inline6

Yeah, it's on my "to do" list to search the forums and elsewhere to see if the noise is to be expected with the special Kameari chain tensioner set up. I also will loosen the bolts on the tensioner and see if it feels right to back it off a tad. In the meantime, I got the air box cover on... it is super tight to the point of almost breaking it to get it on. Unfortunately, the combo of the Cannon manifold, the rubber carb isolators, and the carbs and the .030" heat shield and the air box mounting plate combine to make it too long. Here is a pic of it installed: I am still wondering what to do with the air filter... I have it installed in this pic. I have two things I am thinking about. First, should the filter be pointed up like this? Over a long drive in the rain, I can see the water coming in and pooling in the bottom of the aluminum tube. That wouldn't be good, because eventually, its going to get sucked into the engine. And second, Should I put it in the center like this, in front of the radiator? Seems like I could shorten the run a touch and point it downwards and still get all the flow it needs, but the downside is that it will be exposed even more to water spray coming in the front. Where it is now, it is protected by tucking under the hood a bit. Anyway, still pondering.

Wheels are Panasport c8's. Rear is 16X9, front is 16X8. The flares were purchases from Motorsport Auto in 1992-3 - they were called "street flares", though they accommodate more wheel and tire than "ZG" flares. I see they are no longer available from there, and maybe nowhere? I saw identical ones in an old Bob Sharp Racing catalog I believe - they were very popular in the 70's and 80's for sure. Seems like ZG is most popular nowadays - just from my point of view.

Yes, it is. I drove it around the neighborhood today for all of ~ 8 minutes. It was starting to rain... And it isn't registered/licensed just yet. My plan was to get a better video of the exhaust sound. I'm very interested myself... I mean, I have only heard it from the tail pipe end at idle so far. The induction noise is very loud... much louder than expected, but I don't have the air cleaner cover on there, and no filter... and no hood right now either! I am fairly certain I'll need to wear ear plugs when driving it more than 10 minutes at a time. We'll see. Here is my exhaust system build thread if you are interested in seeing that: http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/109185-3-exhaust-for-na-modified-engine-muffler-options/ And another very short video of the car after the 8 minute drive... not running this time.

Well, I started a post over in the fuel delivery section because that is more relevant to what I am actually doing right now with the car, but I thought I'd post a video in this thread too. I've got the car idling at about 800 RPM now. Tomorrow, I hope to put it on the ground and get it to move under its own power for the first time in 3 years.

I had some time today to work on it and made some good progress. First I updated the firmware on the LM2. The instructions weren't great. Basically, what you need to do is go to the Innovate site and see what version of firmware is available - that latest, of course. You download that file to your laptop. Then you follow the instructions in the manual to get the LM2 into boot mode. Then you fire up LM Programmer, which is the software for the LM2. Then you click the button to "update firmware", select the file that you downloaded, and wait for it to update. Do it in that order, and you'll have no issues. Now, on to the tuning. I fired the engine up and got it up to operating temp. It still wouldn't idle without some throttle of course. That is pretty much where we left off. This time, I checked the fuel gauge with the engine running and it was showing something less than 3 lbs. The needle wasn't bouncing as much... so I undid the lock nut, adjusted it up between 3 and 3.5 and tightened the lock nut. So, picking up where I left off... except now I could read the AFR and it was showing between 20 and 30 when I would let go of the throttle for brief instances. Whenever the engine was about to die, I'd open the throttle a bit and keep it alive, and the AFR would drop down to around 13-15. With this info, I started playing with the pilot screws again - backing them out to see what would happen with the AFR. Interestingly, when I backed the screws out (they were at 1/4 turn out) the AFR dropped to the high teens. So, I backed them out some more. Then I was around 16. Then some more... 13. But it STILL wouldn't idle. It was at this point that I turned off the engine and pulled out the Mikuni manual, again. I was thinking to myself "how could the AFR be that close to the right ratio, and the engine still won't idle?" and "you're supposed to be able to get it to idle without using throttle screws...". Well, I happened to turn right the page in the manual with the instructions on setting the idle speed. And what do you know? It says right there "turn the throttle screws in until they touch the lever, then turn about one turn". I thought, one turn on the throttle is about all I need to get this thing to idle. And something else I had been thinking about clicked as well. I was thinking that you were supposed to get it to idle with just the pilot screws, but if that was the case, there would be absolutely no need for the throttle screws. Clearly they were there for a reason. So, I screwed them in until they touched the lever, and then 1 full turn. then I fired it up again and used the UNI SYN to check carb synchronization. A few little adjustments to each throttle screw and the carbs were in sync and the engine was idling at 1000 RPM. Then I went back to the pilot screws. The AFR was close. At this point, I stopped turning the screws 1/4 turns and went to literally 1/16 turns. Doing this, I was able to get the AFR to around 14.4 to 15.0, with much of the time an indicated 14.6... Just a side note, there is a reason for the really fine pitch of the threads on the pilot screws. 1/2 turn on the screws was moving the AFR from around 16 down to 13. So, keep that in mind. So, here is a video - post changes... I've got the idle set at 800-850 here:

Yep. I addressed that before touching the pilot jets again. Needle on the gauge which is on one of the regulator ports is bouncing between 2.8ish and 3.5ish now... hoping that the accurate reading is in the middle of that range. I am not sure I have the floats set 100% perfect. The way I set them was to trim and sand a nail to the right length, then use that as a gauge for setting the float lever distance from the float cover. I put the nail in position with needle nose pliers, seat the float assembly against it, and then blow (with my mouth) through the fuel inlet. I consider it set correctly when no air gets by the needle and seat assembly. This was done while the carbs were in hand many months ago - they were not on the car. Two of the carbs are essentially new, and the third may be a touch older, but is visibly in the same excellent condition. I totally rebuilt that one with a rebuild kit. Everything is tight, sealed, nice. If I confirm with the LM2 that it is still crazy rich, and the 45 pilots I have on order don't show marked improvement, I'll revisit the float levels. The only reason I turned the pilot screws in that far: I only have 4 sets of pilot jets in my inventory - 52.5, 55, 57.5 and 60's. Since, with the garage door open, my clothes and hair would reek after running it for 10 minutes with both the 60's and 55's, I hypothesized it is running absurdly rich. Honsewetz says in the How to Hot Rod your Nissan book start at 1.5 turns out and that for each turn you have to go in, you need to go down one jet size and also the converse of this (I'm paraphrasing). So, I put in the 52.5's - the smallest in my inventory. then, I set the screws at 1.5 turns out and started it. It still wouldn't idle but didn't die quite as fast as with the 60's or the 55's. So, I turned in the pilot screws one turn, and tried again, hoping that I could at least discern some improvement - to give me some evidence I was on the right track. There seemed to be slight improvement. I turned them in one more quarter... leaving them basically 1/4 turn out at this point. That seemed to help a tiny bit more. Since I had no smaller jets to try and the screws essentially couldn't be turned in any more, I finally went and grabbed the LM2 off the storage shelf. I wanted to test my hypothesis that it was indeed running really rich. Then I got bogged down in reading the manual and the rest is detailed in my other post. I pulled the O2 sensor from the pipe tonight, and calibrated it per the instructions - in open air. It reacts to exhaling on it, so hopefully that is a sign that it isn't damaged. We'll see I guess. Thanks very much for the input. Between that and searching and reading the manual and some experimentation, I'm sure I'll have it running well soon.

I got my new engine fired up last Sunday. Instead of getting the LM2 set up right away, I was excited to get it started for the first time and check the usual basic stuff... for leaks and such. After that part went ok, I wanted to play with it a bit just to see if I could get it idling alright. I tried the few pilot jets I have in my inventory. Started with 60's, went to 55's, then went to 52.5's. With each, within a few minutes, my clothes and hair would stink... (car is in the garage with the door completely open while doing this and I let it air out after these episodes - so I am fairly certain I won't die from it... ) There is no smoke to speak of, but man is it running rich. Anyway, the 52.5's are the smallest pilot jets I've got currently, so I have those in there and dialed the pilot screws in to about 1/4 to 1/2 turn out... and it still won't idle without throttle, but it doesn't die as fast as with the other sizes when I close the throttle plates completely. By this point, I am fairly certain that it is exceedingly rich, and I don't have any smaller jets to try, so I brought out the LM2 to start playing with it. I figured I'd hook it up and get confirmation that I'm running stinky dog rich. Tonight, I proceeded to read through the instructions, and the online manual. And I learned a couple of things I wish I had known before now - clearly I should have looked at this stuff before firing up the engine... First, it warns to never run the engine with the oxygen sensor installed in the exhaust pipe and not hooked up to the 12 volt power supply (that heats it up) or the 02 sensor will be damaged. Oops. Before the first start on Sunday, I plugged the 02 bung in the exhaust with... the oxygen sensor that cam with the LM2. So much for that. Who knows if I have damaged it? I've started it about 5 times and run it for a collective 30 minutes perhaps - running exceedingly rich in each instance... I guess, I'll just have to try to use it and see if it "works" at this point. Second thing is more minor, but it is pretty obvious it would be an issue... the manual warns of having absolutely no exhaust leaks or the readings will be inaccurate (leaner than should be). The band clamps I am using on the exhaust joints are not quite sealing a 100% yet. I have used band clamps in the past and have found that they have to be modified by hand to seal completely - they just don't seal 100% right out of the box. So, that is next on my "to do" list before anything else. Then I have to remove the O2 sensor from the exhaust pipe and "calibrate" it in open air... Then, I can get down to trying to actually use the thing. Judging by what I read through in the manual tonight, it looks like I have a lot of learning ahead of me.

Thanks for that info. I'm running a 17010-A7600 NISMO High Volume fuel pump... The gauge on the aeromotive regulator was showing 4+ but below 5 lbs. So, maybe it was enough pressure to push past the needle and seat and raise the fuel level too high in the carburetor body. Since 3 to 3.5 lbs is what I see as the recommendation from searching, I adjusted it downward. Only problem is, for some reason, the needle on the pressure gauge is rock steady from 0 to 2.5 lbs and above 3.5 lbs... but adjusting to bring it into the 3 to 3.5 territory, it gets some kind of resonance thing going on and the needle on the gauge bounces up and down like crazy. Go figure. Haven't had a chance to see if that changes things yet - it is too late to start it up tonight - even though I should to get back at the neighbors with their freaking loud and constantly barking dogs.

It runs! Got it started yesterday. Doesn't idle without the throttle screws set to push the throttle plates open a bit. Not sure what is going on yet. I set the ignition timing at about 17* as with the previous engine. For now, I am using the same "Euro" distributor in combination with a Crane Hi-6 ignition - optical sensor replaces the points. Have tried 55 pilots and 60 pilots thus far and engine doesn't seem to respond to screwing pilot screws in or out with either one... just doesn't idle and makes the whole garage stink, and my clothes stink. Seems crazy rich. Anyway, here is a short video. Throttle response is nice. The whining coming from the engine is noteworthy. I'm not sure if that is normal with the Kameari timing chain tension set-up, but my guess it that it is. I could have the tension too tight... not really sure. The instructions had some crazy number that didn't make sense.

When I did the body work on my car, the roof took a fair amount of work to straighten out... very thin layer of bondo... primer... the usual. I'd examine the spot welds on the seams and verify they are factory... that the roof hasn't been replaced somewhere along the line. If the welds are factory, and from the inside you can't perceive any undulations in the headliner, then it's nothing that can't be addressed by a body shop during a repaint. If factory spot welds are not obvious (in the rain gutter areas) or you have obvious undulations in the headliner, then their could be gobs of bondo in the panel or other nightmares waiting for you.

No, I didn't think to ask. My preference was to put it another eight or twelve inches downstream, but everything after the merge collector is stainless and I had a regular steel fitting... I couldn't put it in the 3" part of the merge collector because the transmission cross member is right there and I didn't move it any further forward because it would be on 3 cylinders only. So, is this a known, bad thing, or an unknown but certainly wouldn't think it is optimal kind of thing? What is the best solution? I welded the fitting as high up and out of the merge collector as possible to try to minimize obstruction... Should I put a plug in that one, and grind down the inside as flush as possible... and then buy a stainless fitting and weld that into the 3" stainless pipe a bit further back?

Got the header and the merge collector back from Jet Hot. Looks nice: Now I can put everything back on the engine and get it ready to start. While I had the welding gas and extra materials, I went ahead and made a "bypass" section so I could see how much of a difference the middle muffler/resonator makes in sound volume. Still no Maxima diesel pumps in the country. I couldn't even get a used pump... Tried the Nissan Diesel forum, emailed several salvage yards across the country, tried want ads here on hybridz... no luck. Even though my front engine cover has been modified for a diesel pump, I guess I have no choice but to put a stock water pump on there. Maybe I can get it fired up this weekend. We shall see. Video will be forthcoming!

I've also got one from a truck. Ran it in my Z a while. I upgraded to a R200 LSD of the same ratio. I'm in GA. Let me know if you are still looking for one - I can send pics.

I am excited to hear it run too, but it is going to be a while longer before I can start it. I'm still looking for a maxima diesel water pump. Since that is taking forever, I'll send off the header and the merge collector to get them ceramic coated. Maybe by the time I get them back, I will have the water pump.

Exhaust is basically done now. A few more pics. Going to send off the header and the merge collector for ceramic coating soon - while I continue looking for an LD28 water pump. The header still needs some welding. I'll finish that when I pull it off the motor - now that the rest of the exhaust is completely done: Header to merge collector: A different view of the resonator in the tunnel: It's a tight fit: Then the pipe has to swing back to the slot in the rear crossmember: A good shot of how close the pipe is to the diff 'tang': 6" round muffler fits with room to spare: Nothing specific here, but you can get an idea of what kind of road clearance there will be. Rear diff mount "slot" fit on left side: Again, showing space to diff: Rear diff mount "slot" fit on right side: Resonator to floor/tunnel clearance:

I'm in the Holly Springs area. My Z has been off the road for a couple of years but will hopefully have it fired up again in Jan. Putting the finishing touches on an all new 3" exhaust and still need to locate a diesel water pump for the new motor. Garrett

So, I've been looking at sourcing a pump from Australia... emailing a Jimmy at staparts.co.nz. My stock pump (L28) measures 66 mm from the base to the top of the flange. The pump they list as for LD28 is only 60 mm. Part number on that one cross references to a WPN-062... not a WPN-079. My hypothesis is that the 062 pump differs from the 079 pump in this distance from back to front. I wonder if just swapping out the front flange would make it 66 mm. Those just press on/off...

Nice resource. Thanks for the link.

I ran an F54/E88 (not the early one) combo for several years. I believe compression ratio worked out to about 10:1. I also ran a "Euro" single point distributor. I think my initial advance was 17 degrees. I had the vacuum advance hooked up and it was functional. Full advance was around 36 degrees by something like 3000 RPM. The head had mild port work done (intakes matched to stock intake gasket port diameter and only modified about 1" in from the intake manifold surface). Exhausts were ported only in the transition from the bowl to the port runner - again mildly. I ran the stock cam, stock exhaust valve size and 1 mm larger intakes with L28 valve seats installed... 93 octane was readily available and I had no noticeable knocking... unless I did something like put it in 4th gear at 20 miles per hour and press the gas peddle to the floor. Then I could hear some faint knocking. So, I list all that because maybe one or a combo of those things helped reduce knocking... I don't know. Seems some people have real bad problems with detonation on certain L series heads. I certainly did not and I didn't have to retard the timing or anything either. That engine put down 151 at the rear wheels (with early 4 bolt SU carbs) when I had it dyno'ed about 3 years ago.

Price sounds good to me. What brand and part number is it? Would you post a couple of pics so I can make sure it is the one I need? It seems some of the Maxima Diesel pumps are actually not the right specification - based on info I found on this site. One front and one back should be good - and please put "Zentech" on a sticky note or scrap of paper in one of the pics. Thanks for your help. Garrett

Thanks. Rock Auto and everyone else as far as I can tell.

I'd even consider used at this point. Let me know. Thanks. Garrett

Time for an update on the 3" exhaust. I have been working on it when I have time, fitting it all together. This past weekend I finally got to start welding the stainless stuff together with my little MIG welder. It is difficult to make the welds anything but fugly. The tip isn't welded on yet... I think I like it the way it is (length of it that is), but I'm going to look at it each time I walk by for a few days before I make up my mind. This 6" round Magnaflow fits nicely: Rear hanger isn't supporting the weight of the exhaust at the moment. I purposely located the stainless wire here at the bottom of the pipe going under the diff... in the case the pipe drags on the road at any time, this will act as a "pad" to keep the pipe from getting scraped up. I'm thinking the exhaust will drop about an 1/8th once all the joints are tightened up and I remove the jack stands: Trying to keep the pipe as close to the car as possible... My ugly welds... I tried practicing on some more scrap tonight. 5" muffler located in the driveshaft tunnel: Merge collector fitted as close to the header as I could get it: Lots of pieces necessary here to fit the header to the merge collector: I hope to finish all the welding this week/week end. Now if I could just locate an LD28 water pump, I could get this thing started.

These are all gone. Not at RockAuto, ebay, Partstrain, Auto Parts Warehouse,etc.

I did find one. Thank you for replying though. I appreciate it.