Nissan Skyline R32 - Clutch Master Cylinder and Clutch Slave Cylinder USDM Compatibility

Nissan Skyline R32 - Clutch Master and Clutch Slave Compatibility

Wondering what Clutch Master Cylinder and Clutch Slave Cylinder are cross compatible with USDM parts for your Nissan Skyline R32 GTR or GTS-T? Look no further.

---

Nissan Skyline R32 GTS-T Clutch Slave

The clutch slave for the GTS-T is identical to the clutch slave in the 240SX S13. You can purchase them on Amazon here or on eBay here. There are multiple interchangeable part numbers, but if you plan to go to a parts store, just be sure to use a year of S13, not S14. 1992 works.

Nissan Skyline R32 GTR Clutch Slave

Unfortunately the Nissan Skyline R32 GTR doesn’t have a direct interchange USDM compatible clutch slave cylinder. However, the early R32 GTR are the same as the R33 RB25DET clutch slave cylinder, which has a somewhat plentiful aftermarket offering here in the USA. You can buy one on Amazon here, or here, and eBay here.

Be sure to look at your slave cylinder on your transmission to see which one you have. The early transmission is an L shaped cylinder, while the later pull-type transmission of the R32 GTR has a completely straight slave cylinder.

Nissan Skyline R32 GTST Clutch Master Cylinder

The R32 GTST do not have a direct plug-and-play clutch master cylinder in the USA. There is one viable option if you aren’t against bending a hardline, however.

The S13 240SX clutch master cylinder will fit the Nissan Skyline R32 GTST if you bend the clutch hardline that goes into the cylinder. It’s not a drastic change, and there is room for the bend to not kink if done properly, but do so at your own risk. The line in the Skyline cylinder goes into the top of the cylinder, whereas the 240SX S13 goes into the side.

If you want to buy the cylinder, you can purchase it on Amazon here, or eBay here.

If you don’t want to bend the hardline, you might be able to get lucky on eBay finding a used clutch master. New ones are $100~ as of writing this post, but I have seen used ones pop up as low as $30 on eBay.

Nissan Skyline R32 GTR Clutch Master Cylinder

The R32 GTR doesn’t have a USDM Compatible Clutch Master Cylinder. Your only option is to find a used one or aftermarket replacement, which you can find on eBay here for about $100.

If you are looking for other compatible parts, consider bookmarking our master list of USDM compatible parts for the GTR and GTST. Links below!

Nissan Skyline R32 GTR Compatible USDM Parts List

Nissan Skyline R32 GTST Compatible USDM Parts List

What spark plugs should I use on my Nissan Skyline R32? RB20DET RB25DET RB26DETT

What are the best spark plugs for the Nissan Skyline R32? RB20DET RB25DET RB26DETT

We receive a lot of emails asking us:

What spark plugs should I use in my Nissan Skyline R32?

Luckily, the spark plugs are the same between the RB20DET, RB25DET and RB26DETT, so the information here will be applicable for any Skyline you have with a turbo RB engine.

The spark plugs we use in our Skylines are the NGK BCPR6ES-11. They are inexpensive copper plugs that can be found at nearly any automotive parts store, and are incredibly cheap on Amazon and eBay. A set of 4 as of writing this post are just $10 on Amazon.

Copper plugs don’t last as long as Iridium plugs, but offer better performance since copper is a great conductor. The performance boost is generally negligible if your Nissan Skyline is stock (or close to stock), so if you don’t want to be replacing your plugs that often, you can opt for Iridium Plugs.

The Iridium spark plugs you would use in a Nissan Skyline R32 GTR or GTST are the NGK BCPR6EIX. They last much longer than the copper plugs, but are more expensive. As of writing this post, they are around $45 for a set of 6 on eBay and Amazon.

We generally recommend to use the BCPR6 copper plugs in your R32 Skyline. The ignition systems in the RB26DETT, RB20DET, and RB25DET, are extremely fickle. All of the components of the Nissan Skyline’s ignition system (igniter, coil packs, harness, etc.) are extremely prone to failure, and therefore the plugs have a high chance of fouling. It hurts a lot less to replace a $15 set of copper spark plugs than a $40 set of spark plugs.

However, if you are certain your ignition system is in good working order, we’d recommend the Iridium plugs in your R32.

Don’t forget to also grab a spark plug gapper and spark plug socket if you don’t already have one!

The first (truly) federally legal R34 Skyline GTR will be on the road September 10th 2018

Craig Seidel (also the plantiff in the Rivsu case) is picking up his Show or Display Nissan Skyline R34 on September 10th, 2018. His R34 GTR has been modified by JK Technologies to meet EPA requirements, making it the first truly federally legal R34 Skyline in the USA since Motorex shut down. And technically, any other federally legal R34s were grandfathered into legal status after the Motorex fiasco, while almost certainly not being truly federally compliant (more on that later).

He'll be picking up the car in Baltimore, and driving it 1400 miles (over 50% of his 2500 yearly allotted Show or Display miles) to South Dakota. 

A screenshot of Craig's post in the "Rally North America Veterans" facebook group was posted in another larger Skyline specific Facebook group today: 

Craig confirmed the screenshot was real: 

People were understandable skeptical, and he followed up with two additional comments: 

the cost was, in Craig's words, "way too much". 

As shown in the screenshot above, the car has been at JK Tech for 3 years while they were working on making it compliant for US law. The car was imported under the Show or Display rule, which allows a handful of cars - under strict requirements - to enter the USA without complying with NHTSA rules. They still must comply with EPA requirements - the piece of the puzzle that JK Tech has been working on. While the specifics of that program are kept secret, one of the big hurdles of federally legalizing the car was OBDII compliance.

Any other "federally legal" R34s in the USA - 12 by current count - were grandfathered into federal legality by the government when Motorex closed. In 2005, the federal government clamped down on Motorex's scheme, and rescinded the disputed crash test ratings for the R32 and R34 in 2006. This means - by technicality - Craig's R34 is the first truly federally legal R34, since a rescinding of the crash test ratings of the R34, and Motorex already being known for shady dealings, almost certainly means the R34 was never actually crash tested or modified to be DOT compliant. 

To read more about the Motorex fiasco, read this great article from 0-60 magazine written by Richard S. Chang. 

UPDATE: 9/11/2018

Craig posted a few photos of his R34, a picture of the bond release, and a video of a data scanner plugged into the OBD2 port reading live data.

“I’ll just wait until the hype dies down and buy a nice GTR for $15k” – Says increasingly nervous man for the hundreth time since 2014.

DALLAS, TX – repeating identical comments he’s made five times per month since January 2014, increasingly nervous local man Jason Stone responded to a Facebook post on the “R32 Skyline Owners USA” Facebook Page, by once again stating that the $25k asking price of a seller’s R32 GTR was outrageous and “JDM Taxed”, sources confirmed. “Look, I have a friend whose cousin’s fiancées brother’s roommate went to Japan once. These cars sell for $5k there all day”, said an anxious Stone, his fingers trembling as he struck his keyboard, typing the same words he’s typed on a post asking $17k in 2015, $20k in 2016, and $22k in 2017. “It’s greed if you ask me… stupid importers are just buying them up for nothing and jacking up the price.” Faced with the fact that the prices have been steadily increasing with no sign of slowing, Stone was amassing the anger and exasperation that would be unleashed in his tenth condescending rant on a Facebook page about how the price will crash once the R33 is legal.

5 Valid Strategies That Will Help You Purchase Your Dream Car at a Budget-friendly Cost

As you have heard or have experienced, purchasing a car needs more attention than someone can imagine. It is not only about the size, model, makes, style or popularity of the desired motor. Making hasty generalizations over the whole idea can leave you with the worst experience ever.

For your convenience, this article provides you with five most important tips that will save your time, better your experience and ensure malicious dealers do not dupe you.

Always keep your budget in mind

It's quite ridiculous and sickening to work under a purchase plan that's above your financial capabilities. It is essential to pre-check with your preferred car dealer how much money you are required to have for the deposit, how much for each monthly installment and how many months you'll need to complete the purchase. That is if you choose to purchase by installments. However, if you decide to pay for the vehicle at once, be careful not to run broke.

Do thorough research on the car and dealer

It is possible to have a problematic car in an excellent car shop, or a right car, sold by unprofessional dealers. When doing research, you can always weigh both sides. Ask from people who have used a specific type of vehicle about their encounter with it, and how they recommend it to others. You are as well free to ask for dealers online where you'll receive more than enough answers and offers to your inquiry.

For satisfaction, take your time and visit dealers like Katy Hyundai, or their sites personally and get first-hand information. While so doing, compare the prices of various companies. This will help you bargain to fair prices once you've decided who and what to go with.

Look for consumer and you repair records

If you're buying a second-hand car it’s advisable to ask your dealer about the records of the car from its first buyer to the last buyer that is you. This will help you know if a car is reliable or is going to put you through losses as soon as you bid your dealer goodbye.

Do a test drive and inspection

Ask your mechanic to inspect the car to see if there are any faults and don't be surprised if they ask you for $150 or more. It is worth it. Most companies allow their clients to inspect the car but if your dealer refuses, reconsider another dealer for the latter may be concealed damage. Under no circumstances should you entertainment such an arrangement unless a reasonable assurance is provided.

Know your buyer’s rights

Your rights as a buyer include being able to return a faulty car within one month as is done in most cases, get terms and policies on paper, or have a witness when buying from a private dealer. Also, you can sue any organization who sells you a damaged car knowingly, be kind and understanding enough to give them a chance to explain and correct the error.

Bottom line

Any time when purchasing a new, pre-owned, or just looking for spare parts for your damaged motor, remember reliability and durability come fast. Look for dealers whose main aim is to give you prompt and satisfactory services like Katy Hyundai.  

Does the stock R32 GTR really only make 276 horsepower?

Everyone has probably heard of the "gentleman's agreement" among auto makers in Japan during the early 90's. The story is that there was an unstated gentleman's agreement to not advertise a car above 300 horsepower for safety reasons. They were afraid people were going to go out and buy the "fastest" car on the market, crash it into a school, and kill everyone inside, not limited to women and children. Now, that might sounds as crazy as when Senators in the early 90's were blaming Final Fantasy 7 for school shootings, but hey, we've all been wrong before.

View fullsize

Only 276 horsepower guys, we swear. 

That being said, a bunch of auto manufacturers chose to say their cars had a power output of 276 horsepower. Was 286 too high? 299 seemed too conveniently close to 300? 275 seemed too low? We'll never know. What we do know is that Mazda claimed their FD RX-7 made 276, Mitsubishi claimed their GTO (3000GT in the USA) made 276, and Nissan claimed the R32 GTR made 276. What we also know is that these numbers are false. The 3000GT in the USA was advertised as making 320 wheel horsepower. So is the RB26DETT the same? Is the power understated?

View fullsize

3000GT? 320 horsepower. GTO? 276 horsepower. Makes sense...

There are a lot of claims that the R32 GTR truly did put down 276 horsepower, but once you remove the boost restrictor that power goes up above 300. People on forums (always a great source for information from their friend's dad's uncle who lived down the street) claim that Nissan installed the boost restrictor to keep the R32 under the agreed upon 300 horsepower. The 3000GT also has a stock boost restrictor, so it could be possible that the automakers really did engineer the cars to make under 300 horsepower. However, basic economics tells us that auto makers are in the industry of profit, and wouldn't dedicate the resources to over-engineer a car when they can say it's under 300 horsepower and no one is holding them to that. 

Both making the same amount of power, allegedly.

Let's lay this one to rest. 

We spent a few hours online compiling dyno sheets from stock GTRs and as-close-to-stock-as-we-could find GTRs. What we found was this:

View fullsize

211 KW = 282 HP

A stock GTR does make over 276 horsepower. In fact, a stock GTR makes anywhere from 275 to 285 wheel horsepower. Some dynos that read a little high were giving figures close to 300. Now, keep in mind that factory power numbers are going to be stated at the crank. Once you transfer that energy through the drivetrain of the car, you lose a bit of power - about ten to fifteen percent. A car advertised to be making 276 at the crank should not be making 275 from a dyno measurement, which is done at the wheels. If we take the figure of 300 at the crank, and subtract fifteen percent, we should be looking at 255 to the wheels. Estimating 320 at the crank, we're making 272 at the wheels, a little lower than the average of the dyno sheets we compiled. 

View fullsize

A GTR with exhaust and downpipe. That doesn't look like 276 to me. 

Some the other sheets are located below.

A 100% stock GTR makes about 320 crank horsepower, and about 280 wheel horsepower. 

View fullsize

Exhaust + FMIC + downpipe. 284 wheel horsepower.

View fullsize

The green line is the power before it was modified. 265 horsepower at the wheels. 

View fullsize

Dynapacks read high, this is stock with a FMIC and an exhaust/downpipe. 340 HP. Dynapacks read from the hubs with the wheels off. A rolling dyno still exerts some force when rolling the wheels. 

275 horsepower. Stock except for a catback. 

View fullsize

268 wheel horsepower

R32 GTR & GTST Battery Relocation - Moving the battery to the trunk

R32 GTR & GTST Battery Relocation

The purpose of battery relocation in the Nissan Skyline is to assist with corner balancing the vehicle, weight reduction in the front and also reclaiming the much needed space in the engine bay. The bay in the R32 GTR is especially tight (not so much the case for the GTS-T), so the more room you can create the better. I will be fitting an oil filter relocation kit and an oil catch canister its place.

---

Parts you'll need:

Battery box

New positive and negative terminals (you don't need these, but you might as well)

20 feet of 0 gauge cable and 3 feet of 1 Gauge cable

Assortment of nuts and bolts

150Amp Fuse box (included in cable link above)

Electrical tape

Set of lugs

Metal coat hanger or wire

Cable ties and straps

---

Tools you'll need:

Pliers

Cutting Pliers

Wire strippers

Rubber Mallet

Set of screwdrivers

Socket Set

---

1.       Undo both battery terminals and remove battery from stock location, Remove the existing lugs from both battery terminals by using cutting pliers.

View fullsize

2.       Connect 150Amp fuse box to end of positive terminal, strip and connect 0 Gauge cable to the other end of the 150Amp fuse box

3.       Route 0 Gauge cable through engine bay

View fullsize

4.       Straighten out a coat hanger and attach the end of the 0 Gauge cable. Fasten it to the end of the coat hanger with a lot of tape to ensure they stay connected. You'll be running this through some tight spaces and don't want it to fall off. 

5.       Jack up the driver’s side of the vehicle

6.       Remove mud guard covers

View fullsize

7.       Guide the end of the coat hanger through the back of the firewall and pull through mud guard area

8.       Once this has come through the mud guard area you will then feed it through the grommet near the door hinges.

View fullsize

9.       Move to the interior of the car and remove the kick panel and carpet

View fullsize

10.   You should not see the end of the coat hanger in the vehicle, it will still be through the firewall.

11.   Use force and pull the coat hanger through into the cabin

12.   Ensure all slack is now in the interior of the vehicle

13.   Inspect the engine bay and ensure there is no tension on the 0 gauge cable

14.   Close up the mud guards and lower car to the ground

15.   Remove the coat hanger from the 0 Gauge cable

16.   Lift interior carpets and panels accordingly to run 0 Gauge cable to the rear of the car

17.   Remove rear seats and run 0 Gauge cable under the seats and into the trunk area

18.   Move to the engine bay and neaten up any loose wiring

19.   Connect a lug to the existing negative cable and bolt onto the chassis

20.   Ensure all wiring is safely fastened

21.   Find a spot in the trunk that you would like to have the battery mounted. There are 2 common areas for mounting. The first being next to the stock jack location and the second in front of the driver’s side tail light. I have chosen the latter for ease of access. However this is more difficult as you would need to drop the fuel tank to drill holes into the chassis for bolting

22.   Mark mounting holes and start to drill small pilot holes. Ensure you have not caught anything on the underside. Drill holes according to the size of your fastening bolts.

23.   Mount the battery box to the chassis

24.   Make two holes in the battery box and push through 0 Gauge cable and new negative 2 Gauge cable

25.   Crimp lug to end of 2 Gauge cable and bolt to the chassis

26.   Fit new battery terminals to both the 0 Gauge and 2 Gauge cables

View fullsize

27.   Insert battery to into battery box

28.   Connect battery terminals to battery

View fullsize

29.   Test power by turning the key on ignition

30.   Start the vehicle and ensure all electronics are functioning correctly

31.   You are done! Enjoy the new reclaimed space in your engine bay!

Author - NelKel GTR Vlogs

Link to channel below

www.youtube.com/nelkelgtrvlogs

R32 Skyline GTR Battery - USDM Replacement (fits GTS-T too!)

R32 Skyline GTR Battery replacement

The battery in your R32 GTR was dead when it came into the USA. That's not really a surprise - nine out of ten of the cars we get in have a bad battery when they finally arrive stateside.

The best replacement we've found from a cost to quality ratio is the Optima Yellowtop for the Prius. Click the link and you will be brought to the Amazon page for the battery. Prime members get free two day shipping, and the battery has a three year warranty from the date of delivery. It weighs 26 pounds and is rated at 450 CCA. (Alternate ebay link here)

If you want something lighter, you can go with the Odyssey PC680 and a set of JIS terminals. The PC680 is only 170 CCA, but weighs just 15 pounds. If you decide to go this route, be very careful with the battery and keep it on a tender as often as you can. Once this battery goes dead you will not be able to revive it. 

For something with more power, you can go with the Optima Redtop. It weighs an extra 5.5~ pounds, but comes with a 720 CCA rating. If you live in a really cold climate this might be a better option than the Yellowtop and certainly better than the Odyssey. The R32 GTR doesn't really need that much in terms of cranking amps to get started, but in extra cold climates all the extra CCAs help. 

Why can't I just buy something from a local auto parts store?

You can't buy a direct replacement battery for your R32 Skyline because the positive and negative terminal posts on a Japanese battery are different than that of the ones that are sold in the USA. The Japanese units are smaller and skinnier, and the American ones are larger and bigger around. And yes I typed it that way deliberately to make a that's what she said joke. That's what she said. 

The Toyota Prius came from the factory with the thinner battery terminals known as the JIS terminals that we see on the Japanese batteries, making them plug and play. 

Note that you can buy a replacement Toyota Prius battery battery at an auto parts store, but they are upwards of $200. We recommend purchasing them from Amazon to save $50 and a core charge. Some of the stores will give you a hard time about the core charge due to the size of the battery and terminals.

Why was my battery dead?

That's a combination of things - mostly that transit companies leave the key in the ignition to keep the steering wheel from locking, and partially that they're rarely started for about two months straight. Car batteries aren't meant to die completely and be recharged like marine batteries are, so if the battery goes fully dead a few times that's usually the end of its life. 

How can I keep my battery from dying in the future?

The easiest answer to this is to drive your car regularly. Usually an R32 GTR is someone's second car, so that's not always possible. If you don't drive your car regularly, consider investing in a battery tender. I purchased the one from the link three years ago and it's still running strong to this day. A battery tender keeps your battery from draining when the car is off. 

How to change the RB20DET spark plugs - R32 Nissan Skyline GTS-T DIY

Changing the spark plugs in your RB20DET is an easy job if you've ever turned a wrench. You'll need the following tools:

1. A basic socket set (I've had the same Kobalt set for 10 years. I can return anything that breaks to Lowes, no questions asked, and they even replace missing sockets for the price of shipping and handling.)
2. Flathead screwdriver
3. Long 3/8" extension
4. Hex socket set
5. Spark Plugs
6. Spark plug socket
7. Torque wrench
8. Anti-seize

All the images below can be expanded by clicking on them. 

View fullsize

The spark plugs in the RB20DET are located under the black plate that says NISSAN. To get to it, we need to remove the crossover pipe. It can be done without removing the crossover pipe, but it makes things awkward and cramped, and removing the pipe takes minutes. 

Start by loosening the clamps labeled above. Both ends of the intake pipe, both ends of the blowoff valve, and one end of the black hose labeled #5 should be loose when you are finished. Flip the #5 hose out of the way. 

View fullsize

The crossover pipe is bolted to the engine with two bolts right above the kink in the crossover pipe (where it says TURBO). Remove those two bolts. There are two more bolts that hold the vacuum hardlines to the crossover pipe. We labeled one in the image above, follow the lines toward the intake plenum to find the other. Once you remove the bolts, you can remove the crossover pipe and attached blowoff valve. 

View fullsize

After the crossover pipe is removed, you'll need to remove the black plate covering the spark plugs, and unplug and unbolt the igniter. Start at the front of the engine and work your way back. Using your hex head driver, loosen the 6 bolts labeled in red #1-6 that lead back to the igniter. There are two more of these located under the igniter plugs (#7 and #8). Unplug the igniter plugs, and then remove the 4 bolts holding the igniter in place (yellow #9-12). Once the igniter is removed, unbolt the last two hex head bolts that hold down the cover plate. Remove the cover plate to reveal the spark plug valley. 

View fullsize

In the spark plug valley you will see the six coil packs mounted to a metal bracket, plugged in to six brown connectors. Unplug the connectors and then unbolt the coilpacks by the 12mm bolts with 4 etched into the top of them. The coilpack bracket is actually two pieces - pull it away from the head to reveal the plugs. Mine was suctioned in there really tightly, so I had to really wiggle and pull on it. If you can't get it out, wrap a flathead screwdriver with a cloth and use it to pry. 

The removed coilpacks. 

View fullsize

With the coilpacks removed you can finally access the plugs. Use your long extension and your spark plug socket, and take each plug out. Before installing your new plugs, apply a small dab of anti-seize to the threads. This will keep them from seizing (as the name implies...) and will also make them easier to remove next time. I put anti-seize on pretty much every threaded surface that goes back in the car - just be sure not to get it on the electrode of the spark plug! While the plugs are out, it would also be a good time to run a compression check. 

When replacing the plugs, torque them to 20 ft/lbs. Put everything back on in opposite order, and start your car up!