rayaapp2

That's good news!

The dip stick should get moved yes. There is a plug you have to remove and put where the current dip stick goes. The hard part is carefully removing the dip stick so it doesnt get damaged which requires the right size punch. Ray

Pat is still making pans here. Assuming the RB20DE block is the same its pretty simple so long as you dont have an AWD setup(I wouldnt know if thats even an option on the RB20).

I sent my PFC back to Apex Integrations USA, who sent it in a batch off to the homeland for repair. It took about a month, but was only $!00-$150 to fix. Thats cheap compared to what AEM charges for repair and around a tenth of the cost of a replacement unit.

PMC, Are you saying that the RB flywheel is offset so to add 6mm on the crank side? So one, could simply mill or lathe out the center backside of the flywheel to adjust assuming there is enough thickness as well as correct the centering ring for an L-series at the same time? Or would you run into a pressure plate height issue that way? I have seen the center hub alignment ring on the RB when I was searching clutch options for an Lseries turbo build. But there is also the dowl pin if I remember correctly in the RB crank. I have a ton of RB flywheels around here. I might have an L-series around here as well to check against and see what your describing. Id have to check this against the 300zxTT stuff too as that is our clutch option here(US) for RB25.

Hey Jack280, Im dying to see pre-op pictures! I can somewhat make out what you did, but not completely. Its been a while since I read completely through your thread, but I remember searching for pictures of you cutting it up and I could not find anything. Yours is the cleanest looking chop top Ive seen ever seen. If your willing to share your secrets Im sure Im not the only one that's curious where you made your mods. Ray

I have run into an interesting situation where I know I can retrofit an RB25det S2 harness to my NEO engine, but Im running a manual transmission and since my NEO ECU and harness is basically scrap after some testing the seller is offering me a Series 2 ECU and harness. The catch is that the ECU and harness are from an S2 AWD automatic R33. Ive never seen or dealt with the AWD or Automatic harness's for anything but the NEO. The NEO incorporates the TCM into the ECU. The FSM that I have mentions very little about a TCM, but I do not see any automatic control wiring at the ECU harness diagrams. Im hoping that means its all separate and I can just run with it changing out my TPS, and a few other random sensors for the S2 ones off the NEO engine. I know the sub harness's like the injectors, and coils plug and play. I have a working S2 manual harness here to compare with. Im sure I will hit some walls doing this, but starting with a fresh harness and ECU is best at this point. I might have a working ECU, but the harness an ECU connector have been mangled pretty bad. Thanks for your input in advance guys.

Im a cheap bastard, but there are a lot of those Z4's here for sale used! Initial budget: agreed, Repairs? No way, only if your dumb enough to buy from the dealer. Ive had the '06 3series for 5 years now(its the 5th bmw Ive owned). Over a 120K miles now. I drive that car mercilessly ever chance I get. Other than brakes, tires, and oil changes, Ive spent probably about $220 on parts like a wheel bearing, Front TC bushings, angle eye replacement bulbs(which were $100!), and I used only Genuine BMW parts! I bring this up because if the M3 becomes the choice that argument can also be used about repairs! You gotta look around on the BMW forums, and use google and you will find places that sell genuine OE parts or the same price or less than the cost of the aftermarket replacements. I only wish we had the real S52 engine here in the M3(the one they got in Europe).

BMW Z4. Looks and feels like a well setup S30... My 260Z drove almost identical for daily/spirited driving. Price used is around $23K+ though. I like the M3 as well if that's more in the price range. Id consider the S2000, but I have a Datsun 2000 and Im American so I need at least 2 more cylinders or Im not happy. BTW I have driven a 435hp S2000(centrifugal supercharged!). Its a cool car, just not my thing.

The only thing that matters is the OBDII certification number that's laser etched onto the cats housing. You have that number and it will not be contested. Cat or pipe size doesnt matter. You can still retrofit universal cats to OEM specific applications so long as that number is in place for CA certification.

I have several bent and cracked drop mounts. Messes toe up in a hurry! Im not sure the aluminum is any stronger, but consider this: If that didnt bend what would? Feel like replacing the built in box frame in the rear? Build in your weakness. The only reason my car isnt a total loss for me and what I can/am willing to repair is that those drop brackets bent and cracked leaving my frame straight.

I have 3 complete sets, and one incomplete. I have so many sets because I bought them cheap(mostly at MSA garage sales), and with multiple sets I can set them up any way I want. After setting these things up I would recommend MSA's 2.5" setup. Noise level is the same, but you can easily and affordably use one system and add in extra sound/drone reducers. My Favorite way to deal with those is one of those Autozone Thrush Turbo mufflers on the rear(not the MSA one) part number 17715(or you can use their welded series with is a flowmaster), and the center muffler(antidrone premuffler) from a mid 90's toyota camry v6 to put in the trans tunnel. Quieter than stock at idle with a low growl(even with the L24), and comfortably loud at freeway speeds. No drone. Its not quiet at freeway speeds, but its not obnoxious at all. Matter of fact I would trade one of my twice pipe kits for one complete 2.5" MSA kit and another $30 Thrush Turbo muffler... lol

By ambitious you mean I want another at least 20 years of driving out of this car, then yes! lol I spent the better part of today utilizing a steam washer. 3 gal of diesel later the orange car, my 570Z, the diesel maxima, the s13, and all the misc motors I have around all got cleaned! The undersides have been stripped of the grease! Ill get some pictures tomorrow. The L28 for the orange car looks great now. I realized today that Im going to have to paint everything. The suspension, cross members, everything. Oh well. Its gonna look good when its done. Perhaps one of my spawn will take a liking to the car in 20years and I can pass the madness to them.

I only have to worry about the driver side being straight. I took lots of measurements and marked everything. I also made a jig to hold the upper strut towers and cross member in place. It should be close enough to get it aligned but not perfect. I plan on blasting the whole front end before it gets painted fully welded up, but the weather isnt great here either(but its not raining).

That's nothin! If it were mine, Id prep the metal(probably strip the old tar out too) with POR 15 marine cleaner, wash it good!, and hit the whole area with either a self etching primer or POR15 primer. Regular primer probably wont cut it for very long. Im not a body guy, but as I understand it you need something thats gonna neutralize the rust, bond to bare metal, and seal it up. With good floors it would be worth the time to do it that way and its not gonna cost you more than $100 to do it and be done.

So back in Dec of 2012 I was hit on the hwy. While traveling North bound @ 50mph an 04 Sienna traveling at 70mph hydro planned across 3 lanes to hit me sending me and and Bob traveling in reverse @ 50mph for 400 yards before coming to a stop on the shoulder. Ive been involved with this car since I was in high school. The PO sold it to me so it would be in good hands. Having promised I would continue to drive the car Im repairing Bob(named after the PO) So I procured a donor car. Its a 73 so it has the extra mounts for the 73 bumpers, but its perfectly straight up front. I was going to replace the clip entirely, but the battery tray in Bob is good and the donor car has some rust there. Luckily all the damage on Bob was on the drivers side and the passenger side was only damaged in front of the strut tower. So I plan on leaving the passenger side strut in place and removing the drivers side back to the bulkhead. Bob need some attention at the frame rails and the rear rocker corners as well so I will also be addressing those spots in the near future with Bad Dog Z full frame rails and Tabco rear rocker panels. I have been saving parts of for this car for over a decade! Hard to believe that but its true. I would buy the parts and send them to the PO. I bought a hyperflex kit in 2002 for the car and the PO never got around to doing it or having me do it. So thats another thing I will finally be installing as well. I have a lot of parts like that laying around and now is the time I suppose. The car has a moon roof and it leaks if its not perfectly shut. I have a good donor roof, but its the only 240Z I have with a sun-roof that works albeit finicky. So I may not go as far as to replace the roof. Its nice to have that thing sometimes when it works. Here is where I am at: Donor 73 My Drivetrain, and I pulled the turbo rims off, I kind of like the bronze Rotas on the orange. You can see how bad the front was twisted. The driverside frame rail is bent up slightly and Im going to have to address that to get the new clip on. My next step is to take measurements off the donor car and then put it under the knife next. The passenger side inner frame will be cut under the lip of the strut tower when its done and the seem will be hidden behind that. I will stitch weld the whole bay up when its done and you shouldnt see anything. I plan on using the frame rails from the old bent clip and making inserts that weld inside the current frame rails to guide the new clip into place.

Why does everyone think a roadster will twist or need more structure? Short wheel base full box frame and X member with incorporated front cross member ... There is some strengthening that can be done, but basically its as strong as it gets without replacing the whole frame with a tube frame under a glass shell. Personally for that setup I would only add a second anti-wrap bar on the drivers side of the rear axle and run! I think yall forget the roadster was not a uni-body Z.

Id put money on the CAS... Been there, SAME EXACT failure pattern. Despite E85(which can be an issue having been thoroughly pointed out already). Put a timing light on it when it starts to run bad, hold the rpms up and see what the timing is doing. Its gonna move around a bit with a rough run issue, but see if it jumps wildly. I lost one L28et to this issue. I ended up breaking lands and skirts in very short order at 18psi. Ive seen many other times as well.

I have started collecting the parts to do this to my 71 with the 350 chevy in it. I have the front votec serp belt assembly so Im going to be using the power steering pump from the votec 5.7L setup with the booster. I will post back with how that works out.

the rotas are zero and the others are 42 I think.

I had a 3.9 and swapped to a 3.7 and I will eventually be going back to a 3.9 as I liked it better for the DD and was a good compromise when I hit the track

For reference, the short shifters (mainly the Nismo and ISIS as I have both) are shorter by like 1/2" and the NISMO has an upgraded dampener and the ISIS is solid. So for a boot it doesnt make a world of difference. I used the 240SX shifter boot. redlinegoods.com for the outer boots and they have the correct boot for the RB in an S30. Ray

Steering wheel remover/puller will do the trick. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Tools-Garage-and-Equipment/Steering-Wheel-Puller/_/N-2652 If you goobered the threads, drill and tap for larger bolts.