Zetsaz

2 months ago?

Surprised you're dealing with this. How long has it been? I've had nothing but positive experiences. Last time they messed up anything my order they sent me the correct part completely free and didn't even ask me to return the incorrect small part that had gotten mixed up.

I think there's always some poor communication and terminology around this, sorry! I definitely still have the whole crossmember still on, it's just the bottom diff mount that isn't on it anymore.| I know some people have cut it into two smaller pieces that only function to hold the control arms from the front end, but I'm not sure that's ideal

This took too long. Finally got the diff top mount installed instead of the snubber. Still mild clunking but only out of a stop in first so I think whatever is left is mild play in the axles and adapters which is frustrating but I'll leave it be for now. Acceleration and cruising are noticeably smoother and now the giant bottom mount isn't making it more difficult to access the nuts and bolts on the driveshaft flange. Got a chance to cruise this weekend and get some feedback from @seattlejester. Biggest thing he noticed is some slop in the steering Shafter into the rack. I don't know if it's worn or just needs the big nut adjusted but I think I'd just gotten used to it. Either way I tightened down the clamps for now which were also a bit loose. Big hang up now is debating if I want to remove the front windshield to install the a pillar vinyl trim the "right" way. Either way, she's coming along nicely. Everything is just refinement now

Mostly. @Chickenmanwas kind enough to give me some baseline afr and timing maps despite not doing megasquirt tuning anymore, and has given me lots of helpful tips. A lot of my settings I've compared to @madkaw's .msq files since he's one of few other people I know running full sequential timing/fuel on an NA L series. The rest has been mostly my tinkering. Haven't really bothered messing with AFR or timing advance maps just because I'm still running essentially a stock block. Not sure there's a ton more to get out of it without headwork and a cam if I stick with this engine long term, so I've mostly focused on drivability quirks that I care more about than big numbers.

Minor adjustment today: Was frustrated with low speed throttle control. Compared my tune to @madkaw's. Of course I can't use the same tables, but some of the setting can be very similar. I raised the TPSdot% threshold for accel enrichment and its SO much better on low throttle now. Nice to have some other guys running similar setups to compare to. Don't think I'll need to mess with replacing the linkages since it's feeling much better.

One thing to consider is the engine alone (no mods) is worth like $12k these days. I think some of the work is questionable, and that price for a car with that kind of interior is ridiculous, but the parts alone, plus the superstreet feature make it a somewhat reasonable price when you consider everything.

I love the color! Glad I took my time picking it. I've been keeping a close on eye on that bubbling in one spot, and it's the same as always. Makes me think it was just some solvent pop. Still haven't committed to how I want to correct it, but it'll either fix itself with wet sand before I take it somewhere for a proper cut and polish which we never did after paint. The mild clunking is way better but still driving me crazy. I think next step is fixing that driveshaft and considering a throttle cable instead of the mechanical linkages. the linkages are mostly working fine but at very low speed/low throttle the control is just not what I want out of it.

Not really much to update. Heater has worked fairly well, mostly no complaints cruising this past week with the nice weather we've had. Brakes have felt good. Really not many complaints other than the interior not being fully done and the IAC needing some more tuning. Protunerz recently showed some new versions of their intake manifold with a throttle body provision for the GM IAC and it's tempting me to just go turbo already... Maybe sometime. The trans cost to hold the power is still the big setback. Anyway, here's some random better pics with bumpers now. I'll be fully vaccinated by my spring break and I'm hoping to drive the pacific coast highway in the Z and camp out along the way. We'll see how that pans out.

I would confirm your tooth #1 angle. Honestly it took me forever to get mine set right despite triple checking that the engine was at TDC and that I had the wheel oriented correctly. It's also possible to set your distributor the wrong direction, which could offset your number #1 tooth angle by 180deg. I spent hours getting trying to get mine close and eventually had to just adjust by about 10deg intervals in my settings until I got it to fire.

Replaced the trans mount today and burped the coolant. The stock 280 radiator and clutch fan are far more efficient than anyone gives them credit for. The clunking is much better but still not gone. Had a ridiculously hard time bringing it up to a temp the thermostat would even open at. Had to completely block off the radiator. Only took about 10 seconds to drop back under 180 once I finished the job and removed the cardboard, then it kept going until it stabilized around 170. Have triple checked the thermostat and already replaced it. Might have to just partially block off the radiator until summer to get it to run at proper operating temp.

The extra gear doesn't get you more than your current trans either. I'm pretty sure it has a shorter first but it's 6th is nearly the same as your fifth. Very tight gearing. I've considered it, but it's huge and I'm not sure would work great with my 3.9 rear. I know some are running that, but most have agreed that 1st in particular is just way too short, especially if you have a turbo.

New CD009?

Hmmmmm.... that seems genuinely interesting. I'd be curious what shipping is! I've swung full GT direction, so most of my money has gone to comforts and cleaning things up instead of power lately. Last bits of work I've done are: -Replaced both flashers that seems to be failing intermittently with some new LED flashers for when I upgrade. Seems to be working okay right now, but I know with LED bulbs sometimes things get weird because of how brake or turn signal bulbs ground/differences in design depending on the brand. -Ordered the center chrome trim for the tail lights. -Ordered gas cap chain -Ordered new horn switch (Mine from the S1 for my steering wheel seems to be missing one piece ) -Also found out after realigning the front end after the ball joint replacement that the transmission rubber mount was really worn and there was a lot of play. Fortunately my alignment guy is a local Datsun friend, so he couldn't help himself when he noticed the strong clunking and started poking around when it was on the lift. Seems like my clunking might not be from the back end at all. New mount is ordered.

Edit: double post

Nearly every single bolt holding the interior together is an M6x1.0. A handful of M8s in oddball spots (I believe the original seat mount bolts are M8s, but I can't check since mine are on square tubing with different hardware) The only other stuff that doesn't match that are the interior screws which there aren't a ton of (4 for the defrost cowl panel, 4 for the hvac controls and... 6? for the taillight panel). The interior trim is either glued, has clips like the doors, or uses plastic rivets. Since you asked specifically about the dash and heater, it's probably something like 20 bolts, all of them M6x1.0 I'm pretty sure. Only ones that will be different are the hvac controls which are a bit different between models. Half the car is put together with them, pretty much all about a 1in/20mm length. Dash, earlier radiators (?) fuel line brackets, brake line brackets, master and slave cylinders, evap canister, fuel filler neck.... the list goes on and on.

Having spent more time down there now I think the originals had another piece that covered the whole top. Might potentially look into that. So many of these have been taken apart so many times that oddball non-essential stuff like that just doesn't exist anymore.

That tdi wagon seems like a great dad-mobile and it makes me want one. If I wasn't such a sucker for marketing and wanting a new Tacoma or the new Frontier after it releases I'd be driving some kind of awd wagon.

I am... So sore. Between some of the car work and my workouts recently I've been crashing hard. Basically work, workout, Datsun each day. Some eating and sleeping in between of course. Anyway, got the rock guards in today with some 3M undercoating I have leftover. They were a PAIN to install. Had to get a bolt or two in first then really press on one end to get them close enough to thread. Installing them made me realize just how terrible the reproduction fenders really are. My passenger side up top has a big gap whereas the drive is pretty close. Not blaming Skillard on this one, thankfully the fenders look good from the exterior.

Thank you all! It's been fun getting to the point where I'm tracking down small stuff. Right now I have new U joints on the way for the driveshaft. I suspect even the one I swapped in isn't perfect. I'm gonna replace it with Spicer joints when I do the top mount. Parts I'm still waiting on include the headliner and A pillar trim, one taillight gasket, strut tower bars, some skillard rock guards to keep the headlight buckets clean (I was noticing some dirt build up I don't want on the hole I cut for the back of the LEDs) and... I think that's it right now. All together will slowly start to quiet it even more and make it more enjoyable. The wind noise I'm still getting and the slight clunk on and off throttle are the only things keeping it from being completely enjoyable. EDIT: I'm actually really enjoying just cruising in it. I'll go out for coffee when it's nice or cruise Chuckanut Drive near me which has great views of the water and the San Juan Islands. I'm pretty happy I focused on the GT element before speed.

Bumpers. Done. No more unfinished front, no more weird mounting points in the back, no more pilot holes showing up in the rear lower quarters. The alignment on the pilot holes was SUPER close. The 240z has more of an oval than just a bolt hole, but i only have that on the passenger side. Drivers lined up dead dead on. Front was a pain to totally line up from the sides, then I realized the rubber guards on the mounting points had the hole just a biiiit offset from where it needed to be. Bored it out, got a longer bolt so I could start the threading by hand, and it worked.

Mine just got better, but I can still get a small clunk literally every time I go on and off power and the slack through the drivetrain comes on and off. Only way I can smooth out low speed/low throttle driving to not be jerky is by riding the clutch slightly. I ordered the proper top mount for the RT diff mount instead of the "snubber" I'm currently running. Hopefully that solves it. If not everything is getting retorqued again and I'm paying for the T3 front diff diff mount that uses a better bottom mount poly bushing.

Hmm.... I'll have to have a shop inspect the driveshaft properly. I'm still getting a bit of clunking I can replicate by literally letting my foot on and off the clutch at a standstill. Might be a combination of the driveshaft and potentially worn front diff mount. I already have an RT diff mount with the poly bushing on top, but I didn't get the top mount. More small things to take care of I guess! Debating if It's really a big enough deal for me to worry about now or if I want to tackle the audio and the interior AC lines next.

I'm stoked to try them! Today is very nice weather... somehow. I'll let you know how they feel. Between the mildly worn out half shaft U joints, and the noticeably worn driveshaft U joint, I think it's going to feel great. Was lucky enough to have a better driveshaft on hand. The front U joint on mine was clicking and had noticeable movement even when I was just moving it by hand. I'm concerned I'll have to dump some more money on it soon though. Had heard some transmission or clutch noise in specific cases last time I drove it. Will have to check when specifically it's happening and see what needs to be done. It may be a bad pilot bearing but I'll have to confirm if it was only when the clutch was depressed. Might finally upgrade the flywheel and clutch. I'd been holding off since I couldn't commit to a swap, NA, turbo, or just doing more mild upgrades to this.

Why won't aftermarket 300zx turbo ones work? These are from a 280zx. Another user on this forums makes the adapters. Supposedly working well for him, and the 280zx are shorter than the 300zx so the adapter width is less of an issue with binding. Will have to see once I try them. For less than a quarter the total cost of futofab units, I figured I'd at least give them a shot. I'm doubtful they'll be a weak point with my modest power goals and very conservative use. -Got them installed tonight! (Only took 4 hours longer than expected...) -Also swapped my driveshaft for one my friend had included with the 5spd. Front U joint on mine was fairly bad. I'm sure that was contributing to the clunking as well. -Took the axle opportunity to put lithium grease on my poly bushings. Right control arm was squeaking BAD. Hopefully with everything greased up I'll have a quieter ride as well. -Carpet from Zcardepot arrived yesterday. Fitment is... okay. I'm confused by the thin pieces that go nearest the seatbelt mounts. Will have to check against a friend's original carpet nearby. -My bumpers shipped! Covid has messed with the shipping industry quite badly, I was patient with Datsun Garage since they were very open about the situation from their supplier and offered me a full refund any time I decided I wanted it. Should arrive by Friday Sadly it's been constant rain here, so I won't get a chance to fully test everything, potentially until next week. Excited to see how everything is feeling though.