Calgary280ZT

Gotta love the camera operator and his buddies watching the car roll down the hill..."hey", "hey" "hey" "hey" Have to Google and find out more about that crash...wow.

You are one crazy-assed ole coot... quote name='Tony D' date='23 May 2010 - 02:17 AM' timestamp='1274602635' post='870280'] Never saw the logic for a Spork, got a fork, got a spoon, why on earth combine them? Yet the unholy merger happened, and it's out there to this day. I remember the day the spork was introduced at school. Indeed it was a black day for the old-school Fork and Spoon Maker's Guild... And like Kodachrome, many never thought it would go away, but they stopped production. If you have it, shoot it, and send it in. There are only two labs left processing it, and when the last commercial production is ended, they won't be keeping that process going. "So the Maples formed a union, and demanded equal rights... they said the oaks are much to greedy, we will MAKE them give us light!"

Tony, just don't see the point. When I'm on a shoot, commercial or ENG, my Rebel XT is in my camera bag...if I think I need some high res stills I whip it out. Otherwise I pull stills from the video. Simple and foolproof and my audio's always good. And did I mention cheap?

I ran into a daily news shooter at a story last year and he was shooting with that camera. Said it shot nice video, but audio sucked. So I assume House was using data recorders for the audio. We just bought a Sony NX5U, which is a nice ENG camera and all that's needed for web only video. For our purposes (ENG and commercial video), I can't imagine ever using a DSLR.

Recently installed the V500 dash display. Pretty cool being able to keep an eye on things while driving (safely, of course...lol). But also noticed a couple of weird things. For instance, my stock temp gauge is in the normal range, but the displays says the engine temp is as high as 115C. And my Autometer boost gauge consistently reads 10 psi full boost but the display reads around 5 psi. Now I'm not sure if I believe any of the display readings. (Though have to say, I'm kinda rooting for the display to be right...means I could run another 5 psi no sweat) Anybody else have this issue? I've emailed tech support at Wolf EMS, they're pretty good about replying within a few days, will report what they say. This week I'm going to make some runs with the laptop and Wolf ECU software hooked up, see if those two parameters vary from the display and gauges. Markham

We just sold our house and will be moving to a condo in BC, where my Z will be parked in an underground facility...going to have the same problems. But first thing I will do before buying is check the condo bylaws. Those set out my responsibilities as a condo owner, the rules for everyone and the actions the condo corporation can take if I break the rules. I imagine it is the same for the HOA. So if you feel you're being treated unfairly by the HOA, do your homework, learn their bylaws thoroughly and act accordingly. You can use the bylaws to your benefit if you know what they are.

Thanks Prox, good overview for me. So one tune for Calgary, another for Vancouver at sea level. I can handle that. And by your AFRs I can see I'm running pretty rich. Right now I'm cruising at 11-12 and under 11 under boost. Out of curiousity, what do you consider a moderate load? 35% and up? Below or above that? It's been over a year since I last logged a tuning run, but seems to me that even under 10 psi I never went above 42% load. I might be one cell off (maybe 49%), but no more than that. Does that sound right to you?

I'm currently running 11-12 for AFRs under most loads, though a little richer under higher loads. A buddy of mine is a Nissan-trained tech and a Z32 and Skyline tuner. He says he compensates for Calgary's 3300 foot elevation by running the AFRs around 13-14 under moderate loads, 15-16 for cruising. My next project is to fix my ECU set up so I can read AFRs from the O2 sensor again (currently no signal to aux box) and start logging/tuning again. Thought I would ask you guys about my buddy's AFR #s before I do any tuning. Is he on the money?

Hahahaha...he's got you on that one. Wonder how many BC drivers bought their licences out the back door? I seem to recall various scams uncovered over the years. Probably thousands. Might explain some of the incompetent Vancouver drivers.

Yup, they do the same thing here in Calgary. I once interviewed a cop for a traffic news story and he mentioned how it drove him nuts, so safe to assume it's common. I have no explanation for why Canadians are so dumb with merge lanes. On a related note, for 5 years I drove from Calgary to points south every month and California drivers were very bad, but the women of Salt Lake City tried to run me off the road six (!) times by changing into my lane while yakking on a cell. I15 through SLC was always the scariest part of my trip. After SLC the further north I went the more curteous the drivers were. Until I hit Saskatchewan...then it was damn combines pulling onto the highway from a grid road! Or air seeders....hate air seeders....

Ron, software hasn't changed. To tell the truth, we haven't had a timing light on the engine since changing to the V500...embarrassing, I know, but true. Thanks for the tips on changes to the software.

Bernie, damper hasn't moved, Jim and I had it off a few months ago and it was fine. Something wrong with the ignition maps is a possibility. I'll post those later today if I have a chance. Not using a coil pack. Reading off cyl 1? Yoiks, not sure, I'll let Jim or Bo answer that one.

JimCanuck (he's going to join this discussion later with more technical info) checked the timing on the Z tonight. Car has been sluggish off the line, into boost at low rpms...mimicked performance from two years ago when Jim retarded the mechanical advance by 8 degrees (just not quite as bad). Well, Jim figures there's 10 degrees of static advance (hope I've got the terms correct). And the distributer is advanced as far as it can go. Manual says there should be 20 degrees, and we changed it before it read 28 (Jim lowered it to 20, engine ran like crap, put it back up to 28, ran like a champ). When we installed the Rebello head and Isky cam, Dave Rebello told us to put the cam sprocket on the first hole, which we did. I'm using one of Bo's old V500 tunes and haven't changed the advance curve at all. We don't know where to begin. First order of business would seem to be to get the static advance(?) back to 20. Cam sprocket, distributer, something else? Where should we begin looking? V500 ignition map? I'm reluctant to start there, just because we're using a map that's already been proved by Bo. Seems to me we should leave it alone for now, but maybe I'm wrong. Any comments appreciated. Markham

Hey guys, been a while, but I'm back. I currently have starting fuel rate set at 25 ms from -60 to +20C, then dropping to 20 ms to 100C. The post start is set at 100% from -60 to 0C, the dropping to 50% from 0 to 20, and stepping down to 25% at 80, after which it is 0. These settings are probably insanely rich, but the darn thing starts reliably now. FYI, JimCanuck figured out my starting problems were a worn ignition switch. I've figured out how to hold my tongue right so it starts all the time now (but do have to crack the throttle valve to let some air in or it floods in a heartbeat). My plan, now that the car is running reliably again, is to start cutting back on the start and post-start enrichment until I get it right. Thanks for all the help!!

Hey guys Well, we fired up the Z tonight after fixing the stuck #6 intake valve on my Rebello head. Now I have a problem I don't understand. The car will start dead cold (in Calgary it's now around 10C), but not when it's warm. Too much fuel. We took the plugs out and cleaned them, sprayed compressed air into the cylinders, then it started right up. In the warmer summer months (20-30C) it started all the time...didn't idle well until reaching operating temp, but it started ok. I checked the starting fuel rate engine temp chart. from -60 to +22 the rate is set at 10 ms. On my fuel map, at 750 rpm the ms range from 1.1 to 3 under 0 - 29% load. So my reading (I'm a noob at this) is that the car is getting anywhere from 3-5 times as much as gas it would when idling when warm. The part I don't understand is why it started fine in during the warm summer days and floods itself now? I haven't changed the map at all (car hasn't run since late June/early July). There is no air intake temperature sensor on it. So I don't see how the V500 could know that the air temp is lower now. But it acts just like it knows that above 22C give it no extra gas and below 22C give it a lot more. Hope I've explained the problem so you can understand it. Tomorrow Z240 and I are going to play with the starting fuel rate and see if we can get this licked. Just looking for insights if you got em....

Brian, we used a metal HG. Will that work ok with the coarse surface on the head?

Thanks BRAAP, this has been a real education for me. Dave Rebello said the problem might have been caused by a little rust in the guide from sitting so long. Or other things. Or anything. My best bet is to work out the best deal I can with Dave...which means if he'll supply a valve and some guides and get them up to me quickly, not a big cost for him and my buddy's shop will put the head back together etc. at no no cost to me. One thing the Calgary head shop said in our last conversation was curious....he said the head needed to be planed, the surface was very rough and he was surprised that Rebello would let it out of his shop in that condition. Unlike BRAAP, he doesn't have a problem slagging another shop's work...LOL

Looks like we may have a happy fix...talked to Dave. He says there could be a lot of reasons why it failed but the good news is it's an easy fix. And he didn't have a problem warrantying the head even though another shop took it apart. Even better news...an advertiser of my newspaper is a speed shop and he's going to take over from the other Calgary machinist (who actually has a good reputation, in spite of Tony's comments!! LOL). It'll probably be another couple of weeks before the head is ready, but total bill shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred bucks, maybe less if Dave decides to pony up for the new valve and a few guides. Thanks for the ideas and comments guys, you helped me understand some of the issues involved so that at least I was a better educated customer.

The consensus seems to be that I goofed taking it to the other shop. Mea culpa. Z240 and I put our heads together and it seemed like a good idea at the time. I guess I'll have to live with and pay for the mistake. Thanks for the feedback guys, now at least I understand the issues involved much better than before.

Thanks Tony, I also replied on the other site as well. Your comments there were exactly what this noob needed to hear.

Well, couple of comments. I'm not a mechanic or a machinist, so I wouldn't know a cast iron valve guide if it bit me on the arse...hence my post here asking for help. Not sure if all the guides were too tight...only one valve stuck and local machinist didn't mention the others, I'll ask him. As for Rebello seeing the head, did you notice my handle? I'm 2500+ kilometres away, no chance of shipping an 80 lb head to San Francisco from Calgary and back cheaply, plus the hassles shipping across the border, which have only gotten worse of late. I fully intend to talk to Dave, but wanted to get the experts' advice on what I was looking at. The point of asking for advice wasn't to load up on vinegar, it was to educate me so that I can talk semi-knowledgeably to Dave when the time comes. Your comment about the bronze vs cast iron guides is very useful. The Calgary machinist poohpoohed cast iron, but from your remark it sounds like proper clearance was the issue. Should the cast iron guides have been honed? Calgary guy says he would have honed the bronze ones. He also said the cast iron guides weren't honed at all.

Bought a Rebello built head a couple of years ago. It has an Iskey cam, oversize SS intake valves, and I had Dave do the full race port and polish on the head. It sat for 18 months before we got it installed and the motor running again...problems with the Wolf V500 EMS. Got it running about 3 weeks ago and spent a week very carefully tuning. Finally was running about 7 psi and AFRs were all in the safe range, looked like a nice conservative base tune. Z240 and I took it for a tuning run and aroudn 4,000 rpms it died. Got it started again, but big clatter from valve train, so shut it off immediately. Jim pulled the head and the #6 intake valve was stuck open. Only a little nick on the piston, should be ok there. Took the head to a local machine shop with a very good reputation, they do L28 heads regularly. Talked to the machine shop today. The reason the valve stuck open is because Rebello installed cast iron valve guides, there wasn't enough clearance, the SS valve rubbed on the guide, wore off enough material to create a little ball that eventually caused the valve to jam in the guide. The machinistsaid that if he had done the head he would have used brass guides at a minimum and honed them to make sure the clearance was correct. Is it common when building a race head to use cast iron guides? Anybody run into this problem before? I'm looking at a $500+ bill to fix the problem and before I talk to Rebello about warranty (300 miles on a new head) I want to get some feedback from the Z community. If I'm going to argue for warranty I don't want to be talking out my keester. Feedback and comments gratefully accepted. I have pics, but have never figured out how to post them on this forum. You can see them zcar.com if you want. On the plus side, the head shop said Rebello did a beautiful job polishing and porting...:0)

Radar Love - Golden Earring School's Out - Alice Cooper Barracuda - Heart Go All the Way - Raspberries Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer Chicks, Guitars and the Third Wold War - Colin James (almost anything by CJ) Roll on Down the Higway - BTO

I'd love to enter this race, but car's not ready. I think the crash video suggested a few "improvements" to my car before attempting the Silver State...

I love the part after the crash where the driver is talking to the camera in Japanese, reminds me of a Star Wars storm trooper!! too funny.