The "I'm New Here And I have A Simple Question Thread" v2.0

[irishman9308]

i'm brand new to tuning, and i just got my car, it came with an exhaust and that's about it so it's bone stock, which i love. where's the first place i should start putting money into the car?

[speedeast]

Maintenance.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Check for cracks in the manifold

thats what i'm scared of. it can crack from the heat and cold or from uh the previous owners not taking care of it?

edit

it looks like its definately coming from the T joint looking outlet area. is it possible that the joint cracked and is losing pressure?

I would get a new manifold.... the heat blocking gasket, valvecover gasket, and a water pump... Make the best of it while your there.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Maintenance.

[KYZAAC]

im ditching my abs, im about to order a non abs master cylinder, but before i do i wanted to check here, can i use an ABS Brake Booster with non ABS master cylinder?
i searched and some say a non ABS master cylinder is all thats needed, and someone else told me they are calibrated differently.

[OutToWinPAHC]

The ABS booster works and is better then non abs. It is larger so it holds more vacuum. I use a Auto, ABS, Silvia booster

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I was sold an auto ABS booster from Advance and it didn't work at all... something about pedal travel/diaphragm alignment. I had no power brakes whatsoever... which really isn't THAT big of a deal, it just sucks that I had to drop my turbo and exhaust again to remove the master (then had to re-bleed) to then remove/replace the booster. God that job sucked.

[OutToWinPAHC]

You used a check valve?

[Eion]

okay, it was the upper plenum. is the T joint pipe threaded onto the manifold? the rusty coolant rusted through the pipe. water pump looks new too.

[StonedRhyder]

Did you somehow unhook your injectors when you did the swap? Have you checked for spark?

I unplugged the number #4 injector, just to check if anything was in it. I have to wait till this weekend to check spark. Car is sitting 30 min. away from me and only can work on it Sundays. Anyway, havent tried spark yet. If I cant find my tester, I will try to ark it. I tried to adjust the dizzy 4 teeth left and 4 teeth right. Brand new and tested battery, brand new dizzy, brand new control module, new coil, cap/rotor, wires, plugs, fuel filter, vaccume lines.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

You used a check valve?

Yup.
Went back to the store, asked them WTF was up, they scanned it and told me they sold me the wrong one, gave me the correct one, I swapped it in, and they have been working flawlessly ever since.
I originally swapped out my old one because it was working intermittently... I guess it had a rotted seal or something.

[neda240sx]

Ok I started up my car and it idles at 2k rpms even after warmed up and even after adjusting the idle screw, when I rev it up and the rpms come back down it stops at 3k and stays there for 2 or 3 seconds.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Sounds like tbhe ECU thinks the car is cold, like -200 degrees.... I'd think a Coolant temp sensor if its not the adle adjustement screw / or IAC

[troskinatior]

How should I check if its bad?

[speedeast]

Just replace the damn thing, it's like $10 or something. The car's old enough that if it isn't the problem, it soon might be, but it seems logical for your symptoms.

[KYZAAC]

im ditching my abs, im about to order a non abs master cylinder, but before i do i wanted to check here, can i use an ABS Brake Booster with non ABS master cylinder?
i searched and some say a non ABS master cylinder is all thats needed, and someone else told me they are calibrated differently.

The ABS booster works and is better then non abs. It is larger so it holds more vacuum. I use a Auto, ABS, Silvia booster

I was sold an auto ABS booster from Advance and it didn't work at all... something about pedal travel/diaphragm alignment. I had no power brakes whatsoever... which really isn't THAT big of a deal, it just sucks that I had to drop my turbo and exhaust again to remove the master (then had to re-bleed) to then remove/replace the booster. God that job sucked.

You used a check valve?

Yup.
Went back to the store, asked them WTF was up, they scanned it and told me they sold me the wrong one, gave me the correct one, I swapped it in, and they have been working flawlessly ever since.
I originally swapped out my old one because it was working intermittently... I guess it had a rotted seal or something.

mass quote!
so it worked for one but not the other? papasmurf, when you said you returned it for the correct one, you mean the non-ABS booster right? i thought someone said the auto and manual booster are calibrated differently, could that be the issue? im buying from a nico member so i wanna be sure it will work. Thanks

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Yeah they sold me an ABS booster. I needed a non ABS booster (auto or manual). Auto has a larger vacuum chamber, manual is a bit thinner so it fits well in tighter spaces.

[SOUNDWAVE333]

Hey, I have a '90 sohc, automatic. Are there any performance mods I can do? or anything I can add on to make it stronger? AND is it even worth it to fix up an auto? If there are any mods/upgrades I can do, can you tell me or leave me a link.

Would it be better (timewise or moneywise etc) to just swap or fix up mines..




And also, It's possible to have an sr20 with an automatic transmission right?

[Eion]

so the previous owners of my car decided to install a pop up sunroof and its leaking air and knob/lever that opens it is cracking. the stock se sunroofs are smaller than it? how would i go on measuring it, by size and width of glass or the full assembly(glass + plastic trim)?

[Michaelmoore]

Alright so my car finally runs and it runs pretty good until it comes to temp. Once it comes to temp it starts fluctuating from like 450-700 RPM and will eventually die. Could this be tps related? could it be related to air bubbles in the coolant? timing was 20*btdc and we adjusted it to about 21 or 22 and it idled up for a few seconds but then start bouncing around again. anybody have any ideas?

Maybe i should just clean the IACV?

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Hey, I have a '90 sohc, automatic. Are there any performance mods I can do? or anything I can add on to make it stronger? AND is it even worth it to fix up an auto? If there are any mods/upgrades I can do, can you tell me or leave me a link.

Would it be better (timewise or moneywise etc) to just swap or fix up mines..




And also, It's possible to have an sr20 with an automatic transmission right?

Basically all of your questions come down to personal preference. Do you want to drive an auto? If yes, then stick with the auto... if not, swap a manual.
How much power do you want? Sure, there are things out there that add power, but in my opinion none are really worth it besides some form of forced induction. It all depends on how much power you want, and what your budget is.

[SOUNDWAVE333]

Yeah, I'm still in the learning stage of cars. But I do want an auto. Is an auto sr20 an option? Where can that be done? or do all sr20's come manual?

And just asking, Could you put a turbo in a 1990 sohc like mines. What needs to be done?

[OutToWinPAHC]

Yes there are auto SR20DET's out there, but importers usually buy manual half cuts, or just the motors solo. I think its the same trans as your KA auto, but with a Auto SR20 Bell, converter, flexplate.


Yes you can turbo the KA24E - I like the single cams, check out the section here called KA-T

[SOUNDWAVE333]

Hm yeah I just want to add some power to the sohc. Can you show me the threads to how to install a turbo kit? And some other options for boost.

What else can be done to the auto sohc?

[speedeast]

^Everything that can be done to a manual can pretty much be done to an auto. You just won't experience it the same way. Why do you want an auto if you don't mind me asking?

Alright so my car finally runs and it runs pretty good until it comes to temp. Once it comes to temp it starts fluctuating from like 450-700 RPM and will eventually die. Could this be tps related? could it be related to air bubbles in the coolant? timing was 20*btdc and we adjusted it to about 21 or 22 and it idled up for a few seconds but then start bouncing around again. anybody have any ideas?

Maybe i should just clean the IACV?

What all have you recently done? What motor, etc? Forgive me for not remembering.

so the previous owners of my car decided to install a pop up sunroof and its leaking air and knob/lever that opens it is cracking. the stock se sunroofs are smaller than it? how would i go on measuring it, by size and width of glass or the full assembly(glass + plastic trim)?

Why are you measuring it against the se? The se is a much larger apparatus that slides the glass back inside of the headliner. You can probably just roll up to most glass places or local shops that install sunroofs and have them help you out.

[SOUNDWAVE333]

HA well it's nothing complicated. First of all this is my first car, and it just happened to be an auto when I found it. And I decided that stick is too much to deal with atm. haha Decided to just stick with the same car till I get out of high school.

So what do I need to install a turbo in the sohc? What else can be done? besides turbo?

[OutToWinPAHC]

I am not going to flame, but if you don't know, it not in your best interest. Let alone you dont want to be bothered with a manual swap, so when I suggest spending coil on a refinned stall speed is out of the question. Please just search turbo charging basics.

[pella]

Hello all. If someone has first hand experience with a S14.5 front end conversion, would they please let me know where they got the fenders from. How fitment was, and overall appearence? Would you reccomend? Need to get some fenders and have been looking through NICO search and I keep seeing "spend the Money" and get good ones, but not much advice on wich ones. Iam willing to spend the money for quality, just would like a heads up on wich ones would be the best. Any help or opinions would be helpful, cept "use search function dummy" LOL. thanks.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Hello all. If someone has first hand experience with a S14.5 front end conversion, would they please let me know where they got the fenders from. How fitment was, and overall appearence? Would you reccomend? Need to get some fenders and have been looking through NICO search and I keep seeing "spend the Money" and get good ones, but not much advice on wich ones. Iam willing to spend the money for quality, just would like a heads up on wich ones would be the best. Any help or opinions would be helpful, cept "use search function dummy" LOL. thanks.

I have a S13.5..... I did conversion fenders, and they were junk... They best ones are Orgin, but they still fit funny, and they are fiberglass.... Buy OEM S15 fenders, and have have them cut and welded with the S14 ones. Nothing will fit better, or hold up better.

[pella]

Thanks for the advice. talked to local shop bout the cutting and welding, they said at least six months to get them and wen its all dont, will have two fenders that wont be perfectly matched for 2K out the door. origin are the best fiberglass? anyone kno if they make some without the vents on side?