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Hey mate, great figures. Can I ask what accessories you've got (tyres/barwork/auto-man/roof rack/winch/draws)? I get 15 on the highway which I'm happy with (on 35s, winch+front bar, draws with 150kg tools, 2 passengers and heaps of camping gear. no roofrack. manual).Quote:
Originally Posted by mudnut
2' lift and a winch mounted in a 10mm steel cradle behind the nissan alloy bar. I have also taken most of the recovery gear from out of the back, which helps.
This was a pleasant surprise for me and also the mechanic. He expected a moderate power gain from installing headers but not a 10% increase. The torque curve has flattened out significantly as well. So now my rb30 has a better rev range than a tb42, nearly the same economy of a td42 and is cheaper to repair and service as well. :Yahoo!:
Stage one of waterproofing the engine. I have made an Oil dip stick clip to hold the stick in place when submerged.
I cut and bent into shape a piece of spring steel from a window wiper to serve as the clip and anchored it using two small hose clamps.
Although a slightly wider piece of spring steel would hold the dip stick in place better, it now takes three to four times the amount of force to pull the stick out so I am happy with that.
That's brilliant. I've never thought of the stick pushing out, though mine doesn't take much effort to remove at all. The seal is good, and I looked at a new one from Nissan and by looks my seal hadn't deteriorated. I've often wandered if there was a way to create a tighter seal, but was told that the dipstick area was pressurized anyway, as long as the motor kept running it was all good. Can anyone confirm this?
The PCV valve should keep the sump pressure at a minimum, but as the engine wears air blows by the rings and maybe the exhaust valve guides so the pressure rises, especially when decelerating.
Interesting. I guess I better start bending a window wiper!
Do you have a free flow exhaust fitted as well?Quote:
Originally Posted by mudnut
My RB30 has headers, but the exhaust note is super quiet, so I wonder if upgrading the exhaust would get any more power out of my truck or not.
,Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrol'n
No, the pong box is in pretty good nick, so it will have to wait. I did ask the dyno bloke if it was worth fitting one, and he reckons it wouldn't gain any worthwhile ponies extra for the cost.
The engine is quite a lot louder with the headers anyway and I don't want the Old Trol to stand out too much, either.
Cool, thanx. I've also noticed few fresh questions posted on this thread by few blokes instead of starting a fresh thread for that.Quote:
Originally Posted by mudnut
Yeah, it's definitely a good time to organize this thread into sub sections. I'm not sure whether this forum engine can facilitate that. If it can, that will be great. If there's a way to embed hyperlinks at the start of this thread pointing at sub sections(different relevant post numbers in this thread) would be pretty helpful. If that's not possible, a new stick thread with "RB30 facts and figures extended" or something similar would be good.
Also requesting guys not to post new questions in this thread, but rather post them on a separate thread and then post the valuable information from those threads into this thread(as I've been doing) would be really helpful to keep this thread clean and easy to locate any required information.
Cheers
Dom
These are the upper components of the Thermal Vacuum Valve (TVV). It is positioned next to the yellow arrow which points to the cooling system bleed screw in the second picture. You access the valve by simply unscrewing the valve cap.
As posted by Dom, this valve is open to atmosphere while the engine is cold. It stops the vacuum feed to the vacuum advance diaphragm on the distributor so that the engine timing remains retarded. It also affects the operation of the EGR valve until the engine is warm.
Once the engine coolant reaches a pre-determined temperature, the valve closes and the vacuum advance is allowed to operate normally.
I found that the components were caked in fine dust, which is sucked into the valve.
I will endeavour to work out a way of stopping water and mud from sitting in the valve intake. I also want to filter the air which is sucked into it. I think raising the intake via a hose to a cheap fuel filter next to the diff breathers will be an easy solution.
You may have noticed that my TVV has a hose clamp around the base. It there because I accidently snapped off the bottom hose barb while bleeding the air from the cooling system. The hose clamp holds a 3/16 15mm long pop rivet on as a replacement.
The hose clamp has a hole drilled through it to hold the rivet and I used silicon to seal the rivet to the valve body, (I was very careful not to get any silicon into the valve).
This is the TVV with an old distributor lead as a connector. I have stripped out the High Tension lead and used a hose clamp to secure the rubber to the valve cap. I have glued a piece of vacuum hose into it and ran it up to the firewall, next the diff breathers.
I used a cheap in-line fuel filter with the inlet pointing down to stop water from entering.
This is the TVV inlet filter, cable tied to the breathers. All up to do the mod it cost just under $20. I haven't gained much height from the original position, but at least water, mud and dust shouldn't enter the engine via the valve.
CARBY REBUILD: Had my carby rebuilt and set-up yesterday by an experienced bloke. Had done 320,000kms so time for a freshen up. The Patrol ran fine, smashed other 4bys on the sand... but niggly problems constantly running lean, wouldn't idle until fully warmed up, stalled after braking down hills etc. The full gamut.
PROBABLY THE BEST $300 I've spent on the car yet!!! Its almost a different vehicle hahaha! Idle's 10000000 times smoother, quieter, perkier acceleration, lots more low end torque and can slide around corners at 3,000rpm. The bloke said it had a blocked idle jet... so no more cold idle or weird vacuum problems either.
Wish I'd done it sooner. Just waiting to see how fuel economy turns out (previously 14L/100 fully loaded highway)...
Ok that's it, I've been thinking about having mine done for a while now, that's sold it for me, I'm getting mine done!Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainNewman
Mine also runs great, although a little thirstier (could be my driving), but it's done about 340,000 so maybe I'll get a bit better power / acceleration, can never have too much of that :-)
Where'd you get yours done?
This is an alternator conversion thread posted by Dom.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...or-RB30-Patrol
This is an absolutely amazing thread. Thank you @mudnut!
This is the link to an RB30 Patrol Auto Choke problem that I've come across and fixed.
I think it will be useful to anybody with RB30 Patrol, if not any vehicle.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...534#post680534
Auto Choke - Weird problem
Vehicle - RB30 Patrol/carby
Hey Guys,
It took me some good time to work out the reason behind the auto choke failure.
For a while now, the auto choke flaps weren't opening when the engine's warm enough, obviously costing me
extra fuel every time I drive it, as well as performance issues.
I checked the power to the socket that takes the +12V to the auto choke heater unit, and it was fine. I checked the auto choke relay prior to that, and it was fine as well.
The real culprit was as in the pictures.
I has been eluding me for a while.
I wonder how many dodgy wires/connectors in the old wiring of the vehicle are like that, giving me all sort of trouble.
I gota similar problem with the Fuel Pump Control Unit which appears to be working only intermittently. I'm guessing it's a similar kinda issue.
This is the link to "RB30 Patrol Auto Choke function with schematics" thread I just created.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...ics#post680567
RB30 Patrol Auto Choke function with schematics
Hey Guys,
Here I documented the way the auto choke system work on an RB30 Patrol.
I guess it's quite similar on other vehicles as well
Fitting R31 Skyline starter on RB30 Patrol
Nissan R31 Skyline starter motor = RB30 Patrol starter motor
These two starter motors are interchangeable
Mechanically the R31 starter fits to RB30 Patrol perfectly.
However, the starter solenoid connector is different.
The way I fixed that issue was by wiring a brand new wire with a matching connector for the
R31 starter. I left the original Patrol starter solenoid connector plug/socket as it is.
The reason for that is that I can use both starters without having to fiddle with wiring or connectors when ever the need arrives(as one starter suddenly dies or I kill it by cranking on gear to get the car moving in a situation where I can't start the engine)
The starter solenoid wire from the starter solenoid connector plug is coloured black with a yellow stripe.
Follow that wire upward and it joins the plug/socket board next to the battery.
From there, you can tap a new wire to it by clearing the a bit of the wire and soldering it.
In my case, I didn't have to do too much other than opening up a tap that was already there and using solder
to join the new wire. The old joint was to get the ignition key power to LPG cold start solenoid(so the
cold start solenoid only activates when cranking)
I discovered that the R31 starter is way better than the stock stater(or rather the rebuilt replacement from the auto sparky)
R31 starter turns faster and has lot more grunt than the $200 rebuilt stock replacement from the auto sparky.
And not to mention R31 starter only cost me $25 including postage.
If I knew this earlier, I could've saved $175 and get a better starter delivered to my door step.
The reason for me to have a second starter is as a backup for long treks.
How I fixed the exhaust leaks on manifold & flange surface
Below is the link to the above thread.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...d=1#post680797
How to adjust the potentiometer of the RB30 dashboard speedo unit to adjust speedometer
The above subject was discussed in this thread.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...d=1#post680962
How to fix a jammed horn switch(RB30 Patrol, but may be the same with other GQ's as well)
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...d=1#post682404
You can also cut few pieces of kitchen sponge cloth and glue it to the metal plate(the one with polyps), in between "polyps".Probably a quicker fix than the craftsmanship that I went for as above. Bit of trial and error with few pieces and add more as you go should work.
I've been suggested the below by the member "GeeYou8". I believe it's a better option for the material.
"A better choice might be the thin foam they put under floating floors, a hollow punch or wad punch will make nice neat round holes."
How to remove the RB30 starter motor
Tools:
14mm socket with longest extensions from the tool kit and the universal joint and ratchet.
14mm wrench/spanner.
- Disconnect battery negative terminal
- Disconnect the solenoid wire terminal to the starter
- Unplug/disconnect the trigger wire to the starter
- If it's RB30 EFI converted engine then there're more connectors to disconnect, so disconnect all of them.
Outside bolt is easily accessible from under the vehicle with the 14mm spanner/wrench
Inside one is hiding between the block and the starter motor, so you need to slide in the 14mm socket
attached extension under the inlet manifold from the front of the engine and use the ratchet to undo.
This is done by feeling rather than seeing, 'cos it's not that easy to see the bolt behind the starter.
Universal joint for the socket extension may be required at the ratchet end to get the access angle right.
Starter may drop after undoing the bolts so preparing for that may be necessary.
Overall, it's fairly easy and quick job to undo and fit the RB30 Patrol starter.
The bolts are usually not that tight to undo, unless somebody over tightened them previously.
However, I recommend using a six point hex socket, rather than a common 12 point bi-hex socket.
Also be careful not to cross thread any of the bolts or else it will be big trouble due to the location.
Hand tighten the bolts before using wrench/spanner/ratchet.
This is not a bolt we can afford to accidentally end up rounding bolt head or damaging the thread of the hole. :)
I'll add couple of pictures later.
How to install Universal Joints
I documented the process in this thread as well as all the dramas & precautions related to the installation in another thread.
All the links are in the main thread.
RB30 Patrol(or any vehicle) Universal Joint(s) Replacement
Below is the thread I opened up to deal with all the dramas I had while installing the uni joint.
It's a pretty handy thread for anybody to go through before installing a uni joint for the first time, as I've documented all the mishaps with detailed photos.
New Uni Joint is too tight
RB30 Facts, Figures and Helpful Hints - Hyperlinks to specific areas of the thread.
Fuel Return Solenoid
Fuel Pump Control Unit(FPCU)
Engine can't achieve high revs
Engine coolant drain plug
Speedo Problems and Adjustment
Ignition Auto Advance Vacuum Diaphragm (Poor Performance and Fuel Economy ).
Testing for a blown head gasket
Air Intake Pre-heat assembly fitted to a stock RB30S
Reasons for Backfiring
Heater core blockage cleaning method on a GQ Patrol
instrument panel circuit for an RB30S
RB30 Patrol(or any vehicle) Universal Joint(s) Replacement
RB30 Vacuum line diagram and related components
RB30 Patrol Coolant flow diagram(s)
RB30-TB42 Nikki carby tuning procedure(temporary)
Carburetor lean/rich diagnostics
A useful modification after snorkel installation
Fan Clutch test
RB30 Patrol Coolant flow diagram(s)
These are the diagram(s) of RB30 Patrol coolant flow. The second one is taken out of R31 Skyline(RB30 engine) coolant flow diagram and slightly modified to suit RB30 Patrol(carby) engine. Green indicates cooler water(low pressure) while the red indicates warmer water(high pressure) by the colour of the arrows.
Below is the link to the thread that lead me to investigate the coolant flow of the RB30 Patrol.
Coolant is Still Running too Cold
I'm quoting below post from another forum. It's about how to diagnose a fan clutch for any issues.
Fan Clutch test
First, lets discuss what the fan clutch does and why it is there. The fan clutch is just what the name says, it is a mechanism that will clutch the fan on and off depending on the need for more or less cooling air to flow thru the radiator. It is a thermostatically controlled device that when operating normally will vary the fan speed independently of the engine speed. When cruising down the road at freeway speeds, with outside temperature less then desert conditions, the fan should be merely be idling along, turning just fast enough to add a little air flow when needed, in this way the fan noise and drag on the engine is greatly reduced. When reducing speed, the fan clutch will sense higher temperatures thru the radiator and “clutch up” thereby increasing the fan speed to help maintain constant engine temperature. It may in fact, cycle as the temperature of the air thru the radiator changes depending on airflow. If the fan clutch operation is normal, when first starting the car, the fan clutch should “clutch up” and an increase in noise and airflow should be obvious. After about 60-90 seconds, the fan will un-clutch and the noise and airflow will drop. The fan will continue to turn but at a much reduced speed. As the engine warms and the thermostat opens to regulate the temperature, the air thru the radiator gets hotter and the clutch will sense this, thereby increasing the speed of the fan to maintain a normal operating temperature.
First signs of trouble:
A normal temperature indication at freeway speeds and an increasing temperature as the vehicle slows is one of the first indications of trouble. Many other things may give this indication but if the temperature seems to be stable at speeds but climbs in traffic or while stopped, this is a good indication that the fan clutch isn’t working correctly. As the temperature continues to climb, the auxiliary electric fan should start but may not provide enough air to keep the engine from overheating.
Another sign of trouble is if the fan noise is high and never decreases after starting, and is there anytime the engine RPM is higher then idle, this means that the fan clutch is “frozen” and is not releasing. Although this will not result in immediately serious trouble, it will load the engine continually and gas MPG will be reduced. Load on the fan belt(s) will be higher and shorten the life of that component also.
Fan modifications:
It has been suggested that other models of BMW fans can be substituted to reduce the noise and load of the fan. This is NOT recommended! If the fan clutch is working properly, there should be no need to replace with a lesser fan. The noise and load of the fan should only be there when it is “clutched up” and the fan speed needed to keep that big V-12 cool. BMW designed it this way and it is never a good idea to alter the cooling system and in particular where alloy engines would be effected.
Testing the fan clutch:
If you have reason to suspect that the fan clutch is defective, here is the recommended procedure to verify the condition of the fan clutch.
1. Start the car (cold) with the hood open and note if the fan is turning, increase the engine RPM and note if the fan turns faster and the noise increases, if it does, first good indication, if it does not increase speed/noise, clutch is bad and needs to be replaced. (Remember, this must be tested after the car has been off for and extended period, over night etc.)
2. Leave engine running and note if the fan starts to slow down after 2-5 minutes, speed/noise should diminish and even raising the RPM, the fan should not make as much noise as when first starting, if it does slow, this is the second good indication. If speed/noise does not decrease, clutch may be “frozen” and should be replaced.
3. Leave the engine idle and watch the temperature indicator. When normal operating temperature has been reached, some increase in fan speed/noise should be noted, in particular when the RPM is increased. If temperature is fairly stable and the fan noise/speed increases or cycles, third good indication. If temperature indication continues to increase, with no increase in fan noise/speed, clutch is defective and should be replaced.
4. After the engine is at normal operating temperature or above, is the only time that the “rolled up newspaper” test that many people talk about should be performed! Take some newspaper and roll it up into a long narrow tube. Be carefull, keep hands and fingers away from the fan while performing this test! With the engine at full operating temperature and idling, take the rolled up paper and insert it on the back side of the fan and try to reach the hub of the fan avoiding the blades until close to the hub. Push the rolled paper at the fan increasing the friction to the hub area of the fan. If the fan can not be stopped easily this is the fourth good indication, if it can be stopped the clutch is defective and should be replaced. Again, this test can only be performed when the engine is at or above full operating temperature.
Testing can be performed in any order but just make sure the conditions during testing are those that are specified for that specific test.
Do not continue to operate the engine if the temperature continues to rise and certainly stop if the temperature approaches “redline”.
After having fitted a Safari Snorkel, which connects to the standard dust separator, I have found some leaks in the system. A bit of silicon sealed the diaphragm housing.
The pre-heat flap was sucking a bit of air so using copper-based silicon, I glued a brass reducer that uses a brass plug, into the filter housing elbow. As you can see in the pictures below, it also fits into the stove pipe so appears stock.
This gives me the ability to take the plug out for the colder months. The reducer and plug only cost $5.40
Oil Blow by from rocker cover gasket - The FixI used Permatex Ultra Grey. I ffilled the groove on the rocker cover edge with the sealant
and squeezed in the rubber gasket. Then I also applied a layer of sealant on the cylinder head edge where rocker cover sits. I left it for about an hour to cure partially and get "tacky".
Then I fitted it and left it for couple of days to cure properly before starting the engine.
This is the link for Permatex Ultra Grey deal on ebay(pretty good deal).
Permatex Ultra Grey 2 for the price of one
RB30-TB42 Nikki carby tuning procedure(temporary)
Below tuning procedure is from repair manual.
Carburetor lean/rich diagnostics
Above tuning procedure only tunes the AFR at idle rpms(hence the reason it's called "idle mixture screw")
Above idle rpms, jets, airbleeds & accelerator pump, etc takes more control of the AFR.
Therefore, if the symptoms of "bad tuning"(see below for the list) continues, then the carby may need a rebuild.
Before rebuilding a carby, it's IMPORTANT to rule out any electrical issues that may be causing issues with the carby.
These include petrol pump issues, weak or broken connections with the wires/connectors to petrol pump or the solenoids that control the valves inside the carby.
Symptoms of Lean and Rich
Here are some basic symptoms, some duplicate
Lean
Reduced Power - Sluggish at certain RPM's. Wide open throttle yields no power. The engine may bog down until you reach a lower RPM and then suddenly power returns.
2)Difficulty Starting
3)Spark plugs are clean - No residue. Insulator may be white.
4)Runs better at higher altitudes - AFR becomes normalized due to reduced atmospheric pressure allowing fuel into the venturi easier.
5)Backfires - Popping on deceleration for a lean idle circuit or backfires in general.
6)Runs on choke - The vehicle may run on choke when it's warm but stalls if the choke is turned off.
7)Idles poorly - Fluctuations in idle RPM, stalling
8)Engine runs hot - Due to more oxygen than fuel combustion temperatures are hotter reflecting on a temp gauge.
9)Hanging idle - The engine idles high and then drops and stalls. Typically a lean condition caused by an air leak between the butterfly and the head or a vacuum line that is not attached.
10)Sharp Odor - The exhaust smell may be sharp and burn your nose. This is NOx or Nitrogen Oxide. It's created by high temperatures in the combustion process between nitrogen and oxygen. Although NOx is present in all exhaust it can be more pronounced in higher combustion temperatures associated with lean conditions with more oxygen. More oxygen=higher burn temp
Rich
1)Reduced Power - It has less power but seems to be OK and runs.
2)Reduced Fuel Mileage - Your using more fuel per cycle so your mileage becomes worse.
3)Rough Idle - Combustion takes a just a bit longer with more fuel and at lower RPM's the engine can idle rough. Unlike a miss-fire on a spark plug this idle seems fine if the idle is turned up just a bit.
4)Spark Plugs Black - Carbon buildup on insulator and electrodes of plug. Wipes off your finger as sooty and back. Carbon is a conductor of electricity and getting considerable carbon buildup from a rich condition with ground the inner electrode down the positive insulator. When this condition occurs there will be no spark. You can clean the sparkplug with carburetor cleaner and re-use.
5)Exhaust Exit is Black and Sooty - Excessive carbon buildup in the exhaust is thick and overly grimy. A properly jetted carburetor will leave a nice grey scale color in the end of the exhaust pipe.
6)Odor of unburned fuel - In cases of a very, very rich mixture you may smell some unburned fuel coming out of your exhaust. This could be due to a grounded out sparkplug from too much carbon buildup preventing the combustion process in a cylinder or so much fuel that combustion is not occurring.
7)Runs better with more air - If you remove your air filter and the engine begins to run a bit better with more oxygen in the mix it is likely you have a rich condition.
8)Runs worse at altitude - If the bike starts to run worse at higher altitude with reduced oxygen, it's likely a rich condition.
9)Black Smoke - If you have black exhaust when you rev it, it's rich. You can get a light colored rag and place it over the exhaust lightly and rev it to see if you get carbon/black residue on the rag.
Sources(meant for motorbikes, but the principles are the same) :
symptoms-of-lean-or-rich-carb-settings
lean-vs-rich/
RB30 Patrol Fuel Plumbing Diagram
This is a diagram and the related actual pictures of the RB30 Patrol fuel plumbing system.
Photo bomb No 2
Photos of tank end. This is not the factory tank, but a LRA(Long Range Automotive) made custom "long range" tank(only holds 68 litres). However, the connections/plumbing to the tank are the same afaik. The in tank pump/sender is the factory one from the original main tank.
Petrol pump modification/redundancy pump/Aftermarket External Replacement pump(RB30)
This is how I added an external redundant fuel pump for my RB30 Patrol.(For carby model, not EFI)
I did this after encountering possible few issues with the in tank stock pump.
Replacement pump for the in tank stock pump was around $130, and I thought it's bit too dear.
This external pump is around $20(including postage). Fuel pumping pressure is around 3-4psi, so it's low pressure pumping
that is required for the RB30 Patrol(factory carby model).
This is the pump I used.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Elect...b=1&rmvSB=true
I tested the pump and it works pretty well. I fitted it onto the chassis above the tank, very close to original pump plumbing. I attached the supply line from this external pump to long enough fuel hose and wire tied it to the chassis to attach to the petrol supply line, in case in tank pump fails in future.(in tank pump turned out to be ok). +12V and earth connections were tapped from the original connections to the in tank pump & I put an accessible switch to turn on the external pump, when or if it needed in the future.
The pickup plumbing line for the external pump was created out of redundant line on the stock pump assembly.(pictures attached). I also added a fuel strainer for the tank & attached both pump pickup hoses to the same strainer.
P.S.
Even though, I installed the above external pump as a redundancy, it's also a good and cheaper external replacement pump in place of the factory in tank pump. It may even be possible to install the above external pump without having to totally drop the tank.
(Removing rear fittings of the tank and removing the rear driveshaft can help with that).
The only issue is that the internal pickup hose need to be installed in order to be able to pump the petrol from the tank. So, in tank pump/sender assembly removal is still necessary.
Below is the link to the above thread.
RB30 Patrol FPCU(Fuel Pump Control Unit) modified replacement
I have very carefully cut a small angled slot in the bottom of the cooling system bleed screw.
I only cut the slot to about half way through the screw so the air would rise up and out.
I made real sure the edges of the cut were filed so as not to interfere with the thread.
The bleed screw is shown by the yellow arrow.
I hope this will make bleeding of the cooling system easier, because I nearly dropped the screw after I undid it too far.
The slot should allow the threads to grip, while letting air escape.
I forgot to cut the slot while I had the system draining.
After filling and burping the system I waited until the next day so the system was cool.
I only lost a few drops of coolant with the screw out.
Hey blokes,
I'm trying to sort out a couple of small items, main one right now is that she is running rich, and using a fair bit more fuel than usual (although it seems ok when driving), it mainly seems very rich at idle.
I don't have an afr gauge, but I have adjusted the idle to where it seems happiest, best idle speed and driving performance etc. and doesn't seem to blow any fuel smoke when revving.
Air filter is not too dirty, timing is at about 15 degrees from what I can see, Carbie was rebuilt professionally last year. In addition I have checked the auto choke operation as per photos below.
Attachment 71630Attachment 71631Attachment 71632
Photos show the alignment of the choke, the butterfly when cold and after reaching normal temp. I can take it to the fella who rebuilt the carb for me but I do like fixing stuff myself.
Any ideas what to look for / at to track the problem down?
Dom's Post #99 and this link should help you.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...ics#post680567
Page 4A-7 in the Haynes manual deals with the auto choke.