cheesepocket

Nice detail work on the piping. Some day when we're all stuck with fuel cell vehicles you'll have a career doing custom exhaust on those, as water is the only thing coming out the pipe.

It is possible to do a center exhaust, and use full size mufflers, with the right tank. I bought a more traditional tank, vs. a fuel cell, from Tanks Inc. Far enough forward for the center exhaust, but still room to get at the nuts for the rear diff mount. 15 gallon capacity and in-tank oem style pump. Fuel fill works fine with just a simple welded up adapter pipe. Long tubes in my future, at some point, just have the John's Cars shorties on for now.

Here's a good source for chasing down the ratio you want, at least within the Datsun/Nissan factory availalbility: http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/GearRatios.html

I just paid $1076.30, shipped, for a Quaife QDF7L, from www.frsport.com This is lower than I had found anywhere else, and as a bonus they actually answered the phone, unlike some of the other people I tried to buy from. They just started a couple-week sale, so I thought I would let the fellow Z crowd know about it. They also sold me a Momo hub adapter and MOD69 wheel for lower than I had seen at other places online. I am not affiliated in any way with this company, just happy to score a deal and wanted to share.

How lame is that that GM have discontinued the 93-2002 T56 lower boot? I ended up getting one for the Fox body 5.0 Mustang for only $17 or so and just fiddled a bit with it yesterday. I also have the MGW. While it's a great shifter, their aluminum block that is used for the shift stalk offset is pretty intrusive. But it looks like the boot is big enough to cover the hole, house the MGW shifter, and flexible enough that it will allow me to shift. It has sort of some bellows built in to allow for shift lever pull without flexing where it is held down around the perimeter. Google to find a pic, don't have one handy.

Nice job, Keith. Isn't it nice working on a modern fuelie engine? One or two cranks and you're running, timing is perfect, etc. I found that flooring it in 3rd at 2500 was just as thrilling as full throttle to redline, riding that wave of mid range torque. I hope that's your tire spinning and not the clutch. I had a really tough time getting my LS7 clutch/slave bled properly. Do yourself a favor and don't add up all the receipts, it's a little alarming!

Two years ago while doing the initial work on my Z I was using my right-angle Milwaukee drill that has a HUGE trigger on it. I left the thing plugged in while I chucked a new drill bit into it. Well, I accidentally hit the trigger and the whole chuck and key assy spun, wrapping up my hand in the process. I took the pic to remind me, and my car buddies, to go ahead and spend the 200 milliseconds to unplug the drill in the future. Not the worst thing ever, but I still remember it well...

Tips were custom-made by the guy that fabbed the exhaust.

Danno, sent a PM also. I attached a PCV hose from the vent at the top of my tank to a modified fuel filter make for a small engine that I got at a swap meet. I cut the plastic filter in two, then stuffed it with activated charcoal from a pet store. Then I glued it all back together, and routed the outlet from that filter to the outside. While not ideal in the world of EPA, the car doesn't stall due to vacuum buildup, and it doesn't smell like gas fumes ever.

It was the one Tanks Inc. calls the Universal Tank. I believe it is 15 gallons, comes with the option for in-tank pump like the factory would do, and allows hookup to the factory 240 fuel fill, with a little work. I think pump, tank and straps ran me a little over $500.

After 3 years of reasonably steady work I finally got the '72 on the road, running just a stock LS1 for now. I ended up with a bad R200 and in any case it needs LSD so out it comes this winter. Also the T56 synchros appear to be toast, I get a kachunk into 1st-3rd gear on the upshift even though I am absolutely sure my clutch is disengaging. But still totally thrilled having this thing move down the road under its own power and move it does. I had it corner weighted with the coilover setup and it weighs 2499 lbs without driver. I've got 425 fairly trouble-free miles on so far. I had a local guy here TIG weld up a 2.5" mandrel bent setup with X-pipe, using the 5X9" Magnaflows. It sounds really good, I think, maybe a little like the ZR1, or maybe I just wish. I made the call on the center exit exhaust since I thought it looked cool on other cars like the Jeep SRT8, GT3, 69 Shelby and the gas tank I used left plenty of room for a full dual setup with that center exit. Anyway, elsewhere on this forum I had posted pics of the exhaust, and here is what it sounds like. Apologies for my nephew's handling of the videography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-URy7fTH_nc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk_XfmyBkJo

+1 on the Tanks Inc setup. I've put some pics of my tank install elsewhere on this forum, worked great.

Thanks for the advice. I had another set of eyeballs on this last night, and we nailed the problem. The problem all along was not enough fluid volume. So extending the clutch arm so that the full stroke of the 7/8 Tilton was used, and actually bottoming out, and that helped release the clutch a little more. But it still wasn't fully releasing. So I had a 15/16" Tilton that I had tried last winter with no luck and we gave that another try. After several bleeding steps and lots of pedal pumping, it releases perfectly in the middle of the pedal stroke. I'll live with the LS7 clutch as long as it works reasonably well. Surely there's a ton of Z06's running around out there with no problems, hope it's OK. So the moral of the story is, even though tons of retrofit guys use a 7/8", mine needed a 15/16" and I guess I'm not going to worry about it.

OK, I did my homework and thought things would go more smoothly with the clutch. I have a stock 1998 LS1/T56 combo. The hardware is all new and as follows: Tilton 7/8" master, gravity bled Factory GM slave Factory GM LS7 clutch kit with LS2 flywheel, sold as a package by Scoggin Dickey Braided teflon lined Earl's line from master to slave Braided teflon lined Earl's line adapted to bleeder outlet to allow for remote bleeding The clutch will not fully release, no matter what I've done. The only way to get the trans in gear is to start the engine in gear, or get it rolling and match the revs to slip into gear. The clutch does partially release, as once I'm moving in gear with the clutch pedal fully depressed I can stop the car with the brakes without killing the engine. I know advice 101 is bleed, bleed, bleed which I have done. I've used the all the std methods to push fluid through via the pedal, I've tried pulling a vacuum on the reservoir and reverse bleeding, pressurizing the reservoir to force fluid out the bleeder, using a Mityvac to pull fluid out the bleeder, tapped the slave with an extension to release trapped bubbles, etc. I'm not getting anything but a few small air bubbles, like tiny, not enough to cause this I would think. The pedal has good firmness like it's releasing the clutch, but it isn't acting like it. I wonder if the Chevy dealers have a specific tool for effectively bleeding, but more people would have problems if it were that finicky. It acts like the pressure plate has a couple bad fingers and is not fully releasing, or maybe a bent clutch disk, or maybe the trans main shaft is hanging up in the pilot bearing, who knows. The trans and engine were originally together in the Trans Am they came out of, so I doubt mialignment is the issue. I wish I'd made this all work out of the car, and am wondering if I have to pull all of this back out. I've done all the online searches here and at LS1TECH.COM. Anyone have any advice here? It's the last thing keeping me from driving.

You can just barely see it on the right side in the top view tank pic.

Thanks for the comments on the exhaust. I can't be proud, all I did was write a check. Regarding the tank: I went to a ton of trouble trying to make the factory Trans Am tank work because of $$ and also because I wanted a factory style in-tank pump. But that turned out to be a heavy, ugly, non-symmetric deal with not much exhaust or fuel filler pipe room. Google pointed me in the direction of Tanks Inc. here in MN, (320) 558-6882 who make a universal tank, P/N USPT-G-H along with the P/N UMS universal mounting straps and P/N PA-4 250 GPH in-tank pump. Tank was $215, pump was $210. Pretty straightforward, using the usual Vette filter/regulator and a Painless pump relay kit. The tank holds approx. 15 gallons. Here are some pics of the mounting, pump and fuel level sender. It's all in the car now, worked exactly as planned, started on the first twist,though since I haven't driven it yet, I guess it's possible I could run into a fuel starvation thing maybe. They do provide sort of a well internally around the pump pickup so I hope that's good enough. The factory filler neck lines up pretty well, with some adaptation courtesy of some welded exhaust pipe adapter pieces. In the pics you can see the forward hanger mounts that I spent way too much time on, along with the stainless hard line I ran from the filter/regulator all the way up front to the fuel rail inlet. I had previously removed the spare tire well and welded in some flat steel sheet, and I cut holes in the top in case I need to access the pump or sender. I still need to figure out what to do with the tank and pump vent lines. I've heard of people doing a charcoal filter right on the end of the line, not sure yet how to handle it. Glad to offer up an option to the Z community that has been so helpful to me during this build.

Well, I went pretty budget on most of this LS1 build, but decided I wasn't talented enough to make my own exhaust and know a guy locally here in MN that does some kicka$$ metal fabrication work. We did a mild steel mandrel bent system which he TIG welded together with some nice sturdy flanges. I also wanted a different look to the rear, and had him close off the factory opening and had made room with the tank pretty far forward to do a center exhaust. Now that I have this spendy and purty exhaust I have it in to be ceramic coated satin black, should look good and hopefully not rust. I should be taking my first drive in June, and having worked three years to get to this point, it's about time. I went with the X-pipe and Magnaflows based on listening at a number of sites of recorded LS sounds. Though I haven't heard it yet as my dash is out along with part of the wiring harness.

Hey, before you go nuts with a custom aluminum tank you should know that there's a readily available universal tank from Tanks Inc. that allows for the placement of dual exhaust. I had this system custom made with mandrel bends and Magnaflows and it fits fine around the tank. No doubt a much smaller investment than a custom aluminum job.

875U here as well. Do yourself a favor and pre-bleed your slave cylinder and buy a remote bleed hose while you're in there. I had to pressure- and vacuum-bleed several pints through to get full clutch disengagement, and it would have been much more painful without a remote bleeder. Don't have the maker handy, found it on LS1tech site. I bought Earl's fittings and Teflon lined hose (Speedflex I think) which allowed me to make the right length hose and not have to coil it up. Good luck!

Super nice car, love the color, the stance and the idle. But most of all I envy you for not having winter bring an end to the car activities! Y'all down south make us in the frozen tundra feel pretty envious this time of year.

Problem solved! A traditional style bleed with a friend on the clutch pedal was not going to solve this. But I used a Mityvac to pull fluid through the bleeder hose attached to the slave, and I saw air bubbles for awhile, then none. I also didn't want to depend on the speed bleeder so I closed it up when not pulling the vacuum. I put the 7/8" master back on before all of this as I sure didn't want to blow out the slave. Thanks to all the Z help on this forum. So much for the 1st drive, it is 5 degrees outside and we've had snow on the ground for 3 weeks. Pretty tough having to wait another 4 months before I get to drive it.

The Tilton master has a 1.1 inch stroke per their specs, both the 7/8 and the 15/16, and fitted to the 240 it looks like that provides about 1" stroke. I got a second new master, still a Tilton, but 15/16". I was super careful to ease it in so I wouldn't blow out my slave, but still even with full stroke the clutch doesn't disengage. I'm going to try this weekend to bleed several quarts through to eliminate the possbility of air, but now it's pointing more and more to full removal to see if it's the slave or the pressure plate. This is super frustrating, of all the things to go wrong....

Going to a 15/16" master will give you LESS pressure than with the 7/8" one. The smaller the master cylinder diameter, the higher the pressure. I agree. I was thinking more in terms of volume. For an equal length pedal stroke, the 15/16 will push out more fluid. Thanks for the suggestions, fellow Z-heads.

I was thinking of going and buying one of those. I'm pretty sure the slave is operating, as I get pedal pressure when pushing in. And if it were leaking, I think I would get fluid trickling out the bottom of the bellhousing. Could be I have a bad master, I guess. I did some more searching on the LS1 sites, and am almost sick thinking of what the problem is. There were a couple guys who received faulty pressure plates on their LS7 kits. The diaphragm spring wouldn't go over-center to disengage the clutch. With the tight fit in the Z, the only way to get at this would be removal of the engine/trans. Which means my goal of a first drive before winter closes in for good ain't gonna happen. (Actually it feels like winter is already here, 10" snow last Saturday and 17 degrees yesterday). I would gladly pay $100 to not have to remove the engine/trans, and that's what the 15/16 Tilton costs, so I think I'm gonna give that a try. Any risk with that 15/16 blowing the slave out? I wonder if I should put the pedal stop back in.

I was all set, after 3 years, to finally get the LS1 Z out for its first test drive, and ran into a clutch release problem. This is a '72 240Z. I have a 98 LS1/T56 out of a Trans Am. I bought a new LS7 flywheel/pressure plate/disc package from SD, along with the F-body slave cylinder and pilot bearing. I plumbed it with Earls -3 Speed Flex teflon lined SS hose. I have a speed bleeder from LPP which allows you to run a braided line out of the slave to easily bleed the system. So with all the new parts, I thought I was not going to have any problems...wrong. My question is regarding the 7/8" Tilton master, also new. It seems like my clutch will never release, even after I cut out the clutch pedal stop to gain more pedal stroke. I tried adjusting the push rod from the pedal, from just a tiny bit of lash to actually slightly pushing on the master with the pedal all the way out. I haven't had it on the ground, but while up on stands supporting the suspension, engine running, I tried putting the clutch in and putting it in gear. The shifter was resisting, and I saw the back wheel start spinning, indicating that my clutch wasn't releasing but instead the synchros were trying to match engine speed to wheel speed. If I shut off the engine in gear and crawl underneath and try to spin the dtiveshaft, it won't turn. I searched all over this forum before choosing the 7/8" and again now that it won't work right, it seems like most people are using the same master. The pedal feel is rather constant, not like the feel of the pressure plate springs going over center. I could get a 15/16" and try that, but 1) others on this forum aren't having problems and 2) I worry about shoving too much fluid into the slave and popping it off. I haven't seen any forum posts on having to use a slave cylinder spacer with the LS7 kit, unless it's a CTSV. I've bled, bled, and bled some more, and no air is coming out, just a steady stream of new fluid. So is it possible I've either bound the transmission pilot somehow to the pilot bearing, or the clutch plate isn't sliding away from the pressure plate or flywheel properly? I've done probably 30 clutches in my life and never had a problem. Of course I had to have the problem with the car that requires engine/trans removal to get at it. Anyone have any good ideas? Thanks.