Mack

As soon as I get my garage built, I am taking the body kit off of this car and I'm going to try and copy it with molds. The car itself is beyond saving, huge holes in the floor boards, an engine fire a few years ago, its really trashed. Luckily, I have a 280ZX that I got from Cali a few years back that will make a perfect recipient for the Kaminari kit. Ultimately, I would like to put a 280ZX Gnose on the car and mold it into the widebody. and maybe fender mirriors. Im not sure yet though. And yes, the kit is a 2+2 and so is the car I want to put it on. If I do end up copying the kit, I will find a way to make copies for 2 seaters, but I really think the kit looks better on the longer car. HERE are more pics of the Kaminari car.

Anotehr option is a merceded OM606.972 24v 3.0l I6 turbo diesel. people in europe are making over 500rwhp without cracking head gaskets. plus, its an older IDI diesel, so a little less gas mileage, but you can run it on biodeisel and if you put a turbo injection pump from an om603 on it, you can make it completely mechanical. the original om606 pump has a servo actuated rack, and a few other electric gizmos on it, but it doesnt take much to convert them. Im looking at an OM606, mated to an 88 or 89 FS5R30A with the .711 O/D (plus, the merc engine uses a 240mm clutch!) with the ever elusive 3.36 R200 all wrapped into a neat 1980 280ZX 2+2 slicktop package. I also have a complete kaminari widebody kit, but I dont think that will do jack crap for mileage. As soon as my garage-mahal is finished (24' x 42' with 9' ceilings and a workshop UPSTAIRS) Im going to get rolling on that.

SO, I have a 1989 mitsubishi montero with the 3.0L 6g72 runs and drives just great except that it misses on one cylinder. when its cold, it has very weak spark on cyl #2, and when it warms up, there is no spark on #2. All the others will throw an inch long spark, but #2 nothing. From what it looks like, it appears to be a similar set up to a Z31 ECU. chopper wheel in the dist, feeding a signal to the ECU which controls the coil for advance and dwell. And thats why its so odd that is has weak spark only on #2. Its a single coil. Ive tried different wires, dist caps and rotors, and it always craps out on #2. any ideas? I have already tried a used ECU and it acts the same.

+1. megasquirt is your friend. then you can put the timing curve and fuel curve where ever you want it, when you want it.

to further gum up the works, the truck blocks and the car blocks are different. Truck blocks are about 3/4" LONGER. they have a bellhousing flange that sticks off the back of the block an extra 3/4". I put a 240SX KA24E into a 1991 nissan hardbody 4x4. never again. also, the 240SX KA24E is girdled. the truck block is not. You can put a DOHC head on a SOHC block, you need all teh timing components from the DOHC block though. as well as pistons, unless you are comfy with 11.75:1 or there abouts. the blocks are similar enough to permit head swaps without modification to the block itself, just bolting on parts basically. Aaj2K5 summed it up very well.

I too am looking at a high HP diesel motor for a Z. I found the answer in a mercedes OM606.962. found stateside in 1998 to 1999 mercedes benz E300 turbo diesels, these engines handle about 550rwhp on stock internals, with modified pump, bigger turbo and some head porting. and still get damn near 40mpg in the 2 ton luxobeasts they came in! they are also IDI engines, so they run on vegi oil just fine. oh yeah, its a 24v 3.0l I6. revs to over 6k rpm if the pump is properly set up! there is a guy on one of the forums that I have been lurking on that has put up a dyno of 550rwhp out of the 5 cylinder 2.5L version of the engine. that is not chump change, sir.

you couldnt drop it much, maybe half a point at most. but, every little bit helps. If he doesnt want to run that high of compression, then the domed pistons with an UNMOLESTED P90 would be a good bet for him. I was simply stating that a maxima N47 (with a set of regular F54 flat tops) would be a better starting point for him than a shaved P90 with all the machine work and cam tower shims and all that business.

get yourself a maxima N47. its just like a shaved P90, but without all the hassle. you get a 39cc, heart shaped combustion chamber. running F54 flat tops, the CR works out to be about 11.4:1, with a fel-pro gasket. If you want to drop it a little, unshrouding the valves always works wonders to improve flow and drop the CR a bit. I had this set up running in my 280ZX with megasquirt. I had to run premium, but even with the retarded timing and a very slight port job (basically just port matching), a 2.5 cat back exhaust and a 60mmTB with a crap cone filter, my car was good for very low 15 sec 1/4 miles. this is in a 280ZX 2+2 mind you.

stupid wikipedia. It lists RD28 series 2 motors as being 18 valve and sohc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_RD_engine Im sure a lot of other sites just parroted what someone typed into wikipedia. bummer. back to the OM606.

ugh, I think the RD28 just became a non-option. 18V NON CROSSFLOW head? wtf?

SO, the L series twin cam is on hold until I get some things done to my house, because to finish the timing system and build a lower end will cost a bundle. so, Ill just wait until I get my garage done and have a machine shop of my own to tinker in! Ive recently begun to explore the wonderful world of diesel engines, and I must say I am impressed! Id be looking at in I6 and I want power and economy. so, my choices are a mercedes OM606.962 which is a 24v 3.0l DOHC turbo IDI I6. Appearently, these are the 2jz of the diesel world. throw a modified injection pump on it, a bigger turbo and watch it go to over 550rwhp without cracking a headgasket. Imagine the torque something like that produces. Also, these things will spin to almost 6K rpm and still make power up there! there is already one running in a 240Z and its solidly in the low 12s. it is coupled to the stock merc auto, which is something Id change. Im thinking an adapter plate for a 88 or 89 z31T trans with the .711 OD and either a 3.36 R200 with LSD or an R230 with the armada 2.937 ratio, or maybe a 2005 to 2008 pathfinder R200 3.133 would be a nice compromise. flywheels are no problem as the sprinter vans came with 5cyl versions of the motor and manual transmissions. 240mm clutches even! The other option is a nissan RD28ETi1. 2.8L 18 valve sohc based on an RB and will bolt up to RB transmissions and use RB clutches. so, the mounts driveline and prettymuch everything is taken care of. My only problem is I cannot seem to find any sort of dyno charts or builds on these, other than people saying to ditch them in the SUVs they came in and swap in an RB30DE(T). Or, turn the boost up until it blows, then swap it. so, anyone have any info on either engines? I know MAG58 will chime in about the Merc engine! Ha Ha!

did you replace the distributor cap and/or wires yet? I wouldnt rule out something stupid like it warming up and jumping spark between the 2 seeing as how they are right next to eachother. If you swapped injectors between #1 and #6, that rules out injectors. and it 1 2 3 are running off the same bank in MS, that would rule out MS hardware or software as well as wiring, unless solder joints are bad or something.

How old are your injectors? It is poissible that when your car heats up, they could be failing. when it gets hot and starts to stumble, pour ice cold water water on the front 2 injectors and see if they kick back in.

SO, Ive got a 300zxtt that needs a new engine. Ive got one out of an automatic TT with under 100k sitting on my garage floor. I want more power, and I am going to do it before the engine goes in, because its impossible to do anything once its in the car. My plan so far is a mild port and polish, re-gasket the engine, waterpump/timing belt maint., OBX twin turbo headers, a set of gt28rs turbos, better intercoolers, turbo back 3" exhaust, and copious amounts of ceramic coatings to control heat. The manifolds I found are made from ss321, which from what I understand is better than ss304. "Like all OBX turbo headers, this too is backed by a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects." thats a direct quote from the auction. While that sounds nice on paper, and would offer good peace of mind, on a 300ZXTT you HAVE to pull the engine to get the damn part off. So, does anyone have any experience with these parts?

I was kind of amazed when I met the guy to take a look at it. I kind of thought it was going to be a total hack job or someone welding another turbo flange on a stock manifold or something. I was pleasently surprised!

Find yourself a maxima N47 head and fit it with 280Z N47 intakes if you want. TONS of compression (itty bitty 39cc combustion chamber) and really nice quench. EDIT: post number 666, awesome.

I found this on craigslist. It seems to be of a reasonable build quality. The guy I got it form said it came from a Z specialty shop in washington and it was for a 280ZX fairlady originally, although he assured me it would fit on my LHD 280ZX. even it the down pipes require "modification" I still think it was an absolute steal.

Nice numbers! Itll be interesting to see what it puts down with good compression in all 6. quick question about nistune, do they make a board for an Infiniti M30 ECU? basically a 300zxt ecu (or so I was told), but with sequential injection

I had my grounds set up to where there is the main ground from the battery to the starter bolt, another going to the body, then the MS harness/old L28 harness is still grounded in all the usual spots that a stock harness is grounded to, i.e. the intake manifold as well as the body directly across from it, and the nissan ignitor is grounded to the body as well. From what I hear, MS is sensative to grounding issues, so I didnt want to take any chances.

Id check your wiring and solder connections. I used an old 280ZX NA harness, lopped off the ECU plug and soldered all the correct wires to the DB plug and Ive had ZERO problems. Of course, I was completely meticuliious about testing and retesting solder joints, making sure I had enough insulation and sheilding and checking continuity at every step. Also, are you using a VB921 to control spark? I had a helluva time with mine. I eventually gave up and ran a nissan ignitor from a SOHC VG maxima and wired it in prettymuch like a GM HEI module, but then ran the proper dwell settings so as not to fry it. I havent had any problems since.

Any word on the cost on this thing? I would be looking at the DIY asembly price.........

what Ive read and heard about the DGVs is the fact that its just a bad design on a side draft engine. the fuel tends to puddle in the elbow and you lose performance when the air has to switch from moving downwards through the carb to moving sideways to get into the engine, especially while its carrying fuel. they were better than a set of hitachi SUs on an L26 that had a few years of heat and vapor lock on them, as a stock replacement. but I have never really heard of or seen them used in a performance application. MS is the way to go and you can do it for CHEAP with a little knowledge, time and some rudimentary soldering skills. you can probably have EVERYTHING you need for under $1000 on MS. and its the gift that keeps on giving, as you can re-tune it everytime you upgrade your engine. I think if you have a P&P N42, with a nice cam and put it on top of an F54 flat top block, 200 crank should be NO problem. Depending on how nuts yo ugo with the cam, and if you get an afetmarket intake manifold, you *might* see 200rwhp, maybe more. depends on the porting and the cam. you should not need to remove the crank or replace any bearings unless the engine had a previously known bottom end problem. these old I6s are tough and can go 300,000+ with out needing a rebuild. infact, I probably wouldnt even worry about honing it out. Id keep the P79 incase you ever want to go turbo.

KEEP the F54 with the P79 intact. It will be a better choice than the N42 dish/N42 or N47 combo. Itll have more compression and better quench. Not that it will really matter on a 8.8:1 engine....... Or if you want to get nuts and run some high octane fuel or plan on a mild cam, run the N42 head on the F54 flat top block. That will give you slightly over 10:1, and with a decent cam, you should be able to run it on pump gas. Or, if you want to get a little more involved, mildly clean up the ports on the N42 head and have the valves unshrouded, that would drop the compression a little and improve the flow. Lots of stuff you can do...... How much time do you want to put into it? P.S. First thing Id do would be to ditch the downdraft webers and get a nice set of SUs or convert it back to EFI.

well, using a hp 1/4 mile calculator, running a 15.0 flat in a 3000lbs vehicle,. comes to about 175rwhp. My only theories on this are all that compression, all that squish, a decent exhaust system and a bit of a freed up intake should make for some fun times. If you look at Tony Ds completely stock (save for the 2.5" crush bent) and well tuned 280Z 2+2, he claims a 15.2 1/4 mile. now, add almost 3 points of compression and some port matching, bigger TB and better mandrel bent exhaust as well as removing the restrictive stock air box, I dont see where a motor making that kind of power would be that far out of line.

back on topic. My 280ZX was running an F54 flat top block and a maxima N47 head. the 39cc one. calculated compression ratio was around 11.25:1 and man, did that thing feel strong. I dyno'd it ONCE. and it had a faulty ZX ignition module that limited it to about 4500RPMs. I ran the stock maxima cam and had 2.5in where-the-cat-should-have-been-back exhaust, simple cone style filter, stock ZX EFI, 60MM TB, cleaned and match ported intake and thats about it really. It made 141rwhp at 4100rpms. I have since gone and megasquirted the thing and it feels MUCH stronger. I dont know what it runs, but I had a freind with MANY 1/4 mile passes drive it and he inticated to me that it was easily a low low low 15 sec car, maybe high 14s. and its in a 280ZX 2+2, so its no lightweight. I have some issues with ping, not horrible, but its not exactly non existant either. I dont know why people are blowing headgaskets on these motors, as I am running a fel-pro (fail-pro? not from my experience) and I lived in Phoenix when I used the car as a daily driver delivering pizzas. I was not gentle with it. never had a headgasket failure, not autoXing it, racing it at MSA or beating the snot out of it on the street. I probably have 40,000+ miles on it as it sits.