Brad-ManQ45

Repeat after me: You get what you pay for... Even pro's have a hard time welding with cheap welders. The price difference between a 135/140 amp and 175/180 amp machine is ~$125-$150, and you get a lot more capability/duty cycle out of it. If you intend to KEEP the machine - get the 175/180 amp. Hobart is generally ~$100 less expensive and nearly the same quality as Miller or Lincoln. I tend to like Miller/Hobart because they have a tendancy to respect us little guys a bit more than Lincoln does. These are all good machines and you can't go wrong with either of the three.

Dave: Have you already ported the exhaust manifold? If not - do that, and get it Jet Hot Coated after it is machined flat....Keep that heat where it will do the most good!

I couldn't agree with you more Grumpy! To go a little further, I would use a spoolgun to avoid the necessity of changing wire in the MIG and the need to MAKE SURE the hose stays straight (and even THEN still have feeding problems because aluminum wire is just SO SOFT to be trying to put through 10 feet of hose). Now spoolguns run >$550, and if you have one of the 175/180 machines (or lower) from Miller, they have an adapter to allow you to control a spoolgun (~$260). The 210/212 class machine from Miller and higher have provision to attach the spoolgun directly to the machine. I myself made the decision that I was not going to be doing any aluminum work, so 5 years ago I bought the Millermatic 175. At the time, I WAS considering the 210 - which had a spoolgun thrown in for free - but the total was another $600 or so, and like I said - I really didn't intend to do aluminum. I personally think that for the hobbyist who needs aluminum capability, that a TIG setup is the ticket - thick or thin, it doesn't matter. My reasoning is that you are going to be making something that more than likely is gonna be highly visible and you want great/pretty welds (intakes/intercoolers/brackets) and there is just a lot more control with the TIG setup. When I think of MIG for aluminum, I'm thinking production of trailers and tool boxes.

Thanks for the info Tony! I remember some old Honda Engines - and maybe some Mitsu's that had a small chamber with a regular A/F ratio opening into the bigger combustion chamber running a lean mixture- CVCC and MCA-Jet I believe were the designations, but I could be wrong.... Anyway, there is a thread here which is where I obtained my info: http://www.msextra.com/viewtopic.php?p=164025&highlight=lean+cruise#164025

It is my understanding that you need to ADVANCE the timing in order to ge tthe lean mixture fully ignited (on time). I would think that particular attention to the "lean cruise range" for both timing and accel enrichment (@kPa points/rpms) would help a lot. I'll be paying attention to this thread,because my engine is out and I'm starting the MS process...

Just because emissions are not required (state/county) doesn't mean that you can remove emissions equipment (federal) - that is illegal.

Give Roger at Z Barn a call - that's where I got my extra one from (making a crank trigger with it - magnets glued into it).

Just a heads-up to everyone about seats.... I cannot recommend the type of seat that uses a mechanical plate to provide lumbar support. I had a Conquest and was rear-ended at the age of 30 - 23 years ago. I still have problems with my lower back - right where that plate was. The entire rear of the car was crunched into the rear wheels. If you want/need lumbar support - get seats with inflatable bladders! I may decide to try and modify the stock seats with some welding and utilizing air bladders and closed cell foam and some garbage bags in order to get more support - at least I'll know I have enough headroom. (I'm ~5'11 1/2" and inseam is 30")

There are a lot of posts about turbos on this site. You must say what your goals are - HP/Torque wise, along with how quick you want it to respond (note: the higher the HP goal the less tip in response you will get), and what else you plan to do to the car. Do a search....

If your engine is using the stock injectors, then you have low impedance injectors and will need a resistor pack, since the resistors are in the stock ECU as opposed to the '81ZXT.

Happy 4th all!

I have a 3.36 R180 that I'm not using....

If the car is in a garahe and won'y get rained on - use Ospho. I got some at NAPA, much cheaper than PickleX. I have had my car down to metal in one fenderwell area for over 2 weeks and no rust. If the car cannot be out of the rain, the only recourse is epoxy primer - rattle can WILL NOT prevent rust - it is porous.

Ernie: Just saw this and have to say I hate to see you go! Thanks for the advice (both online and off) about painting. If it weren't for you, I doubt that I would be in the process of stripping my ZXT's engine compartment and getting it ready for new paint after rust fixes -which I will be doing all myself. I too hope that you don't go away, and hope you have a lot of fun in your new endeavor - and make more money! Please consider hangin' around to answer questions directed to you, and ignore the butt-plugs that that think their Shi* don't stink.... Thanks Again, Brad

Yeah, the coils go on the plugs - no spark plug wires.

hoohaa: I purchased 2 sets of GSX-R coils on ebay for about $45 + shipping. Six VB 921's and resistors will be about $36. Since AI will be utilizing the GPIO board for my 4L60E, I will put the VB's in that box... You WILL have to do wasted spark for COP on a 6 banger or V8. I am going to drill the back of my dampner and put in 12 magnets (one backwards) and use the MSII wheel decoder for my COP setup. My '83ZXT has the engine and T5 out, tearing down engine compartment to fix inner fender/battery tray/pass firewall, will then paint entire engine compartment, then start on all bodywork and paint for exterior. Hopefully by March will have it MSII'd with GPIO and intercooled, all back together for SEZ!

'75 280, currently no engine or tranny. Will get turbo'd V8 after I have the '83XT rust repaired, painted, intercooled and MS'd...but it has rusted floors and rear quarter...

For street, I vote the SFP manifold - lower volume and looks like smaller runners too. If the Greddy runners WERE equal length, I' might give it the nod. If it were an all out drag car, I'd go w/the Greddy.

Tread depth is a major factor in hydroplaning resistance, as is tread pattern. I never let my tires get down close to Lincoln's head showing. I usually replace with at least 15-20k worthg of tread still on 'em, just because of rain.

Gabe: My '83. ZXT is about to get the battery tray/inner fender/firewall treatment too. The frame rail itself looks ok. I have a few other small areas of rust to patch, but not much. Warren & I will be yanking the engine out Sat. morning. I already have everything but the throttle shaft disconnected. I feel your pain... When this is done, it all gets new paint (doing it myself). If I can ever get my Powershot G2 to charge, I'll take pictures....

Congrats Deja! Us old coots still like to mess around fixin' up cars...

16x16 for VE in Alpha right now. About to get boost control. I'm going for it!

Ooooooooo, Am I glad I bought lots of copper wire for my basement a couple/three years ago, and already wired my 220V outlets (4 years ago). I'll still probably need to get more wire, but not until I do the Media room. I have enough to wire up the workshop right now....just never have time. Wish I could help with a source.

Enhanced Acceleration Enrichment. http://www.msextra.com/ms2extra/MS2-Extra_Tuning_Manual.html#EAE Apparently, the manufacturers utilize this strategy to minimize problems. Been reading a bit on it - that combined with other new concepts has my head spinning!

Have you looked at using EAE?