alsil

Isn't that the same body style as the 240sx over here?

I have never heard of Nissan having a V-8. What is that out of? Al

wait a minute, that's a CIVIC??!?!? DAMN!!!

I can't even tell what kind of car it is. Now THAT'S bad.

That ruled. Haven't had a laugh that good in along time! Thanks Alex!

Actually the site and all the stuff that has been up will not move. I am leaving it up so that people can use the info. I might clean it up a bit, but that's about it. All the pics, numbers, and tech info stays. I still make the crossmembers, and will as long as there is demand, and as long as we can make them. Thanks! Al

Actually I sold my Z a month ago to a guy on the HybridZ site. I didn't want to be in a bind just in case I needed the money right away. Projects come and go, people don't. Thanks for all the support. Alex - I have plenty of webspace, thanks for the offer though. Thanks AL

Hey everybody! Thanks for all teh support you have given my family through this crazy time. Thought I would give you guys an update. My son has now had 3 of his 8 chemo treatments. So far he's been pretty tough, still playing with his friends, running around and not getting sick much. He's has a few side effects, and it does bother him a bit, but he's a tough kid and seems to be keeping a good attitude about it. The fact that all the doctors have told him he'll be cured has helped him a lot too. The insurance thing is still getting worked out, but looks like most of the battle is over. The Doctors don't seem to be submitting the paperwork like they should, so we keep having to call Stanford and push. Better than paying the $7k it's up to right now! My insurance for my work will cover 100% after July 9th, so we only have a few hundred to take care of before then, and after Sept 1st, the insurance will only pay 90%, but that's still WAY better than what it could have been. Still going to be some money, but I have my Z money stashed for whatever happens. Whatever is left over pays bills and gets saved for the next project someday. My son's health is my first priority, but I can't say I haven't thought about another project .....! Thanks for all your good words and support. My site is staying up, and all the tech info will stay up as long as I have the space. Also, my email is still up......and I keep checkin' HybridZ every day....gets in yer blood! Take care everyone, Al

I dunno about those numbers, that would make it almost as long as a BB Chevy and about 1" narrower..... The small block Ford is 29" long from end of water pump to flywheel, 24" wide, and about 28" tall depending on the oil pan, intake (EFI vs. Carb). It's all in one of the Ford Motorsport catalogs I have. They are longer than the SBC but narrower. Makes some swaps (like the Toyota 4x4 swap) tougher because of the length. They make a shorter Explorer water pump that gives you 3/4" more room. The DOHC 4.6 is as big as the old SOHC 426. HUGE. I think there was a thread in this section about this swap a while back, check the search and see what they had to say. Thanks AL

Stock - type shorty headers won't work on a Z, unless you have the engine mounted in SCCAMike's position...which is a few inches lower than mine. the collectors hit the frame rails on both sides, by about 1/4" or so. I used a block hugger on one side, and a HIGHLY modified tubluar shorty on the driver's side....pretty much for steering shaft clearence. If I had it to do over I would just put a U-joint in the shaft and use the block hugger. I would think the stock steering shaft might work ok with a hugger, has anyone tried it? Al

Guys, I appreciate your generosity, but for now i'd like to see how it's going to go, the bills haven't even really STARTED to roll in, so I have no idea what will be covered and how much it will be. My son starts treatment tomorrow (chemo). They haven't said exactly what the treatment length will be yet, but less than 6 months. They are thinking like 3, but you never know. It was caught early, so he will be fine after all the treatments. I would like to leave the moeny you guys are collecting and if it winds up that I have enough, I would like HybridZ to use the money for something to go towards the site, like webspace or something that will benefit the site. I appreciate you guys all chipping in, and would like it to be used for a good cause either way. Thanks! I'll update you more in a week of so. HybridZ Rules. Al

Wow. I am totally floored at the response you guys have given. I appreciate the offer for the money. I don't think it's really necessary right now, but I know the Z has to go.....it's just that who knows how long this will go on, and I would rather be secure that I will be able to take care of my son and have the money for anything that happens. My main focus is making my son feel better about all this and seeing that it just all works. We're going down to the Bay Area tomorrow night to spend the weekend with him and family, hoping to help him feel better. It will be nice to see my family also. I will let you know how things go. Thanks for all the support you guys have given. We really appreciate it, but please don't worry about collecting money. Thanks Al

Well Guys, the last couple of weeks has been pretty screwed up. I have been trying to stay this off for a while, but under my current circumstances, I don't have a choice. About 6 months ago, my son started devloping some lumps in his neck. Took him to 2 doctors, who said that they would go away, and that we should keep an eye on them. Well, 3 months went by, and they got bigger. We took him back, the doctor gave him more medicine, and it seemed to help. After a month or so of this, he got worse, getting fevers, always tired, etc.....so we took him back. The Doctor sent him to a specialist, who immediately sent him in to take a biopsy of his lymph node. About 2 weeks ago, we found out my son has Hodgekins Lymphoma. This is rare kind of cancer that attacks the lymph nodes, putting it simply, a white blood cell that should have died and stopped growing gets stuck in the Lymph node, and continues to grow. So far he has been doing well with all the tests, and seems to be handling it well. The doctors say he will make a full recovery, he's going to Stanford, and they say he couldn't be in better hands. Problem is, all these tests are costing a fortune, plus the insurance was hassling me so much when I first set it up, I lost a month and a half of coverage for him, so my killer new insurance from my work won't cover him until at the earliest September (They consider it a pre-existing condition since he had a related doctor's visit before my new insurance started...). So now I'm strapped to 30% of all expenses, and have already paid over $900 for deductable, payments, etc. To make a long story short, I really have no choice but to sell my Z. My son comes before my car. So I will be starting a thread in Buy / Sell / Trade for my Z. I really don't want to part with it, especially since I finally go the carb dialed, and it's been running killer. I'll still be selling crossmembers, and maybe someday I'll grab another 240 and set it up. But priorities now are not leaning toward a Z. Thanks for all your help and advice from all the years I have been on this site. Hopefully I can still contribute. Thanks Al

I have the 5-7 lb pump. Use a regulator. Also I hope you like the sound of BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Because that's what mine sounds like, even with a decent exhaust note and insulation. Do yourself a favor and put a rubber line between the steel line going up to the frame and the pump, and between the pump and the tank. It will vibrate the whole car. Al

I have always been confused by this, so I gotta ask to get the real scoop. If the mixture is too rich, the car will run hotter.....right? My car runs cool except when I'm going up hill for a while or really stepping on it. I know the water pump and radiator are working great, it cools off pretty fast after I let off. I have never been sure whether a lean condition will make you run hot, or a rich one. Any ideas? Al

Man, I'll stick with my '95 5.0 motor!!!! DAMN! Had no idea they were so fragile. DAMN!!!

Hmmmmm..... with my mount, you CAN slide the engine forward, there is plenty of clearance, but I would do it only enough to clear the extra length you need. As far as I know, guys are running 10's with slightly modified AOD's, so I don't know if the 700R4 is really needed, but ifyou already have it and the adapter, then go for it. The only drawback to sliding the engine forward is more weight will be over the front wheels, but the 302 is MUCH lighter than the stock motor, so you will still retain handling, at least a little better than stock weight dist. You might also have some steering shaft interference because of the engine being farther forward, but maybe 1/8" to 1/4" less.... That's all I can think of, any more questions go ahead and email me at zcar@netdojo.com. thanks! Al

Been a busy couple of weeks. Got a new job, working lots of hours doing the new and the old job. Finally got to ripping apart my Z to get the water pump off. Took it off, water pump shaft broke in half. Spin it and the impeller doesn't move. The bearings were good, nice and smooth, not loose at all. Figures. that's the first time that's happened to me. Weird. Oh well, that's the way it goes. slapping on a new pump will take care of it. It's never what it seems with this car, it's always something wierd and out of the ordinary. It will be great to get this on the road again. Hopefully out at the track pulling 13's. Al

WATER PUMP Can't believe it. Just got it not too long ago. Thing's not pumping water at all. The reason my temp gauge went up so fast is that when I hit the gas ont eh freeway the water sloshed back and the cold water that had been sitting in the heater hose fitting (where the sender is located) was quickly replaced with boiling water. Was warming up the car and noticed that the water didn't drop when I hit the gas in the open radiator. Crap. Oh well, there's another $100! Mystery Solved. Al

Yea, you're probably right. When I was stopping the car that one day, every time I heard a wierd clicking from the vacinity of the heater core.... I'm thinking it may be water boiling in teh core, and when I stop, the water moves forward and the boiling makes the clicking sound..... Gonna fill the car up, runt he car with the heater on (so the water circulates) stop it, top it off.....repeat..... thanks! Al

yea, makes sense....although I would worry about it, just that it's been used and I've had problems, but since it did open.... Thanks Al

Update 4/21/03: Pulled the thermostat housing. No crud behind it. Boiled the hermostat. It opened fine. Water pump seems fine, hell, it's only got maybe 5k on it. So my options now are to fill 'er back up, make sure there are no air pockets, and see what happens. Gonna get a new thermostat anyway, just to play it safe. Al

ok, sounds reasonable. I'm going to pull the thermostat anyway, just to make sure that's ok, and there isn't a bunch of fretting behind it, then put it back on, and try belching the system like you suggested. Usually just filling up the radiator does the trick, but I guess sometimes from what you said it's common for air to get trapped. I had figured since Air is lighter than water, the water would just push it to the top...maybe in some places it can't (water jackets, back of the heads, etc....). thanks for the advice. Al

I did think about that, and I thought that if the thermostat has crud behind it (as lots of Fords have happen to them), it can stop the air from getting out...usually the air will get pushed up and out of the system through the overflow, but if there is crap blocking the vent hole in the thermostat.....Also, that might account for the 'all of the sudden' rising of the temp gauge, the air might have all of the sudden (from a bump or something) found a way out, and the water that had been heating up gets up to the top, makes the temp spike......maybe. the engine did cool off a little when I was on the way home..... Sounds like the good ol' hose it out trick is in order.......(You Ford guys gotta know that one!) Al

well based on this stuff, I will check my thermostat anyway, but I WILL clean the sensor and see if anything is wrong with it. I have the serpentine setup on my car, so the pulleys should all be fine. I am suspecting that there is a bunch of crud behind the thermostat, blocking water from passing. Not sure how all of the sudden the temp would spike...... This is why this car is killing me, it can't be easy stuff, no. Has to be 'What the Hell??!?!?!' every time. Thanks for all the input. Al