Chickenman

Finished up a Discussion on Chat GPT for the PROPER Steering Rack Boot for 280z. All measurements taken and Fitment confirmed. First Gen Mazda Miata Steering Rack Boot fits perfect with no modifications needed. Speedy-Boot also apparently works. Richard, this is an excellent result. More importantly, you've produced measured fitment data, which is much more valuable than another anecdotal "it fits." Based on your measurements and installation, I'd consider this a verified fitment for at least your original 1976 280Z steering rack. Verified Fitment Report Vehicle 1976 Datsun 280Z Original steering rack with 36.0 mm rack housing Recommended Replacement Beck/Arnley 103-2691 Application: 1990–1999 Mazda Miata (NA) Manual Steering Measured Dimensions Item Measurement Boot large end I.D. 36.0 mm Rack housing O.D. 36.0 mm Boot small end I.D. 9.5 mm Bellows 13 Overall length 165 mm Installation Notes ✔ Large end fits the rack housing perfectly. ✔ Small end stretches easily over the tie rod with a light coat of silicone grease. ✔ No interference at full steering lock in either direction. ✔ No collapsing or over-stretching of the bellows. ✔ Overall length is correct. Hardware Supplied with: Mechanic's wire Recommendation: Discard the supplied wire. Use quality UV-resistant zip ties or, even better, stainless steel cable ties/Oetiker-style clamps for a more secure installation. Comparison with the Moog K9882 Feature Moog K9882 Beck/Arnley 103-2691 Large I.D. ~46 mm 36 mm Length ~165 mm 165 mm Result Too large Perfect fit That 10 mm difference in the rack-end diameter explains exactly why the Moog boot wouldn't seal properly. Why this matters This is one of the few documented cases where someone has: measured the rack housing, measured the replacement boot, installed it, and confirmed proper operation through the full steering travel. That's the kind of information that helps cut through decades of confusing aftermarket catalog data. I also think you've uncovered a practical search tip that will save others time: Don't search for a 1976 Datsun 280Z steering rack boot. Search for a 1990–1999 Mazda Miata (NA) manual steering rack boot, specifically Beck/Arnley 103-2691. Because the Miata has a much stronger aftermarket, it's easier to source and often less expensive. Thank you I really appreciate you coming back with the measurements instead of just saying "it fit." As someone who spent 20 years as a Nissan parts specialist, you've approached this exactly the way I'd hope—verify with dimensions, then verify on the car. I think this fitment is worthy of being posted on both HybridZ and Classic Z Car. It would likely save a lot of owners from ordering the incorrect Moog K9882 (or similar oversized boots) and having to return them. And if, down the road, we continue documenting other hard-to-find S30 replacement parts this way—with measurements and confirmed installations—we can build a genuinely reliable reference instead of relying on inconsistent catalog listings.

I just put a Sanden 508 on my 1976 280z. I ended up using a slightly thinner Belt that fits the AC Compressor pulley properly. This thinner belt sits deeper in the Crank AC pulley, but doesn't bottom out. I used the Z Car Depot bracket. I'll see if I can find the Belt Part Number. I had to go down a little in size as well. Think I ended up with a 4L-340mm Belt

I've seen Oil Pump Screens partially blocked Silicone Sealant. Especially by so called " Mecahnics " who goop the Oil Pan with the stuff. Draining Oil will sometimes allow silicone to drop off screen. Thne float around till it partially clogs screen again. Oil screen pickup too close to bottom of pan can also cause an Vortex effect that affects oil pressure. Screen should be no closer than 1/2 inch from bottom of pan . You also say you have a Turbo Oil Pump. But is it an OEM Nissan Aluminium Pump. I seen some of the Cast Iron aftermarket pumps lacking in pressure output because Internal ports or claerance are machined wrong. Surprisingly some of the Melling pumps are causing issues at higher RPM's. I've had a couple of customers have issues with Melling Crat Iron Pumps. Strange, because thye are normally good quality. You can still purchase OEM Nissan Aluminium Turbo Oil Pumps from Nissan. 15010-S8000. And Rock Auto sells Hitachi made OEM Nissan Turbo Pumps. Hitcahi is an OEM Maufcaturer for Nissan.

Took a well needed break for a while, but still doing MS3Pro, MS3 and MS2 tunes. As well as Haltech, Link, Holley and Maxx-ECU.

You can run a standard 280Z Distributor in that as well since you have a single coil setup. Just use the VR sensor setup. You will set your Trigger settings up as up as a Standard Distributor with Single coil and Batch Fire injection. Then no Home signal is required. You really only need a Turbo dizzy if you want to run Sequentail Fuel and/ or COP or Wastespark Ignition. But then the tactful ECU has to be BULIT with the proper " Modules " or optional hardware in place. Everything on MS-2 is " A La Carte " . You have to find out EXACTLY how it was specced out and built. Build info should be included with your ECU. See below. MS-2 from Godzilla usually come with standard Injector drivers ( A and B bank ) and a single High Amperage Coil driver ( BIP-373 ) already installed. Go to the MSExtra.com home site and download the Hardware manual for your Mother Board. On the case it should say if you have a 3.0 Main Board or a 3.57 Main Board. Download the correct hardware instructions. https://www.msextra.com/manuals/ms2manuals/

Haven't been around to this forum in a while Nice to see those numbers. Did you get a chart of the AFR readings?

Just going back to injector wiring for a moment. Yes it's fine to run all injectors off of one Power Lead. But that goes through a Relay direct from the battery. But the ECU triggers injectors by grounding. And you should be using BOTH injector driver banks with that. Even if using Multi Point ( all injectors fire at once ). Batch fire requires one bank of cylinders ( usually 1,2,3, ) firing from Bank A and the other Bank ( 3,4,5 ) firing from Bank B. But remember it's the ground side of the injector drivers that does the triggering. Once you have the injector wiring corrected, choose 2 squirts alternating as Tony mentioned. . That will enable batch fire. Multi-point is the least desirable method, particularly with larger injectors. The " Water Hammer " effect gets pretty bad. will cause spikes in actual Fuel Rail pressure. Batch fire is much better and of course true sequential injection is best for emissions quality and smooth idle. Negligible difference in power output at WOT between Batch Fire and Sequential at high RPM though. Everything is just happening so fast. Sequential does reduce available time to inject fuel over a 720 degree combustion event because it is Timed injection. By about 30% if memory serves me correct. If IDC are getting high, you can reduce them by switching to Batch Fire. Just an interesting but possibly irrelevant point in your situation.

Don't think you have a engine internal problem Stephen. Other than possibly a slightly leaking oil seal on #6. But I don't think that is the main issue. Funny, I was just thinking about coils on your FB thread. Seems you had a lot of problems with those COP's. Going single coil with dizzy should be a good way to check to see if its' anything related to the coils. And yes, D585 coils are sensitive to EMI and electrical noise from large ground loops. . It can trigger Auto Discharge. One of the big things is that the Main ground for the GM Coils ( Not the Trigger ground ) MUST be grounded to the cylinder head. Grounding elsewhere creates a larger ground Loop and thus more EMI. Might be a good idea to double check the ground wires on all of the coils. Especially #6. Also had a couple of thoughts on the injector drivers in your FB thread.

On our Third Gen Camaro spindles we used to get a lot of spindle flex with Big sticky DOTs and slicks. We used thick walled ( 0.250" wall ) bearing spacers that were machined to slip over the the Bearing spindle with a matched Tapered ID . We used shims to get the preload correct.

You shouldn't need to drill the oil restrictor out at all. Plenty of oil available by Spray Bar system or internal oiling of Camshaft. One caveat, idle speed. With higher pressure springs or ven stock springs with a more aggressive profile, increase idle speed to no less than 1,000 RPM. Local Datsun Engine guru Andy Pearson ( Specialty Engineering ) recommends this on all of his modified engine builds. Since Andy's car have hold 5 SCCA GT3 runoff titles in 5 invites ( An SCCA record ) ... pretty sure he knows what he talking about. BTW, he's done a lot of oil testing with Big Camshafts. Motul 300V has proven the best oil to use on REALLY big Camshafts. Some of his " Street " stroker engines have over 0.600" valve lift. Rockers will sometimes fail before cams with OEM Japanese cam cores . This is a result of either oil film failure or Valve floating. You will see a pitting or flaking of rocker pad. This is a metal fatigue failure. Either oil film breaks down, or you have Valve float. Usually valve float. You get a hammering effect on Cam Lobe and Rocker arm when Valve bounces on seat. Pound the s**t out of the Valvetarin.

Use the DIY Custom L28ET trigger disc. That will give your the necessary Crank and Home signal to run either Direct COP or WastSpark COP. The LS coils have their own built in Ignitors. So you would NOT install any BIP 373' inside the ECU. The BIP373's are 12 volt DUMB coil igniters by themselves. You need to build Logic Level coil drivers circuits ( Low amperage 0v to 5v ) in the ECU. Read the MSextra Hardware Manual on how to do this. May as well build 6 Logic Levels drivers and use Direct fore COP instead of Waste Spark COP. There are a number of advantages including the Option to use separate Ignition Timing Trims per cylinder when you do it that way. Edit: Read section 5.3.1.3 ( Page 77 ) in the MSExtra 3.42 hardware manual on how to build Logic Level Spark outputs. Use the FET method. You may have to add an extra DB15 connector if you run out of pins on the DB37 ( Section 5.3.1.5 Page 80 ) There are 3D printed covers and Biller aluminium covers to replace the dizzy cap available.

Exactly. Coil secondary output can drop up to 15% with a voltage drop of only 1.0 volt. A correctly operating charging circuit on a Datsun should put out 13.5 volts easily. ALL the way from idle to Redline. At 11.5 volts you could be seeing over a 30% drop in Coil output. European cars typically put out a bit higher voltage. 14.1 to 14.2 volts charging is not uncommon on most European cars since the mid 90's.

Steve Bonk is on FB page Church of L-Series. He normally has a few Don Potter cams for sale. Juts awesome cams if you don't know Don Potters history...

For a true test of ride comfort. drive your Z car from Blaine Washington to Seattle on the I5. Rough concrete with expansion joints for most of the way. Just came back from SOVREN Vintage races at Pacific Raceways. My 76 280Z has front DIY TT3 Coil overs, 250 lb/in Eibachs and Koni Sport Yellow shocks . Rear is " temporarily " Eibach Pro springs ( Don't know rate but they are pretty soft ) with KYB gas struts. Edit: Forgot front Camber plates . Rear temporarily has the front Nissan top insulators installed to lower rear. Will be getting Camber plates as well. Front was very comfortable on the street and on the I5 . I5 is brutal on cars with too stiff of springs and shocks.. Koni's are on setting 1 at the moment, but I will probably be turning them up to a 1.5 or 2. Rear shocks and springs are comfortable, but too soft. I'll probably go to 225 or 250lb/in on the rear as well with Koni Yellow sports. TT3 Coil over kit. Soft rear springs show up on track days when I get a bit too much rear squat exiting corners. 1.125" ST front Bar and 0.875" ST Rear Bar. Tires are Continental Extreme Contact DW in a 225/50x16" . The taller sidewall really soaks up bumps and expansion joints well. Very good Traction in Dry and Wet. Wet traction is important in the PNW. I may switch to a 225/45x16 in the Future. The Conti's are just a tad too Tall at 24.9". Considering amount that car is lowered. I'm using new stock rubber bushings all around for noise isolation and comfort. The stock rubber LCA bushings are far better than Poly. Monoballs transmit too much road noise for " my personal " street car. Been down that Road before. This is just going to be a nice, quiet GT Touring Car. As you get older you appreciate comfort more and more. Picture of Camber Plates used for front and rear:

Like John M, I also used a Non-Booster equipped Road Race 240Z back in the Day. You have to eliminate the Booster. Make a Custom length Pushrod. Depending on you Pedal effort, you may want to relocate the Clevis Pin hole in the Brake pedal upwards a bit to change the Pedal ratio. About 0.750" to 1.0" is enough. We used a standard 7/8" Master on our ICSCC D-Prod Z . Worked out very well. Good modulation with proper setup.