A tale of two Skylines.

[SarGara]

Originally Posted by Red Duke

[*]OEM Bonnet liner[*]OEM bonnet liner clips (as I dropped 2 into the engine bay, never to be seen again while removing the saggy old liner!)

I couldn't help but notice these 2, Do you have the prices and part numbers still please? Mine looks like someone has pinned whats left of a murdered sheep under the bonnet so depending on how much Nissan are taking the piss with their prices I might be tempted to do something about it

[Red Duke]

Originally Posted by SarGara

I couldn't help but notice these 2, Do you have the prices and part numbers still please? Mine looks like someone has pinned whats left of a murdered sheep under the bonnet so depending on how much Nissan are taking the piss with their prices I might be tempted to do something about it

Haha no worries, clips weren't expensive, insulator wasn't too bad, it's the shipping that gets pricey due to the size!

Part numbers are:

65846-40F00 - Clip (16 req'd to replace the lot)
65840-24U00 - Insulator

These are for an R33 GTR btw, try https://jp-carparts.com/nissan/carlist.php?maker=nissan if you have the R34 GTT.

[SarGara]

Originally Posted by Red Duke

Haha no worries, clips weren't expensive, insulator wasn't too bad, it's the shipping that gets pricey due to the size!

Part numbers are:

65846-40F00 - Clip (16 req'd to replace the lot)
65840-24U00 - Insulator

These are for an R33 GTR btw, try https://jp-carparts.com/nissan/carlist.php?maker=nissan if you have the R34 GTT.

Nice link thanks, managed to find mine:
https://jp-carparts.com/nissan/part_...img=650A%20001
65840-AA000 - USD 167.70

On second thoughts I can think of better use of £150!

[Red Duke]

I had a quick hour or so on the GTR yesterday and got my blue Autobahn88 breather hoses on. After doing those, I had a good listen to the car while she was running and confirmed I do have an exhaust leak, most likely from the manifold. It isn't blowing too badly and is only really noticeable when under load.

Old hoses out - I never put the 3rd hose in as it was a PITA to get out.



New hoses in:



Quite pleases with myself, I went back indoors and had a nice cup of tea. But I wasn't happy... Bored, I had a look at what an exhaust manifold gasket leak would cost to fix. Estimates anywhere from a few hours to a full days labour were popping up on Google, and I wasn't having that for a pair of gaskets!

Now, it may have been the litre and a bit of JD Honey that I drunk with my sister-in-law (it was her 40th), but I thought it would be a good idea to have a look myself and "just" get the air filters off and have a look how involved things are.

Well, that escalated quickly...



I also got my front splitter off to make access for my jack and to the underpanel easier, and to drain the coolant out. Having access, I found half of the bolts that hold the splitter on were missing and half of those that were actually there then snapped when I tried to remove them as they were so rusty! Similar story on the manifold heat shields, first one I loosened off, 2 of 3 bolts snapped. I don't think they have ever been off given the car still runs ceramic turbos. I haven't bothered with #2 yet!



So, that's where I'm at. I'm waiting on my crows foot set to come today, couple of extension bars and a knuckle, a bolt extractor set too. Hopefully I'll have the turbos off on Thursday or Friday as I'm working this week! I don't have the money for the R1's yet, but I'm close. I don't see the point in doing all this only to put it all back together again and then buy & have the new turbos fitted later. I'll see how I go, but I think save a bit more and buy them sooner rather than later. I already have the HPI elbows to go on and new Nismo / Nissan gaskets anyway...

Oh, also found a snapped stud on the front pipe (I think it is) no leaks though and it is rusty to buggery, so probably been like it quite a while! Ah, and an oil leak coming from the exhaust side rocker cover gasket. I have these too and new half moon seals so that may be another job while everything is apart, then get the covers sprayed in my new colour.

[Red Duke]

Oh I forgot to add, I bought these a couple of weeks ago, arrived just in time!

[Skyrel]

What a story, and what a car.


Keep it up, cant wait to see more

[MS33]

Originally Posted by Red Duke

Oh I forgot to add, I bought these a couple of weeks ago, arrived just in time!

Where did you buy them from? Been after the chassis one for yrs.

[Red Duke]

Here you go

https://jpnz.co.nz/product/nissan-r3...rkshop-manual/

Didn't take too long from New Zealand either! Very impressed with the quality, I couldn't find a copy of the chassis book anywhere, so took the plunge and bought the lot. Cost about £80 delivered?

[MS33]

Originally Posted by Red Duke

Here you go

https://jpnz.co.nz/product/nissan-r3...rkshop-manual/

Didn't take too long from New Zealand either! Very impressed with the quality, I couldn't find a copy of the chassis book anywhere, so took the plunge and bought the lot. Cost about £80 delivered?

Cheers Red.

[Red Duke]

Originally Posted by FRRACER

Great work mate. Let us know where you are ready to spline drive this engine

Thank you, I will! I won't be doing that side of it myself, but a refresh of the engine is on my list! Got to be done really, heard many good things about your kit so it makes sense.

[Red Duke]

Thanks to the crow foot set I got the front turbo water pipe off when I got home from work last night. I didn't get a lot of time for much else, but I've WD40'd the broken heat shield bolts, manifold nuts and studs. I went through my "Nissan Storeroom" and found I have the Nismo exhaust gasket set. Glad I didn't order another set at £100+! I really should make a list of all the part numbers and everything I've bought over the last 2 or 3 years, I might actually remember what I've already bought then.

In other news, RHD Japan got back to me about stocking the Garage Yoshida double din / AC relocation surround. They're a lot cheaper than Nengun and also have an unpainted version for about £220! As my surrounds are all refurbished in a satin black, I've ordered it. It is on a month to 6 week lead time as they're made to order.

I'll be ordering the Nismo R1 turbos tonight too. As it is Golden week in Japan soon (which will be an extended holiday) everything is likely to be delayed. I've ordered some black UHT paint for the heat shields, I might do the manifolds too, not that you'll see them and I can also get on with cleaning up the bay and removing the front bumper, possibly fit the new Nismo oil cooler too as I'll be doing an oil change anyway.

[Jimbostir]

Nice one. Keep us posted. Tip take the rear turbo off first.

[Red Duke]

Originally Posted by Jimbostir

Nice one. Keep us posted. Tip take the rear turbo off first.

Trying to... I don't think the car is up high enough, I've bought some axle stand rubbers so I can use them rather than my (low) ramps. Took me an hour to get the rear turbo water line off, I swear to God I was at the point of setting fire to the ****ing car or selling it as a project!!!

EVERYTHING I've tried to take off has snapped, rounded, or is just generally shit. I'm starting to regret not paying someone else to do this for me now, maybe I'm just tired from a long day at work... Currently having to take the rocker covers off to get to the two 10mm bolts holding the water line bracket. Of course, they have started to round and you can't get a socket in there to get them off!

Very very frustrated, dare I say angry. I never knew these were such a ****ing joke to work on!! Joy's of 25 year old bolts that have never been off.

Oh, christ knows how you get the front pipe off (first thing the manual says to do) I can't even see the bolts! Like I said, car probably isn't high enough.

[Jimbostir]

Yeh. Get it higher and you can get them with a nice long extension. It’s actually not too bad once you get into it. I’m sure you’ll be fine once you’ve gone away and come back to it. Just think of the new turbos and it’ll get you through it.
As for axle stand rubbers, ive just cut some pieces of wood out to make pads for my axle stands.

[Red Duke]

Thanks Jim

Yes, that is exactly what I needed. I went in and had a wash, dinner and went to look for my impact screw driver set. I ended up removing the exhaust rocker cover, exposing the two 10mm that were a bit iffy. A 10mm socket, short extension and a quick tap with the hammer, they cracked and came out first time. Phew! The two 12mm nuts under them came out too, typically the last bolt holding the heat shield on snapped; that makes 5 of 6! Trying to remove one of the sheared bolts broke my screw extractor. In the bolt.. ugh. :rolleyes I'm seriously thinking Tomei full cast manifolds (the new type) and just **** the old ones off!

We'll see how I feel tomorrow, just had a nice shower and now time for a coffee so a bit less tense now! Lol

Oh, rubbers were from Amazon, £16 for 4? They slot over the stands too. I thought about wood but knowing my luck the car would slide off! Lol

[Jimbostir]

One of my heat shield bolts snapped. I drilled it and tapped it. All good. I’ve run the die grinder round the inside of the manifolds to give it a better flow. The reason I’ve not gone for new manifolds is: if they crack its a complete shit to replace, and the HPI turbo elbows don’t have threads to fit the turbo supports, so the turbos will be hanging from the turbos so the manifolds need to be strong.

[Red Duke]

Originally Posted by Jimbostir

One of my heat shield bolts snapped. I drilled it and tapped it. All good. I’ve run the die grinder round the inside of the manifolds to give it a better flow. The reason I’ve not gone for new manifolds is: if they crack its a complete shit to replace, and the HPI turbo elbows don’t have threads to fit the turbo supports, so the turbos will be hanging from the turbos so the manifolds need to be strong.

That, and they're £800! New type are cast rather than welded though, so should be strong. Didn't know that about the HPI elbows, good info thank you. I'll have another go at them when I eventually get the lot out, got to be worth a drill and tap to save cash. I've got a proper extractor set coming (left handed extractor) which should be better than the screw extractor set! I only got that from work today too, grrr... (Cant complain, it was free!)

[Jimbostir]

Get it off, try heating it up with a blow torch and then getting the stud out. You’ll definitely be able to do something, even if it means going the next size up or putting a helicoil in it. It’s not got to have much strength. Once you’ve got them off, look at where it meets the turbo and where the gasket sits between them. It will be obvious where to grind the manifold out. Well worth doing.

[FRRACER]

Originally Posted by Jimbostir

One of my heat shield bolts snapped. I drilled it and tapped it. All good. I’ve run the die grinder round the inside of the manifolds to give it a better flow. The reason I’ve not gone for new manifolds is: if they crack its a complete shit to replace, and the HPI turbo elbows don’t have threads to fit the turbo supports, so the turbos will be hanging from the turbos so the manifolds need to be strong.

Mines ones don’t also but had no issues in 4 years.

[Jimbostir]

Mines manifolds, or elbows?