Hi Guys and Gals, and welcome to my build blog.
For those of you who have been on here a while, you might notice that my old blog disappeared and that I've changed my user name.
Don't want to go in to too many details, but rest assured the new thread will be better than ever
So - on to my car;
Its a Nissan Pulsar Tekna - Dig-T 190 andI bought the car to replace an elderly Micra when we found out my wife was expecting.
The pulsar was the only logical option - as I wanted something that was still a bit sporty, and had "Boy Racer"/ tuning potential, while also giving us a huge boot (I was amazed that I could fit a full size washing machine in the boot without removing the parcel shelf or folding the seats down!!!.... What's the biggest thing you've had in the boot of your pulsar?), good rear leg room, comfort, toys, low tax, low insurance, and a sub 8 second 0-60 time
This was Pick up day:
Hector the Tekna
Even before buying the car, I started doing research in to what modifications might be possible.
Basically the engine is the same one fitted to the 2nd generation Juke Nismo (not the RS though as that has the old MR16DDT lump fitted), the Renault Clio RS200, and Renault Megane 1.6 Sport (albeit in a de-tuned guise).
Naturally it didn't take long for me to get to work, post purchase;
Basically the engine is the same one fitted to the 2nd generation Juke Nismo (not the RS though as that has the old MR16DDT lump fitted), the Renault Clio RS200, and Renault Megane 1.6 Sport (albeit in a de-tuned guise).
Naturally it didn't take long for me to get to work, post purchase;
Next job on the list was to sort out the pathetic 79db stock horn that Nissan fit.
I hate the fact that it's such a weedy sounding horn compared to the size of the car.
Legally speaking, the highest rating a car horn can carry in the UK is 140 decibels - and the Stebel Nautilus Horn I fitted is rated at 139db.
This was a horn that I've had fitted to my last 3 cars, and I've found it reliable and Loud enough to alert other road users to my prescence.
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the installation process, but basically you need to remove the plastic cover which runs across the front edge of the engine bay.
With the old horn and bracket removed from the car, I needed to drill an extra hole (larger and further up the bracket length) in the bracket to fit the Stebel.
Other mods needed to fit this were a new female spade terminal on the factory wiring (the stock one is useless at staying put!), and uprating the fuse to a 20amp one due to the higher demand on the horn circuit.
For anyone who doesn't quite understand just how much louder 139db is compared to 79, give this youtube video a watch;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yiaHfP ... e=youtu.be
or check out this article on wikipedia;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel
It might only seem like it would be twice as loud (due to the db rating being just under double), but decibels work in mysterious ways!
I hate the fact that it's such a weedy sounding horn compared to the size of the car.
Legally speaking, the highest rating a car horn can carry in the UK is 140 decibels - and the Stebel Nautilus Horn I fitted is rated at 139db.
This was a horn that I've had fitted to my last 3 cars, and I've found it reliable and Loud enough to alert other road users to my prescence.
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the installation process, but basically you need to remove the plastic cover which runs across the front edge of the engine bay.
With the old horn and bracket removed from the car, I needed to drill an extra hole (larger and further up the bracket length) in the bracket to fit the Stebel.
Other mods needed to fit this were a new female spade terminal on the factory wiring (the stock one is useless at staying put!), and uprating the fuse to a 20amp one due to the higher demand on the horn circuit.
For anyone who doesn't quite understand just how much louder 139db is compared to 79, give this youtube video a watch;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yiaHfP ... e=youtu.be
or check out this article on wikipedia;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel
It might only seem like it would be twice as loud (due to the db rating being just under double), but decibels work in mysterious ways!
Next mod was LED Daytime Running Lights.
Annoyingly the german market get the option of halo ring DRLs around their Fog lights, but after a long winded battle with Nissan customer services, it turned out that unless I could get a contact in Germany to actually send me a set - I was on my own.
( https://www.motor1.com/news/58981/nissa ... n-germany/ )
Thankfully, a couple of forum members both on here and on the Note forums, had already come up against this.
This thread is worth a read;
http://www.noteownersclub.co.uk/forum/d ... c6033.html
To gain access to the bulbs on the Pulsar, you need to unbolt part of the under tray - which is much easier if you have access to a two or four post ramp. Failing that, a jack and axle stands will make your life easier - although the job can be done on the floor (unless your Pulsar has been lowered!)
Annoyingly the german market get the option of halo ring DRLs around their Fog lights, but after a long winded battle with Nissan customer services, it turned out that unless I could get a contact in Germany to actually send me a set - I was on my own.
( https://www.motor1.com/news/58981/nissa ... n-germany/ )
Thankfully, a couple of forum members both on here and on the Note forums, had already come up against this.
This thread is worth a read;
http://www.noteownersclub.co.uk/forum/d ... c6033.html
To gain access to the bulbs on the Pulsar, you need to unbolt part of the under tray - which is much easier if you have access to a two or four post ramp. Failing that, a jack and axle stands will make your life easier - although the job can be done on the floor (unless your Pulsar has been lowered!)
Last edited by Slimothy on Sun Aug 06, 2017 12:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lowering was next on the agenda.
I saw a set of H&R springs going cheap on eBay, and jumped at the chance to get them; H&R Springs Vs Stock Springs: Unfortunately, due to a bit of a design fault, the front springs clang a bit going full lock - so literally within a day of fitting them I had ordered some Eibach Pro Kit springs.
Incidentally, the H&R springs are sat gathering dust in my garage - if anyone wants them for £20 + P&P (or you could collect), then drop me a PM.
I saw a set of H&R springs going cheap on eBay, and jumped at the chance to get them; H&R Springs Vs Stock Springs: Unfortunately, due to a bit of a design fault, the front springs clang a bit going full lock - so literally within a day of fitting them I had ordered some Eibach Pro Kit springs.
Incidentally, the H&R springs are sat gathering dust in my garage - if anyone wants them for £20 + P&P (or you could collect), then drop me a PM.
I originally thought I would just be able to install a dual port blow off valve for that lovely turbo Tiiiiisssssh sound between gears, but quickly came to realise that the Pulsar's MR16DDT engine is a second generation lump.
The first generation engines, found in the Juke Nismo and 1st gen Juke Dig-T's, are quite simple to fit a dump valve to, due to the recirculation valve being pressure regulated.
The second Generation engine - found in the 1.6 Pulsar, and the 2nd generation Juke Nismos (not the RS), use a new(ish) type of recirculating valve.
The recirc valve is now an electronically operated unit, built in to the turbo housing (much like you get on most turbo diesel engines) - and at this time there is no direct replacement for the stock unit.
I have contacted GFB http://www.gfb.com.au regarding this - and there is an uprated recirculating valve in the works, with a view to making a dual port blow off valve at some point in the future.
The good news is that because the unspent boost gets electronically pumped back into the intake system, all that was needed to get a little turbo chatter was an induction kit.... Unfortunately no-one makes one for the Pulsar yet either.
First attempt at an induction kit, was by using an Injen Juke Nismo Short Ram intake kit: The first attempt at installing this didn't go too well, due to the engine bay design being rather different.
The cone filter kept getting crushed when I shut the hood, so I had to make a little relocation pipe, and use a smaller K&N filter which sits neatly behind the headlight, directly above the cold air feed which comes up from the lower grill:
The first generation engines, found in the Juke Nismo and 1st gen Juke Dig-T's, are quite simple to fit a dump valve to, due to the recirculation valve being pressure regulated.
The second Generation engine - found in the 1.6 Pulsar, and the 2nd generation Juke Nismos (not the RS), use a new(ish) type of recirculating valve.
The recirc valve is now an electronically operated unit, built in to the turbo housing (much like you get on most turbo diesel engines) - and at this time there is no direct replacement for the stock unit.
I have contacted GFB http://www.gfb.com.au regarding this - and there is an uprated recirculating valve in the works, with a view to making a dual port blow off valve at some point in the future.
The good news is that because the unspent boost gets electronically pumped back into the intake system, all that was needed to get a little turbo chatter was an induction kit.... Unfortunately no-one makes one for the Pulsar yet either.
First attempt at an induction kit, was by using an Injen Juke Nismo Short Ram intake kit: The first attempt at installing this didn't go too well, due to the engine bay design being rather different.
The cone filter kept getting crushed when I shut the hood, so I had to make a little relocation pipe, and use a smaller K&N filter which sits neatly behind the headlight, directly above the cold air feed which comes up from the lower grill: