baddriver

I've been on this board about six years, and I am not at all surprised to see that there are dozens of engineers here. I might have even been able to guess who was an engineer based on the answers they give to posts. I am currently working as an electrical engineer, designing ECU software for an offroad diesel engine manufacturer. I've been an engineer for 2 years now, having spent 6 years as an environmental specialist when I got out of school, my degree is in physics. In our department, we have ME's working as EEs, EE's doing CE stuff, and CE's working as EEs. I agree that the degree you get does not lock you into a specific type of work, but it does give you a little advantage when trying to land your first position. After that, it's all about what experience you have. Do what you enjoy the most, and you won't go wrong.

Make sure the V8 Z still has the transmission mounts intact or else you will need to do some fabrication to get the z engine back into it. Many v8 transmissions do not fit with the datsun mounts, so they get cut out.

You've done a very good job of estimating the cost. I'm around 75% done with my conversion right now, and I'd say, for the things you've listed, you're right on. Now follow everyone's advice and double that, and you'll have a budget. As has been stated many times before, it's the little things that people tend to drastically underestimate. For instance, I notice there is no fuel pump on the LT1 path. A good pump will run you $100, then add standard fuel line ($30) high-pressure line (I used SS braided, with end fittings, around $50) in-line filter, wiring, a relay, crimp-on fittings, in-line fuses, and you've got at least $250 in parts in the fuel system. The list of little things is enormous, I spent $35 just on the bolts to install the JTR mounts, and of course, don't forget that you still need a standard chevy mount to actually connect it to the car (the JTR kit has the spacer and set-back plate, the mount is sold seperately) Most of these parts by themselves are inexpensive, but they just keep adding up. I started a similar list for my conversion, and when you include paint, sandpaper (you want your engine compartment to look nice, right?) wiring loom, holders, thermal insulation, etc, these things really can be a major component in your build. Oh, and fixing any leaks you find in that donor engine, replacing o2 sensors that were in the y-pipe (add $100 to the LT1 side for 02 sensors, you'll never get them out of the stock pipe with the threads intact) , oh, and....well, you know. I also noticed there were no headers on the list, the $ figure you used for "exhaust modifications" would have covered the cost of headers, but I think is pretty optimistic as far as a working exhaust system goes. I think you've done a great job estimating the cost of the major components, and that's a great start to a successful project. It's the minor parts that are hard to get a handle on. If you are lucky enough to have a good shop and a complete set of tools to start with, then that will also help greatly. Otherwise, plan on spending $1 on tools for every $1 on parts. Good luck with your conversion.

DSMTuners.com isn't really too bad, but they will pounce on you if you post pretty much anything. I've used that forum for a couple of years now, and you really don't need to post anything if you spend some time searching. There are a lot of idiots there, and the moderators know it, which is why they will attack pretty much anybody who posts a question that had already been answered. The mods have a tough job to do on that site, probably hundrededs of dumb questions a day to sort through. But if you have the patience, there is a wealth of information there as well. I've managed to build custom exhaust, upgrade my turbo & intercooler, install injectors, fuel pump, new 2g MAF sensor, and re-program the ECU all on a minimal budget with info from that site, and the yahoo DSM ECU group. Also check out http://www.vfaq.com for some great info. Self Promotion: I've had good luck hacking code and burning EEPROMs for my 1g talon, and would love to try out some 2g code. If anyone is interested in EEPROM editing on their 1g or 2g DSM, I am looking for the work. I can replace caps, socket ECU's and burn EEPROMs, just send me a note.

Is the car running or off at this point? If the car is off, it could be as simple as the reference voltage for the sensor is changing. When the car is running, you can count on about 14 volts from the alternator at all times, but when you are running on battery, you get around 12 volts, and if you have a load (like an electric fan and a set of headlights) you can get anywhere from 8-11 volts. It's true that the sensor changes resistance when the temperature changes, but it's the current, not the resistance, that makes the needle on the guage move. For a fixed resistance, if you change V in ohm's law, you get a change in I. The guage is calibrated for a specific voltage. If your guage reads normally when the engine is running, and only shows this behavior when the engine is off, it's probably fine. If the lights change the tempurature reading when you are running the engine, then you need to look for a voltage regulator problem or a bad ground. For reference, every time I've ever found an electrical problem causing absolutely weird, impossible nutty things, it's been due to a bad ground.

I've got a copy of that schematic at home, I don't remember the details, but I'll look at it. I'm pretty sure the FSM states that the oil pressure switch is used to power the fuel pump if the fuel pump relay fails. The PCM does continue to power the fuel pump relay when the engine is running, the oil pressure switch is a backup so a relay failure doesn't cause the car to die. It seems like a second relay would be a good idea, rather than powering the pump directly off the oil pressure switch. I'm not sure if a second relay was used on the original car.

This one says it all... "are ya sure they're actually racing? late model sportbikes will get to 60 in first and, even with an average rider, do it in 4 seconds" This is a case of someone taking off fast at a light, getting ahead of other traffic, and calling it a 'race.'

wingnutthehutt That's the movie! You could tell it was made by people who knew nothing about cars ("350 chevy, bored and blown" says the mechanic, then cut to the car, where you notice the suspicious lack of any type of forced induction....) but it was still less corny than F&F. And it had some good music. I think I've still got it on VHS, but no VCR, so I guess I won't be watching it any time soon.

Ahh, Two Lane Blacktop. People still remember that movie. While a little slow at times, it was a true to life story, people b.s-ing and in the end, nothing really happens. If that isn't true to life, I don't know what is. My favorite car movie is still "Catch Me if You Can," not the recent one with that twerp from Titanic in it, but a movie I remember being on Showtime in the nineties, I don't know if it was made for Showtime or something, but it was a fun movie. A high school drag racer gets cheated out of a bunch of cash, and his school helps him get it back. Cheesy, yes, but a couple good cars and a fun movie. There was another movie I remember, "The last Race" or something, I don't know the name any more, about a guy who was trying to escape a society that had outlawed cars, trying to get to somewhere a little less facist. Wish I could remember what it was called.

Thanks Grumpy!

I've never seen numerical values assigned to 'quench' before. I always thought it was just an abstract concept that had to be determined experimentally. I know that it is related to the shape of the compressed charge, and the bore / stroke ratio, but I don't really know what it is. Can someone tell me how it is measured/calculated and what are the variables involved?

In my younger days I tried all those things. Goop works well, dish soap is also OK, cleaning your hands in brake cleaner is definately a bad idea, especially if you're a smoker . Now that I'm an old man (turned 30 this year) I wear gloves, the leather 'mechanix' gloves work great and give me something I can ask for at xmas that people will actually buy me. You never have enough, since they are always filthy and I only get to use our washing machine for shop rags a couple times a year. But the best trick has got to be putting hand lotion on your hands BEFORE you work on the car. It fills in all those little nooks and cracks and makes it a lot easier to get your hands clean afterwords. If you must clean something with brake cleaner, clean the engine compartment before you put your hand in there.

I got a LT1 out of a manual tranny car, and it came with the flywheel. I'm going to use a t5 for my swap, and I've seen in at least a dozen places that the 305 TPI flywheel will work with the LT1 and the T5 combination, but the question I have is can I use the LT1 flywheel with the T5? Does any body know why I couldn't? I know I need to use the t5 clutch and slave cylinder since the t56 uses a pull type cylinder, but what about the flywheel? Will the t5 pressure plate bolt on and function? And while I'm at it, who is using a hydraulic throw-out bearing, and was it easier than using the stock camaro clutch? Thanks! Jeff E. Edit - After getting my hands on the t5 flywheel, the two are completely different thicknesses. No chance to use the t56 flywheel w/ the t5.

The mid 80's v6 camaro rad is a popular choice, the camaro v8 rad is too wide, but the v6 rad works pretty well. As pointed out above this is the one recomended by JTR, they sell it for a reasonable price, or you can pick it up local. I can check my book for exact year.