# Reliability of R33??



## joeyjoweejoee (Feb 6, 2004)

I found a guy that has an R33 that he got from Japan and imported here in parts where he put it back together. My questions are about the reliability of the car. I don't know if the guy knew what he was doing when he put it together, but I wanna be prepared for the worst.

What are common problems you guys have with your R33s or have heard about them? How hard is it to work on them? I'm fairly good with most cars, but have never touched a Nissan before.

Any info or help would be grealy appreciated.


TIA,
Joey


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## blk240sxgp (Jan 24, 2004)

Good luck dude.


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## Nizmodore (May 9, 2003)

First off GTS-T or GTR?

With the RB25DET engines, look out for CAS's, Head gasket (on ALL RB engines), and check the coil packs.

Same with the GTR, but check the condition of the gearbox. If the gearbox is stuffed (internals) the Nissan Navar 4WD has a similar gearbox and you may be able to score some parts from that.......

Water/oil pumps dont cause too many problems on RB's, however if it starts dripping out the fron seal of the pump replace it, its stuffed


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## mrh (May 12, 2003)

I'd stay away from it personally... If anyone outside the factory has stripped it down and rebuilt the entire car, i cannot imagine it being tight anymore!!


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## Nizmodore (May 9, 2003)

mrh said:


> I'd stay away from it personally... If anyone outside the factory has stripped it down and rebuilt the entire car, i cannot imagine it being tight anymore!!


Do things correctly, I've rebuilt multiple RB's and geaboxes.......they ARE tight


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## mrh (May 12, 2003)

Nizmodore said:


> Do things correctly, I've rebuilt multiple RB's and geaboxes.......they ARE tight


I thought the guy meant he found a car that was shipped as parts, meaning the entire car... Panels, frame etc... I cannot imagine it ever been put back together as good as the factory made it.


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## 1990BNR32 (Aug 17, 2003)

mrh said:


> I thought the guy meant he found a car that was shipped as parts, meaning the entire car... Panels, frame etc... I cannot imagine it ever been put back together as good as the factory made it.


i'm sure the car wasn't stripped down to nuts and bolts. usually cars imported as parts only are either wrecked or have the engines removed only.


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## joeyjoweejoee (Feb 6, 2004)

1990BNR32 said:


> i'm sure the car wasn't stripped down to nuts and bolts. usually cars imported as parts only are either wrecked or have the engines removed only.


It's a GTS-T with an RB25DET in it. From what I know, they took the engine out, then shipped the frame and engine at seperate times over here. It's all assembled now in exception to an exhaust system. Is 20k reasonable? It's in fairly good condition overall, but I don't know what the CAS and coil packs are.

So just look overall at the car and make sure nothing is leaking pretty much?


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

Is 20k reasonable for a non-legal car .

No its not.


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## rb26skyy (Feb 14, 2004)

1990BNR32 said:


> i'm sure the car wasn't stripped down to nuts and bolts. usually cars imported as parts only are either wrecked or have the engines removed only.


I imported min over the course of six months. i had it stripped to the frame in jap and shipped in sections....bodypanels.....electronics.....engine.....glass(a pain)found out i couldnt even use the glass after i already paid for shipping.......since the frame want a complete car i didnt have to go through the legalization crap but it doesnt matter in my area becuase the cops wouldnt care or know what it is anyway.......but it was hell to put back to gether in my garage. Took us nearly a month


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/kitcar.htm


The production, sale and importation of vehicle parts (engines, transmissions, chassis, vehicle bodies, etc.) are not regulated by EPA because parts are not considered motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. However if the parts constitute a disassembled vehicle or an approximate disassembled vehicle, the combination is considered a motor vehicle under the Clean Air Act. Any attempt to use this policy to circumvent the Clean Air Act or the Imports regulations will be considered a violation of the Clean Air Act and will be strictly enforced. An example of such circumvention is:
A kit car maker who also provides the engine and transmission before or after production/importation of the body/chassis.


There you go . Circumventing the Clean Air Act. How about that ?


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

Here you go - some more information on disassembling a car then reassembling it to get around laws.

1.

"Motor vehicles" must comply with the Clean Air Act and may not be disassembled nor purchased in a disassembled form for the purposes of evading the Clean Air Act or the Imports regulations. In these situations the kit car body/chassis combination must be certified by the manufacturer, must be in a configuration which was previously certified by EPA subject to the guidelines discussed at "2" above or, in the case of an importation, an EPA form 3520-1 must be filed at the port of entry and the vehicle imported by an eligible ICI who must ensure that the kit car body/chassis complies with all applicable emission requirements. At the present time, there are no ICIs eligible to import kit cars.
2.

Except with regard to kit vehicles meeting the guidelines at "2" above; an individual or firm that assembles kits for hire or resale, that produces assembled kit cars for resale or that produces complete kit car packages for resale will be considered to be a manufacturer of new motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. Such manufacturers and their vehicles are subject to all applicable regulations under the Act including civil penalties of up to $25,000 per vehicle for each new motor vehicle distributed in commerce, sold, offered for sale, or introduced, or delivered for introduction, into commerce, unless such vehicle is covered by a certificate of conformity issued by EPA.


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## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

DOT regulations about vehicles , and motor vehicle equipment.

* "motor vehicle. means a vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power and manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways, but does not include a vehicle operated only on a rail line

* "motor vehicle equipment" means

1. any system, part, or component of a motor vehicle as originally manufactured;

2. any similar part or component manufactured or sold for replacement or improvement of a system, part, or component, or as an accessory or addition to a motor vehicle; or

3. any device or an article or apparel (except medicine or eyeglasses prescribed by a licensed practitioner) that is not a system, part, or component of a motor vehicle and is manufactured, sold, delivered, offered, or intended to be used only to safeguard motor vehicles and highway users against risk of accident, injury, or death.


Except as provided in this section, sections 30113 and 30114 of this title, and subchapter III of this chapter, a person may not manufacture for sale, sell, offer for sale, introduce or deliver for introduction in interstate commerce, or import into the United States, any motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment manufactured on or after the date an applicable motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under this chapter takes effect unless the vehicle or equipment complies with the standard and is covered by a certification issued under section 30115 of this title.


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