Flying Machine

Does anyone know which JWT ecu I need to buy from Stillen to work with UK fuel? They have 2, a Federal emmissions version and a California emmissions version (which i guess is 'greener' / leaner). Will the federal one work with UK fuel, like Optimax? I see some people on here use them but I wasn't sure if it is a JWT map written specifically for UK spec cars and fuel. Cheers!

Great! I've got 4 new discs, tension rods and the upper arms coming in a week or so, and I'll be doing the whole lot in one go.

Ah bloody marvellous! That's what I wanted to hear! Having just replaced a rear toe link lying on my back in the rain, turning it a flat at a time cos it's shoehorned in next to the fuel tank, then realising ten minutes later that it was just turning the other end of the HICAS rack(!), I would appreciate an easier ride changing the upper arms! :-)

Thanks very much! So when you got the socket onto the upper arm bracket nut, did you need a spanner on the other side, or is it studded (threaded) into the chassis? I was more concerned about how I would be able to hold the bolt from the opposite side... I'll be dusting off my old camber and optical tracking gauges, haven't used them for about 7 years!

Oh, by the way, I'm running about 12psi at the moment, so it won't fry itself when I put the old ECU back in. I just want a good base for upping the boost a bit more with an APEXI controller and throwing the boost jets away!

Hi again! I've seen various Jim Wolf ECU's on the Courtesy website, one for California spec emmissions, the other for federal emmissions. Hs anyone used (either) of these? I'm guessing the Californian spec is lower emmission and presumably leaner. I've heard good things said about these ECU's on here, question also is will they pass the uk emmissions test, or should I keep the old ECU to bung in every 12 months for the MOT? ;) Thanks! Derek

Evening all, havent been here in a while! Finally got around to spending some cash on my z, and I am going to fit adjustable upper arms (and lower tension rods...) The lower rods look easy enough to get at once the undertray is out of the way, but has anyone fitted the upper arms? That bolt at the back, that attaches the arm to the bracket, is there any way it can be removed without unbolting the mounting bracket from the chassis? If not, is that as big a job as it looks? The mounting brackets seem to be bolted onto the chassis, not studded, and I couldn't see how to get a spanner down the side to hold the mounting bracket bolts from turning as the nut is undone from the arch side... Any help gratefully appreciated. Cheers Derek PS Fittted a TEIN flex kit today, made a huge difference. :D

Got exactly the same problem on mine, but I'm sure it's an immobiliser problem as it won't open the doors with the keyfob and the little flashing red l.e.d on the steering column has ceased to flash! Tried every fuse I can find, including removing the kick panelling and finding a few more under there. It's a Cobra C422. There's a bloke coming out to look at it now. :-( Do immobilisers just pack up after a while then?

Thanks John, will give it a go tomorrow..

Evening All Just brought a type 2 PTU back from the USA from Courtesy Nissan, (for £104 all in :-). Is it a direct replacement for a type 1? Is it the same sub harness? (Which has 4 plugs on it...) Thanks!

Yeah the problem is the first 5 insurers I phoned wouldn't touch any modded car. Also when I moved 1/4 mile to a new flat, which had underground parking, 24 hour security, a cctv pointing at my car and 2 security barriers to pass through before the garage, my premium went up £130 because I'd gone from W2 to W9, even though the car is now virtually impossible to nick, and the fact that the two addresses are so close anyway. Despite telling them this, they weren't interested. If the classic thingy is not only for a second car, then that is great, I'll give it a go.

Are all these low quotes (ie below £700) on classic policies? And more importantly, does it HAVE to be a second car to be on a classic policy? 'Cos I don't use a car for commuting or going to work, so I could put it on a very limited mileage. I am paying nearly £1300 with Tescos, for a 4,000 miles limit, fully comp, I'm 33 with max no claims and a clean licence, though I do live in London. It's a lightly modded UK spec manual tt.

Did an ECU diag as well. Thanks for the link, got one on the way for $180. Actually it hasn't gone into the bodyshop yet, but last time it did they had a problem starting it too. It's always started on the first turn of the key for me. PS Where is the fuse for the clock? It's stopped working suddenly...

Yeah, unfortunately I tried that already. :-( The car has been outside for the first time in the last 2 years, in the moisture. Anyone got a link for Courtesy? I'm going to the US in a couple of days, maybe they can Fed Ex it to me there...

Hi all. Just went to start my z today to take it to the bodyshop and it is completely dead, cranks at a very healthy speed but just doesn't fire up. I guess it's the infamous ignition transistor module. Where's the best place to get one? Courtesy Nissan? I can't find them on the net anymore, do they still exist? Cheers :(

Hi, sorry for the delay in replying. No you should be fine with adjustable top arms front and rear. The other bits are a nicety and will certainly stiffen up the whole suspension and make it more precise, but read what a few other people have to say about dispensing with all the bushings in your suspension. Compliance may not be the way to go on a racetrack, but it does help if you whack a kerb unintenionally!

Just a quickie this one - are there any tricks to getting the door mirror appart without breaking the mirror glass in the process? I see there are some screws holding the casing together, and another screwhole in the bottom of the housing that the diagram shows a screwdriver used to remove the glass from the actuator. But it doesn't explain how... Thanks!

I've got the Stillen 'sleeved' type on my car. The bushes were worn out when I got bought the car but Stillen will sell the bushes separately. Have a look here:- http://www.stillen.com/sportscars_products.asp?make_id=23&model_id=280&StartYear=1990&EndYear=1996&cat=5&Brand=&subcat=181 and here:- http://vividracing.securesites.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=15_426_620_1029&osCsid=1bc436a6ba4dc6d286e162b7b6ab0a83 Also on this page, loads of suspension parts to keep your alignment shop in business for weeks! :-) http://www.splparts.com/

I'm about to bring a StopTech kit back from the USA. They are supposed to be one of the best kits out there, and come in about £1200 with the import duty. (The dollar being as weak as it is...) I thought about a gtr upgrade as well, but a bit of research suggested that the StopTech kit was well designed to maintain the same ratio front / rear by carefully chosen piston and disc sizes. Dunno, I've never tried a gtr upgrade. At least I know I won't overheat them!

Excuse me if I'm talking b*****ks, I'm not an expert on the z turbo plumbing. But most other road / race cars I've come across this is normal. When you open the throttle the compressor represents a constriction in the inlet tract until it starts spinning, so you get a negative pressure (a vacuum) then positive boost as the compressor starts to do it's thing. Turbo chargers spin on load, not on rpm. Zero boost at idle is normal too. The -5 on lift-off I am not so sure about, but I have seen a similar thing if you lift off abruptly. Is it a standard boost gauge you are running? I had an undamped aftermarket boost gauge on a Mitsubishi that danced around like nobody's business when you went on and off the throttle aggressively. Just my two penneth!

Oh yeah, they work out about £760 plus shipping. I think import duty is about 4%

I am about to buy a set of Tein flex dampers from the USA (and take advantage of the crap $ at the moment.) You can add the edfc (electronic force adjustment) at a later date if you want. The come complete with top mounts, adjustable spring platforms and 16 position control on the damper itself. The springs are sensibly rated for the road from the numbers I have seen. I'll let you know when I have fitted them!

I have had the same problem on mine for a year. It was the top joint. I greased it, sprayed it with wd40 countless times, but there is so much heat there it seems to go dry very quickly. The problem will be cured next week when it has new front dampers fitted. I found the source by unloading and loading the car on a jack whilst I 'felt' for the source of the creaking...

Ok mate, thanks! Will do.

:( It often seems with aftermarket tuning you can really pay WAY over the odds for very little labour, just cos they know where the doobrey firkin widget is located and you don't, for example the £400 boost upgrade on my old Renault, which consisted of a number drill through the back of the actuator servo, and a diode soldering into the water temperature sensor. All of 20 mins work. Thank god for forums like these! For sure I will be posting here again when I come to fit the AVC-R.