SoCalChris

The only Thai garage I will go to in located in Khlong Toie. I got to know the manager after a couple of years, found him to be very competent and his prices are reasonable too. IE., he swapped in my high stall torque converter and changed the tranny fluid in my NIssan for 3000baht without parts.

To get there: Head west on Rama4 and the Khlong Toie fresh market will come up on your left. Go through two stoplights and 50meters after the second light, make a left into a small soi. Go about 100 meters and the shop will come up on the right. Tell him the farang with the souped-up Nissan NV see dum sent ya.

Googled it.....all I read in the first 20 hits are positive statements about ARB products. My server at work is based out of Malaysia though so I might not see the same thing you do. I again believe you can't go wrong with an ARB air locker when it's installed correctly.

For serious off-roading, the front axle definitely needs a LSD/locker or you might as well have just a 2wd truck if one of the front wheels hangs off of the ground. Have you identified your differential model(s) and looked to see what aftermarket items are available for them?

When I was doing my FWD sport compact car autocrossing, the helical diffs (Quaife) worked very well. It almost goes to a complete lock-up with only just a little bit of slip. No issues for normal driving either and they don't wear out.

Edit: I know what you are talking about now, certain LSDs chatter when going around a corner.....

The engine's a little noisy from cold, but quiet enough when warmed up

Reason being they are chain driven not belt driven..

I have owned 3x D-Max, the last one being the 2008 'Gold Series' Did NOT do a test drive as owned 2 before, the only odd thing was the steering, nothing like the model before 2005..

This time test drove all models, to me the Mazda BT50 Hi-Racer+ was by far the best, love it.

The noise could also come from piston slap. When cold, the forged pistons bounce around in their cylinder bores slightly and make a rattling sound. Hypereutectic pistons also do this but not as much. Once up to temp in about several minutes, the aluminum pistons expand more than the cast iron cylinders and the piston sound goes away.

You can try a stall speed test which checks the torque converter's efficiency.

Have the car positioned with a clear unobstructed front pathway, then apply the handbrake

and the foot brake with the left foot with pressure.

At the same time while the vehicle is in drive gradually press the accelerator pedal with the right foot,

the engine revs will climb to around 1500-2000rpm and the vehicle will try to move forward,

but with the brakes fully applied will prevent it doing so.

The torque converter will be at full operational speed to engage drive, if you hear louder or different noises

while performing this test then it will indicate that the converter has an internal fault.

If the engine revs go up to a certain rpm every time and stay there without any different noises then the converter

is performing as it should.

This test should only be performed for 5 secs at a time as it puts max stress on the converter,

but it is a good and quick way to check the converter's performance.

Yes, this is a good way to test the torque converter's integrity. The five second time limit is really to prevent the transmission fluid from overheating and should be followed by a minute cool down after each test.

Speaking of transmission fluid, was the old transmission fluid pink or a brown color when it was changed? Brown fluid indicates an overheating problem.

Did you replace the transmission fluid filter?

Does the transmission slip in Drive at full throttle?

Did the shop measure the transmission fluid pressure when the car is running?

Did you accidently shift into drive when the engine was revving fast?

It sounds like you don't have sufficient hydraulic pressure inside the transmission. Power steering pumps make a similar noise when low on fluid or when they are about to fail.

Maybe there's air in the system somewhere that needs "burped" out......

I just got a 18month warranty Boliden sealed battery and love it. The metal areas around the battery don't corrode anymore and everything stays clean. It was about 2000baht for my 1.6L engine delivered to Ekkamai by motorbike. For the Jazz, your could go one size smaller, but I don't recommend it.

For starting/electrical issues, it's been my experience that 9 times out of 10, it's the battery.

The ARB air lockers from my understanding is a great product. The diff/axle is the weak link. Ford 9", Dana44 or GM 12bolt if available should suffice and be reliable. I think it comes standard on the Jeep Rubicon....I seen one in Thailand at least.

I haven't pursued a comprehensive gearheard project in Thailand as I fear the level of competency could be insufficient, and I could be subjected to farang surcharges.

My reading on the ARP air lockers (about 50k fitted) has been in some cases they simply don't work..............problem is only partly "what" it is largely "where" to get the stuff.

I've had no problems with overpricing - apart from import duties.....

Hmmmm, where did you read that? I've seen ARB air lockers in action and when properly installed, work like a charm. You'll will most likely need to import them or settle with a domestically-sourced limited slip diff.

IMHO, you've been fortunate so far with not getting costs "add-ons".....knock on wood. I had a final price quoted for installing fiberglass-wrapped headers on my first (and last) Thai mini-project. After the work was done, the Thai shop owner "decided" to add a 1000baht charge for the 10 minute fiberglass wrapping. His complaint was the worker's hands were irritated by the fiberglass, but if that person wore gloves like he should have done, there would not have been a problem. The tech was working just fine on the next service task with no problem as well. He saw a farang appear in his shop and targeted my wallet with any stupid excuse (the initial price quote was given to my Thai wife).

The ARB air lockers from my understanding is a great product. The diff/axle is the weak link. Ford 9", Dana44 or GM 12bolt if available should suffice and be reliable. I think it comes standard on the Jeep Rubicon....I seen one in Thailand at least.

I haven't pursued a comprehensive gearheard project in Thailand as I fear the level of competency could be insufficient, and I could be subjected to farang surcharges.

.... rumor has it TH will be seeing the twin-turbo 2.5L engine (as fitted to European D-Max's) within the next year or so..

Twin-turbo? I wonder why?

My Triton has a turbo. I have never used it, apart from on a handful of occasions when I have deliberately floored the accelerator on an open road to see what would happen.

I find that 2000rpm is more than enough for both pulling away and for cruising at ~100kph. In fact at 2000rpm I leave most vehicles standing at the lights. The turbo does not kick in at this level.

Throttle response to try to match that of a naturally aspirated petrol engine. The smaller turbos will spool up to boost more quickly than a larger turbo. It also leaves more room for growth with additional fueling.

Are you talking about a truck, ATV or ? When I retire to the North or NE Thailand, I was thinking about getting a 4x4 ATV. They have them all over Koh Samet now since the main road there is a complete disaster. Shame as the southwest side of the island has some OK snorkeling....

This and related threads are very good to scare you into not drinking and driving. However, I did not have the Thailand drunk driving insight a couple of years ago:

Thais can be generous especially when it comes to invitations for a drink, I should have known. I went out to dinner with a couple of Thais after work driving them to the restaurant. I didn't want to drink, just eat and run as I had an expensive piece of scientific equipment in the car The car was parked next to our table so I could watch it, but I will still nervous.

Anyhow, one thing lead to another.....they order a bottle of Pipers, finally persuaded me to have a drink and two hours and three whiskey drinks later, I leave the restaurant. Now, I would have gotten a taxi, but I had this large instrument in the car/truck and did not want it stolen. It was only 2-3Kms to get home from Thong Lor to Ekkamai and really I was not feeling too much of anything, alcohol-wise. I took the chance, driving slowly, sooooo stupid in hindsight. After 500 meters, I make the left turn onto Sukhumvit, and there they were. <deleted>, it's an early Tuesday night, why are those two cops there?! One motions me to pull over, and I start the process. But he then tries to stop another car that was really speeding. I see the lanes empty ahead, no risks to any people and the green at the Ekkamai stop light (35 seconds to go). I punch it, and he's too far away to do anything. I look back and he doesn't even try. Thank God! I use this and other internet sites the next day to see what could have happened to me. I've behaved myself since then. Thanks for all of the information.

Most EGR closes at higher engine speed so blocking will not make any difference to max power. My impression with PJS was a small improvement in Torque below 2,000 rpm. The main benefit of blocking EGR is stopping the contamination of engine inlet air.

Thanks Jitar for the response.

This is true for petrol vehicles where higher combustion temperatures producing NOx emissions can happen at part throttle. Although, deleting the EGR can actually keep the intake manifold much cooler. The intake charge will then be more dense, and you can also increase timing advance as detonation will be reduced too. I did this on my Nissan and there was a significant difference with its GA16DNE engine....I'm pretty sure I got a couple of HP out of it.

However, I heard the combustion temps go up substantially in a diesel engine when increasing the fueling and this produces a bucket load of NOx . My understanding the EGR is designed to stay on at full throttle. Can anybody confirm? It also decrease the EGTs (exhaust gas temps) pre-turbo. One reason why people blow their turbos is they increase the fueling so there's a ton of black smoke now and then they don't invest in a larger turbo.

Where can I have an EGR delete performed on my diesel in the BKK area? The metal plate itself is just a few bucks. How much would the service be (for the new bt50 / ranger)?

Does anyone have an example where the EGR was deleted/blocked on a Thai truck and the HP output change if any was accurately measured?

My Thai brother-inlaw did this on his 2.5L Isuzu (~2009?) and he claims an increase of about 5-10hp. I drove with him but my butt dyno is not sensitive enough to confirm.

Coconut oil is also a not very good for the heart.

True, but a good ole' "rub n tug" with coconut oil could give the heart a bit of exercise to mitigate that.

I have a small Hass avocado farm in San Diego with Zutano "B" type for pollination that ripened in the winter. It was awesome... I had avocados pretty much every day for 6 months out of the year. They are good for healthy eating as well.

-My ex-wife made a killer guacamole that in indulged in whenever it was available. After that, they always went into my salads, sandwiches, burritos/tacos or just by themselves with a bit of salt and paprika.

-I would go the regional avocado festival every year and got a recipe for an avocado milkshake there. Just add them into the blender along with some vanilla ice cream, milk and sugar to taste. Yummy!

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I think i have to forget the 250hp for now it seems though, as an 15 years old car is not an option as commuter car. I think i will buy a new standard boring car or a pickup for now.

But i have seen some nice Cefiro projects around 400-500k. I might buy one later and have it as a hobby car.

/T

If you're willing to go slightly above your budget, you could consider a new 3.2L Ford Ranger. 200hp stock and I read somewhere they can be chipped to 250hp+. It won't be a barn burner as it's a heavy vehicle, but could be good for a 7 second range 0-100kph, slightly faster than many other Thai vehicles. Automatic transmission diesel trucks are generally quicker than rowing your own gears too. However, the automatic transmission in then the weakest link in the turbodeisel powertrain.

Your plan to have the 250hp target vehicle as a hobby project is probably the best route. This is how I would do it......

-BMW E30 with an SR20DET or a 1UZ/2UZ if it can fit (I read about a BMW V8 install in the US once).

Or get an E30 BMW 3 series and drop in a 4.0 V8, we race them in retro, good fun. You buy the E30 for 300k, get a BMW V8 and manual box for say 100k, throw in some ground control suspension for 60K and of you go.

I hear an echo!

I've seen a couple E30/SR20DET cars advertised so they are already out there. Even though the Toyota V8 is compact, the Nissan turbo 4 banger would be lighter giving the car better handling characteristics. Also, you could easily make more hp.

Yes exactly, it caught me off guard though so I was unable to catch the full ad and company name before the pick up with a big ad on it's side turned in the other direction but maybe some searches may turn something up. It definitely said Lp injection technology for diesel trucks now available here in Thailand..

Back in 2010 Chev Thailand sold a factory-backed diesel+LPG version of the Colorado for a few months, before it was quietly removed from the market again... The LPG system they used was very clearly 3rd party, and there never was any official explanation as to why they pulled the models from the market, so one can only wonder....

Back in the US I considered using propane injection as an add-on performance enhancement for my diesel vehicles. This is sometimes used when you don't want to go through the hassle of extrude honing the diesel fuel injectors for increased diesel fueling. However, the emissions (both NOx and HC) goes to crap when used in the manner.

In Chevy's case, they were probably using it as an alternative fuel source, not as a performance enhancement. Propane and butane that's found in LPG have higher heat of combustion over diesel by about 10%. This would most likely cause the NOx emission to increase to an un-acceptable level to be offered as a factory option. NOx emissions is one of the biggest challenges when designing an emission-friendly diesel engine, and manufactorers sometimes use special NOx catalytic converters and/or urea injection to get around it.

Seen some great ideas here from posters already, and I agree an engine swap in an older car is in order. I personally would keep it RWD as the Thai roads can get very slick in the rain, and high powered FWD cars are generally a b!t@h to drive until in 3rd gear. Anyhow, my favorites would be:

RWD or not, when there is enough water on the road and your car is too light, you get into aquaplanning, so no way that you may compensate otherwise than by slowing down.

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Aquaplaning

The very idea of reducing speed, in itself seems to run counter to the idea of the OP which is basically of speeding, if I read correctly between the lines. I guess an increase in HP is not made just to provide better acceleration from 0-100 kms and to stick around that zone, right?

Obviously, a SUV (heavy big thing!) is less prone to this type of issue than a lighter vehicle. it is also less like to accelerate faster, except with a turbo.

I agree, hydroplaning is a problem at a higher speed. Although, this could happen with any car, whether is has some cajones under the hood or not. Additionally, lighter cars are more prone too, but it also depends on the tread design, tread depth, tread width and rubber composition of the tires.

Actually I was referring to lower speeds where the water makes Thai roads slippery. RWD cars will get squirrelly with too much power, which IMO is not too hard to correct while FWD cars could loose complete steering control. Also on dry roads, RWD cars are generally better stoplight warriors because of weight transfer.

I stand corrected after some research.....the yellow Caltex pump is pure 95 benzine/gasoline, which is what I use regularly. I asked the Caltex attendant once and he mistakenly said the yellow pump was gasohol. It makes sense since I can make it all the way up to Sisaket on one tank of Caltex, while 95 PTT gasohol always requires a top-off before arrival.

I guess it doesn't matter after Jan 2013 though.....

Sure it runs on gasohol, I just have the idea that pure benzin would offer better performance.

Have been to a bunch of PTTs, no benzin.

Would try Esso next, if I can find one within TukTuk distance from the river.

BTW,

read in the newspaper the other day that production of pure benzin is on its way out in LoS.

No real benefit in running pure bensin. I alternated between bensin 95 and gasahol 95. Could not really notice a real difference in power/consumption. Technically there is, but is is very small.

Strange you cannot find bensin.

Just run Gas 95 and be done with it. BTW, if you get a BangChak gasahol card, you can save points which you can trade in for discount later. 1000points is 200baht discount. You get 1 point per liter.

Gasohol is an oxygenated fuel blend that has slightly less energy content per volume than pure benzine. If your closed loop fuel dellivery system (with oxygen sensor) is operating fine, there should be no difference in power comparing pure benzine to a gasohol blend of the same octane. The fuel system will automatically adjust to add slightly more gasohol to the injectors to match with the amount of oxygen gas entering through the intake manifold. As expected, you will get slightly less mileage though.

I've given up trying to find stations that offer pure 95 benzine. As already stated, 95 gasohol is fine, but it does depend on the quality. I've had some bad tanks that makes the engine ping/detonate, which will then cause a slight loss of power. My preferred 95 gasohol vendor is Caltex, but PTT has been fine as well.

Seen some great ideas here from posters already, and I agree an engine swap in an older car is in order. I personally would keep it RWD as the Thai roads can get very slick in the rain, and high powered FWD cars are generally a b!t@h to drive until in 3rd gear. Anyhow, my favorites would be:

-A31 Cefiro but with a Nissan RB25DET or RB26DET to keep it all NIssan and possibly have the stock gauges, etc. working.

-BMW E30 with an SR20DET or a 1UZ/2UZ if it can fit (I read about a BMW V8 install in the US once). BTW, nice V8 install Rdrokit!

-For FWD; a Nissan Pulsar (as suggested by Tywais) or even an NV with an SR20DET. The NV would be the fastest of this whole bunch at speed with 250hp because it weighs only about 1000Kgs.

Good luck and let us know what you do......

Oh! And if you look carefully the breather is mounted above the block? Wonder why? Who'd a knew that was a proper installation though being upright and not laying on it's side would have been the final detail... It's a well done conversion too, very clean and well laid out, looks like factory, someone put a lot of love into this car and not just a wallet full of money like so many others do..

The large oil breather tube I think was plumbed into the air cleaner box in stock form. People who installed CAIs did the same as with this car using a mini- K&N filter on the breather tube. It seemed to stay clean with no oil drippage from the filter as I again think there was a vacuum line going from the oil catch can to a port before the throttle body. Unfortunately this required TB cleaning maintenance to keep the idle consistent.

Yes, precisely Chris, my reference was a bit of a dig towards another poster in another thread having an engine upgrade and the people doing the work here in Thailand deciding that the breather location down below the block on the frame was a good location for it and I got shtick for making an observation of such. All properly installed breathers are above the block and even better, into the valve cover certainly not at oil pan level or below as this was.. Actually K&N makes breathers for this purpose.

As memory serves though, it was a Jag so that could explain a lot ..

Ah, IC.....missed that one. Do you mind if you could provide the link to the thread you mentioned?

Anyhow, in getting back on topic, this reminds me of when the Yugo was introduced into the US. I hope this Datsun thing does not have the same outcome with its projected $3K target. My friend bought a Yugo and it just simply fell apart. Speaking of Yugos, how about this one for only $2K? The Olds 455ci engine swap probably won't meet your standards though.

Yep, my late-model 5.9L Dodge Cummins diesel did the same thing, and it behaved like the throttle is stuck open for a second. I was told this is purposely programmed into the engine ECU to prevent turbo "bark" which can be damaging airflow reversal through the turbo. This happens when the throttle is released too quickly and turbo slows down too fast to keep the air flowing in the appropriate direction.

You could be more 'patriotic' and mention the TV Classifieds as well...not that big selection,but possibly less 'local' dealers,so more possibilities to find something you like and not to be "taken for the ride"

Nah, I'll leave the patriotism to you as you've already done a fine job. By all means, people should not limit themselves to only one resource.

However, I'll give the OP what I think is the best way to access good cars at a reasonable price. IMHO, that is using TaladRod.com possibly with some Thai assistance. I feel fortunate I found a decent car at a reasonable price from a good Thai person there. My general advice though is whatever you use; TV classifieds, One2Car, TaladRod, and etc., buyers in Thailand need to be very careful...Thai or farang sellers.

FWIW, TV classifieds has had only a couple of NVs in the past year so I didn't mention it, sorry. I did buy a good mountain bike, laundry machine, keyboards, and refrigerator from TV classifieds, so I guess my patriotism exists in that regard. 555