Eagle_Adam Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 .................... Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 .............. Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted June 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 LOL! BTW, I swapped to a new head gasket and re-torqued everything according to the guys @ nicoclub. Cleaning the engine bay and a lot of good stuff like that. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 maybe i missed it in the 30 + pages but do you have an end color scheme in mind? Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted June 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 I was thinking metallic forest green... but now I'm not so sure. The white/yellow combo has grown on me and matches my skateboard, so IDK where I stand anymore. I don't know about the BRE stripes either, I was considering just a solid color such as gun metal, metallic green, etc. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 still deciding! so i can sway you to the green side yet! Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 paint it the covers like alligator skin Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted July 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 lol, it could happen, you never know. I got the car back together and started up yesterday. It's going to Erich's shop soon for intercooler piping and a potentially a few other goodies. I'll post pictures after the stuff is done... maybe there will be a surprise :) 2 Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted July 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 Checked torque on all studs and they're good after a heat cycle. Took it for a spin and stepped on the gas a little bit... thought something was broken until I remembered I swapped wastegate springs for 10psi... what a disappointment that was LOL. Anyway, I started sanding the fenders. I'll post pictures soon :) Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted July 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Blew HG on the way to Erich's shop so no Datsun love tonight. Idk when I'm gonna work on it again because now I'm thinking the machining is suspect. I'm tired of pulling it apart all the time and not bring able to enjoy driving it. Quote Link to comment
its_karl Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 What type of HG you using? MLS? how much compression? is it blowing the HG in the same place? how much boost you running? I don't know an aweful lot, but usually analyzing it causes some sort of aspect un-thought of previously. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 with as many times as you've done that fucking HG man, its not your technique(your pretty fucking spot on IMO), i doubt its the materials since you've upgraded. Take it apart one more time and have a DIFFERENT machinist take a peek :/ this sux hardcore i know but you can beat this motor! 1 Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted July 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 I spent a lot of time thinking and I'm going to attribute it to being caused by the ARP bolts. Maybe they're bottoming out, so I AM torquing them down to the proper torque, but that torque is not being transferred totally to the head to create a good seal. We're only talking 8-10 psi on this particular drive and that was once getting on the freeway. It's a fel-pro gasket which everyone with higher HP cars swear by. The HG completely looses seal around the entire motor, which is why I'm thinking it's the bolts bottoming out. So back to stock bolts, and I'm copper spraying the fuck out of the head gasket when I install it this time. If this blows, then I know it's the machine work. If it doesn't, then I know for sure it's the bolts or lack of copper spray. I was running 20psi for a while, never overheated and ran fine but it always leaked at least a little. I'm thinking because I took the head off 3 times now with the ARPs, they are slightly stretched because each time it lasts less time. Is my thinking wrong or off here guys? I feel like this all makes sense. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted July 26, 2013 Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 fundamentally, your thoughts seem sound. but i have a hard time believing ARP would have designed their studs wrong...... anything is possible tho Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 no i have seen this with other cars you might be on to something . you have to remember with a turbo car the head lifts under boost Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 That and ordering ARP bolts for the CA seems to be a real headache. Did you get the wrong ones? Quote Link to comment
its_karl Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 wouldn't studs be better? could take the head off and install the bolt, and measure the "bottomed out" shank length? Quote Link to comment
DISLEXICDIME Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 If you do messure don't forget the squish Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 wouldn't studs be better? could take the head off and install the bolt, and measure the "bottomed out" shank length? I was thinking the same thing ARP studs not bolts I thought this was the best thing so the studs are not re pulling on the threads in the block just a thought Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted July 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Yeah, it's not an ARP thing, it's a CA18 and ARP thing. The packages get labeled for CA but it's not necessarily the correct bolts. Many people re-badge some other set of bolts as for the CA. It's really hard to find a definitive answer on what the part # should be. I did a lot of research and thought I found the correct ones, but that doesn't mean my head wasn't milled more than once and would be thinner. I don't have a micrometer to check the head thickness but I can buy one. I think it's just these ARP studs are just a little too long. The labeling on the packages says CA18 but anyone can print a label. Quote Link to comment
its_karl Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 I'd say attempt to measure it by any means possible (and sounds like you may have already), because if it seems remotely close you're probably on the right track. Have you considered contacting ARP for guidance? Again I apologize if I ask something that you've already done or looked into. If you do contact them, see if they would consider exchanging (offer to pay the difference & shipping) the head bolts you have for a stud kit? Quote Link to comment
aintnobiscuit Posted July 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 As it turns out, one of the other CA18s I have has ARP head studs in them. Since I have to pull the head regardless, I'm going to measure the stock bolts and both sets of ARPs and see what happens. I'm not going to contact ARP until I have done this so I can ask them for advice if I need to. I ordered another head gasket just to be absolutely safe and I'm going to start pulling shit tonight when I get off work. I'll post results of measurements for you guys when I'm done and if the ARPs I have are bad, I'll post the part #. Hopefully if someone runs into the same issue they won't have to deal with the same damn problems I've been having. I'm getting discouraged and was considering pulling the motor to put a KA in... but I feel like I'll be angry and unsatisfied if I do that. I'm too damn close to give up now. 2 Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I'm getting discouraged and was considering pulling the motor to put a KA in... but I feel like I'll be angry and unsatisfied if I do that. I'm too damn close to give up now. thats like settling for the ugly step sister........ dont do it man! 2 Quote Link to comment
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