BRAAP

Good one... Now you are soo getting a new user-title... Hmmm... Need some help here with this fellas... hint hint... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=130544&highlight=Admins+clever

My testament, (take it at face value, nothing more). My '97 M3 just turned over 189,000 miles on the drive home from purchasing it. Mechanically it runs, drives, feels as though it has no more than 20,000 on the clock! No hiccups, no chuck engine light, doesn’t smoke on start up, trans is by far the smoothest slickest trans I have ever shifted. I’ll be honest. It runs so nice that I’m having a real hard believing the engine and trans have that many miles. From 100 feet away, the car looks fine. Up close the 189,000 miles shows. If you are going to get and E-36, this pre-purchase checklist is wonderful! Print this out! http://www.unitedbimmer.com/kb-e36-common-faults-faq.php This is wonderful FAQ for newb E-36 owners; http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311638 I also strongly advise these 2 books. They have been SOO helpful… The 101 performance projects is not just performance upgrades, but great DIY how to fix it book! (I recently purchased 5 BMW 3 series books including the Bentley Books BMW E-36 service manual, and the 101 projects book has been the most helpful, next to the service manual) http://www.amazon.com/BMW-E36-Service-Manual-1992-1998/dp/0837603269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242093662&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Performance-Projects-1982-2000-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760326959/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242093662&sr=1-2 These books are also nice for gaining a more in-depth knowledge into these cars, background, specs, dimensions, sales figures, model variations, etc. http://www.amazon.com/BMW-3-1991-1999-Graham-Robson/dp/1899870482/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242093662&sr=1-3 http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Buyers-Guide-Fred-Larimer/dp/0760310998/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242093662&sr=1-4

Doooood! You just now are putting this together? Here is the HBZ staff, photo taken last Thursday... MikeKZ, DRAX and DavyZ were in the library...

Snyper, Thank you for posting your build here. LOVE your conversion!

Ok, START searching then? YES, it can and has been done. Member viperredls1z is one such fellow, as well as others. Courtesy of viperredls1z

The transmission of the corvette does not bolt to the engine like it does on every other LSx powered vehicle. The '97+ Vette transmission is actually a trans-axle, i.e. transmission is in the back of the car, integral with the differential.

Jack up the radiator cap and drive a Nissan under it, reattach radiator cap, all fixed.

Having done both, I assure you that the method I outlined above is a much nicer, easier, professional approach/alternative. I tried the grind down and die method for my first one, and what a bubba hack job that turned out to be! I will NEVER do that again! Cut, drill, tap, stud, DONE!

Richard, Here are some pics of my old race sporting this combination. Sorry I don't have any input as I sold the car after converting to EFI and never did track the car. I'm sure Cary (tube80z) will chime in with more pictures and info regarding this combination. CAry was it you that spearheaded the use of these tires on Z cars?? Any how, I am pretty sure Cary was instrumental in these tires being on my race car before I purchased the car. Flares are standard issue MSA ZG flares, rears were cut, spread, and re-glassed. Cary is now the owner of this shell along with the tires and wheels pictured below. Wheels are Diamond Racing, 13” diam, fronts are 10” wide, rears are 13” or 14" wide, I forget which. They just barely cleared the Z car front calipers, (I think the front calipers may have been lightly clearanced).

For ALL of my L-6 cars and many customers Z cars I have performed this mod below. Hardest part is keeping the dril straight and not breakig the tap. 1) Remove the shift lever from the car, measure approx 2" down from the base of the threads, (where the threads start off the shift lever), and mark there. 3" is is also OK but quite extreme. 2) With the shift lever in a vice, cut the shift lever with a hack saw cut as square as you can. 3) Now as careful as you can, drill and tap down through the top of the shift lever. Thread size is 8x1.25 mm. 4) Then install an exhaust stud from the Datsun 6 cylinder and thread the shift knob back on. Wa-la, shorter shifter that feels more natural, even for tall guys. Hope that helps, Paul

An LSx was the plan all along, even before I started looking for one. Can't just let this LSx and T-56 I was building up for the Z-32 sit in the shop and do nothing... It wont be as nice or as fast as Aziza's, Vinh's, Evilc's etc, LSx conversions, but it should be fun.

Got some pics for ya. The orange one is the early series one 1970 240-Z VIN 2848 The white car is a ’75 which has the same door as the ’76. The pinkish/Maroon car is a ’77. Hinges for all doors appear to be the same in the same locations. Body Strikers. Orange = ’70. White = ’75, Maroon = ‘77 Door Strikers. Orange = ’70. White = ’75, Maroon = ‘77 ’77 door with panel removed. Note the 4 MAGENTA circles. That is the ’77-’78 window track adjusters. The MAGENTA Arrow on the window crank points to the early crank location, pre’77. The GREEN circle shows one of many new lock revisions and the GREEN arrow points to the earlier door lock location. Hope this helps, Paul

As I understand it, the '70-'76 doors will interchange. Minor differences internally on how the window and latch stuff functions, but nothing that affects the physical use of those doors on other cars within that year spread. Keep in mind, the newer the door, the heavier it will be due to increasing side crash protection measure being employed. Now the in ’77 Nissan made a significant change to the doors internally and in the striker. This carried through to the ’78, both ’77 and ’78 doors are exactly the same and only interchangeable between these two years. Internally was major redesign as well with a whole new window regulator, that is much smoother less prone to hanging up, (at the expense of added weight), a whole new latch system that is harder to “slim-jim” and will allow you to lock the door prior to shutting it, (requires holding up the door handles while closing the door). The ’77-’78 interior door panels are only interchangeable between the ’77-’78 doors as the window crank handle AND the door lock knob were moved to different location, i.e. holes for such moved significantly. I've got an very early '70 parts car, couple other 240-'s, a 75, '76 and two '77's. I'll go out and take some pics of the hinges and latches for you.

E46 M3!! Very nice. The P.O. of my car doesn’t recall what kit these are other than he bought them off eBay, front and rear rotors, Frt-Rr brake pads, brake lines and front calipers. Personally I prefer slotted over cross drilled rotors. Oh well, these should still be an upgrade over OE and up to the task with the LSx V-8.

FYI gang! Z cars didn't have a MAF sensor till '84 with the 300-ZX! So what applies to MAF EFI system does NOT directly apply to the early Z car EFI which utilizes and AFM!

TPS! You get water in the connector of the TPS, that will create a VIOLENT rev limiter, shutting off all fuel instantly at 3200 RPM and turning it back on instantly at 2800 RPM! The car will buck violently between 2800-3200 RPM until the water is dried out of the TPS connector. I typically just remove the connector and blow it out with my mouth. Some of you can tackle this on one breath. No harm is done, doesn't affect the ECU or TPS other than expediting corrosion of the connectors due to being exposed to moisture. This exact scenario has been covered here and every other Z car forum ad-nauseam as almost anyone that has washed their factory Fuel Injected Z car, discovers. What takes place is the water shorts the idle circuit in the TPS so now the ECU thinks the throttle is closed. The ECU interprets a closed throttle and at higher RPM, shuts off the fuel injectors completely for emissions and to a smaller degree, mileage reasons. At any RPM above 3200, if you close the throttle, the injectors shut off completely delivering NO fuel to the engine, and then turns them back on at 2800 RPM. If you put a free flowing exhaust on the car, sometimes you can hear it kick back on with a distinct "pop" in the exhaust when it happens.

Naw... We're brave, not stupid! (Can't speak for Ron though...) 7.5:1 lbs/HP race car against daily drivers? Would LOVE to see some pics if the owner wouldn't mind sharing? Please?

Richard, Putting aside the fact that Ron is trying to sabbatoge the chances of anyone else ending up with this engine-trans when I do the LSx conversion, (he really wants it and it would be cool to see it end up in an S-30…) it runs SUPERB! Plenty of Torque at 1800 RPM, pulls through 7000, 5.7 seconds 0-60 sprints. The transmission is by far the smoothest silkiest shifter I have ever put my hands on. Throws could be a little shorter, otherwise superb. The 3.2 S52 will remain in the engine bay for a little while. Considering tracking down an E-36 shell to use as a V-8 mock mule to build my own mounts. Do the same with the E-36 that I was doing with the Z-32 mock up mule. I could go on and on over how please I am with this purchase for a daily driver. If you want taughter, (is that a word? if not, it is now!) suspension with a little less body roll in your E-36, OE M3 struts, springs, and bars are plentiful, affordable and bolt right in any E36 and wont spoil the ride quality. Took my wife to an awards banquet last night some 1 and quarter hours away, all back roads along the foot hills of the cascades corners, elevation changes, fun! She didn’t complain once… Well I take that back. She didn’t like the quick blast from 40 to 80+ to get around Ma & Pa Kettle at some point mid way. Quick down shift to 2nd, WOT the whole time, grab 3rd at 7000, She says, “Did you have to do it like that? “ I said, “Yeah! Grabbing gears in a straight 6 wound to 7k just sounds so cool!” She just shook her head in disbelief and mumbled that I such a 12 year old.. I don't get it?..

caen fred. First of all, please read this thread; http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=130441 As for guessing your 0-60 MPH with a different diff? what the is RPM at which you are shifting? I am assuming your hitting 60 MPH at the top of 2nd gear with 3.54:1 currently with tires that have approx similar overall diameter to OE. launch-one gear change! The run is over. With the deeper diff, first and second will pull a little harder, but you will be forced with another gear change to 3rd to remain in the optimum power band, or you can "stretch" 2nd gear to avoid the gear change though the engine will be far out of its power band. (based on an 8.9 sec 0-60 blast the engine, intake and exhaust system is bone stock!) My guess, no changes other than the diff only, 0-60 will be slower! 9.0-9.2 seconds. Final answer, 9.1 seconds. Quick tip. Check your ignition timing at idle, probably stock settings? Bump up your ignition timing at 750 RPM idle speed to around 17-20 degrees. Be sure you are using quality fuel. Then run it again...

Picked up my new DD tonight. RTz was kind enough to drive me to pick it up and take some pics, Thanks Ron! Pics are AWESOME! ’97 M3 sedan, 5 speed, Cosmos black, (metal flake black pretty much identical to the Black Pearl on the '78 Z), black interior, my middle daughter named it Edna! It sorta fits… P.O. upgraded with Bilstein dampers, larger Brembo brake package, and an intake tube w/filter replacing the stock air box, otherwise the car is all stock, and EXACTLY what I was looking for. Paint is not perfect with little scratches here and there, a few door dings etc. Wont be so nervous about parking this one in the mall parking lot. The 3.2 S52 runs strong, a strong 14 second car. Looking forward to adding even more torque with the LSx and T-56 sitting in the shop. Ron took it for a short jaunt to stretch its legs a bit. I am very satisfied thus far! Pics courtesy of RTz. Picking up the car... Now in my driveway! Mmmmmm pah-wah....

You could and that should work just fined. Personally I feel it would be FAR easier to grab a hack saw and just cut it. The quill shaft is really quite soft and took approx 30-60 seconds to cut once removed.

I know we are strong headed regarding getting the new members to search etc, and in this instance, I agree 100%, much of the info is available in searching. Yet for some reason, I see the bigger issue here is the language barrier and the lack of understanding regarding the differences between an Open Diff, an LSD, and welded spider gears. I am feeling more compelled to help span the language barrier and help educate Mr the z on those diffs and even links to specifics where applicable, which would probably give him the tools he needs to more effectively use the search engine to his advantage. Problem for me right now is my schedule just got much busier for the next 5-7 days or so, i.e. I don’t have the usual time available to dedicate to a BRAAP novel. Would you guys be so kind and help get this gentleman on board with what the different diffs are, how they react, pros and cons of each, why it makes sense to weld an open diff vs an LSD, etc?

Give you $150 for it!