Tony D

Yeah, I have to admit that the small truck is nice for getting into plants that are congested, but having an F350 with a Powerstroke and a PTO makes for a niiiiice rig to run! Anything with a PTO in the driveline makes accessorizing easier. You can stick a big hydrostatic drive on there, and run your compressor and generator from it---and with the hydraulic lines extended, you can move those accessories around your truck or even off-truck to utilize them. My 99 F350 Diesel got 17mpg, loaded, towing a trailer, with a sheets of plywood stuck at the front of the bed so I had a big 'wind break'...it got 17mpg running empty as well! LOL Know it runs on Mexican Corn Oil (the red and green can with the rooster on it brand---from the supermercado in Mexicali!) as well as Canola oil...

Fuel Temp Sensor can be 'resistored' and that should do it. I think it gets tied high on the board when guys mod it. But a resistor in the connector for the sensor with the proper resistance equal to say middle range would remove that from the equation. I don't think the speed sensor does much.

Most of that stuff will still be there, espcially if you aren't removing the cold start stuff! What you might look for is a "P82" manifold, it's a direct bolt in for what you have, without the EGR. Thing is the earlier manifolds have a vacuum amplifier for the EGR, but the later ones like yours don't. There isn't a whole lot you can take off there---the vaccum lines operate your A/C, the cold start valve and the big tubing is pretty much required for those functions.... What you can do with your N42, is change some stuff around with some creative machining. I have found the SR20 Cold Start Valve mounts with only ONE of those big hoses...and in reality you really only 'need' about a 5/16" line to give you a 2200 rpm fast cold idle, so you could in theory take an SR20 Cold start valve, machine a pad underneath the maniflod, and stick it there, with a 5/16" barb to feed air to it from someplace in front of the T/B and that would retain that functionality without the 'topside clutter'. I used the same idle bypass screw you currently have on my P82 to work with my 60mm T/B---but I heated the valve with a propane torch and removed the big 12 or 15mm lines on it, and replaced them with 5/16" fuel hoses, entering where the Cold Start Valve was (tapped all the holes with barbed fittings)---you could have it enter your T/B Spacer---that way you don't have the bother of screwing with your T/B stop-screw to set your idle speed. Probably the biggest thing you could do is put an aftermarket fuel rail on there, and get rid of the 'spaghetti' setup---and you can relocate the stock FPR to work with it as well---I have seen them mounted to the firewall to control the pressure, instead of being right on the manifold. Functionality is more of a concern when you take stuff off. Anything is possible if you take the time to think it out and look at what other people have done.

"Do you feel there are any positive anti-reversion effects in that scenario?" That is the excuse we are using to justify the loss of the 30cfm! LOL Nathan at BCG said the same thing---it will definately help with reversion during overlap. Jeff's earlier cam positively had some reversion, and didn't have nearly as big a step, but the Cannon Manifold only has maybe a .5mm step, and flows quite a bit more...well at least 30 cfm more. Maybe that step is closer to 2mm radially. I think those runners were close to the FIA Homogolation blueprint. You can't make em much bigger than that without compromising the wall thickness.

I used a California Spec wiring harness and ECU Box on a Federal Intake (No EGR, ETC) without any issues when I put a Farilady Z 'back to stock' (it had Triple Weber 40 DCOE's on it, with headers!). The harnesses and ECU's are pretty generic in their application in the early cars. The fuel mapping may be slightly different, but I don't see much real-world difference in the way it performs. Until I found the 76 Assembly, I was running it with an 83 N/A Box, Harness, and Intake. That was all because someone converted to L28 from L20A, and noooobody had an L20A AFM.... Had a box and harness, just no AFM. Now I got an AFM! But the L20A doesn't look like it weathered storage too well. Just a testament to proper tuning of 'bolt on stuff' also: The engine dynoed at 80RWHP with the Webers and Header. Sounded and FELT fast as a scalded ape. Made all the right noises. Put all the Stock stuff back on there, as well as the stock N42 (?) exhaust manifold linked to an MSA Downpipe to the exhaust that was on the car (2.5" Crushbent) and the thing was quiet and boring, and spun the dyno to a darned 147 RWHP! Could have sworn it was faster and more powerful with the Webers on it. Ran 'great' as far as I could tell. So appearances can be deceiving. What this has to do with anything is anyone's guess. "We're meandering"... Now that I am rereading the original post, I'm wondering what 'other crap' is up there on an N42? Mine is pretty sparse as it is, throttle linkage, cold start valve, Vacuum for the Brakes....A/C Pulloff... Short of making it a cable-throttle conversion, what else is there to take off? Unless, of course it's a later model EGR N42 Intake. Then there are vacuum amplifiers and whatnot. Which one is it?

That is correct, it's 'double hot'. I think the block location would work as far as the cooler water goes...I think water pressure in the block will be nearly equal, if not a bit higher than at the top of the head near the last outlet restriction. All you need is differential to flow water. Line sizing and turbo jacket design will determine how much actually flows. I think the factory line was only 10mm on the Z31's. The recirculation should not affect temps during hard runs that much. The flow is not that great with those size lines. If you do not use the factory bypass line that normally heats the T/B and Cold Start AAR Valve...then the turbo coolant line is your bypass line for cold starting anyway! BTW, if you've noticed, the water inlet side of the block has an internal bypass water passage up near the front of the block that goes from the head to the block and to the water pump inlet casting in the front of the block. That gives you half the pump flow capability during closed-thermostat operation. To take the coolant line off the thermostat housing (like the factory does when it's heating the T/B and AAR) would give the second part of the bypass circuitry for cold running. It will also perform the function of releasing any steam bubbles that may accumulate on the 'high side' of the head during this time (though the 2mm orifice in the thermostat plate should do that as well).

I agree, it's a political hot potatoe. Probably best the question at hand be asked via e-mail or PM. (Hint, Hint) Nice graphic!

Leaner Mixes burn faster than rich mixes. It's why explosives are the way they are. If you have a homogenous mixture (high-swirl helps with this) then you can run leaner with less advance and have identical cylinder pressures. Problem is we usually get two flame fronts going, one from one AFR, and another with a much leaner AFR---probably something closer to the lower explosion limit for the fuel being used, and when they collide "Ping"... If you take advance out on a lean engine, the burn starts later but is faster, and hopefully the peak pressure is not reached before the crankthrow has swung to the 'power production side' of the rotation. If you're too lean, and run the advance to high when this occurs your peak pressure still occurs on the engine's compression stroke...this is usually evidenced by a noticable buck of the engine---one cylinder burns faster and tries for a second to run the engine backwards. Same reaction as too much advance when starting---engine is turning slower than the flame front takes to reach peak pressure and if peak pressure occurs before TDC Swingover of the throw, it tries to run in reverse. Richen it up to a point, and it slows the burn, allowing more advance and smoooooother rise to peak pressure. Run methanol and you can watch the flame front move it's so slow...and you can throw in even more advance because it's peak pressure comes on nice and smooth. So with a lean surge, you take timing out and hope your faster burn will reach peak pressure at the right time. For the cylinders not having the fast burn, you start seeing higher EGTs because the fuel in them is still burning at a regular rate. This is why the High Swirl is important, you need that homogenity not only for consistent burn in the cylinder to prevent ping, you need it homogenous cylinder to cylinder to prevent variation and smooth running overall.

This is hard to stop from turning decidedly political, but I'll try as best I can to stay off the soap-box: Almost every state has laws and regulations regarding removal of emissions equipment. As does the federal government. They are pretty draconian if you get out, dig, and read them. One thing that happens is that eventually someplace tests out of compliance with Federal Air Quality standards, and that is when these laws start actually getting enforced, or new laws adopted over them. In the case of California, many of the "Illegal Modification" portions of the law are now being used to enforce emissions violations. How this affects us as hobby car nuts is and will become increasingly severe. Here in CA it is, according to the CVC illegal to have an incomplete vehicle in your posession. Any and all engine changes have to be reported to the DMV. What that means is, sure, they have never enforced it. But now when they bust a street racer, they check the Engine SN against the VIN. If it doesn't match: ILLEGAL. IMPOUND. If it's a stolen engine: CRUSHER! For all the V-8 Guys here, those engine changes need to be reported to the DMV, or you are driving a vehicle with an illegally modified engine swap. It's like Randy Weaver's situation in Ruby Ridge: For the lack of a $5 permit to saw the barrell off the shotgun, his kid gets sniped from the top of the ridge... not that the act of shortening the barrel was necessarily illegal, but not getting the permit filed was! The act was made illegal because of lack of supporting documentation. There are laws out there, and if you keep your eyes closed to them, they can, and will, like a snake in the grass come up and BITE you. Here in CA, they are now starting to use laws on the books for 20 and 30+ years as excuses to retire older vehicles from roadways under the rationale that old cars are polluting cars. There are "Web Surfers" in Sacramento now (CA State Capitol) whos' job it is to monitor internet sites. They have called in Magazine Featured Vehicles (as well as all the vehicles owned by the person featured) for 'out of cycle random emissions testing' three years running after their cars were in an enthusiast magazine. Not just the featured vehicle, mind you....ALL the vehicles in the household! Coincidence? I think not! Asking how to break black-letter federal law on a public internet forum not only draws attention to yourself, it will flag the forum for these net nannies as a place to watch. Give enough information online, and don't be suprised who comes knocking on your door!

Yep, Nissan OEM 82-83 Turbo Gasket. Last one I bought cost me $50 or something like that, I heard locally they were now in the $80 range. Still cheaper than having a custom Graphite one made for $300. Especially when the Nissan one is so good. I suspected when you said 'NISMO' that it was a composite gasket, and not a graphite-based one. The NISMO gaskets are more for headers and ported heads where you have to trim the ports to match. It is an absolute BEAR to trim the Grafoil units due to the metal reinforcement in the center of the layers. I've found if it needs to be done using small tin snips to rough out the holes and a grinding stone on a die grinder for cleanup is the best method.

If you read the FIA Homogolation Papers for the L28E Intake Manifold, they are stating a 'blueprint' size of 35mm on each runner. I know what they actually measure, but it's interesting to see it in print. As for 'how much' you loose running a stock manifold, without giving too much of the work away---as you know JeffP is running the stock L28ET Manifold on his engine. When BC Gerolomy Ported his last head, it was done with a Cannon Manifold on it which was matched to his head, and then the stocker was match-ported as best it could be to the head. There is a definate step where the stock manifold meets his head (manifold is obviously smaller) it may be something like 1mm all the way 'round if memory serves. Anyway, when flowbenched, the runner of the stock manifold was costing Jeff 30CFM over the Triple Manifold at 28" on BC Gerolamy's Flowbench. So for those inquiring minds, there is a bit of anecdotal evidence from Jeff's melticulously researched and step-by-step development of his engine. Yes, he knows he's giving up horsepower. Yes, he knows the stock manifold has a small plenum. Yes, Yes, Yes. to all that... But his current power peak is still around 7300rpms....

I recently saw a classified (won't reveal where...) where the guy was selling 'forged cast pistons'.... /sarcasam on/ Best of both worlds, eh? Forged for durability, Cast for low cost and tight bore clearances... /sarcasam off/

Regardless of stated tests done, things change. And as I stated, I'm running well more boost than he has for many years and have never had a problem with the L28ET Graphoil Gasket. Which is why I mention that gasket specifically....for him to confirm that indeed that is the gasket he is using. If it's not, and is simply one of the composite "OEM Nissan" gaskets, then I'd suggest he get one of the OEM Nissan L28ET Graphoil Gaskets and give it a try---it is specially constructed and can stand well up to almost 0.100" warpage and still seal to 18psi! It's a thick, sticky, metal reinforced sukka!

"Rick's Used Cars" That sign, seen from the road, would explain anything like that found on the lot.

Ask someone who speaks English... or Google it: 'Swarf' it is the correct spelling... I'll let the naysayers inform the rest when they have been enlightened...

I know the ECU will swap to batch fire two injections over a certian point (I'm recalling 5000+) and if you have clogged injectors it shows up then by sinking the rings on five of six pistons and acting like the car hist a rev limiter of some sort. Don't know if this is your situation or not.

That is what JeffP is running. 0.040" overbore to mostly unshroud the valves, and a stroker crank for more torque. Power Peak happens on his setup somewhere around 7300rpms.

Graphite Based Gaskets? If you've 'burned through' I suspect as said above something is warped and allowing channeling. Stock OEM gaskets have worked for me for 20+ years running a tad more boost than you do, and I know of some others running even more boost than I with no problems on the Stock L28ET Graphoil Gaskets.

To what end? Asthetics? If it's performance you are thinking you will gain, you're wasting your time, they are all rendered inoperative at WOT anyway.

I'll have to agree to disagree then. For the time frame it was produced, it was the most advanced system available and held up to the test of time as far a reliability goes---and there really was no alternative. People complain that plastic parts break after 30 years, I don't know what to do with that...sure the Europeans that bought BOSCH produced stuff got rubber that didn't deterioriate, and plastic clips with quick release bails (Volvo)....but look at what you paid for the stuff at the time compared with a 280Z! Everything is a tradeoff, if you wanted to pay another couple of grand for the car initially, you would most likely gotten stuff that didn't crumble to bits in 30 years. How many SU's were replaced from worn bushings at a couple of hundered thousand miles? The more complex something is, the more correct maintenance it requires. If you carry on status quo, even the most well designed system will get a bad reputation for unreliable operation! You can't make it idiot-proof, especially with the government breathing down your neck! With the adjustability of the next generation of ECCS (available in the Z31) the stock box---simply because it IS reasonably adjustable really does negate most of the advantages of a standalone. The early box was not in an environment where the Prom needed reflashing. Today they are, BMW's with onboard celphones get new software downloaded form the maintenance center to attend to specific vehicle problems in production batches. The more features they add, the more complex everything gets, and the more the OEM's take propriatary ownership of the code and the servicing of the units. It's the only way they can keep their reputations intact. Unfortunately in the USA direct sales from manufacturers is forbidden, and thus there will always be pirates doing work that may or may not be in the best interest of the Manufacturer. The system is really versatile, but it took almost 30 years for a reasonably priced alternative to become available. Sure, Carbs were there, but you were looking at well over a grand for them new...and like Z-ya said, they were far from 'easily adjustable'.

"I may be wrong, and I'm way out of my comfort zone talking specifics on FI systems, but isn't the stock FI limited by the restrictive AFM and manifold, batch fire, limited ability to adjust to different engine parameters (different cams, intake systems, etc) and no spark timing capability. Doesn't MS potentially get rid of all of these issues, and aren't there other better aftermarket systems that do an even better job?" No, not really. A lot of it is internet myth or open to spirited debate. When people say EFI to me, I am thinking more on the Electronic End of it, and really the MS is basically the same as the stock system, you just have adjustability with ease. Sure it's MAP based, and you can drop your AFM...but where's the airflow numbers on the 'restrictiveness' of the stock AFM? It's like the argument over a bigger throttle body: the stock 50mm flows well more than enough to support airflow to well in excess of what the engine can pump at normally aspirated conditions. Batch Fire works, on both the stock system, AND MS. Sequential systems are over-rated IMO, and the 'advantages' are not to be seen except at the top end of motorsports competition. Idle is improved with sequential, but almost all systems switch over to batch fire over 3000 rpms---simplicity does have it's advantages. In the early years, and even to this day, EFI systems are scrapped and given a bad name through technical ignorance! Technicians that are unwilling to learn a new system and coast on their job, it's more prevalent that you think! Simply stated, many times parts are swapped in a guess more than through any specialized troubleshooting. I'm no EFI genius by any stretch of the imagination, but knowing electronic theory is required for proper knowledge of the system, and many dealer mechanics simply aren't up to the task for whatever reason. And we all suffer (as does the system's reputation). Spark timing capability in the stock system? Well by logical extension then Distributors are "Junk" or "Crap" as well, as they lack ease of maintenance or adjustability same as the stock EFI Box. My experience is that a fuel-only EFI system works just fine with a conventional distributor as long as your rpms are below 8000. It's a matter of need and want. Manyn people want what they really don't need. As for the manifold, it is what it is...To blame or lump the electronics in with mechanical design gets a bit confusing. Sure it may be a restriction, but is that the fault of the EFI, or the costs involved in manufacture. I'm sure we all would have loved those 45MM ITB's from the 72 Rally Car and THAT JECS brain in our cars, or to even put it on in exchange for the commercial system used instead...but that goes to what the EFI was designed to do in the first place, now doesn't it? The only advantage is easy adjustability. Now, if you swap in a Z31 ECU to your early Z-Car, and use Nisstune, you have almost the same EXACT tunability with a STOCK BOX that you do with the MS, or later standalones. Sure, there are some things you still can't really do, but this comes back to 'want' versus 'need'. In this regard, a STOCK Z31 EFI box could be considered "Superior" to a low-cost aftermarket system simply because it uses actual air-metering instrumentation, and will 'automatically' adjust for modifications. Such is the modern EFI that is MAF based. MAP systems may require adjustment after each modification as it changes things. Processor Speeds and capabilities keep expanding, with them more features become available....but at some point 'feature creep' just takes over, and people are marketed a bill of goods that they really don't need for the application! You don't need a full on Motec on a daily driver, or one even heavily modified. Conversely something with mild mods may work just fine with a fuel-only MS with the 8X8 tables and not even the 12X12! People get convinced they 'need' a 20X40 table for fuel...and then find a lot of the same setting in big blobs on the map... Hmmmm, maybe they didn't need all that resolution. Sure, resolution is great, and anybody that has looked at the GM code, you realize that the MAJORITY of the code is emissions compliance work-arounds for DRIVABILITY. Simply because they can quantify exactly where it occurs, digitally they can go RIGHT TO THAT SPOT and write a code for that specific situation. It may never get used... But you start stripping it away and you can find it really drives quite well 99.8% of the time without all that bloatcode. Having worked in a Dealership and having to deal with "drivability" issues with Carburettors....they are no panacea. I have to agree with ZYa's last paragraph: "Megasquirt and other programmable units allow precise mixture adjustments at different load and RPM points. With carbs, you can only do so much with fuel and air jets. Most likely you can get the mixture right at full load, and max RPM. Anywhere else in the power band is a crap shoot. I've watched an expert changing air and fuel jets on a a set of Mikunis. Took close to 5 hours to get the mixture right at max RPM and load. It still had a super rich spot at 3000RPM. Not much you can do about that. With programmable EFI you can eliminate those flat spots." I'm not disagreeing about standalones superiority in many cases, but the stock box is not "Crap"... and that very same box conquered the world in Rally Competition running Triple 45mm ITB's...it was dyno tuned and set up to run the heavily cammed and fully competition prepped L24's in those cars. For an engine operating within it's designed parameters, IT WORKS! That is regardless if the car is stock, or was a World Beating Group 4 Rally Competitior with Triple ITBs! Matter of fact, the JECS system on that was a MAP Based setup more similar to the first generation VW setups...a more crude version but at that time had close to 10 years of durability testing and proven performance, so they deferred to 'reliability' versus 'best available technology' in that case.

Yes, I have found 'going backwards' on the TPS and putting dual microswitches on like early VW, or even later BMW's makes for a nice adjustability, even on a STOCK car that is difficult to get running 'just right'... Hands down there are advantages to Standalones simply from what you can play around with...but then again there are some people who don't know what to leave alone...for those types I usually try to keep them into something that isn't adjustable, or needs a key to 'get to the good stuff'... Some people would screw up Ice if they could! LOL

Yeah, It's Blue. What did I say? Lincoln? They're red. Don't know what I was thinking! he had a humongo cart-mounted unit as well, I think he called it a 'Trailblazer'---was powered by a Flathead Inline Six if I recall. He could power a small city off that thinG! As for that Zena Welder, Pete had a small Yellow German unit that was TIG capable and 165 Amps...very small. He had bought it to do Stainless Steel Welding on O2 Systems and other High-Purity Piping on the roofs of hospitals, and it could easily be carried by one person and put in a standard elevator for the roof top trek. He used a Scuba setup to carry the tank! I REALLY wanted THAT unit! He tried starting it and apparently it wouldn't idle (varnish in the carb) so he sold it to someone else because he felt guilty about selling me something that didn't work! I mean, it was like $200, and had 13 hours on the hourmeter! PETE! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING IT JUST NEEDED A CARB KIT THAT WELDER WAS PERFECT FOR MY HOUSE BECAUSE I DON'T NEED TO RUN WIRES 600 FEET TO WELD PIPE CORRALS IN THE BACK!!! I use not having that little welder as an excuse for my wife not being able to buy a horse. "Can't build the corral, honey. Maybe if we built that metal building I could do big enough sections to prefab it, but until I get that shop, I can't really do any field welding with the Hobart!" Does that make me an extortionist?

Hehehe! I'll have a second copy floating around since I belong to two clubs that both give me the mag as part of the membership dues. At least that's what I tell myself when two showed up last issue! LOL