Stupid Question... Just Fitted Splitfire Coilpacks

[Lum]

I've just fitted some Splitfire SF-DIS-001 coilpacks. Initial test shows a big improvement. The car now starts instantly and no more misfire under acceleration. Not bad for an hour's work.

The manual has a warning saying that after fitting them, you may get knocking/detonation and should adjust the timing to suit. I'm fairly sure the timing isn't adjustable on these engines. Is that the case?

Should I be disconnecting the battery to do an ECU reset, or is that not a thing on these ECUs?

I'm also thinking that next time I go into that area, I want to get rid of the pointless cover. Literally the only use it serves is to provide a mount for the power transistor. Question is where is a good place to relocate the power transistor to? Should I just cut the cover down to just the last 4 screws as even this will make it less annoying to deal with as it won't conflict with the J pipe.

Anything else I should know?

Edited November 14, 2013 by Lum

[Jswljones]

Basically the same thing for all RB engines:

Timing an RB20DET

By: goofynick

Warm up car to operating temp.

Make sure idle is 650 +/- 50 rpms. You can adjust your idle RPM's with a flathead screwdriver by turning the screw on the AAC. You have to unplug the brown plug from the AAC first, then plug it back in.

Unplug the TPS (not the idle switch, but the tps, has the cord hooked to the plug coming out of the sensor).

Hook up timing light around the loop at the back of the engine coming out of the ignitor pack (black wire loop).

Check timing, if way off, then flip the way the thing is connected around that loop.

Set to 15 degrees for manual trans, 20 for auto with car in neutral, do so by loosening 3 bolts on cam angle sensor and rotating it left or right.

Tighten CAS.

Plug tps in and rev engine, then unplug TPS and check again to be sure it is at 15 degrees with idle around 650rpms.

Shut off the car and uplug everything the timing light, plug tps back in and unplug battery for 10 mins.

Hook up the battery, restart the car and go drive it hard for a few minutes.

Source: http://forums.nicoclub.com/adjusting-timing-on-an-rb20det-t218636.html

Edited November 14, 2013 by Jswljones

[Lum]

Ahh, that wasn't quite my question though. Splitfire are claiming the timing needs to be adjusted from the default after fitting their coils?

[Lum]

Panic over.

I got my partner to have a listen to it. She is better at this kind of thing than I am.

Results:
It's only happening on one cylinder
It gets better overall as it gets warmer.
It gets worse under acceleration

Conclusion:
Most likely an exhaust gasket.
Possibly also a noisy tappet.

Annoying, but I have more important things to worry about.

[Jswljones]

Just trying to help you out on to adjust the timing, glad you figured it out.
Good luck on resolving the rest!

[Lum]

Well I can now confirm that it was actually the turbo gasket. It just finished blowing during accelerating up to 70 from a toll booth!

I guess I should do both turbo gaskets and all 6 exhaust gaskets at the same time as it looks like a pain in the arse job.

Are they the same for RB20 and RB25? Different sellers seem to disagree on this.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Lum

[CEF33Y]

rb20 and rb25 head to manifold gasket are the same, rb26 is different.

[Lum]

What about turbo gaskets?

[Nic_A31]

Also same same.
Everything on the exhaust side is exactly the same, all gaskets, nuts, bolts, etc.

[Lum]

Updating an old thread, but this is finally sorted. Turned out that 5 exhaust manifold gasket studs had snapped, both the ones on cylinder 6 and 3 at the front as well.

My local place wanted to take the head off and drill them out, so I told them to get stuffed and took it to a place up in the valleys, a place where the owner's project car was a 400bhp SR20 S13. Got them drilled out with a right angle drill, new manifold/turbo/exhaust gaskets fitted, it sounds lovely now.

Now I just need to fix a grounding issue that has developed, and a sticky solenoid in the starter motor, pretty easy stuff by comparison.