1986-90 skyline

[Ext User(gazza)]

ok i know this car is a bit old any known problems apart from noisy diffs
and head gaskets and how is a noisy diff fixed?? i have found a 87 ti in
great condition needs a few things done to it the dealer wants $2200 for it
as is paint in very good condition no runs at all and the interior plastic's
and trim have not faded looks like been kept under cover all its life??

[Ext User(gazza)]

thats $2200 as is

[VYBerlinaV8]

Seems like a lot for an old, ordinary car.

If you like it buy it. But don't expect it to be awesome.

[Ext User(mark jb)]

> ok i know this car is a bit old any known problems apart from noisy diffs
> and head gaskets and how is a noisy diff fixed?? i have found a 87 ti in
> great condition needs a few things done to it the dealer wants $2200 for
> it as is paint in very good condition no runs at all and the interior
> plastic's and trim have not faded looks like been kept under cover all its
> life??

with the rb30 they're bulletproof as long as it's regularly serviced and not
too thrashed.
2200 is a bit much, 1500 would be a lot for an 87 even in excellent
condition.

theyre usually used as amateur driftcars these days because of their
longevity and tail-happy attitude, so check it out twice and get it
compression tested before you lay your cash down.

new paint sounds suss, unless you found a pearl.

-mark

[Ext User(Andy)]

gazza wrote:
> ok i know this car is a bit old any known problems apart from noisy diffs
> and head gaskets and how is a noisy diff fixed??


Generally just replacement. Or, depending on the dealer in question,
banana peel.


> i have found a 87 ti in great condition needs a few things done to it
> the dealer wants $2200 for it as is paint in very good condition no
> runs at all and the interior plastic's and trim have not faded looks
> like been kept under cover all its life??


That sounds *very* steep for a 20 year old Skyline. What are the 'few
things' that need to be done to it? How many k's on the clock?

Bearing in mind that car is essentially an uglier version of the VL
Commodore, I'd be looking at some more cars first - and definitely *NOT*
at a used car dealer. Go private.

It's also worth noting that VHT Vinyl/Plastic 'dye' paint costs about
$12 a can, and will make *any* non cracked dashboard/interior bits look
'as new' with an hour or so of work.

Rule of thumb: Don't trust a used car dealer. Ever. Really.

Especially when the 'AS IS' line comes out. Walk away, and quickly.

You could snap up a much newer mid-90s EL-EF Falcon or VP-VR Commodore
for that sort of money on the private market.


Cheers,

Andy. (t'other Andy.)

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"gazza" <gcusack@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:kubGh.6393$8U4.4358@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> ok i know this car is a bit old any known problems apart from noisy diffs
> and head gaskets and how is a noisy diff fixed??

It depends largely on what's actually making it noisy.

Be *very* wary of any RB30 powered Skyline or Commodore, as despite popular
opinion they are *far* from a strong & reliable engine. Cylinder heads are
extremely weak and prone to cracking at the slightest sign of over-heating,
and crank angle sensors are a common electrical fault. They also commonly
break exhaust manifold studs and crack manifolds, and have a habit of
throttle position sensor problems.

Also, don't let anyone tell you that Nissan versions of the engines don't
suffer the same problems as those in Commodores as that's absolute bullshit.
It's exactly the same engine, and will suffer in exactly the same way in
either car.

> i have found a 87 ti in great condition needs a few things done to it the
> dealer wants $2200 for it as is paint in very good condition no runs at
> all and the interior plastic's and trim have not faded looks like been
> kept under cover all its life??

2200 bucks would be around double what it'd be worth in real money.
Especially if is needs work. It's a 20 year old car, and not many 20 year
old cars are worth anything these days....

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(budgie)]

On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 22:26:11 +1100, "Noddy" <dg4163@(nospam)dodo.com.au> wrote:

(snip)

>Be *very* wary of any RB30 powered Skyline or Commodore, as despite popular
>opinion they are *far* from a strong & reliable engine. Cylinder heads are
>extremely weak and prone to cracking at the slightest sign of over-heating,
>and crank angle sensors are a common electrical fault. They also commonly
>break exhaust manifold studs and crack manifolds, and have a habit of
>throttle position sensor problems.
>
>Also, don't let anyone tell you that Nissan versions of the engines don't
>suffer the same problems as those in Commodores as that's absolute bullshit.
>It's exactly the same engine, and will suffer in exactly the same way in
>either car.

Nah, in the VL they suffer the additonal problem of the lower radiator mounting.
Most owners (and DIYers) don't know about the two air bleeds on the cooling
system. So they actually suffer *more* corrosion-related head issues than the
Skyline.

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"budgie" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:59siu2ls93med9einmogrulkfdm8pbnmmr@4ax.com...

> Nah, in the VL they suffer the additonal problem of the lower radiator
> mounting.
> Most owners (and DIYers) don't know about the two air bleeds on the
> cooling
> system. So they actually suffer *more* corrosion-related head issues than
> the
> Skyline.

The Commodore implementation of the engine was far from brilliant, but all
else being equal the Skyline version was no better than that found in the
Commodore as far as problems were concerned. It was exactly the same engine,
and mounting it in a Skyline didn't miraculously turn it into an uber
reliable wonder.

The Commodore problems were more widely known simply because there were far
more RB30 powered Commodores than Skylines.

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(atec 77)]

budgie wrote:
> On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 22:26:11 +1100, "Noddy" <dg4163@(nospam)dodo.com.au> wrote:
>
> (snip)
>
>> Be *very* wary of any RB30 powered Skyline or Commodore, as despite popular
>> opinion they are *far* from a strong & reliable engine. Cylinder heads are
>> extremely weak and prone to cracking at the slightest sign of over-heating,
>> and crank angle sensors are a common electrical fault. They also commonly
>> break exhaust manifold studs and crack manifolds, and have a habit of
>> throttle position sensor problems.
>>
>> Also, don't let anyone tell you that Nissan versions of the engines don't
>> suffer the same problems as those in Commodores as that's absolute bullshit.
>> It's exactly the same engine, and will suffer in exactly the same way in
>> either car.
>
> Nah, in the VL they suffer the additonal problem of the lower radiator mounting.
> Most owners (and DIYers) don't know about the two air bleeds on the cooling
> system. So they actually suffer *more* corrosion-related head issues than the
> Skyline.
unless proof of very recent and qualified work was produced I would
expecting head problems , I have had several of these motors and they
all suffered head and gskt problems no matter what they were mounted in
until hte heads was 'o' ringed.

[Ext User(gazza)]

need bear in mind this was for a qld rwc probaly find mor for nsw rwc
pinion seal (diff)
handbrake cable is seized
trailing arm bushes?
new steering wheel the rubber twists on the steering wheel
paint is origional
so is interior very clean
was an ex victorian car
diff seems fine
a/c is freezing
temp gauge sits just a bit under 1/2 way
and needs a new battery
and gearlinkage rubbers i think ?
is a very origional car looks origional
still has origional radio/cassete in it and it works as well dont chew tapes

[Ext User(Noddy)]

"gazza" <gcusack@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:WiiGh.6534$8U4.1519@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> need bear in mind this was for a qld rwc probaly find mor for nsw rwc
> pinion seal (diff)
> handbrake cable is seized
> trailing arm bushes?
> new steering wheel the rubber twists on the steering wheel
> paint is origional
> so is interior very clean
> was an ex victorian car
> diff seems fine
> a/c is freezing
> temp gauge sits just a bit under 1/2 way
> and needs a new battery
> and gearlinkage rubbers i think ?
> is a very origional car looks origional
> still has origional radio/cassete in it and it works as well dont chew
> tapes

If you're keen on the car, offer him 800 bucks or find something else.

A couple of grand for a car that old, it should not need a thing.

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(sgam@hotmail.com)]

On Mar 3, 11:10 pm, "Noddy" <dg4163@(nospam)dodo.com.au> wrote:
> "budgie" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
>
> news:59siu2ls93med9einmogrulkfdm8pbnmmr@4ax.com...
>
> > Nah, in the VL they suffer the additonal problem of the lower radiator
> > mounting.
> > Most owners (and DIYers) don't know about the two air bleeds on the
> > cooling
> > system. So they actually suffer *more* corrosion-related head issues than
> > the
> > Skyline.
>
> The Commodore implementation of the engine was far from brilliant, but all
> else being equal the Skyline version was no better than that found in the
> Commodore as far as problems were concerned. It was exactly the same engine,
> and mounting it in a Skyline didn't miraculously turn it into an uber
> reliable wonder.
>
> The Commodore problems were more widely known simply because there were far
> more RB30 powered Commodores than Skylines.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Noddy.

To be fair, the Skyline had a bigger radiator, I believe, and was less
prone to overheating as a result. And I'd guess that the average
Skyline is going to have had a gentler life than the average VL.
Possibly better build quality, too.

That said, $2000 is wayyyy too much for such a car.

Cheers,
Steve

[Ext User(Andy)]

gazza wrote:
> need bear in mind this was for a qld rwc probaly find mor for nsw rwc
> pinion seal (diff)
> handbrake cable is seized
> trailing arm bushes?
> new steering wheel the rubber twists on the steering wheel
> paint is origional
> so is interior very clean
> was an ex victorian car
> diff seems fine
> a/c is freezing
> temp gauge sits just a bit under 1/2 way
> and needs a new battery
> and gearlinkage rubbers i think ?
> is a very origional car looks origional
> still has origional radio/cassete in it and it works as well dont chew tapes


It's still WAY overpriced. Like Nod said, it should be *perfect* for
that price.

Bear in mind that if you're looking paying someone else to fix
everything for you you could be looking at $500-$1000 in repair bills,
on top of the $2200 initial outlay - and $3200 is getting pretty close
to AU Falcon money.

'As is' from the dealer smells suss.


Cheers,

Andy.

[Ext User(Clockmeister)]

"gazza" <gcusack@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:ZxbGh.6394$8U4.3117@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> thats $2200 as is
>

Walk away, for that sort of money it should be a one owner garaged car with
low KM's and perfect service history.

Those engines suffered terribly from some pretty big and expensive issues,
mostly head related but also crank angle sensors and air flow meters are
very unreliable and expensive to replace/repair.

Despite what you may have heard, the RB30 isn't much better in a Skyline
then it is in a VL Commodore with the exception that the Skyline has a
slightly better cooling system. That doesn't exclude the Skyline from
overheating for other reasons though and head work is pretty expensive.

[Ext User(Clockmeister)]

"gazza" <gcusack@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:WiiGh.6534$8U4.1519@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> need bear in mind this was for a qld rwc probaly find mor for nsw rwc
> pinion seal (diff)
> handbrake cable is seized
> trailing arm bushes?
> new steering wheel the rubber twists on the steering wheel
> paint is origional
> so is interior very clean
> was an ex victorian car
> diff seems fine
> a/c is freezing
> temp gauge sits just a bit under 1/2 way
> and needs a new battery
> and gearlinkage rubbers i think ?
> is a very origional car looks origional
> still has origional radio/cassete in it and it works as well dont chew
> tapes
>


How many K's?

$2200 is way too much for this type of vehicle unless it is literally in
showroom condition.

[Ext User(gazza)]

331000 klms and yes i drove it the numbers do turn over but would only rev
to 3500 rpm when flogged in 1st gear almost felt like it have a govener on
it

[Ext User(D Walford)]

Andy wrote:
> gazza wrote:
>> need bear in mind this was for a qld rwc probaly find mor for nsw rwc
>> pinion seal (diff)
>> handbrake cable is seized
>> trailing arm bushes?
>> new steering wheel the rubber twists on the steering wheel
>> paint is origional
>> so is interior very clean
>> was an ex victorian car
>> diff seems fine
>> a/c is freezing
>> temp gauge sits just a bit under 1/2 way
>> and needs a new battery
>> and gearlinkage rubbers i think ?
>> is a very origional car looks origional
>> still has origional radio/cassete in it and it works as well dont chew
>> tapes
>
>
> It's still WAY overpriced. Like Nod said, it should be *perfect* for
> that price.
>
> Bear in mind that if you're looking paying someone else to fix
> everything for you you could be looking at $500-$1000 in repair bills,
> on top of the $2200 initial outlay - and $3200 is getting pretty close
> to AU Falcon money.

If you can find a half decent roadworthy AU for $3200 I'll have 2 thanks.


Daryl

[Ext User(gazza)]

so would $1000 as is be to much is hard to find a ti skyline

[Ext User(Noddy)]

<sgam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1172962246.011035.233990@t69g2000cwt.googlegr oups.com...

> To be fair, the Skyline had a bigger radiator, I believe, and was less
> prone to overheating as a result.

I don't know if the Skyline's radiator was any bigger than that of the
Commodores, but it was certainly *higher* which went a hell of a long way to
eliminating vapor lock issues. The biggest problem with VL Commodores as far
as cooling system woes were convered was many people didn't bleed the
cooling system correctly, and that often led to major issues. For the life
of me I could never understand why that was. I mean, the bleeding procedure
was no more difficult than that of an XF Falcon, and it was outlined in
every owner's manual supplied with the cars.

For some bizarre reason, Commodore drivers seemed to be more ignorant :)

That said, the RB30 cylinder head was particularly weak, in both cars, and
I've never seen a head casting more prone to cracking than those.

> And I'd guess that the average
> Skyline is going to have had a gentler life than the average VL.
> Possibly better build quality, too.

The cars were, sure, but the engines were exactly the same.

Skylines would split a head open from front to back just like a Commodore
would if they were over heated in the slightest, and they suffered from
their fair share of crank angle sensor failures as well.

> That said, $2000 is wayyyy too much for such a car.

Absolutely.

For that money, it'd want to be totally immaculate without fault. They
simply weren't that great a car.

--
Regards,
Noddy.

[Ext User(Andy)]

gazza wrote:
> so would $1000 as is be to much is hard to find a ti skyline


Well, after reading this:


> 331000 klms and yes i drove it the numbers do turn over but would only rev
> to 3500 rpm when flogged in 1st gear almost felt like it have a govener on
> it



I'd be offering $500 'as is'.

Actually to be honest, I wouldn't even consider buying the thing at all,
but if for some reason that's the particular model of car you're
*really* after then that'd be the offer - then immediately looking to
source a new(er) motor + gearbox. It really depends how much your time
is worth to you.

Cheers,

Andy. (t'other Andy.)