Had an interesting weekend with the S12 (CA18ET)

[KaZ (VaBch)]

Been trying to get her running so I can drive her daily...

Well I got the intercooler pipes setup and all finally and I was using a rather SOFT ribbed rubber hose from the intercooler to the throttle body. While I was testing the setup checking for leaks it got rather BIG under 10psi... bad sign.

Anyway, it lasted long enough for two days of testing to get my A/F more or less right with the AFC (great for WOT runs, but it jerks a little at cruizing, sub 3krpm range). Anyway, I'm driving around with my son and brother in the car... I get on it after making a right at a light, go to shift into 2nd, and BANG (backfire), then POP from the engine bay and the car about dies... I'm rolling along going "CRAP"... start it up, give it gas... barely goes/keeps from dying. Dies, have to start it again... keeps happening... CRAP. Think about the intercooler piping post from the other day... decide to get out and check.

I pop the hood and start looking around... well that rubber hose had pretty much bent in on itself at the ribbed section... so I thought maybe it was just collapsing on itself... so I look around to the other side of the hose... NOPE, I've completely BLOWN the one side of the hose apart... D'OH!

Thankfully we were in my parents neighborhood (was going to drop my brother off), and we tried to push it... made it maybe a block. Brother had the idea to go get his 88 Maxima and push it home... sounded good to me. Walked to my parents house with my son on my shoulders, got in my brothers car, drove the 5 or 6 blocks back, set it up, and pushed it back.

So now I'm thinking, how am I going to fix this to get it home; USAA is not going to like my calling to have this car towed twice in a two week period... lol. Anyway, he suggests, "what about ducktape?" Me, "Huh? I blew the entire side of this pipe out..." Him, "sooooo?". Hmmm... Ok. So I ducktape it!





The PURPLE shows the length of the blow out!! It actually ran rather well like this with the ducktape! I didn't dare boost on the way home, but I was able to make it the mile and a half back home. £0£. Anyway, I promptly found a better solution of mixed pipes to make it work...

Oh, and for those wondering where everything came from in my crazy engine bay...

Shown:

1984 CA18ET MotorCA20E Intake ManifoldKA24DE Throttle BodyVolvo Turbo Intercooler & ConnectorCA18DET Short Pipe & ElbowZ32 Turbo Outlet Pipe (in red)CA18DET T25 TurboZ32 MAF & Intake

It runs rather well at the moment...Cruising gives a ~14-15 AFR, and WOT gives 9-11 AFR (normally ~10 at the moment). That's with CA18DET 370CC injectors on a CA20E fuel rail (DET rail will NOT fit the E/ET Manifolds), Apex'i SAFC2, and Innovate Motorsports LM-1 Wideband.

Power is pretty good, though third seems sluggish for some reason. 1st is good, 2nd is crazy, 3rd is eh, and 4th feels pretty good on the highway, though 5th is rather blah from ~60/70. Haven't had it much faster than that. But it SCREAMS on the on/off ramps! Total joy to drive.

Oh, and I found that the old Z shifter (I think I got it out of a 280Z) works GREAT as a short shifter. MUCH shorter stick & throw! Only problem is the thread width is MUCH smaller than the stock shifter... I haven't been able to find a shift knob that fits yet (though I've only tried items I have laying around, nothing I have new Nissan fits!). Anyway, just thought I'd share... Just need to swap my Z31 suspension on her and get an LSD for the rear... then its off to the AutoX / Drift events! =)

[Altiman94]

looks like you have a pretty decent set up there.

[KaZ (VaBch)]

Its ok... only main issue is an iffy alternator at the moment. =( Battery isn't getting fully charged back up while driving. I put an electric fan on it and I think that's the main draw at the moment. =( Otherwise its pretty good. Only other issue is I can't get a reading off the TPS. I looked at the S12 wiring diagrams and thought I tapped the right wire... but I read 100% throttle all the time... so I only have a single fuel map, when I really need two... its rather rich and jerky at low speeds/rpms. =( But its nice at WOT! hehe...