After a drive out with the better half in November, I noticed on the return journey that the car temperature was sitting at 56 degrees. I thought was unusual. The following day, I went out again and it sat at 60 degrees. It was a warmer ambient. I came home and scanned the car for codes, nothing, and the only thing I could think of is that it was the thermostat. So on the Monday I phoned Litchfield and was invited to bring the car down for inspection. They didn’t have a Saturday appointment till Jan 25th, which wasn’t the end of the world. I rarely use the GTR around December/January due to the attrocious weather we get here on the Mersey coast.

Fast forward, and I’m off to Litchfield in -2 degrees temperatures, doing 70ish on the motorway, temperatures steady at 58. I slow down and pull in behind a HGV. Temperatures increase 64 with the lack of airflow directly at the car. Better. I get some warm air through the vents.

Around 2 hours after arriving at Litchfield, I’m on my way. It was the thermostat, I’m a mechanical genius. And on the way home, I treated myself to some boost, some dump valve chirps, warm air and a few overtakes.

It’s still mega.

Back down in March for service and an MOT. Then it may be time to think about a new car?

The post R35 GTR: Time for a new thermostat first appeared on BlownByTwins.

13/11/2024: Current Specs for R35 GTR

Overview & Quick Specs @ 13th November, 2024

• Engine: 3.8l V6, twin turbo. Litchfield Stage 4.5
• Horsepower (bhp) and Torque (Nm): 767bhp & 645lb/ft.
• Top Speed: 206mph
• 0-60 mph: 2.8s.
• Weight: 1752kg
• Transmission: GR6 – Stock

Detailed Specifications & Modifications

• Engine & Performance:
  • Intake: Pipercross Intake and hybrid MAF/SD
  • Exhaust: Linney Street 102mm Titanium.
  • Forced Induction: Nissan / NISMO GT3 Turbos.
  • Fuel System: ASNU 1050cc with Walbro 400lph pump.
  • ECU: EcuTek v8.1 with Litchfield map.
• Drivetrain & Transmission:
  • Stock GR6.
  • Stock front and rear differentials.
• Suspension & Brakes:
  • Suspension: Litchfield Suspension setup for fast road with Litchfield alignment.
  • Brakes: Alcon Superkit with 400mm discs and 6 piston calipers upfront and 4 piston at the rear.
• Wheels & Tyres:
  • Vossen HF3: Front 20×10+30; Rear 20×12+20
  • Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. Front: 285/35/20; Rear: 345/30/20.
• Aero & Body:
  • Litchfield LM20 Carbon front lip and rear carbon inserts
  • Mutlistage machine polish with PPF by Detail and Protect.
  • PPF carbon effect roof by Detail and Protect
• Interior & Tech:
  • R35 Audio alcantara steering wheel.
  • Tech add-ons like dash cams, upgraded audio, and other installed gadgets.

The post R35 GTR | Latest Specs first appeared on BlownByTwins.

Fast forward a few months and it come around before we knew it! Prep time. Litchfield for a service, new front tyres and alignment, then home to get ready.

It started on the Saturday, the day before the scheduled start. We headed down for dinner with our friends in Kent before heading down to the unofficial start place at the Ashford International Hotel and Spa (nice hotel, slow bar service, nice breakfast, rock hard mattresses). Sunday morning, the smiling faces arrived, it was GO TIME! Some incredible cars there. Incredible. F12 N Largo, McLaren 600LT, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Aston Martin Vantage F1, Ferrari 812 GTS, etc.

We depart for the short drive to Folkestone, to get the EuroTunnel to Calais and make a real start. We had a (terrible) coffee at the Folkestone terminal before we made our way. Onwards!

The journey began coming out of Calais and heading towards Lyon, our first stop for the night. A lovely place out the edge of the city after a long, but speedy run through France. The standards of the driving over there are so much better than here, and the roads. Shame the fuel is eye gougingly expensive though.

We got some food at a services, a lovely sandwich before arriving at hotel, with a very secure sub-terranean car park. We brought the car up in the morning to ensure it was easier to get the case in and out. The simple things!

Day 2 was the final stretch to Monaco, and The Fairmont Hotel! Amazing place. Absolutely amazing place, right at heart of the Monaco hairpin, for those who know, it’s iconic.

After 3 days in Monaco, including drives out up to Red Rock Canyon, where rain stopped play, and then to Col de Turini where God was smiling on us. Although Ana sat that one out!

We had the best time in Monaco.

Fresh from another lovely breakfast in Monaco, we headed out east along the coast and quickly arrived in Italy where we encountered some pretty awful rain. But, the Italian motorways near Turin don’t seem to have any spray, the road surface in fantastic. Boring for the non-driver, but us on the autostrada, we were all taken aback. Anyway, enough of that, we went through to St Vincent in northern Italy for a night and had maybe the best breakfast view ever?

Lets carry on in to Swizterland, over the St Bernadino pass and then to Germany, and our VPower 100 fuel – which we need over here, and E85!

With a sense of finality, we headed towards Baden Baden for the final night. We indulged in the final nights meal, a few glasses of wine with friends old and new, before rounding off with a gin at the hotel, ahead of the monumental drive home.

In what turned out to be 13 hours, the final drive was long but good. 2660 miles from door to door over the week with some incredible sights seen and some even better memories made. Laughs were plentiful, and still continue several days after.

The Litchfield tuned and maintained GTR was simply superb. It didn’t miss a beat and left a lot more expensive machinery in its wake. It needs a little more response below 3000rpm for roads like the Col de Turini, but as a fast road car, it’s simply epic.

Until the next adventure, maybe with slap! again. They were fantastic.

The post R35 GTR – Monaco bound first appeared on BlownByTwins.

I was already booked in for my annual service and MOT at Litchfield on the 30th March, and it now looks like this is being added to the mix. It’s a great opportunity to get the car on the dyno and make sure all is well with it, the power, the torque, the emissions.

According to both Litchfield and EcuTek, I can expect

• Smoother driveability, especially at low speeds
• Enhanced performance with lower octane fuels
• Refined injector calibration for precise scaling and timing
• Advanced boost control, increasing precision for larger turbo setups
• Comprehensive Flex Fuel integration across all map slots
• Simplified Rolling Launch setup for seamless operation
• More reliable and safe Torque-based Launch Control

This software also leverages Litchfield’s experience with the latest MY22 Nismo models, incorporating factory improvements in engine and gearbox calibrations.

CAN’T WAIT

The post EcuTek v9 … MORE first appeared on BlownByTwins.

I haven’t written much about the R35 lately, not because I don’t love it, quite the opposite. It’s because it’s literally amazing, I can’t get my head around the words needed to convey just how good it is. I’ll have to buried in it, because I’m never selling.

I went for my monthly dinner with the lads, about 40 miles away in Oldham because Dominic has a McLaren and doesn’t like to go too far from his house. Just in case the car McLaren’s itself. Anyway, I’d not driven my R35 for about 3 weeks, I’d not been anywhere of note here, and I’d been in Florida and The Bahamas with the better half for a couple of weeks. It’s so easy to forget what a missile it is. The Tesla is 0-50 quick and 60-100 nippy. The GTR is just ridiculous.

No more than 4 miles from house, all up to temperature and I’ve got a shiteating grin all over my face. The mechanical noises of the transmission, the diffs clunking, the engine intake, the blow off valves, all accompanied by a High Performance Academy Podcast. Epic.

I come to join the motorway, I’m in the left lane and a 370z comes charing around the outside of everyone to try and jump everyone, and he sees me and mouths “f … in … hell”. Yea, that never happened. And because I was feeling kind, I absolutely nailed him. And then some. And a bit more.

I can’t think of anything I want to do to the R35 at the moment, it’s just perfect. Do I want to go to 1000bhp? Of course, it’s mythical number and becoming almost reliable now, but, can I use ALL of my 775bhp now? No. Being honest, no, I can’t. I can do 0-60 and even then that’s a rarity. So why do I spend £20,000+ for something I’ll never be able to use. The Litchfield 3.8 Sport Engine and LM Turbo Kit with G25-660s do seem a hell of a combination, but until I’m rich, they’re not on the radar (or until we move somewhere with better, more open roads)!!

Can you import UK GTRs to Texas …. hmm.

The post Just Went For Dinner first appeared on BlownByTwins.

The RB26DETT engine is known to have a few oiling issues that have been addressed and addressed by enthusiasts and tuners over the years.

1. Oil Pump Failure: One of the primary oiling issues with the RB26DETT is related to the oil pump’s durability. The stock oil pump can struggle to handle increased power and higher RPMs, leading to insufficient oil pressure. And we all know this isn’t good…
   Upgrading to a higher-performance aftermarket oil pump is in my future, if anyone from Nitto is listening?
2. Oil Surge: Another issue that RB26 faces, particularly during aggressive cornering or high-speed driving, is oil surge. Occuring when the engine’s oil supply cannot keep up with the lateral or longitudinal forces generated by the vehicle’s movement. This can lead to oil starvation in critical engine components, potentially causing engine damage. Baffled oil pans, oil catch cans, and oil pan modifications are commonly employed to mitigate oil surge and ensure consistent oil supply.
3. Cylinder Head Oiling: The RB26 engine has a design where the cylinder head is supplied oil from the front of the engine. This configuration can cause unequal oil distribution between the front and rear cylinders, leading to potential oil starvation in the rear cylinders. Engine builders and tuners often address this issue by modifying the oiling system or adding additional oil galleries to ensure proper oil flow and lubrication to all cylinders.

It’s important to note that these oiling issues are more prevalent in high-performance or heavily modified RB26 engines – and where I’m going we all know that this will affect me. With proper maintenance, regular oil changes, and aftermarket upgrades, many of these issues can be mitigated, allowing RB26 to handle higher power levels reliably.

The aftermarket solutions, such as improved oil pumps, baffled oil pans, and oil system modifications, really do help address these oiling concerns and enhance the engine’s performance and longevity. Thankfully.

The post Which engine? RB26 or VR38 first appeared on BlownByTwins.

Most people have been in a fast car. They’ve got a mate of a mate with Vectra GSi, or a twin turbo diesel. Granted, they are pretty nippy, but not GT-R fast. Let’s put it into some context below.

Acceleration Performance (Standard Weight Nissan R35 GTR, 800bhp, 645 lb-ft)

The 0-100mph time, that’s a fast hot-hatch 0-60 time. And the GT-R is doing that to 100mph. The 60-130 speed is also mental, but in the GT-R world, this isn’t even worth noting. There’s a ton of GT-Rs out there that are doing that in 3.x seconds.

Let that sink in …

The post How Fast Is 800bhp? first appeared on BlownByTwins.

In the realm of automotive greatness, two names stand tall: the R34 GTR and R35 GTR. These Japanese beasts have captured the hearts of enthusiasts around the world, igniting debates about which one reigns supreme. In this playful comparison, we dive into the spirited rivalry between the R34 GTR and R35 GTR, highlighting their unique attributes and why owning both might just be the ultimate dream.

R34 GTR: The Iconic Legend:

Let’s kick things off with the R34 GTR, the car that wrote the first chapter of this thrilling saga. With its muscular stance and striking design, the R34 exudes a timeless charm that has aged like a fine wine. Its legendary RB26DETT engine, pumping out power like a symphony, is the heartbeat of this masterpiece. The R34 GTR’s all-wheel-drive system, combined with its active rear-wheel steering, makes you feel like a drifting maestro on every corner. This iconic machine has a rawness and character that simply can’t be replicated.

R35 GTR: The Modern Marvel:

Enter the R35 GTR, the younger sibling that brings a new level of refinement and technological wizardry to the table. From its sleek and aerodynamic exterior to the beastly power emanating from its twin-turbocharged V6 engine, the R35 GTR demands attention at every turn. Its advanced ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system and lightning-fast dual-clutch transmission elevate the driving experience to a realm of precision and exhilaration. With its cutting-edge electronics, the R35 GTR reads your mind and reacts with lightning-quick reflexes, making you feel like a superhero behind the wheel.

R34 vs. R35: The Showdown:

In the battle of the GTRs, both contenders bring their A-game. The R34 GTR exudes a nostalgic charm and a raw driving experience that purists adore. It offers a visceral connection to the road and an unmistakable sense of heritage. On the other hand, the R35 GTR pushes the boundaries of performance and technology, delivering mind-blowing power, effortless acceleration, and handling that feels like it’s defying the laws of physics. It’s a modern-day marvel that combines brute force with refined precision.

Why Choose When You Can Have Both?

Now, imagine a garage that boasts both the R34 and R35 GTRs. Picture the R34’s timeless design and raw character standing side by side with the R35’s modern aesthetics and mind-boggling technology. The R34 represents the roots and the spirit of the GTR lineage, while the R35 represents the cutting-edge present and future of automotive engineering. Together, they form a dynamic duo, each offering a unique driving experience that satisfies different cravings.

Owning both the R34 and R35 GTRs would be like having the best of both worlds. It’s a celebration of automotive history and a nod to the relentless pursuit of automotive perfection. You can indulge in the nostalgia and craftsmanship of the R34 while experiencing the awe-inspiring performance and innovation of the R35. It’s the best of both eras, a symphony of power and passion that any car enthusiast would envy.

Conclusion:

Both cars embody the spirit of the GTR lineage in their own unique ways. The R34 GTR represents the timeless legend, while the R35 GTR represents the cutting-edge future. So why choose when you can have both? Own the R34 for the nostalgia and raw driving experience, and the R35 for everything else.

The R35 is the daddy.

The post Why Choose When You Can Have Both? first appeared on BlownByTwins.

Introduction:

In the realm of high-performance sports cars, one name reigns supreme: the Nissan GTR. Since its inception, the GTR has captured the hearts of automotive enthusiasts with its raw power, cutting-edge technology, and relentless pursuit of perfection. In this article, we delve into the rich history of the GTR and explore the evolution that led to the remarkable 2017 model, highlighting its key differences and advancements.

The Legend Begins:

The GTR legacy traces back to 1969, with the introduction of the Skyline GT-R, a true icon in the Japanese automotive industry. Throughout the years, the Skyline GT-R evolved and established itself as a dominant force in motorsports, earning a reputation for its performance and technological prowess.

In 2007, Nissan unleashed a new era with the launch of the R35 GTR, signaling a departure from the Skyline name. This bold move showcased Nissan’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering. The R35 GTR instantly garnered global acclaim for its staggering performance figures and the perfect fusion of technology and driving dynamics.

The Evolution Continues: The 2017 Nissan GTR:

Building upon its predecessors’ success, the 2017 Nissan GTR elevated the driving experience to new heights. Nissan engineers left no stone unturned, refining every aspect of the car to ensure unrivaled performance, precision, and excitement.

Design and Aerodynamics:

The 2017 GTR’s design retained the iconic muscular and aggressive stance that has become synonymous with the model. However, Nissan introduced several aerodynamic enhancements, optimizing airflow and increasing stability. The revised front fascia featured a larger grille for improved cooling, while the redesigned rear diffuser and spoiler enhanced downforce, keeping the GTR planted on the tarmac at high speeds.

Heart-Racing Performance:

At the heart of the 2017 GTR lay a hand-built, twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine, meticulously crafted by Nissan’s Takumi artisans. Delivering an awe-inspiring 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque, this powerplant propelled the GTR from 0 to 60 mph in a blistering 2.9 seconds, leaving rivals in its wake. The engine’s ferocious power was channeled through a refined 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, providing lightning-fast gear changes and seamless power delivery.

Advanced Technology:

The 2017 GTR embraced cutting-edge technology, transforming the driving experience into a symphony of precision and control. Nissan’s ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system dynamically distributed power between the front and rear wheels, ensuring optimal traction and cornering prowess. The advanced Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system continuously monitored various parameters, allowing for precise adjustments to keep the GTR on its intended path, even during spirited driving.

Cabin and Comfort:

Inside the 2017 GTR, drivers were treated to a blend of sportiness and luxury. The redesigned dashboard showcased a driver-centric layout, with ergonomically positioned controls and a multifunction display providing vital information at a glance. High-quality materials, such as hand-stitched leather and carbon fiber accents, adorned the cabin, enveloping occupants in an atmosphere of refined performance.

Conclusion:

The 2017 Nissan GTR served as a testament to Nissan’s unwavering commitment to automotive excellence. By combining decades of engineering expertise, track-proven technologies, and a relentless pursuit of perfection, Nissan created a masterpiece that embodied the spirit of the GTR lineage. From its awe-inspiring performance to its state-of-the-art technology, the 2017 GTR stood as a testament to the brand’s dedication to pushing boundaries and redefining

The post The Pinnacle. The 2017 GT-R first appeared on BlownByTwins.