How to Remove HICAS in your Nissan Skyline R32 GTST GTR and GTS4 - DIY Hicas Removal (RB20DET, RB26DETT)

How to Remove HICAS in your Nissan Skyline R32 GTST GTR and GTS4 - DIY Hicas Removal (RB20DET, RB26DETT)

There are a lot of ways to delete HICAS on the R32 Skyline, but this method is (in our opinion), the easiest, cheapest, and works for all models of the Skyline: GTST, GTS4, GTR, etc. for all engines RB20DET and RB26DETT. The easiest method in the past was to swap over to an RB25DET HICAS pump, but with those in short supply, and demand on 25 parts going through the roof with the R33 Skyline now legal, there is a new “better” option.

You need just one bolt from Amazon, found here:

M16x1.5 Bolt

(Note on the above: when the M16x1.5 is sold out it will bring you to another size bolt when clicking the link. Make sure you order the M16x1.5)

And some additional misc items (optional):

Automotive Magnet

Vinyl Vacuum Caps

Blue Loctite

This bolt blocks off the HICAS Port at your R32 HICAS pump, and then you can trace all the lines after that and delete them fully. You remove a ton of junk from the engine bay (along with weight!) and a lot less crap to deal with.

With the Power Steering pump removed from your R32 Skyline, install the bolt and crush washer to the rear-most port. I added some blue Loctite just in case, but you shouldn’t need it.

The next thing you need to do is open up your HICAS pump and delete the vanes that pressurize the power steering fluid. This seems intimidating, but really isn’t. The back of the pump has 4 14mm bolts that come off, and then use a magnet to pop out the vanes.

Pump open:

Removing vanes:

Vanes Removed:

From here, just reinstall your power steering pump, and delete all the lines. Just trace it all from the port you now blocked off, all the way through to whatever it links to. There will be a pump bolted into the engine bay on the driver’s side, a loop in front of the radiator for cooling, and then back down to the pump and up to the reservoir. An Image below shows everything removed:

Removed junk (via TheSkyLife)

Cap off the open port of the reservoir using a vacuum cap, and zip tie the cap in place.

Now you should install whatever rear HICAS delete of your choice to truly remove the rear HICAS balljoint, but this will at least remove all the front HICAS junk from your R32 GTR, GTST, or GTS4.

The brake lights in my Nissan Skyline R32 GTR don't turn off - GTST GTS4 too!

The brake lights in my Nissan Skyline R32 GTR don't turn off - GTST GTS4 too!

Parts needed:

Brake Pedal Stopper (46512-H0101)

A few years ago this happened to me in traffic - someone pulled up to me and said my brake lights were always on in my Skyline. I was driving my R32 GTR and went home to discover why. This guide will walk you through fixing the brake lights staying on in your R32 Skyline of any model (GTST GTR GTS4 GXi, etc.)

The brake pedal of the R32 Skyline has a little rubber plug that depresses a button on the brake switch when your foot is off the pedal. That button - when pressed - turns off your brake lights. When you press your brake pedal, the rubber plug comes off the button, and it activates your brake lights. That rubber plug degrades over 25+ years of use, and eventually falls out, leaving the button un-pressed, and your brake lights always on. The lights fail on for safety, so that you look like you are always pressing your brakes, rather than not pressing them and getting rear ended.

Below is a picture of the plug that is in your R32 Skyline. It is typically black, but replacements can also come in this bright green color.

The solution here is pretty simple - get under your dashboard (recline and move back the seat in your GTST or GTR all the way) and then look at your brake pedal. There will be a hole (highlighted in orange) that is missing a plug.

Buy the replacement part here (Amazon) or here (eBay), and place it there. Clearance is tight, but you can also try to put a small screw and nut in there, which will last forever. Up to you!

Now your brake lights in your Nissan Skyline R32 will function as usual.

How to install wheel studs on the Nissan Skyline R32 GTR GTST GTS4 - DIY Guide with ARP Wheel Studs

How to install wheel studs on the Nissan Skyline R32 GTR GTST GTS4 - DIY Guide with ARP Wheel Studs

The wheel studs on your R32 Skyline GTST or GTR are probably going bad if you’re reading this article. After 25+ years of removing and installing wheels, the threads typically start to strip. We had a car in that had two bad wheel studs (one front, one rear), so we documented the process of installing new wheel studs. We installed new ARP extended wheel studs front and rear - they are incredibly strong and probably won’t go bad for another 50 years. Your R32 will probably rust to nothing before the studs stripped or sheared (seriously!)

Parts needed:

1. ARP 100-7717 (front studs)

2. ARP 100-7708 (rear studs)

3. 12x1.5mm Lug Nuts

4. Wheel stud install tool (you don’t need this, but it saves a TON of time)

5. Impact wrench

6. Junk STEEL 12x1.5mm open ended lug nuts (different thread than your old lug nuts, you can get a set of 5 at your local auto parts store for cheap, or by clicking the link)

FRONT WHEEL STUDS:

The front studs for the Nissan Skyline R32 are about as easy as it gets. The below guide shows a 5 lug GTS4, but this will be the same instructions for GTST, GTR, and any other 5 lug skyline. 4 lug should be the same, but with one fewer stud.

1. Jack up your Skyline and put it on jack stands. DO NOT LEAVE IT ON THE JACK.

2. Remove your lug nuts, wheel, brake caliper, and brake rotor.

3. Using a hammer, hit your wheel studs until they come out of the back of the hub.

4. Place a new wheel stud in the open slot as shown above.

5. Place your wheel stud install tool over the lug nut with the tapered end facing out, and then one of your junk lug nuts over your stud. Impact until it pulls the stud in. Look to the back to be sure it’s flush with the hub.

The install tool has a bearing and cone seat for the lug nut, so that it pulls the stud in, but when the lug nut seats against the bearing (and there’s no more stud to pull into the hub), the bearing will spin and not damage or strip your stud.

This is a rear stud on a removed hub, but it shows you how to place the tool properly.

Repeat this process for both sides.

REAR WHEEL STUDS

Replacing the rear wheel studs on your R32 Skyline GTR, GTST, and GTS4, is a little more complicated. You have to remove the hubs to fully install the studs, since they are too long to squeeze in behind the hub. This process may seem intimidating, but is NOT difficult and shouldn’t require an alignment afterwards.

1. Remove the rear hub. This is just a few bolts. Remove the wheel, brake caliper, e brake, suspension arms, strut/coilover, strut bar, and HICAS arm from the hub. The image below shows:

   a. RED - suspension arms bolts

   b. GREEN - axle nut (32mm)

   c. BLUE - e brake

   d. BLACK - strut bar (12mm top and bottom)

   e. The only bolt not shown in the image below is the strut/coilover bolt. The GTST is an eyelet with a nut. The GTS4 and GTR is a 19mm tapered bolt through a fork. Just follow your strut to the bottom and remove what is holding it to the knuckle. DO NOT remove the top bolts holding it in the car.

DO NOT REMOVE YOUR WHEEL STUDS UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR AXLE OUT OF THE HUB. You may need them to thread an axle puller onto.

When working on my wheel studs, my axles were seized in my hubs. You can rent an axle puller tool (shown below) from any local auto parts store to remove it. You can also rent the ball joint separator used for the HICAS arm at that time too.

Removing/installing the e-brake is VERY intimidating at first but is actually incredibly easy thanks to GKTech, using the video below. It shows the removal/install of the e-brake in a very clear fashion.

Once you have your entire suspension arm off, remove your hub from the knuckle by the 4 large bolts in the back. The photo below shows the Skyline hubs, knuckle, and dust shield separated. Once they are separated, hammer or press out your old wheel studs, and install the new ARP studs in the hubs using the method above.

Install everything in the reverse, and enjoy your new wheel studs.

RB26DETT Spark Plug Replacement for the Nissan Skyline R32 GTR

RB26DETT Spark Plug Replacement for the Nissan Skyline R32 GTR

Looking for the spark plugs that you need to replace the worn out ones in your RB26DETT?

Due to the chronic issues that the ignition system from the RB26DETT, we recommend the copper plugs from NGK. The BCPR6ES-11 are a direct drop in replacement for the R32 GTR, and are pretty cheap - just $15 for a set of 6 at the time of writing this post.

These plugs are the best conductor (copper is great at conducting electricity), but the con is that they are not very long lasting.

You can buy the copper plugs for your skyline on Amazon here, and eBay here.

If you are looking to change your plugs less often, and your GTR has a well kept ignition system, and/or have upgraded to a better coilpack option (LS1, R35, R8, etc.), we would recommend the Iridium plugs from NGK. BCPR6EIX are a drop in plug for your RB26DETT and NGK claims they will last up to 60k miles.

We assume after some highway pulls or hard days on the track that you’d want to be changing these more often, but that’s up to you!

You can find the Iridium plugs on Amazon here, and eBay here.

Nissan Skyline R32 GTR GTST Fuel Pump Replacement Part - Walbro and DeatschWerks direct drop in replacement

Nissan Skyline R32 GTR GTST Fuel Pump Replacement - Walbro and DeatschWerks direct drop in replacement

If you are having issues with your fuel pump in your Nissan Skyline R32, there are direct, drop in replacements available from a few manufacturers.

The links below cover the replacements:

DeatschWerks Fuel Pump 9-201-0766

Walbro Fuel Pump GSS341

You may notice that the fuel pumps listed are all the same parts for the S13 240SX. The S13 pump will fit the R32 GTR, R32 GTST, R32 GTS4, and all other models of R32.

In fact the gas tank of the R32 GTST is almost exactly the same as the S13.

We would also recommend getting the pumps with the install kit. They come with a replacement mesh filter that you put in the fuel tank that keeps the pump from sucking up any large contaminants. Anyone with a Nissan Skyline that has seen the inside of the gas tank knows how dirty they can get. After 25+ years of rust, debris, and gunk building up in your gas tank, you really want a new filter so your pump isn’t drinking all of it.

These pumps will match any stock pump in the R32 Skyline, and should flow just as much (if not more). If you need more flow, you can upgrade the pump to a higher flowing pump, but we would recommend getting advice from a tuner on your specific goals or build. We’re not here to give you advice on what pump to run for your power goals, just a stock replacement :)

Nissan Skyline R32 GTST and GTR Wheel Stud Replacement - GTR GTST GTS4

Nissan Skyline R32 GTST and GTR Wheel Stud Replacement - GTR GTST GTS4

After 25+ years, the wheel studs in many R32 Syklines are stripped, have fallen out, are rusted, or unusable in some way. Luckily, there are replacement studs from ARP that should last you the rest of your life!

The links to the replacement studs are below:

Nissan Skyline R32 Front Stud Replacement - FRONT ARP 100-7717

Amazon Link

eBay Link

Nissan Skyline R32 Front Stud Replacement - REAR ARP 100-7708

Amazon Link

eBay Link

PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL NEED NEW LUG NUTS WHEN USING THESE STUDS. THESE WHEEL STUDS ARE A DIFFERENT THREAD PITCH THAN YOUR STOCK WHEEL STUDS.

Your new thread pitch with these wheels will be 12.1.5mm. With these being so long, we would recommend running open ended lug nuts with them. These Muteki lug nuts are our preferred lug nut as an affordable option, but we also included a link below to a search for applicable lug nuts.

Amazon 12x1.5mm lug nuts

eBay 12x1.5mm lug nuts

These studs fit all 5 lug models of R32 Skyline, so they will fit the GTR, GTST, and GTS4 variats cleanly and without issue.

These wheel studs are longer and stronger than the factory wheel studs in your R32 Skyline, and should you last you years. ARP studs are chromoly steel and heat treated to have 190k psi tensile strength. In other words: you won’t be able to shear these studs if you tried!

You can find the measurements of the replacement wheel studs below:

Front:

Wheel Stud Thread Size: 12mm x 1.50 RH

Knurl Diameter (in.): 0.565 in.

Underhead Length (in): 3.000 in.

Shoulder Length (in): 0.270 in.

Rear:

Wheel Stud Thread Size: 12mm x 1.50 RH

Knurl Diameter (in.): 0.509 in.

Underhead Length (in): 2.500 in.

Shoulder Length (in): 0.315 in.

RB20DET MAFS (Mass Airflow Sensor) Replacement - USDM Equivalent and Replacement Nissan Skyline R32 GTST GTS4

RB20DET MAFS (Mass Airflow Sensor) Replacement

While not common, an item that can go bad in the R32 Skyline GTST, GTS4, and any other RB20DET car is the MAFS or Mass Airflow Sensor. What can you replace it with if it breaks?

Is there a USDM Equivalent and Replacement for the RB20DET MAF Sensor?

Unfortunately, the RB20DET has a unique Mass Airflow Sensor (MAFS) to the engine. That means there is no equivalent sensor that you can replace your MAF with off the shelf from a store like Auto Zone or O’Reilly.

However, there is hope if you need to replace it.

A handful of places make replacement sensors that are drop-in replacements, and the parts supply makes it so that RB20DET Mass Airflow Sensors are almost always on eBay.

To find used OEM sensors on ebay, click here.

To find new, aftermarket replacements on Amazon, click here.

Are the aftermarkets good quality?

While we have never used them - since we import our own parts from Japan through our JDM parts company JDM Buyer - we have heard of customers installing them with no issues.

Nissan Skyline R32 Gas Tank - US Replacement for GTST GTR GTS4

Nissan Skyline R32 Gas Tank - US Replacement and Part Numbers

The Nissan Skyline R32 does not have a direct USDM replacement, but there is an option that will fit pretty well. The gas tank from the S13 240SX bolts in directly to the R32 as long as you swap over the filler neck. The only difference with the two is that the gas cap doesn’t center perfectly in the fuel door of the R32. Overall, you won’t notice a difference - and considering find a replacement R32 Skyline gas tank is close to impossible - it’s about as good as you’re going to get.

You can still find some new S13 gas tanks on eBay.

Below is a picture of the Nissan Skyline R32 gas tank next to the new S13 version from a Facebook post. To install, you take the filler neck from the R32 gas tank and swap it over to the S13 gas tank and then it’s plug and play from there. The R32 Skyline gas tanks are getting rusty from years of use, and some even split and crack from bottoming out or being hit by road debris.

Nissan Skyline R32 Front Windshield - GTR and GTST Replacement

Nissan Skyline R32 Front Windshield

We get a lot of emails asking where to find replacement R32 Skyline front windshields for both the GTR and GTST. Luckily, we have the windshields in stock via our parts company, JDM Buyer.

The R32 Skyline has two different types of windshields - one for the two door model, and one for the sedan.

You can find the R32 GTR windshields here. Those are also the same replacement windshield for the R32 GTST, GXi, GTS4, and any other two door model of Nissan Skyline R32.

If your car is a 4 door sedan, you can find your R32 Skyline sedan windshield here.

All windshield ship from the USA, and are guaranteed to arrive unbroken, or we will refund your money in full.

R32 GTR Battery Replacement - 2019 Version

What US battery fits my R32 Skyline GTR?

We posted this article a few years ago, and since then, there is a better option for a replacement battery for the R32 Skyline GTR. This also applies to all other models of Skyline, including GTST, GXi, GTS, and so on.

This AC Delco battery fits the R32 Skyline GTR and all sub-models of R32. As of publishing this post, it is the chepeast plug-and-play alternative battery for the R32 GTR that we know of. It’s under $200, and comes with the thinner battery posts that the factory R32 terminals will slide right onto.

R32 Skyline AC Delco battery - image courtesy of Amazon.com

As usual, all the other options still exist.

The Optima Yellowtop for the R32 is a bit pricier, but was the go-to for quite a while until this AC Delco became available. It’s actually made for the Prius (as all these batteries are), but fits all models of R32 Skyline. This is a great battery and Optima is known for their generous warranty on their batteries, although we’ve heard that warranties on these batteries will sometimes be rejected by Optima, however Amazon will cover it in that case without issue.

There is also the Odyssey battery for the R32 that has the proper posts, but is very small and prone to dying if you aren’t driving or using your car often. We would highly recommend only purchasing this battery if it is your daily driver, or if you keep your battery on a tender. A week or two of not starting this battery will leave it completely dead without a chance for revival in our experience.

Your other option is to change your terminals over to the standard US terminals, and then measure the batteries at an auto parts store to find a fitting battery.

Overall, the AC Delco is recommended, as it is a name-brand battery, ordered from Amazon - who will honor dead batteries and warranties should you need to, and isn’t too expensive.