Xnke

The plugs with the white insulators clear back are actually running hot enough to stay self-cleaning...the ones that are all carboned up except for the very tip are not getting hot enough to stay clean...but they're getting hot enough to not foul out. If your AFR's are good, then I'd say let'em run. You're not hurting anything with plugs like that, and the white tips with the light tan markings show that the mixture is pretty close to right. The carbon further back in on the ceramic is from the plug running a little too cool. (or perhaps those two are the only correct ones...and the other four are running a little too hot? You'd have to ask a spark plug manufacturer or someone who really knows plugs.)

The forks are dimensionally similar; the early 240Z forks had a hole in them for the adjustable slave pushrod; the middle forks were the same without regard to the 4/5 speed...no change there...the turbo fork is a slightly thicker steel; but then again every FS5W71B/C/Alphabet fork after 1981 was the thicker steel. 240SX forks are nice and thick, as well as Hardbody Diesel forks...THOSE are heavy stuff...Not sure if the aftermarket ones are the same; but OEM ones are pretty thick. (Also came with cast iron front bearing retainers for the FS5W71C!) It's the collar that needs to match the clutch. If you are using a KA24 clutch on a KA24 flywheel, then you need the KA throwout bearing collar (same length as the ZXT collar) If you're using a ZXT clutch and flywheel, you need the ZXT (or KA) collar. If you're using the 225mm 280Z flywheel and clutch, then you need the 280Z throwout collar. if you're mixing and matching, then measure the stock setup first, and make sure your mix-and-match MATCHES the height...if it doesn't, then use the throwout collar that DOES match. This is predominantly an issue when going from the 225mm flywheels and clutches to the 240mm flywheels and clutches.

Just finished setting these up on the Z tonight; the 1988 RX-7 w/sport suspension front brake pads are available in Wagner Thermoquiets. They're about 40$, and if you have access to a welder and a drill press, these are a viable option to the parts store semi-metallics that are what's left for the Toyota brake calipers. (Both solid and vented calipers!) The pad retaining pin holes need to be welded shut, and re-drilled 6mm lower on the pad. That's it. The holes can't simply be re-drilled as the bottom edge of the original hole is the top edge of the new hole. After that, you have more pad surface than the Toyota truck pads, and have available both the ceramics at the parts stores and all the pad options out there for the RX-7...including EBC Redstuff, Porterfields, and Hawk brands. In addition to the very nice thermal characteristics, the Wagners are not terribly priced...about double the cost of the semi-metallics and an overnight wait in most stores. FAR less than the other options for ceramic pads. And they are SILENT! My old semi-metallics would squeal on a light-braking stop, chattering their way up to a stop sign. These are absolutely silent. Not a squeak, squeal, hum, buzz, NOTHING. Hopefully as the week goes on and they get bedded in more thoroughly, I won't have to post a retraction. Looking at the pads closer, you *could* run these pads as-is with a little trimming on the bottom edge on SOME brake rotors; but pad wear could be uneven and rotor wear would be ridiculous due to the unworn ridge on the outer diameter. I welded them up and re-drilled them, and won't hesitate to do it again.

The collar must match the clutch, not the year of the transmission. If you are using a 280ZX turbo clutch, then you need a 280ZX turbo throwout bearing collar. (Or a 2+2 one.) This is the cast iron sleeve that the clutch fork and the throwout bearing ride on.

...And in some cases that 0.002" can be utilized to make that big frumpy cam behave better on date night...

Don't draw coolant from the head. Get it from the block drain on the lower rear manifold side of the engine, and return to the lower thermostat housing. Otherwise, make a spacer block for the water inlet to the water pump, and add a port to draw coolant from there.

Do you have an oil restrictor fitted in the turbocharger? Your post makes it sound like you don't. You want no restriction at all on the oil drain...most turbochargers use a 0.060" or so restrictor on the oil supply line to them, depending on oil pressure. They do not require very much oil to live a long, smoke-free life...but you can not allow oil to back up the drain tube into the turbo or it will cause coking and scoring of the bearings.

Lucas oil stabilizer appears to just be a thickener...I have never found a real use for it. Do you have at least 10PSI at idle? And 10psi base+10psi for ever 1000RPM? If the answer is yes, then you don't need to do anything to the oil other than run a quality SL grade motor oil. Yes, the SL grade matters. Starting with SM, the EP additives that are required for use in flat-tappet cammed engines were removed. SM, SN, and any further grades (SO, SP, ect if the grading system continues this way) DO NOT provide adequate protection for the cam and lifters in the L-series engines. SL grade has pretty much the minimum amounts of these EP additives that will let an L live a long life, but SH grade would be (somewhat) preferred. (This is the API rating system, there are others in use, too)

Call Vintage air and ask. I've bought parts from them before.

Don't start at the ends and work to the middle...that doesn't work. Start at the collectors, and work in a straight line all the way to the back. Don't skip around. (so put the v-bands in as you go...)

1981 distributors don't have the optical disk or the encoder under the cover plate. It's just a rotor and a cap. 1982-83 distributors have a disk and encoder under the cover plate. They also have a 4-pin plug about 10" long coming out of the side of them. There is no advance mechanism in the optical dizzy, just the wheel, encoder, cap, and rotor.

I will work with these people occasionally, but I have a form for them to sign up front that says there is no warranty on parts or labour if they bring me the parts. If you want me to work on the car, and you want it fixed and me to warranty it to stay fixed for any length of time, do not bring me anything but the car. I've had to start making my employer sign this form...

You unbolt the servo head from the rack, turn it 180 degrees, and bolt it back into place. Done. (Assuming you're talking about the Subaru Legacy power steering rack conversion)

I have USAA here...the adjuster came out, took a look, asked me what it would cost to fix it and he and I looked at new part prices and he cut me a check. No quibble, no questionable appraisals at all. Although it helps that my particular agent drives a silver 1976 280Z...

Also sounds like a failed stock regulator...I have no idea how the bosch regulator fails locked closed, but I have had it happen and another member here had it happen...I had exactly the same symptoms but the pump would actually get hot enough to lock up and quit until it cooled off.

That's an excellent video of the clearances, really helpful. And yes, I busted out laughing when the compressor came on.

Oh, what I wouldn't give to get a barra-powered falcon over here. Mustang sales would hit a snag, for sure!

Why not liner an LD28 block and skip the top plate? That's 19mm more deck, no plate to worry on sealing, and wet liners get used plenty often enough that I certainly wouldn't sniff at them. True, they will eventually leak...but that's the cost of a 89mmx90mm LD28...

Not the only kit, there are a few builders in the US who are up to the job if you have the cash. One gentleman had a shortblock up to 3.6L but the engine never was finished and never ran, as far as I have found. Most folks in the US find that after about 250HP, the dollars-per-horsepower for the L28 really go down fast...so engines like this aren't common here. Rebello can and does make engines in this ballpark; look to some of the Bonneville racers if you don't believe it (I know Peter doesn't!) The Great White Dyno never lies...

Not that a roundport header is a bad thing; more that the port shapes need to match up or you will have some issues. Namely, keeping the manifold gaskets sealed up. The round port header on a squareport head has problems with burning out the gasket, as well as heavily compromised flow through the interface. Squareport headers used on roundport heads have less compromise, but are still far from ideal. Just trade out for a squareport header and save yourself a lot of time, headache, and possible damage.

When it happened to me, I actually pinched the line in half, after bending the hard point up pretty smartly. I was lowered well below where I normally drive the car due to having the old, worn-out 87lb springs on the back and a full tank of fuel, leaving me with about a 3.25" ride height at the bottom of the rockers.

Little progress has been made lately; Mostly on the intake manifold. Finishing up the fuel rail mounting points and finish-machining the rail itself, fitting a few small vacuum ports, and the throttle linkage are what's left on the manifold; but then there is still the wiring harness to build, radiator to fit up, and the crank damper has to be sent off for rebuilding. That list above will get the super installed and drawing filtered air from the engine bay...Not the final product. In the end, I want the super to draw filtered, cool, high-pressure air from either a factory-style hood vent in the factory 77-78 location, or the cowl area. If a pre-filter screen is fitted then drawing cool air from the wheel well is also an acceptable option. Even after all that; the car would be drivable with the super...as long as I kept civil with it! The currently installed transmission sounds worse every day, whining and carrying on. The clutch currently fitted is a 225mm OE unit, and does a fine job as it sits; however I will install a lightweight chrome-moly flywheel and a 250mm full-disk organic clutch, instead of a 225mm copper-ceramic puck clutch that won't last as long and won't have as nice of street manners. Yes, copper-ceramic clutches can be street-driven, I've driven one a few times and had little trouble out of it, but it simply isn't necessary at the expected torque levels. (I am expecting 275ft-lbs average, we'll see when it gets assembled!) An OEM-style organic disk, coupled with the larger diameter plus higher clamping force of the intended pressure plate, should yield OE-style clutch life, disk engagement, and pedal feel. A 240mm ZX turbo clutch would likely do the job, but I would rather only install one clutch, and just the extra 10mm of disk diameter brings with it approximately 20% more torque capacity. I'd hate to install the ZXT clutch, then once the tuning is done be hamstrung with a slipping clutch.

Caliper hit the line, and busted the bracket off. Extreme suspension compression, likely. Mine did the same thing, on the same side of the car, when I had an unplanned off-road experience early in my experience driving my newly-drivable S30. Yep, replace the line...the notch you see in the ferrule will start leaking in a few days otherwise...Mine did, anyway.

Wow, I picked up a spare water pump at the Nissan dealer here for 39$. Courtesy Nissan also had them listed last I looked.

If you are running a stock cam, with stock timing components, then run a new timing set and the cam in hole #1.