fillerbunnie

Kit is in!!

After a couple of minor setbacks (AUDM vehicles have oil coolers, so you can't bolt the oil filter relocation plate to the block as the stock stud is too long) I started the car up last night.

All good except for a couple of issues to do with the tune - The idle is fine, but every 5-10 seconds it drops to ~400pm, almost like it will stall, then back up to normal idling. The other issue is that my AFR correction factor sits at about 80-90% when under low-moderate throttle under 3000rpm (still on my 100km run-in), when Sam says it should be 90%-110%, with 100% being ideal.

I've emailed sam, just waiting on a reply.

For the most part, the install went flawlessly. There were quite a number of minor differences between the US and Australian cars, which I will detail in an updated install guide for Australian cars. In short:

- AUDM power steering cooler is larger (still fits, I had to modify the bracket)
- AUDM cars have 2 horns, so the second horn needs to be mounted as well (can be done without too much trouble)
- AUDM cars have the pop-up bonnet system for pedestrian impacts, which UpRev does not yet support, leading to a permanent dash warning light (annoyance only - I assume the system won't function, but I don't plan on hitting any pedestrians)
- AUDM cars have 3 extra airbag/crash sensors for the pop-up hood system when you hit a pedestrian. 2 of the 3 are attached to the bumper baffles which need removing for air flow, so you will need to retrofit them to the bumper (or remove)
- AUDM cars have an additional aluminium front crash bar extension which needs to be removed to mount the intercooler (in theory I could have mounted it with the intercooler, but it was very tight and the crash bar extension is very flimsy - Almost appears to be a bumper support rather than a crash bar)
- AUDM cars ALL have water-to-oil coolers. The stock stud that goes between the filter and the block is quite long and you cannot mount the bypass plate for the oil filter relocation. I had to machine myself a new stud (I threaded the old stud fully, then cut it down with a grinder) to make it work
- AUDM cars use the stock power steering pressure line, which you have to bend slightly at the pump end to route over the belt system
- AUDM cars require the extension of the power steering pressure sensor connector (this may be all cars, but it wasn't in the instructions)

- I hate push-lok hose. It might be good, but **** it is hard to put on!!!
- I hate constant-tension clamps!!!

I have a good mechanical knowledge but all self-taught. I found the install quite simple overall, just time consuming (maybe 40 hours in total, but I moved very slowly/methodically). There were very few moments where I thought "****, what do I do now???"

I'll be posting some more details when I have the tune all sorted, but in short:

GTM's Stage 1 S/C kit, while a few years old and a few revisions on, is an incredibly well engineered product. It honestly felt like I was installing OEM equipment. The physical layout of everything (the relocation of the pumps, alternator) _just works_. Sam, Mike and the guys must have spent a LOT of time getting the kit engineered as well as it is. The brackets are all top notch, solid, and lined up like the came from the Nissan factory.

The only issue I have had is getting email replies from the guys - They are obviously VERY busy (And I can see why!) but sometimes I would wait for a week or so to get a reply. I guess I could have called, but this was never super-urgent for me, so I can't really judge overall on the response time.. I suspect if I had life-and-death issues I would have called and gotten responses right away.

I will reserve final judgement once the tune/is all sorted and I am on-boost, but I can pretty confidently say I am unbelievably happy so far with the kit, and the guys at GTM.

Top class gear guys!