RobH

Just posting my fix in case it helps anyone else. I had replaced all coil pack connectors a couple of years ago, used heat shrink tubing to insulate my splicing. It seems the heat shrink had worn thin, possibly due to very low coolant and engine getting quite hot last time the car was driven. This caused a partial short between the wires and subsequent overheating of the coil pack. Cheers H

Oh lordy. I suspect you're right, I may have the same prob, replaced coil pack today and no spark, coil pack getting v hot v quickly. So I've got to run a new wire all the way from the coil earth connector to the original earth point (wherever that may be??) or will any connecton to ground do the job? Can anyone advise which of the three is the coil earth connection for a start please? I guess the looms on these things are getting pretty shot by now :-\ Cheers H

Hmm..which earth did you replace? I just assumed a knakd coil pack... Cheers H

Or as they are correctly called, 'direct fire coils, on fire, in the engine bay'. This phenomenon occurred whilst I was driving last night, accompanied by an acrid smell of burning plastic and was preempted by running on 5 cylinders. Be warned! I have (had) all new connectors, it appears there must have been an internal short or something. Not much left of the coil pack but at least I could light my fag without getting my lighter out whilst I contemplated how to extinguish it :-\. As it turned out a 'birthday cake' blow was enough to put it out. Has this happened to anyone else? Anyone got a spare connector they would care to sell me please? Cheers H

Yeah I have fitting of HKS adjustable items pending. Not an easy job, engine really has to come out! If your tubs aren't 100% probably best to do them at the same time, new actuators will most likely allow higher boost and turbo failure/problems become more likely. 'but dont no what they do or are responable for' They open the wastegates to relieve boost pressure at a preset level, i.e. they are ultimately responsible for the level of boost you can achieve. Cheers H

Standard manufacturers figures are corrected to indicate power at the flywheel, so I was told, i.e. should be about 40-50HP less at the wheels. Mine was making 301BHP at the wheels, corrected to 360 odd at the flywheel (and a fat 400ft/lb torque) Can you get a trace of the boost curve?? Sounds like a massive boost spike, perhaps try smoothing the curve if possible with your controller, certainly works on an AVC-r. Cheers H

Hi guys, sorry to post such a closely related question to my weekend query. Both I and my mechanic friend assumed swapping the actuators would be any easy enough job. So it was, for the passenger side, but the driver's side appears to be impossible without removing the turbo/pulling the engine. Can anyone advise the 'easiest' (ha!) way to do this, preferably avoiding an engine pull? Dropping the cross member and raising the chassis perhaps?? I guess an engine pull wouldn't be the end of the world, I've deleted pretty much everything that isn't needed in the engine bay including aircon, standard solenoids, plenum water hoses, EGR, AIVs, PRVR, det sensor etc etc... Cheers H (deflated :-( )

LOL - fair point. 30 psi is crazy talk tho! ;-) Am I correct in thinking swapping the actuators doesn't need the turbos off?? I remember one being much more accessible than the other from beneath. Cheers H

I had found a table of lengths/pressures applied to HKS actuators for a Tercel online and was hoping for something similar for the Z. The table in the manual doesn't make much sense in Jap. The problem I have is that a mate is doing the job at his garage which is 100 miles away, I won't be there and he wont want to be messing about too much, he'll put it on the ramp and bolt 'em on but that's about as far as it goes...I'll see what he says but I expect I'll get what I pay for, which is nil. Doesn't have to be blindingly accurate as I'm using an AVC-r but it seems the AVC-r can only cope with a limited range of pressures so to get it set at my lowest required pressure (about 0.7 bar) with the AVC-r off would be the best option. I reckon the lowest possible setting on these units will still be higher than my tired old refurb stock units, bigger diaphragms and better springs should improve response and boost holding as well. Cheers H

Ok, thanks for that, but how did you equate adjustment length to boost pressure? Trial and error, lucky guess, or is there some reliable data somewhere that I've not been able to find yet? Cheers H

Hi guys, I'm about to install some of these and need a bit of advice on presetting them. The manual is in Jap and not really much use. I know roughly what length the rods should be set to but if anyone has any accurate data it would be appreciated. Am I correct in thinking I'm setting the minimum opening pressure? i.e. with a boost controller in use I will be able to make more boost than the actuator preset but not less?? Presetting to 1.2 bar would mean I was stuck with that or higher on a wet day?? Logically then the preset should be a more comfortable level, perhaps 0.8 bar... TIA RobH

Hi, yes, first thing I checked was the hose. So, possibly the gauge itself :-( not sure I can ar*ed splashing out for a new gauge when I have an AVC-r and the stock gauge is off the scale under load anyway :-\ Cheers H

ok, can you let me know how you get on please? It's just one fkn thing after another at the moment! Cheers H

Don't do it. I had lots of problems with venom 550cc injectors including 1 sticking open when first installed from new and causing a hydraulic lock, another went completely dead, took me a long time and a lot of trouble to get replacements, I ended up buying an extra injector as the returns and warranty procedure took so long and cost me cash the first time. I was never confident that they were working correctly even when there was no obvious problem. It simply isn't worth the additional time trouble to use anything cheaper than Nismos. As I understand it they are remanufactured from drilled out standard injector cores. Cheers H

Hi guys. My stock boost gauge wont go above about -5mmhg, is this the sensor or the gauge itself that's playing up do you think?? It's not a huge problem as I have an AVC-r which is still showing the correct boost but I'd prefer it to be working properly. Cheers H

I bought a spare bung for use with an Innovate LC wideband O2 sensor, I think anywhere that sells wideband sensors will probably also sell a suitable bung, they're all the same size (afaik!) I got mine from http://www.vwspeedshop.com/product.php?productid=16337&cat=418&page=1 Cheers H

Ah. Ok. TBH I don't really want to run more than that - that's quite a lot of boost for stock internals on a tt. I'll keep looking...

Fair price?? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HKS-Upgrade-Actuator-Kit-300ZX-Z32-VG30-Twin-Turbo_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2c4ce1e931QQitemZ190268434737QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

If your upper plenum has never been off then yes, I guess the dremel method makes sense. If it's been messed with previously and bypassed, EGR removed etc then it's much quicker and easier to take it off. Have to say I dremelled one of my injectors out (was stuck open) and subsequently ended up removing the plenum 4 times anyway... Make sure you use Nissan OE gaskets and seals, no end of trouble with cheap replacements.

Ahh...the joy of the AVC-r and it's ability to log a 25 (?) second boost trace graph and replay later ;-) H

Thanks guys, I'm pretty sure I could do the actuators on a ramp. I've pulled the engine once before and don't intend doing it again unless unavoidable. I have less bulky exhaust headers than stock, makes it a bit more accessible, also lots of other stock stuff has been removed. Was hoping for a less expensive option, maybe something from a different vehicle with similar tubs? My boost peaks and more or less flattens out all the way to 7K, the controller is set up to feed it in progressively though. Just a thought, but once it's spiked and blown the wgates open it may be difficult for the actuators to close them again - maybe try bringing the boost on a bit more steadily?? Cheers H

Hi guys, Finally put my car on the dyno yesterday. Fuelling is looking good but one thing that's been pretty obvious for a while and is now even more obvious is that the wastegates are opening too early, even with the Apex boost controller maxed out. The tubs are hybrids based on the stock items and should be good for at least 400HP, boost is not quite making 1 bar on the dyno altho it can get to just over a bar on the road. Anyone aware of any aftermarket or uprated actuators being available?? Alternatively, is a bodge possible with stronger springs? There's plenty of duty left to spare in the injectors (555cc), they didn't get above 65%. Max corrected HP was 362HP, 301BHP at the wheels, torque was more impressive at 400 ftlb. Cheers H

Sorted (for now) it was the blue relay behind the fuse box. Cheers H

Double Gah! It's back again! I didn't even get to drive the car before it came back...Like you said Jeff, must have been a fluke that it magically started working again. So what's the drill? Pull the main fusebox in the footwell and dry it out or remake connections? Beautifully positioned item - thank you Nissan! Cheers for any advice.... H

Fixed! Looks like an ECU reset sorted this, think it got screwed up with me operating the ignition without all connectors in place. I erased the ECU RAM using Consult Cheers H