NZM018

I’ve called the builder to see what the latest is and I’m told that I was left a phone message to call earlier in the week – a message which I never got. I’m asked to come down for a chat as after some delays due to the reconditioner being very busy, the head is back on and the engine is now smoke free. At this point the builder is asking me where to go as they are concerned about being able to get the tune right due to a few issues – misfire, power system & cut out issues. The main issue is a misfire that has developed.

The CAS was not mounting properly during reinstallation, this again puzzled me having performed this job myself in the past and having no issues. It’s admitted to me over the phone that a bolt was lost at some point for the CAS bracket during the work. Some sort of spacing system is worked out to correct the mounting problem. This improved the misfire some what, but is still present.

The current idea being floated is to replace the entire wiring harness because it’s probably too old and has an issue some where. I’m a little angry & I’m at a loss as to why this problem wasn’t there before and now it is. I’ve had the head off a couple of times myself and never had an issue with the wiring etc but at the same time it could just be bad luck that this particular time the wiring has been able to be moved for the last time and is in fact the issue. The other issues for me personally is the amount of time the car has been in the shop, approaching 7 months cumulatively, along side the money that has been spent of this round of mods, which is well into 6 figures in comparison to the return I’ve gotten for that money which is next to none. Luckily for me I have a very understanding and supportive fiancé.

In the end the option decided is to send the ecu off to the manufacturer to be checked as this can be done at no cost – so it would be silly not to. If that fails to do anything, I’ve explained the car can simply be returned not working as I cannot keep pouring money into something that seems to be going no where.

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With another week going by the head has now been removed and sent away away for reconditioning.

I’m told the head was never decked correctly and that is why it was leaking. I don’t really understand why it’s leaking after being installed this time and not when I originally installed it myself. I too installed a Cometic MLS head gasket during my install and got no leaks. So I’m told that the head will need to be decked again, have stem seals put in it, be pressure tested, be cleaned and fix 3 burnt valves.

With this work completed the head should be like new and the engine smoke free. It’s estimated that the head will be back in a few days and hopefully the engine back together in a week or so.

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With a week passed by I’ve recieved word that the head will have to be removed again to be sure of the problem. To be honest I thought that this would have been the default and immediate course of action.

Another week will be needed, on the upside the head can be inspected while it’s off the car and the smoke issue resolved.

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I left the car at the shop today to get what ever the problem is fixed. I was asked what sort of time frame I would like for turn around, I said a week would be great but two will do after being told there were problems with staff currently at the shop.

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The car has now clocked up ~500k’s of light driving and developed a leak of oil and coolant at the head gasket on cylinder 1 and at the back of the motor somewhere.

I contacted the builder yesterday who had asked to see the car to get looked at and requested that I otherwise not drive the car. At first it’s suggested that the head gasket is actually leaking between the layers being a MLS item. I’ve never seen it before personally, but accept that it may infact be a faulty gasket – something for the builder to deal with, a benefit of paying someone to do work for you.

Have to wait and see…

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Very disappointed I contacted the builder today and they offered to have a look at the car right away.

On trying to start the car in the morning first thing I notice is that it’s a pig to start cold, I’d asked if the cold start is ok / will be ok in the beginning – all yes’.

Once started and warm the idle was ok, it’s just a bit of a fight to get there something that previously was not a problem.

After arriving and replicating the smoke issue for them (which was to just start the car and let it idle) they agreed that the head would need some attention. It wasn’t inspected at all by the builder as the head was sold to me as a fully reconditioned unit from the UK (which is looking to be rubbish) which I had mentioned to him. While the car was running before the rebuild, comments had been made that the head sounded quiet and the motor strong.

My problem was that the rebuild was being done to fix the smokey motor, if there was an extremely high chance the head was at fault for the smoke, I think it’s reasonable as a mechanic to have a quick look at the head to see if it visually looks to be reconditioned in your opinion.

It was decided that when the car goes back in for final tune, the head will be inspected at a dicounted rate as we both accept some responsibility for the head not being inspected during rebuild. Stem seals are the likely cause and can be done without removing the head from the car again wich would be great for all concerned. I mentioned some of the other issues which are all happy to be looked at on return for the final tune.

So for the time being I am to put up with the smoke and it is suggested that it should improve after some more k’s are done, currently sitting at just ~35k’s.

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I got the car back today after various delays. It was almost to the point of picking up a new car it has been so long, happy none the less. Updated power figure I’m given is 160fwkw, 2kw less than it had before any work was done – but this is just on the run in map.

Car starts well, it’s still a little warm from tuning / testing, idles well. First thing I needed was fuel as it was getting low. The tuner had made a comment about this when driving it around the complex that it sounded like the fuel was low. While driving out the complex first thing I notice is the gearbox whine from the new gears in first & second. I’m really impressed with how they sound, almost making the strength of them a side show.

Going into third the gearset whine is all but gone, same with fourth. I had thought the whine would be audible though all the straight cut cogs, but apparently not. Not far from home I lent on it a little coming onto the highway while getting up to speed, it was hosing a bit of smoke still but I wrote it off to the run in tune it had.

Got home and the car is now hosing out smoke just as it did before the rebuild was done.

Looking around under the bonnet and over the car I notice:

• No intake pipe fitted as discussed
• Air filter is not the brand or size that was discussed
• Intercooler piping is not aluminium & has been made up of different sizes and old pieces I supplied as examples
• Incorrect gearbox mount has been customised to fit instead of sourcing factory Exa item (original was lost during rebuild)
• The intercooler is not centered and sits to one side
• There are a couple of small random grinder marks on the bar from the cutting work performed
• Brake lines and pulleys have not been fitted as discussed
• Oil breather is still has smoke coming from it
• Radiator hoses are incorrect – top hose is on bottom & vice versa

I’ll call them tomorrow.

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With various hold ups and delays the car is almost home again. I got to hear it start today which was exciting but I am yet to hear the gearbox, apparently it’s pretty loud.

First power figure I have been given is 85hp atw @ 2500rpm & 4psi

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So 8 weeks have now passed, meaning the 7 week marker has elapsed with still no car…

Just kidding, on my last visit a couple of weeks ago now I think, I had decided to have the ARE cooler (supplied by Bri-Z performance) refitted and new piping made up which equates to another 1 – 2 weeks work. I’d originally dropped the car out there for the dyno tune without it as I didn’t want to cut the Sunny ZX front bar to make the cooler fit. Instead I planned to move to a W2A system but with the few reviews I could find results pointed away from this solution.

Given this I approached the shop looking after my car about getting new piping made coupled with, I guess their expert fitting, as apposed to doing it myself at home. The job was given with the understanding the look of the front bar must remain from front on – limiting the amount that could be cut away. Aluminium is going to be used for the cooler pipes for it’s heat properties and weight. 

The Sunny ZX gearbox idea has been dropped in favour of giving the Quaife another go. The idea was actually mainly thanks to the chap who was selling me the gearbox as he rated the Quaife over the VLSD so strongly. So dispite him burning the sale of his gearbox, he chose to help me instead and get my Quaife working – champion. I contacted Quaife directly as did my chap in the UK, but turned up no good news. After alot digging around on US sites and talking to bearing suppliers I was eventually able to find a close match used in some Maxima over in the states and then eventually a part number.

I’ve ordered some bearings from the US from a Maxima tranny they use over there. The idea is to mill my gearbox case out 2mm to accept these bearings. The second option is to machine the bearing case down that 2mm to fit into my untouched gearbox case. If either of these work, the next step would be back to getting cv innners to suit the diff. The reason this wasn’t attempted straight up is because the bearings are a special import item and a major pain in the ass to source, add to that finding someone that would actually send over to Aussie.

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I got to visit my car over the weekend just gone to pick up the diff as it won’t be going into the gearbox. Speaking of which, the replacement Sunny ZX VLSD 50v has been arranged and is being removed from a car over in the UK along with a few more parts. It will be another month atleast before I expect to see any of that and even longer before I think about fitting it.

The gearset work has been completed and fitted to the box along with the forged 3/4 selector fork. After the machining is completed on the block which I guess will be this week, the assembly process will begin.

Tomorrow is 5 weeks since drop off, to date, everything has happened on schedule or ahead of, so it’ll be interesting to see if that holds true – I have no reason to think it won’t which is cause to start getting a little excited.

Thinking about cruising around with a straight cut box brings a smile to my face, yet alone a new strong even more powerful motor.

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