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zdlite

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About zdlite

  • Birthday 12/07/1941

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    Near: Bethpage, New York, United States

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  1. Hah. Looks like it only took me 3 years to get around to doing it but got the tach working. Turned out super simple. A $4 Chinee Nano knock off, a couple bucks Switec stepper motor, the same ones GM uses, an optoisolator that I had from an Arduino starter kit a small prototype board and two resistors. The thing is super stable now and I can easily adjust the level of filtering to smooth the response time. I was also able to calibrate it exactly I got lucky in that the stock tach had this nice aluminum cradle that mounted the circuit board easily. I had some left over brass screen door plates that I soldered to the stock cross piece than drilled and tapped to mount everything. I did build a tach signal generator out of a second Arduino that I used to debug this thing. Should prove handy to test and calibrate tachs in the future. One other nerd feature is the nano had multiple excess pins. If I wanted too I could easily hook up some different colored LED's inside the tach housing and make the tach change color with RPM. It would just take a few lines of code to add a shift light, although adding some sort of user interface to set the trigger point would be more work. So only $10 in parts and probably 200 hours of my time saved me from having to buy a whole set of Autometer gauges. Deal. Next project is a fan controller with a wifi link for external temp readings and fan set points.
  2. Speedhut makes quality stuff. I have their shift light with digital tach. But with the exception of the exhaust note my car looks totally stock. I even kept the stock shift knob when I made an offset shift lever. Also I'm not so sure about replacement gauges being easier and they definitely won't be cheaper. The Arduino stepper motor is going to be easier than I thought. Some guy already wrote a library of utilities to drive the Switec stepper motors. https://github.com/clearwater/SwitecX25 The Arduino can drive the units directly, no driver circuit needed. The web is full of code for digital tachs, just need to find the code to count the pulses and use that to drive the Switec library. Figure I can get a $14 Arduino micro and already bought 6 stepper motors off amazon for $14. All I need to do is mount the two together and build a sheet metal frame to mount it to the tach face. If you have ever had a stock tach apart you know what I mean. Will then need to calibrate the sweep into the code so the needle registers correctly. The web is full of Arduino code to make a pulse generator. Can use that as a tach driver to do the calibration, then verify it in the car with the Speedhut shift light/tach. Once I get it working can switch to an Arduino mini for $10 that is even smaller The Arduino can be powered right off the car 12V and the shaft on the stepper motor is bigger in diameter than the stock Datsun unit. That means the stock needle can be drilled out to work. Just need to find the time now. I'm telling you someone could make money converting stock speedos to work with electronic pulses.
  3. That LS2 vette pan was supposed to be the next great thing when it first came out. It has internal baffling that was said to be a huge improvement over the earlier LS1/Fbody stuff. Somewhere along the line the pan got a bad rep for oil starvation in hard turns. Opinions vary I've run one for 8 years now. It came with the crate motor.
  4. Man, 8 year old thread. The cut down bracket should work fine. I tried that at first but ended up having steering gear issues so went a different route. By the way the exact amount isn't quite 3/4 inch, it is actually 18 mm (~0.71") as per Holley's web site. 3/4 inch will probably work. http://documents.holley.com/199r10638rev2.pdf
  5. Wondering if anyone has replaced the guts of their stock tach with more modern innards. I have a carb'd LS2 and my tach cuts in and out above 4000 RPM. Does it with 2 different 280z tachs. I know it isn't the MSD box cause my speedhut shift light and LM2 tach adapter work fine. I've tried everything I can think of to fix it: pull up resistors, transistor based tach drivers, in line resistors, in line and shunt capacitors, powering tach right off the battery, etc. I even went so far as buying an inexpensive tach and putting the guts of it behind the stock face. That actually works but it doesn't match the range exactly so the reading is off. The next step is Autometer gauges, which has its obvious benefits, but I would have to do the whole cluster and figure out where to mount turn signal and high beam indicators. My idea is an Aurduino microcontroller and GM stepper motor. Will model what this guy has done https://www.tindie.com/products/TheRengineer/analog-gauge-stepper-breakout-board/ Figure I can complete replace the guts for $20 in parts. Should be easy to calibrate exactly and will have a modern response time. A slight side benefit is it might save a couple of pounds over the stock mechanical unit. If this works out my next project is adapting the stock LS2 temp sensor to drive the stock temp gauge as well as fan controller with adjustable hi/low set points and a warning light. From there seems like one could convert a stock speedo from cable to electronic pulse. Only problem there might be the odometer.
  6. Early Z cars has issues with under car turbulence slowing airflow through the radiator at speed. Datsun started installing chin pans as a fix, a pan that bolts on just under and behind the radiator. I guess it is possible that a cowl hood could disrupt under hood air flow patterns. None the less a chin pan might not be a bad idea.
  7. When I upgraded to new Nissan "Euro" springs on my stock engined 240 I expected the 1/2 or so lowering they claim comes with them. Instead the new springs raised the car about that much. Quite possible your existing springs are just worn out and need replacing. Be careful going with a tire over 25" tall. Guaranteed to cause rubbing at full lock in the front and depending on width can cause issues out back as well One last suggestion, coil overs will solve your problems. I resisted them for years (decades actually) but finally had to go to them to stop all the rear wheel well interference due to a high HP V8 and tires that are just too tall for the car. They are not hard to install and give you tons more options for spring rates, ride height and not to mention better tire clearance. Don't section your struts and all you need to do is grind off the existing perches and have a washer welded in place. Simple to do, a weekend task really, maybe $40 to get them welded at a shop if you don't weld. It is really really nice to be able to fine tune ride height with coil overs.
  8. It is a rheostat. Turning it "about" 45 degrees gets it "about" right. If you want it accurate, hook up a digital tach and fine tune it until they read the same. Actually one of the nicer features of the stock analog tach. Mine cuts out when I get above 3-4k RPM. Just drops to zero. I've tried two different tachs, adding a tach driver, adding a resistor, powering it right off a battery, everything I can think of. I even bought a $50 tach with approximately the same sweep and I'm experimenting with installing the guts from it into the stock housing. It use to work fine with the MSD 6012 box but is getting more and more intermittent. The cheapy aftermarket works so I know it isn't the ignition, but for some reason I can't get a stocker to work. Might try your capacitor trick. And I've sent enough money to Mike Knell that I don't think he will mind me passing on where the tach adjustment screw is. Nice guy, a very helpful member of the Z car community.
  9. It is pretty easy to reroute the brake lines for the larger MC. Just gently bend the hardline from the 4 way valve to the MC. I did the swap on my 240 in anticipation of upgraded calipers 20 some years ago. Ran that way with stock brakes for years and didn't notice any negative effects. Yes, in theory the larger bore requires more pressure, but it is not excessive. It also requires less pedal travel. If anything I got more consistent brake feel with the larger MC. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Stainless steel brake lines are a worth while upgrade, as is going to a larger diameter brake booster.
  10. It's up at the top in between the two light bulbs. If you look at the pic in Post #4 it is the hole in the metal casing in between the two bulbs with green and white wires. You can't see the screw, it is a little slot on the printed circuit board inside that hole. It is going to be touchy to get to it blind. Good luck.
  11. My motor sits maybe 1/2 inch from the firewall. I welded up the stock heater hose firewall holes and put in a bulkhead fitting right above the frame rail. Was pretty easy to splice 2 sets of stock under dash heater hoses together to get to the bulkhead fitting. The fitting has barbs inside the cabin and AN fittings on the outside. Standard 5/8" heater hose pushed right into the AN fittings with no drama.
  12. I have a carb under a stock 240z hood. The GM single plane is the shortest available intake. LIke Jon said a good half inch less tall than the dual plane. I run a 14" Moroso drop base air cleaner with 3" element and a 750 double pumper. With my homemade mounts I have enough clearance to run a 1/4 to 3/8 inch spacer/insulator. The 240 hood has a pretty good taper to it, so the key is getting the engine back as well as down. I got the engine so far back I moved the heater penetrations in the firewall to clear the starboard head and relocated the hood latch to the side to clear the 14 inch air cleaner. With Corvette accessories the front of the crank pulley is centered on the steering rack. I actually have to jack the front of the motor up an eighth of an inch to change the belt. Should also add I have I think a 1/8 inch spacer between the stock cross member and the body (ala JTR). Have to disagree with the comment about single planes not being good for a carb. GM puts them on their crate motors. Z cars can't really use a lot of low end torque making single planes a better match with a Z: trade some of the low end torque for more high end HP. It is a bit more of a challange to tune an old school double pumper with a single plane LS motor. But a few adjustments to the idle feed restrictor and air bleeds makes the carb as smooth as can be. The car pulls clean from idle. I can drive all day and never go above 2000 RPM and cruise in 5th gear by 35 mph. The newer Holley HP carbs have a different base metering and are a better fit for LS motors. The part about ring wash and engine life is true for cold weather starts, but who the F cares? Road salt means I don't drive much in bad weather. It would take me 25 years to put 100K on my zed. Synthetic oils means even a carb'd LS motor will live longer than a 60's muscle car motor did, so IDK about the 100K limit. By the way, I have yet to see another carb'd LS motor that fits under a stock hood. From what I read on here the John's Cars mounts definitely won't give the needed clearance. Can't speak for other kits, can only tell you what is working on mine.
  13. Tremec makes a number of different offsets handles. This article gives part numbers for offset links are available. http://www.mustangandfords.com/techarticles/drivetrain/mdmp_1008_tremec_t56_magnum_six_speed_manual_gearbox/ Hurst Blackjack, McLeod, Qwik Shift, Street and Performance plus many others make offset shifters. If you want to save some $$ it is pretty easy to weld a dog leg on the shifter handle. I fit a TKO in my zed with one I made myself. Bought a new trans back in 2006 for the same reason you don't want to buy a used 02 T56. The early transmissions had issues. If you get one that hasn't been rebuilt then sure as hell you had better budget for a rebuild. They greatly improved the transmissions through the years, with the magnum being a quantum leap over even the later models.
  14. I'm not sure what year your car is or if it differs from my early 240Z. But the way they have the ammeter wired the size of the alternator shouldn't matter. On my car the alternator wire goes to the left half of the fuse box. The majority of the electrical loads are fed off that side. From there a wire goes up through the ammeter and back to the right side of the fuse box. The right side of the fuse box powers stuff like emergency flashers / horn as well as the battery. So with the motor running the ammeter is only showing the current charging the battery and when the motor is off is measures battery current powering the accessories. The battery won’t draw any more current just because the alternator is bigger. Having said all that the smartest thing you can do is swap out the ammeter for a voltmeter. Easy to do. Basically just jumper the two big wires at the back of the ammeter then run a single voltage sensing wire to the voltmeter. I went a step further and added a junction box up near the radiator. I run the alternator to that. The junction box has 4 fuse circuits. One I run to the radiator fan relays, the second I run to the battery and the third I run to the fuse box. I took both wires from the fuse box (the old one that use to go to the alternator and the one that went to the battery) and spliced them together. That way I have two large gauge wires feeding the fuse box with zero battery current. Also running a wire straight from the alternator to the battery can overcharge the battery if you’re not lucky. Better to run it to a junction or starter lug then feed the battery off that. Here is a good link describing why this is beneficial http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/remotevoltagesensing.shtml Another advantage of a voltmeter is you get an idiot light for the charging ciruit. If you hook your alternator sense wire up to that you won't need the resistor. By the way, I didn't think Datsun used shunt resistors the way Chevy did. On my early 240 it is a straight ammeter measuring current to the battery.
  15. GM rated their carb'd LS2 crate motors at 440 HP. That is with 243 heads and a cam equivalent to the LS6. The single plane intake picks up a good bit of both top end and believe it or not low end power over the EFI stuff. so combine a carb intake with a slight cam upgrade and you will easily and cheaply exceed your power goals.
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