BLKMGK

I think you mentioned this before, I'd love to know how it sounds! I'm hesitant though because th eRX7s that have this muffler are supposed to be loud as heck! Now, an RX7 is a noisier engine than a pushrod motor but it still makes me hesitate. Any chance you'll be cranking it up soon? What do those suckers run apiece? I think I've seen them once or twice on the RX7 boards but never apart from an entire cat-back system. The PFS muffler on my RX7 is pretty sweet looking and the BIG mufflers I've seen on a few 300ZX TTs around here have also been nice looking. But they've never held still long enough for me to ask about the source

Hrm, try this on for size... Speaking to a friend who fiddles with this stuff constantly I got a slightly different answer.. Take input voltage, say 14volts, subtract desired voltage of device (3.7 blue 2.1 other), then divide with Ohm's law to get power draw. That sound right? For the blue LED this is actually pretty straightforward and you were very close Andrew. 3.7 volts device, draws 20ma, I'm figuring a 680 Ohm resistor will be good to go. A little low probably but it puts out 2600mcd - quite bright! I was told to put a megaohm resistor across the legs too as blue LEDs are supposed to be static sensitive. Oh, Math on this (rounded) comes to about "0.015" which I think would be 15ma?! Here's the cute one - the other LEDs take 2.1volts which is lower but the amperage is only 2ma! Output is a tiny 5.5mcd (!) so these won't be blindingly bright. (ahem) IF I'm doing the math right I think a 4.7K resistor will yield "0.0025" for the other LEDs. My head hurts. Serves me right for not keeping this stuff fresh in my memory. I've nto breadboarded or soldered together anything more complicated than two pieces of wire in years. Shessh! I'm going out to the garage tonight to look for suitable mounting spots for these, the column cover being high on the list (I've got a spare). Would appreciate a double check on my figures before I actually install. Update: It's done. Not fully wired into the car yet but wired into the column cover with leads. A few bullet connectors and I should be ready to roll. Tested with a 9volt battery, lights were fine but a touch dim - this is good. Blue LED is BRIGHT I'll take some pics when I've got a moment and post them. I think this is a decent solution for the indicator problem... [ May 22, 2001: Message edited by: BLKMGK ]

I knew about the flasher module but that's yet another hassle I hoped to avoid. Had forgotten about the Diode test on most meters, naturally mine's gone missing - I've needed it for several things now and it's been a no-show. Grr! Perhaps it's time for yet another one from Radio Shack, I lose them too often to buy a FLuke. Diodes are supposed to be marked for Anode, either with a shorter leg, a flat on the case, or some other mark. I've not pulled these from the package yet but so far I see nothing to mark them. Not even a blob of metal on one leg or the other. Oh well, for the price I won't whine if it works. It did really irk me when they admitted to not having LED holders in stock. I don't mind using bare LEDs but it makes little sense to sell LEDs, have holders in the catalog, and not stock them. Sheesh! Their stock on LEDs that had mounts and resistors was pathetic too. Having Blue LEDs made up for most of that though, I was shocked to see them. In several brightness values too! P.S. Thanks Andrew,that helps! I was actually going to figure on 14volts though just in case! [ May 22, 2001: Message edited by: BLKMGK ]

MSA glass bumpers used stock mount points on my car. The mounts were glassed in and thin metal. Just leaning on the bumper is enough to make it groan so expect ZERO protection from them I'm not even sure a grocery cart would be stoped if it were rolling downhill! They look pretty sweet but if someone hits me there will be hell to pay...

Pete, you can tell I'm getting close® then huh? I think for starters I'll leave it all alone and see how it brakes. I WILL take a close look at the rear to see what's there and report anything "weird". On the Mustang's tewy simply have you "gut" the stock valve by disassembling it - not sure that can be done on the Zs though. I'll have a look see...

Umm, color wire where in the harness? You mean up front or what? I've got a '72 so it's possible my wires would match up. My stuff all works(ed) so perhaps I can help...

Color code is actually on the back of the package, what I need is the value of the resistor to drop the voltage. I realize that they sell assemblies wih this but my Rat Shack only had ONE green and ONE red assembly - no blue etc. I bought bare LEDs inending to add the dropping resistors myself. Current draw is also on the package so I'll check that ou and refresh myself on Ohm's law. I do realize that the resistor will get hot - however remember what these are being used for. Blinkers, High Beam indicator, and Brake light indicator. None of these should ever be on for extended periods of time except maybe the brake. If I were to use a blue LED for illumination then certainly a dropping resistor might not be a great idea. I'm going to see how the blue colored bulbs work first - I might hate it I do have one slight other concern. Blinkers function based on resistance in the circuit heating up an element. Replacing tail lights with LEDs can cause the blinkers ot NOT function - I'm hoping hat doing the same to the blinker indicator bulb doesn't foul things up. I'm pretty sure it won't since a burnt out bulb would kill the signals but... Guess we'll see! Now, which is ground, Anode or the other? Looking at these LEDs it's not even real clear which is which! Both legs are nearly the same length, there are no markings that I can see, and the package mentions nothing about polarity. Grr!

I'd keep the 36lb injectors. Run the math and I think you'll see that. I've got 42's in the Mustang but they may be a bit big. 30's darn near fall out of trees if you ask around, I might have a set someplace but at least one was dribbling. (shrug) Not a bad deal, what's the other Cutler bidding at these days? Am not ready yet myself, next year I'll do it!

73 240 - they require a bulkheasd of some sort yes. I'm NOT sure that my setup would pass their tech. I've seen some hatch cars with actual steel bulkeads extending up to seal against the hatch - ugly! SCCA cars had them that I've seen. I'm leaving mine as is with the house and will consider a cell lik Mike's found with the bladder and added capacity in the future. My aluminum cell has sprung a pinhole leak or two too so I'm not 100% pleased with it. Battery is easier - requires a SEALED METAL housing. Yes, those plastic battery boxes in JegsSummit shouldn't pass tech and the heavy steel one they sell that doubles as a weight box (and weighs a ton) shouldn't pass either since it's NOT sealed! That means no boxes out there in the catalogs pass.... except ONE! The very nice alumnum one that Summit sells is both sealed and metal. I've got this one in the Z, the heavy metal one in the Mustang. I'll take the aluminum one anyday over that other piece of junk. Sealed is to prevent hydrogen from blowing it up in the car, metal is to prevent it from riping free and clocking you in the head in an accident. I'll be using some HUGE washer to help distribute the weight in mine just in case and it WILL be vented correctly. Probably run a sealed battery too just in case.

I've got those glass bumpers - painted body color too. They are indeed easy to mount but pretty flimsy too. I'm not sure a pipe inside them would add much to the strength in an accident as the mounts are a joke from a strength standpoint too. I've pretty much resolved myself to the rear being a crush zone with the hope that the fuel cell doesn't turn me into a Pinto style Challenger experience! I've got foam in it but no bladder and the sump just peeks under the rollpan. The previous bumper was tapped once or twice, I've got the dents in the rollpan from it to prove it (grr). Those dents are VERY obvious now that I've got the new bumpers on the car (sigh). I intentionally didn't have the rollbar extended back there on my chassis guy's advice - he didn't want the car that rigid in an accident. It shouldn't crush past the strut towers...

I wonder... perhaps a block of some material could be bolted to the stock holes and accept th suds from the back of the R230? If there was a gap and the holes didn't line up this might work? Or perhaps mount something on the back if simply extra holes are needed that could tie in the new holes with the old? Bolts through the old, through a plate, and bolted - studs through the new holes, throughthe plate, and bolted? Am I making sense? Just sort of thinking out loud, this swap sounds like it would be a real help to us all if it could be documented like the R200 sawp is. No more clutches to wear out in the diff, just change the viscous fluid to get it stiffer or not. That would be most cool!

8.8's with 3.27 came in Mustangs with an Auto and was an option I think - 3.08 was stock. I don't know what the 'birds used but swapping the gears would cost you about $150 labor, getting a set of used 3.27 gears would be cake. 3.08 is also probably not hard to find. If you'd like I'll try to find some, still need to measure an 8.8 for you - is raining and yucky here right now though (sigh). Lemme' know - I'll do what I can to help.

Pretty neat! And yes, that's certainly a TT RX7, I recognize that dashboard Looks like it pretty much bolted in too, I'll bet we could do that if there was any benefit. You'd have to do some work on the strut tube obviously but it would give you SOME room. More suspension compliance and shock travel along wiht less weight on the wheels. Hrm! Kind of a neat setup IMO but keep the kiddies fingers away and hope nothing breaks to shoot a spring up front! Ouchie!

Ya' know - I've been seeing people talk about grounds being important and haven't paid too much attention. I keep putting it off etc. thinking it wasn't THAT big a deal... Ouch, yeah it is! Never thought about what might happen with a fuel line being the only ground either - WOW that's scary! Thank you for the reminder, I'll try not to duplicate your mistake!

Ah, thanks - you've given me some ideas on mounting it! Taurus fans in the yards are indeed cheap, I think I may scope one out. The Cobra fan is what I wanted ans I ended up just sort of falling into this one for next to nothing. I'll fiddle with it and see if I can get it mounted, if not a Taurus fan it might well be! Anyone that's running one - can you please comment on how it mounts? This is an area that really needs to be better documented IMO. I think we can all agree that an OEM fan like a Taraus or Cobra blows more air and is more reliable but documenting how to mount and wire one would be really helpful for those that come after us. Sealing it is also VERY important. Air will take the path of least resistance - like water - and flow right around that puppy. Lone, check yours - sealing might allow you to keep that radiator if it's not already sealed. I've put more pics of mine up. The top of the filler peeks up just a bit - can the radiator stick up over the top frame and not hit the hood? We'll see. For nw I'm letting thipart sit while I get the turn lights setup and gauges wired in. I've YET to hear from Autometer on my speedo' IF I don't have mail waiting for me tonight I'll simply wire this one in, don't want to wait!

Not the same BLKMGK - not ever seen another one tho'. Magnet looked liek one of those cheapo' ones from Radio Shack - not the nice rare earth ones I've got kicking around. Crate and trans case were in GOOD shape, no marks. Still, something must have shocked it at some point. Poured some fluid through it tonight, when it's done dripping tomorrow I'll stick another magnet in there and see if anything else dropped down. I've got a few more quarts to pour through too - I'll try to remember to cap the tailshaft next time (ahem). If anyone has seen inside a T56 and can tell me where th echip magnet is located I'd appreciate knowing. I THINK it's close to the drain plug so maybe it's not been floating around in there - let's hope so!

Got an E-mail from Discount - should have the wheels and tires in 3-4 business days! Oh yeah, I'm all aquiver Pics as soon as they show up!

To keep the fronts from locking you use less pressure on the pedal You want to reduce the pressure to the rear in order to prevent the lighter end from locking up too quickly. Pete - how did you remove the prop valve? Did you simply gut it? I'd intended to run the setup "as-is" before taking any steps to change the behaviour.... Do the stock brakes have a residual valve too? i noticed something in th eback that looked liek it might be such a thing but had never seen anyone mention it...Thanks!

Been awhile since I've done the RoyGBiv stuff and my memories of electronics are pretty dim so I've got to humble myself and ask - If I've got an LED that can accept a max input of 3.7 and a supply voltage of say 14volts - what size resistor must I use? The same goes for 2.1volts. I visited Radio Shack today looking for LEDs for my turn signals, brake light, and high beams. Naturally they were out of stock on quite a few things but I was able to pickup some gree, some red, and surprise surprise a BLUE LED! The blue one has a much higher output than the others so hitting the brights shoudl be interesting. It MIGHT even be suitable for gauge illumination - we'll see. Right now I've got to get a resistor in line before I can try it. I bought a jumo assorted pack of carbon film 1/2watt resistors that ought to do the trick. Mind you I've forgotten how to read the color bands on the resistors and which leg is anode and if it should be ground or not. (ahem) 13 years of not having to use this knowledge has created some serious rust. Help on this would be appreciated and I'll be sure to post results for others! Now then - mount them on top of the dash, on top of the steering cover, or pierce the crappy cracked dashpad near the gauge mounts to insert them from the side? I'm leaning towards the steering cover for ease of access. I've figured out which is the gauge lighting (redblue stripe) and which is brakehigh beam - hint, the highbeam harness won't reach the brake hole on the gauge. Now I've just got to puzzle out left and right blinker lights (lol). 5050 chance I'll get it right unless some wiring diagram I've got calls it out... P.S. Mini shift light is going where the VIN tag is - no holes needed.

Been awhile since I'd looked at your site Pete - took a look tonight and spotted your fan pics. Most cool! Where did the aluminum come from for the top piece - hardware store I ASSume? Ears on the fan - they look plastic - yes? Can you tell me the source please? Your install came out VERY clean, I'd be happy (and lucky) to come close to that level with my own.

I look at safety rules this way... they're there probably due to someone learning a lesson the hard way. Yeah, the blue Moroso box "shouldn't" pass tech - most tracks will ignore it though. Just realize it may clock you in the head during an accident. Ever talked to someone that walked away from a rollover? A friend of mine told me that after yo get hit in the head for about the 4th time by a McDonald's cup you vow to never let crap pile up in the backseat again! Even a sealed battery is supposed to be in a sealedvented box, silly maybe, but that's the rule I believe. To be 100% sure snag an NHRA rulebook or try to find it on the WEB. Almost went with the polymer valve covers myself but really liked the GM cast ones. Darius has those on his car, very sharp. I ended up with the Granatelli sheet metal units instead However they failed to send the ARP studs to mount them so they are not YET on the car. GRR! I also need to have a filler TIGged in and a PCV too. I think they will look good but make mounting spark plug wires a PITA. Straight PCV or get one of those bulbous "vents" with PCV inluded?

I'm 100% sure that the fragments I pulled out were from a magnet. That much I'm sure of. My qorry is that pieces might have been floating around in there sticking to anything they could find - ouch! I'm also pretty sure that the T56 has a chip collector magent - many trannies do. This has got to be from that, thankfully I didn't find a tn of shiny stuff attached to the magnet pieces while I was at it - THAT would've beemn worrisome. What color is synchromesh BTW? The little dribble of fluid that came out was nearly black and was just the dregs from the bottom of the trans. It might never have been changed, that would be no surprise I'll see what the fluid I run through it looks like, I'll try to do that tonight.

Problem with cams is the way the stock ones are made - as I recall they have formed lobes that are slid over a tube and then the tube is expanded to hold tem in place. It's not the old standard of grinding a shaft anymore. There's also some fear that the motor is simply super complicated. The chains on the DOHC motor are a mile long (unless I'm mixing it up with the SHO). When they first came out I wondered if my friend's shop would even work on them. Sure enough he plunged right in and even tore his completely apart for a heavy duty rebuild - finding two bent rods and a cracked piston when he did. They're apparently not so bad to work on, he loves the intake design. However there are more aftermarket companies doing work on SOHC parts vs DOHC parts due to the abundance of the SOHC - bummer. Me, I think I'll wait till they don't cost quite so much

If the steering has too much boost there are some ways to slow the response depending upon the pump and rack used. Street rods run into this problem all the time and a solution can be found using their tech I'd think.

Umm, I've hammered off the interally keyed ones with a socket too! Just have to find a quality socket that almost fits and Whack! you're done.... I'm going to go for some sort of splined lug nuts all around I think, of course now that I want them I'm not seeing ads for them.