project 180sx

[craiglancs]

Very nice pics there Alan,i'm looking forward to an m66 passenger ride

[stoofer]

Looking good

[alanjuggler]

cheers stoof - next bit of good news, noticed the ABS light went out yesterday. been having a little panic about that one.

[scottdawg]

Oh my it's running

Are you sure you've got the start signal connected right to the ecu? From memory they swapped over a couple of wires on the later spec 180sx........without changing the colours etc. Something like the blue and orange next to the ecu plug.

I could only get mine started with throttle before I checked the start signal.

[alanjuggler]

I'm pretty sure I do. I was using JB's kouki wiring info.

I'll double check it though. cheers for the shout.

that's with the VG30 map and having just managed to stall it on cold start, so think it was a little flooded.

[alanjuggler]

neutral switch isn't working - I think that it actually makes a bit of difference in the Z32 ecu on start up particularly. would explain the throttle press needed.

checked the 12v on starting signal and seems to be OK.

brakes are all properly bled now. just some fine tuning left to go I think.

[alanjuggler]

fixed the neutral switch - turns out I'd gone OTT and put a copper washer in between the switch and the gearbox housing - was thick enough to stop it engaging properly.

turns out the neutral switch has a big part to play in fixing the idle properly - previously the car was nearly cutting out when revving it and allowing it to drop back down, now all fixed.

those having problems with the idle - I can't imagine the programming on the Z32 ecu is much different to the other nissan ECUs, so another thing to consider.

[craiglancs]

Sounded even better yesterday Alan, loads of 6 cylinder goodness!

[Petrol]

This will be a real piece of kit when it's done Looks a tidy shell too

[craiglancs]

Mad scientist at work today

Sent from my GT-I9100 using piece of crap sideways slanting photo screwing Tapatalk

[alanjuggler]

been having problems - the above pictures show my extreme pikey methods

I've picked the 6 injectors I'm happy with & replaced the seals & pintle caps (a few of the caps had damage) - no leaks and they respond well to battery triggering.

engine started properly once I put more fuel in it and it'd made it's way through, instead of the cleaning stuff - though now I have a new problem - it feels fine when constantly moving the throttle but if you press and hold it, it starts to drop the revs - as soon as you touch the throttle even a tiny amount, it's revving again.

I'm off to put my wideband on it to figure out whether it's stupid lean or stupidly rich - it feels stupidly lean as though I have serious fuelling problems.

I am using the 255l fuel pump off my old CA18 setup but no reason to think it's knackered.

[craiglancs]

Hope u sort it soon pal

[alanjuggler]

tested fuel pump flow after filter - OK - rail is definitely pressurising properly.

found a wire in the main engine harness on the plenum side (the bit I didn't sodding look at) that had insulation missing - turns out it was injector #4 wire. was grounding against the plenum - that'd explain code 51.

now it's throwing a code 21

- it's rather lean too - running way past 16-17 at idle.

[JDMlove]

cant belive ive just came across this now!!..ive read the entire thing and all i can say is amazing work!!

[alanjuggler]

it's sat on my drive looking a bit sorry for itself at the mo. getting the nismo split rims refurbed by a local company, which should be pretty when done

I'm pretty pleased though, it's nearly finished and I've not been tempted into debt at all to rush it - it's just taken time and patience.

I'll get some more recent pics up soon when the wheels are back on.

[jockiboi]

stuff and things have happened!

ordered a PAS line from rawbrokerage (cheers paulpen for leading me onto that), given the reports of the aftermarket PAS lines failing I've seen occasionally, I've figured theirs done properly should be a better solution for the extra £20 or so.

ordered loads of little bits which have now gone together. the water return lines have been switched back to original style hard lines - it's too acute a bend to get braided lines to sit nicely - got them off ebay, there's a taiwanese seller doing them - can't fault the quality at all

coolant lines are now finished, thanks to KrisC getting me the final part I was missing

IC piping is now nearly finished, only thing remaining is to weld on the idle bypass takeoff on the cold side.

things to do:

intercooler piping (last part remaining, weld on idle bypass takeoff)
trim bumper support to suit intercooler
get & fit starter
install front pipe
install turbo drains
make bracket for filters
AFM - switch over to Z32 AFM plug
final install of plenum & injectors
fit clutch master & slave
strip out lambda wiring from another loom for 2nd lambda.
install abs
rear ARB
front ARB (need spacer blocks machining)
adapt exhaust
front shock bearings
paint under wings
dynax all box sections (again)
install front bumper
get shorter propshaft

so yeah, not much at all

here's some progress shots.

Looks OEM awesome work on your 180 love it

[alanjuggler]

right, finally pulled my finger out..

had the centres powder coated white - the barrels were powder coated on the inner too, stops where the centre mounts on the inside and where the tyre seats on the inner. also bought new bolts from titanium touch. fortunately RAYS used a size similar to most BBS.

There is still some corrosion below the bolt heads due to the way the standard bolts secure themselves in place - three pimples underneath the bolt head that dig in to the aluminium. appears that the wheels have been dismantled in the past and someone may have spun the bolts off, instead of removing the nuts. hey ho.








the banana brackets (I've no idea what else to call them) that cover the oval parts of the centre need painting (or I'm thinking anodising, possibly, for a harder finish).

I also need to arrange new 90's type NISMO sticks for the spoke face. if anyone knows a custom vinyl place that'll work from my images & measurements, I've been googling a few custom vinyl places and their version of custom seems a little different to mine

lastly, if anyone has any good recommendations for a sealant/wax to protect the bare aluminium, that'd be nice too. I was looking at the Gtechniq G5 / Poor boys offerings, I was favouring a liquid version just so I can apply it rather more easily around the bolt heads. Meguiars seem to do a spray on type affair but not sure if it'll be as effective.

[craiglancs]

Look really nice those wheels pal, spot on!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[jockiboi]

Looks stunning love the way you tested the injectors lol

[alanjuggler]

right, another boring update but an important one.

had a problem with the engine running on five on start up. after wondering if I'd totally broken something, decided to compression test it. I think I've mentioned previously that I'd had problems with a cylinder dropping out - initially thought it was the coilpacks..

all went well, good compression. then when tightening the sixth spark plug..

the ceramic cracked.

after picking up various bits of ceramic out of the spark plug bore and then managing to drop one into the cylinder (then retrieving it with my best invention yet, a screwdriver with hot glue on the end), managed to put in a denso IQ24 equivalent heat range plug out of my old CA..

hey presto, starts on six.

I suspect there's been a hairline crack in the plug that's been intermittently grounding and tightening it again has been the final straw. it might have been transit damage or I might have been a cackhanded pillock tightening it down.

I suspect the former since I've never managed to crack a ceramic before but it could be the latter.