ER34 front rotors warped again....

After I got my front rotors skimmed and slotted back in August 2006, the car feels great. No more shuddering upon hard braking. However, it only lasts me for 2 weeks (!!!) before I managed to get 'em rotors warped again.

Sigh......I seriously hope it's just uneven rotors and not associated with other more minute details concerning the braking system. I had lived with it for close to 4 months now and it's beginning to irritate me badly. I can't drive hard with confidence knowing the car will vibrate upon hard utilization of the STOP pedal.

Pic 1: Brembo F50 brake kit

There are indeed many stock replacement rotors out there as with a total big brake upgrade kits. If one have the budget (> JPY 800,000), the Brembo F50 brake kit with 15" rotors seems to be like the big daddy of brake kit for the Skyline.

However, back to reality, I have tried the budget way, that is to skim and reuse back the OE units. Now, it's perhaps time to go aftermarket and opt for a replacement unit. I have surveyed around for the available models that I would consider. Looked at offerings from Dixcel, Project Mu and also Endless.

Pic 2: Project Mu's SCR Pro

Pic 3: Endless' 24 Slit Rotors

In the end, I narrowed down my choice to either Project Mu's SCR Pro or Endless' 24 Slit Rotors. Just wire transferred the cash to my contact in Japan yesterday and would hope to get it delivered via EMS as soon as possible over here.

Which rotors did I ordered? Will let you all know once it arrives..... :P

Waits in glee!!!

Low batt and a fried amp?

Well I had some electrical problems with the ER34 for the past week. Sometimes the electronics will flicker about while driving. The heaunit, headlamps, taillamps and meter cluster LEDS all will flicker a couple of times and be back to normal.

Now this of course is very worrisome. I had no idea what the hell is wrong with the car. Initial suspicion was the fuse distributor. But had no idea which electrician can work on the ER34 unit. Sigh....

Anyway, this carries on for quite a while off and on. Sometimes, the engine will even go dead. Luckily this only happens while idling at the lights. I did try to check the battery power level and it shows a healthy 13.5V via the OE battery voltage meter. Once I used the flash lights (high beam), and the same thing happened. Everything went flickering on and off. Did an experiment later and held onto the flash lights (high beam) for a prolonged period; and it stalled the engine!!

Pic 1: Fried Amp

Then one fine day, my amp got fried!! I suspect the irregular power input could have been the cause of it. Send it for repair and while waiting for it to get fixed, I borrowed an el-cheapo amp to be used. The amp came back with the below components changed:-

1) 2 pcs Transistors

2) 1 pc IC

3) 3 pcs Mosfet

Pic 2: El-cheapo borrowed amp

Anyway, I check the battery water level on the Pitwork battery and the water level is kinda low. Top it up and afterwhich I had no electrical flickering problems anymore. Guess the ER34 really hates a low batt just like Diego the Sabertooth tiger hates water in Ice Age 2: The Meltdown. Checked via a multimeter and the voltage level looks fine.

Pic 3: Miniscule Pitwork battery

I think perhaps I need to upgrade to a bigger sized battery. And a maintenance free once too. Did someone say Gel-Cell batteries from Odyssey?? Nah if I can source it in Malaysia, it'll probably run into 4 digits. :O

Land of The Rising Sun Flag & Japanese text

I have always had a fondness for the Japanese "Rising Sun" flag. I think I liked it ever since I saw one of Spielberg's lesser known movies called "Empire of the Sun" way back in 1987. I just recently got hold of the DVD and watched it again after 19 years since the first time I seen it in the cinema.

Pic 1: The Empire of The Sun movie poster

Needless to say if you have watched the movie before, the emotional turmoil one gets throughout the movie is unlike any of the current movies where one just watches and forgets it the next day. The movie is set during the WWII invasion on China by the Japanese in 1941; it leaves a deep impact in your heart on the hard life of a young British boy who got separated from his rich parents in Shanghai. The separation lands the boy in Suzhou Creek Internment Camp and the subsequent hardship in the camp until the end of the war in 1945 after the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

Anyway, I had the idea to do a "Rising Sun" flag decal on the ER34 complete with the Japanese text "スカイライン" meaning Skyline. Got it done and the below are the results..........

Does it turn out ok? Any comments???

Pic 2: Driver side (Yes that's me in the reflection with the "peace" sign)

Pic 3: Passenger side

Pic 4: View from afar

Tein Super Street Damper Groans!!

My Teins are producing a groaning sound when it goes over "sleeping policemen" (speed humps/breakers). Darn it! It has only been 2 months old and it's making noises?? What the .....!!

This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!

Did some asking around via Skyline owners in Australia and they suggested spraying WD-40 to rid of the sound. I tried that and it seems to work BUT only for a day or two. The sound re-appeared back soon after.

Initially, I noticed the sound comes from both the front and rear but after the WD-40 treatment, seem the sound has now been isolated to the rears only. Ok, I had enough and decided to lodge a complaint with the sole distributor of Teins in Malaysia. Hey afterall it comes with 1 year warranty.....

Pic 1: ER34 in a garage filled with mean cars. Two EK9 (one race and one street), an Evo 7 and a Toyota Aristo Twin Turbo. Gulp!

Anyway, took the car in for inspection and to my surprise, they took off both rear shocks and pry it open to bits, literally! Everything was dismantled to pieces!

Pic 2: The dampers were separated from the springs and pillow ball mounts.

Firstly, the springs and pillow ball mounts were separated from the dampers. The dampers were then taken apart piece by piece. Every bolt, nut, washer, etc.... was cleaned via "Motul Parts Cleaner". This means in the process, the gas in the tubes will be released and the 'damping liquid' will have to be poured out.

All parts were cleaned and re-used except for the pistons where new units were replaced. The whole procedure of 'servicing' the dampers were no less impressive. It's done in a clean room, torque wrenches were used, and the 'damping liquid/oil' were measured and topped up before putting it back in. Oh yes, so were the gas of course.

Pic 3: The dampers were take apart to bits!

After all the parts were put back together, it's installed back into the ER34 and my setting of 20 clicks at the rear were dialed in. A drive over a couple of speed breakers around the block confirms that all are A-Ok.

Woohoo. The Teins no longer groans!! (Fingers crossed my fronts stay quiet else will have to go through the whole process again!)

Side note: While servicing me dampers, there were a Toyota Vios in the same garage with an impressive array of interior gadgets. It has 6 HKS meters, an Apexi RSM, Apexi Turbo Timer, an air-fuel controller and Tein EDFC controller. Wow, that's a lot of meters for a Vios.

I asked the owner aren't he afraid that someone will flick his meters??
The reply was kinda funny......

He mentioned he doesn't drive the car to work and only used it occasionally. He would ride a motorcycle to work everyday and if he were to use the car, he's even prepared to pay RM50.00 (USD 14.00) for an extremely safe parking lot. Slavery to the car? Hehehehehe

Rekindling Frasiers Hill in the ER34

Well, it has been like a year since I last went up to Frasiers Hill. This hill resort in Pahang is nicely tucked away from Kuala Lumpur in the neighbouring state of Pahang.

The best part is the route to the resort. To and fro one would clock in around 220km of pure twisting B roads. This has been my favourite driving route for the past 5 years and many more to come. :P

Pic 1: The Group

Anyway, got together some of my friends for the trek uphill. Admist the DeepaRaya holidays, one can be assured that the roads will be relatively void of many vehicles.

We met up at 7:30am sharp at a local petrol kiosk for the convoy up. Leaving
at 8:00am, the planned route as are below:-

Batu Caves - Ulu Yam - Kuala Kubu Baru - Batang Kali - The Gap - Frasiers Hill

All my previous drive up Frasiers Hill has been with a group of cars of the same make and model. This time round, it's a myriad of vehicles. I got together a Subaru Impreza WRX STi V-Limited (Version 8), an E60 BMW 525i, a Proton Satria GTi and three units of Proton Perdana V6 (2 manuals and 1 automatic transmission).

Pic 2: The trek up the twisty hill

The planned pace was 6th tenth to be lead by me. But I think we were doing more like 8th tenth all the way up. Sorry guys, can't help it.:P

Anyway, the road was pretty clear and the guys have all been through the route before. No first timers thus can push it up a 'lil bit more. Even so, I left some room for error as myself are still not too familar with driving hard in a RWD. Most second gear corners in The Gap are accompanied by the rear stepping out slightly and the TCS doing it's job to tuck it back in.

We reached the top of Frasiers Hill around 9:00am where we had our breakfast at the local "mamak" stall. Food wasn't that great but we don't have much choice though as most outlets are closed during the holidays. Tales of crazy corners and mad overtaking manouvers are shared excitedly.

Pic 3: Pit stop at The Gap Rest House

After our breakfast we head back downhill and stopped at The Gap Rest House for some chit-chat session before driving back to Kuala Lumpur. Yes, tales of crazy corners and mad overtaking manouvers are shared excitedly again!

We back tracked the way back to Kuala Lumpur and reach the city around lunch time where we head to Jalan Imbi for our lunch. Whats on the menu? Bak Kut Teh!!! Hehehehe........yes tales of crazy corners and mad overtaking manouvers are shared excitedly yet again! Hahahahaha

Pic 4: The Sti ran out of water for the intercooler water spray system.

Overall, it's a nice day spent on driving and sharing it all with a group of like minded car enthusiasts.

Can't wait to do it all over again!!!

Thanks Jason Chan (and gf!), Jason Yap, Mun Kit, Eric Tai, Allen Tan and Alex Yue for the great company & drive.

Blood change for the DeepaRaya long holidays

Well, next week is the long holidays in conjunction with the Hari Raya and Deepavali celebration. My company will be closed from 23rd October till 27th October 2006.

As most of business will be closed for the holidays, I've decided to get new blood for the ER34 in anticipation of a pre-dawn blast to my hometown in Ipoh and also to have a bit of fun in deserted Kuala Lumpur city when I'm back mid week.

Went to my usual mechanic for oil filter and oil change. As usual I used Q8 Formula F1 10W-50 with original Nissan oil filter (Part No. 15208-53J00). At 45,500km, it's just nice as my last service was at 40,000km.

With new blood on, car feels much better.............. :)

2008 Nissan Skyline GT-R

Pic 1: GT-R Proto unveiled in 2006

The GT-R Proto concept was first unveiled in the 2006 Tokyo Auto Show. It gave a pretty good hint at the eventual production car. I loved those headlights in carbon fibre housing and those carbon fibre front lips.

Pic 2: Production trim GT-R

The production unit was caught testing on the famous Nürburgring test track in Germany recently. The car sounds like it has a twin-turbo V6 under its hood. The 3.8-liter engine will be fed through a front mount intercooler and make at least 450 horsepower. Goodbye to the legendary RB series engines....... *sob*

Pic 3: Production trim GT-R

It is also rumored that the GT-R will sport a quick shifting sequential manual or a full-blown automatic. Most probably a seven-speed paddle-shifted gearbox.

In true GT-R tradition, it will have rear-biased all-wheel-drive system and the rear twin stove lights will remain. *thumbs up*

Pic 4: Production trim GT-R

Nissan isn't planning on showing the finished car until the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. Sales in Japan should begin shortly thereafter, with U.S. deliveries beginning in the spring of 2008. This GT-R is set to be sold worldwide! Looks like the GT-R is gonna be shared with the world instead of being a Japan Domestic Model like it used to be (minus the 100 units of Australian delivered BNR32).