madkaw

Glad you asked about that"step", since I have looked at the same thing on my 40phhs and wonderwed what it was all about. I thought maybe my very complete kit was actually missing something----I guess not. Still make me want to fill the gap with something though!

Thanks!

Tired of the auto climate control and I want to convert. I need the manual control unit and other various parts to do this conversion. Like to find someone who has pulled at the unit as a whole-including heater core and valve. Please send pics and prices to sfinnerty@indy.rr.com I have paypal and plenty of parts willing to trade!

Not sure if I'm in the correct forum for this discussion, but here it goes! I just finished wiring up my LC-1 in N/A L24. I think I followed the instructions correctly and the G3 guage tests correctly. The instructions are pretty specific on grounding the components, but for me they are a bit confusing, I did SOLDER all the grounds together as instructed . When I made new cables for my battery I included an extra 10 guage wire on the negative side for additional grounding purposes. I ran that ground to the chassis and tied it into(going from memory here)the same lug that was across from the starter. From there I ran another 10 guage into the car behind the heater panel and tied it into the chassis bolt hole on the tranny tunnel behind the fuse box. This is where I bolted down the lug for the LC-1 ground. The Lc-1 is the only thing grounded at this spot. But, I also wanted to use this ground to tie into my stereo ground and another wire harness ground. So instead of grounding everything on one lug(which is supposedly a no-no according to the instructons), I jumpered the 10 guage off of LC-1 ground to another body hole and ground the stereo stuff to that ground. does this sound correct or will this cause issues later? Below are the grounding instructions. it does state that it is best to ground to the engine block, but I thought I have done this-but maybe in a round about way by using this route through the battery negative cable-which is grounded to the engine. 1. The BEST grounding scheme is all grounds (i.e., ECU, Gauges, LC1 heater, LC1 system, etc.) SOLDERED into a single lug and bolted to the engine block. 2. The next best is all grounds attached to the same source, as close as possible, but on separate lugs. This is because even the corrosion between lugs can create ground offset and noise. Incidentally, this is why many ECUs have separate ground wires for injectors vs. ECU system ground- separating high voltages and low voltages reduces noise. 3. Grounding to the engine block is usually better than grounding to the frame. 4. Grounding a gauge to the radio is usually bad- ground offset can vary with volume. 5. Grounding to an ECU housing is generally not optimal- housings are strapped to the frame for shielding, but not necessarily grounded. 6. One of the WORST things to do is to ground most of your electronics to one place (i.e. the engine block), but ground one device somewhere else (i.e., the frame). Not only can this result in ground offsets, it can also create a “path of least resistance†for high currents THROUGH a low-current device. This can result in melted wires and vaporized diodes, when, for example, starter currents flow through gauges

I couldn't be happier with my twice pipes-even though they aren't MSA pipes. I too had used basically glass packs for mufflers, but that was too loud so I went with Magnaflow mufflers. Of course my set-up is different which allows for more room for mufflers. I guess my point is that I heard some folks say that these cars don't sound good with duals, i couldn't disagree more. The sound of my exhaust begs to keep your foot in the gas. I do get some resonance at the lower rpms(2200-2500) under load, but other then that it is very managable. Highway cruise at lighter loads is music to my ears. I wish I went with Borla's for mufflers, but the cost was twice as much. The hours I have in my exhaust can't compare with the ease of the MSA kit, but it sounds like you have to be ready to do some tweeking with their kit also.

From what I have researched on this subject the differences are the modulator. If you get an very early(84) turbo trans, it has a vaccuum controlled modulator like the previous years. I think after 84 shifting is controlled electronically which would put you into buying an electronic controller-another 700$

I guess i'm a little confused(but that doesn't take much), are you building this motor now, or is it running now? I am curious too that you put bigger valves in and didn't mention about notching the bores.(you have to do that). Unshrouding will be beneficial too! I am also "building" a L24, vs the L28, just because that is what i started with. I also have a lean condition on top-end, but i am very happy all around. Just now installing my G3 Innovate, so I will be able to tell more later. I did dyno my l24(there is a thread on this) and my car went way lean WOT with SM needles and the floats adjusted to spec. My timing is 20 static-36 full in with no advance-which I don't run. Very torquey, but again the top end is a little weak. I believe it is fuel delivery, but to be verified by my wideband. I ran 150HP and ran out of gas over 5100rpm, so the mighty L24 can put out. I am also running true duals 50mm, which doesn't seem too big to loose low-end, but getting the most HP out of it will be interesting.

Well I might have a dilemma on my hands. I bought my daughter another car and I think the ZX might be put on the back burner-or maybe worse-gone. Let's face it, the ZX is a great college summer car, but not practical for anything else. I don't trust the car on a long trip , because of it's age and it doesn't have air bags for safety. After seeing my wife escape death in her Forester, I knew I had to get something else for Sarah. Of course I couldn't just get any car for my SUPER KID daughter, so I got her a 2007 Subby WRX wagon. I am driving right now to make sure it is a good car(yeh right!). I bought this car sight unseen and had it shipped and never drove it before buying-----dam it is quick----maybe too quick! My daughter says never, but I told her that this car will demand respect. The ZX is pretty fast for what a stocker is, but this WRX just flat out GETS IT. So the dilemma is that i am getting overloaded with cars. Don't know if i could sell this car for enough to make me happy nad I still want to play with it more. My daughter says she wants to drive it during the summer, but I think she will forget about the ZXT after driving the Subby----maybe I will be wrong. I think I better just keep the WRX

I had a Z that was painted Porsche guards Red and it had more orange in it. This red is BLOOD red as my painter calls it. I did use a white sealer under the color that helped lighten up-I think. I fell in love with this color on a Mazda car lot. It is bright and the best Red out there right now.I think IMHO that the trim needs to be blacked out to set it off.

Here ya go Mazda True Red on a Z

So your running an adapter or reducer to get to 3" piping? Love to see some pics if you care to post them. Along the lines of piping, I am guessing that the piping supplied for the CAI kits you buy is a very thin wall aluminum? I was going to order my own pipe as needed to match up my box with the radiator core hole. Are the silicon couplings sold made for "pipe" size piping? Like as in schedule 40 or something else. I don't know anything about intercooler piping so I am not sure of the thickness of the pipe and if the same grade is uded in a CAI set-up?

I am currently making a cold air intake for my triple Mikunis that will mounted sometime this winter. To help me with some ideas on size needed for the box I have studied the TWM box on the TEP web site. The box I am making is similiar in size, but slightly different in shape(to be devulged at a later time). My questionis about piping sixe and intake opening size. The TWM box has a 3.35" opening for the 6 cylinder box, that seems very big, but maybe in needs to be for an N/A application. I was thinking originally about a 2.5" piping , but after looking at that I thought I better bump up to 3" minimum. Since I am just running the L24 motor with 40 mikuni's I would think that piping size would be big enough---any opinions????

What an idiot

Will installing this kit actually raise the rpm shift points or just make the shifts crisper? Just letting the trans shift by itself under hard acceleration I noticed it shifts way early-like 4300rpm. The car is much quicker shifting manually. Love to install a jatco 4n for the overdrive and use this kit-would that work also?

I think color has a lot to do with looks of this car. My daughter's Z in black with the gold interior is really classy IMHO. Wider tires and rims would give the car a more muscle look-hope to do that if I keep the car. The front end needs something too. I think painting the bumpers sleeks out the car and gives it a more modern look. I really like the car, but it is a toad compared to my s-30. The rear brakes on these cars-81 version-suck, can't get them to perform well. But driving a s-30 with wildwoods will spoil you! Leaks, leaks , leaks are a problem with these cars and you can't buy a new hatch seal:( Most of the metal repair i have done is because of water leaks. Auto climate control is a joke, but every manufacture has had its f$ck-ups. I hope to keep this car and fix it up to better then new, but that is a more costly and more involved then a s-30. I will say that everything but the climate control still works and works well. Another big issue for me is the auto trans, It needs an overdrive. This car would be a highway gobbler with an overdrive with an electronic control, but that will be a 2500$ venture in a 3500$ car. Though my daughter loves this car, I imagine it will be a distant memory when she sees the 2007 subaru impreza wrx wgon I got her. Let's face it, a 81zxt is cool, but not a good daily driver when the weather changes. She loves the fact that her Z causes many conversations and compliments, but for everyday convienence the Subby will spoil her!

Looking for a full set of ZG flares for my 240.

LOOKS GREAT!!!!!!!

Bo, I like that set-up. I was going to get an analog guage with a black face, so I thought it would blend in well enough. I'm not worried about it looking completely stock, but it would be nice to have the guage mounted in the cluster. So Bo, is the color on the background just white, or did you figure a way to use the green light? Anyone mount a fuel pressure guage inside their car? I noticed some guages are not for use "in" the car. I would like to monitor fuel pressure "real time" running down the road. Their seems to be a big difference in price and quality in fuel guages.

Wanting to install a wideband on my 71 and put the guage where the clock is. Most of the guages I have seen have been 2 1/16" , but I guess we need a 2 5/8" guage for it to fit correctly? Like to get some ideas here so I can order a guage set-up.

Well they want you to use the marine clean first, then metal ready, then por-15. If you haven't tried the marine clean-it is awesome stuff for getting things very clean-no grease. I think they want you to use the metal ready on everythng you paint, it helps prep clean metal and treat the rusty stuff too. Looks like you have the ideal canidate for this stuff!

derek, what is the difference between that pulley and the one on an early(9/71) that would cause your wheel not to fit. I am unfamiliar with the differences, but it looks like the front pulley is smaller in diameter compared to the rear. I only ask because my damper has been rebuilt and balanced and would like to keep it and use your set-up. thanks

I think that last line was for me

Same experience I had months ago. What a way to run a company. Maybe that's why their panels are sh%t too. Their QC department is asleep at the wheel also.

Not a Mikuni expert -BY FAR, but you didn't mention if this fuel pressure problem is affecting the engine performance? Could you just have a guage problem?

Okay, but what about gasket matching! Only kidding:)