strotter

Thanks for the offer, DJ, but I already have a four-bolt-main 350 in the back bedroom (don't ask) that I'm thinking I'll do. Maybe I'll pick up a stroker crank while I'm at it, I just don't know at this point. It'll need to be bored .060 anyway, so I'll have it magnafluxed and align-bored at the same shop while I'm at it. If I go that way, at least I'll be able to stretch the money-spending over a longer period of time, make it seem less irksome. As to the top-end, I'm thinking I'll just swap over all the goodies I had on the 327 - Vortec heads, Comp 263 cam, roller valvetrain, dual-plane RMP manifold, the f.i. and the ignition system. All the parts should work - after all, a 350 is just a stroked 327, right?

"an opportunity to upgrade" -- yeah. The thing that bugs me is that I've never, ever, had a problem like this with a smallblock. I've built a number of them over the years, and the bottom ends have always been indestructible. Usually it's the top end and accessories that give grief in American drivetrains, not the bottoms. Interestingly, I *have* spun a bearing in a Z before - in my previous 260, many years ago, when I was just learning about motors and rebuilding and whatnot. The only motor I've ever done myself that 'sploded. (I didn't build this bottom end myself - but I consider it my fault, 'cause I had it entirely apart, mike'd and measured it to my satisfaction, and reassembled it. Not careful enough, apparently). Without a doubt, though, this will be the end of the 327 thing. I think I may have just have asked too much from a 38 year old machine, pushed it just a bit too hard. My GTech indicated a 12.55 1/4-mile a couple of times, indicating something well over 350 hp at the flywheel. Just too much for such old steel. So now I'm thinking "crate", but the problem is that GoodWrench doesn't offer a middle-of-the-road shortblock. They've got the ZZ-4 unit, but it's a bit too steep for me at this point. I've exceeded my target budget by 50%, and frankly don't want to fall into the money-pit thing. Suggestions?

Driving back from work today, taking off from a stop sign, heard a "chirp" like a belt slipping. "Chirp chirp", gradually getting worse. Pulled over to the side of the road, with engine running, the belt and pulleys looked fine, nothing bound up. Huh. Climbed back in, took off, continued noise, figured I'd get it back home before the belt or whatever let go. As I drove, it quickly got worse, and louder; a half a mile from my house, I stopped again to look under the hood. The noise was constant, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what part of the belt system was making noise: the alternator, water pump, a/c compressor, and idler pulley were all turning freely, the belt itself was fine, but that noise, it was for sure a belt or pulley, or maybe a bearing on the idler, or maybe... bearing? I stuck my head entirely into the engine compartment, and the noise wasn't coming from the front of the motor: it was coming squarely from the area of the block. Just then the motor began to labor; the computer was opening up the IAC to keep the idle up. There's only one thing that makes a noise like that from the block: a main bearing spinning merrily in its' race. Well, crap. I've just driven five miles with a spun main bearing. Crap crap crap. So tomorrow I'll drain the oil, and confirm what I'm already pretty sure of, and start looking around for a shortblock. Crap.

I'll be watching this thread - I have a '72 (also 327 - cool!) with and MSD pump, the buzzing is driving me nuts.

There's a long thread over at 3rdGen.org about this. The guy is getting good, repeatable numbers at this point (from the load cell), and is trying to figure out how to translate force in the loadcell to horsepower/torque. Check out http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=249330

How about "Boogie Nights"? The character trying to emulate Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) buys a 280 (?) the same color as Dirk's Corvette.

I know *nothing* about Nissan ECUs, nothing, nada, but it sounds to me like it's going into "limp home" mode when it throws the error. Limp Home is a state where the computer goes into a very conservative state, and stops trusting its' sensors because there's some problem which might make them untrustworthy (such as if you have a leaky injector, which will botch the O2 reading). The idea is that it'll run in such a way as to not cause further damage (super rich, very conservative timing, little EGR cycling, that kind of thing). American cars in this mode (which I have a little experience with) will just *barely* run - only well enough to get to a dealer, basically. I expect it's trying to tell you "Fix the d**n injector!"

It started out as one of the diagrams from the Haynes manual. It's the "240Z (Basic model S30 series U.S.A. manual and automatic transmission)", as opposed to the "240Z (Late model S30 series U.S.A. - manual and automatic transmission)" I've been a little bit hesitant to share it, as I'm sure there are errors I've added to it, in addition to the errors already in it. I'm working on a "cleaned up" version, hopefully more readable.

Yeah, I fabbed up a cold-air system, mostly because of clearance issues with a single-plane intake. The duct onto the throttle-body actually came from MAF sensor on a mid-80s Volvo (I want to say a Bosch sensor, but I'm not sure), with a bunch of plumbing from a variety of Ford vehicles. The base of the "hat" is almost exactly 5 1/4", standard carburetor (or TBI throttle-body) size. The *computer* came from a truck (Dan, Dan, Dan, the brain, she goes first, eh?) I also had some performance concerns; the intake duct on the "hat" was only 2.5" in diameter, and I was getting some problems at high rpm. I was concerned the motor was choking. I have since gone with a dual-plane manifold which gave me enough clearance for a more conventional filter. I'm considering making a hat out of fiberglass with either a larger 3" intake, or provision for dual 2".

Hold onto that donor car! Keep it throughout the build, it will be an invaluable source for little miscellaneous crap that you'd otherwise have to go down to the j/y or hardware store for. Drivetrain, a/c parts, plumbing, wiring, mounting brackets, the list is endless. W/ regard to the clutch mechanism; you don't *have* to get a manual, but it'll save you a trip to the j/y and a couple of hours of lying on your back under the dash. W/ regard to your project car: check it extra extra extra carefully for rust, especially under the battery holder, in the footwells, and anywhere near the wheelwells. Also, because it'll be a quite old car, look for signs of impact damage/repair, as well as owner "fixes" that you'll have to fix again. Wiring is a problem in all the 1st generation Zs, caused by moisture in the cockpit as well as just plain age. Also, follow JTR's advice and get the Helms manual for the donor car. Super duper extra useful. You might also consider getting a digital camera, if you don't have one, to keep track of details for yourself, as well as posting images here when you have a question. Finally: welcome to the fold! You're going to have a lot of fun doing this project, be sure to share!

OK, I'm looking over the wiring diagram, and I'm seeing that there are *two* flasher relays, one for turn signals, another for hazard. The turn signal relay has a solid green wire and a solid white wire (at least in the diagram; you have to take them with a grain of salt). The hazard (referred to as a "four-way flasher") relay has a blue/white and a green/white. I believe the turn-signal relay is on the kick panel on the driver's side, the hazard *may* be on or near the kick panel on the passenger side. I have a .pdf file of the diagram I created. If you'd like a copy, I'll be glad to email it. It's quite a bit easier to read than the diagrams in the books; it took days with a magnifying glass and a 2400 dpi scanner to get it right. My email is scotttro@sbcglobal.net.

I personally haven't had good luck with T-5s, but that's just me; a lot of people *have* had good luck. I eventually found a T56 that I could afford, and I just have to say it's a *much* stouter tranny (albeit twice as heavy), with a dramatically better feel and mechanical action. That said, remember that the T56 was designed for the later (Gen IV?) V8s, and there are some idiosyncrasies: it uses a "pull-type" hydraulic clutch, thus needing a late-model clutch and bellhousing; has a rather tall 1st, and no provision for mechanical speedometer. These are all things you can get around, of course, but they all add up to mo' money mo' money mo' money. And a high PITA factor. JTR has some information about it on their website, and it's covered in their TBI & TPI engine swapping book (which you'll need anyway). I ended up using a Weir bellhousing (they're online) and my existing clutch/flywheel. Not cheap, though.

Yeah, that sounds about right. I have a '72, and I'd guesstimate they're 1" apart. Not really a problem; I, at least, tend to work the left side of the clutch pedal, and the right side of the brake. If you're uncomfortable with them that close, they're mild steel and will take a bend nicely without heating.

Another option is to use one of the "drop in" replacement refrigerants. There are a number of them, "Freeze 12" being one. They are designed to replace the R-12 in your system directly, no need to replace seals or other components. They are not a "controlled substance" like R-12, as they don't contain chloroflurocarbons (sp?). However, people seem to have had mixed luck using them, for a variety of reasons; but by that token, people have mixed luck converting to R-134 as well.

I'll second that opinion ... And add that, even though I generally lurk in the background and try to absorb as much data as I can, the people that frequent this board have set a *very* high bar when it comes to the level of knowledge, willingness to help, and camaraderie. In a sense, it sucks, because it has ruined my ability to tolerate the crap found elsewhere (and there is *so much* crap...) On that note, bastaad, I have to say that during the two years or so you've been posting on the board, I've noticed that you have helped people once or twice yourself. Bravo to you, and all.

Custom-made wires? No need. Get a couple of alligator clips, the kind with a screw on them for locking the wire. Place them over the voltmeter (VOM) probes (may take some "persuading") , lock them down. Now you can clip one end to a good ground, and clip the other to the darning needle (I use an old ice pick).

Marcus, what hood is that?

I'm using that one - and it wasn't cheap, either! About the Lincoln pump: is it as *noisy* as the MSD? The thing's working reliably for me, but MAN, that constant buzz is driving me nuts... I need something quieter (and apparently more reliable).

OK, just got back from the dump, where they have a nice three-platform Toledo scale. The guy let me run the Z up on it, to check weight & distribution. Called me "sir". With me in it, and 13 gallons of gas, it was: Front: 1420 lbs | 48% Rear: 1520 lbs | 52% as driven, which is a pretty good distribution. 2940 total, battery in back, T56, SBC with iron heads & water pump in the JTR position, headers, duals, A/C w/ GM compressor, no attempt at lightening. Take my big butt and the gas out, it's 2637 or so (*please* don't do the calculation, even in your head). It still pushes a bit going into corners, but I have no rear anti-sway bar installed (nor will I, I think).

Thurem, that type of motor is referred to as a "hybrid"! Smileys! tannji: So you'd register your spacecraft the same way they license ships! That's a great idea! Great for Bahrain or Lithuania, too! Thank goodness for Sci-Fi writers and their ilk - it's often the details that matter most. I remember reading somewhere, probably in Astounding years ago, that a "good" futurist in the 1940s might have predicted freeways; a "great" one would predict traffic jams. A blurb on Reuters was saying that a NASA official (Michael Lembeck of NASA's office of exploration systems) has suggested - and this is a *great* idea - that the Congress offer multi-million dollar prizes for "landmark" ventures, such as "the first soft landing on the moon, or for returning a piece of an asteroid to Earth." He suggested these prizes be from $10 million to $30 million. Personally, I think they should be larger - a billion dollars for a soft-landing on a comet, demonstrating a functioning solar sail, or polar lunar landing would be a *steal* at twice the price. This is a very exciting time to be alive!

I haven't had so much of a problem with the batter area but with the wiring that runs next to the header. I melted two wiring looms before I made a little right-angle aluminum cover that runs the length of the run. Works like a charm.

Isn't that how it muffles? I mean, if there's no necking-down and rise in pressure, there's no reason for the gasses to pass out of the tube into the main chamber - the gasses will just pass through unobstructed and unmuffled. I think the idea is that the gasses, under high pressure at the neck-down point, pass through the cutouts into the main chamber, take a couple of bounces around trading kinetic energy (sound) for thermal, and then return to the center pipe at the rear. Or have I got that wrong?

Looking forward a few years, when there are a number of commercial options for going into space (satellite delivery, satellite maintenance, L.E.O. research flights, some limited tourism, maybe even deliveries to the space station, whatnot), what'll happen when (and note I said "when", not "if") some fatalities occur? One huge advantage that NASA and the military have is that, because they're arms of the Federal government conducting research & development, they're not as liable for deaths in the "reasonable conduct" of their missions. Will private companies (such as Lockheed, McDonald-Douglas, others and new ones) be similarly free of liability? I shudder to think what would happen to any startups that lost passengers, or even pilots. Won't the lawyers descend, drooling?

I think you may be stuck with it... 1/8 is well within the range of a car that's taken a shot and been straightened. Remember, you've got an almost-thirty-year-old car, it's lived a full life before you got ahold of it. If you're really concerned, you can have a body shop put it on their Magic Measuring Table. I've been told it'd only take an afternoon, not even be very expensive. Heck, *I'm* not within 1/8" of specification any more...

ttt