Problems / Faults

[evr]

Anyone have an issue with something sounding like excessive hard disk noise from the RNS510 (i.e. with satnav & 30GB hard disk). It doesn't do it all the time but seems to be a definite whiring noise from the RNS510 unit which is damn annoying. I'm just not sure if it's 'normal' or if I should do a song & dance about it to the dealer.

[Rocket36]

It just pops off. Unfortunately with enough force that you feel like you're going to break it!

Wait until you're at the tinter's. The less you pull it off and put it back the better. The break like just unplugs and unclips once the headliner is off.

Once you get it off, there are metal clips that will probably be still in the roof where it all clips in. You will need to get them out as they slide into grooves on the part you removed. You will need some pliers to bend them back into a tight shape. Make sure you haven't broken any of the plasting when the metal things slide in when you pulled it off.

This should all make sense when you see it.

In fact I wouldn't put it back on until you get home and get a chance to do everything right yourself.

I didn't take any pictures of mine and I'm not in a rush to remove it again I'm affraid. Once you have it off, it should all be pretty self explainitory.

[Burkey]

Wow, and I thought that my couple of issues were a pain in the arse!

I had mine to a mate who builds race engines and he gave it a once over for me; a couple of comments that he did pass on..

The 3.6 engine runs a bloody light synthetic oil and it will use it. Better to use it than the alternative, his advice is just to keep an eye on it. the old man has a HSV GTS and it doesn't use oil anything like that beast. I guess you need to remember that the engine is a highly strung normally aspirated engine. Have a look at the outputs from the '92 GT-R which from memory was a inline 2.6 6cyl, twincam, Twin turbo with a dirty great intercooler. This thing cranked out 310bhp, now the R36 is near as dam it to 300bhp from a normally aspirated engine! Yes it is a great shopping trolley, but anyone looking at these things need to go in eyes wide open.

The he had a look at the carbon build up; thinks that it is fuel related. He did mention that it seemed to be worse if you're using Caltex fuel. I was following my car over Bell's Line of Road in a Lotus and it was blowing out quite a bit of black stuff. I could almost tell every time that the foot went down hard. Having said that, I had to work hard in the 111s to keep up!

The other thing he did suggest was that the engine mounts would not be long for this world, if the car was being driven hard regularly. I looked at a change, but after some discussion decided against it due to the additional vibration etc being transferred to the chassis and subsequently the noise.

The biggest thing that I'll be changing is the tyres. The Dunlop's are ordinary; I can't wait to get a set of Michelin's.

The hardest thing for me was changing the way I drive. I have been used to rear wheel drive brutal cars, but subtle changes to the way that you turn in and get the power down have made huge differences. And if anyone tells you that you can't get the back end out on an R36, tell them they're not trying hard enough. It may not be quick, but it is great fun.

Cheers,
Brett

[Rocket36]

Agree with the fuel/smoke out the back comment...

Notice smoke out the pipes under spirited acceleration with Caltex Vortex 98 but not with BP Ultimate.

[Lance B]

Wow, and I thought that my couple of issues were a pain in the arse!

I had mine to a mate who builds race engines and he gave it a once over for me; a couple of comments that he did pass on..

The 3.6 engine runs a bloody light synthetic oil and it will use it.

Just about every modern engine that I have seen does run very light synthetic nowadays. In fact, other than some of the old iron, every motor that I have seen is in the order of 5W30 or thereabouts. This is not an issue as these motors are *designed* that way with very tight tolerances due to modern manufacturing techniques and modern materials used. Also, the modern oils, especially synthetics or semi synthetics, are much better and therefore can be utilized.

Better to use it than the alternative, his advice is just to keep an eye on it. the old man has a HSV GTS and it doesn't use oil anything like that beast. I guess you need to remember that the engine is a highly strung normally aspirated engine.

Motors that use oil are usually those that are designed to rev hard and high and *need* to rev hard in order to get moving. The R36 does not need to be revved hard in order to get moving as it has plenty of low end torque. I had a Subaru Liberty 3.0lt B Spec and *it* used quite alot of oil due to the fact that you *had* to rev it to get it moving due to a lack of low end torque. The R36 is no such beast.

My R36 has used almost no oil in the 3,500kms that I have had it. In fact, since new, the oil has dropped only about 2mm from the time I have had it and I do give it some stick regularly.

Have a look at the outputs from the '92 GT-R which from memory was a inline 2.6 6cyl, twincam, Twin turbo with a dirty great intercooler. This thing cranked out 310bhp, now the R36 is near as dam it to 300bhp from a normally aspirated engine!

No, the 310bhp figure was the "quoted" figure that *all* manufactureres from Japan were "supposed" to adhere to back in those days, the 206Kw ceiling as it were. The *actual* power output from these cars was a hell of alot more.

Yes it is a great shopping trolley, but anyone looking at these things need to go in eyes wide open.

The he had a look at the carbon build up; thinks that it is fuel related. He did mention that it seemed to be worse if you're using Caltex fuel. I was following my car over Bell's Line of Road in a Lotus and it was blowing out quite a bit of black stuff. I could almost tell every time that the foot went down hard. Having said that, I had to work hard in the 111s to keep up!

The other thing he did suggest was that the engine mounts would not be long for this world, if the car was being driven hard regularly. I looked at a change, but after some discussion decided against it due to the additional vibration etc being transferred to the chassis and subsequently the noise.

The biggest thing that I'll be changing is the tyres. The Dunlop's are ordinary; I can't wait to get a set of Michelin's.

The hardest thing for me was changing the way I drive. I have been used to rear wheel drive brutal cars, but subtle changes to the way that you turn in and get the power down have made huge differences. And if anyone tells you that you can't get the back end out on an R36, tell them they're not trying hard enough. It may not be quick, but it is great fun.

Cheers,
Brett

[Burkey]

My R36 has used almost no oil in the 3,500kms that I have had it. In fact, since new, the oil has dropped only about 2mm from the time I have had it and I do give it some stick regularly.

In the first 5,000km mine had used about 1L. It was about 3/4L low at the 7,500km service and since then it hasn't used a lot. The last service, 15,000 the guys mentioned it was about 1L low and to keep an eye on it.

I do rev the R36 out, it does have a great lump of torque but damn it gets up and goes when you let it rev!

Cheers,
Brett

[theplanner]

Anyone have an issue with something sounding like excessive hard disk noise from the RNS510 (i.e. with satnav & 30GB hard disk). It doesn't do it all the time but seems to be a definite whiring noise from the RNS510 unit which is damn annoying. I'm just not sure if it's 'normal' or if I should do a song & dance about it to the dealer.

Yes, Natsat certainly makes those noise. Noticeable only when the car is in idle without music/radio running.

[Jayse]

Agree with the fuel/smoke out the back comment...

Notice smoke out the pipes under spirited acceleration with Caltex Vortex 98 but not with BP Ultimate.

Yep, i notice that alot when i rev it abit. Been using Shell V-Power pretty much exclusively, will see if there is a change when i switch to BP from now on.

[R36Driver888]

Yep, i notice that alot when i rev it abit. Been using Shell V-Power pretty much exclusively, will see if there is a change when i switch to BP from now on.

Owned R36 since Feb and after 7,500km I have visited the work shop 5 times:

1. IPOD cable (****) replaced with MDI they had trouble installing it..

2. Rattle left front passenger door ( stops when you wind down the window a little) - they will look at it at the 15,000km service

3. Smoke when putting the power down yes... Changed to BP ultimate from Caltex Vortex.. (would say BP is a cleaner fuel)

4. Reversing camera (factory fitted) faulty will work on it's own terms and at night is a piece of rubbish.. (Just waiting on a new camera 18 days and counting)

5. mechanically A1 (no problems under the hood)

Given the amount of times I have spent at the dealership I am over VW but not over the engineering excellence which is the R36....

[jimbob]

Rocket36, the 4 Motion issue is the front wheelspin when accelarating, mainly coming out of a T-intersection with the wheel off centre. it is particularly bad in the wet where it seems to take ages to move the power to the back. Maybe this is normal with the Haldex system but not something I have experienced with my other AWD's.

I have read about a control unit that plugs into the Haldex system and adjusts the torque split. Can anyone provide information on whether this is worth the money and does it cause any long term damage to the drive train.

Luminary, it was a brand new car not a demo. I was suspicious when both the sedan and wagon demonstrators I drove had rattles in the cabin with only a 1,000 k's on the clock. As most of the others have noted the performance outweighed the potential problems. Unfortunately the excitement is wearing off quickly. It will be a very long 3 year lease.

I use Shell Vortex fuel, it is part of the lease company deal.