zeiss150

So here's this... I was at the MSA show chatting with a fellow HybridZ member and a kindly man interupted to ask me if it was my Z that we were standing infront of. I said yes and he pointed out that my Z hatch pillar badges were on backwards? This was news to me because I had never noticed a difference. If you look at the side of the badges there are cut outs. If you put them on the wrong sides(the cut outs should face towards the back of the car) it inhibits the venting of the hatch. which would in turn allow for exaust fumes to enter the cab for the pleasure of the driver to smell. It turns out that the kindly man used to own a Z car shop for some 20 years so in his experiance this badge switching (among other things) caused the dreded "exaust smell". I had my badges off for 3 years and I always had the exaust smell and I asked him why. He said that the badges are enginered to draw out air through the hatch pillars. We also check my hatch seals and they were great. So I switched the hatch badges today and drove around the block a few times and I didn't notice any smell. could it be that simple? I need a few more miles on the road to verifiy my results. I'll take some pictures tomorrow on the correct side of the badges. Has anyone else ever thought about this? Thank god for MSA show and the wise Z car man. Matt-

Well, here go's... I have an N-42 head on my F54 flat top block now. Im going to swap to a P90 for my turbo. With the flat top pistons my CR would be over 9:1 with a 2mm steel head gasket, thats just a little to high for that head under boost (so I've been told) With the 2mm steel head gasket and the P90 I will wind up with 8.2:1 CR with a much better head for boost. The N42 is an "open chamber" design which is much more prone to detonation than the P90 is. Detonation is the worst thing you can have on a turbo motor... right? a few seconds of pinging under boost and you can kiss your pistons goodbye. If you want higher CR with the P90 head then use the HKS 1mm head gasket that should put you closer to 8:1 CR. As for the question of what is cheaper and most reliable ... ummm .... get a doner and frankienstine it. I'm sure someone will tell me all the reasons im wrong and how well there N42 has worked for them and someone else will them them how there wrong and so on and so on..... but there it is ... .enjoy "plink plink" <------my 2 cents

it depends on the IC you use, the injectors you have the ecu you have and the fuel pump you have and the spark controll (i.e. dizzy, or EDIS) but the stock t3 turbo will put out about a max of 15 psi efficiantly. with the IC and enough fuel you should be able to get 12 or 13 psi no problem. Hope that helped

yes it "can" be done... but should it be done. its the hardest way to turbo an L28... If your gonna go turbo ... you need FI. it would cost you way more than a regular turbo set up and it wouldn't run as good. Read the book called "maximum booost" by corky bell. it has a section on carb'd turbo set ups (it even includes a photo and write up on a carb'd L28). Matt-

All I can say is WOW!!!!!! thanks for the pictures and info. I'll be at MSA on Sunday so I hope to see you there. Great work and keep up the pictures. PS dyno # sometime in the future. Matt- P.P.S. I'll be the one with the 72 240Z painted LeMans Sunset (its the 350Z "orange") and the Hot blonde at my side.

if you want to build an over bore short block thats fine ... just dont change to L24 rods. If you want to use the stock L28 crank with L24 rods thats fine... lots of guys do it ... but not for a bigger stroke... its done to change the stroke raito. If you have an optimum stroke raito the you can rev faster/higher... At least thats what I remember, I looked into doing this a long time ago, so I sort of remember some stuff about it. If you go with the L28 crank and L24 rods then you need the special pistons that arizona Z cars sells. they have a different pin height. the longer rods need the ?shorter/longer? pin height to be flush with the deck. I don't know if they sell 120 thousands over size to make it a 3.0 (2998cc or something like that) If they do then you might be able to get what you are working on. I hope this helped. Matt-

Thats a major problem!!!!! I know the engine only turned over for about 5 to 10 seconds but with that valve smacking into the piston you need to make sure that there was no damage to the rod and bareings. Also that valve snaping might have damaged the valve guide and just because you don't have enough to worry about make sure none of the other pistons made contact with the other valves. If I remember correctly the #1 piston is up at the same time as the #6 piston don't feel bad, i rebuild a KZ100 police motorcycle and I kept bending valves cause I didn't know what that "pop" sound was when I turned the cam with the head laying on a metal bench. I ben't 2 valves before I figured out what it was :stupid: Tear it all apart and rebuild it from the ground up... that way when you crank it again there is no doubt that its perfect!!! Good luck! Matt- Mopar, I think that ring is there to "squeeze" the combustion into the chamber, I think but I could be wrong.

What a bummer!!! Sorry for your trouble. Didn't you drop your engine not to long ago? If so do you think maybe something might have broke? There's no way a valve should ever come in contact with the spark plug. the valve would have to be seriously bent or the park plug would have to be bent (I don't even know if thats possible). Get the head off and let us know what went wrong. Good luck we'll be root'n for ya! Matt-

Are you sure your timing is set right? did you build the motor? If the timing is off at the cam then you may have piston hitting valve:cry2:. Also did you check your main bearing clearances (2thous play if I remember right). maybe your starter is locked up on the fly wheel. I'm just thowing out stuff... are you running FI if so could you be hydro-locked? I hope this helped Matt-

Hey Thiago, Thanks for the offer. I've tried to go to that like a bunch of times but it needs a password and the other link doesn't have any pictures. How's your 302 coming? I should have my bumpers back from the chromer on tuesday this week. He's only had them for 4 months . I need to get them back and on the Z before the MSA show on the 29th. Anyone eles going? Matt-

I vote for turbo, having built a N/A L28 that kicks a$$. I probably have about 160-180 RWHP (thats just a guess I don't have any dyno #'s to prove it) I don't have a stroker and I'm just running SU's but I have a good cam and valve train (N42 head) and all the other stuff that will add 5 HP here, 10 HP there. The bottom line is I'm going turbo. I almost have all my turbo parts and as soon as I get them all rounded up Im gonna covert my fun N/A L28 in to a kick ass 300 RWHP street demond. you can spend a dump truck full of money on a N/A 3.1 stroker and still only get 225 to the wheels or ... you can spend $500 on a 280zx turbo motor and get 225 to the wheels. And if you tack on another 2k to that junk yard zx motor then you get closer to 400 to the wheels. I remember seeing a guy at the last MSA car show that had a 3.1 robello engine in his 240Z and on the windshield he had proudly displayed his dyno sheet. I was expecting to see 250 or more RWHP and 275 torque. NOPE. 180 RWHP I don't remember the torque but it was lower than the HP. I kept staring at the sheet thinking, "this can't right". Now thats just one guys motor and there are motors that make more power than that, but I'm just say'n. If I was you I would drop a few buck into a turbo build enought to get you close to 300 RWHP, and spend the rest of the money on the suspention. Put coil overs and 5 way adjustable takico struts on there with strut braces and thicker sway bars, put in a rear sway bar. put some nice wheels on there and enjoy an awesome ride that will make you forget where you last left your porche keys. one last thing I know you were worried about keeping the interior stock looking in your Z. I'm with you on that one my brother. I'm going turbo and the only thing that will be in my Z that isn't stock will be the boost gague and it will be tastfully added next to the trans tunnle. If you don't want to see anything like that either put it in the golve box or take out the clock (that doesn't work anyway) and put the boost gague in that slot. Just my 3 cents worth. Matt-

where to start! There are so many ways to build up an L28. It doesn't sound like money is a problem for you so build the kind of engine that you've always dreamed about. First answer a few basic questions... 1 N/A or turbo 2. Stock or modified 3. Rear Wheel Horse Power goals 4. race car, drag car, show car, or Sundays on the twistys If you want lots of power from your L28 I would recomend turbo. If you want lots of power but you want to stay N/A then there are a tone of different head and fuel combos for you to play with. My personal favorate N/A set up would be the shaved P90 (or P79) head it gives you 10:1 CR with the best combustion chamber design. You could go with a stock bottom end or you could stroke it (3.0 or 3.1). Turbo is the least expensive way to get power (in the stock formation) easily 200 RWHP just but upping the the stock boost and a few other mods. To get 200 RWHP from a N/A L28 you need lots of porting and pollishing and cams and headers and exausts and distributors and higher compression ratios and so on and so on. Answer the basic questions of what you want to do with your car then we can help you decide on the type of L28 you want to build. I hope this helped, Matt-

bumb. No answers for my questions?

I just like FEnatics avitar! I'm going MS... with EDIS and I don't know $hit. but this is my hobbie and I'm her to learn. so bring on the pain!

are you going to use the turbo (borg warner) tranny? If so I would recomend against it. From what I've read that one isnt as good at the zx N/A 5 speed. since you have a 240 then your diff should be a 3:54 and with a N/A 5 speed you can use the stock 240 drive shaft, I did. Now if your gonna swap out to a different diff then you should go with the 3:90 and you will need the mustach bar that goes with it. and then I don't know if you will need the different drive shaft. I wouldn't think so the drive shafts are different lengths if I remember correctly so a ZX wont fit on a Z, but I could be remembering wrong. Ok that my 2 cents take if for what its worth. P.S. if your gonna use the N/A tranny just use you stock 4 speed shifter and you won have to trim the trans tunel. If you go with the turbo tranny your gonna have to trim the trans tunnel

Ok I'm gonna go EDIS it seem that the wireing isn't to hard, and with your help I should be able to get it installed. Is a 60 amp zx altinator enough power for MS, fuel pump,wb O2, temp sensor, map sensor, radio, blinkers, head/tail lights,brake lights, EDIS,and anything eles electrical that I'm forgetting. I check my altinator this morning and its putting out a solid 14.25 volts at the battery. Also how much of the stock 240Z wireing harnes do I have to mess with? Can I just run MS next to it without tying into it at all? I'm going to have the relay board also. Thanks Matt-

Roostmonkey, I figure I'll start with the t3 and see how I like it. I can put a bigger turbo on pretty easily, go get a Holset 35 or something like that, but I have this one and it was only $50 so i'll just start small and build from there. Any stories of success from an EDIS install on a 240? Matt-

isn't MSnS suposed to controll timing and spark with the CAS dizzy, or do I have that totally wrong? Matt-

Z-ya mounted his 36-1 on a zx damper between the last pully. I guess the outer pully bolts on? If this is the case would I need to use the thinner 36-1 wheel from the taurus, or could I still get away with the escort wheel which is thicker? My girl friend wont ride in my Z with out A/C so ... I need at least two pullies (one for the altinator and one for the A/C). The way Paul (Braap) did it was awesome but I don't have any access to machineing equipment. Other than the VR and 36-1 problem how much of a pain in the a$$ is EDIS compaired to the CAS dizzy? What I mean is, is MS more difficult to wire and tune with EDIS. keep in mind I don't know anything about MS programing and tuning, but I'm willing to learn. I'm deffinatly leaning twards the EDIS... give me a push people! Matt-

Hey Paul, I read and bookmarked your awesome post on EDIS, but do you think with my limited understanding of electronics I would be able to do it? also can I run the 3 row damper and still have AC (no power stearing). Thanks, Matt- P.S. Your photos are great-

So I'm still trying to figure out all of this MS stuff. I think I've read so much that my eyes are bleeding. I've narrowed it down to two choices and I'm not sure what would be best for my setup and most importantly my skills. which should I use, the stock CAS dizzy or the Ford EDIS? Here is my goal for my Z ... I have a 240 and I want to get 300 to the wheels. I have (or will have)these parts for my build F54 with flat top pistons HKS 2mm head gasket ARP studs N42 intake 440cc injectors Intercooler 3" down pipe 2.5" exaust stock exaust manifold T3 Z31 water cooled turbo 60mm TB megasquirt (I'm not sure which version cause I don't know how im gonna controll the spark yet) and relay board fuel pump new large fuel lines fuel pressure gauge Stock P90 head BOV and all the other stuff like oil lines and wires I want to be able to contoll timing and spark while achieving 300 RWHP I would like to stay between 10-15 lbs of boost Can I controll spark to the same extent with the dizzy as I can with the EDIS? Aslo (and this is the most important part) I have very little understanding of electronics, but I'm super mechanical, I can fix just about anything. I know how to solder and I took an electronics class in highschool but that was 20 years ago. So what do you guys think, Dizzy or EDIS? One more thing ... I want to run AC in my Z so ... does that elimiate the EDIS. or can I use the ZX 3 row damper to bolt the 36-1 gear onto? Thanks for your help, You guys rock! Matt-

Where did you get that cool fuel rail. JK I need to buy one from you ... soon. I'm doing my turbo swap this summer.

A 302 Ford! What happend to the .... I wanna stick with the 6 I think it takes away from the character of the car if you put a v8 in. Thats cool man as long as another Z dominates the streets of So Cal I'm happy. Theres not to much you can do with the L24 If anything take the con rods out and use them for an L28 stroker build, sell the e88 on ebay but the block is scrap unless some member needs a spare. Now if we ever get a dual over head cam head for the L engine then maybe the L24 could kick some serious but. Welcome to the club Matt-

In a word YES!!! but there are some other question that must be answered 1. do you have the time 2. do you have the patients if the answer to those questions is yes then I don't see why you could not build it yourself. 4 years ago I the only thing I had ever done to an engine was change the oil. I bought a book (How to rebuild your datsun nissan OHC engine) and I rebuilt my L24. About a year later I striped down an L28 and rebuilt that to put in my 240Z. This year I'm going to build a Turbo motor. If you have a metric socket set and some other basic tools you can rebuild the engine no problem. If you are just going to change the head gasket, well that can be done in a few hours if you know what your doing and if you don't it might take you a day. The most difficult part of working on your Z will be dealing wth the rusted nuts and bolts. The Stock Cam and head are good for over 450 RWHP, just ask Austin. I also have a Z31 water cooled turbo that I intend to put on my turbo build. I'm looking for 300 RWHP in my 240Z ... It should be a hellofa ride. Don't forget about the tons of help you can get on this awesome Z car site. Good luck and keep us informed. Matt-

Yeah your right the evaporater not the condensor. I know about the vintage air but I was hoping to do it for less than one of their kits. If I wanted to spend a grand I would just buy one of their kits from MSA. The HybridZ part of me wants to make a sentra or civic AC work. I would love to know more about the maxima convertion. I'm sure that someone on here has frankenstiened a bad ass A/C system in to a 240z. I do know about the honda blower mod and that is a given. Thanks for the replys and keep the ideas comming. Matt-