Miles

I'll try the heat approach today. Thanks Miles

Just got the exhaust on the 350 sbc and now I am hearing a ticking noise from under the valve cover for the first time. Could this be a sticky lifter or something more serious? I cranked in a lot of advance on the 350 sbc which resulted in great throttle response. However, when the engine heats up it is hard to start. The starter labors to crank the engine. It will start if I hold the pedel to the floor, but it takes awhile. I retarded the timing and it starts ok when hot. How do dial in the advanced timing and not have the starting problem? Thanks Miles

Step one is to get the Jags That Run (JTR) manual. There is a JTR link on the Hybrid home page.It will cover most of the questions you have about transmission options. In our conversion we used an 89 Camaro world Class T5 five speed trans. The shifter comes up through the stock shifter hole and it is very smooth. You can see the shifter details on our photo page below. We are also using the R200 differential. We have just over $5000.00 in the car so far and have done everthing except the exhaust ourselves. Still have brakes, suspension and paint to do. Having a shop do the conversion would have cost big bucks. Miles

Denny I'll give it a try. Any safety issues? That passenger drum is close to the gas filler hose. Have you done this before? Miles

I had the same problems as you are (lean sag/backfiring). To richen the mixture turn the mixture adjusting wheel at the bottom of the each carb clockwise looking from bottom up or counter clockwise looking top down. Start with screwing the mixture in all the way until it stops on each carb and then back it out in full turn increments. Make each carb has the same number of turns. Mine runs best at three turns out (in lean direction). It no longer back fires, but I still have a slight lean sag on partial throttle. I suspect a hose is leaking and I know that the throttle shafts are warn on my 240Z. Mine no longer back fires and starts easy. I am going to live with with a lean sag at partial throttle until I do the V8 swap this summer. Also, there are some good carb tuning tips I received from other members in the L6 section of the forum. Look for my posts on backfiring. Miles

In the process installing new shoes on the 240Z. Driver's side drum came off easy. The passenger side drum is stuck as if it were welded to the hub. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks Miles

We did the R200 diff swap into a 72 240z awhile back. I was checking the rear brakes recently ans noticed that the 78 280Z mustache bar we installed has a slight warp towards the back of the car so there is a 1/4 to 3/8 gap between the bar and the vertical transverse arm mount on the drivers side. On the passenger side the bar is flush against the passenger side traverse arm mount. The car we got the mustache bar from did not appear to have any rear end damage. Is the slight warp of the mustache bar on the driver's side normal? Second question: Is there any way to remove the mustache bar with out pulling the differential? Thanks Miles

I have been considering doing the Toyota brake swap using the MSA kit. Does MSA supply the small hard pipe that connects the caliper to the flex line? Also, has anyone else experienced the problem with the brake pedel going to the floor? Other people who have done the Toyota swap indicate they get about 0.5 in. of slack in pedel travel. Can that extra pedel travel be adjusted out some where in the master cylinder linkage? Thanks Miles

Kendall You might want to check with MSA about the headers. The MSA "shorty" block huggers look like Hooker headers to me. The MSA headers provide a nice clean fit and there is plenty of clearance between the header and the steering shaft. Per the JTR (Jags That Run) manual you could also machine a pair of ram horn style chevy headers. MSA: http://www.zcarparts.com/ Miles

Fairlady 327 Unfortunately, there is not enough room to mount a mechanical fuel pump. We are using an electric fuel pump wired to the elusive stock "green wire". I found that the green wire starts taped up at the gas tank and terminates in a taped bundle just behind and to the left of the 72 fuse box. I did not install the JTR oil pressure cut out switch for the fuel pump. I am going to use an inertial cut out switch that chops all power in the event of an accident. I would have prefered a mechanical fuel pump.

Thanks for the feedback. we are going to try and finish the car so we can make it to the next MSA meet in May. It is my son's car so I'll have to beg him to let me drive it once in a while. That is OK as I have a very clean stock 72 240Z daily driver I am going to convert this summer. I plan on using a crate engine for my conversion. I would appreciate any advice you have on crate engine sources. I want a "ready to drop in" complete 72 300 hp sbc. My plan is to have the car ready and take a week off from work to do the engine swap. Miles

Here is progress we have made since August last year. Still have suspension, exhaust, brakes and paint to do. Thanks for all of your help along the way. See pics at: http://www.netsnapshot.com/pickalbum?IanZ Miles

I upgraded to a new photo site and will add more photos of conversion details soon: http://www.netsnapshot.com/pickalbum?IanZ Miles

We are using a B&M short throw shifter on my son's Camaro T5 in his 240Z V8. Very nice @ approx $164.95 in Summit catalog. Miles

I have updated the photos on my web site: http://www.geocities.com/ian240z/ian240zv8.html Note that the B&M shifter comes up in the stock position. I'll try to add the tranny mount photos next week. Miles

I installed a 74 350 sbc and a 89 W.C. T5 five speed manual trans in my son's 72 240Z using the MSA motor and tranny mounts. The distributor is approx 1.5 inches fron the firewall and the engine is lowered, but not as low as the JTR position. The mounts were easy to install. One advantage to the MSA tranny mount is that it bolts up inside of the trans tunnel rather than flat against the floor as with the JTR mount. The tunnel mount allowed me almost infinate latitude in setting the angle of the tranny output shaft for proper driveline phasing. The tranny was moved up and down with an angle finder attached to the tailstock and when the correct angle was dailed in we bolted the tranny mount to the tunnel. The T5 shifter came up through the stock shifter hole and only required a slight amount of trimming of the drivers side of the tunnel next to the drivers leg. We have had no drive line vibrations with this set up. we are using a B&M shifter on the T5. For cooling we are using a 82 Camaro radiator ($50.00) with a Flex-Lite Black magic electric fan ($250.00) and with a 160 deg. thermostat. Engine runs cool right at 160 deg. Rearend is a 78 280Z R200. We had a local shop make the drive shaft for $65.00. I have a 72 240Z that will be converted using the mounting kit MSA kit.

Here are some pics of my son's V8 conversion to date. Only have a picture of the motor mount at this time. Next time I am under the car I'll add a picture of the trans mount. Hope this works: http://www.geocities.com/ian240z/ian240zv8.html

Here are the MSA part numbers for the engine and tranny mounts: These part numbers are for 70-78 Zs 10-1821 V8 engine & trans mount kit $197.00 includes: 1821ENG V8 engine mount 1821TRNS mount For a 79-83 Z use part number 10-1822 The V8 conversion Kit includes chevy motor mounts and a rubber trans mount that bolts to the MSA tranny bracket that bolts up in the tunnel. Also the kit includes all mounting bolts and instructions which are not readable. MSA was very helpfull in explaining how to install the mounts. Just email MSA or call them. Note that the tranny bracket and rubber tranny mount are intended by MSA to install a 700R auto trans, but the bracket and rubber mount bolted to the 89 W.C. Camaro T5 trans perfectly without any mods. I also used the MSA shorty block huggers part number 10-1830 @ $169.95 These headers provide good clearence between the header and the steering shaft. I'll try to post pictures of the motor mounts etc on the forum if someone can tell me how. I have photos of the engine mounts, but will have to dive under the car for some tranny mount photos.

DAW Very helpful. Thanks for the info. Miles

Which way do you turn that nut on the bottom of the SU carb to make the mixture richer? Looking from top down, is clockwise rich and counter clockwise lean? I dialed in max advance and it helped some and increased power some too. Thanks Miles

Mike Did you see any improvement in performance? Can the EGR also be removed? Anything else to remove? Thanks Miles

I'll try advancing the timing. Thanks Miles

How do remove the smog equipment on a stock 72 240z so the car will still run (hopefully better)?

My stock 72 240Z w/SU carbs stumbles when taking off in first gear then catches and everything is fine through second to fourth gears. Cruise is fine. Problem imalmost goes away once the engine is warmed up. Also, the engine will backfire (popping sound) through air cleaner and it occasionally runs on when the key is turned off. The stumble problem started after I replaced the points and condensor. The engine runs smooth and normal once I get the car through the initial hicup in first. Thanks Miles

There is a strong gas oder inside my stock 240Z. I inspected the vaper/expansion tank and hoses in the rear of the car. All hoses are new and secured to the tank fittings. I was gong to plug the lines but noticed that there is what appears to be a fuel return line from the engine comaprtment attached to the expansion tank. Is that small line from the engine to the expansion tank a vaper line or a fuel line? Can I plug all of these line without effecting engine performance?