Mike C

Hmm. For 2 years I've heard snippets about this setup, and not once had anyone said anything about weld on brackets. I'll still try and get them apart. I was under the impression that just finding the maxima setup was the hard part and not a particular one. Oh well $100 down the tube maybe? Anybody know if the CV adapter will work? Uncharted territoy as usual...

Thanks. I have the parts now, but I was under the impression that the maxima brackets boted on. Hmmm. These are welded to the blankety blank lower control arm. Anyhow, I own the whole shootin' match now. Do all of the maximas have cv shafts or are they u-joints? The one my parts were off of were cv. I think I'll try and see if the Maxima cv halfshaft flanges will work with the ZX half shafts and the 240 stub axles? I'm going to try and detach these brackets with my hot wrench and a grinder. Hopefully I haven't poured my hard earned $ down a gopher hole. Anybody offer me more tips on this? Thanks, mc [ August 03, 2001: Message edited by: Mike C ]

Yes, it can be done. Backlash on a hypoid gear set is usually between .003 and .008 it can be checked with a magnetic base and a dial indicator (less than $30 from somebody like Enco or MSC) A set of differential shims can be purchased from someone like Reider Racing for about $25. The most special tool you need for diff work is a pinion depth checker which is not needed if not pulling the pinion. Bearing separators and a press are also necessary is completely disassembling the rear. I have not done an R200 yet, but have done nearly 20 different Dana 44, 12 bolt GM and 10 bolt GM diffs.

Bought a complete 83 Maxima rear disc setup this morning. Both caliper brackets, calipers and rotors. $65 for the setup seemed fair although I'm sure the calipers will need a rebuild and am not sure if rotors will turn or not. Anything I need to be aware of doing this conversion? It is for my '72 240 but I think I will rebuild the rear struts from my '75 parts car and install all brake parts on that and then swap the assembly into my car.

These guys have similar gear bias diffs. .Quaife America They have an application list with prices. The r200 is $1195 but is for 10 or 12 mm ring gear bolts. Reider racing has r200 clutch type limited slips for $550 but only for the 12mm ring gear bolts. They have r180's for $525

I don't think it will work because the gear ratios are different. You would also have to change the countershaft gears and the mainshaft gears if you swap inputs, and I think the cases are different as well as shifter location? The old ZX tranny is a non world class and speed gears are on bushings. The world class trans uses roller bearings. Check out www.gearzone.net for more info on T5s. What are you breaking? They have a countershaft stabilizer that does wonders for exploding T5s.

I'm not an expert on welds, but unlike solder which comes in many different temp ranges, the weld melts at almost the same temp as the steel. So you can take jewelry apart, but my guess is you'll just burn the S30 to the ground

I am thinking about buying a diff from a '83 280zx turbo, complete with half shafts and disc brake parts, and want to make sure it is the 12mm gear set. Any thoughts on this? How about gear ratio? I prefer 3.7, but from what I can find, it's 3.54. Best I can tell on ring gear bolts is that 84-89 300zx all have 12mm, 82-83 zx have 12mm, 89-92 240sx and 4-86 through 88 200sx have 12mm. Anybody? I'm paying $250 for the setup which seems pretty fair, and Reider Racing has limited slips new for $550 that fit the 12mm ring gear bolts. The 10mm bolt diff has been discontinued. Another option is they have an R180 LS for $525. Just got back from boneyard, it had a turbo hood, but not a turbo car. Are the turbo cars the only ones with CV halfshafts? [ August 02, 2001: Message edited by: Mike C ]

Motorsport auto and Victoria British both have the bumpstops for like $10 a pair.

Great Ross, when will the bracket be available? And how does this interchange 240 vs. 280 rear strut assemblies? What about Scotties weld on CV adpater? Will this work with the 280 setup?

The autodrags are a 2 piece wheel. They combine inners and outers to get different backspacing and wheel widths. Unfortunately, 3 5/16 and 4 7/8 are the only backspacings available. Widths are 5.5, 7, 8.5 and 10. There are some 3 1/2 drag race as well. I have a set for sale of 14x7 with almost new 205 60 14 Yokohomas that I'll take $250 for, but you pick 'em up! [ August 02, 2001: Message edited by: Mike C ]

The centerbolt valve cover heads also have a different intake bolt pattern and were on engines with one piece rear mains. "New" stuff. That's why most parts in aftermarket catalogs are perimeter style. Some aftermarket heads offer both styles of valve cover bolts. According to Mortec, the heads are just '87 and up 350. Nothing about valve soize or combustion chamber. As for the block, 87-95 flat tappet or hydraulic roller, 2 or 4 bolt main. You'll have to take it apart to know for sure. My '94 Malibu has a similar motor with a GM high rise cast iron Q-jet intake. They also have an aluminum intake. Look in Jegs as they are a GM performance parts dealer. Nothing special, but nothing wrong with your stuff either.

The 355 is more durable and much less expensive than the 406 or even the 383. The AFRs are great. You can also check out the Pro Action iron heads (by AFR) or Dart Iron Eagle 215s which are about $600 less than the aluminum which could be spent on a mechanical roller cam. Big power. Figure 100 horsepower more than a compareable hydraulic flat tappet with a good set of heads.

Springs definitely help, but most are lower so you lose travel, so it's almost a wash. One thing that can help is the urethane strut bump stops so it won't slam down as hard. Converting to coilovers should give you both height and almost infinite spring rate adjustability.

Thanks. This will be on my 240,so spring rates should be OK. I have a 7000# 2 post lift in my home shop so it helps make for pretty fast work. I swapped in the 5 speed, springs and struts, and r200 in a weekend. If I could get the 280 struts and pieces all ready, Then pulling each assembly and swapping in the CV shafts and rear discs shouldn't be TOO bad but Murphy is my foreman. I am definitely intersted in the CV adapters, and rear discs. Do you think the SX setup is better than the Maxima deal? One thing I have liked about working on Z's (I've had one since '92) is that you can still upgrade from the boneyard. (Cheap!)It's been 15 years since I could do that on the Camaros.

Anybody?

I haven't monkeyed with one in awhile, but I think if you take the copper spacer and screw off the solenoid where it connects to the starter motor, then apply 12 volts to the switched side of solenoid, it will hold it engaged but not turn the motor. Be VERY carful testing this. Otherwise, just pry it as best you can out with a screwdriver. Some aftermarket starters have a hole just for this. I will never run another stock GM starter EVER after switching to nippondenso motored (toyota style) CVR starters, available from Jeg's for $150. I like this better than the more common hitachi motored mini-starters (like stock Datsun starters). I had a cell fail in the batt (only 10.2 volts) in my big block powered truck and it would STILL start with the CVR, GM starter only clicks with a dead cell! Ended all of my hot start problems as well.

Most marine shops snear the coast should be able to sell you a bolt on sacrificial anode for less than $10

Stick with one breather and the PCV, although you are drawing in a little contaminated air, the negative crankcase pressure does wonders helping to maintain the ring seal, especially at higher rpms. Besides, it is environmentally friendly and less than $5.

The tool you need is a paper clip. Manually engage the bendix to the flywheel and insert the straightened paper clip between the peak of a bendix tooth and the valley of the flywheel tooth. It should fit just like you are setting a mechanical valve train, not tight but touching both sides. If the gap is too large, you can put a washer under the outside bolt to rotate it in, or the correct way is to machine the mounting pad down slightly, I recommend to shim thicknesses so that you can flush mount or use 1 shim. If the gap is too tight, shim the starer out until it is correct.

What year is your motor? Does it have the fill tube on intake with PCV? Fill tube with road draft? If it has the road draft, I'd welch plug (freeze plug) it and run valve covers. PCV in one and vented breather in the other. I like the Wysco cast and polished aluminum tall valve covers from Jegs for $45 combined with the rubber gaskets that should end your sealing troubles.

Sounds like a fabulous piece of history! I recommend the MSD billet distributor. They have a "ready-to-run" than includes a built in module, cap and rotor for about $230 from Jegs or Summit. They have the same distributor without the internal module, cap and rotor for about $190 if you want to run an external spark box like the 6AL with built in rev-limiter.

Count me in for a set as well.

I have a 75 280 parts car. Can I use my 240 suspension techniques springs and KYB struts in the 280 assembly? What is the process of converting to the ZX rear discs like in Scotties picture of the weld on CV adapter. I would like to r&r these 280 assemblies, weld on the CV adapter, then just swap out with my car in a weekend. Any thoughts?

Could also be that vibration caused the pump mounting bolt/stud to loosen. Electric gauge? If so, wires may have fallen off. If you used a lot of moly lube and it's a new motor, that can plug filter. Change filter for sure.