jeromio

I made a tentative inspection of the headlight wiring on my car - I need to replace the switch and use relays (dim headlights that only work half the time). That diagram would be <i>very</i> helpful to me. I'm also planning on using Owen's Maxima switch swap. I've been having some difficulty finding the Maxima or Stanza parts for decent dollars at the local yards though.

If you search here, you ought to turn up a photo that someone posted of a jag V12 in a Z. I think it was almost a year ago. Not much detail, but at least verifies that it can be done.

I agree. I also think such an expansion/rename might help to fill it out a bit more too, since ignition, all by itself, isn't necessarily going to generate all that much discussion, relative to the other boards.

Got pics? If this is a better way to go, it's still not too late for me to switch. Are you talking about installing a 2nd crossmember, parallel to the existing one? I haven't seen the Corvette mounts and so don't have much of an idea of what they look like. The actual fabrication of the "frame to motor-mount" with the camaro mounts is pretty easy though. I just have to locate 2 holes for the bolt to go thru. If the Corvette mounts are closer to the block, it might help with steering clearance - but then again, the major steering issue is with the exhaust anyway. I'd defeinately be interested in some pcitures or diagrams.

Ha!

I think Fairlady discovered a flaw in the web board S/W. That looooong word was messin up the "get daily" view.... This post ought to fix it

I agree with Dan. It's the marketing that tells you OHC is better. I find it funny when people complain about swapping in an "old tech" pushrod engine in place of the "high tech" OHC L28. In my opinion, the 180 degree flow of the combustion chamber on the L28 is about as old tech as you can get with internal combustion. Gimme pushrods and a cross flow chamber over OHC any day. There are engineering considerations for both designs (although I'm no engineer). The pushrod motor has the energy loss thru the pushrods - one more contact point (instead of shaft to actuator (or follower) you have shaft to rod to actuator (rocker) - assuming both have lifters in there someplace), AND the extra "moving weight" of those rods, multiplied by the number of valves. That's not so great. The OHC engine has much less loss in going from rotating camshaft to linear valve movement, but will have the ineffiency associated with the large timing chain (or belt :eek , although it's just the one chain. Typically the OHC engine will have more complexity in a V engine since all the valve gear is doubled (twice the sprockets and cams) and will be much bulkier. The Pushrod engine will be more challenged with combustion chamber and intake passage design than the OHC engine. But it will be much more compact. And clever designers can come up with nice hemi chambers despite the valve actuation issues (the Ford 429 CJ had one push rod going thru the intake passage and the exhaust rocker arm was REEEEALLY long). And if you think about it, having just the one camshaft for those 16 valves is kind of nifty. Of course Honda does this with some of it's OHC 16 valve 4s too. (Contrast this with Alfa and Jag who each used to have 2 valve per cyl., DOHC engines ).

Are you having a custom flywheel/pressureplate made?

As far as I know, They are round like the P79, but do not have the steel "emission" liners. Check out Bryan Little's site: http://www.geocities.com/zgarage2001/heads.html He has loads of this type of info.

I couldn't get mine to move either. Are you gonna try and do anything to the cable - clean it up or something? If not, I'd just disconnect the cables at the brakes. Much easier (pair of pliers, grip the lip of the clip and pry against the ebrake cable shank, then with drum removed, slide the cable out of the shoe arm).

I have to concur on the looks cool aspect. The pics I've seen are of collars that are kind of a grey color. Makes it look like the whole strut is threaded.

Yes, 280zx rotors are vented, but they're too small in diameter. Much easier to use the 84 300ZX rotors and either turn them down (easy - most any brake shop can do this for you) or move the mount ears out a bit, which is what I did - much harder.

Regular Z brakes are terrible. Non-vented rotor is fade city. The vented rotor swap can be done with the 88 4X4 toyo v6 4 piston calipers, which as both Lone and Terry in his write up (that I linked to above) mention, are very heavy. They also require spacers (extra dollars there) cuz they're wide. Check out Terry's write up for a good explanation of the swap and the justification. I'm running the 280ZX calipers (300zx rotors) and I can tell you that it stops. The swap is basically a bolt on whichever caliper yuo choose.

The 280zx rotors are way small. The swap that you can do is to use the 280zx calipers with slightly turned down 300zx (4 lug) rotors. Terry O's site: http://www.zhome.com/rnt/FordPower/BrakeUpdate.html

Scarab kit won't work with an LS1. You'd end up with the motor way out in front. You could rig something with some JTR style setback plates that would end up putting the LS1 in approximately the Scarab position. You'd still be left with the problem of mounting the accessories high and out of the way of the motor mount towers. And then there's the issue of manual transmission - too far forward and you won't be able to locate the shifter accessibly inside the car. I think if you wanted a bolt in LS1 arrangement, going with the mounts that hang off of the frame rails like the ones people have used here for the Ford 5.0 would be easiest. There were some drawings and pictures posted in the Ford board that you could possibly use without much modification with an LS1. Personally, I'd want to considerably beef up the rails quite a bit for that kind of setup though. LoneStar's setup is fairly straight forward as well. It mostly depends on where you feel most comfortable in focussing either your fabrication skills or your dollars. Had I gone LoneStar's route, the motor would probably me firmly mounted by now, but I'd be headscratching working out how to mount the alt and A/C. Some added dollars gets you a box with brackets shipped to your door though . Me, I'm still catching grief over the L$1 expenditure - haven't even ordered the JBends for the exhaust yet cuz I'm trying to keep auto related expenses below my spouse's budgetary radar...

The only mod I am making is to "move" the flange further down stream. This will make it easier to both fit things in and also to bolt/unbolt the exhaust. I was worried that I'd have to alter the driver side manifold, make it tuck closer to the block. But it looks like LoneStar's steering shaft moving trick has obviated the need for that mod. So, I'm cutting off the flanges and welding some tubing (12 inches or so) to the manifold, then I'll weld a flange to the end of that. If I had some spare dollars, I'd buy headers. And actually, I am now considering moving the motor forward another 1/2 inch or so. The only issue would be whether this increases steering shaft/exhaust interference (since the shaft angles closer to the motor the farther forward you go - routing exhaust in a Scarab conversion must be extra tricky). I dunno, maybe it'll stay where it is. I need to actually bot the alternator in place to make sure it fits. And as for the heater - It hasn't worked for the past 2 years anyway. I guess it'd be kinda silly to move the motor to accomodate it.

I also have a bunch of pics here and here of my coilovers. Those long collars must be available from someplace because I've definately seen them. But regardless, they'd definately be way more expensive since they're not the norm.

My L28 didn't have head studs . It had hex headed bolts. Expensive to replace them suckers. Probably cheaper/easier to get some ARP studs and nuts. I don't think that the L28 has the head bolts passing thru any water jackets though, so it shouldn't cause any problems.

There isn't really all that much welding involved in the coilover conversion. You could just carry your strut tubes to a local welder and have him do it. It'd be about 15 minutes of work - most guys I know probably wouldn't even bother charging you anything. That's assuming that you take care of cutting off the perch yourself which isn't too hard. You could have the welder do that too though. Actually, I think the collars that MikeSCCA sells are meant to rest on the bead from the old perch? That would mean no welding required. I have seen pictures of a car (John Coffey's?) with extra long collars. These rest on the cast part at the bottom and not require welding a stop to the tube. You might call Ground Control or Ross C or somebody and see if they can get you the super long collars. It'd obviously be much more expensive. Looks kinda cool though.

Wow - that must be one evil commute everyday. I live in the WattsHillandale neighborhood - over off of Club by the School of Math & Science. I waited a long while before doing this swap as well - then went and did one that only one other person had ever done before - Doh! I always seem to end up doing things the hard way. Hopefully I'll be done before you start .

Narfty site there that is. this car is incredible. Even though the guy says it's running "an acura motor", it looks like a Nissan VG30 to me. Very elaborate suspension.

Nope. They're too long.

Whoa - nix the caps lock there, dude. As far as I know (AFAIK), camber plates need to be used with coilovers. Otherwise, the stock spring and perch are too wide to allow any actual camber adjustment - they'll hit the inside of the strut tower. Camber plates are used in place of the stock rubber strut isolator. Since they are much shorter, the car will be lowered - about 1.5-2 inches depending on the maker/design of the plate. As the name implies, they allow for some limited adjustment of camber, which is how much the wheel leans in relation to the chassis. Zero camber is the wheel at a 90 degree angle relative to the road. Some plates also allow for caster adjustment, which is the lean in the wheel's turning (steering) axis forward or backwards relative to the chassis.

Oh, I looked today and I don't think you can swap the exhaust manifolds side to side. Not easily anyway. The bolt holes don't match up. Incon and TurboTech both have manifolds though - perhaps you could buy them separately from the full kit?

Didn't get nearly as much done this weekend as I'd hoped. Some pics here: http://240z.jeromio.com/motorswap/braces.html I went over Gary's measurements (thanks again ) and positioned the motor. Mine is slightly different - 1/2 inch up and 1/2 inch forward. This was for alternator and heater issues. I was abe to get the steering shaft over by about 3/8 inch without cutting anything. I'll have to oval the holes though. The crossmember arms will be boxed - pictures only show them as angle stock. It's going to be an odd cross section: square at the crossmember, transitioning to triangular at the frame. It'll bolt to the hump and then the motor mount tower will tie to the frame at the front as well. I'm welding a piece of 1/8 inch angle there to strengthen the attachment area. I didn't even finish one side! Ugh. I'm pretty happy with the trans mount thus far. It'll be re-enforced and will attach with 6 bolts, 3 per side. The top parts will have ears coming out with 2 holes and then one in the bottom part. Definately want to be able to get the air wrench in there for assembly and removal. Speaking of which, is the mount for the T56 in the same place as the auto? I'll weld in some 14ga steel in the tunnel - basically a continuation farther back of the re-enforcement that's already there from the old mount. Gonna have to tear out the last vestige of carpeting in the car. Probably have to take out the seats too. I'm really worried about ground clearance with the proposed 2 1/4 and 3 inch tubing. That trans pan is huge. The output of the manifold is 2 1/2, but it's so tight in that tunnel area. Also a little worried about affording a decent muffler with 3 inch in and outs. Can't work on it next weekend either . This thing is going too slow. Ain't gots no garage door either, so I'll be freezing my cheeks off next chance I get to work.