Pop N Wood

Hey Katman. Are you ever going to give us the recipe for the ultimate street cage?

The thing is I think they dropped the sniffer test. All they do is read what ever the OBD II outputs and perform a pressure check on the gas cap (and I assume a visual check). So why wouldn't disconnecting the battery completely wipe the computer memory of any error conditions?

You know one of the problems with the fiero was GM never wanted to put money into it. They took the entire front end from a Citation for God's sake. How in the hell can anything based upon a Citation suspension handle well? Not trying to be critical, just want to know.

Rick, I agree with 1 tuff Z. Your car is beautiful! Have you ever posted details concerning the cage? I notice you have the top bars and the stock dash. I am trying to figure out what the best way of doing this is.

Question for you auto professionals out there. I live in Maryland. For years, Maryland has used treadmills for smog checks so they can measure the tail pipe emissions under load. This year they replaced the treadmill test with an "OBD II check". If your car has an OBD II connection, they just connect a diagnostic tool instead of using the treadmill. Does anyone know what they are looking for? The paperwork says they read the error codes and if any are found they will give you a computer print out to take to your mechanic. They also say that if you had any work that required disconnecting the battery to make sure you drive the vehicle for 2 weeks before getting smogged. If all they are looking for is error codes, then couldn't I just reset the codes a block from the smog station? Are they really making it this easy or is there something in the OBD II output that actually measures emissions and/or states the last time the computer was reset?

Consider the GM 385 HP crate motor with fast burn heads. To create a ZZ430 just add the hot cam with roller rockers. Will give you 430 street able HP with aluminum heads, aluminum intake, a roller cam AND a 12 month warranty. From what I have read in past postings, the fast burn heads are the aluminum equivalent of Vortec heads. Grumpy is kinda down on this combo. http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001937 Likewise with the Edelbrock engine(s). He feels you can build bigger and better for less money. I sure won't argue with him, but for a first time engine builder who wants to get something on the road quick, this seems the ticket. And I can't believe there is anyone on this site who wouldn't enjoy thrashing a Z with such an engine. A lot of guys have more, but I suppose most have less. As for transmissions, everyone (myself included) wants the T56 6 speed manual. But as jeromio realized in one of his recent postings, http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=001238 you can get an entire automatic for the price of a new T56 clutch assembly. The autos are also a little easier to install and possibly the better choice for a drag car. My suggestion is to write down several different combos and try to estimate the cost of each. If you are like me it will be the money that drives your final solution.

Did you ever think the 40'ish guy in the escort wagon was just making fun of you? Or maybe he was just coming back from the drug store with a fresh dose of Viagra and was in a hurry or something? You know how us old guys can get.

My near stock 240 will backfire and throw flame out the tailpipe if I accelerate hard then let off the gas quickly. But mine is caused by headers and free flow exhaust interacting with the smog pump. It's funny too because I can predict when the backfire will occur. The smog pump A/B valve diverts into the intake manifold. So when I first let off, the car coasts with no engine back pressure. Then as the A/B valve starts to close to redirect the smog pump into the exhaust, you can feel the car start to decelerate. One or two seconds later and BAM, backfire with flame/sparks flying out the tailpipe. I use to bring traffic to a complete stop inside the Sepulveda tunnel. People must have thought it was a drive by.

You don't suppose it could be detonating while the BOV is making it's racket?

My first thought was dirt in the carb also. Along the same lines it could be a sticky float/needle valve. If it was a vapor lock condition then it would be more correlated with the under hood temps. But a bad spark will do the same thing. I do not know how you tell an intermittent loss of spark from an intermittent loss of fuel. Did the problem occur with the 600?

I posted a somewhat related topic some time ago. One guy came back and says he has a 30 gallon fuel cell!! http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000699 If you remove the spare tire well and run dual exhaust on each corner, then my tape measure seconds what Johnc posted (although I was thinking more on the line of 10" deep to keep it completely above the stock rear valence). Summit lists a 20 gallon that is 24x20x10 (sum-290215-S).

A recent car magazine is doing a build up of a Chevy 4.3 6. This doesn't seem like a very good hod rod engine either. At least this is what the magazine is saying the whole time they are detailing the build up. Apparantly the heads flow poorly and there is very little in the way of aftermarket parts available for the engines. As for the new Trailblazer in line 6, someone posted a statement on this site saying that engine could be difficult to work with because of the engine management computer needed to work the variable valve timing. Can't vouch for the veracity of either statement.

Cut this from an old thread (http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002146):

I read a thing in a recent car magazine about systems that use baking soda to strip cars. The stuff was so simple and environmentally friendly that there were small companies that could come out an strip your car right in your own driveway. Since it was only baking soda everything cleaned up with water. There were other advantages too, like it didn't affect chrome or rubber. Might be worth looking into.

Pete has posted wiring diagrams for both problems on his site: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/turnsgn1.htm http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/Headlight_Relay_pg1.htm

The following two links look useful http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000890 http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=001099 I don't really know about the other questions you asked, but I am sure others will chime in.

I knew the issue of gross vs. net HP would come up. That is why I made certain to add the "rating" qualifier. If 150 Gross HP maps into 120 SAE, then I will take your word for it. I guess the next step would be to determine what year they switched HP ratings and compare the 240's to 280's year by year.... The point is the 240's held their own in HP. Later year Z's went to larger displacements to try to offset the losses in performance due to smog equipment and weight gain. So yeah, if you are building a balls out, no compromise vehicle where cost is no issue OR if you are in the enviable position of selecting between a 240 and a 280 that are otherwise comparable, then by all means go for the 240. But I sure as hell wouldn't pay a preimium for a rusted out 240 shell that is going to take tons of body work. A 280 is simply not a bad starting point. Put the extra money and time into a better engine, better tires or more trick suspension pieces.

I agree with Bang. I didn't know the early SU's were so common or cheap. One word of caution. You need to make sure the carbs you are getting are rebuildable. The throttle shaft bushings tend to wear causing a lean condition at idle. I had just this problem on my 70. The lean condition caused some pinging which required me to use high octane gas. I found a place in LA that said they could replace the bushings, but it was going to run $500 or $600 to do. For that price it made more sense to get the smog leagal dual Webers from MSA. If I had it to do over again, I probably would have rebuilt the SU's. The Webers are nice carbs (a progressive 2 barrel with an honest to god accelerator pump), but the J bend adaptors to plumb them into the sidedraft intake manifold tends to puddle fuel when idling with a cold engine. Besides, the SU's are just too cool. FYI. MSA sells "rebuilt" SU's on an exchange basis for $600. You could buy one of the ebay set ups to get the carbs and all needed linkage. Once they are installed and tuned correctly, spray some starting fluid around the throttle shaft bushings. If you see a change in idle speed, then the carbs need to be rebuilt. You could then use them as cores for the MSA exhange (or find a local shop that can do the work for you).

Thanks for the sage advice. I agree with all points. But just wanted to point out that I don't have a cage in my car and I do not use the 5 point harness on the street. (I have the submarine strap, just never bothered to hook it up) All I used the harness for is autocrossing (if that is the correct term for individuals racing through cones for time). In these races speeds rarely went over 50 MPH and the only real chance of collision was probably a roll over. Even then, you would have to be doing something extraordinarily special to accomplish that. This was the set up most of the guys in that circuit used. That is why I went that route. If I ever get serious about racing again, I will more than likely pick up a racing seat with the proper shoulder cut outs. But even with that, the options for anchoring the shoulder straps are limited without a cage. That strut bolt is just too conveniently placed! If mounting to a cage, it would have to be a true cage that is well mounted and properly crossed braced. Attaching it to a bolt in roll bar is probably worse than the strut tower. Even with all of the above info, I can't help but wonder whether a harness attached to the strut tower is better or worse than the stock belts. I hadn't thought about someone relocating the strut tower. But either way, it would have to be a pretty severe accident to make a difference.

Ron Tyler says the front to rear weight distribution of his LT1 conversion is 49/51. http://www.home.earthlink.net/~rontyler/lt1specs.html This is with a 9 gallon aluminum tank and the battery in the stock location. He does have the "Skyline LSD", which I assume is an r230? If this is true in general, then shouldn't LTI's be worried about shifting too much weight to the rear of the car?

I installed a Simpson 5 point harness in my 240 just as you described. The shoulder harness wraps around either side of the stock headrest and bolts to one of the nuts on the strut tower. I did not put in the submarine strap because I was lazy, but it is not hard to do. It has been discussed in past postings. Not the ideal installation? Probably. But it was very common among the autoX's I use to run with back in LA. The (in my case) 4 point installation definitely holds you down and has to be safer than stock belts. As a side note, the 5 point harness can be in place at the same time as the stock belts. This way I have a retractable single sholder belt for around town and the "4" point set up for racing.

Also I want to kick back a few more ideas on this. Yes, the 280 chassis are probably not much stiffer. But I have never seen paint cracks on the C pillars of a 280, nor have I heard people complain about the front sway bar damaging the frame rails on a 280. These things reinforce what the JTR guy says, not all of the 280 weight gain was dead weight. Now does any of this matter if a cage is installed? No. But then as Johnc says you have completely changed the question. And yes, the R200 swap is cake, but it does represent an added expense that must be planned for. Thus you need to take all of the above into account when selecting a project car. Styling, smog restrictions, starting weight, rear end, cost, condition, availablitiy and most importantly intended use all need to be considered when deciding which vehicle to buy. But I still maintain that if you are going to build a V8 Z, then the cost-condition-availability concerns will override any pros and cons of 240 vs 280. If the body is rust free and the suspension/driveline fairly complete, then be happy and go for it.

Just for the record, the early 240 motors have a higher horsepower rating than any of the subsequent non-turbo models.

Yeah, affordable and viable. Here is one thread that discusses several options. http://www.hybridz.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000699 If you cut out the spare tire well, you can actually get a LARGE fuel cell in place. Routing the fill tube without losing all available space in the rear hatch area is a challenge, but not a big issue for most people.

I couldn't open Scotties link either. Did you notice on Pete's link, the first TTSBC dyno curve never hit a torque peak. Torque just keep climbing right up to the 6000 RPM redline.