awd92gsx

It only links to a .jpg....???

OK....I know... I *should* have taken pictures of the carburetor linkage assembly before I took the assembly apart...but...I didn't... OK, so, I got the engine in the car and put on the carburetor, but, tonight when I went out to hook up a few more things one of the things I went to hook up was the kick down cable from the TH350 to the Quadrajet carburetor...but, it seems like something is missing...or maybe I'm just not understanding how it's supposed to go... So, I hope somebody here can help me out....cuz I'm lost!! From a couple of pics of the setup I found through google it seems like the transmission is supposed to kickdown when the cable is *pulled*, which means that it should go towards the bottom of the throttle linkage (the throttle linkage turns clockwise, so if it's on the bottom part of the linkage it should pull on the cable). However, I'm not 100% sure on this... Now, there IS a spot that looks kinda like it might hold the kickdown cable, but, it's on the top of the linkage...where a throttle cable would go to pull on the throttle linkage to open the throttle... (see pics) There are two brackets with square slots in them (which seem to match up to the kickdown cable). One is close to the throttle linkage (about 3 inches away) and sits above the throttle shaft and the other one is farther from it (about 5 inches away) and sits below the throttle shaft. I am assuming that the throttle cable will go into the above the throttle shaft so that as the cable pulls the linkage it opens the throttle. (see pics) Now, keep in mind that I did have the carburetor rebuilt, so, I'm open to the idea that something is missing from the carburetor...however, everything *appears* to be there and I can't see any gaps or anything where something would be missing. (see pics) So, I have a few pics in case somebody spots something that either I am missing or, is simply missing from the car. Thanks, as always, for any help in advance!!

Here's a pic of my engine...just for the hell of it.

LOL, I thought about that, too...maybe I put the spacers on the wrong side But, no, I put them on the correct side. I'm using a TH350 (I know...but, it's only temporary until I can rebudget and get a 700r4 or a manual). I'm using a mount kit purchased from JTR and the mounts recommended in the JTR manual, however, the GM mounts JTR recommends were $50 each, but, I found them aftermarket for $8/each. I know JTR doesn't recommend aftermarket mounts due their stiffness, but, my car isn't exactly the most creature comfort thing on the planet as it is...Also, the recommended transmission mount is no longer available through GM, so I also purchased it aftermarket. The mounting bolts sit probably about...oh...an 1/8" more forward than where the original datsun mounting holes (before slotting) were with about 3/16" of an inch (or maybe less) left to push the engine forward. I had tried pushing the engine all the way forward, but, it wasn't helping at all. So, I'm not sure why I had the troubles. Maybe it's because I didn't do any transmission tunneling at all prior to dropping the engine in. If I was using a 5 speed I probably would have had no troubles at all.

Yeah, But....I dunno....imho you can't count things like wheels, paint, sound systems, interior, etc...towards the cost of a V8 conversion. Since those things have nothing to do with the actual conversion itself. So, when people look through this thread and see "I have 36k" or "I have 16k" or even "I have 10k" into my V8 conversion they're not actually getting a realistic idea of how much to budget for a V8 conversion, they're just seeing how much people have invested in their entire car, regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with the conversion. Granted, it is nice to know how much it would take to make a replica of some of the cars here!!

Tony, Did you ever figure this out? I was going over the wiring tonight while at the Emergency Room (long story, involving stepson and kidney stones) and the manual is uber-vague about the whole fuel pump wiring. For the most part I have it figured out, but, where is the easiest place to splice into the fuel pump wiring? Do I need to run a new wire all the way back end of the car? The JTR is good, but, it's not very specific about the things that really make a difference. Maybe somebody needs to come out with an Idiot's Guide to V8 Z Swapping that doesn't leave so much up to the imagination or assumption.

I should have about $1800 in mine (not including the Z, of course)

http://www.carforumz.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t1634.html Maybe this will help? Unless you just like Ford, jot down the advantages and disadvantages to each and go from there. *Most* people find many more advantages to the Chevy engine, especially regarding a swap.

It seems like no matter how many tools you have, you always find a need for one you don't in a job like this!!

Dan, I had actually already installed them. I didn't quite understand what they were for since the JTR manual actually makes *what appears to be* some errors regarding them. The JTR manual says they increase the distance between the engine and the lower crossmember, allowing more room for the harmonic balancer...however, since you are bolting the engine to the very crossmember that you are lowering it couldn't possibly effect the distance between the member and the harmonic balancer, unless I'm just not seeing something that they do. The only real benefit I see to using them is that it lowers the center of gravity a little more since it drops the engine down farther into the frame...However, I can see no apparant disadvantages to installing them... Somebody once told me that installing them would raise the car up a little, but, again, this is impossible since the height of the car is determined by the springs, not the front crossmember. Anyway...despite installing them I still ran into problems getting everything to line up correct. I don't know why I had troubles with things bumping into the transmission tunnel when a search pulled up nothing and nothing was mentioned in the JTR book. Cutting the tranny ear off seemed to make the biggest improvement and made life quite a bit easier!! Everything lined up much easier and went in much much smoother. With that being said, I think things will go a bit smoother from this point on. At least I don't have to worry about dropping an engine on my fender anymore

I'd head over to your local GM dealer and ask for some GM Syncromesh. It does wonders for DSM's...might help out your Datsun unit also. It is cheaper than Redline and has less instances of bearing failure while offering similiar, if not better, effects.

Can you find an example of one? Perhaps we could come up with an alternative...

I could think of about 20 other things I'd have rather done tonight, but, I'm glad you guys talked me into fixing it correctly. One less thing I'll have to worry about when I actually get to drive the car again. Does it get easier from here? I hope so.

Tony, It could be that they are pulling air through the actual air filter, rather than just a breather. There's also a way to set it up so that you run a NCV type system instead of a PCV system...that might be why they are running 2 tubes to it, also.

OK.... Pulled the engine 3 times since my last post. I'm kinda getting good at that. Anyway....here's what I found. Beat the tunnel and got the dipstick to clear, which helped...but, didn't perfect it. After making room for the dipstick I found that the tunnel was still hitting on a bolt sticking out of the side of the tranny...beat that in...helped a little bit more...but, still didn't make it... So, I finally found what may have been the real culprit. The transmission has some kind of ear sticking off of the side of it. I got tired of using the BFH...so, I got out my die grinder, chewed that sumbitch off (think...Mike Tyson)...and this is the result. I don't know if it's perfect, but, I can't see any angle to it with the naked eye looking straight over it.

OK...I think I found my problem. For whatever reason, my transmission dipstick is hitting the passenger side of the transmission tunnel, getting caught inbetween the bellhousing and the tunnel. That is pushing the transmission to the driver's side and not allowing me to adjust the engine (even though I have plenty of room in my engine mount slots to play with). I just beat the holy living **** out of the tranny tunnel right there, so, hopefully, I've given it enough room to clear and allow for my adjustments. I'm going back outside now to put the engine back in the car... Man, I really hope this swap is worth all of this headache.

OK... Well..poopie. I already drilled the holes for the rear mount crossmember so I'll probably have to slot/redrill them as well.

Doing good. I've been in the middle of my V8 swap for a bit. Yourself?

Uh oh..he's out... Here comes trouble. Welcome back to the loonie bin.

This might be a better question for the driveline forum...but...it's about the V8 swap... OK, I finally got that sumbitch mounted...when I sit in the car, though, I notice that the tailshaft isn't pointing to the exact rear of the car and instead has a slight angle to it... Is this because the engine is offset to the passenger side some or do I need to redo everything?

In a nutshell, your PCV system draws air through your crankcase. The breathers allow filtered air to be drawn into your crankcase while the PCV system creates a near vaccuum state in your crankcase.

I've seen people running large tires, but, the only way (that I know of) to run wider tires without running flares is have coil-overs since you either need to push the tire out or bring the tire in.

I think mine are 8.5's...never r...eally measured them...but, I do run 245's on the rear without any flares or any major amount of overhang... However, I do have a coil over suspension, so that gives me a little extra room to play with.

I actually sold the GSX awhile ago... Damn..I wish I'd have known you had a GSX..I just sold a 16G I had sitting around for $100. The headers came black, but, at this particuliar moment in time, I just want to get it running and am not too worried about the header paint atm...hopefully that changes in the future...and I say hopefully because that means that I've been driving the car around for a bit and can start sweating the small things

Don't feel too bad ahyc, I gave up on trying to figure out what they were!!