Leon

If it had an LSD then you got an absolute steal.

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/81941-exhaust-tube-sizing-i-did-your-arithmetic-for-you/

Unfortunately, I don't think California allows this... :\

We test drove a couple of X5s the other day, an '07 4.8i with sport package (and Adaptive Drive) and a '10 30i. In driving both back-to-back, I know I want the V8. Just need to do a diesel/V8 comparo now. Otherwise, both cars were very nice to drive. They seem very liveable day-to-day as well as long trips. The sport package with AD actually felt like it rode nicer than the regular suspension. We liked the updates to the '10, seemed the infotainment (aka iDrive) was easier to control. The biggest demerits we found were the high loading height and relatively small trunk. We liked it more than the Cayenne we drove but I think some more test-drives are in order. It seems to come down to three options: 1) Buy the vehicle I'm envisioning, a nice DD that can tow an enclosed trailer the 5 times out of the year when I need it. Compromises need to be made in the way of towing capacity to get something that also works as a nice DD and vice versa. 2) Rent a truck whenever I need to tow. This is great because I don't have to buy/register/insure/repair/park anything and can DD whatever I want but it'll be less convenient and cost ~$1500/yr. 3) Buy a shitty old truck as a dedicated hauler. It's more convenient and I can use it for other errands. It will also be amortized within 3-4 years when compared to renting *assuming no costly repairs*. It will also cost extra to register/insure, require maintenance, take a parking space, and will take away from the trailer budget.

I thought about the Q7 but interestingly it's only rated to 5,500 in the US. I'm curious as to their reliability since VAG products don't have the best track record. We'll check them out if we get a chance! I have had very strong recommendations against Land Rovers... Plus, if anything's douchier than a Cayenne or X5, it's a LR.

Trucks are definitely out for the sake of the dogs. They're older and not comfortable in truck beds, having ridden in one once. Also, commuting in a truck doesn't sound super fun. See requirements in my OP. 95% of the time, this thing is being daily driven.

Thanks for the tip but it being a smaller SUV, the towing capacity is limited to 4,400lb. I'm looking for 6000lb+. I'm not rushing in, planning to test drive an X5 soon. I'd really like the diesel but my BMW tech buddies are telling me to get the 4.8 V8. Apparently, the diesels had a lot of issues with their emission control systems.

Checked out an '08 Cayenne S yesterday. While I loved the ride and handling, the engine seemed tired and didn't pull like I expected. This could be just this car but another bummer is that the trunk is surprisingly small. The new #1 is the BMW X5. A 35d with self-leveling suspension seems like it'll do the trick for both occasional towing and daily driving. Now to test drive one...

That's the crazy thing, you can get a V8 Cayenne with <100k miles for ~$15k! That's right in line with the used Volvos and Toyotas I was looking at. Thank you depreciation! The TBSS has a popular following among fun tow vehicles, I wouldn't fault you for that decision.

Thanks all! I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days and it would make more sense for me to get an enclosed trailer. It can be used for car and parts storage when not in use which will make the wife happy that all of it doesn't go inside the house. Plus it's a lot nicer to have for hanging out in during track weekends. I'm still flip-flopping but I'm heavily considering an enclosed. This leads to the problem of needing more towing capacity. With my requirements outlined above, my current favorite option is an '08-'10 Porsche Cayenne. Comfortable, relatively fun, and a tow rating of 7700lb. It's debatable whether it's a good idea to tow an enclosed trailer with it but I'm liking the option. Yes, I realize I would look like a giant douche driving a Cayenne.

Good point, it'll probably not be super fun to work on with the V8 crammed in there sideways.

I'm betting this is part of the ad revenue generation that you see when you're not a donating member. I do not see these links but have seen it on other forums.

Hi guys. A very good friend of mine passed away recently after a long, difficult battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a very warm-hearted and generous person. In this spirit, he decided to hand me his race car. I now find myself looking for a modest multipurpose vehicle that can tow a car, around 2500lb, on an open trailer - which I have not sourced yet. I expect total trailer weight to be under 4500lb. With that said, it'll be used for towing maybe 5% of the year. 95% of the time, it'll serve as a daily driver (fuel mileage, comfort), family car (safety features, wife approval), dog car (loading height, rear room for two 70lb dogs), and a camping/ski trip car (cram as much people and crap as possible, AWD). Thus, trucks are out of the picture. A manual transmission would be a plus but I realize it's a rarity in the US in this segment. Looking to spend no more than $15k. So far, I have a top-3 of: '06+ Volvo XC90 V8 '10+ Ford Flex Ecoboost 3/4/5th gen 4Runner Clearly, I haven't really nailed down the 4Runner but the 3rd gen is appealing if only due to the option to get a manual transmission. The later cars are certainly more refined and have better safety features. Also, we like the roll-down rear window for the dogs. The Flex seems practical due to its low loading height and spaciousness, and it also looks more fun to drive than the rest. The XC90 looks to be the best highway mileage-eater. Plus, it's got lots of nifty features regarding safety and usability. Does anyone have experience with any of these vehicles or maybe suggest something that I've missed that also fits the bill?

Yup, I've been working with Keith for a few years. My previous L24 with DCOEs had an absolutely flat-line mixture at 12.5:1 using Keith's bubbling e-tubes. I'm sure I posted that chart in my old thread on the orange car. I'm waiting on Keith's newest development to put into my current Z. I've got F11 tubes and they have the same pronounced rich dip at 3000-4000RPM.

The AFR dip is due to the emulsion tube. You can work around it by fiddling with other jets but it will remain. Keith's e-tubes are the better solution but if you're in a hurry, try an F7 or F16. Set floats using Keith's method to 25mm below the jet stack table.

Correct. And I also wouldn't have any qualms of it being 5W-30 nor whether it has extra ZDDP...

You can't deny that S2000 rod clearances are looser nominally than 280Z clearances. That puts that argument to bed. Just trying to say that things aren't as different as you're painting them to be, with regards to using a 10W-30 oil in an L-series. I'd be more than happy to switch to a 5W-30 synthetic modern oil on my .540" lift cam L28 to see about the "rapid destruction of the Cam lobes".

Put a timing gun on the suspect cylinder's plug wire and make sure it's firing consistently.

I dunno about that, swapping heads is pretty damn easy on these things!

L-series bearing clearances are really not much different from modern engines, I'm genuinely curious where you got that idea? Here's a comparison, based on some FSMs I had on hand: 1978 Datsun 280Z - Standard Rod clearances: 0.0010"-0.0022" Main clearances: 0.0008"-0.0028" 2003 Honda S2000 - Standard Rod clearances: 0.0012"-0.0021" Main clearances: 0.0007"-0.0016" The 280Z actually has a tighter nominal rod bearing clearance than an S2000! I also don't buy the ZDDP myth. I ran my last 260Z on Mobil1 10W-30 synthetic without issue and it's still running strong today under its current owner. FWIW, my first try at a hot L28 wiped its cam, using Brad Penn break-in oil... Take a look at this site, it's a long read and the guy is a bit much at times but some interesting quantitative data can be gleaned from his testing (and hints at why I may have wiped that cam...): https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/motor-oil-wear-test-ranking/

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/19918-the-ultimate-turbo-faqbeginners-guide/

Set the engine to TDC @ compression stroke (make sure both #1 valves are closed, check through oil filler hole). With engine at TDC, look where both the rotor in your distributor is pointing and where your crank pulley timing indicator is pointing. Take your time (no pun intended) and ensure everything lines up perfect before taking measurements.

Thanks for trying that. Wondering if it's some weird bug, I don't think there are any features in place to lock someone out of a thread. Blocking someone merely hides their comment.

Now it seems the problem may be localized to just that one thread...