BRAAP

Clayborne, Well, the EDIS will spark the spark plugs al by itself, but the timing will be fixed at 10 degrees advanced. That is fine for starting and idling ONLY! And engine needs more advance as RPMs rise, up to around 3000 RPM or so. Typically between 36 and I’ve seen as much as 42 on some engines. EDIS will allow the user to have pretty much any timing curve they can conjure up, (better to match it to he what that particular engine needs), and as such, you either need Mega Squirt or Mega Jolt Lite Jr (stand alone EDIS controller only), to tell EDIS how much more advance you need, and when. In short, you will be able start up your engine on just EDIS, but if you want to drive the car around, you will need Mega Squirt or MegaJolt Lite Jr to control the EDIS system. Hope this helps…

WOW!!! I absolutely love the visual affect your intake and exhaust system leaves. We always see the polished and chrome parts from everyone else. You know, the “been done before”, syndrome. I personally prefer the more “industrial purposeful racers” look approach to power plant aesthetics, and I truly feel that you hit that mark. From a visual stand point, the wrinkle/satin black, satin aluminum, and gray exhaust wrap combination you have going on is in just the right balance. Gorgeous.

Very nice… We’ve all seen the Polished, or plain Black, Yellow, Red, Blue, etc valve covers. Nice to see some creative paint work being done on the ole Nissan Valve covers. In an effort to make our L-6 valve cover a little different than everyone else’s for our race car, I machined off the NISSAN OHC and then black wrinkle finished the valve cover. It came out pretty nice, but yours is much more stunning. Very nice. Simple, elegant, yet not like everyone else’s… Good work. Kudo’s…. BTW, what dopes your signature mean? "In the last 100 years of Flying, We have Never Left one up there!" As a Private pilot myself, I take that to mean that everything that has gone up, (aviation related since the Wright bros flight 100 years ago), has ALL come back down…. Am I on the right track here?

Just replied to your PM...

Here are some more shots of the valve train set up on Phils N-42. The first picture shows the rocker adjuster bushings being installed and cylinder # 2 with its valves installed using the soft springs. The exhaust valve has a .190” “test” lash pad installed. What we are doing with Phils head here in these pics is setting up the cam wipe pattern on the rockers. Our goal is to bring the wipe pattern to the rear, or the pivot end of the rocker wiping pad by juggling lash pad thicknesses and then fine tuning that by grinding the tips of the valve stems themselves if need be. In the 2nd picture you can see the exhaust valve all set up ready to check the cam wiping pattern. We start out with the Cam manufactures suggested lash pad thickness and then go from there, (we have on hand, one each, of Nissans different lash pad thickness available just for this operation). If the wipe pattern isn’t exactly where we want it, we try either a thinner or thicker lash pad, depending on which end of the rocker the wipe pattern shows up. Then we apply another thin coat of the non drying Prussian Blue to the rocker surface, reset the cold valve lash again, and check the wipe pattern once more. When using the valve seat cutting systems, as mentioned above, the valve seat depths are very consistent and in most instances, we will use only one, sometimes two, lash pad thicknesses depending on whether we had to sink the exhaust or intake valve valves for one reason or another, or in the case of Phils N-42 here, we turned down the +3mm exhaust valves down to +1mm and left a thicker than original valve margin, which in turn alters the installed height, we will then have to use different lash pad thickness for those respective valves. After verifying each and every valve for lash pad thickness, we then engrave each rocker to mark its installation location, as can be seen in the 3rd pic, cylinder #6 Intake and Exhaust rocker, (6I and 6E). This also helps expedite future tear downs as the rockers are now marked for their respective cam lobe. Also, with large cams that have very aggressive opening and closing ramps such as Phils here, the wiping pattern will tend to cover most of the rocker surface as compared to a stock or mild camshaft, which means it is even that much more critical to make absolutely sure that the cam is not riding beyond the rocker pad surface on either end. **update** Remember, lash pads come in .010” increments. Now for the budget DIYer who may only do this once or twice in his life, there really is no need to purchase one of every lash pad for doing this, though you will need at least one solid lash pad, not the OE .120” that has dish in the bottom. Any how, you can use snippets of old feeler gauges stacked under the solid lash pad to simulate thicker lash pads. Get that extra set of feeler gauges from either a yard sale or just buy an extra set from the local hardware store or Sears, they are CHEAP! Using Aviation tin snips, snip a few pieces of .010”. You can snip some of the .020” as well, just don’t get it confused with .010” when doing your measurements. If you think it you might get them confused, then just use as many .010” pieces as it takes. Snip them small enough to fit inside the retainer on top of the valve under a solid type lash pad, (not the stock dished style lash pad). You will use these scrap pieces of feeler gauge to simulate thicker lash pads. I.e. a .160” lash pad with two pieces of .010” gauge underneath is equivalent to a .180” lash pad.. You get the idea.

Wow, sure is a nice looking set up on all levels. Kudos to Jerry for a fantastic looking engine. So is that a harmonic damper built with either rubber or fluid isolated inertia ring or is it a solid crank hub pulley? Thanks for sharing,

We purchased 8 feet of the fuel rail extrusion from Ross machine for a few of our projects including my 240 race car, my V-8 Z, another L6 for a friend, …. If using the Rossmachine fuel rail and the OE injectors with the barbed fittings, there is plenty of meat for threading and for mounting brackets, so you won’t have issues there. The ends of the fuel rail will need to be drilled and tapped for 3/8 NPT or you could use some form of bolt on O-ring plug with fittings etc. I’ve included a couple pics of the Rossmachine extrusion that I machined for our L-28 powered 240 Z race car. I machined the O-ring pockets for the 14mm O-rings and custom fabbed the mounting brackets as well. As Moby mentioned, the O-ring style is a bit more labor intensive, (machine shop work only, not for the garage hobbyist), due to the precision of the O-ring bosses for sealing purposes. I do have enough fuel rail extrusion for another L-6 fuel rail and could build one drilled and tapped with 1/8” NPT for 6 injectors, one or two extra 1/8 NPT ports for anything else like cold start, fuel pressure gauge, etc., and both the ends drilled and tapped 3/8” NPT, for $160 plus shipping. Simply paint and bolt on. I also have a simple tubular fuel rail with injectors for sale that my father put together, it works, doesn’t leak. More details about it with pictures here… http://classifieds.hybridz.org/showproduct.php?product=1813 Our 240 Z race car project… http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=15436

Moby, We are all looking forward to reading much more about these MSnS projects. Are any of them going DIS of any sort? I’m sure we’ll have a lot more questions…. Thanks for the update. Our MSnS-E Z car project.... http://www.msefi.com/viewtopic.php?t=15436

Olie, I guess the best answer to your question is, it would take less over all work to bring an N-42 to this level vs trying to do the same with an MN-47. The MN-47 is a round port head. The round exhaust ports, (with the liners still intact), are excellent for mild race and hot street engines. Also of note, All the round port heads, (N-47, MN-47, and P-79), have a smaller intake port. At approx 1/2 “ into the port, the port takes on a “D” shape, this helps bias the port centerline which in turn helps to aim the incoming air flow toward the center of the cylinder. This is great, but for maximum effort high RPM breathing, that smaller port is a hindrance to overall flow. These “D” shaped intake ports compliment the round exhaust ports nicely for mild to hot street, and mild race applications. Especially for a street engine that is asked to have some civility at part throttle conditions like having to drive through town back and forth to work and in stop and go traffic on your way to your favorite bonsai back road. These "D" shaped intake ports and round exhaust ports found on the N-47, P-79, and MN-47, in my opinion, offers the best performance with the least compromise in around town drivability and low end and mid range torque. The square exhaust ports of the N-42, E-88, and P-90, allow for considerable exhaust port alteration allowing the engine to breathe freer at the higher RPMS, though low rpm performance will suffer as a result. The Intake ports of these same heads are also larger than the intake ports in the N-47, MN-47 and P-79, so less carving. In short, the N-42 offers more “all out” potential, but at the cost of low rpm and part throttle drivability. This same radical head on a street engine that is to be driven around town would be a poor choice. This N-42 works best at WOT and above 4000 RPM, where as the round port heads do their best, (depending on how they are set up and built), from as low as 1500 RPM up to 6500 and will have decent manners around town. Here is a MN-47 in the "rough in" stage of chamber work. This MN-47 is going on Roger Waylands hot street L-28 powered 240 Z with an Electromotive L-7 cam and Triple Webers.

Currently 34 cc, will be between 34 and 35 when done.

Dave, With the cutters, some shops don’t lap as they feel there really is no need if the valves are sealing, (vacuum tested chambers). On all of our high performance head work, I do give the valves a quick lap. It doesn’t take long to do and this process also gives the builder a visual indication of the actual contact area between the valve and the seat itself.

On a per quote basis, Hahhahha But for you Cary?… I make vety vety special deal… Hmmm.. what are up to Cary? I can’t imagine you’d let someone else do your L-series cylinder head work?!?!?! You’re the type that does all his own work, especially really "creative" L-series port work…. Contact me off forum…

This started out as just an update on one of our own Hybrid member’s custom N-42 race head that we are currently working on turned into an informational session for those of you who don’t know what’s involved or have never seen what goes into building a custom L-series cylinder head. This is not a complete, concise progress report, by far, but it does highlight a few key elements that go into custom cylinder head work. Phil Reith, a member of this forum, was kind enough to allow us to photograph and document the progress of his cylinder head and make that progress public. Phil is having us build him a custom N-42 for his N/A road race project. This N-42 head started its new life having another shop in Phil’s local region perform all the initial welding. The injector ports and injector mounting holes have all been welded in. The center exhaust ports have had the outlets welded to more closely mimic the outlet size and shape of the other exhaust ports and the chambers have been welded in as well. Then Phil shipped the head to us for us to wave our magic wand over it. Immediately, we started out rough shaping the chambers, and then we had any deficits of material filled in by Russ Meeks, a local hot rodder here in Portland who performs our aluminum cylinder head welding. Then we replaced all the valve guides and seats, and gave the chambers a final rough shaping. This is where most of the work lies in the chambers and exhaust ports. Many hours of grinding, carving, shaping, measuring, checking, and carving some more go into this. Then we removed the press-in oil galley plugs, drill and tap them for ¼” pipe plugs, being very sure the front galley plug does NOT stick out into the path of the timing chain. We then go inside that forward oil galley and slot it accordingly to make sure the new screw-in plug doesn’t block off the front cam tower oil feed. Then we re-tap and chamfer all threaded holes. Today we just finished up with all the valve seat machine work including 4 and 5 angles on the valve seats. The valves themselves received a 30-degree back cut, and the heads of the exhaust valves have all been radiused as well. For valve-seat work, we only use Sunnen VSC seat cutters. Valve-seat cutting systems, like the Sunnen set up (there are other seat cutter systems used in other shops that are comparable) offer the highest quality and most consistent valve seat work available. The old hand held stone seat grinders are a thing of the past. The carbide cutters of these seat cutter systems have all three angles ground into them, with different valve face widths. For N/A engines, we use .040” intake seat widths, and .060” exhaust widths. We then set up the actual seat diameter as wide as we can, to the valves being used, without compromising valve face margins. This usually allows us to open up the ID of the seat itself using the Sunnen “bowl hog” cutter since the OE valve seats typically are slightly smaller than what is optimum for air flow. From an air flow standpoint, this is effectively like going to a slightly larger valve without the larger “valve head” shrouding the valve to the chamber wall. Of course this is a minor improvement, but every little bit helps. In the case of this custom N-42, the intake seat ID’s were opened up approx .5 mm more than OE, and being as the exhaust valves are 1mm larger, the effective seat opening is now approx 1.5mm larger than it used to be. We then go back after all the seats are cut and add the 4th and 5th angles, if space allows. Typical L-series heads receive at least 4 angles, sometimes there is room to get that 5th angle in. Each and every seat is EXACTLY the same width, diameter, and depth as the other corresponding intake and exhaust seats within the head, and all seats are concentric to the valve guides within .0005”. We use the Sunnen seat cutter system in conjunction with a bridge port style mill, and as such, we “dial in” and LOCK the cutter head to each and every seat exactly to the valve guide angle in both “X” and “Y” and then center up on the guide itself to within .0001” to maintain valve seat concentricity for 100% valve seal. Just to be sure that we have that 100% valve seal, each and every assembled cylinder head has its combustion chambers vacuum tested to verify 100% valve seal before the head goes out the door. If a valve doesn’t seal 100%, the head gets torn back down and a thorough inspection is performed to identify why that valve isn’t sealing and corrective action is taken. Then the valve seal is rechecked. The Bridge port mill does take a little longer to get the cutter set up to the valve seat as compared to the air float seat and guide machines using the same cutters, but the Bridgeport mill is more precise and more stable than the seat and guide machines. In my book, that extra time spent setting up on a Bridgeport is a small price to pay for a higher quality valve job. These pictures are of PReiths custom N-42 head during the seat cutting stage, (seat cutter can be seen in the pics hovering over an intake seat). The chambers will get a final surface prep, (they will look much nicer than this when done), the head will get a final surfacing, then the chambers will be CC’d to within less than ¼ CC of each other. During the initial seat cutting on cylinder heads such as this, which are utilizing a big lift cam, we will cut only one intake and one exhaust seat. Then we install an intake and exhaust valve using our “soft” springs with the retainers and keepers that are to be ran in this head. Then we measure spring installed height, retainer-to-valve stem seal clearance, etc, and make note of anything that needs adjusting. Then we go back and cut the valve seats to the depth that offers the least compromise without having to sink the valve too deep into the head. This allows adequate retainer-to-stem seal clearance and installed spring height. We also use spring shims of varying thickness to help adjust spring-installed height in order to maintain correct seat pressure. There are also a couple other techniques we will use to achieve more retainer-to-seal clearance such as machining down the under side of the retainers, but only up to within .010” of the keepers, no further, just as we did on this set up (see pics below). FWIW, the Fel-Pro Ford V-6 stem seals allow for considerably more retainer-to-seal clearance (the valve spring retainer “WILL” crash into the valve stem seal with big lift cams), and the Viton rubber is much more resistant to degradation over time vs. the OE style polycarbonate seals. These pics show the retainers as originally sent to us, and then modified by removing .050” material from the bottoms allowing for another .050” clearance between the retainer and the valve stem seal. This also lightens the retainers just a smidge. Note, the shorter Viton Ford V-6 stem seal next to an OE style polycarbonate seal, height mic, various spring shims, etc. We hope you all enjoyed this little peek into the world of custom cylinder head building…

I’ve been seriously eyeballing those same throttle bodies myself at the wrecking yard lately. Ron T. is contemplating them for his wifes L-20-B 510, (his MSnS-E experiment,.. for his E-30 BMW M-3) But of course Bryan isn’t revealing his OTHER really cool intake… at least not yet, that is…. MUUhhaahahahaha BTW Bryan, nice work on this intake. Very sharp.

LMAO… You’ve been reading TOO much KIT-PLANES!!! (Great magazine for the aviation enthusiast by the way…) In all seriousness, I have been contemplating a Vans RV kit or the Zenith CH801 with a either Eggenfellner Suby or one that I personally build… http://www.eggenfellneraircraft.com/ http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/index1.html

When we originally did Daves Rack & Pinion on his VG30DETT 510, Drax240z conversion was pretty much how ours turned out, complete 240Z front suspension, including rack, cross member, struts, steering knuckles, etc, though our T/C rods ran back just like the Z car. This required notching the frame rail to accept custom built boxes that the T/C rod pivot attaches to. We then used some plate steel that bolted to the bottom side of the strut tower and the Z strut hat attached to that. Dave has since altered the suspension to some degree, maybe he’ll chime in and tell you the latest details of the current set up. DRAX, just curious how you dealt with clearing the rack & pinion tie rods with the forward facing T/C rods?

Yeup, Darius work. Darius car is one of the wildest. His diffuser is beautifully done. Patzky, so you’re a pilot? What ratings do you hold? What birds you normally fly? Private license here, SEL. C-172, C-152, Piper Cherokee Warrior . Also have an hour in my neighbors Grumman Widgeon

Ok guys. Here are some pics I just took of those valves, as they come in the box and after we turn the exhaust down to 1.42” diameter and add a 30 degree back cut, (Phils new valves). This first picture shows the valve heads all lined up, 1.73” intake on the left, 1.49” exhaust next to it, the 1.42” exhaust next to it, and a stock MN-47 1.38” exhaust valve. This picture shows the 1.73” intake on the left, 1.49” exhaust next to it, and the modified 1.42” exhaust next to it. Note the 30 degree back and the thicker margin on the modified valve, (the thicker margin helps in keeping the valve from burning in high heat application, i.e. boosted or very high load applications). At this very moment, my wife is working up a kit price for those of you interested in sets of these stainless valves with the 1.73” intake, and the 1.38”, 1.42” or 1.46” exhaust with the 30 degree back cut and thicker margins. We will also sell the unmodified versions as with the 1.49” exhaust if you so need. (or any size any between as we turn them down in house). Here is one more picture showing the unmodified 1.49” exhaust on the left, our modified 1.42” in the middle and a stock MN-47 1.38” valve faced with a 30 degree back cut as well. For those interested in buying these valves in custom head diameters, you can contact us at… ruschmotorsports@hotmail.com These are the long valves for the pre’81 heads, sorry they wont work on P79 or P90 heads.

I’ve tired to picture one those angled intakes sticking out of the hood, and yeah, it would look WAY tough, for sure. My problem in trying that with my cars 10” wide front slicks is it slings the parking lot gravel up on the hood when driving in and out of the pits.

Bryan, I wasn’t sure if that was you or not, bummer it wasn’t. I would’ve liked to see what you’d do with another one as well. Your plans to utilize the intake you already have without molesting it sounds great. I’m not that patient so mine will get welded on. FWIW, the butterflies in my intake are only 41mm.

Norm, you are eluding to valve shrouding? Yes eye-browing the block/unshrouding the valves “in the block” is worth just a little bit in terms of air flow, but the gain realized in doing that is really minuscule and that would only be on the super serious crazy engines. The camber walls in the head as you already know, is the where the biggest restriction to air flow lies, (valve shrouding), therefore that is where we focus our efforts, then we get crazy in those square exhaust ports… Pictures to follow in the next couple days or so…