uh oh, houston we have a problem

[themadscientist]

I have been having trouble starting the car over the past week. It comes and goes, no pattern to it other than when the car is cold it's a ***** almost all the time. This morning it refused to start. "ok, I have procrastinated enough" I thought and pulled the plugs, yeah, they looked ancient and tired and #4 was loose with fuel and carbon around the hole. Get the new ones in and try to fire it up, no go. My ignitor sits inches away from the manifold so I think it might be cooked. No time to check it I had to get to work but I notice my overflow tank is showing activity so I check the radiator, no water in sight. I top it off and crank the engine to work the bubbles out. Some bubbles came out alright, milky ones. Take a moment to ponder that,,,,,,,,****! I think I may have a blown head gasket. Blowing the coolant out of the overflow and emulsified oil in the coolant is textbook blown head gasket behavior. It drove fine yesterday but it may only be slightly blown. That is kind of like "slightly pregnant" though.I had no time to do a compression check to confirm though, again, I had to get to work. luckily the little bike was cooperative. I have not put it on the street since I put the hi-comp piston in it with the pod filter and re-jet so it was not a certainty that would do much better than the 180. The jetting is pretty good, breaks up in the midrange (needle) and is flat as Milla Jovovich up top (pipe) and starts to detonate above 80 degrees (plug) but it runs. Looks like I will need it to run around for the foreseeable future. If I confirm a popped gasket I am pulling the motor and shelving it. This motor is special because it's the original motor and if Kaori ever asks for her car back she will want it with the original bullet. Some think it's silly but I can understand her feelings and I will not let the original motor be destroyed by one of my crazy projects.If I have a popped gasket I think it is time to get stupid, time for something really angry under the hood. this motor has served me faithfully for over 10 years and accorded itself well in countless battles and just generally reliable service, I have no complaints. If I have to build a new motor though I am not gojng to just build a stock motor, that's dumb.

To quote Dee "stay tuned"

[bone_stock_240]

You just made me a sad camper. That little engine provided some truly rivetting kill stories. I am going to pour a 40 on the curb for a fallen homie.

[themadscientist]

40, weight? If it is in fact a head gasket I can't be mad. It's a 17-year old stock head gasket. It has earned the right to retire. the motor is fine, just needs a rebuild. If it's blown I have a bizarre project in the corner that just got bumped from "experimental feasability study" to "make it work, make it run, hold the **** on". I think you know what I mean Ryan.

No more VPC and subs, no more smooth daily driver, I just got off the phone with my local SDS dealer and told him to work out an estimate, I might be calling soon. I have a another guy digging up some 1000cc injectors for me.

[bone_stock_240]

Of course only the finest synthetic for a true road warrior.

What is going on with the FJ?

[r34 gtr]

i think you need something totally brutal and disgusting. maybe a 1.95l ca18 with 7.5:1 compression and a hks t51r. either way it needs to drop the hammer on some stupid fast cars. 700whp minimum. it needs to have so much power that it regularly rips all the teeth off the ring gear on say, a r230v diff.

[themadscientist]

If I embark on a built CA the FJ will never happen. I have to choose one or the other.

[r34 gtr]

if you go with a ca, ill trade you my left nut for that fj.

[themadscientist]

I already have a quite a collection of forceably aquired nuts from races over the years against "fast" cars. If the FJ project gets killed I am not going to get rid of the engines, I just won't put them in anything. I will continue to collect parts and someday I will build the FJ. Even if I build it just to bolt it on a display stand to put in the living room, I'll build it. I already know the the FJ will fit in the 180 with a bubbled hood and My freind has an R33 RB26 for sale too but Pooh stays CA18.

[r34 gtr]

well, the offer still stands. my left nut for a fj20et, straight up. as for pooh, if you dont build a monster i will never speak to you again.

[themadscientist]

I don't know about 700, I was thinking 400. I guarantee if I have to build a motor you will be impressed long before you even look at the power production.

[boost_boy]

About time something on that damn motor make you do some real work . You know the routine, do what you got to do to get it back up, but make it a better more sound than what it was before. I don't need to tell you good luck, so handle your business.

Dee

[rotorific]

i think you need something totally brutal and disgusting. maybe a 1.95l ca18 with 7.5:1 compression and a hks t51r. either way it needs to drop the hammer on some stupid fast cars. 700whp minimum. it needs to have so much power that it regularly rips all the teeth off the ring gear on say, a r230v diff.

Unless you have a GT-R Diff, 230s are over rated.....

Overall I'd like to say that I love the idea that it was the stock gasket that went. You could own a 7M-GTE.....need I say more.

Good luck in your endevours no matter if it goes CA or FJ.

They are both great motors and IMO a better choice than the new B16 (SR)

-Gabe

[r34 gtr]

400? you pansy, step up to the plate! this thing needs to be utterly worthless below 6k, but rev to say, 11k and make power all the way there. it also needs to run on ethanol and shoot 20 foot flames at traffic lights.

[bone_stock_240]

Please do the FJ. If you don't I will never bake you cookies ever again.

[themadscientist]

I have to wait until my wife gets home to check the gasket, need a person on the starter while I watch the gauge. Job number one is determine why it don't start. I would run even with the blown gasket. Sounds like no spark.

[ragenasian]

I have to say THANKS again Mike for showing me around Okinawa again. I hope to start coming more frequently as the family is building a home near my grandfather's home. So I will have a little shed for goodies one day.

It is sad to hear about your car because it was definately a fun ride. If you need anything for that motor that I can help you with let me know.

I will start the hunt for the S13 Euro Diff cooler. I will see if I can score you a couple of them one for the Gauge Wonderland, and the other for the S13.

Again thanks MIKE!!!!!!!!

I will show them pics of the nice little piece I picked up when it comes in Gotta run I am stealing somebody's internet connection in the apartment complex next to the hotel here in Naha.

[themadscientist]

I shipped the goodie priority J. I didn't want to take any chances of it not getting to you. I will see that 180 again and he won't know what hit him because,,,,,,,,,,,

Yup, it's blown. Readings from the compression gauge#4 110 uh, yuck

#3 100 Oh man

#2 110 geez

#1 60 holy ****!

Oh well, this is bad news, in a way. Not exactly good news but the motor did not suffer a catastrophic failure, it just said "we're done" and stopped playing, no damage done. It has had a long and notable career, 17 years, three turbos, five timing belts, two water pumps, two radiators and more miles in anger than I can count. I will carefully pull it, wrap it up and put it in the corner to rest. When it comes out again, if it comes out, it will get a first-class rebuild and lead a life of leisure, the war is over old soldier.Now, now it's time to take a good long look at the replacement bullet. I don't have a lot of money to devote to it but I have lots of parts already. At minimum I will need pistons and rods, an engine management system, bigger injectors and pump and a bigger turbo. I would really like to make this build worth my while and cracking into the 400s would be that. We shall see, I need to research and plan what I want to do and what I can do and see if I can get the two metrics aligned. This engine has never pulled a car with me in it and it needs to earn it's stripes. No mercy, no excuses. I will build and tune it the best that I can and I expect it to eat it's opponents for breakfast and make me respect it, make me keep the thing parked on rainy days. The mighty FJ project unfortunately will not happen. I will put that motor in the corner as well. I will continue to snatch FJ and CA parts and horde them but I really don't expect to have the time or money to support a badass CA and a badass FJ. The ends don't meet, sorry everybody. I am a religious procrastinator and nothing short of failure would have made me do what I need to do, Dee nailed it. I see this not as a negative event but rather an opportunity to step it up and get serious. Once the build starts I will document it and sticky a thread up so everybody who finds themselves looking at a situation like this will have detailed info to use to get them back on the road. Look forward to regular status reports and likely disjointed rants when I hit stumbling blocks. Pooh shall return but no honey pot this time, he will have a chain wrapped around his fist and a raging hard on ready to beat and **** anything stupid enough to step to him, playtime is over.

[ragenasian]

I saw that 180 again on the way to Autobacs the other day. He is out there and many others. Throw one of those damn 4 ports on finally and good luck on your way to domination!!!!! ha ha

(it is great having people next door with unsecured wireless networks).

[themadscientist]

check your e-mail

[r34 gtr]

put an l28et in there. those motors are absolutely bad to the bone. sohc ftmfw!!

[themadscientist]

I already have an L in my R30.

[r34 gtr]

is it running a gt42r? if not i suggest you check yoself, lest you wreck yoself.

[themadscientist]

When the L20ET comes out and the mecha L3.1 goes in I shall do my best not to wreck it.

[r34 gtr]

i need a beater car, you think you could hook me up with a dr30 skyline? i live in alabama, so ill just steal some vin plates from a maxima and title it as that. no one will be any the wiser. also, a 3.1l L is nasty as hell. please tell me it will have a disgustingly large turbo on it. i mean, i dont doubt you, but i just want to make sure so i can sleep at night.

[themadscientist]

no I will build it NA. I would have to cut holes in a cherry car to run a serious turbo engine. The sound of a carbed L is something unique.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo0WeyGFSDA

[r34 gtr]

well, send me a beater dr30 and ill do it up nasty. all i need is a rolling chassis. ive had about enough of fuel injected vehicles, and a badass L with a blowthrough carb setup sounds too good to be true. something thatll run hardcore on the 362 days a year my 240 DOESNT run.

[ch187]

damn. if that isnt the truth!