Modern Motorsports Ltd

just in case.....have you checked your coolant level? and what are your plugs telling you? ie lean etc? $ on a carb rebuild (by yourself, doug roes HP book on rochesters is great) can be well spent, you should go through it, kits are cheap, check floats and needles/jets/hangar/make sure they're appropriate for what you're running, sounds like your float could be running out if it's always sputtering after a few seconds of constant acceleration, could be gummed up and not filling at normal speed either.... Hmm, I'm no longer running any qjets and do have 2 books in as new condition if someone's interested I suppose. email personaly if you are as I haven't been able to frequent this board often enough of late ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

quote: Originally posted by swat5444: Hey, I have a 1996 LT1 long block and was wondering how the best way to run fuel injection would be. I have the manifold to put a carb on the engine and was wondering if a holley projection system would be good. Your best way is to get the OEM EFI setup and install it. If you do a cam swap and a few other easy hp items on that motor (head gasket to 10.4:1/roller rocker ratio) the ECU can be reprogrammed if you find it necessary. Holley projection is TBI and NOWHERE near what tpi can be for efficiency or power. You'd pay more for a TPI unit and the OE stuff is plug'n'play. Proflo won't properly mate to your heads and even mild machining to match would knock out any potential gains. Some time spent if you want to minimize the wiring harness but well spent and only done once. Then whatever you do after that is already documented. Friends in the nw are quite experienced at it and involved on the LT1edit list as well. I only wish the OE Lt1 EFI bolted on older setups easier. They're putting 300+rwhp easily on many setups. All upgrades req'd to higher levels well documented as mentioned. You should be able to find the EFI setup quite cheap from some AS racers (they have to run fuel leaks/carbs) running 4th gen's. just found the link to Ron's setup, my dad now has this setup in his 240Z http://www.datsuns.com/cars/rontyler.htm ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. [This message has been edited by Ross C (edited February 19, 2001).]

quote: Originally posted by Fast Frog: rear end like a stock Z setup. There are other smaller components I will go to like Edelbrock's alum water pump and Griffith alum rad. Wow, sounds like great stuff. One comment, like Griffin I much prefer Stewart Components for water pumps. Very race proven and others I crossed in other lists have had good experience with them. I'm running one of their's with a Robert Shaw t-stat. http://www.stewartcomponents.com/ Something about some racing companies that don't advertise a whole lot but still get great feedback and hang around attracts me ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

quote: Originally posted by jhaag: I bought and then returned Griffin's 26" x 19" radiator recently. The 26 x 19 fit beautifully. However, I wanted to mount a Flexalite dual fan arrangement on it but the lower right hose attachment point on the radiator is angled somewhat (not perpendicular to the radiator) which interfered with mounting the dual fans. My car has AC and power steering so it's more cramped in the engine compartment than his. John Haag yes, I'm running the 26x19 with 2 rows of their 1.25" tubes. My front area is WIDE open so no problem with that angle John mentions. Even if you did have a conflict you can have an outlet rewelded whereever/however you like for not much dough. It is a pissoff they don't have a drainplug though and I wish I'd had one put in last time I had it out and had some alum. flatstock welded on it for easy tabs. They're a great deal IMO and you'll not need any more radiator:-) Mine was creeping above my thermostat ONCE and it was bugging me, checked water pump/hoses.....nothing...finally opened rad cap...less than half full!! Yeah, it works OK Griffin is great for info but not cheap, buy it from Summit or a local rod shop. A local shop beat summit and I also got the trans cooler installed ($40 AIR?), if not that I'd look at an oil cooler. It's great to have fluid/fluid interfaces so all fluids warm up ASAP and at extremes can help temper one another as well...I run ATF to a HUGE front cooler and then into rad cooler and back to trans. Stops fluid from ever returning too cold or so I think. ATF too cold is as bad as tooo hot. Ideally I'll get a temp bypass valve sometime here. ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

[This message has been edited by Ross C (edited February 05, 2001).]

quote: Originally posted by TempestasZ: well i know in my 87Z with the car off, turning the wheel is quite difficult, but im sure its different when the car is designed for no PS...im just wondering if you really have to work the wheel.... best way to find out is to go drive one and see what you think, my rack'n'pinion (no ps)'80 280ZX was heavier steering with my 'cheap' (lots of iron+ massive battery up front) V8 conversion, a few changes later and 50/50 weight on my street v8zx and the steering IMO is same or more likely lighter with 245's all around than in stock form. Its certainly no big effort to drive/turn and I do lots of slow speed/parking etc. ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

What size exactly do you have right now? Are those 14x6 wheels on it with 195/70/14's? Your rim size isn't as essential as the final tire size that you choose. To calculate your tire diameter (which is what you want to stay the same, centre point of wheel won't change, so you just need to ensure outer diameter remains v. similar) if your tires are 195/70/14's 195 is tire width in mm 70 means your tires sidewall height is 70% of it's width (ie. 195) 14 is rim diameter tire is designed for so 14" +195*.7*2(2 sidewalls)/25.4mm/inch = 24.75" overall tire diameter -as any difference in diameter is taken up on both top and bottom of your tire, 1/2" larger diameter will only change your tire/fender clearance (most visible change IMO) by 1/4" -as well you can't compare various tires and expect them to be exactly what you calculate as they all have variations in them so you may find slight difference b/t one brand 195/70/14 and another brands offerings in same size (tread width can vary by an inch b/t same 'spec' tire b/t companies...) 225/50/16 is a nice larger tire profile/size that's ~24.9" in diameter, 215/55/16 is more 'cushy' and comes in at 25.3"... hope that helps (FWIW, IMO 15" rims don't look v. different from 14's, going to 16's though is a nice visible improvement, and tire offerings are far greater) ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

quote: Originally posted by pparaska: Call me a wimp or too damn picky Pete Pete, you're a wimp and too damn picky! Mike's method makes it straightforward as others have said. Just because wheel balancing is sensitive doesn't mean we have to be on tippy toes drilling and welding hubs in the centre of your assembly where a lot of other weight is as well. I did some bad drilling on one of my hubs (not using Mike's method, trying to be even cheaper & doing it on the car in a tight garage yadda yadda;^) and just had it rewelded up and then I redrilled it, this time on a press (FWIW, stock hubs drill like butter compared to weld material!). If I have the dough I'd have a shop do it, but don't let that stop you from trying it. Axles are cheap if not free if you've been in and out of parts for a while....I have a spare ZXT set I'm going to setup for ARP's while leaving my current set with bolt on's in place some day when I have a penny or two available (ie. once school's done) PS good point about having bearings pressed off and on....did it myself but it took some jiggering.... ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

this has been covered lots, just search this site and all the info will come up

Jamie, I know a few racers who run their big carbs on any motor and just jet appropriately. If the venturis are appropriate to get decent metering is the main issue AFAIK. TimH: I can't say why but I did definitely find a pattern among drag racers that their edlebrock 750's just weren't performing (pardon that awful joke) up to snuff and going to the edelbrock 600's had them full of smiles. A reputed builder back in AB only puts the performer 600's on his drag motors (commonly v. tweaked 400 sbc's). Some common thread came up that the 600 design just worked a helluva lot better than the 750. I love my 600 and it's independence of tuning circuits and ease of tuning. From experience of a few I now running 383's and 400 sbc's on the 600's with your power and more that'd be my pick. YMMV ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

David, I do and will turn 6-6500 depending on what gear/traction available I'll likely just 'sand' it out with emery cloth to just get out any rough casting material and any other rougher areas. I'm just getting finally close to my 'final' motor overall setup which I"ve planned to be quite efficient/power/mpg so thought that might be a detail I should look into. It's a single plane so by hand my access is pretty good. I'm not sure if anyone local does any extrudehoning or if one can duplicate this at all with media blasting....leaning out on a limb here ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

Some friends paid once for a 'lifetime' alignment at a firestone dealer AIR. One time cost and they'll check/adjust for you many times after that.....they said as long as they leave ~1 mos. b/t checks they've never gotten any flack over it......"just doesn't feel quite right" I haven't gotten around to seeing if the same offer is available to us Canucks.

have you checked your timing and if that's fine try a different AFM, lots of basic tuneup info at www.zhome.com

I figure this thread could apply to all so didn't stuff it into V8 land. I'll be swapping my carbed Vic. Jr. for my EFI Vic. Jr. setup sometime here and think I know this answer but want to hear other perspectives on it. Should I now be polishing the inside of my Vic. Jr. as best I can with a dremel etc for maximum airflow as I no longer need turbulence to keep fuel suspended correct? If so what's the most successful tools/methods for polishing the innards of this intake....usually when I've seen polishing q's asked people advise trying a smaller item first as most rarely finish what they start in this arena. I'm thinking I could take a 1/2 hour per day as my 'break' during studies to progress on this item. If it's only .5% gain or similar I won't do it but if it's significant.... Here's a URL of a setup v. similar to what I"ll have although my heads should be a leg up on their ported L98 (ZZ4) castings and my cam is a hair below theirs so if I hit near their numbers I"ll be grinning ear to ear:-) (note they have no alt and an ee water pump ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

I put a post to another list and here's a few comments that came back quick. "it is going to be very hard to get cost in line on even on a group buy. The best thing to do is get a bunch of third brake light bars from the junk yard and use the high brightness leds off of these. Most red Leds have a view angle of only 15 degrees or so. The new white Leds have a view angle of 135 degrees but are $2 each. You can bust out the glass of the old 1157 bulb and group 3 leds for running and 3 for brake light. The current limiting resistors control the brightness. To make matters worse the leds current requirements are temp dependent."

looks great Ahh yes, the beauty of a cheap sbc that still runs fine! I just wish someone would make a drivers side hearder with same configuration as your manifold but in 1-3/4's, dropping down below #5 and #7 would be so nice......

Wow, neat stuff guys I'll put it on my to do list as well.... One comment, I think all the lights on a Z need to be multidirectional. I'm not sure of the width/angle of an LED array but you want to see tailights ahead of you whether you're going straight or coming thru a series of S's in the mountains etc, same thing with brake lights. The reflector used has as much to do with this width of light beam as the bulbs does it not? I'd have a hunch you could solder them all in at most any angle you'd like unless you were drilling them in dead flat/flushmount on a second board....(just two long leads on each LED IMO, bend as you wish) Non-serious comment (I think), don't make the brake lights too bright or the cops will have one more iota of a chance of noticing me;^) Ross (stiff car and good brakes = minimal headlight dive to the coppers when tossing the anchor 2 days ago I was at an electronics wholesaler (returning a crappy silver pen, anyone use a good 'micro' one they can reccomend?) and they had a 'board' of 50+ LED"s and you hit one button and they all lit, I recall some were stinking bright and really surprised me....

Ditto Richard on OE speedo working fine... your tach will work if you do the same mod as other Z's as per JTR as well, want a 160mph/270kmh speedo? I've lined two OEM models up but need a joint buyer for the 2nd so I don't have to prepay for both.....drop me a line if anyone is interested ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

5 replies now and we're not even clear on the question we must be of the helping nature if you're having a real lunge from idle/too much force to hold it at a stop your idle rpm can be turned down (I like 725-750 out of gear and 650 in gear if your cam allows it, so far I can do that with a .520 lift cam) and you may have a bit much initial timing into it (14 max), initial timing/rpm will give it this 'creep/lunge' In one state of tune on my old 327 I would start it up and when put into gear the rear treads would squeak as I put it into gear with brakes LOCKED as tires bit into the concrete on my cold idle ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

I'd always buy the best body closest to what I want with little to no regard for mechanics. mechanical work can come cheap and easy if you have some time and are willing to learn....body work/welding etc is a whole different endeavour IMO. The mechanics I apply to all our vehicles.....I have no desire to learn bodywork although welding would be handy but can't say it'd be economically justified unless you have a brother like Mike Kelly's ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

quote: Originally posted by scca: Ross, but since the coleman rotors are 1.25" and curved vane they have a far greater ability to dissipate heat than a .81 " oem rotor. the ability to dissipate heat is what i am mainly trying to point out. 1) any cast iron caliper cannot eliminate heat as fast as alum. (and i think billet is better than cast for strength ) 2)the thickness of a rotor as well as directional vanes contribute to heat dissipation, with ducts it prevents heat build up . 3)the outlaw/wilwood/ type calipers incorporate stainless steel pistons to further elimintate heat transfer to the fluid. 4)some models (ie outlaw 4000) also incorporate stainless steel heat shields next to the pistons for the same purpose.Mike I didn't go 13" rotors to have .81" thick Sounds like you're comparing to an OEM setup whereas you know I have quite different. My are Brembo from their performance division of superior metallurgy to their usual domestic/import line and the top ones IMO don't have vanes but a different internal structure with far greater open surface area in the 'vented' portion through which you can see thru allowing far greater heat dissipation and airflow (any serious setup has ducts anyhow, so vanes are mute). My calipers are aluminum with SS inserts as well courtesy of PBR. We'll just have to be happy enjoying our own setups:-) This summer I might just be pitting for you as I don't see any funds for any motorsports till I've been back working for a while:-(O) ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

Been offline for a few days and I know I'll forget something in this response.... Tires overheating have never been my issue once I hit R compounds (even with streets brakes overheated on mine and even current 4th gens with ducting etc), although I"m VERY green at driving so far. You state what those GT2 cars may hit (ie. 150+) but what are they hitting and are those oval track stock cars you reference or.... (not a lot of brake strain in oval track) I'm not arguing and as per my original statement..if it's important enough to you and your application is unique enough to be unproven in it's form I feel it would only be prudent to run the calcs. PS why do you assume your 12x1.25 Coleman's have greater heat capacity than my 13" brembo's? Your colemans' weigh over 19lbs? Just a sidebare, greater braking capacity in any form allows more modulation and fine usage of what is in OEM a narrow range we have little control over...more brake and that 90-100% braking effort is a lot more FUN:-) ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

quote: Originally posted by scca: the 12" will do the job on his application.. 13" IS overkill IMO. nice but not necessary. his limitation will be the tires on the car not the rotor size. a GT2 car uses a 16x10" rim with up to 12" slicks WAY more than any street car will use and the compound is far stickier ... yadda yadda... and they use only the 12.2" rotors Mike and Pete, on what basis do you comment/state so firmly that 12" is fine for Mike's car and 13" is overkill? Rotor mass/requirement is a squared relationship with speed so Mike does introduce some greater than normal requirements. AIR, GT2 cars do not have the power/weight ratio we're running and thus we hit higher top ends and thus greater speeds to close. (are those 12.2's 1.25" or narrower?) I don't have my calc's for my setup scanned online for others to follow thru with their setups but just offhand a quick rule was your rotor temp would double if you increase your speed ~40%. So if they're just tolerable doing a 100mph=>zero stop now and you want to be able to stop from 140mph with same brake performance you need to double your rotor mass to stay at that same temperature threshold. I'm not saying Mike and Pete are wrong, but I'd certainly walk thru Puhn's calc's before I tossed even $100 at a brake upgrade for any serious application (ie. road racing or high speed open road stuff). I'd also like to know if I come around a bend in Nevada and someone up ahead bit it (or an animal) that I could confidentally throw out the anchor from 180mph=>zero without sweating too bad. You also mention Mike will do open road racing....I'd be surprised if he doesn't get to some track lapping days as well. If he was up here at SIR he'd hit 160-170mph if he had the balls going into turn one (no offense Mike, few have those big balls:-) and 12" <1.25" rotors I'm quite certain would not cut it for an adequate heat sink. Ross C I'd have put 12's on my setup if they'd have been adequate but Puhn's gospel book said they wouldn't cut it so 13's went on. For reference my 13" rotors are 19lbs and the 12" rotors I modelled were 14lbs. So a 12" rotor wider than what I modelled could fit in the middle and may be the perfect. (my 3100 lb w/ driver 280ZX doing a closing speed of 145=>60mph required more than a 12" rotor on a roadcourse condition FWIW, Mike's lighter but faster setup would be interesting...)

quote: Originally posted by Greg SmileZ: FYI - I contacted Powertrax and they said that they would be available mid-year, or towards the end of the year. There is a test/review in the December 2000 Car Craft on page 76/77. They said, "Going around turns, the No-slip design unlocked and produced smooth transitions. Simply said...we like." For those of us who are not hard core straight line racers, or road racers it seems like this would be a reasonable and cost effective option.... I've always enjoyed the traction of a Z in straight line action with it's OEM open diff/suspension. If you're not buying the powertrax for hard core straight line (and you'd have to be to benefit above OEM setup) then what are you buying it for? When I got my clutch LSD I got it for far greater cornering control and traction which was the main advantage flogged at me by others and still remains my main appreciation for it. just my .02c ------------------ Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.