd move up to Tamworth to become a chippy!

Thanks mate...that's what I figured too, will give it a shot...

Well, that sounds more like a loose connection at the battery or the fuse box at the front. They can be a bastard to track down though. Is the engine bay wiring modified at all? Headlights and ECU power both run through the engine bay

lol fairy stories from the 80s back again! It is pretty simple to pressure test the cooling system to confirm there are no leaks.

Those dashes are a bastard to cut neatly around a cage, more so for the areas you have to cut to get the dash in and out. Can you do me a favour when you get a second, can you take a pic of the demister wiring where it attaches to the rear screen? I need to get mine working again but the wire has been removed right back at the glass. I've got a rear loom but it stops at a 2 pin connector which the workshop manual says goes to a "noise supressor", the some other connector, then the window. I'm assuming I can just apply 12v to either side of the screen but want to check first.

lol I've seen that table a million times but never read those lines....

Since the car will be at a panel shop for the repairs, I've decided to take the engine and and put the spare engine in. I've had the spare on a stand for a while and since I've got the haltech doing logging these days I can see the oil pressure isn't great in the current motor (runs between 50-60psi hot, running 20w50). So first, jack up your car.....the quickjack is a good thing but definitely no hoist, I really miss having a shed tall enough for one of those.... I actually started with the interior because I need to make some further wiring changes. No real mistakes, just things I didn't think about when I did the wiring the first time. So, after the required number of sacrifices to the cable tie gods in the hot shed.... ....the wiring is out from the cabin again. Took a few hours but much much quicker than when I pulled the factory stuff out

Great idea, the roads down there are excellent fun with a mix of fast and tight, I really enjoyed the event we just did other than the crash good team running it too without most of the "stuff" that comes with the Targa run events and some of the competitors (for example, not a single porsche pushed past us while waiting for a stage!) The car isn't low at all, although I can see how it looks that way from some of the pics. It is a bit hard to check the rear atm with the damage, but I double checked the front today and it is 330mm left and 334mm right from centre of the wheel to guard (minor difference due to corner wieghting. Gary (Sydneykid) set up my suspension and ride heights many years ago and it handles beautiful and is quick considering it doesn't have a lot of power. Of course it is also quite soft to keep traction so under power like in the pics above it does squat over the rears.

Pretty sure that sort of advice started in the 60s when the falcon and kingswood boxes stopped at 4 gears, cars with a 5th had a physically smaller (weaker) gear to cram it in the available space. Nothing wrong with 5th (or any other gear) in a skyline box until you double or more the stock power

Some pretty harsh opinions of a gearbox that regularly takes double and often triple the power it was engineered for. 3.5k is a lot of money for a gearbox for a near stock engine and it's great to see cheaper options being looked into. Even the 350z box itself might be cheap but trans adapter etc mean total cost isn't.

Basically it does wonders for a gearbox which crunches going into gear due to worn synchros. Ironically, it's no good for synchros themselves and even says on the container not to use it in gearboxes with synchros. The 6 speed getrag in the gtr takes ATF not gear oil, but the r34 gtt box takes gear oil.

Well, if I was running an industrial business with workers who were my responsibility, eg in a city factory unit I would do everything I could to ensure everyone followed legislative safe practices, from both a worker safety point of view and potential liability if something went wrong. No one should go home injured (or not go home) because of a predictable and preventable risk. On the other hand, when doing things myself on the property pretty much everything is dangerous, so you need to keep your brain engaged and think things through. And like your compatriot AvE says, don't put your fingus where you wouldn't stick your dingus

yeah understood....the main thing I've learned since living rural is that using your brain is more important than following a listed safety standard, because every situation is different so you have to think each one through carefully. Plus, its a long way to hospital if you get it wrong...

some localised modification required....

I've tried all 3 ways (engine out leaving gearbox in, engine and gearbox out together and dropping whole subframe) to remove a gtr engine over the years. Dropping whole subframe might be easiest, but only if you have a hoist to lift the body back up, and keep in mind you need to remove the front brake lines (or possibly leave the calipers with the car), the other tricky bit is removing but more importantly lining up the steering column splines to reinstall. Without a hoist, engine and gearbox makes sense OK if you are doing something to the box too, weight is well within the rated limit of an engine crane (let alone whatever safety factor they have) but you need to be able to substantially tilt the motor as it comes out and goes back in so you really need one of those engine hoist tilters. I still find taking out just the engine and leaving the box in is the quickest, noting the race car has a few short cuts compared to most road cars to speed up the process, like having no AC and a somewhat clearanced firewall to let the engine tilt back further, less air/water lines to disconnect. There's also the option of removing the spot welds and bolting in the radiator upper support to make it quicker too

I'm pretty sure Nissan would rather sell you a new car than have a 7 year old car with updated sat nav maps. Even if they would sell you one you probably don't want to know what they would ask.... I'd suggest either using your phone or a dedicated sat nav unit, either will be more cheaper and updated regularly.

Only remove what you need to, to remove the cam covers and get at the bolts. everything else will be fine

Good choice to check the calibration, just tighten them to the correct torque

I'd suggest contacting Just Jap

Perhaps see if you can get a copy of the import approval from DOTARS for that VIN, it may have further information. De-registration or auction papers from Japan may also be available for HCR32-292195. But given the factory VIN stamp is not on the firewall HCR32-xxxxxx and there is no Japanese blue build plate, unfortunately it looks no good. You could also contact Lena Skyline / Lena Engineering / Nam T Le to see what records they have, but presumably the original import was correct and the tags were changed in Australia after compliance.

Ahh yes, not race car

Also worth checking that the fuel cap is working properly, particularly if the tank is pretty full and sitting in a hot storage unit it, the fuel cap should be venting excess pressure. If not pressure will build in the system, and it could do something like leak a little, or crack an old hose.