Leon

Nice! Interesting, I have heard snap oversteer and unpredictable about the S2000, but not the M. I'll be on the lookout for a clean Z06, to see if it works for me. I think that 50th anniversary is in Georgia, but I don't think I'm ready to fully commit yet! Thanks, good to know! Limit handling will not be a deal-breaker since this will be a DD and occasional autocrosser. I will not push it on the streets and autox is a safe environment for me to test the limits. I do love the looks of the M Coupe but they are tough to find, especially without the sunroof. A friend of mine did have an E30 M3 for a while, and that car is a blast! I've also driven another friend's E36 M3 and I didn't have trouble with either car's handling. So from my experiences I think the M Coupe will be livable. Then again, I haven't tracked either of them. The thing is, I'd like the car to be what I want out of the box. I'm not looking to modify much, if anything, and the Z06 already does it all. If I go with the Corvette, I'm going "all out". Otherwise, I just don't see me being interested in one. I have my Zs to work on and I just want my DD to be something fun, easy to maintain, and toss-able when I hit an autoX once in a while and don't take the Z. I think all three, the Z06, S2000, and M Coupe come well-outfitted from the factory, with nothing needed to make them "better" in my mind. I know the Honda is a bit twitchy and stiff but I can handle that. In terms of interior space and the S2000 being small, I think I can live with that. When I thought about what I use my Accord for, I realized that 99% of the time I'm either by myself, or driving one other person. The cargo I carry on a daily basis is minimal. For the days when I need a larger vehicle, I have access to my fiancee's new Outback. She has given me the go ahead to get as impractical of a car as I want, while I still can! Anyone have a Caterham 7 or Ariel Atom sitting around?

The 'Vette is definitely a huge performance bargain, although I really need to search hard to try to find one around the $15k range. Yeah, I've heard a lot of negatives on E46 maintenance. It's essentially off my list, as I don't want to deal with expensive repairs (like replacing rod bearings on the S54). I read about a guy who upgraded from an E36 to an E46 and made a convincing argument as to why if he were to do it over, the E46 purchase would never happen. Good plan! I very much agree with the vehicle history. I'm definitely making sure that my considerations come with service records and that the car is generally well taken care of. With the S2000, this is often not the case... Either one, given it's properly maintained, should be pretty reliable I would think. The markup on BMW parts can get silly, but the E36 chassis is not as expensive as the newer ones. I've enjoyed the S2000s I've driven, but I think I really do need to drive the S2000, M Coupe, and Z06 back-to-back to get a true feel for the differences. When I realized that the Z06 puts down 400hp, 0-60 in ~4 seconds, and still gets 30mpg, there was no way it could not be on my list (as terrible as the interior is)! Thanks for the gas mileage numbers, those very much factor into my decision as I drive over 500 miles per week. I'm not near Georgia, but when I make my decision I don't mind flying out to buy the right car! If I get a Corvette, it will be a Z06 though. I haven't seen any in good shape that are much below $20k, but looks like I should keep looking! Nice reviews, you paint the picture well! The E36 seems reliable if the proper preventative maintenance is done, my brother's E36 318is is over 200k. The Z06/E36 feel discrepancy may come from that BMW suspension tuning! I seem to keep coming back to the S2000 because it has "Honda reliability" but with true sports car performance. Thank you all for the great input so far! Looks like I need further investigate the Corvette!

I've been casually looking for a new-to-me daily driver for some time now, doing research and trying to decide on what I want. Essentially, I'm looking for a new daily driver that is fun (can toss around in an occasional autocross and weekend drives), is okay on gas (high 20s, if not 30mpg on highway commutes), is easy on the eyes and within an upper limit of $15k or so. Clearly, this will be a used car. I've been eying the S2000 for years and have had multiple chances to drive both AP1 and AP2 models. I've immensely enjoyed driving them, everything from the suspension, to the transmission, clutch, interior and engine just feels right! I don't mind the powerband, my DD for the last 6 years has been a (Canadian!) '01 Accord Coupe. Yes, my speedo is in kph , I tend to get a lot of "Slow down! Why are you driving so fast!". The Accord gets 30-33 mpg in my long commutes (100mi/day) so gas mileage is of some concern. If I stay out of it, I know the S2000 can get 30mpg. I fit snugly but comfortably in the S, although I don't think I'd fit if I was any bigger (6'2", 190lb). I think they are great looking cars to boot, simple and to the point with nice, clean lines. Plus, there are no headroom concerns for the days I plan to autocross since I could just drop the top. Fitting with a helmet on is tough for me in non-convertibles. For a long time, I was dead-set on the S2000 being my next DD, but recently I thought I should at least cross-shop so I can be absolutely sure of what I want. Anyway, it gives me an excuse to research other cars and go on test drives! I've considered the E36 and E46 M3, C5 Z06 'Vette, and even a Porsche Boxster. The Boxster impressed me, but I'd rather not maintain a Porsche and I'm not a huge fan of the looks. The Z06 has staggering performance for the price (although it is somewhat over budget), but I just don't see myself driving a Corvette and the interior is kind of cheap. This is going to be a daily driver that I enjoy commuting in after all. The M3 is nice and was in strong consideration until I thought, why not an M Coupe! I love the looks of the Coupe and it shares the great M3 drivetrain. Being lighter and stiffer than an M3, I see it as the ultimate M-car. I haven't had a chance to drive, or even sit in one but I've been puddling drool over them recently. My concerns about the M Coupe is that they're older, more expensive to maintain, and some had issues of sheet metal spot welds coming undone at the rear subframe supports. Apparently, it's not too common, but it's something to think about. They are also harder to come by than the others on the list (especially since I want one without a sunroof), and therefore carry a premium on price over an M3. What do you guys think? Anyone with direct experience on driving and maintaining these cars (mainly S2000 or M Coupe) would be awesome! Hope everyone enjoys Thanksgiving!

That's okay, I'm very glad that you took the time to actually use the resource! I've been following Keith's work with a lot of interest, as he seems to be able to make DCOEs run like fuel injection. He does this by gaining a thorough understanding of each function, not hearsay and "formulas" which seem to be the MO in setting up carbs. However, don't give me any credit for his research, I'm just reiterating what I've learned by following his developments!

Exactly. The venturi effect is not used, nor desired, in exhaust design. A venturi is a restriction. The collector Jon posted takes advantage of the tuning effect caused by a "megaphone" in the exhaust. Take a look at the exhaust sticky, PM me if you have questions after digesting it (and turkey!).

I'm on the upper peninsula (San Bruno) and would be happy to meet up. Gollum's event was great!

I am simply reiterating a small part of what I have learned from Keith Franck's research, as it related to the question of main jet tip-in. He is a retired LBNL engineer who has put in an immense amount of time into actually reverse-engineering the DCOE carburettor to the point of making better idle-jets and emulsion tubes. I have already referred to his Yahoo group, "Sidedraft Central". Read the "White Paper" in the Files section, and maybe then "cast your vote".

You are isolating the idle/progression circuit by reomving the e-tubes. Taking the mains out of the equation is the whole point. Driving without e-tubes will show you the idle/progression circuit's true contribution. Put the e-tubes back in and see where the main circuit affects the AFR.

Not without any input. You must also have the VR sensor wired to the module and correctly oriented to the trigger wheel. Limp-home timing is 10BTDC. Keep up the good work!

I would do a timing sweep, from 10-20deg BTDC for example. Lean the mixture and find where it's happy at in terms of spark advance. There is no number set in stone, each engine is different.

The leaner you want it to idle, the more you must advance timing. Mixture burn duration increases as the mixture leans out.

No, test it. This involves finding a safe place to drive the car and removing the e-tubes. Drive it gently until your low-speed circuit can't provide enough fuel. This is where the mains should kick in (at cruise conditions). Keep in mind that you will have very little power so find an empty, open area to test. At WOT, the mains must come in much sooner. This is tested by going WOT in high gear at low rpm. If it lugs, the main is working. If it dies, the main is not providing enough fuel. A wideband O2 sensor is necessary. Check out Keith Franck's "White Paper" at Sidedraft Central.

What Pete posted is exactly correct, according to Nissan. 1) Companion Flange 2) Side Flange 3) see "beermanpete" definition 4) Rear axle shaft + companion flange Source: http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsunS30/DatsunZIndex/PowerTrain/DifferentialGear/R200/tabid/1727/Default.aspx http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsunS30/DatsunZIndex/Axle/RearAxleDriveShaft/tabid/1730/Default.aspx As others have mentioned, people tend to interchange terminology with these parts so that is where the confusion comes from. For example: The companion flange at the diff can be called diff flange, pinion flange, etc. The side flange gets referred to as stub axle, stub shaft, diff companion flange, etc. The rear axle shaft gets referred to as stub axle, companion flange, etc. In the end, if the terminology isn't clear, ask which companion flange they're referring to!

Matt and TJ give sound advice. Your Z will start and run with that setup, but definitely not perform to its full potential. The only way to get it right is through experimentation, and the better your tools for experimentation the better your results will be. Butt dyno < WBO2 < dynamometer testing I also highly recommend Sidedraft Central to anyone interested in learning more about the DCOE. When I say more I mean more than you thought possible!

That was some of the stupidest crap I've ever seen written about brakes...

That's called an L26...

I will second that! Almost every fun drive I do ends up involving 35, 84, Alpine, etc. It's absolutely beautiful up there. I very much enjoy packing some food, driving up to 4-corners, and relaxing while checking out the bikes and cars that come through. Good luck with the move and I look forward to meeting you and your Z!

Check all fuel filters.

In before shed!

There are differences between Euro and US S30s. The Euro ones got a different distributor and some had no sidemarker lights (by law, in a country where it was sold). Balance tubes, bumpers were also different. I'm sure there are more, but that's all I've got off the top of my head.

Sure I understand that, but I never made such a contention. You claimed I made assumptions that I never made. I never said anything was easy, nor anything about making more power. If you are referring to the valve interference statement, I was saying that he should check but I doubt that it would be a problem. Reread the statements I made, maybe you'll see them in a different way? I am all for dyno testing and scientific method, and can appreciate your efforts in sharing your knowledge with the community. What I do know and did inform Steve of, is that advancing the cam will shift his powerband down. Therefore, it would be wise to set the cam on the #2 hole (which would put it at zero advance) and then have +/- 4 degrees of adjustment (instead of -4/-8 degrees if set on #1 hole) if/when he decides to test. This has been exactly my point the entire time, I just felt like you were protesting assertions that nobody ever made.

I don't see any disrespect on my part. I'm trying to help Steve, and explaining my process clearly. It doesn't help when you start implying that I said one thing when I said another. Your sarcasm in a previous reply about "HP magic" was all the disrespect I've seen so far. If you have a problem, then PM me. I don't want to clutter a good thread.

This is exactly what I've been saying...

To clarify, not I nor Steve mentioned anything about making more power anywhere. Nobody made those assumptions. Changing cam timing shifts the torque curve, period. It's what happens when you delay or advance valve events and is not a mystery. I completely agree that you should check to make sure valves don't hit pistons. What I said is that retarding or advancing this (mild) cam should not cause any problems. This does not mean, "don't check clearances". I also didn't say to not measure power "straight up". I'll just quote myself: Test as many data points as needed. Ultimately, the dyno tells you what to do.

Advancing the cam from where it was will give you more bottom end at the expense of top end breathing. How much of a difference depends on how much it is advanced. I've suggested to have #1 hole be 4 degrees retarded, which will make the #2 hole "straight up" and #3 hole 4 degrees advanced so you have some +/- adjustability with the stock sprocket. Essentially, yes. Too many links between reference marks on the cam and crank upon installation would cause the cam to be retarded. I think the stock sprocket has 40 teeth? So that would be 360 degrees/40 teeth = 9 degrees/tooth. If that's how much you're off by, then there's a good chance you've skipped a tooth. However, be sure to check TDC with the method in BRAAP's first post before worrying about this.