R33 engine build etc.

[d4rks0ul]

R33 engine build etc.

Hey guys, so I am really new to this group but have been reading for awhile now. So it has come to a time in my life where I need to fix my car, upgrade the engine and make dream become reality (money permitting xD). So, if anyone actually reads this (i'll be suprised) I hope you enjoy the small journey that me and my car are going through. Lets start posting!

Ok, so I've got some photos from a few moons ago. So I will do a sort of chronological order of whats happened and what is going on.

First was coilovers and rear toe arms for me, funny story this one! So I was having major problems with my hicas (surprised I know!) when I bought the car (twas a lemon!). So I ended up instead of putting a lock back on the rack, I unbolted everything, and installed adjustable toe arms. So in the process of removing the rack ends from the rear stub axles, I employed the technique of smashing the lower part of the stub axle with a hammer to break loose the rack ends. Well, this is where it becomes interesting. I had noticed while driving the suspension was rather 'bouncy' and I now know why. While hammering the right side, I noticed that the bottom of the left rear shock was dripping, with water. Yes, I still don't know how but there was a crack in the bottom of the shock canister, and water was coming out. SO, I carried on and started smacking the left side. A short while later I inspected the right side and it too had started leaking, but it was oil and from the top of the shock. Talk about hard luck!!! To top it off, I had to end up using a machine press to get the bushes out of the stub axles to make room for the new style of the toe arms. Anyways, I got the toe arms in. I got the coilovers in and happy, days rock solid.

 

Second was my exhaust. Now everyone loves a mean sounding rb25, and what better way to do it than with STAINLESS!!! Its a mild steel 3" dump, 3.5" pipe, 100 cell cat, more 3.5" and a 6" tip cannon.  Sorry, no story here. Unless you want a video of me crying as I paid the nice exhaust shop people...

Third was more suspension, but in the front this time. Now, when I bought this car it was cheap. And for reason! Stupid thing was in an accident many moons ago and written off, but someone cared enough to put it back on the road and do the repairs. But little ol' me, has been left with mess of warped/twisted/bent suspension and chassis components. So, I bought some adjustable lower control arms with castor adjustment, and also a slightly less bent subframe. Alas, I was young, inexperienced with the Japanese monster. And there was much fun to be had with trying to match up the subframe and the lovely bolts that are for some reason, on springs in the chassis rails. A little bit of modifying, swearing and lots of alcohol later... Finally managed to pry in the subframe (with elongated holes, dodgy much). And once again, because of the twist in the chassis, the lower control arms were just as fun trying to fit them in...

Fourth. So this next one isn't really an upgrade, but it kinda is, because I don't have photos of it sadly. BUT! It is a good story and rather interesting. So, I was washing my car and doing all that stuff, and went to move it into the shade to dry it. Dried it off all nice and pretty like, and then went to move it again but it wouldn't start. The battery wasn't dead, but there was no turning over of the motor. So I started to think maybe, the starter motor had stopped in a dead spot (im sorry I don't know the term for it). So started whacking the starter and tried at the same time, and still nothing. Tried to roll start it and every time I let the clutch out, the rear wheels would skid and not roll... So I thought maybe the starter was stuck/seized. So got it towed home (as I was at work). And then started to pull the starter out. Now, I ran out of time day 1 to do so and then started freaking out that the motor had seized (completely illogical I know). Pulled the starter out, and found this little piece of metal fell out. Bench tested the starter, all ok. Turned the motor over, all ok. So everything was good? Put it all back together and started the car, first time! So what stopped the car? A small piece of metal. I believe it was stuck between the starter and the flywheel (but who knows exactly). I later found out when I replaced my clutch (no photos sorry), that the washer for my pivot ball was broken. Lone behold, the same colour, same thickness, same curvature, it was the missing piece of my washer.

Fifth was a small bit of handy work on my wiring. My clock in the car never worked. Well I lie, it worked but it never had any memory power. All it did was to turn on with the car, start from 0.00 and basically start timing my drive. So I wanted time, and I knew how to do it. Pulled the trims off need to get to my clock, bench tested it to see what pins did what and how to wire this thing up properly to keep time and work as its meant to. As these things tend to have a habit of one thing leading to another, in the process I pulled my head unit out. And found a bird nest of wiring, which was great! Especially when you find out there is a loom plugged into a loom, twisted and taped into my head unit. FML. Sorted out the clock, wired that in, happy days. I then sorted out the wiring for my head unit, purely based on my personal hatred for people who twist and tape! Solder it in, crimp connectors onto it people!!! NOT HARD!!!

Sixth is what I am currently doing now. This is the start of some minorish engine work. So, end game at the moment is to get the car back on the road with around 400hp. But to do that, one must spend ones hard earned cash on things such as engine parts. So some things are off and out to be worked on and replaced. As you will see in the very last photos, the front bar is off and headlights out, intake piping, airbox, charcoal canister, turbo and exhaust manifold. Plans are at this stage, turbo, dump to suit, waste gate if needed, injectors, fuel pump(maybe an external), surge tank(maybe?), intake manifold, coilpacks, cam gears, cam shafts and computer. Oh did I mention I got a dirty 30 block xD. I don't know if Im going to use it yet, still tossing up the idea.

[Smally514]

just read your post I'm very new to this page and the whole owning a skyline thing myself haha. 

impressive work i must say, not many people would have bothered with such a heap so hats off to you for returning it to its glory days haha. 

i myself bought a bit of a lemmon to start with fortunately I'm working out the kinks. before i go any further ill admit whilst i do know a bit about cars,

i am a builder that is not physically do the work myself apart from fitting my own tyres. everything else i am just entrusting other people with actual expertise in the fields haha 

much to everyones dislike as my friend said to me( I'm not building my car I'm paying people to do it for me haha) 

 

if you'd like to hear more about my R33 adventure feel free to hit me up and share ideas as my build has only just begun.