SILLBEER in ink - Fast Fours and Banzai UK Magazine articles

Been meaning to do this for some time, and finally got a few days off over the Xmas break to scan and process these magazine articles.

Fast Fours - June 2008

The first coverage was in the Australian Fast Fours magazine back in June 2008. I was stoked that it actually made it onto the cover too which is an accomplishment in and of itself. Then they went on to do a very comprehensive 8 page article with plenty of pics taken by Dean Summers.

Here's the cover (they were kind enough to send me a PDF version of the cover):


The rest has been scanned and resized for the web.

Table of contents:


Article itself:

Banzai UK - January 2009

The second coverage was in the UK Banzai magazine a year ago in January 2009. The photos and story were by local photo-journalist Rick McDowell. The photos used in the article were posted a while back.

Here's what the cover looks like (unfortunately I believe they only have UK cars on the covers) where I get a mention on the footer:


And the article itself (apologies for crap over saturation of colour):






Hope you like the articles and sorry for the overly long period between posts. I have a lot to post up while I'm on holidays including the subject of the engine rebuild...more to come.

Cheers
Brendan

Bugger...block was no good.

Dropped into C-Red this afternoon to say Merry Xmas et al. Marc started out with the bad news when I arrived...the block has been machined too much from past rebuilds and can't be used. Then he delivered the good news in that they'd already sent another block off to them. Apparently the workshop floor looked no dissimilar to how a South African lions meal looks like after tearing it apart with oil, coolant and SR20 gizzards all over the place to not stop the rebuild train.

Many thanks to Boney for getting this done quicksmart.

See you on the other side of New Years.

Cheers
Brendan

Short Block sent to engineers for Rebuild

Just got word that the short block and related parts have been sent off to Heinz for it's rebuild where it will be fully balanced and blueprinted (a lot of the parts are already done, but assume it will be done again).

It doesn't mean it'll be started immediately as I believe there's a few engines already in the queue before me. But I'm excited anyway.

Cheers
Brendan

Tomei N2 Oil Block and Nismo Reinforced Release Pivot arrive

A few pieces that I got from eBay have arrived. After an initial problem with the first order being made and the seller not actually having stock, it was cancelled and re-ordered with another ebayer after confirming they did actually have the stock ready to deliver.

The first and more blingy item is the Tomei N2 Oil Block to replace the standard Nissan Oil block made for an oil filter, not oil cooler lines.

Here's what the Tomei website say about it:

The SR20 engine's oil block tends to fail due to the weak oil filter sensor screw which oftens breaks. We at TOMEI had found the problem while we were competing in professional N2 race series over 10 years ago. So we designed this upgraded product which solved the problem. THis was later discountined but due to it's extremely popular demand we decided to re-release this product with a new design. Now lighter than ever before and has the ports for the original OEM sensors for direct fitting as well. The failure of your oil block can lead to disasterous results with terminal engine failure. With all the time and money spent on your race engine this is an absolute must have upgrade to protect your investment. Especially with engines running a sandwhich plate or similar oil cooler this is an essential safety precaution.

- Tomei N2 Oil Block box
- Oil pressure sensor (oil temp sensor is on top)
- Back of Oil Block - direct flow to lines
- Extra parts supplied - #10 dash fittings and mounting bolts

The other item is to replace the little thing that broke and started all these shenanigans. Back in June, the standard Nissan clutch fork release pivot failed after being hammered most of the day at Barbagallo Raceway. It was more than likely the same was originally fitted to the S14 5-speed box from factory and wasn't really something made for punishing use with a twin plate clutch. Again, in hindsight I should probably have replaced this item when the clutch plates were replaced in March this year. Again...meh.



So this is the Nismo Reinforced Release Pivot that will now be taking a pounding under the clutch release fork.

- Box for the Reinforced Release Pivot - Part Number 30537-RS540
- Instructions showing torque settings and other cars it fits

That's pretty much all the crucial bits I need at this stage, one final item I will need to get will be the replacement silicon hose that I went and replaced while at the track - it was bright blue, and I'll be replacing with a nice black Samco item to match the rest of them.

Have a Merry Xmas and drive safe.

Cheers
Brendan

CP SR20 Pistons and S13 SR20 Oil Pump arrive

A couple of other items have arrived in the last few days being the pistons and oil pump. Firstly the beautiful CP Forged Pistons setup for 9.0:1 compression ratio and 3.425inch (86.995mm) bore diameter. These will replace the standard Nissan Z32 pistons from a VG30DETT which were in the engine when it was removed from the shelf in its original rebuild. In hindsight, a set of these should have gone in originally thus why we're doing it now.

- CP Pistons box
- Label on side of the box (Shelf Part SC7326 / Serial 114465)
- Four set of rings
- Close up of rings label - CPN-3425
- Gudgeon pin circlips I think
- Piston specification sheet



- Underside of CP Piston
- Another side closeup of piston



Of course the other main item that's been shipped over from Japan thanks to Nissan is a brand new Oil Pump for S13 SR20. This will replace the problematic GTi-R Oil Pump that was fitted the first time. It was a constant problem leaking oil mist down the front of the engine and making a right mess. The new pump will be mated with the Ross Tuffbond Metal Jack Harmonic Balancer that I've already received.

- Oil Pump box
- Closeup of front cover serial I think
- Embossed Nissan logo on cover
- Oil pumps main seal
- Oil pump gears/rear of cover

The oil pump gears have been sent off along with the rockers to be cryogenically treated by Lou from Cryogenics West given both items of better chance of survival under the beating up they will get with "increased wear resistance, enhanced durability".

I have the Nismo Reinforced Release Pivot and Tomei N2 Oil Block on order and just waiting for them to get delivered.

Cheers
Brendan

Ross Tuffbond SR20 Metal Jacket Harmonic Balancer

Well the parts have started to arrive through to C-Red. The first worth of posting (among assorted replacement gaskets etc) is this beautiful piece of automotive art from Ross Tuffbond. It's their Metal Jacket Harmonic Balancer for Nissan SR20. They usually come in a nice shade of deep anodized blue, but this was a part that would be seen and as I'd chosen red for my highlight colour I made a custom order in Red. It's so nice I almost used it as a Xmas bauble for the tree this year.

- The box it comes in
- Close up of label - Ross Part Number 304200 (for SR20 RWD only)

Of course once the box is opened this is what you get:



- Close up of the timing marks
- Another profile shot
- Close up of inner bolts
- Reverse side of the crank pulley

Information from the Ross website:

Introducing a revolutionary development in torsional dampening technology. Utilising the ROSS Tuffbond original elastrometric bonding process to produce the ROSS Metaljacket® series harmonic balancers / crank pulley dampers.

• 360 timing marks at 1deg intervals
• Adjustable timing disc, for TDC accuracy
• Precision CNC machined 40 Tonne tensile alloy steel hub and vibration dampening ring
• Dampening ring and hub permanently bonded together on TWO axis by our exclusive Tuffbond elastrometric bonding process, ensuring maximum harmful vibrations are absorbed.
• balancer is anodized for durability and appearance
• Absorbs more damaging torsional harmonic vibrations
• Quicker engine acceleration
• Increases engine life
• Lifetime warranty, even for racing use - a world first!
• Never requires maintenance or rebuilding - ever!
• Rated to 1500 HP
• Encapsulated MetaL Jacket® design exceeds AN DRA and SF1 i8.1(USA) requirements
• Fits standard or modified engines
• Affordably priced

Now this is a pretty trick bit of kit and have only heard good things about them...admittedly mainly used on high output RB26 engines. It will also bolt up directly to the S13 SR20 Oil Pump which is having to come over from Japan.

More to come as more arrives.

Cheers
Brendan

SR20 Strip Down - Part 2

Yesterday I completed the tear down on the SR so it could be sent off to Heinz for the bottom end rebuild once the replacement parts arrive. The task though was to remove the crank, rods and pistons so all I was left with was a block.

- SR20 Crank girdle and oil baffles
- SR20 GTi-R Oil Pump removed



Once the oil pump was gone, the girdle could be removed and then the main caps for a good view of the journals and bearings. These are Eagle Forged Conrods with ARP rod bolts. The journals seem to be on OK condition and should just require a polish.

- Piston 3 Conrod caps
- Piston 2 Conrod caps
- Piston 1 Conrod caps
- Main bearings - show some heavy usage
- Close up of the bore
- Close up of the crank journals
- Rod and pistons now removed
- Eagle Rod with Z32 piston

After this was all done, it was time to put the shopping list together. I made the decision to no longer use the GTi-R oil pump as after a bit of research it was hit and miss on the whether or not the oil leakages can be stopped. It will be replaced with a standard S13 pump and we'll get the gears cryo treated for some extra insurance. With the reversion back to the standard pump, the GFB light weight pulley will no longer fit properly. This means with another GFB pulley, a standard SR20 dampened pulley or another aftermarket one. I'd heard nothing by good things about the Ross Harmonic Balancers, and although a 4-cylinder doesn't really need it, it's just good to use them anyway. So that will be on the shopping list.

Of course the Tomei metal head gasket can't be reused without a few hours work so a new one will be ordered. Now the big question comes around pistons...what to get. The original intention with the engine was response over all out power, and after good results from other engines C-Red had built with higher compression pistons, the decision to order a set of CP Forged Pistons with a 9.0:1 compression ratio has been made.

If you remember back to the track day, I was a little surprised to see oil up on the intake side of the engine and my thoughts are that the sandwich plate for the GReddy Oil Cooler kit is a potential fail point in the system. It uses only a single screw in the centre to latch onto the original mounting for an oil filter. I'd been eyeing off an item from Tomei call the N2 Oil Block which basically replaces the standard factory oil block with one that takes -10 AN lines instead of a filter...tick! The last obvious item is a replace releave pivot in the form of a Nismo Reinforced Release Pivot.

So now it's a matter of waiting for the parts to come in and then send off for bottom end rebuild. I thinking that will put us fair and square in the Xmas shutdown period so I am expecting some delays. Not to mention I know I have too much work on too.

Cheers
Brendan