Doug71zt

When you replace your clutch, get the flywheel machined again and break-in the clutch for 500 miles of regular driving before hitting it with full power. It takes a while for the flywheel/clutch facings/pressure plate to wear in together. My local clutch manufacturer will stand behind their clutches - but only if they are properly broken-in.

You won't be able to use a dizzy setup for the SDS system as the dizzy runs at half crank speed. I put my SDS magnets in the flywheel (my first setup had them in the crank pulley) and I am quite happy with the results. It is actually quite easy to work out a crank-trigger setup for the SDS in the flywheel.

I ran the 280z rear drums on my 240 for about 5 years. They seem to stay in adjustment longer. I had no problems at all with the installation. Doug

I had the flywheel balanced with the rest of the rotating assy. You zero out the crank, then put the flywheel on and zero, then the front pulley and final balance to zero. My flywheel looks very similar to Nigel's, maybe a bit more taken out of the outer ring and behind the friction surface. I have my SDS magnets in the outer ring of the flywheel, with the mag pickup installed in my bellhousing.

I'm running a shaved 240mm flywheel, down to 16lbs. most came from the inertia ring. Behind the friction surface was just cleaned up to remove the casting imperfections. I didn't remove too much off of the face. The flywheel needed a rebalance after - it was quite far out of balance due to the irregular casting surface. I'm running a sprung 6-pick Kevlar-Ceramic clutch with a no-BS rating of 480 ft-lbs. I'm quite happy with the streetability of the combination - not stock, but much better than I was anticipating. Doug

From experience I can tell you that the L-series are a lot happier running 2500-2700 at 70-75mph than 2200. There isn't a lot of torque down there with the lower compression turbo engines. T-56 with .50 overdrive, 4.11 diff and 225/45/17 tires - Redline 6800. Top Gear gives 36.152 MPH/1000 RPM and a top speed of 245.834 MPH at 6800 RPM Engine speeds in top gear:- 30 MPH = 830 RPM 40 MPH = 1106 RPM 50 MPH = 1383 RPM 60 MPH = 1660 RPM 70 MPH = 1936 RPM 80 MPH = 2213 RPM 90 MPH = 2489 RPM 100 MPH = 2766 RPM T-56 with .62 overdrive, everything else the same. Top Gear gives 29.155 MPH/1000 RPM and a top speed of 198.253 MPH at 6800 RPM Engine speeds in top gear:- 30 MPH = 1029 RPM 40 MPH = 1372 RPM 50 MPH = 1715 RPM 60 MPH = 2058 RPM 70 MPH = 2401 RPM 80 MPH = 2744 RPM 90 MPH = 3087 RPM 100 MPH = 3430 RPM Z32 box with 225/45/17 tires and a diff ratio of 3.54. Redline is 6800 rpm. Top Gear gives 29.475 MPH/1000 RPM and a top speed of 200.432 MPH at 6800 RPM Engine speeds in top gear:- 30 MPH = 1018 RPM 40 MPH = 1357 RPM 50 MPH = 1696 RPM 60 MPH = 2036 RPM 70 MPH = 2375 RPM 80 MPH = 2714 RPM 90 MPH = 3053 RPM 100 MPH = 3393 RPM Here it is with a 3.7 diff ratio. Top Gear gives 28.241 MPH/1000 RPM and a top speed of 192.036 MPH at 6800 RPM Engine speeds in top gear:- 30 MPH = 1062 RPM 40 MPH = 1416 RPM 50 MPH = 1771 RPM 60 MPH = 2125 RPM 70 MPH = 2479 RPM 80 MPH = 2833 RPM 90 MPH = 3187 RPM 100 MPH = 3541 RPM Top Speed in 1 gear = 41.076 MPH And changes into 2 gear at 4249 RPM dropping 2551 RPM Top Speed in 2 gear = 65.738 MPH And changes into 3 gear at 4453 RPM dropping 2347 RPM Top Speed in 3 gear = 100.395 MPH And changes into 4 gear at 5000 RPM dropping 1800 RPM Top Speed in 4 gear = 136.537 MPH And changes into 5 gear at 4835 RPM dropping 1965 RPM Top Speed in 5 gear = 192.036 MPH It would be a pretty happy engine with the 3.7 ratio, and you could still crank out 200 mph at around 7K if you were nuts and had enough HP. Doug

510six runs a T56 behind a 3.0 L-series. If I were you I would put in a Z32 5-spd with 240hoke's adapter. Cheap and more transmission than most L-series will ever need. The ratios are pretty good for a boosted engine also. You don't need the deep, deep 6th gear for the L-series and it wouldn't be happy pulling that ratio until probably 90 mph. Doug

Hi Justin - Do you have the tracking number for my pair of flanges? Did they go USPS? Thanks Doug

So far - no updates. I got a reply that they were working up a quote, maybe waiting for the vendor to get back to them, etc. I also asked if the flexplate was SFI, they weren't sure and were going to check for me. Doug

Sounds like the big-end width of a RB or SR series engine. Are the big-end bores the correct size for the L journals? Obviously they aren't going to work for you - can you do a refund? Doug

Thanks for the analysis - I've been buried at work for a couple days. As for camber change hurting traction, I'm going to be running 15 inch DOT drag tires (Hoosier QTP or M/T ET Streets). With an outside diameter of 26 inches, and a really soft sidewall, I don't think that camber change will be a real issue. My question came from watching stock suspension S30's running at the strip VS cars such as my 240 with a more road course oriented suspension. The stock, softly sprung cars pitch up and seem to transfer weight to the rear tires, whereas my car seems to bring up the front end to the limit of travel (maybe 3 inches) while not really compressing the rear suspension all that much. I'm happy with my 240 suspension as a compromise for what that car will now be doing, but the 280 will have a different purpose and I am not so interested in going around corners fast with it. I will be running a longer bump-stop with a progressive action, to avoid what ZGad gets into on his SEZ Video, where the car hooks, squats and then bottoms out hard and bounces. The tear rebounds fairly hard and spins at that point. Do you think that having a longer, softer spring with it preloaded at full extension (stock situation) will be a lot different than having a shorter/stiffer spring that is unloaded at full droop? Thanks again for the discussion. Doug

Nope - although if you have a choice, go for the NA tranny as there is less chance of it having the crap beaten out of it.

I am building a street/strip 280Z with a 2JZ/TH400 combo. My current car (3.0 L turbo/Z31T 5spd) has 10" long coilover springs (175F/200R) with shortened struts, and doesn't transfer weight very well at the strip. My thinking is that a softer, longer spring help get the car to transfer weight on the line. I am thinking around 140-160 area. Obviously, this car will not be running around a road course but will be street driven a fair bit. I will not be shortening the struts on this car. Anybody running something similar? Doug

I just got off the phone with JW - they have a complete kit for the 2JZ now, consists of an adapter plate, a machined Ultrabell, and a flexplate for a GM converter up to 10 inch. They say that the adapter and flexplate are made by an outside vendor.... details are on the way to my email. Doug

I've been looking at Yellowbullet for a while now doing some research, and am planning on talking to Hutch. Can't get much closer than that, 1 hr drive from me. As for the glide, I will be street driving this car a fair bit and I would like to stay with a 3 speed. With the planned R230 rear gear (2.93) and 26 inch tires, I think that the 400 will serve me better. Doug

I wasn't aware that the Buick engines twisted that high - I really don't know anything about the SII engines (I think that they are 4.1L displacement). I am not looking to spend money needlessly on this car, as there is spousal resistance to a second (more impractical) Datsun already. This will be my first automatic transmissioned car - not counting my wife's 01 Maxima...As the car will be light, I realize that there will be no need for the HD stuff required for the 4000lb BBC cars. I will talk to another shop here in Ontario about what they think, as well as giving Rossler and TCI a call. I am hoping to find someone local to deal with, as shipping a transmission over borders and dealing with a company across the continent is not too cool. Mike - Are you running a Tbrake or foot braking? I seem to remember that you have an automatic valve body in yours still - any idea who built it? Thanks for all the information. Doug

It is the RPM that has these guys spooked, IE the amount of rotating mass that has to change speed during the shift. I am going to do the sprag and clutches for sure, I think that the OEM shafts will be fine, but the hubs/drums are what I am stuck on. It seems to add about $1000 to the cost of the trans to take it to this level, from $1200ish to $2300ish. It is such a well known transmission that I am sure that the answer is out there. I am also thinking about doing the JW bellhousing and case instead of a blanket/shield. The local strip won't let a car like this onto the track without some sort of protection. They have enough problems with my 240 - which trapped at 127 mph in shakedowns with the new 3.0L in it....

I've taken the plunge and picked up another car to build. It's a 77 280z, going to do a 2JZ-GTE with a TH400. T-brake is planned, shooting for the 800 hp area with a GT4094R, 272s and maybe a 50-75 shot. The local trans guy tells me I'm going to eventually wear the TH400 if I turn it to 8500 without some serious mods. Z-Gad, Scottie - what have you done internally to your trans? I am considering the lightweight drums and bearings instead of bushings. Are you running a full trans cover or a converter shield/trans blanket? I'm sure that this will be the first of many questions for the build. Thanks to Mike(Z-Gad) for the inspiration. Doug

I wouldn't look at a hyd head for a serious build. You will be pretty much limiting yourself to 350-375 hp with the stock cam and hyd head. My current engine is all done by 6K - I run my best times shifting at 5700. The new 3.0 that is going in this summer is getting a P90 with an ISKY cam. Doug

I will be running 1.38" pistons - the Z32 calipers have 1.59" pistons so I will actually need less fluid volume.

The Z32 runs a 1 116 inch master AFAIK. I am running a 280zx master which is 1516. I am going to adapt a larger master, probably the Z31 or Z32 unit, when I upgrade to the Wilwood Superlights. I am changing mainly to reduce the pedal travel.

In the case of the Z32, 90-91 cars had alloy calipers and the later cars went to cast iron calipers of the same design due to flex problems.

I have Z32 front calipers on my S30 - I changed over from Wilwood to Z32 when I converted to 5-lug about 4 years ago. Compared to the old Superlight II, the Z32 calipers suck. The pedal feel is mushy due to caliper deflection. I am converting to the Wilwood forged Superlights right now. If you run a 11.5 inch rotor, the Superlights are simple to bolt on, where as the Z32 caliper uses a 100mm mounting instead of the 90mm (3.5 inch) mounts of the S30.

I recently balanced a bottom end with an LD28 crank, L24 rods, single row damper and a 240mm factory flywheel that had the back shaved out of it- this combo was out by a whole 4 grams. I balanced the rods with a scale and the pistons were Ross, so they were 0 before the assy was balanced.

I have run an SDS 6F system for 7 years now - I'm very happy with it. The only difficult part of the installation is the ignition trigger magnets and pickup mounting. Although Pallnet may have the mount available. If you are a tweeker/tinkerer, Megasquirt may be a good option for you. Depends on how much you understand about electronics/computers. My SDS has been a set it and forget it install, if I never changed my setup, I would have never needed to mess with it. Doug