Dave240Z

That's too much work, simply take pics of them in-tact sitting in the trash. That would get to him because they'd still be good yet you would be throwing them away.

This is not all that surprising, especially in the bay area where there are large amounts of immigrants from all over the world where this type of negotiating on price is commonplace. Try going to the flea market sometime and see how things are bought/sold, it's quite interesting. My in-laws run a dash cover business there and when I help them on occasion (mostly during the summer) I always get "lowballed" on things but I understand it's just how most of the world buys things and move on. In the end, it's not necessarily about price (although anyone would love to get something for nothing) but about the actual negotiation process and the feeling that they were able to wrangle out a better deal because of it. Ironically enough, some of the things at the flea market are actually MORE expensive than if you bought them at a regular store. You can see this on Ebay as well when people bid more for items than what they retail. That said, I think this guy was looking at this from the perspective that he didn't need the parts, hence he didn't want to pay but was willing to take them off your hands; hence he was doing you a favor. Ultimately it was for you to decide whether getting them out of your garage was worth giving them away. Obviously, that's not the case but the guy had nothing to loose by asking other than your refusal to give him parts he didn't really want anyway. I wouldn't be particularly insulted by this unless he kept haggling me about it. You can see this type of thing quite often actually, when you see old appliances or other household items in front of a house with a "FREE" sign on them. Basically, it's worth it to the owner to get rid of the parts for FREE to save on what would otherwise cost them something in terms of an ad in the paper, disposal fees, etc....So, even though the taker isn't necessarily paying the person anything, they are giving them something in the form of saved money, time, effort, etc....Whether or not that makes it worth your while depends on what those things are worth to you.

Not that this helps any, but I have successfully carried a bare L6 engine block several hundred feet by myself. I've also carried many V-dub air-cooled (magenesium) cases around, but still have a scar on my right leg to this day since I dropped on from improperly securing it to the engine stand where it nearly landed on my foot scraping my leg in the process. I guess the moral of my story is that even though you COULD lift it by yourself somehow doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD lift it by yourself. It would be far safer for both you and the block if someone else was around to help.

29, knocking on 30s door. Although I can still pass for early 20s if I try, at least as far as looks are concerned. Behaviour on the other hand, well that's an entirely different subject.

There is a taper for a reason, just as most modern intake manifolds are tapered it is to maintain good velocity and to help promote even air distribution to all cylinders. Take a look at any modern intake manifold where the inlet is at one end and the air has to travel all the way down to the other end to reach the last cylinder, they're all tapered in some fashion. Heck, even the stock 280Z/ZX FI manifold is tapered for the exact same reason. There are exceptions to this, mostly because the inlet has moved to the center of the manifold such as in the BMW I-6 engines so the velocity and even air distribution are inherently more equal. Still, internally there are deflectors molded into the manifold to help keep the air moving to the right places. Also, the airbox was not designed by TWM from what I've heard but was a joint project with some customer/company to develop a "universal" cold air box. The backing plate is simply drilled to fit based on the application, i.e. Jaguar 4.2, Datsun, etc.... Also, with regard to their intake manifold fitment (or lake thereof), remember that TWM is in the business of fitting ITB (Individual Throttle Body) onto cars, not carbs and the areas where the Weber's do not fit is not a problem for the ITBs. However, if they are to market the manifold as suitable for carbs (which they do), then it would have been wise to do some dry fits to make sure there weren't any interference issues. Just my .02.

AS - Mechanical Engineering BS - Industrial Engineering w/ Int'l Business Minor Currently work as ME at a Semiconductor Equipment company. Also serve as the CAD Administrator for ProE and ACAD, setting up databases, configuring computers, etc....

Is there any way of getting new blanks madeup? I have the original "Z" key as shown in the pic above but would love to have a backup copy. I know you can use a generic blank, but having a new key using a new "original" blank would be cool. I suppose keys blanks are stamped using a die. I guess someone would have to find the die Nissan used to make more original blanks. Any thoughts?

North San Jose here, running Rebello 3.0L n/a

Best of luck to you man, I hope it all works out.

I believe John is right, there is potential for that to happen. And, software is a BIG part of this, because modern cars just don't operate without it. Heck, my Passat has no less than (3) separate computers which communicate via a CANBUS network! I still think there is potential good from this bill though. Maybe sharing my personal experience I went through with our 2000 Passat will help others understand why the modern car owner is "held hostage" by the manufacturers. At ~25K miles, our car threw a CEL, with the in-dash computer displaying "Emissions Workshop". Car ran fine, but having an ominous CEL staring at you doesn't put you (or more importantly, your wife) at ease. Of course my wife asked me to see what was wrong. OK, well all it says is "Emissions Workshop", can it be any more vauge? Rather than display the error code, VW simply displays "Emissions Workshop". I looked it up in a Haynes manual (the best I could find/afford) and it listed no less than 300 possible error codes for "Emissions Workshop". Oh JOY! Of course, the only people that can "read" the error codes are the technicians at the dealer who have access to the necessary equipment which amounts to a connector and some diagnostic software. On top of that, the dealer charges a flat $75 "diagnostic fee" which amounts to plugging their "computer" and downloading the code; a 5min. process at best. I also don't have the option of really going to any non-dealer since the equipment required to diagnose the problem is so expensive, hence nobody has it. Sort of why you don't see dyno's installed at every shop. Also, since most people are "forced" to go to the dealer with any problem because of the reasons I stated above, they are also "forced" to use the dealer to perform the repair. So I ask, is this fair? Refusing to be held "hostage", I did some research and I ended up finding a co-worker (who's also into V-dubs) who had a VAG-COM (http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/) This is a product that is sold to allow people to access their VAG car and diagnose problems and make minor adjustments. It does not amount to rewriting software, it simply allows a user access to pre-defined parameters. Sort of like how you have access to Windows as a user to configure and modify the program to suit your tastes, but not enough access to allow you to alter the source code. With this "tool", we were able to download the error code, which told me a coolant sensor was out of range. Turns out, this is a known defect in these cars. Went to the dealer, paid my $7 for a sensor and O-ring and replaced it myself in 1 hour, problem solved. Other people, who are not so lucky have spent $300 for the same fix; $75 diagnostic + $7 part + $200 labor + taxes. Again, seem fair? Do you want to have to pay $300 to have a SENSOR replaced? All that said, I don't think people realistically expect manufacturers to divulge their entire software program, but they should at least make some manuals, diagnostic software available i.e. VAG-COM (for a price) to the masses so they can perform basic work on the car. Ultimately letting the people decide WHOM they will have work on their car without being forced to go to the manufacturer for everything.

Would I be wrong if I was guessing that Forrest doesn't own a newer car? Because, if you did and you had a problem which forced you to go to the dealer I think you might sing a different tune.

Found this on the web today. Right now, there is legislature in the federal congress that would require all OEM's to provide ALL necessary info and tools to repair your car be available to the public at a reasonable cost. HR 2735, known as the "Motor vehicle Owners' right to repair act, can substantially increase the amount of info you can actually get. It would basically allow you to have access to EVERY bit of info the dealers now have about how to repair your car. Visit http://www.righttorepair.org for more info and a current list

Here are the pics. Sorry if they're a bit blurry but my digicam is hard to keep focused. Hopefully, these will give you an idea of how things go together. Overall setup of the linkage, using TWM hardware... View of the shortened firewall throttle linkage... View of the throttle linkage firewall adapter... View of the custom starter circuit blockoff plate...

I can help a bit here, things can be made to work if you can stand a little customizing. I'll get to that later. One thing is certain though, the TWM manifold is certainly not a direct bolt-in affair without certain adapters and some customization. You might try contacting TWM directly as they usually ship an "adapter kit" with this manifold to make everything line up, but maybe TEP didn't include this with the "kit" they sent to you. Nevertheless, the fact that TEP is not helping doesn't bode well for their business. They did sell the product to you, and it has serious problems. Ultimately, TWM is responsible for the manifold fitment but since TEP sold the unit to you, they should be responsible and give you a refund and/or a solution and then TEP should complain to TWM for the fitment problems and work with them to solve them. The problems are so obvious with this manifold that it would be impossible for TEP to not know about them. Since TEP is apparently taking the stance that they don't think there's a problem, this either means A) they have never even assembled this product before and/or they know there's a problem but are choosing to ignore it. In the end, it doesn't really matter since they look bad no matter what. I'd love to see someone from TWM or TEP look me in the eyes and tell me there isn't a problem with this manifold. OK, enough ranting on to the solutions.... Again, another known issue with the TWM manifold. You can either get an adapter to move the linkage on the firewall ~1/2" closer to the passenger side, or drill new holes in the firewall to locate the linkage ~1/2" closer to the firewall. I chose to use the adapter since this will allow me to return to stock should the need arise without any extra holes leftover. Again, another known issue with the TWM manifold. The solution is to either grind down the manifold with a dremel, or even mill out the interfering portion. You can also remove the cold-start valve entirely if you do not need it (I never have in 5+ years of driving in CA w/ Webers) and replace it with a shorter "block-off" plate. I promised a pic earlier and will deliver but it's getting hard since the sun is setting earlier each day and I haven't been getting home from work until ~7pm. I'll try again tonight though. Not quite sure I understand what you mean, but you can either bend the linkage back to a position where it allows full travel or return the carb for a refund since it is defective. I don't remember if they use metric or standard bolts, but I do know you can get SAE standard types if you go to the hardware store. I was able to find some at OSH without much hassle. You can also cut off the unnecessary length and then run a die over the screw to clean up the threads. Mine bolted to the engine without too much hassle, no more than any other manifold I have assembled. Can you elaborate a bit on why it doesn't fit? Better yet, any pics? Don't worry, it will...it just seems like it won't. Here's a pic of my old triple setup that I ran for years with no problems. My old Cannon manifold is for sale if you decide to 86 the entire TWM setup thing.

The interference of the starter choke circuit and the TWM manifold is a known issue. Ultimately, TWM is at fault since the manifold is incapable of accepting the Weber DCOE carb as specified. I e-mailed them once before regarding this and would suggest you do as well. That said, TEP is selling this as a kit and has obviously never fitted the parts together, because it is obvious from the get-go that there is interference. In that sense, they are liable are should either offer you a complete refund, or pay for the rework required to make the parts fit. Personally, I have given up on parts fitting correctly with the Z as quality seems and fitment seem to be a thing of the past. I've had issues with everything from my MSA airdam to the TWM manifold to the sway bar bushings. All of these required some sort of rework to make fit. I usually don't complain too much, but when you're spending good $$$ on things just to get parts that don't fit/work, things get irritating real fast. As a solution, I removed the starter circuit from my carbs and machined a block to replace the starter circuit. Since the car is only driven in the warmer months, and since I live in good ol' Kalifornia I really don't need a starter circuit. I now have no interference and the end result actually looks a bit cleaner anyway so it sort of worked out nicely. I'll try and take some pics tonight of the car so you can see exactly what I'm talking about.

haha, that's awesome. Wonder if it feels more comfortable that way?

Agreed!!

I agree with what "strotter" states in principle, tax isn't necessarily a bad thing but I do see a few misconceptions at least when viewed from how I understand things. I agree that high taxes do not necessarily equate to socialism or any other form of government but if the money collected from those high taxes is misappropriated and spent in a foolish manner then there is a problem hence the reason CA has gone from a record surplus to a record deficit in record time. I can assure you that as a homeowner in CA, I pay quite a bit in taxes each year. Just sit and think about how much tax we pay each year, it's frightening when you consider what you get in return. For example, I pay income tax, property tax, sales tax, gasoline tax, not to mention fees such as vehicle registration (which has quadrupled). Given all this money, you'd think I'd get to see a lot of improvements from such an investment...couldn't be more wrong. The problem, as I see it is quite complicated but can be traced to a few key areas. 1) REVENUE MISAPPROPRIATION - CA collects plenty of taxes, but virtually none of those taxes are actually spent where they should be. For example, you'd think that my property tax would go directly to the schools in my neighborhood to provide an education for my children living there or to maintain the pavement around my neighborhood. WRONG. This tax is collected by the state and slumped in with 95% of all other taxes into the big black hole we call the "general fund". So, in essence the $6K (yes $6,000) I spend each year in property tax doesn't go towards ANY property, neighborhood or school in my zip code, nor my county. How is that fair? Gasoline tax is another crock, because with amount of revenue generated by gasoline tax alone, we should be able to pay for resurfacing CA roads nearly every year. However, once again this goes into the "general fund" where it is quickly and efficiently spent on something entirely else. As it stands today, CA has the worst roads IN THE NATION even though millions upon millions are collected in gas tax each year. I won't go any further with this, as it should be obvious that although we pay taxes for things such as property, gas, etc...almost none of that revenue is actually spent on what it was generated from. 2) INEFFICIENCY - A recent statistic I came across stated that CA spends the equivalent of $12K/yr on each child in the education system. Yet, with this much money available, we can't even keep the schools painted, let alone put a decent book in a childs hand. On the other hand, a private school with a yearly tuition of $5K/yr can offer a child an EXCELLENT education. This indicates to me that more money isn't the solution, but rather how it's spent. If anything, we shouldn't have to spend $12K/yr on a child to get an education when there are plenty of private schools offering superior educations for less than 1/2 the cost. Case-in-Point: A co-worker of mine has a 11yr old boy who was attending a public school. He was quickly put into a private school once his parents realized, among other things that his History textbook was last printed in 1963. That's 40yrs old folks!!! They're now paying $5K/yr in tuition and he actually has current books AND good teachers with a clean school. Imagine that! 3) TOO MANY PROGRAMS - Sure, the governement should provide some sort of programs for the citizens but too many programs just create a wasteful and inefficient beaucracy such as we have today in CA. For example, CA has (5) energy agencies. Each one has a "CEO" that makes the equivalent of $200K/yr. Sure, I won't argue that CA needs AN energy agency, but (5)?!? What about CALTRANS work? I'm sure we all know quite well how efficient these guys can be. It's quite obvious when there are (5) people standing and (1) doing something. Let alone how private buildings can get built rather quickly, yet for State employees to do the same work it takes 5 or even 10X as long and costs 10X as much. My opinion is that much of this needs to be privatized. Nobody will really lose their job as the private companies will need the workers, but with competition in place, these companies will have to be competitive and with incentives for finishing early you can be stuff would get done much quicker and with far less waste. 4) POOR LEADERSHIP - The leaders of this great state have become too chummy with outside businesses and too concerned with pleasing everyone so they can keep getting elected. We need people who want to lead this state for the people, not their own interests. We also need leaders who are willing to take responsibility for both their actions and their mistakes both of which Davis has proven time and time again that he is incapable of. In the end, I believe I will be voting for Arnold as will my wife. My reasoning is simple: 1) He's an immigrant - This means that the Governor's office is as high as he can go politically, unlike others who always have their eyes and minds on the step above theirs. 2) He's successful - He has enough money stashed away that he doesn't even need to work another day to live well. Therefore, no compensation or outside influence is really going to be able to sway him. 3) He's inexperienced - Some people consider this a negative thing, I think it's good and here's why. Since he's inexperienced, he has to surround himself with a group of people to advise him as to what is the right action to take. Being inexperienced, my hope is that he will try to educate himself and ask a lot of questions which may help root out some of these "snowballers" who try and manipulate things for thier own gain. OK, enough for now...I'll get off my soapbox now. Cheers, Dave

Now that Ahnuld is in, Issa bowed out, crying no less. Issa is out

I just tuned a set of 40DCOE w/ 36mm chokes on a friends car with a very similar build setup. It works beautifully, and throttle response is instantaneous. In all honesty, he's probably down a few hp compared to a 45DCOE with 38 or even 40mm chokes but the car is a lot more trackable on a daily basis. I'd recommend the same setup for you, unless you plan on getting more crazy in the future. Think of it like this. 40s are for L24-mild L28s and 44 and up are for wild L28-strokers. Whatever you do, be careful of overcarbing, as you'll just end up with a boggy setup that doesn't perform well.

Going on 7 myself. Was my daily driver for 4 years until I finally retired her to weekend duty.

Funnily enough, I did try that. Didn't quite work out as I had hoped. I did find a solution that works reasonably well though. I am using paint thinner, which when rubbed onto the rubber seems to take care of the problem. Due to it's solvent nature, it also removes a nice layer of oxidation and helps renew the rubber a bit. It's amazing how cheap the respray on this car was, it's almost like they just drove the car through a paint booth.