"Delan" 200sx - first ever project car

[tommyveldel]

Hi all,
I decided to keep my S14a for a long time and give all my love to it.
My welcome post + a short story is available here: https://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread....0sx-new-owner)

1.jpg

2.jpg

I plan to keep this car stock with a few minor changes. They all will be revertable to its stock condition.
I am also a newbie in the car repair/restoration thingy, so that I will count a lot for your help. So please excuse all my silly questions.

When I purchased the car - the previous owner told me there is no VVTI rattle, but sadly today - when I started the engine after a few days - I could hear the strange rattling noise at the very beginning of the engine start. It has gone away after 2 seconds, but I presume that is not a good sign.

I live in Leicester.
Fortunately, there is a garage that actually owns silvias and regularly drifts on a track, and they know a lot about them.
So I decided to drop my car at their garage for a full and general health check, including engine condition, etc.
I will find out on Wednesday, fingers crossed.
I will keep this thread updated when I will make any progress in the project.

Here is my plan:

1 - Bring the engine and turbo to their best condition
2 - Check gearbox and clutch - repair if necessary
3 - Get nicer wheels
4 - Maybe some power increase mods (revertable, of course)
5 - Repair any corrosion spotted
6 - Enjoy


Thanks in advance for your time and help!

[markcro]

Lovely! :-)

Just as a note on the VVT rattle: I have owned my SX for 16 years, 12 of those years as my only car and so was my daily driver. On start up, engage 1st gear, rev to pull away, and sometimes I would get, but not always, VVT rattle which would disappear after 2 seconds. Presumably as the oil pressure is stabalised. But it could sound nasty.

So my cure:
- Start car, clutch, raise revs 100 or 200 rpm, select 1st gear, put back to neutral.
- Clutch, select 1st gear, just feel out the throttle by raising the rpm slowly by a few rpm.. No VVT rattle. :-) Fully raise revs and pull away.

Sounds like a faff, but it only takes a few seconds, and I have done this for 16 years and counting and the engine is sweet as a nut.

[tommyveldel]

Hi all,
Thanks, markcro, for the info!

I have some good news after the car health check at RG Motors Ltd in Leicester.
The engine is in fantastic condition with a good cylinder compression tested at 160,158,158,160
Guys told me there is no vvti rattle - I was a bit overacting in this
Some bushes to be replaced - will go with the softest poly bushes, I think?
bush.jpg

Rocker gasket cover - new seal required, a little leak from the turbo, and small leak from the power steering pump (probably, as it needs investigation)

General corrosion is minimal, with only 2 spots where needs attention soon.

They told me that it is the best example they ever seen (they seen a lot of them as they do drifting regularly and obviously they service other cars too)


Then about the power increase, I will definitely want to do something to feel a bit more kick

We have also done a dyno run to prove the power which came out as expected for a good condition engine.


dyno.jpg

Guys told me what are the main mods to be made for stage 1, but I am happy to read your pieces of advice on what I could do to gain power and revert to stock if needed.

Thanks a lot, and have a great evening!

[ppdrift]

Looks like a great car.
All depends how much you want to spend, most things can be reverted back to stock if you desired. I would start by asking yourself what you want to use the car for and how much power you want/can handle.
If there is any rust start there, get rid of it as quickly as possible.
As for the wheels, personal choice my friend.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Wheel choice will be limited by the shape of the rim and offset rather than wheel size. A lot will fit with small (5mm) spacers with the standard 280x30 brakes and it does the look no harm to be a bit more spaced out in the arches. Go with hubcentric spacers though as otherwise you can get trouble with wheel imbalance. If you are not lowering it, you should be able to get most wheels under the arches but check for arch rubbing as there is wiring under there that causes all sorts of problems when it wears through. Going above 18s is going to affect the ride and make it less practical as a road car in the pot-hole infested UK. Try to get sturdy wheels too as otherwise they will get knocked out of shape by potholes. Rotas are solid aftermarket wheels and reasonably priced.

If replacing bushes, try to replace with standard if you are keeping it as a road car. Poly will always result in a less sophisticated ride (move noise and less smoothness).

Bravo for planning to keep it fairly standard. That's the best way to protect your investment.

[tommyveldel]

Hi All,
thanks for you great advice! Appreciate a lot!
So the things are going to start rolling with this machine I am in need to replace the clutch as well, and i am happy to spend a bit more than for a standard clutch.
I have been advised that ACT Organic Clutch is the way to go if i think about increasing the power, i have also done my own research and i have found NK01T722 (Exedy Sports Paddle)
What do you think?
In regards to the power i found out the minimal mods required for Horsham Dev Stage 1a are ok for me and the power in range of 280 hp will be great for my car and my skills of driving. I am unsure if for the stage 1a is essential to add front intercooler or just recommended?

Generally i will be using the car as my daily. Saying daily i probably will use it 3 times a week as i also have something called a bicycle to commute to work, which i often do to save on putting too many miles on the classic car clock.

Going back to the maintenance - the car has no significant rust spots, it is not spotless but the condition of the body and seals are great - the garage where i left it for health check told me this is the best example they ever seen in their garage and there is nothing to worry about!

So, going forward - i would like to go for polybushing on the subframe + diff mounts + front lower arms.

Then there is a crank shaft rear seal to replace (this will be done with the clutch replacement) and i wonder if maybe go a bit farther and replace the flywheel with a lightweight one?

Thanks for your time and happy to read your input!

[Chriscooke]

Act hd organic was the best clutch I ever had in mine. Nice stock pedal feel and holds decent power. Found the exeedy organic to have a heavy pedal and it didn’t handle the power well. I wouldn’t use a paddle clutch on a daily.

https://h-dev.co.uk/product/act-hdpe...-kit-ns1-hdss/

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Organic clutch. Paddle's are grabby for everyday use.
Light weight flywheel more likely to cause problems than solve them and will make the car less driveable on the road.
If you replace bushes with poly it will make the ride less pliant again detracting from a road car. Apex used to do adjustable arms with rubber bushes and they worked well on my car.
FMIC will be better at cooling than the OEM WMIC which is quite restrictive BUT some are a complete pig to fit and require cutting of the front end bodywork so select with care. Again, I think Apex used to do a Type 2 FMIC that avoided cutting of the bodywork. Maybe pick one up secondhand ?

[tommyveldel]

Thank you both for another great piece of advice!
Will go with ACT organic clutch and will leave the flywheel stock.

Going back to the bushing, i have found this: https://strongflexuk.com/product-cat...via/s14-94-99/
and wonder if they are any good?

I dont mind to have more sporty feel on the road in a daily use if the car. But i read that there is not recommended to replace all the bushing and i am sure there is a lot of true facts in that.
Can you maybe advise which bushes i should replace to poly and which i definitely should leave rubber?
Thanks again and have a grat day!

[Chriscooke]

Personally I’d start with the 4 main subframe bushes and the front tension/traction rods whatever they’re called. If the cars feeling floaty they are normally the ones that cause that feeling. Front lower ball joints are also something worth looking at.

I can’t comment on strongflex as have no experience.

[tommyveldel]

Hi All,
long time no updates so i give you some

I have gone with strongflex bushing: https://strongflexuk.com/

Rear beam mounting bush kit SPORT × 1
Front lower radius arm to chassis bush SPORT × 2
Rear diff mount - rear bush SPORT × 2
Rear diff mount - front bush SPORT × 2


subframe.jpg
subframe2.jpg




Steering rack bush kit also replaced with this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251742482946


srbk.jpg


And now i can hear all the subframe vibration noises well, that's sporty isn't it ?
Anyway - i love how the car drives now! For me its great and i do not regret using them.




New rear camber arms also been fitted.
https://www.driftworks.com/driftwork...s14-93-99.html


rca.jpg


And the most important bit, all the brake pipes replaced with brass/copper ones so they will last for life


pipes.jpg

All the above resulted in a perfectly clean MOT: https://www.vehiclesmart.com/vehicle...medium=website


Next bits to do is the rocker cover gasket, engine oil (its been replaced recently by previous owner but i rather not to save on this and will do engine flush + oil)
Any recommendations on engine oil please? I do not bash the car and do not drive it on the track, is more casual driving for me.
Next are spark plugs, then differential oil (already purchased red line 75W90 GL-5)
Then, gearbox oil (any recommendations welcome) i heard about red line MT90 as well and apparently people say good things about it too.

Thanks for reading and i am happy to read your comments!
By the way - happy New year 2022!

[tommyveldel]

Hi all, long time no see, happy New Year!

The project slowly goes forward, many things been done but at the moment i am hitting a wall with finding a new air con condenser radiator. I have found one on autodoc but it is for LHD version so no good for me.
Below is a picture of the item i am after (brand new) and i am not willing to pay 500 quid sourcing it from amayama :P
The nissan part number is 9211080F00, been searching whole internet (even on Mars) but nobody makes any aftermarket replacements, or i am blind...
Have anybody adapted any universal or any similar air con radiator in yours s14? Or found a maker who can make to size with all the piping to fit correctly?

Any help will be appreciated!





There is more to come, i am on the road to 380 ponnies, brand new hybrid turbo etc... will update the topic later but because the bloody air con radiator.. I lose sleep about it...
Here is picture of mine - which is sooooo much deteriorated when i touch it by finger it simply falling apart like an old bedsheet...
HELP - i want to keep my air con fully working.
Thanks for reading!

[markcro]

Happy New Year!



I have just replaced my gearbox and diff oil. For the gearbox it must be a GL4 oil. I have always used Red Line MT90. As you have stated, the diff oil should a GL5 oil.

So before Christmas I changed the fluids with:

- Gearbox oil (Red Line MT-90 75w90 GL4).
- Differential oil (Kaaz limited slip diff oil 80w90 GL5). (Previously I used Valvoline 80w90 GL5 Limited Slip oil. This time around I found the Kaaz locally so bought that.)

Technically since the LSD is a viscous diff and the LSD part is a sealed unit, buying a "limited slip" diff oil is over kill. But as my mechanic said, for the sake of 20quid extra (if even that), then going over kill is worth it. So I have always gone with the LSD oils.

For the engine, I have always used a fully synthetic 5w40 oil from Fuchs/Silkolene/Millers.


Clutch and fluids changed before Christmas, See here: https://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread....nd-fluids-job!