Fletch's RFB32 resto

[fletch]

the clutch pack goes in here and the actuator pushes the pins up to clamp the plates together

You can see there is a difference in height of the inner splines to the outer basket. I was stumped why the plates did not line up. I stripped the inner assembly and found the thrust washer and needle bearing clamp half washer thingys had fallen out

I got it all together correctly and back into the case then put all the plates in. There needs to be the correct clearance under the main snapring otherwise it will either be locked or lazy as. I was close but not within tolerance so out with all the plates and measure them all and assemble with all the thinnest ones, but still too tight. Then i tried the thin base plate and all the thickest clutches and drive plates and it was too loose.

The front plate can be ordered in a bunch of thicknesses from nissan but thats 3 weeks plus

I ended up running the R33 shaft and basket in the R32 case as it was .3mm different depth and everything worked out. I had to play the thrust washer game again as it was different... But it does have a splash guard that helps stop the oil coming out around the gearstick.

This was me for about 4 hours. Plates in, measure, swear, plates out, measure again, stick in different piles according to thickness, and reinstall and measure again etc. Then try with the R33 basket and shaft.

Every time i got stuck, it was back over to the press to push it apart or back together, and repeat.

 

Fortunately the shims for the front plate are within tolerance so i just need to clean it up and glue it on tonight.

 

Progress might be slow now. Waiting on the head, and need to do some work on the wagon for wagnats

 

[RUNAMUCK]

We just went through a similar thing with the clutches in Dads 904 transmission.  Standard the have 4 friction discs. "Performance" upgrade is to use 5. We managed to shoehorn 6 in. But to get that magic clearance number right, the top outermost edge of the top plate (where the snap ring resides) had to have a recess machined into it  we think it was an internal hydraulic leak that caused them to slip in the first place. But the maximum number of plates is cheap insurance 

[fletch]

14 hours ago, RUNAMUCK said:

But the maximum number of plates is cheap insurance 

If some is good, more must be better right?

I read another joker took a lick off the end of the pushrod that actuates the clutch to get the right clearance. It was my 2nd last option.  Last being spending more money on the correct sized end plate from Japan.

I understand that as long as they are set up right, there is bugger all wear on the plates and they should last a long time.

[fletch]

Wow, time flies when you're on OS.

So I got the transfer back together and put it on the back of the box ready to go in. I'm suspicious of the gearbox, but don't want to open another can of worms right now so I'll ignore it.

Next job was to adapt the 74mm ethrottle body to the inlet manifold. Adapters are not common (=expensive) for this application as most people run the bigger throttle so i got a bit of Ali plate and a holesaw and some backyard machining later

Just needs a polish and it's done.

While doing this I remembered that my China plenum was actually a dog and I did some shitty things to make it fit and also not leak coolant through the casting. I found a genuine one online for a good price and the quality is far superior.

Got the head back recently so it's waiting to go on.

Just need to port the water bypass port in the head as I welded it up to suit the rb30 block. You can see the weld where the water port was. I think I'll get in here with a die grinder and vacuum cleaner to catch the swarf. Hopefully it will work out.

I dropped the fuel tank and it was fucked. Has been sitting for maybe 12 years and was maybe 1/2 full when parked.

Fortunately I had found a gtr plastic tank a few years back. 72L vs 55 or 60 so a good improvement.

Picked up a walbro 525 L/hr fuel pump to go in. Hindsight says I probably could have gone for a 460 but now I can run e85 if the opportunity arises without needing more pump.

Surprising how much smaller it is than the stock pump.

Got some more goodies for the fuel system too but no photos yet

[fletch]

Current job is the front diff. I should have done it before bolting it to the engine but I was waiting on overnight parts from Japan.

Here's my pinion preload gauge

Got the pattern nearly there, but it's not perfect and the backlash it too tight so I'm waiting on more overnight parts from Japan. Currently sitting at 32 nights, but could arrive tomorrow. Fingers crossed

As it sits now. Head gasket had arrived, but can't put the head on or it will be too hard to turn on the stand.

Also found another sump, front diff, and transfer down the road for cheap so thought I better hoard them......

 

Hopefully an update in a week. I would like to get it going before Xmas and on the road in Feb

[fletch]

Overnight parts turned up after a month yesterday so snuck out to the shed for a few hours.

One of the reasons for waiting on the parts was is that pulling the pinion bearing off to get to the shim wrecks the bearing.

Turns out, if you have the correct tool it doesn't. I didn't have the correct tool, but after a few beers and some time staring at it, I realized I just needed to remodel my gear puller with the grinder and I could get it under the bearing cage without damaging it.

The spacer and washer needed to be the correct length between the bearings. The spacer is not a crush type so it took a heap of assembly and disassembly and swapping parts to get it right.

Many times on and off with this flange.

Backlash mint.

Then I realized it was 1.30am and there were empty bottles everywhere.

Today sucked, haha.

Hopefully box it up this weekend, then the head can go on and the engine can go in.

Much excitement

[fletch]

Diff went together ok. I'll have to do skid once I get it going to make sure it works.

Got the head on tonight.

Had to port out those water gallery as I welded up the vct oil feed to the head and built up the water port to move it closer to the rb30 block port.

Vacuum taped onto the port outlet and I got no swarf off the grinder which was a first for me.

Then head gasket needed to be modified. One of the brass crimps was going to get squashed between the block and the head. I drilled it out. Seems ok still..

It looked like this.

But then it was gone. The block already has some clearancing from my last build. The exhaust manifold hits on these ribs

I got the machinist to hot tank the rocker covers. Im stoked with the work he did. They came out brand new.

 

Just need a bunch of little things then I can put the engine in the car and waste more money in hoses and fittings.

[Goat]

Shit this is cool

[fletch]

2 steps forward, some back.

Turns out the arp studs I reused were not ideal. I bought them 15years ago when I first built the engine. I didn't know any better, but did notice when I stripped the motor the nuts were right down the thread and hitting the shank of the stud. When I put the head on I measured and did some quick research and the conclusion was to run a stock washer under the arp one.

Some further research and it appears the studs are also no better than stock bolts. So some more $$ thrown on the bonfire and I got some arp2000 studs.

Plain studs have ARP ARP on the ends and arp2000 studs have ARP 2000 on the ends.

They are also the correct shorter length

And come with the correct diameter larger washers to suit the head and bigger nuts to boot.

Got some new studs for the exhaust and double nutted them in.

Bonus photo of my modified bearing puller.

Whoops, I guess I had a few more beers than I thought. Did the job tho. I was using a 1mm cutting disc...

[fletch]

Installed my old swagelok tube I made up for the vct feed. Not sure if I'm going to keep it. It's tee'd into the oil pressure sensor.

Then a quick tune up on the exhaust manifold as its hits the block in a few places on the rb30.

Got the turbo and wastegate fitted for a measure up.

Then another step backwards. In order to fit the oil drain fitting for the turbo, I need to take the sump off so I can wind it in. There is not enough room between the front axle flange and the block to get an elbow in. Hopefully I can get onto it this week.

[Roman]

2 hours ago, fletch said:

Got some new studs and double nutted them in.

True, but Al's mum does this 4 times a week. 

Yeah I am now convinced that a lot of companies like ARP simply buy a factory head bolt, then remake it as a stud without any testing. 
With the 1NZFE (sorry to pollute with Toyota chat) if you buy the ARP head stud kit. Then the VVT solenoid doesnt fit anymore, and it breaks off the end of one of your fucken cams when you torque it up.
Have heard similar reports from some other engines. 

This is an awesome build. It's awesome to see some RFB stuff done properly. 

[fletch]

Here's a 45deg fitting not screwed in.

A "short" time later

Purchasing the rips sump adapter vs using my own original one just about paid for itself in not having to remove and clean up all the rtv, then reapply it in the correct rfb manner. Red, and about 5x more than necessary so it can squeeze out everywhere incl the oil pickup.

So that's all back together. Maybe tomorrow I'll make up the turbo drain line and vct drain.

[fletch]

Next chob is the fuel tank. I had a factory tin tank that went rotten with old fuel so I got a larger plastic gtr one cheap a while back. Also can use early 4wd turbo stagea tank for far less gtr tax.

But as its larger the straps don't reach.

@tortron will be pleased to hear I used the front half of a wingroad tank strap welded to the rear gts4 strap

There were pretty much both the same. Fortunately the 4wd body has the captive nuts for both sizes of tank so it was an easy fit. Will paint them tomorrow and that's a job done.

I got some cupro-nickel 3/8 line for the fuel lines. I ran it where the old hicas lines go. They were long gone when I got the car which is a shame as they can be adapted to use as fuel lines.

I did have an old 3/8 bundy fuel supply line that I made years ago but it is also full of shabby fuel and gone all crusty.

Ethanol sensor about here in the return line

Done

Some of the factory clips are stuffed so I have ordered them.

Just need to put fittings on the end of the tube and it's done.

[Lith]

Looks awesome man, look forward to seeing how this comes out once it's running - the VCT RB25/RB30 combo with a sensible turbo makes for a really really nice street setup too 

[fletch]

Nissan didn't come through with the goods on the fuel line clamps. I got 2 out of 9 and it appears they are discontinued so I'll have to refurbish what I have.

Fuel tank is in

Next is the turbo water lines. I wanted the return to go straight to the radiator. Only rb26 goes to the water outlet on the inlet manifold. All the rest of the RB turbos go back to the heater return around the back of the block.

It's pretty busy behind there on a 30 due to the extra height, so I made up some hard lines using the left over 3/8 tube I had.

Water feed here under the manifold.

The return snakes behind the timing belt cover.

I tapped a hole into the water passage under the inlet manifold. Thankfully it was cast in Japan out of recycled datsun cylinder heads, not old cans by that barefoot Indian guy on those Facebook videos.

I need a p clamp on one of the pipes and then I can put all the covers on and chuck the engine in.

Maybe another few weeks..

[fletch]

Made up the oil feed line to the vct solenoid. Well, actually I reused the line I made years ago, but made a new oil restrictor for it.

It's fed from the oil pressure sensor port. I'll use one of the ports on the remote filter housing for the sender.

The previous restrictor was no good so I needed to make another one. I don't have a lathe but found a brass electrical fitting in my van and it was the right size.

Drilled a 1.3mm hole in it

Drilled a bit of a recess into this swagelok fitting

Bit of a nudge with a punch, et viola.

Mint

It's maybe not the most suitable method of doing it, but I work with swagelok tube a lot so the price was right.

Also rekitted the PS pump and fitted a new pulley with the correct offset to suit my crank pulley. Only took a few pics so nothing exciting there

[fletch]

Finished the fuel lines.

Extended the factory brackets to make it all fit nicely.

Ignore the tube that shoots off into space. I'll trim it once the motor is in.

Next up was the flywheel and clutch. I replaced the sandwich plate as the manual ones come with a rubber seal that keeps the leaky rear main oil off the flywheel

I have a folded piece of scrap still that I didn't take a photo of that jams the flywheel nicely. Looks like I forgot to take a few pics.

I also did up the crank pulley bolt to FT. It needs 240ftlb which was tricky when you are also trying to not tip the motor over!

 

[fletch]

New clutch bearing. The old one was for my old Japanese twin plate and was for really long clutch plate fingers.

I'm not sure where the new one came from, I found it on the shelf

Then, since I was on a roll I put the box on the motor, set up the subframe on stands under the car and balanced the motor on top.

Not dodgy at all

[fletch]

2 steps forward, 3 backwards today.

It's too tight

I'll have to modify the cooling line which is ok, but the compressor is only a few mm off the strut tower.

I believe I have the correct manifold so further investigation is required

Dammit

[fletch]

Picked up the car tonight from a mate who's great with a welder. He did the ally fab below and the exhaust.

I ended up packing the engine mount up 3mm on the passenger side to get some turbo clearance and I might pay the strut tower a little visit from Mr hammer later on.

Need to get a bunch of hose clamps, and a few more silicon joiners to for the piping, and some finessing of a few places where things are close.

Then oil and fuel hoses.