dexter72 Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Could you make mounts, so it attaches at the steering column cover and the front of the dash.. Make the tablet mounts detachable so you can take the tablet with you, where ever you go. Is that the Shadow dash ??... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Maybe mount it in the sun visor? Maybe not the ideal place to put it but at least that way you can flip it up out of sight when not in use. Edited December 29, 2014 by rturbo 930 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted December 29, 2014 Author Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Yes It is shadow dash. Hmm, I am not sure that little cover could withhold that much angular strain. I could make brackets on the dash itself. To mount it in the same location. The sun visor idea is not bad at all. It would very elegantly solve my security problem. I would have to test to see how hard it would be to look up vs looking down for info. I wonder if that hinge would supported the extra weight. Maybe a new bracket with a hinge and use the tablet as the visor? Thanks for the thoughts guys, got some things to work on Edited December 29, 2014 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pac_Man Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I was also going to suggest something easily detachable but still solid so you can keep the risk down for someone bashing the window just to rip it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 (edited) I hadn't realized there is a pocket in the sun visor, tablet fits perfectly in the pocket and still displays all the needed displays. Drove around this weekend with it and it seemed sufficient. Definitely very foreign to look up for information. I think it will eventually migrate downwards, just so it isn't too strange looking, but for now I like it. Trimmed most of the fuel cell cover off, looks much much cleaner already. Still need to cut one more piece off and reroute the lines, but very pleased so far. Also developed a loud clanking noise during sharp turns. I looked for any loose bolts and didn't see any, I think maybe the spring popped out of the perch when I was pulling out of a friends driveway (his driveway has so much camber my rear hatch wouldn't close). Definitely need to get the ball rolling on suspension fixing/replacing. During my drive I decided to test full throttle for the first time and rolled into it on a nice wide stretch of a one way road, boost peaked at about 9 psi, but easily started blowing the tires off in 3rd on a moist road (it rained the night before). I gave a couple friends a ride and boy it almost makes the long haul worth it to see people having a good time. I even rode shotgun and had a friend drive the car. The sound of the exhaust, followed by the whine of the turbo as it spools, the feeling of speed as it picks up, and then that silly whoosh as all the excess air vents out through the blow off valve, I don't think there is any radio that could do better. To top it off, I looked at the display while he was driving and the point I had been shifting at was apparently only 5k, still 2k more to go. I can't imagine it at full song. Even on my way home I rolled into it in 5th and easily picked up speed, and I'm still at stockish power levels. Definitely makes me feel like I don't need to install the boost controller for now. I mean I have driven cars with more power, but I still have a hard time fathoming how someone can use more power in our chassis. I'm just a big pile of smiles right now. Edited January 6, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Decided to finally get rid of the cover and make the rear a little prettier. I think it can use some black paint and touch up. Found several loose bolts in the rear. Either the old lock washers are past their prime or the welded diff is causing enough of a vibration when it is shunting that the bolts are rattling out. Will have to set aside some time to get some new washers and some locktite. Also decided to go ahead and install the boost control solenoid. Silly to have paid for all that and just have it lying there. 300hp here I come . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) It's been a while. Figured it is time for an update. So my storage locker flooded. I came in to start taking the doors off and take a look at the new doors and I walked into a couple inches of water on the floor near the back. They were doing construction next door and seems like they did something, it flooded out a few rows of the storage place. Luckily I had some racks so a lot of things were lifted, but turns out that the locker was flooding from the middle and the water was running backwards, so a lot of the boxes and such were ruined. I have insurance so hopefully they don't screw me too bad. Lost the entire interior lining, carpet, the snap in panels, along with a bunch of switches and electronic stuff that was waiting to go in. Not to mention all the spare suspension pieces I had standing upright got even more rusty. Tweaked my back from moving all the stuff over the next few days, so progress has been real slow. Did manage to get the boost controller installed, but haven't seen a large increase in boost pressure (maybe 2 or 3 vs the 6 I was expecting). Asked around and apparently a symptom of a tired turbo. So a replacement and maybe more power planned in the near future. Well a couple friends were planning on taking their project cars on a road trip down to california late summer, maybe hit up a race track. I would really really like to take the datsun, but I haven't driven it more then 40 miles one way since the new engine. And the new swap added quite a few more squeaks and rattles that I have been meaning to chase down. So a bit of a revival, time to get the old girl more road worthy. Short term plan, make the car more reliable/comfortable/less sketchy to drive. Long term plan, make the car bullet proof. Short term: Replace water pump X Aquire shorter alternator belt X Replace starter Install shifter relocator Install new trans mount Oil change Radiator flush X Spark plug change Secure all fuel lines Start spare parts collection (fuel pump, assortment of bolts etc) New clutch/flywheel Fix up more of the wiring Put on new door Make water proof New seats New harnesses Heater or blower at least Install oil catch can Install radiator overflow can Secure/shorten all wires Long term: Replace rear end with something more robust, I'm thinking LSD and either beefier 27 splines to 300zx axles or something along those lines Coil over suspension to prevent springs from popping out while driving Fancy mount for the coil packs Edited June 29, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) So I wanted to start with addressing the front and moving back. There was a squeal on startup that was a minor annoyance. I decided to step down one size to give the belt a little more tension. Since I had the belt off I decided to tackle the water pump. After futzing around for a while I caved in and removed the hood. Drained the radiator Undid the bolts and with a little persuasion with a rubber mallet I managed to pop it off. Goodness, the silicone. Really need to go through an engine when you buy one. The casting seemed to be in good shape, a little rust, but the coolant came off clean and the water pump was intact. Pulled the new water pump and added the a new gasket. I went to the parts store to buy the smaller belt and decided since the front lip was off to get access to the alternator, I might as well tackle some problems I had with that. So the fairly infamous folding lip problem. The polyurethane lip is really nice in that you can run into curbs and what not without much problem, but it makes a problem when at speed they cave in. (Image borrowed from Yorgee) I didn't want to go with a splitter just yet, so I decided I wanted to add some reinforcement I started out with this 50$ lip I have been using It is quite flimsy, I transported it to my friend's garage by folding it in half and putting it in the trunk. Bought a steel rod and bent it into shape to run along the bottom of the lip. Then bought an aluminum plate to reinforce the flimsy center section. Drilled some holes along the bottom to mount the reinforcement rod And I bought some polyurethane adhesive to bond the aluminum and lip together Unfortunately I am not sure if it was due to heat or what not, but it didn't want to bond very well at all. I ended up just drilling holes and mounting it was some hardware. I figured if I wanted to I could run some rods from the hardware to the bumper to further reinforce the lip if needed. Then I *tried* to paint it using the duplicolor version of plasti dip. It turned out terrible, it was really bubbly and came out really rough. Either there was something that it reacted to on the entire lip or it just really wasn't a good product. It does seem like it wants to peel off which is a small blessing. I think I'll just stick with what I know and go with good old plasti-dip next time around. With the reinforcements in place this things is pretty rigid. I can hold it on one end and it won't flex on the other. Now I have to deal with the turn signals I managed to break the stud off of while pulling it off the lip. Tempted to go with a clear lens. Edited June 9, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Finished peeling off the duplicolor product. It was pleasantly tough, but the way it went on was terrible, lots of sputtering and poor coverage. I just went with what I knew had worked for me in the past and went with good old plasti-dip from the hardware store. Sanded, washed, and I went for the second try. Much much better. The turn signal broke a stud during removal and I managed to take the housing apart and put int a new m5x0.8 20mm bolt in place. I am highly tempted to buy the clear turn signal with the white gasket to keep everything pretty, but I'm not sure I want to drop that much money at the moment. I would still like to paint the intercooler black, and tidy up the front end wiring a bit more and start working my way back. More to come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) So I went to the storage to put on the lip and finish up and finish up the water pump replacement (in hind sight I probably should replace the thermostat too...), I met a neighbor and we started talking cars and stuff. Real nice guy, chatted for a bit. He mentioned that his nephew loved these cars, and we talked about the couple cars that hadn't moved from the driveway. We talked the local cars and stories, and turned out we had a lot in common despite a fairly large age gap. He was a big italian car guy and had several fiat and alfa romeo parts and such sitting around. After a while his nephew called, and he mentioned my Z, then he asked if I could wait for a little bit, I didn't mind as I was still tightening the belt and stuff. 20 minutes later he came back with his nephew to my car sitting out with it's shiny new lip idling while I filled the radiator. Since it was warmed up and I hadn't driven it in a while I did the cool thing and offered a ride. He strapped in and I took him for a quick lap. He was all grins the whole time. Moments like these make it worth while. The little drive did remind me that there is a bogging on the top of second. Since the car was warmed up, I don't think it was the rev limit cut, so it has to be either boost cut or AFR cut coming into play. I'll have to take a log and try to sort that out. Almost getting ready to move on from the front of the car. I still need to shim the hood a bit to move it over to the passenger side in the front as well as a few mm down. Once that gets sorted, I'm tempted to weld a washer in the exact location so it bolts on the same each time. Anyways, found a screaming deal on craigslist that demands my attention. Hopefully the next update will be pretty as well. Edited June 22, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 Picked up a set of BFG G-force rivals for less then 200$ had them mounted to my old rims, and finally got my gold rims back on . A bit smaller diameter so a bit of a drop and more wheel gap, but it got my gold 15's back on the car so I can't complain. Plan this weekend is to either head to the JY and start my LSD project, or to work on body panel alignment and wiring. We'll see how motivated I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Motivation was apparently pretty stellar. Picked up some strut housings from a 280z (parts for my eventual LCA project and 27 spline stub axles), and found the first step in the LSD swap by finding a 94 Infiniti J30. Pulled the input shafts and the center pumpkin, just need to find a Z31 to pull the differential for the 12mm crown gear bolt thingy from and start swapping things over and look for a machinist to work on the input shaft. Then the decision becomes whether to run a wolf creek CV or go straight to existing CV's by purchasing adapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 (edited) So decided to really spend a bit of time with the car. I used the Sawall to cut the spindle pin from the 280z strut uprights as I wasn't confident with them pressing out. Ground the nut down with a die grinder and put the stub axle in a spare wheel upside down and impacted the nut off. Needed a little more height to pop the stub axle out of the rear end. I had trouble with the first one, did not pop out nicely so I had to spend a bit of time with an aluminum pipe to hammer it out, second one popped out nicely as did the other two from my 240z struts. Bought a 2 inch pipe cutter to cut the strut down to size. Will have to wait to decide which coilover system I go with. Leaning towards prepping for the bc coilovers I really like their system so we'll have to see. Was supposed to pick up the 300zx differential, but unfortunately the guy had to cancel last minute. So hopefully I can grab that soon to try out my LSD install. Spent the last night and today helping out boog, managed to get a rough tune and get the car up and running. The contrast between the two cars were quite interesting, both turbo, both lowered, similar air damn, similar mirrors, similar wheels, similar yet different in every way. Edited July 12, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pac_Man Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 A bit of a selfish question but I'm curious since you mentioned the LSD setup using a 300zx diff and J30 center housing. I have what I'm fairly certain is a Z31 VLSD with a welded center section, so it's effectively useless in that sense. Does the J30 differential use a longer axle like the Z31 VLSD? This diff will accept the stock stub axle from my 280z on one side but it won't clip in on the other side. That's what made me pretty much certain it's a VLSD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) Why would anyone weld a VLSD? That seems insane! Yes the J30 uses a longer input shaft on one side, I think all VLSD's need at least one longer input shaft. From what I remember, the VLSD center only takes in one c clip from the shorter side. I really don't think you should assume though. Opening it up would tell you right away. Edited July 13, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhunter Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 We gotta get a little Seattle area Z cruise together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) We definitely should! I think OmakZ is around your area, though I haven't seen him on in a while. It seems like more and more of us are getting on the road. I still have a bit of an overhaul left to do, but a Z meet and cruise sounds like massive fun. So on a car related note. I actually broke the Z a few days ago. I took it for a drive to get a log, but while parking the transmission stopped wanting to shift. Pumping it would barely help and I ended up parking it where it lied and climbed out through the passenger side. I found that the shifting problem was related a lot to poor clutch engagement point. It was really close to the floor, bringing it up an inch or two and reverse flushing the clutch master seems to have helped a great deal. In retrospect it was a no brainer as I barely had to let off the clutch before the car would start rolling. However a new problem seems to have arisen. When I shift the car into gear with the clutch engaged, the car stalls. In neutral it is fine, but the moment it goes into gear even with the freshly bled clutch the car wants to die. If I give it a bit of gas it will stay running, but heel toeing to shift at a stop seems really silly. Quick solution seems to be to up the idle RPM to compensate, but the underlying problem is still there. Somehow the transmission is engaging, even though the clutch is engaged and causes the engine to stall only when in gear. In neutral once again it seems happy to idle with the clutch engaged or not. Edited July 13, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zex Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 sounds like the clutch is not fully disengaging (duh) git the beast down to my place, we can fix it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) Ugh, I hope not. Even with the clutch in and in gear I can rev it and the car won't move though. Which makes me think the clutch is disengaged (or I guess I might be glazing up the clutch). I read something about similar symptoms when the input shaft bearing is catching? I think a trans drop might be in my future Edited July 13, 2015 by seattlejester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boog Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I'm also for a Seattle meet up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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