j_jza80 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 So, earlier in the thread I mentioned that I had started getting a misfire on WOT when the car was very warm. This manifested for the first time on the Nurburgring after a full day on track. Having just fitted new plugs before my trip, I assumed the issue would be my coilpack clips. After a quick inspection, my coilpack clips appeared to be in pretty good order, so rather than spend ages trying to diagnose the issue, I decided to treat the car to a full set of coilpacks and coilpack clips. Thankfully the car is a VVTi, so there were only 3 of each to replace instead of the 6 found on the non VVTi models Before getting elbows deep So first things first, the plug cover has to come off. This is held on by allen head bolts. If you can't figure out how to remove this, you shouldn't be working on cars! With that off, remove the two rubber breather hoses that run between the cam covers. They can be fiddly as the rubber is probably quite tough, if not brittle. If you see any cracks then replace them. After that, the plastic runners/clips that the plug leads run through need removing. IIRC there are two of them, which are each held in place with a single 10mm bolt. Once the runners/clips are out, you can get to the 10mm bolt that holds the coilpacks in place. Again, each coilpack is held in place with a single 10mm bolt. Before removing the coilpacks, it is worth inspecting the coilpack clips. Mine seemed in good condition However, appearances can be deceptive, and as I had a set of new coilpack connectors 'in stock' (thanks to MATT_RR), I decided to replace them. As the coilpack connectors are part of the engine wiring loom, you are left with a couple of options for replacing the clips. Either strip down the old connectors, and replace the plastic components, or cut the wiring loom behind the connectors, and solder on brand new clips with fly leads. I decided on the latter, as it was less fiddly and potentially more reliable. This is pretty self explanatory, and if you aren't comfortable using a soldering iron then get someone else to do it! I used a liner from a tea light candle under the join, just in case any solder got free. I would also recommend leaving the coilpacks in place while doing this, you really don't want solder getting down into the plug chamber! Once done, make sure you insulate the join and the surrounding wiring well. Once that was done, I removed my coilpacks. The old coils seem to be in good condition, with none of the cracking other people have reported. I figured that 18 years was enough service anyway, and went about replacing them. I also used the opportunity to check my spark plugs. These are circa 3000 miles old, and by the look of it the cause of the misfire was on cylinders 3&4 I cleaned all the plugs up well using a dedicated spark plug wire brush, and refitted them. With all that done, I reassembled the car. It started perfectly, and straight away I noticed the idle had picked up slightly. I thoroughly tested the car ( ), and I am pleased to report that the misfire on WOT has totally gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Excellent news Jason, glad your misfire has disappeared Thanks for the write-up too - even though I'm familiar with the procedure for doing the coilpack clips, it may be handy for others that aren't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Cheers mate The various write ups and 'how to' guides on the forum have saved me a fortune over the years, so it's nice to contribute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_ufo Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Cheers mate, I need to do mine, ive had new clips for 2 years sat around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Them pictures of the car on the ring look stunning Agreed, great write up too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) Cheers mate, I need to do mine, ive had new clips for 2 years sat around! No worries mate I reckon it took me about 2 hours all in, so make sure that you give yourself AT LEAST another 30mins - an hour to do the additional 3 coilpacks you have Them pictures of the car on the ring look stunning Agreed, great write up too! Cheers mate Can't wait until I can do another international road trip in the Supra, hopefully she will be a whole lot more powerful by then too. Edited July 24, 2015 by j_jza80 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Been pretty quiet on the Supra front recently due to ongoing work with my Corrado (which, BTW is a PITA to work on when you're used to working on an immaculate Supra! ) However, I've been weighing up my options for going single and there's a few different routes I'm currently considering. But, ne thing I knew I was going to need was a decent diff. Thanks a lot to suprano for pointing me in the direction of this... A TRD Limited slip differential! It is brand new, and I got it for a great price. Thanks again Suprano! I have also picked up a couple of extra small case diffs from Johnmkiv, one auto and one manual, as I'm yet to decide which to go with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 I bought a GoPro camera from JohnnyG on here not so long ago, and have been playing around with different mounting points etc. I also set up an external microphone, and made my own wind diffuser for it. Unfortunately, I killed that mic on the first drive out But what little non incriminating footage I did get before the mic died had been turned into a brief video Enjoy Will keep playing with the camera/mic set up, and will post more videos in due course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supraleeturbo Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 That's sounds the dogs nuts mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 That does sound good, nice one of the audio matey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I bought a GoPro camera from JohnnyG on here not so long ago, and have been playing around with different mounting points etc. I also set up an external microphone, and made my own wind diffuser for it. Unfortunately, I killed that mic on the first drive out But what little non incriminating footage I did get before the mic died had been turned into a brief video Enjoy Will keep playing with the camera/mic set up, and will post more videos in due course That sounds lovely!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Cheers guys Really happy with the exhaust. It weighs nothing, sounds fantastic on WOT, and is very quiet on the motorway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny g Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Nice to see my old GoPro getting some good use!! Sounds superb, mate. Top job. (one for sale here ) Jay, buy these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IVGO3EY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00 You can put a sticky mount at the top of your rear window and manipulate the extension to come down between the seats. It gives a great shot. Edited August 26, 2015 by johnny g (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Thanks for the recommendation, just bought them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cered Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Looks right at home on the 'ring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Looks right at home on the 'ring! It was Won't be too many 18 year old , 400hp cars that will happily drive 300 miles to the 'ring, get driven hard for two days, then do another 2000+ miles around europe in complete comfort and with no breakdowns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 This thread is one year old today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_ufo Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 love this dude, cant believe ive not seen it yet being as we are so close, you need to attend some meets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 I was on the club stand at Harewood Might do Squires next Tuesday though, don't think I've got any plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 (edited) A few things have happened today, some photogenic and some not, so bare with me I started off first thing having my oil changed. I used 5.5 litres of Fuchs Titan Race Pro S 5w40, and one of the better K&N oil filters, all from Opie Oils I figure that oil is probably the last thing you want to skimp on, so I did a lot of research and the Fuchs Ester based products were consistently praised. As the coolant is still bright red, and the brake fluid was done with the brake kit 4 months ago, there was nothing else that needed any attention. MOT due next month, which I am fully expecting to pass with no advisories!!! After that I went to the local tyres & geometry specialist to get my Vred's removed from my LM wheels, and fitted to my new BBS RGR wheels And I'm pretty happy with the results! They are in pretty much brand new condition, with no marks on them at all and the factory paint/diamond etched finish are still perfect Being single piece forged wheels, they are very light. Even more so than the reasonably light LMs that have just come off. They are slightly wide at 8.5 front and 9.5 rear, but with a more sensible offset of ET35 front and ET37 rear. While they don't have the overly agressive offsets of the old ones they still look great, allow for slightly wider tyres (they're 255 rears now, will go up to 275 when they need changing), and now there is no rubbing at the front on full lock as there was before. They are also much easier to clean! All in all a decent improvement I think. Which means the LMs will be definitely be going Anyways, after all that was done, I was driving back past Elvington airfield, and I heard either a Gallardo or R8 V10 on the track, which sounded incredible. They had one of their Supercar experience days on, similar to one I went to last year to drive a Gallardo. This time I wanted a go in a convertible (for obvious reasons! ) but all the Gallardos were fully booked. I decided it was time to pop my GTR cherry I was curious to see how the much hyped DCT gearbox of the GTR compared to the paddleshift setup in my own car, and surprisingly the results are not as one sided as you may expect. First impressions of the cockpit were not great. For such an expensive car, the dashboard could have been lifted straight out of a Juke or Primera, and you'd never know. The instrument binnacle itself though is very clear and simple, and you can immediately tell that it is very racer focuses. But the driving position is excellent, and the cabin manages to be spacious but reassuringly cosy. The engine barks into life quickly after pressing the starter, and I was pleasingly surprised by the sound. One of my great criticisms of the GTR is that the VR38 is not a great sounding engine from the outside, even with aftermarket exhausts. But inside it sounds far better. The first thing you realize when driving the GTR is that it is a big, heavy car. And its mass hides the fact that it is an extremely rapid car! The engine does not feel like a turbo engine in the traditional sense, the engine being so well engineered that it feels like a bit NA V8. Coming into the first corner, a quick look down at the speedo shows that it is traveling far faster than I had expected The brakes are very good. powerful, feelsome and under braking the car is extremely well balanced, more so than anything else I have driven. It can also change direction in a way that defies the cars obvious weight, although the steering feel itself is probably just a little more weighted than a Supra. I'm constantly having to listen to the instructor, as the Nissan is much more capable than my initial instincts will believe. Considering I only did 4 laps, I passed some very exotic machinery, including the much lauded Ferrari 458. Not bad for an £80k Nissan! And sadly, because of the Nissans huge pace, my 4 laps were over very quickly. Now, to the paddle comparison. I was not that impressed with the Nissan in this regard. While the gearbox itself probably the best auto/dct I've used, the Nissans paddles lack any sort of feel or feedback, whereas the AMG paddles I have are well weighted and reassuringly 'smack' during changes. The GTR's are too light, and feel pretty cheap. But my main gripe was that they are fixed to the column instead of the wheel. Even decelerating coming in to the first hairpin, i was having to quickly change the position of my hands in order to reach the small paddles, where as on my Supra they would have been right at my fingertips the whole time. Far from ideal. Overall, my brief encounter with the GTR has made me respect it even more in purely performance terms. I think most single Supras would have a hard time even against a stock GTR. But it also confirmed my previous impressions, that while hugely capable, it never feels special in the way that my drives in slower Ferraris and Lamborghinis have. That said, one is definitely on the wishlist, as I doubt anything else could come close to the performance and abilities, and still be used as a reliable, comfortable daily driver. The fact than Nissan can build a car like this and sell it for so little (relatively) is pretty phenomenal. Edited September 5, 2015 by j_jza80 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitch79 Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Hang about.... Are you getting a WW RMM front lip next ;-) Ala Paul walker supe :-) Just watched FF7 again and when I seen the end I thought "seen them wheels recently" ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitz Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 How did you manage to take a chunk of sidewall out of that tyre Jason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 You try driving 2000+ miles on the wrong side of the road, and see what happens the toll booths are a killer on your own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glanza_Mike Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Car is looking beautiful mate, very clean! Nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 Hang about.... Are you getting a WW RMM front lip next ;-) Ala Paul walker supe :-) Just watched FF7 again and when I seen the end I thought "seen them wheels recently" ha His wheels are the LMs I've just taken off I had literally just paid for them when that scene was leaked on YouTube these are similar to the BBS wheels found on the E46 M3 CSL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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