SleeperZ

It's an open source archive format. You should be able to find a free windoze application that can de-archive it.

You should already have the long nose R200, so that's good. Sounds to me like you may want to pay attention to the body/chassis integrity, maybe just make sure your car is solid, good shocks and tires, and renew the ball joints and suspension rubber. Unless the body/chassis is good, you'd be throwing away your money on coilovers... Oh, and by your description, you need a new differential mount, and possibly new mustache bar bushings.

Yes, that is the damper. I had to dig out a timing pointer for an L28, and it is very difficult to see and line up as it is very low on the right side of the engine. I really liked where the L28ET pointer was, higher on the left, you could rotate the distributor and watch the mark at the same time. Now I have intercooler piping and oil cooler lines in the way. I am going to find TDC and lower a pointer tip right to the damper TDC mark so at least I know where that one reference is.

Just a thought with the idle control. If it's running too rich (it is, about 11:1 at 1000-1100 rpm) perhaps that it why it won't tolerate a closed throttle. If I can get the fuel map more correct, maybe I'll be able to close the throttle, I have no experience with speed-density EFI. Another piece of data in that regard is I have no vacuum at idle rpms. I can hold the throttle at 20%, keeping the RPM at about 1000, and there is very little vacuum. I do have a performance cam shaft somewhat similar to the Schneider, but it would produce 10" of vacuum at idle. I wanted to get it to idle first before I struggle with that though. Regarding the cam setup, I have verified timing on it so many times I get cross-eyed. It is set to the number 2 position and is timed perfectly, and that is the recommendation from the grinder. I did originally set it to the number 3 position because I wanted to run a lower powerband, but I changed it to the recommendation just because I want a known baseline first. Now the distributor setup is really throwing me for a loop. It is absolutely set to the factory position. However, with TDC set (new PF damper, new timing marker) and the distributor body advanced all the way, the rotor is centered at the number one tower, and I feel it should be at the leading edge. So that is why I am seriously considering dropping the oil pump to get another tooth and have a better advance range. Of course I am going to verify actual TDC with the new damper and pointer, and check the distributor position before making the change. Thanks for the step by step Sam. I don't know why this is so confusing to me. And you are correct in wondering about the doubled VE table, but that is because it came from Zmanco's MS-2 table. I am sure you are right and I don't need the resolution. We'll see where that goes.

Tach input is good now, timing light solid, no missing. I cannot get this thing to idle, despite opening up the air bypass on the Weber throttle body completely. I can hold the throttle at 20% and the engine is smooth at 1000 rpm. I don't get this, there should be plenty of air -- it idled fine with the old Z31 ECU. I haven't got the timing set yet. With reference set to 345, I don't have enough distributor range to get to 20 degrees of advance at idle speed. 10 advanced is as good as it gets. Just add 10 degrees to the reference, correct? While I was messing with it in the driveway tonight, I turned on the VE Analyze for a bit, and the ajdustments TS wants to do seem very excessive. I have adapted Zmanco's VE, advance and AFR settings to MS-III, along with doubling the VE table and halving the injector time. For some reason these settings are extremely rich, and TS wants to reduce my VE table by 40% or more. Something is not quite right in the way I have entered the tables. And then my neighbor came out and asked me to shut my noise/smoke machine down. Fun's over. Why can't I attach my .msq file?

It's been far too long since I had time to work on this, but I FINALLY got to it Sunday. And what did I find when, out of frustration, ripped out the distributor and checked the wiring? An intermittent connection inside the black wire at the distributor end of the connector. Bastaaaad! Gonna fire it up tonight, I replaced the wiring harness with 8" of individual wires with terminals into the distributor. I sure hope this is it, maybe I can put some time on this MS-III before the track day on Saturday!

Stock engine and cam, right?

I don't think that is likely, unless your distributor is off by more than a gear tooth. It's worth checking.

Good point, if timing is close enough that valve interference is not a concern, there is no need to remove the chain. The shiny link is only useful on a new build. Once the engine turns, that link is no longer useful, just line up the cam notch with the crank at TDC, just shift the links on the cam gear.

Not easy. Much easier to fill the hole than building a different car. Ohhhh, snark, I get it..........

Either pull the head or the camshaft, then you can put the crank at TDC and install the chain properly. All of that can be done with the engine in the car. Just be careful to not drop the crank key into the oil pan when you pull the damper to remove the front cover.

Way to represent! Nice time.

No leaks but it's not like I can drive the car yet. I have yet to sort out my ignition issues, so until I can get on the road, I can't finalize the repair.

Drop the oil pump and the shaft falls out.

You need the oil pump shaft from an '82 or '83 L28ET to drive the distributor.

The Z31 wheel has 1 wide slot. It would not surprise me if it causes ignition issues.

It doesn't matter unless you are programming sequential injection. I have bank one wired to 1,2,3, bank two to 4,5,6.

Wideband O2?

Yes, I think the 240SX TPS units will work. I used one off a Hyundai. I don't think there is any support in MS firmware for the '81 CAS. And I had trouble resolving the Z31 wheel in my '82 distributor, so I don't think the 280ZXT wheel will work well either because of the extremely narrow slots. The custom wheel from DIYAutotune is very good though.

Install is fairly easy; troubleshooting and tuning is where I have spent my time. You shouldn't use any of the stock sensors unless you feel like calibrating them -- it's much easier to buy the GM sensors and use them, the only one that fits in the stock location is the coolant sensor anyway, and the intake air temperature is not present in the stock L28ET. You need to adapt a different throttle position sensor, tap the manifold for the air temperature, tap the thermostat housing for water temperature, wire the L28ET distributor, and make sure you have an O2 bung downstream of your exhaust downpipe.

Unbelievable machine work, the guy is a genius. I am hoping it delivers to expectation when he starts and operates it.

That's pretty cool, the Fox body is well suited for drag racing.

Made a little bit of progress, but it's getting a bit ridiculous. New cap, rotor and plugs, my fuel system is still leak-free, and I've got my ignition timing close. The nagging issues I have are an intermittent ignition miss (wet plugs on 3 and 6) and I cannot get this thing to idle, so I can lock in the ignition timing. If I simply crank, the coil does not fire cylinder 1 consistently enough, and cycling power for each timing adjustment just does not seem to do what I intend. I don't know why it's getting me so off the rails, it certainly should not be hard. And I back the air bypass on my throttle body all the way out, but I cannot get this thing to idle. Maybe it has to do with the miss, as my A/F ratio is hovering around 11:1 to 12:1, where it should be correcting to 13.5:1 for idle. But if I hold the throttle at 20% or so, it will idle somewhat smoothly. Not sure what I'm missing, but I understand adjusting the butterfly is not the correct way to get the idle - enough air should be able to bypass the closed throttle. I have taken it around the block a few times, and it works alright, get boost, not too sluggish so the timing is close, and my BOV needs adjustment as I get a nasty bark from the turbo on throttle lift even though I have only 5 psi boost. Must be the serious lack of vacuum from this "mystery cam" I bought.... Hmmm. I'll see if I can post a datalog over on MSEXTRA, maybe I'm simply running too rich and my plugs are fouling. I am using Zmanco's same fuel table, half the fuel (3.5mS) at twice the VE. Should work for my 440cc Supra injectors.

Not to drift too far OT, but my wheels choices are limited to about $50 (15 x 7, whatever I can find used). I put my money in tires.

Wow, that sucks, but not unexpected if they haven't been removed in a while. The oil pump should just come off, even if the bolts snap, as it's held on by the heads. Then there may be a stub to which you can clamp or grind to get it out. Better soak it with penetrating oil first. The timing cover may come off as well, but you may be in the business of drilling out the frozen snapped off bolt pieces and retapping them for heli-coils.