update on our project

[khughes]

Hi Guys,

just thought i would drop you all a line, as i know some are following the project and i havn't had much time to keep things upto date (which i guess is okay, as it seems i havn't gotten anywhere in the past couple of weeks )

I picked up an R31 GTS-X RB20DET (NICS version) engine, 5 sp gearbox, ecu etc.. on the weekend.. the engine has roughly 24,000km's on it, before it was ripped out and an rb30det put in it's place (it was on a race car!)

hopefully this will help us to make up a bit on lost time (we will still build the rb30det when we can, and throw that in later on, though it will also mean a gearbox upgrade, aftermarket ecu etc..).. Spent the last couple of nights tracing the wiring looms, trying to work out the pile of sensors etc.. it is slowly starting to look understandable!!

Tried test fitting the engine on the weekend as well, it is slightly out (by about 3-5cm's), so this weekend we will be measuring it up for the custom mounts (and trying the gearbox fitting as well!)

Kent

[kyteler]

Good stuff man,

Once you've fabricated some mounts to fit the RB nicely into the K, how would you feel about making another set or two

[Z Kid]

I looked at the RBK on the ozdat site a few weeks ago, and the mounts are remarkably simple and easy to make it was just a nice heavy bit of 40x40 RHS and some laser cut plates. Could be dont very cheaply and nicely I would think. The sump etc was all unmodified which made it easier than a Z conversion.

[Alfadog]

Awesome news Kent, keep us up with the progress..!

[Murph]

Should be good fun! Despite people always bagging out on the NICS, they're no bad thing. Their biggest problem was the tiny tiny turbo. Ditch that and you're laughing. A mate of mine had a NICS RB20 in his R31 with a HT-18 (SIV RX7 turbo)....it was spitting out 180rwkw on 13psi.

[The C110]

Greak work, kent im really interested to see how it turns out!! [it may be inspiration for me.

[khughes]

thanks guys, great to hear all the support!

ktyler, i will see how we go, i will at the very least draw up a template and post it, i am calling in a favour to get them made up, so not sure if i could get more made..

zkid: RBK?? what is that? got a link? it looks like the engine is going to fit very nicely in the bay (as far back as possible), we are going to run electric thermo fans too, to help keep the power going directly to the drivetrain best thing is, the RB30 will just drop in there too (assuming the oil pan isn't too different, we will facter this into the mounts)

Datto-Zed: yeah reading up on the nics engines they are very good, they can easily be bored out to 2.4L, shame about the ECU, apparently it is a piece of junk and will flood the engine with fuel after around 210kw.. and i had plans on strapping a T03/04R on there (which would also move to the RB30)

it will be nice for the car to start looking more complete!!

[Murph]

Yes the ECU is a more primitive design than that laster ECCS ECUs. IIRC the EEPROM is half the size of that used in the ECCS ECUs. However, it is remappable using the same software and techniques as the later ECUs. We had done this with my mates NICS ECU without any dramas.

The main problem is that we haven't been able to find an ADR file for the NICS (points the software to the location of the maps and other constants in the EEPROM). So the lads basically went hunting through the file themselves and have found most things. Simon has sold the car now so development of the ADR file has stopped, but if you're interested, I can get you a copy. It at least covers the important things like fuel, ign and VQ maps.

Alternatively you could adapt the RB20 ECCS ECU. I'd imagine the mapping wouldn't be too far off.

[khughes]

Thanks Datto-zed, i would really appreciate a copy! atleast then i can have a look and see if it is too over my head, then find someone close who it wouldn't be

my email address is kent@project240k.com

how hard is it to adapt the eccs ecu? do you know of anyone who has successfully done this?

thanks for the information, very very exciting!!

[Murph]

Thanks Datto-zed, i would really appreciate a copy! atleast then i can have a look and see if it is too over my head, then find someone close who it wouldn't be

my email address is kent@project240k.com

how hard is it to adapt the eccs ecu? do you know of anyone who has successfully done this?

thanks for the information, very very exciting!!

I emailed my mate about the ADR file, here's his response:

I don't have the ADR file here. It's at home.

Tell him to sign up on the Ztechz forum. They have heaps of Nissan ECU

stuff.

http://www.tangentrix.com/forums/index.php

Also have a look on the R31 skyline club. There was a guy on there (also

on the Ztechz forum) that was doing some work with the NICS. His name is

Darkhalf.

This site here rocks for an intro to Nissan ECU tuning. I think it has

links to romeditor etc.

http://www.ztechz.net/id10.html

Anyhow, I'll send you the ADR file whenever simon sends it to me. My advice would be to do some reading up on the ztech forum to get a gist of how the whole process of remapping the stock ECUs works.

It might be worth seeing if you can find a workshop in your area that actually has all the gear to do it, namely a real time emulator. Otherwise there is some cost in buying all the gear yourself.

As for adapting the ECCS ECU, it shouldn't be a big hastle if your reasonably confident with wiring. I know there are plenty of people that adapt the RB20 ECU to the RB25s, as the RB25 ECU isn't easily programable.

It would really be a matter of getting the ECCS ECU, engine loom and sensors, then plugging that all into the NICS engine. One catch would be that you wouldn't have anything to control the NICS anymore. You'll notice the inlet manifold has two runners per cyliners. The NICS system closes one of the two runners as low revs, increasing intake air velocity, giving greater torque....something you'll be wanting! You could make up a pretty simple electronic circuit to control it however.....and until you do that you just wire it fully open.

I'd guess the mapping for the ECCS wont be exactly right for the NICS, but would have to be close. Either way you could just pull the fuel and ign maps off the NICS EEPROM and put them on the ECCS EEPROM quite easily.

If there's anything else you want to know, just give me a yell. If I don't know it, my two mates that play with this stuff will.