Nissan 200SX Club - South Africa

So Mr Murphy reared his ugly head AGAIN. The gasket between the manifold and head has blown. Seem like the copper nuts which is supposed to be the "proper" stuff had come loose and hence the gasket got blown out...

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGhHHH - the curse of the SX strikes again and this time 1 month from Castrol Extreme and 2 from Japfest. Hopefully I can get a nice proper gasket and replace in time. Time is the problem but lets just hope.

Another problem seems to be some bad lifters which needs replacing. hopefully this can also get fixed up.

Good news however is that the boost conroller works. Got it set for 0.8bar but it needs a bit of tuning. I also started changes in the fuel and ignition maps to optimize the use of either 0.6bar or 0.8bar. initial tests showed acceleration in 3rd gear of 10 sec between 80km/h and 160km/h @ 0.6bar and 7.5sec @ 0.8bar. hopefully we can get nice results.

I also have some styling add-ons coming soon too. Some pieces are already on the way and other pieces in a month or so. Looks like I will be pulling out the compressor and spray gun and doing some paintingof the pieces and others too. Now to just get the mix of the colours correctly...

Lastly I have to say that I think 0.6 for daily and 0.8 for some extra fun seems more than sufficient. especially since this is all still on pump 95 octane... 1bar will have to wait a bit for now...

Changed the Ex mani gasket. New double nuts to lock the sucker in place. Now to re-wrap the mani and load the reworked map. Think it is dyno time to get it sorted properly. Also sourcing a new set of lifters for the SR. Got a busy weekend coming so not much work going to get done.

Will at least do a bit of cleaning and polishing. to get everything nice and clean again after all the work that has been done recently. Will post some pics once everything is clean again.

stay positive!.. im sure there is an end to the badluck tunnel somewhere

Got new hydraulic lifters. Paid R300 for all 8 - not bad I think. Will recheck all clearances as well... Something still making a bit of noise in the head. Trying to get it sorted. If this does not work then I will get a new tensioner as it might also be a suspect although it only has about 5000km on. Got Thursday off to work on the car hopefully can get all sorted then.

New Hydraulic lifters fitted. Did not check clearances and still noises coming from the valvetrain.

Anyway... hopefully further investigation and actually checking the clearances will prove fruitfull. I have however taken a few pics with the motor sort of cleaned up for display at the Castrol Extreme autoshow. Good news is my bits of kit has arrived but now the work has to begin again... here are the pics:

top job on that z32 afm to stock air filter

looks good

took out all the metal parts from the airbox and filled the old holes with some Qbond black. Redrilled after lining up the hole bolted on - sorted . After some research and extensive youtube searching it does not seem like the noise is a rod knock again. too constant and definately coming from the head. The old man who is an absolute genius when it comes to this sort of thing also confirmed a valvetrain noise. Looks like I will be fitting new rocker guides and reshimming with new parts. Makes sense since the problem only really started when the oil tubes blocked up and I replaced them, fitted DE cams and new rockers. never reshimmed the new cams... will recheck all clearances and maybe even fit a new timing chain tensioner. if that does not work....... strip it all buy a new motor and build a new motor from scratch again but maybe even beter. want to do some head work anyway.

nearly forgot but will be replacing the old worn PCV valve also as well as the dipstick O-rings. Dipstick keeps popping out when I up the boost.

Okay so after another complete strip of the valve-train has seemingly proved fruitfull. Checked the cam lobe sizes with the mic and the current shims also. Cams OK, all but 1 shims OK 2.961mm VS 3.01 minimum on the rest. Replaced the shim with a new 3.025 from Nissan @ R113ea!!!!!! Robbers... anyway I also replace the timing chain tensioner again just for good measure and rebled all the hydraulic lifters...

So this morning I finished buttoning up everything turned the key and...




quiet.... so quiet... WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! THE SR IS HEALTHY AGAIN!!!!!
Only thing left to do is set the timing with my new induction timing light... (I am such a gizmo geek )
See you all at Japfest 2.0!!!!

Wow ...looking shiny! Glad its running smoothly.

Great man!!

Damn that is a sweet engine bay ! Well done !

Thanks... too much elbow grease... also fitted the new dipstick o-ring - no poping out anymore. Trying to work on the maps a but more now. PCV valve is a bit too expensive from Nissan @ R400+/- for that little plastic piece of crap. rechecked mine and seems ok so will keep an eye anyway...

Did you check the chain tensioner?

Another reason why the bolts could of came lose could be because the manifold is not flush

@ Groblere - All good with the double nuts. no more coming loose. Manifold and head was both checked that they straight and the manifold I had the surfaces machined. Did the same with the turbo's exhaust housing - won't believe how out of shape some are. Mine was checked and all good... just them damn copper locking nuts that don't work. had them come loose on the manifold and turbo. oh and the timing chain tensioner was replaced.

Engine still nice and quiet. Trying to get some other stuff done before Japfest. - here's to hoping.
Seems like the S14 will be my daily driver also now for the next 2-3weeks as my fiance has decided that she does not like the front of her Chevy Cruze and decided to use a Corsa bakkie 's driver door to change it... now she will be using my daily and I will be using the S14.