yellowoctupus

Tore into the rear end today, and found one thing out I was a little disappointed in; I can't recut new splines on the OEM Ford shafts, as they 'neck down' after the splines. Thanks Ford, you just saved 6oz from a 2ton car. Oh well. Here's how I held the hub from spinning while removing the spindle nut. I think it's a 36mm, but I had an english socket which fit nice and tight. An impact would probably pop these right off, but it was 1am. Not impact wrench time at my house. One tip to remove the shafts from the outboard CV shaft is called the 'pipe drop' method. The Ford service manual says "NOTE: The interconnecting shaft cannot be removed from the outboard CT joint. Outboard CV joints are serviced as assemblies, including the interconnecting shaft, boot, clamps, grease and circlips." Essentially, you can 'pop' the shaft and outermost wire circlip through the cv bearing holder using the mass of the shaft itself. Simply have a pipe that's a few inches (feet etc) longer than the center shaft that JUST fits over the splines, and drop the whole assembly on the floor. Alternatively I used my vice on a shorter piece of pipe and it came out so easily, it was ridiculous. I had been trying to beat the shaft (...I know...) with a bronze punch on the inner bearing race which did NOTHING. I think it took two drops and the shaft dropped right into my hand. This was helpful: http://www.ffcars.com/forums/66-2006-roadster-archives-read-only/155195-calling-donor-irs-breakdown-experts.html#post1345108 Factory Five makes new shafts, with stock lengths (for their AC Cobra IRS kits) and in non-stock lengths, I'm going to get a price on new shafts from them, and maybe elsewhere, if I can find someone else who makes them. Worse come to worse I'll make them myself, but it's just one more time sucker if I have to do it at home.

Says the guy with a 6 liter in his car...

I like your front radiator support, it really opens up the front end for hose routings, air flow, etc. Besides, the stock support always gets in the way when you're skidding an engine in.

All the cool kids are doing it....

I can get behind that. Junkers, (so long as they don't leave you walking home) can be the most fun.

Good find on the T5, the shifter is probably worth that.

Yep, you definitely can swap 5.0 and 5.8 camshafts as long as you match roller to roller, etc. Of course now you'll have 5.0 firing order, but that's no showstopper.

8.8 is out. Car is ready to be picked up by the next 'for scrap only' owner.. Really not terrible getting the rear end out. Drop the Exhaust, gas tank (gas tank probably not necessary, but it was already falling down on this car...) then unbolt all 4 of the subframe mounting points (these are ALWAYS rusty, and very hard to get out, if you can without breaking the bolts or snapping the unibody welded in 'nuts') . All of mine came free, but it took a while. I also grabbed ALL of the Ebrake cables, including the push on push off foot lever, as you never know what little piece of hardware you'll need. The rear air springs are easy to pop out too, after you let the air out (just clip the harness on one of the springs, and power it 12v+ to the orange wire, ground to the grey wire) there's a little spring tab you push which keeps the whole air spring from spinning, then you just spin the whole thing off. I was able to do both wearing rubber / mechanics gloves. They have a double 'keyhole' looking engagement that should pop right out of the unibody once you spin them. Oh, a nice/ interesting point, the rear assembly is PERFECTLY balanced when you pick it up by the pumpkin on the jack. I pulled it out of the car on the jack and the whole thing just slowly spun around on the jack. It's nice when for once something doesn't fight you.

Well, time to breathe some NEW life into the never ending saga of my car being in pieces. It's all together and driving right now, but I have a stub axle that feels loose (???) on it's splines, and I've been breaking universals only with a 4.6 and street tires. Sooo... I brought home a 1994 Mark VIII to cannibalize. I am going to (eventually) make the rear end fit up in my Z, and I'm going to use the spare engine to build up a supercharger manifold, etc. The 4.6 DOHC is a cool engine, but it still lacks the low end punch the Z NEEDS.

Duly noted. I have a 351w in my Mustang, not sure what I was thinking. V6's or something???

Quick Reference Sheet of Ford Z Build ups, PM me to add more to the list, or to update erroneous info. Ford Modular Motor Swaps (4.6L, 5.4L): 1978 280z + SOHC/DOHC 4.6 (yellowoctupus on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/97812-460zgt-project-build/ DOHC 240z on Ratsun (abandoned?) http://community.ratsun.net/topic/54796-1974-260z-46dohc/ DOHC Lincoln 4.6 + 240z 'Vert (PnyPwr on HybridZ ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/47019-anyone-else-doing-a-46-4v-into-a-240/ 4.6 SOHC 280zx (RichRacing on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/96496-project-460zx/ 2001 Cobra + 280z (abandoned?)(4.6 Cobra Z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/121534-46-dohc-280z/ 4.6 Mark VIII / Cobra + 76 280z (Mitchnandy on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/user/2167-mitchnandy Mark VIII DOHC +240z Swap (Northeredave on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/100949-46l-ford-dohc-modular-motor-in-my-240z/ Greg's 240z + 2001 Cobra DOHC (abandoned?)(gls355 on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/113828-46-dohc-svt-in-a-240z-here-we-go/ Ford Windsor Engines (289, 302, 351w, etc) Brian Laine's well documented 302 Conversion http://www.lainefamily.com/240Z_V8_Conversion.htm Terry Oxandale's 5.0 (No pictures, lots of info) (BlueovalZ on HybridZ) http://www.zhome.com/rnt/FordPower/index.html Terry Oxandale's Pictures http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures?userid={7DC317B0-8EDB-4B2E-A837-F708D07C9769}&inv=9C67398D46D99D9&userid={7DC317B0-8EDB-4B2E-A837-F708D07C9769}&inv=9C67398D46D99D9 Pete Papriska's 5.0 Writeup (pparaska on HybridZ) http://alteredz.com/ Dan's 74 5.0 Swap (74_5.0L_Z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/user/30-74-50l-z/ 351w Fits (gene_w on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/32159-alsils-mounts-with-a-351w/ Kris' 302 Swap http://datsun.getyours.com/default.htm Old 5.0 Swap, dead links, lots of info still.. (JoshB 240z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/20535-50l-install-with-pics/ Mark's 260z in Japan (74.5 347z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/user/266-745-347z/ Mark's Motor Mount Design (74.5 347z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/uploads/1336572473/gallery_266_1021_62705.jpg Greg Wheeler's 5.0 240z (gwheeler on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/71855-fs-1972-240z-with-ford-v8-in-portland-or/?do=findComment&comment=682087 Greg's 500z photobucket pictures (gwheeler on HybridZ) http://s237.photobucket.com/user/g_wheeler2001/library/Project%20500Z?sort=3&page=1 Steve Todkill's photobucket pics (unfinished?) (s3079893 on HybridZ) http://photobucket.com/albums/d34/s3079893/?sc=1 Mike '77 + 302 (dead link??)(Rival5 on HybridZ) http://206.169.90.30/mike/view_album.php?set_albumName=Z-Project Al Silveria's notes (Alsil on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/10559-so-all-i-gotta-do-is-fab-some-50-motor-mounts/?p=76947 Ali's 5.0 '77 (MY77Z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/51750-500z-progress-photos/ '70 240 + 302 (er34gtt2000jp on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/53314-had-to-post-our-sbf-project/ SBF Swap (stangracr on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/61369-new-pictures-sbf/ SBF Swap 2 (stangracr on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/62818-new-pictures/ Nick's 240 + 5.0 Cobra (TheNick on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/63662-new-project-240z-cobra/ Dart Block in a 240z (lilredz on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/62941-shes-runnintoo-bad-its-raining-for-2-weeks/ '77 + 302 (Capt_Zorro on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/29043-photos-of-my-77-z/ '78 + FI 5.0 *Sold* (JustChou on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/85022-78-280z-with-injected-ford-302-50-swap-norcal/ 75 302 +73 240z - Engine Mount info... (ukcats07 on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/91886-redesigned-my-cradlemount-setup-pics/ 302 Swap (Shemyazaz on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/108307-280z-302/ 76 +302 (NateDaGreat on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/112712-302-v8/?p=1057290 302 + 71 240z (ottoauto on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/90729-just-picked-up-my-first-v8-240z/ 240z + 68 302 (akaryrye on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/90018-just-bought-a-240z-w-a-ford-engine/ 260z + 5.0 FI (V8INtheZ on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/72463-started-my-2nd-v8-s30project-mongoose/?do=findComment&comment=688497 302 + 240z (josephg on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/88770-thinking-back-about-my-flywheel-install/?do=findComment&comment=843110 260z + 89 5.0 Megasquirt (Zhunter on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/121944-50-260z-startup/ 351w + 260z (Ga. Piddler on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/48582-351z/ 86 280zx + 351w (86350zx on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/120301-my-z8-build-lots-of-pics/ 240z + 87 5.0 FI (timothyblythe240z on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/121510-347-z/ '77 280z + 5.0 (Bubbadog127 on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/114763-50-cobra-280z/ Scott Holcombe's 5.0 75 280z (PalmettoZ on HybridZ) http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/98769-brian-lanes-302-kit/ '72 240z +5.0 HO (Rudypoochris on HybridZ) https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/52477-rudypoochris-ford-50l-ho-powered-72-240z/ The following are Missing Build Post Links, please email me if you have info, pictures, links etc... 387 Clevor No build post yet? ((LMoore56 on HybridZ)) 2.3L + ?? Build Post Missing ?? ((V8INtheZ on HybridZ)) Mike Gibson ((SCCA on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((The Woj on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((Hitman47 on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((Beau M on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((Roamer on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((WHP on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((Ferd/289 on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((Just Jim on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((Sven on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...((ecp48 on HybridZ)) Missing Build Post Link...'72 240Z 302/C4 ((Just Jim on HybridZ))

Cool video man! I saw that little blue "Like This" box in your post, and said, yes, I do like this. Upon clicking it I found got this: It's the first time I've EVER hit one of those buttons....

Engine: 4.6L DOHC Lincoln MarkVIII Transmission: 96-98 Mustang T45, 0.67OD Gears:3.55 Tires: 235/65/14 Body: 1978 280z Around Town: 23mpg Highway: 26mpg

I gotta be dead honest, it took me a few minutes to figure out where to start with a reply to your question. 1. You have a SBC350, yet presumed the best place to post this question was in the Ford part of the forum. Ok, maybe you felt bad that the guys who roam the Ford corner of HybridZ get lonely and bored, and you'd give us a little attention. Thanks! 2. This is in no way a specificially Datsun/ HybridZ related question. This is an oil pressure gauge question. You could have posed the same question on a lawnmower racing board, one for air compressors, etc. 3. You bumped this question twice in less than 24hrs. Really? If you think this is such an important issue that is life threatening (I'm assuming it must be), why would you post it here? All I can think of with all that 'bumpin' is lowriders. People come here generally to show off some cool Datsun mashup stuff they're working on, and posts are generally in a thought out, respectful way. Did you not realize you were the top post here REGARDLESS of bumping??? Nobody's posted here in almost a month. 4. "I really don't know how else to describe my issue." PHOTOGRAPHS are a wonderful way to illustrate something that is difficult to convey with words. 5. We're really not all dicks around here, but think before you type, eh? Welcome to HybridZ.

BTW, is that cage NHRA legal?

Just a few more screenshots to add to the Madness...

Truers words haven't been spoken...... I always have a few project cars going at the same time (although not always by choice). It's amazing what even a few weeks can do to revive interest in a frustrating project. Thanks for your work on the 8.8 swap, I'm going to be investigating that route in a few months, hopefully with the Mark VIII carrier. I'll PM you if I can't find the answers listed here in the last 6X pages.....

There have been a few other people making mount kits, however that's probably the only one that's still available new. If you use the SEARCH feature you can find which mounts other 5.0 guys have used, and there's also plans kicking around for making your own. Once in a very great while somebody sells an unused cradle mount on eBay or in the classified section here.

What year Cobra? (I tried to PM you, but it said "The user SunnyZ can not receive any more messages" or something like that....) I'm leaning towards the Mark VIII aluminum housing IRS myself, for weight reduction if nothing else (besides ease of finding parts and the possibly high gear ratios that they came with.)

Any updates Senor CobraZ?