A31 On a Budget ( at least it started that way )

[MDM]

This thread is copied from another forum and is finished but has been done over the last 2 years.

This has been a build that started almost 2 years ago due to lack of time and $$. This is going to be heavy on the pics and light on the words as im not big on words..

It all began when i was looking for a car and came across this A31 in below average condition but well priced. From memory i paid $2400 for it with 5 months wof left & 6 months rego so just decided to drive it untill it ran out. The plan being in that time i would find a better shell and swap all the gear over. That proved harder than i thought it took almost a year to find what i wanted .

This is where it began. RB20DET, Manual, Lsd etc etc

By jdmyo at 2011-12-27

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This is the replacement. Im the 2nd NZ owner, an old guy owned it for 17 years and i only got it because he passed away.

By cefiro at 2011-12-27

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By cefiro at 2011-12-27
This is the engine out of the origional car.

By jdmyo at 2011-12-27

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By jdmyo at 2011-08-19

By cefiro at 2011-12-27


It was all a bit of a dulux rebuild


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Some new parts..

By jdmyo at 2011-12-27

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[MDM]

Pulling the motor out and preping the engine bay


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[MDM]

Waited a week with the heater and dehumidifier going for the paint to dry.


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Didnt think of cutting the holes for the I/C piping before painting so had to do some careful drilling. Also swapped rear hicas subframe for a non hicas one.


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Had to stick it on the hoist to do some of the stuff that was a mish on the ground.


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[MDM]

It finally becomes mobile.


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[MDM]

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When i got all running the turbo oil seals were leaking and it was smoking like crazy + the exhaust was rangi as.


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more exhaust and some pics of when i took it to Powercruise in Nov


By jdmyo at 2011-12-27

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[MDM]

A couple of things i had to do for the cert.. High flow cat and 2 hoops + changing an exhaust that had done about 200kms.. Should have done my research.


By cefiro at 2012-02-25


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Got some strut braces..


By jdmyo at 2012-02-26

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Also started on my next motor


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By jdmyo at 2012

[MDM]

Stripped block, had a massive time getting the inner crank pully off. Consumed about an hour of my life due to rusty build up. Everything looks alright rings look new, bearings a little worn, still has hone marks on bores but i think they are factory ones..

Im going to get my engine rebuilder to relocate my tentioner bearing as i dont want to fail. I will also get him to fit crank collar. I will give the bores a light hone myself.


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Got all the parts back from the engine reconditioners yeaterday. block, cradle, crank, pistons, rods, pick up all acid dipped. Crank polished & collar fitted. Piston ring groves cleaned, shot peened & gudgens checked. Tensioner stud repositioned. I will fit the oil restrictors myself. Got all parts except bigend bearings which will arrive mid next week. Will give it a light hone this weekend then start putting it back togeather..


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Gave the bores a light hone/de-glaze. Dont think it came out to bad having only done it once before. Got the crank and pistons in as well.


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[MDM]

Finally spent some time on the motor again. Got the bottom end all togeather.


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Started on the head yeaterday. All well except the bolts in the exhaust cam keepers where seized in the keepers. Unknown why or how but got them out by very slowley unwinding them bot cant get bolts out and damaged one trying. Yay get to spend more money getting more. Other than that gave it a good clean, very light valve lapping with some fine paste.


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[MDM]

Long block all togeather except lower cambelt cover. I also need to make up a piece to fit between the two covers to fill in the exposed space. Should get intake mani sorted this weekend and all aux. Still need to sort injectors and ECU but that should be it. Just have to build up the motivation to pull the motor out again..


By jdmyo at 2012-06-01

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Got a few more bits, some good some cheap ( intake mani ) Have a tial BOV on the way and have started pulling the motor out of the car..

My work place


By cefiro at 2012-06-29

By cefiro at 2012-06-29

Old injectors on top 270cc, new injectors below 550cc ( series 4 rx7 . Business card from the guy i got them off..


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[MDM]

Motor is ready to come out and BOV turned up.


By jdmyo at 2012-07-05

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A bit more progress. I got the flywheel machined again because im pretty sure it was out of balance after the first time and it has some pretty wicked heat spots on it. Got new heater, fuel and water hoses. Got a spiggot bush from nissan for $10 aswell. Thought it would have been more genuine.

Started to re-wire the injectors to suit Bosch injectors. Gave the engine bay a clean up and started preping the wheels to be re painted.


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Picked up some parts to relocate the battery into the boot. I went with 35mm double insulated cable instead of 25mm because a few people told me i will get less voltage drop due to the length of the car. Only down side is i had to buy 10m of it. I was thinking maybe running the earth the length of the car as well should provide a better earth.


By jdmyo at 2012-07-16

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[MDM]

Had my wheels painted satin grey, i did all the sanding which i now realise sux ***.. They came out looking pretty cool but i haven't put them on the car yet so not 100% sure if they will look as good on.... to late now..


By jdmyo at 2012-07-27

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Painted the sub frame with POR15 so it will stay nice and shiney. Fitted all new hoses and braided lines before putting the motor back in today.


By jdmyo at 2012-08-05

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Have been away for a few weekends so not a lot of progress. Injectors turned up from the states. Got an oil restrictor made up and thats about it.


By jdmyo at 2012-08-30

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[MDM]

Here are some photos in no particular order of what i have done since the last photo update..

Removed the standard 20det clutch after i ran the motor in and fitted a excedy 5 puk clutch. Broke the top hose fitting off the radiator ( not very impressed ). Wired in Z32 AFM. Took it to Torque Performance and had a nistune board fitted and a custom tune done. Got half way through shimming my spare diff. Did the front brakes. Went to powercruise. It rained. If ive missed something the pics will explain.

Now i just want to get out and use it.










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I forgot to take a pic of the dyno sheet so will do that next time im on the computer

[MDM]

[greenwood]

too legit to quit.

[JIMB0]

cool build besides the wheel

[MDM]

Originally Posted by JIMB0

cool build besides the wheel

Cheers mate, the wheels are average but were about 1/3 the price of anything else in 15x9..

[MDM]

Originally Posted by greenwood

too legit to quit.

Cheers mate.

[JIMB0]

Originally Posted by MDM

Cheers mate, the wheels are average but were about 1/3 the price of anything else in 15x9..

and thats why its a budget build keep it up

[Jay Gadsby]

Nice man! I sure wish we had Holdens up here. Nothing like a GTamino to tow with lol.

[Arsenal240sx]

That was a good read and an interesting build! Car looks awesome bro!

[MDM]

Originally Posted by Jay Gadsby

Nice man! I sure wish we had Holdens up here. Nothing like a GTamino to tow with lol.

Cheers mate, pontiac have used a few holdens over the years..

[MDM]

Originally Posted by Arsenal240sx

That was a good read and an interesting build! Car looks awesome bro!

Cheers bro...

[wacko2]

clean a31, man wish we had these in the US, would like have that instead my s13

[MDM]

Originally Posted by wacko2

clean a31, man wish we had these in the US, would like have that instead my s13

Cheers mate. We are lucky here all rear wheel drive nissans are real common and A31's are nice and cheap.

[Jay Gadsby]

Originally Posted by MDM

Cheers mate, pontiac have used a few holdens over the years..

Its not quite the same lol. I actually just picked up a full drive train out of a Holden Monaro (aka GTO) for my Kouki. At least that stayed the same

[MDM]

Originally Posted by Jay Gadsby

Its not quite the same lol. I actually just picked up a full drive train out of a Holden Monaro (aka GTO) for my Kouki. At least that stayed the same :)

Cool man. LS1 swaps are becoming pretty popular over here now to. Where did you source the setup from? Some of the monaros are gto's over here to.

[wacko2]

i dont now if u seen these build of others A31

http://zilvia.net/f/builds-builds-on...an-cefiro.html

http://zilvia.net/f/builds-builds-on...jz-cefiro.html

[MDM]

Originally Posted by wacko2

i dont now if u seen these build of others A31

http://zilvia.net/f/builds-builds-on...an-cefiro.html

http://zilvia.net/f/builds-builds-on...jz-cefiro.html

Nah mate, i hadnt seen either of them. The second one is so cool..