wheelman

Being the cheap person I am I purchased a re-ground LT1 cam that was changed to LT4 HotCam specs. When it arrived I found the bearing journals had nicks and gouges in them but had been polished. Most of you guys will think this is a stupid question but how big a deal is this? I know with rod and crank journals it means they either need to be machined or tossed but what about a cam? I'm thinking I want my money back but want some input from you guys. Wheelman P.S. Please don't be to hard on me I already feel pretty stupid.

Guys, I'm a software engineer/network admin for my company and have fought these things for years. If you don't have an up-to-date virus scanner you are guaranteed to have virii/spyware. Please get one and keep it updated, this will slow down their spread and limit their scope, it helps all of us not just you. McAfee and Norton are the most popular but there are others. Also keep your operating system patched with all available patches. I know people worry about a patch breaking other software, which has happened, but MS is much better about this these days. And don't think that because you own a MAC or run Linux that you're immune, you're not. Be vigilant. Kevin, You probably had several of those 6 virii much longer than you realize, most infections aren't apparent unless you are really aware of how your computer normally runs. Let Kevin's experience be a lesson to everyone. He was forced to re-install all of his software because he thought it would never happen to him. I'm very anal about this at home, we have 5 computers in our house and the last thing I want to do is spend a week or more re-installing software on them while my family whines about the systems be down. I'll climb down off my soapbox now, thank you all for listening. Wheelman

Tim, Is the MegaSquirt for your new project? What are you going to be running in it? If it's for the Z why are you switching away from the LT1 PCM? My son is rebuilding a 305 that has one of those computer controlled Quadra-Jets. I have an old Holley Pro-Jection unit we've been considering using on it with a MegaSquirt controller, what do you guys think? Wheelman

Welcome to the board. The first thing most people will tell you here is use the search function, you'll find more info than you can imagine. As for the 302, what year truck is it from? 89-94 Mustang 302s are the preferred ones but any will do if it's in good shape. You will probably want to rebuild it before the swap so you don't have to pulled it back out later. Is the 280 an automatic? If it's not then you can use the rearend that's in it. It's an R200 which is strong enough to handle anything the 302 can put out. If it is an automatic then you have an R180 and you'll want to swap it but make sure the one you're getting is an R200. Do a search on swapping the rear end as there are things you have to take into account. Use a World Class T5 trasnmission from a Mustang. They are very easy to find and if you don't get to radical with the engine rebuild will hold up just fine. You'll have to figure out a solution for the clutch as Ford uses a cable and the Datsun is hydraulic. Look up a member on the this site named Al Silveria (alsil). He makes a crossmember mount for the Ford Windsor block that solves you're motor mount issues. That is unless you want to run the Ford EFI, then there are some hood clearance problems. You can ask him to modify the mount to drop the engine an inch or so to help. Last piece of advice. Get the JTR (Jags That Run) Datsun V8 conversion book. It's Chevy biased but has lots of good info about issues you'll run into. Wheelman

There is a picture of a 240 with one installed in the JTR (Jags That Run) conversion manual but no information, just a picture. Just proves it can be done. I've been contemplating this engine for my next project, whatever it may be. Seems to me this engine would be very nice in a Z. Wheelman

Zoom the picture and look at the sides right next to the strut towers. There's some streaking there but other than that it did turn out very nice. Thanks for the compliment. Wheelman

Yes, rattle can. Semi-Gloss black acrylic-enamel. I think it took me 3 cans of primer and 4 cans of color. Not sure because I used the same stuff on the crossmember, control arms, R200 mustache bar and misc parts. Wheelman

Big, I spent 7 years in the Airforce and thought REAL hard about going back in after 9/11. Enlisting was the best thing I ever did. I spent a year at USC after HS thinking I wanted to study Electrical Engineering. Found out I was very good at digital logic and writing software but terrible at cricuit design. Anyway the military gave me direction and discipline, I'd do it again but they wouldn't take me now. Heart issues, diabetes and almost 40 years old means no military service for me. My son is signing up for delayed enlistment this week and is very anxious to go off to basic training but will do another year at the local JC. The primary reason I got out was my Dad died and I went home to help Mom deal with things. I was planning on getting out at 8 but it happened early. Looking back I should have stayed in for 20. I'd be 1.5 years from retirement and be young enough to start a whole new career. So I guess my short answer is if they would take me I'd go back in with no hesitation at all. Wheelman

Heavy, Do you have any sound clips of your system? I tracked down a sound clip of the spiral flows but it is a little louder than I want. I like the overall sound but want less volume. I'm installing a 95 LT1 and plan on using 2 1/2" with the spiral flows to a Y pipe like your but wasn't where to go with it next. Wheelman

I pulled the engine last fall and it took about 2 hours. Since then I've been slowly working on it. Had to patch a hole rusted through under the battery tray and into the passenger footwell as well as a small hole on the driver's side footwell. I've got pictures in my personal album if you want to see them. I pulled the crossmember, brake and clutch master cylinders in about 15 minutes 2 weeks ago. I've painted the crossmember and control arms. Still need to paint the TC rods and sway bar just to prevent rusting, then everything will be bolted back together. Need to rebuild my brake booster and have a MC on order so that will have to wait. Does anyone know where to get a rebuild kit for a decent price. I checked Victoria British and thier kit costs as much as a reman booster. I'm upgrading to Energy Suspension bushings and Toyota 4X4 calipers in the process (yah I've got the "While I'm at it" disease). Rebuilt the calipers tonight, good thing I decided to, one piston was jammed pretty good. Hope that answered your question, I guess I rambled a little but everyone here at home is tired of hearing about the Z. They all nod and say ahuh alot. Wheelman

This is how my engine bay turned out once I painted it.

The setup Mike describes is what I'm using with my LT1. Be sure the bellhousing has a pivot ball stud or you'll need to buy one. I got the Lakewood adjustable one from PAW for $15.00. Wheelman

Do a search on this forum for Toyota calipers and/or 300ZX rotors and you'll get all the information you need. You can also check the Modern Motor Sports and JSK Innovations web sites. They sell adapters to convert the Z car front rotor from solid to vented as well as convert the rear drums to discs. Some guys have used the 280ZX rear setup, others adapt Sentra front rotors and calipers and others have used the rears from Nissan Maximas. Use the search function. This site has all the info you need, you just need to search for it. BTW: The Toyota 4X4 truck calipers and 300ZX vented rotors are a very common conversion. Wheelman

I used an air chisel and oven cleaner to remove the coating from mine. It was real dry and brittle and most came off with the chisel. I haven't applied new coating yet. Wheelman

I'm glad I read this thread as well. I was also going to do an "upgrade" to a 15/16 MC along with the Toyota caliper swap but now I'm going to stick with the 7/8 MC and the stock 7" booster. I will use a proportioning valve because I'm eventually going to put disks on the rear. Wheelman

That oil pressure seems a bit high, what is it once the engine warms up? Wheelman

Aux, I bought a Hobart Handler 135 and have been very happy with it. Mine was already setup for gas so it cost a little more but they are good welders. I believe Hobart, Miller and Lincoln are all made by the same company now. What is the 125 rated to weld in a single pass? The 135 is rated by Hobart to be able to do 3/16" but you have to use the larger .035 wire which means you'll need to get some larger contact tips. I've used inner shield and solid wire and it worked very well with both although the solid is easier to use on very thin sheet without burning through. Wheelman

Are you sure you have the spacers and setback plates on the correct sides? The plate with 6 holes and the 2 1/2" spacer go on the drivers side and the others on the passenger side. This seems to be a fairly common mistake. Did you make your own plates/spacers or buy them from JTR? If you made them one might be off a small amount causing the tilt. Worst case is the tilt will cause the oil dip-stick to either read high or low and possibly un-cover jets in the carb depending on which direction it leans. Before accepting the tilt I would try tracking down where it's coming from. Such a small deviation probably won't make much difference but if it were me it would bug me until I found out where it was coming from and fixed it. Wheelman

The other way you could solve this is by using an adjustable stud pivot ball for the clutch fork. They are about $15.00 through PAW (Performance Automotive Warehouse). Part number is LAK-15501. The one I bought allows you to adjust it from 1 5/16" to 1 11/16". I haven't received mine yet so I'm not sure it will eliminate all the 7/8" offset you're seeing but it will get rid of most of it, which means less pounding on the tranny tunnel to clear the clutch fork. Hope this helps Wheelman

Mike, You haven't even driven it yet?!?!?!? All that work and money and you don't even know how it rides or handles yet. I agree with Douglas, get the books, read them, drive the car, learn it's short comings and then address them. How can you possibly make a decision about what to add or change before you determine where the weak spots are. I guess you could go for the gee-wiz factor and add all the currently popular parts, but that sounds like a ricer attitude to me. Anyway I'm just joking, but I would drive it first then decide what to do next. This from a guy who hasn't driven a Z since 1989 and has many more moons worth of work to do before the new one is road worthy. Wheelman

The people that really piss me off are the ones that insist on tail gating no matter how fast I'm driving. It always seems to be a teenager who's yapping on a cell phone and not paying attention. Those are the ones I'll slow down in front of just to give them a little extra time to react should I have to hit the brakes and to piss them off. BTW: I drive a 4x4 Ford Ranger and have the same thing happen to me that was mentioned earlier. People will go around me and then slow down, which I can understand because it's high enough that you can't see past it. It's not a POS either so I don't think that's the reason.

Have any of you guys done business on eBay with a guy named Billy Shahan? His handle on eBay is Classicme. He's offering cams that are almost an exact duplicate of the LT4 Hot Cam for about half the price. I asked him if he could change the grind a small amount so I wouldn't have to machine the valve spring seats and he said sure. He wants me to send him the money and then he'll grind the cam and ship it. My plan is to ask him if he's willing to use Paypal (he listed it as accepted on the ebay listing) and offer a return warrantee in case I get it and it's junk. At a minimum paypal offers some fraud insurance and the price he's asking is only $125.00 so how much do I have to lose? Anyway, what do you guys think, should I go for it or play it safe? Wheelman

Lookin good! It's learning all the new skills that makes the job fun and interesting. Hey, where did you get that whale tail? I've always liked that style. Some of you guys might think it's a little to ricey but those things way pre-date the whole ricer scene. Wheelman

Those valve covers look like the stock height, will 1.7:1 rockers even fit under them? And whats with using stock exhaust manifolds on an engine with that many mods? Sounds a little fishy to me. BTW: I got my LT1 and 4L60E in a running car with 102,000 miles for $1000.00. It's a retired Montana cop car so maybe that explains the price, but I still got a full donor car I could drive home. Wheelman

Sounds llike you may have a problem with the spider gears in the diff. The sound goes away after the diff fluid has lubricated everything. I would drain the diff fluid and look for metal flakes and then act accordingly depending on what you find. Sorry man, you never seem to catch a break with this car. Wheelman