DAW

SU damper oil. ATF works well. You can use a small syringe, 3-10cc, with a thin tube to add or subtract oil without removing the domes. If you don't have access to medical supplies, maybe a feed store with vetinary stuff (over-the-counter meds, etc)?? for the syringe. DAW

Make sure you have a Hayne's or factory service manual for the diagram of the indexing of the cam sprocket notch to the cam tower end cap line. If you deviate from the stock position of the line/notch (this is what really matters; not what hole (1,2,3) the sprocket is in), then with a na steet engine I'd try to advance it a bit to help responsiveness. You know that with wear it will tend to retard itself anyway. Find the hole that results in the stock location of the index mark, then install it with the next higher hole. E.g., if #1 locating hole yields stock index, then choose #2, etc. If #3 yields stock index, then you either need a new chain or thicker head gasket or cam tower shims! DAW

There are better ways to go with individual throttle plates than blow-through DCOE's (or equivilant Solex, Delloroto, Mikuni), by using TWM-type throttle bodies that bolt up to the triple carb manifold, then use a plenum shared by all six throttle plates. Corky Bell had such a plenum available as a "Cartech" part from a complex Weber blow-through set up. I bought one separately from them about 8yrs ago so I don't know if it's still available. It has "Intercooled Turbo" cast into the top of the plenum. DAW

Excellent. If rainwater does get in, it's going to collect in the housing. The best way to locate the drain hole or slot(s) may be to remove the element, pour a cup of water in the top hole, see where it wants to pool, and put the drain there. Sometimes the actual lowest point isn't the intuitive lowest point. DAW

yo, the FJ20 rods you mentioned, are they 140mm and if so, what size wrist pins do they use? Where did you find specs/info on RB series pistons? Thanks. DAW

RE the subject of intake manifolds for Nissan L6, has anyone tried an LD28 intake (injector bungs added)? I wish I could post a photo, but the runners are long (probably 2x length of L28ET) and curve down a little then curl back up smoothly to a symmetrically shaped plenum. The intake is light and bolts to the N42-47 and P79-90 heads. Very few emission devices/plumbing. I havent checked the manifold ht re hood clearance. DAW

The reason I'm not positive re cam tower bolt torque is that Nissan recommends they never be removed so I couldn't find published specs for these, but the Nissan factory service manual lists torques for bolts re their thread size. With it going into aluminum, I wouldn't go over 20. You can remove cam towers and it's done all the time to shim towers. When you install the cam loosen the tower bolts, install cam without rockers, rotate the cam a few times while snugging down the tower bolts and make sure it turns OK when bolts are tight; if not, loosen and repeat. I routinely use anti-seize compound on head bolts and I swap the bolts from the locations that appear corroded or toasty with those that look great. I'm not clear on what's happening with the broken headbolt/head won't come off. Did the top of the bolthead (socket-head, 10mm) break partially? DAW

If the head doesn't want to come off you need to double-check that you've removed the two bolts with 10mm heads that go vertically at the front of the head on the outside and attach the head and timing cover together. You wouldn't be the first to miss these in removing the head. From what I can tell, the torque on the cam tower bolts (8mm thread, 12mm bolt head) is 10-12ft-lbs. DAW

Sorry but I keep using the word external (re wastegate) when I mean internal. DOW!

Just FYI: I bought a set of the fiberglass bolt-on flares pictured above from Classic Datsun and the quality seems high and the purchase was hassle-free and prompt. DAW

Thanks Scottie. I thought about the potential differences in the spring tensions but I figured they're factory turbo cars and probably built for around 8lbs or in that ballpark which I'm going to raise anyway through the use of an auxilliary spring and adjustable boost control device. The rod alignment is critical and the T3s aren't universal re placement of the gate lever on the housing which is what I was running into with the Saab control rod angle. An adapter bracket which the original actuator bracket is attached to is problematic because it puts the actuator in the wrong plane from which it belongs in order to be correctly calibrated. I was about to weld a 1/8" steel extension piece onto one end of the Nissan bracket, matching the curve, and drill holes to allow offset of the compressor housing but I think this hybrid approach may be better. There are a ton of these cars out there in JYs too. DAW

I may have solved my problem: '87 LeBaron 2.2L turbo (Garrett) wastegate actuator looks like it's going to work just fine in allowing the compressor outlet angle I need and it has many added benefits... 1)the bracket is beefier with raised edges vs the Nissan flat bracket, 2)I can thread the end of the pushrod and install the Saab end I already have in order to make the rod length adjustable, 3)this may discourage my son-in-law from bringing cars home like they were lost puppies, plunking them down and apparently forgetting about them, 4)in the unlikely event that he were to ever get the LeBaron running we won't have to worry about his getting another speeding ticket, at least not in that car (wastegate flapping open in the breeze). DAW

I'm repositioning my T3 compressor housing on my L28ET in order to make the intercooler hose routing easier. I want it oriented so the outlet on the housing is pointing 45-90 degrees downward from its original position so that I can run the intercooler hose through the lower engine bay. Easy to rotate the housing but the external wastegate actuator/bracket is a problem. It ends up either too close to the outlet port/hose and actuator body, or the upper stud or bolt which anchors the bracket interferes with the cartridge oil input flange & bolts. I tried a Saab T3 wastegate actuator which looks very different than the Nissan and has an adjustable shorter pushrod but it had its own set of interference problems. I'm planning on fabricating a bracket to preserve the Nissan actuator location while allowing rotation of the compressor housing but I thought I'd query to see if there's an alternate actuator/bracket that just bolts on and permits rotation? I searched the thread earlier this month about wastegate actuators but it's not quite what I'm asking here. Thanks in advance. DAW

Hopefully the catalytic convertor is going to clean/cover a lot of it up but otherwise I'm lost here. We don't have emissions testing in my county so I haven't looked into this (although I often run a catalytic convertor even though I could get away with removing it). I know some members have discussed methods to squeak through testing in spite of having performance mods so if none respond to this post, try a search. DAW

Cost-to-benefit is what matters to most of us and not necessarily the absolute cost being high or low. I think that a design that provides some added flexibility in function and application makes sense. Instead of making a T3 or T4 model why not make one model to which a T3 or T4 adapter flange bolts up? Enough space should be allowed between the turbine housing and the placement of the external wastegate flange so that the flange could be capped and an internal wastegate turbo be used...or, a small quick-spooling little turbo be put on that wastegate flange to get things started...like priming the pump. DAW

You didn't say you had a turbo until your last post...the P90 is a better match to the turbo exhaust manifold ports than is a P79. Since you've already got the P90, then you'd be better of with it than the P79. DAW

I think I bought a 75amp starter/charger at Wal-Mart about 6 mos ago. DAW

The N47 could be from a 280Z L28 or a Maxima L24. The chambers are very different and it's obvious when the heads are side by side. The Maxima head has "peanut-shaped" chambers. The easiest way to identify the Maxima head is to bring a set of calipers (the simple plastic type are fine) and measure the intake valve. Maxima is 42mm and 280Z is 44mm. Both have "N47" cast onto the right outside of the head near the #1 spark plug hole. DAW

Did you try to download the Norton program you need from their site? If you registered you may have access. DAW

The header wrap helps a lot! Try touching your hand to the exhaust header/manifold under the intake manifold with wrap vs without. (Don't really do it; the reduction in heat radiation with the wrap is immense). DAW

Awesome article, very well written and understandable. I've seen the facts before but putting them into such a readable format is an art. Very well done! DAW

BTW the reason I mentioned the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator is that it has to have vacuum at idle to lower the pressure otherwise it will be too rich at idle. DAW

That won't tell you where the leak is though. Sometimes you can listen closely and hear and sometimes you can find one by spraying a little carb/f.i. cleaner around a suspicious area and if the engine speed increases, you've found your leak. I think you might need to rule out crossed up vacuum hoses as much as an unplugged one. If you had a big vacuum leak like an intake gasket the result wouldn't be an overrich condition, it would be too lean due to "false air" that wasn't metered for by the MAS. DAW

How do you get their little legs apart? DAW

No. That's the point of swapping the all of the valves from an earlier (N42 or N47 280Z) head as part of this conversion. The valve geometry is put back into the ball park at least because the earlier valves are approximately the same length longer as the amount the cam is raised by the shimming and surfacing. Look back at the article for the details. I haven't personally tried it but on paper it makes sense and the author says it worked well in his car. DAW