Bluebird Turbos

[Nissan Mad]

I have a Bluebird Turbo which I've owned for the last 6 years. For the last 2 years it's been in my Grans garage (got married, had a daughter, mortgage etc etc etc:rolleyes: :eek: :rolleyes: ). Me and my mate have decided to bring some life into the old bird (pardon the pun) by taking it to track days/hot hatch days at KNOCKHILL:( :eek: ;) :D .

The car did have H&R lowering springs (2"-2.5" lower:eek: ) with Monroe Gas shocks. It was low and rock solid. Unfortuantely 3 springs have snapped:rolleyes: . Anyone know of anyone selling replacements cheap ;) and near Fife, Scotland. Preferably NOT standard springs.

Also, does anyone know how high the boost can go with just an induction kit, std ECU and slight modified exhaust (no silencers):confused: .

Also, anything else that you might think would be of help would be appreciated;) .

Cheers mates:D :D

[Nissan Mad]

Does anyone know of any other Bulletin Boards who may be able to help with our queries?:confused: :confused: :rolleyes: :confused:

[Zenki]

Sorry mate, not much help from us lot:( The only suggestion I have is that you contact the Nissan Turbo Owners club on 01942 601678. I assume they have some kind of website but I've not found it. Good luck.:)

[Nissan Mad]

Cheers mate, forgot about them;).

Their website is www.ntoc.co.uk

It's not a BAD website, although their FOR SALE section could be updated more often.

[PhilMorrison]

Sorry m8 do'nt know much about bluebirds, is it the same Engine as the S13 or somthin?
I'm sure some of the S13 Lads will be able to help, if it is. If it's not, just give us a few more details and even I might make an (un)educated guess :)

And how the feck hav u snapped 3 springs ????:eek:

[Nissan Mad]

Similar to a S13, main difference is a Bluebird is 8valve, whereas a SX is 16valve.

The Bluebird runs a T2 Turbo running 7psi std. I think the blowoff valve will allow no more than 10psi. We have chopped the silencers off the std exhaust and have a Jetex cone filter sticking out from under the front bumper (lots of cold air). A couple of years ago I had it rolling roaded and it was puting out 120bhp at the wheels with 2" straight through exhaust with 1 SMALL backbox (courtesy of Silvia Engineering), it also had the cone air filter. Not bad for less than £300 worth of mods.

The springs were on the car when I bought it, it was 2" lower all round, the car sat higher at the front, so 1 coil was grinded off. There were Monroe gas shocks all round. I think it was running on the bumpstops.
The front springs probably snapped due to rust (cut springs), the 1 rear one, who knows!?!
When you puched down on the front, the car moved about 5mm, at the rear there was about 10mm movement. Went round corners like on f***ing rails, but crap over bumpy roads (ie the majority of our delightful roads).

[StuyMac]

The Bluebird has the same engine as the S12 Silvia, and as there is no chip required the boost can run as high as the turbo is capable.

Dead easy to wind the boost out though. On the blowoff valve, weld a few tacs to prevent it opening, and there is the boost limit removed. Attach a bleed valve between turbo and actuator and then you can play. I think I used to run 15psi (though it did fade to about 10psi) on my old silvia, then the hose between turbo and actuator split and it ran 20+psi peak - it was fast, but the tubby didnt last long before seizing.

I would say 15psi should be safe, though its a good idea to bodge some sort of intercooler on (I used the std S13 one). Another recomendation on the Silvias was to fit a 5th injector - that'll help keep the cylinders cool when running the higher boost and help prevent pinking.

Hope that helps :)

[Matt_S]

Bren (Apex) supplied H&R. Give him a try mate

[SteveCarter200]

Apparently the engine can take 22psi no probs due to the teny T2 turbo. Obviously the turbo wont last very long.
I suspect the SAAB IC mod that fits S13s will probably fit a Bluebird as well, with a diferent piping arrangement though.

Guessing a bit too but I reckon a T25 from an S13 would probably be fairly easy to fit, or maybe even a T28.:D

[AshT_200]

Sunny GTiR FMIC would probably be bodged to fit.

[Nissan Mad]

Cheers for the suggestions.

Temperature seems to be an important factor. Those silly vents beside the rear lights, are now in the bonnet, removed the front grill, and I am contemplating taking my grinder to the front bumper.

As you might have guessed we don't care what the f***er looks like, we basically having a laugh with it. If the engine/gearbox blows up, you can get complete cars from the scrappies for between £100-£200, we'll just bung another in.

I think we will try to modify the blowoff valve, wind up the boost a little (12-15psi), fit an intercooler and maybe even a 5th injector. I might enquire about larger injectors to fit in, maybe a bigger fuel pump. If I remember correctly, I'm sure the fueling is a problem (ie lack of fuel/pinking etc) when tuning.

We want to wipe the floor with the fords and vauxhalls. I can't wait to see their faces when we blow them away.

Cheers again for your help guys

[PazzaAE86]

Keep the info coming guys, i got a CA18ET winging its way to me soon!

Regarding the BOV, couldnt you just remove it? And howcome the S12/U12 CA18ET gets a BOV and the S13 200SX doesnt get a BOV? Another reason i ask about removing the BOV, is that i want that turbo stalling noise too, just like the S13 gets when a filter is fitted (so the noise is audible through the filter). Removing the BOV would achieve this?

Thanks

Paz

[Nissan Mad]

When you say turbo stalling noise, do you mean like a dump valve. If so, I get that with the cone filter. I've had a JR and a Jetex (present one) and they both did it......with the BOV still fitted and also running only 5-7psi.

[PazzaAE86]

Originally posted by GraemeGle10
When you say turbo stalling noise, do you mean like a dump valve. If so, I get that with the cone filter. I've had a JR and a Jetex (present one) and they both did it......with the BOV still fitted and also running only 5-7psi.


With a Filter fitted it lets more "noise" out and so if the car has an internal BOV (like the Silvia and Bluebird seem to have, and my Starlet Turbo has) then this "pssssh" noise will be audible, much like if the BOV was atmospheric... Is that the noise you are getting?

Turbo Stall is like a "Ptutuututu", really distinctive, caused by the lack of a BOV/Dump Valve... The gas that the BOV/Dumpvalve would usually vent, hits the turbo (instead of being vented away) and stalls it creating a little more lag upon gear change and that awesome noise!

Does this make sense? Its Sideways Tony's fault if it doesnt, im looking at that link to Veronica Zemonova........... :)

Thanks

Paz

[Nissan Mad]

It sounds very much like a dump valve, it happens upon dipping the clutch. The main difference is that with a dump valve the sound is pressurised.
Its hard to explains this isn't it, sounds bloody good though as you say.

[SteveCarter200]

The Bluebird/Silvia engine doesnt have a dump valve in the same sense as we have/ want. Its more like a pop off valve used to limit the boost rather than dump pressure on gear changes.
Its instead of a fuel cut.

[PazzaAE86]

Originally posted by SteveCarter100
The Bluebird/Silvia engine doesnt have a dump valve in the same sense as we have/ want. Its more like a pop off valve used to limit the boost rather than dump pressure on gear changes.
Its instead of a fuel cut.

And i can whip this off? :) So it probably will have that turbo stall noise... Yay!


Paz

[SteveCarter200]

Look at StueyMacs post up there ^^^^. It tells you how to get rid of the boost limit.:)

[StuyMac]

Its a sort of manafold pressure release valve. The spring in it is set to vent to air at a certain psi - i think 10ishpsi is std.

I didnt notice it make any noise on my silvia, but it works as follows. As pressure in the inlet reaches 10psi, the manafold pressure pushes the valve opens and bleeds the pressure to atmosphere (when you lift off this valve closes unlike a DV). You can either tack weld the valve shut, or unscrew it and blank it off - but as far as I can remember it made no noticable noise.

[Nissan Mad]

Update on whats happening with the Bluebird track car.

Bought a spare Bluebird for £80. H plate, road going.
The red bluebird we have is in better overall condition even though it is a D plate with 206k on the clock. We bought the H plate so we could get the springs, radiator, battery and a few other odds and sods.

We have decided to get uprated springs to go with the uprated shocks and fit them to the Red on. The black one is the spare car, the experimental one.

On the Black H plate (experimental/spare car):
Today we jammed shut the blowoff valve. Took it for a test run and were pulling 15psi. Went like sh** off a shovel. Confused as to how this could be because we hadn't altered the boost. It turns out that either the waste gate is jamming or the actuator isn't springing back. Fixed that and we are back to 6-7psi again....doh boring.

Gonna fit a DAWES valve to up the boost and a -31 actuator that I have lying in my shed, then we will see what happens.

[T-uk]

hi all,

I am involved in this preparation work with Graeme.if all has gone to plan you should see the cars we have.I want to use the black one as it's only really needing a service but have to admit that with the standard suspension things could be risky :eek: .as we have no intercooler I think we better stick below 10psi on track.I do not have a clue how these thing fuel,are they fuelled by Mass Air Flow or a MAP sensor.I want to make sure that we are not going to lean out and melt a piston,I would rather run rich and loose 10bhp but have cool bore temps than run on the edge of something letting go.

any help appreciated.

cheers john