2eighTZ4me

Alright - I think I've figured out what I"m going to do. Since the suspension was basically built around the wheels, I'm going to keep the 17's that are on there and put the race rubber on them. I still have a set of Kumho's that have at least 2 track days left on them. I'm looking at the Rota RB's and going to take the street tires that I have on there now and put them on a set of 17x9.5's Rota RB on the rear and 17x8.5's Rota RB on the front. Then - take the street tires I have on the wider wheels now (245/45 frt. 275/40 rear) and put them on the Rota's for street use. I'm just now digging in to the 52 page thread on the group buy now - I may just send Kim an e-mail asking what they have in those sizes with what backspace and see if that will work. 52 pages of maybe 20 useful posts.... My Boyd wheels apparently have quite a bit more backspace than the average bear, so I figured I'd take the widest wheels and fit the fattest meat I can on them and use them for the track. They clear the flares and the springs.....The Rota's - if I can get them in a 0 offset, would be perfect for the street. That gets me out the cheapest......in this economy.......Thoughts??? (not on the economy please!)

http://www.bobwoodmantires.com/bwttires.php They have plenty to fit 16x9 and 16x11. That's not the hard part. The hard part seems to be finding wheels in 16x9 and 16x11 with the proper 5 1/2" backspace without spending over $500 a wheel. I was just quoted nearly $600 a wheel from Bogart racing wheels....top that off with a +/-$300 piece of rubber......daaaaaaaammmmmm!!!

I checked into them. Real only does backspacing in inch increments. I need roughly a 5.5" backspace. I also don't know if 16's will clear my calipers. I have the 4 pot Z32 calipers up front. I will pull one of the wheels off my DD (16x7) tonight and see if it will fit and clear the caliper....however, the backspacing issue could be a problem.

Roy - that explains things perfectly! Thank you. Well - I find out now that Diamond Racing Wheels does not make a 17" for cars (trucks only), and the 16" wheels they make are in 8" and 10", and 12". I need a 9" and an 11". Guess I'll be looking elsewhere. I just can't justify nearly $2500 for a set of CCW wheels. Spin Werkes looks like they only have drag wheels, so I don't know what to do at this juncture. I have a very specific fitment need that looks like it will be hard to fulfill..any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

OK - help me out here guys. If I'm measuring from bead seat to bead seat (which I can't do b/c the tires are mounted currently) to calculate width, then would it be safe to say I'd subtract an inch from the overall wheel width? (1/2" per bead lip) to surmise the proper wheel width? That being the case (if true), that would make my wheels 17x9 up front and 17x11 out back. Backspace is still measured from the mounting pad to the innermost lip, so it hasn't changed, but what HAS changed is my offset. Help me out and make sure my calculations are correct. Offset = backspace minus the centerline of wheel. Front = 9", so 4.5" would be the centerline. Backspace of 5.625". So 5.625-4.5= 1.125" correct? Multiply by 25.4 to get mm = 28.575 offset. Rear = 11", 5.5" is centerline, backspace 5.375", so 5.5-5.375=0.125" or 3.175 offset. So, since my fronts are wider on the inside, that makes the offset negative - correct? That would make my rears a positive offset, yes?? Maybe I have this whole thing bassackwards. I'm just trying to nail down what I need to tell the folks at the custom wheel shop... Any help is greatly appreciated.

Aw hell - that's 10 minutes from my house. If I got the time (and the permission) I could check it out for you. I KNOW what to look for and could take better pics.... assuming I wasn't shot at for looking at the car!

You guys are great! Let me put on my sleuthing hat and do some research! I'm going to have to re-measure though, as the 17x10's are now 17x9's and the rears are 17x11 instead.....just to make double dog sure....

I'm looking for a set of wheels to mimic my current ones so I can put race rubber on them and use them for track only. I don't want to break the bank, doesn't have to be pretty - just functional (and lightweight preferably). I've not found anything at Summit, and don't know where to look. These are really odd sized wheels, as I have coilovers and flares. FRONT = 17x10 5 5/8" backspace, which would be a +16 offset (roughly) REAR = 17x12 5 3/8" backspace, which yields a -16 offset (roughly) I "think" I have the calculations correct. Please correct me if I'm wrong. So - I need to find a set of 17's in a 4x114.3 bolt offset to put race rubber on. ANY ideas?? Also - when measuring wheel width, does one measure from outer lip to inner lip (extreme most portions of the wheel) or from where the bead seats? Haven't been able to figure that one out yet. If so - my measurements above will differ.

I'm with yogaZ - nothing visibly wrong there. Lash pads are all in their proper locations. Ewww...perhaps time to start looking at the bottom end of that motor......

Yes - but did you know Moroso also makes many different shoulder diameters? If you're holes are wallowed out, you can go with studs that have larger shoulders and machine out the bores. That's the route I went. 1/2" studs would barely fit through the stock holes, and it looked like a VERY weak point, so I opted to go with the larger shoulder ones with more metal mass and have the bores machined out. Expensive - but peace of mind....

Not what I was looking for.... Keepers are the little half-moon pieces of metal that hold the valve to the retainer. They fit inside the retainer (flat metal piece that sits on top of the valve spring) and wrap around the valve. You know - the little bastages that are a pain in the arse to get out, and real easy to lose? They hold the valve up in the head via spring pressure on the bottom of the retainer and "clamp" the valve in place.

Exactly!!!

I don't understand what all the fuss is about stiffer springs. I've read you'll need a kidney transplant with anything over 250lb springs. I have 345 lb. in the rear and 315's up front, in a gutted race car (which is street driven too) and it really doesn't ride much rougher than my DD 280 with Tokico 200 / 225's. Maybe it's because I'm a young 42 years of age or something - but I just don't get it. "I" can't tell the difference. I know they're 345's and 315's because the guy at Carrera carved the rates into the top of the springs. Course - I don't drive a Lexus or an SUV with ridiculously floppy suspension either. Maybe it's just because I'm used to it....I guess????

I went the Moroso route with what Mr. Mortensen said - 12 x 1.5. Lug nuts were ridiculously cheap - just made sense... Edit -> I "meant" to say 1/2" studs by 3"....not 12mm

Meaning - can I use stock valve keepers with aftermarket retainers and springs - or are the keepers made specifically to/for the retainers?

I'm in the market for replacing my crappy 240SX seats (with ZERO lateral support) with some seats with better support. The car will see a lot of time on the track. I don't want to break the bank, but I do want something that will plant me in the car a little (ok - a LOT) better than these planks of fabric I'm currently sitting on. I'm 6'1, 185 lbs. My floorpans have been replaced, and the original seat brackets are gone. I have two 1" square stock pieces welded across the floorpans that appear to sit a little lower than the stock mounting locations. Only problem is - the PO welded the seats to the square stock, so I'll have to cut them out and drill holes to mount new seats with bolts. I may have a little extra room to play with in the height department, however, the car has a full cage, and it might be a little tighter on the width. What say ye road racers?

These carbs aren't really that difficult to tune. It takes patience, a decent assortment of jets, and a wideband O2 sensor. IMHO, Webers are more of a PITA to tune than Mikunis. BTW - Mikunis have jet blocks - Webers have emulsion tubes. What are the specs on your motor? Perhaps I could try to make a recommendation, as I just did it myself. I have my notes still...of course they may not apply to your motor. Just trying to help.

It took about 10,000 miles (I stated 8K earlier, but it now that I think about it, it was a bit over 10K) before my cam started munching itself. Give it time, or give it zinc! (for Pete's sake!! - sorry - I just couldn't resist that one)

This is the "notice" I got with my latest Schneider cam. They wrap it in the cardboard wrap that the cam is wrapped in so you cannot miss it. "To our valued customers: As many of you already know, there have been dramatic increases in flat tappet camshaft failures over the past few years. According to our research, this is due mostly to recent changes in motor oil formulas. Current strict emissions standards have pushed the oil companies to pull zinc, phosphorus, and other high-pressure lubricants out of the oils. The fact that most, if not all, late model motors equipped with roller tappet cams allowed the change. This has become so problematic for the flat-tappet world that HotRod magazine published an article on the subject [When Good Cams Go Bad, June 2006]. The life of a flat tappet camshaft depends on proper lubrication. Inferior oil formulas put your camshaft and motor at risk! Other camshaft failures can be attributed to a use of low quality off-shore produced "budget" lifters. While they are a cheap alternate to the ones we sell, as with most things, you get what you pay for. Here at Scheider Racing Cams, we have always strived to maintain the highest standards in camshaft production, using only the highest quality products. As such, we will only warrantee our camshafts when run with our accompanying valve train components and when a premium lubricant is used. Please see reverse for a list of recommended oils. Thank you for your loyal support" The oils they have listed on the back of the card are: Royal Purple Synthetic Motor Oil Redline Synthetic Motor Oil Brad Penn (same as Kendall's original formula) Oil Shell Rotella Diesel Oil. Recommended oil additives are; Schneider Formula 3 EP Engine Conditioner Power Up Oil Additive. As their disclaimer at the bottom states; "This is only a short listing of what we have had personal experience with. Please use your best judgement when purchasing oil for your engine, even during the break-in period" In my mind - that clears any doubt that the oil is to blame. But hey - they have an R&D department.....

All the research I've done on this site and others suggests it is a lack of ZDDP in the oil and "cheap" metallurgy of new billet camshafts. I can't attest to the aftermarket rocker theory, but it would stand to reason as well that the metals today are just not as refined and hardened as they were back then - rockers or cams. So much so, that Schneider sends you a big yellow notice that falls out of the cam box as you unroll your new cam stating that you MUST use one of the following oils due to the presence of zinc. THEY know something is wrong (whether it having to do with the oil or not - they're just covering their butts). My situation was perhaps a combination of both. My cam kit came with the wrong lash pads and I (spelled DUMBA$$) didn't check wipe pattern, as well as used an oil without ZDDP. Regardless, I am using Delta regrind rockers with an old Racer Brown cam, and running Valvoline VR1 with a bottle of ZDDP Plus added. I'm just not taking any chances. Wipe patterns have all been checked and are spot on. I've read many theories on this and don't exactly know what to make of it, but there are those on this forum whose opinions I respect highly who have made a point that ZDDP is indeed a factor.

Well - either I got a bum deal, or MSA doesn't really "check" their kits. I got stock lash pads with my cam kit. .120". Lash pads for the Schneider kits are supposed to contain .150" lash pads. Hence, I didn't check wipe pattern thinking that the kit was "matched". What a mistake. 8k mi. later, I've got a rounded off lobe on the cam. Ate it up. So just a word to the wise - even though you buy the kit - double check your wipe pattern and measure your components before firing that bad boy up.

Good God - don't EVER wrap a header for a street car. The rust will eat it so quickly it will have your head spinning. Moisture builds up in the wrap from heating and cooling cycles and there's nowhere for it to go. It just sits in the header wrap......in contact with your header.......all the time......causing rust. BAD IDEA - ceramic coat if you want protection.... The old Pacesetters were crap. The flange that mounts to the head was paper thin, and would warp after several heat cycles and cause an exhaust leak. The newer ones that MSA is selling have a considerably thicker flange that works pretty well. I have one on my 78 daily driver and it never has leaked - and it's been on the car since '96. I believe the washers he is referring to are the thick ones that go at the bottom set of bolts on the head. You can reuse the ones from the factory manifold just fine. You shouldn't have to have any additional/special hardware to mount those headers in place of a stock manifold. Reuse what's there.

Yeah - Tony nailed the problem.....Drive Harder!!! He stated as long as the sensor was bathed in hot oil, it should not matter where it's located. It is indeed bathed in hot moving oil, so I just need to drive it harder and for a longer duration to ensure that it gets up to temp. I haven't been to the track yet, but I suspect it will start registering then - if not sooner when I get the chance to drive it for an extended period of time. The hoses definitely heat up, and when I pull the bulb sensor, it is indeed warm and dripping with oil. Just not up to 140 degrees I would gander...

Here's a shot of my setup. The sender should indeed be bathed in flowing oil. You can see the Oberg filter on the left, then the sending unit housing, then directly to the thermostat. Second pic is the hose coming out of the thermostat to the cooler up front. So, this should indeed work - correct?

Look between the #1 and #1 spark plug down at the bottom of the head where it meets the block. Does it say N47? It should if it's a factory setup. I have a P79 head that I've stripped, let me check to see if the valves are the same sizes.