mobythevan

You should get a head gasket for that mercedes head and see if all the bolt holes and other passages align, or at least enough of them to make it work.

Thanks

I noticed that the 7AL-3 retards timing during cranking by 25 degrees, but I was wondering if anyone knew for sure if the 6A or 6AL do any kind of timing retard during cranking? The reason I ask is because I happened across a post on another site where someone claimed that it did, but I can't find any information to support that.

MANOWAR I even convinced my wife to name her Percheron horse Achilles They had a couple goofy songs on their new album, but they are still the kings of metal as far as I'm concerned.

I'm going to hold off on starting the upgrades for another week then and get one of these to take a few measurements. If you look at their website they explain the two different products. The G-tech pro which is the old one(what I will get) and the new G-tech pro competition($250 model). 525, Since the new competition model came out, the old ones sell for around $70 on ebay.

I would like to have some baseline of where I am at before I do any more mods to turbo car. It looks like I only have two choices to measure performance, either stopwatch 0-60 or g-tech pro for like $70. Would the G-tech pro give me any idea what I am doing before and after the upgrade? I realize it is not the most accurate, but how accurate is it. It only gives 0-60, 1/4 mile, and peak hp right? Got to be better than stop watch method. Right now I am bone stock including fuel pump, injectors, FPR, stock computer, etc.. But I have MBC at 10psi, 2.5" mandrel downpipe, removed AAC, EGR. This winter I will be upgrading to MS, 240sx TB, 450cc injectors, intercooler, bigger fuel pump, maybe hybrid turbo. I would like to re-measure with the g-tech pro at each upgrade when it makes sense and see what has changed. But if the thing is not that accurate, then I'll just save the money and use the seat of the pants dyno. I don't care if it is always off by some amount, like it shows 120hp now and 140 after some upgrades, as long as it can indicate a gain or loss in hp. SO if I go out one day like last weekend and it just doesn't feel like it is running good I can see what it is showing.

I am pretty sure in IMCA race cars the nose of the diff moves around 4 degrees FWIW

I am upgrading to 240sx throttle body which has a potentiometer type TPS to work with MS. Should be here tomorrow. I bought AC-Delco sensors, not the cheapos from Autozone. They where more like $20 each.

hmmm....

You could try that, but I've been running for several weeks with the crankcase and valve cover vented to atmosphere and no signs of burning any oil.

I am using the GM sensors as recommended. That way I won't have to use easytherm to recalibrate. I have not mounted the sensors yet. I will re-do all of the wiring myself, shouldn't be that bad. z-ya, did you just use the nissan coolant sensor? Where did you mount your air temp sensor?

BTW, the megasquirt'nspark guys are upgrading their code to make it easier to set up the trigger signal from the distributor. No more goofy trigger requirement, this should easily allow us to use the turbo dizzy (83 in my case) and have the rpm vs map advance table. You still need an ignition box like MSD to handle dwell and drive the coil. Just throwing that out as another option. With that setup you don't want advance on your dizzy, you want a fixed signal at all rpm to the MS.

I was suppose to start installing the MS last weekend, but I am waiting on the 240zx throttle body I bought off ebay. Looks like it will be here tomorrow and I have this entire weekend to work on the car. I should be able to get all of the new sensors mounted and work on my wiring. I don't expect to get much further than that, but we'll see. I will have MS running on my L28ET if it takes me until next spring (and it might, who knows)

WHat about other cheap filters like purolator or stp?? I use those. BTW, the engine bay looks great Jersey.

I was taking my brother for another ride this weekend and decided to try launching at ~3500rpm. Man did we come out of the hole, I wasn't expecting the hit so fast, took my stomach the first time. He was quite impressed, the rest of the time we have just been hitting it from a rolling start and waiting for the turbo to spool. This weekend my uncle is coming by to checkout the car. He has a 2002 SS camaro, I wonder if he'll bring it I am practicing my launching just in case. The last time he saw the car it had an L26 in it that wouldn't start. He is going to have a hard time believing that it is only a 2.8 liter engine in the z car.

My boost also did not change from 10psi with stock downpipe or 2.5" mandrel bent downpipe, FWIW

Looks like the easiest dizzy to get set up is the early 280zx with ignition module on it. However, if I am going to put MSD 6 on the car anyway, then I don't need the dizzy with ignition module so it looks like I could use your type that way. I am still a little soft in the head on the igntion system. One complicating factor seems to be that the 83 280zx turbo engine has a different drive shaft for the dizzy, with a torx type coupler and also seems to be different length. So if I swap to an NA dizzy I also need a slot type shaft. I have a couple 260 engines setting around, I think I can use the shaft from them with any NA type dizzy. Going into this I would like to have as many parts laying in front of me as possible, so let me know what you want for the dizzy, or maybe you can donate it to help a good cause

The MegaSquirt, relay board, stim board, digikey order for parts, cost of enclosures is roughly $230. I piad $40 for old laptop. I paid $75 for the three AC-Delco sensors(Heated O2, IAT, CLT), but these retail for $150, my father-in-law owns an auto shop . He recommended AC-delco sensors instead of wells or other cheapos, he said he sees a lot of failures with those. My 240sx Throttlebody was $40. I don't have an NA dizzy yet. Total so far is about $400. I also wanted to upgrade to the 240sx TB when I put in an intercooler, so the cost is all intertwined. If you only run regular MS (fuel only) then you only need a tach input. It seems like the best working solution is to use MSD 6A unit and run MS from the tach output of the MSD. If you pick up your tach input from the coil you can end up with noise issues from the high voltage. Unless I missed something I don't think you need a crank angle sensor.

Just wanted to give a quick update on my progress, I am ready for the real fun now. I got the MS unit completed, soldered it all up myself and I have to say the instructions are great. Tested it out with the stimulator board and everything works great(using Megatune). I am using an old P200 laptop I dug up for next to nothing. I will be using the relay board from the MS guys, it is all constructed and ready to go. I also bought AC-Delco sensors, heated O2 sensor, Intake Air Temp, and Coolant Temp. I bought a 240sx throttle body and TPS, that should arrive any day. All the parts are here so it looks like the weekend of the 20th I will start installation. I think I will just get MS running first using an NA dizzy, then when that works correctly I will make the jump to squirt'nspark code and figure out how to get a usable trigger signal. Thats it for now, more to follow

Measure the current draw at the battery if you have an ammeter. This may give you an idea what could be the problem by the amount of current draw. Otherwise you have to go to connectors and see if current is flowing at each one to really track it down, doesn't sound like much fun.

I love my ball and spring type MBC, the grainger DIY type. What more can I say, it works great at 10psi. I think it only lets you go to about 14psi though.

I don't think you can easily keep the stock ECU for ignition if you use megasquirt. One reason, is that I believe the stock ecu depends on seeing the TPS switch for idle/off idle. You use a potentiometer type TPS with Megasquirt, so you would have to hack something in here. I am not sure so don't take any of this as fact. From what I have read it seems like it would be harder to retain the stock ecu. I plan to use a NA dizzy to get the fuel part of MS working then switch to the squirt'nspark code to control fuel and ignition with the same MS. It seems to me that the knock sensor is over-rated for turbo applications. Typical knock sensing only takes place in cruising range and not during boost. You have to by expensive equipment so the computer can learn the sound signature of your engine to be able to detect knock at higher rpms. I suppose it is better to have some detection than just your ear. What about people that use a microphone and amplifier to listen to the block while they dyno and test the engine. Just need to cram a little guy in the engine compartment to listen while you drive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2430809385&category=33742 Just happened to see this while scanning ebay. Thought it was interesting since it was in a 240z.

Sorry I didn't read this post for a few days. There are two steel yards in town. I routinely go to both to buy sheet metal, angle iron, etc. I just dropped by, told them I wanted a piece of 3/8 mild steel. They sent me to the cutoff machine to look through small pieces. I grabbed a piece that was like 4" wide and 8" long and 3/8" thick for $3. Ha, I don't include the price of my welding in making my exhaust because I spend way too much time in the garage. I keep two price totals for the two cars and only let people see one or the other at a time I've got $150 into my exhaust and downpipe, just materials.

Well, I know they water cooled the turbo on later model 300zx's. Not sure why they wouldn't keep the scoop for additional cooling unless someone just didn't like the look of it?