TimZ

There is a 30mm difference in mounting points for the T5 vs the Dastun manual trans. The curved crossmember was given a 15mm offset, so that they could use it on either trans - oriented with the offset forward for the Datsun trans, rearward for the T5. So, the mount point on the ZX (S130) body was located such that it was off by 15mm for either trans (centered between the two). On the Z (S30) body, the mount point had no such offset, so you'll be 15mm off if you try to use the curved mount, and 30mm off with the straight mount. Here is a thread that shows a pic of my modified mount: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=93166&highlight=mount

Yes it is.

Several have already mentioned it, but... Airflow, Airflow and Airflow. The exhaust is a problem, and have you done any work on that intake manifold? There are usually several casting protrusions into the plenum and the runners that make for funky flow characteristics, and how big is that TB again? Also, I'm not sure there's much you can do about it short of modifying the end tanks, but that IC design is requiring more tight 90's in the plumbing than I'd like to see. Have you measured the air temps at the intake manifold? It would help to know what air temps you are seeing at WOT and full boost. I see that you are running a heatshield between the intake and exhaust manifold which is good, but your air filter placement is drawing hot air from the engine compartment and making your IC have to work that much harder to get the temps back down. I know that this is also not that easy to solve, but your crossflow IC should leave some room to draw the air from the front. It would be good to have a wideband for tuning the AFRs, too. What are you currently using for an EGO sensor? Have you checked the timing on that reground cam? That IS a good looking ZX, BTW!

If you put the nut on the outside, then both the hose end and the nut would have to come completely off before anything could fall into the intake. Also, minor point but that's the compressor housing, not the turbine housing.

No arguments here, but I should point out that the 100-120hp number that I was referring to was for below the boost threshold for a moderately sized turbo (i.e. boost onset at 3000rpm or less), not for peak n/a power. So, I think my estimate isn't too far off for an unboosted L-series in the 1500-3000rpm range. Once the boost hits, added flow helps both cases.

If you can still run the higher boost with E85 (and I think you should be able to) then that's a whole different animal, and the best of both worlds. My issue was more with severely limiting boost just to say you have a higher CR. That and the notion that the higher CR will make the turbo spool sooner - it won't. I think if you want really high power output, you'll still want to drop the CR back a bit, but you probably don't absolutely have to go all the way down to 7.4 with E85.

The same ~10% number would apply to the off-boost torque. All I'm trying to get across is that it seems to me that many people's expectations for increased CR are way overblown. Even with a moderately sized turbo like you mention above, what we are really talking about is giving up a pretty much imperceptible amount of hp/torque in the off boost region and gaining easily 50-70hp when on boost, and that boost would happen at the exact same or slightly lower rpm. I know which I'd find more entertaining. BTW, my low compression engine running E85 and 26psi IS fun to drive to work, with the possible exception of having to cope with Michigan's crappy roads (not a powertrain problem, except for when the big chunk of concrete flipped up out of the road and crushed part of my exhaust ). Off-boost drivability is just fine.

The difference in thermodynamic efficiency (hence the power gain you could expect under ideal conditions) between 7.4cr and 10cr is about 10%. The L-series makes in the neighborhood of 100-120hp naturally aspirated when off boost (if this case probably up to ~3500rpm). So at most, you could expect to be gaining 10 or so hp off boost, and giving up a lot more than that when on boost. Also, raising the CR will not make the turbo spool earlier. If anything the increased efficiency from the CR will result in less energy being available to spool the turbo. You'll get through the off boost region slightly quicker due to the extra power output, but I'd bet it would be a wash, since the turbo would also spool a bit later, making the off-boost region a bit bigger.

The chain tool serves two purposes: 1) keeping the tensioner from falling out or getting cocked 2) keeping the timing chain in a known position on the lower sprocket Making a tool of your own is fine, so long as you use the proper shape to acheive 1) and 2) above. Tie wrapping the chain or shoving a screwdriver down there seems pretty risky to me, especially considering the correct tool only costs about $12 ( http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/TE/60-9921 ).

I think Tilton might have had two different flywheels, but I thought that my Fidanza was drilled for both, with a heat shield big enough to accomodate either the 225 or the 240

I'm with Evan. Yes, a coated header will run a bit cooler, but not so much that the heat shield won't help more. Keeping heat away from the intake is key to hot weather drivability, to detonation resistance and to performance in general. Giving up any margin on this just because you think it looks better is just silly in my book. FWIW, when I look at someone's engine bay, I'm much more impressed by good engineering practices than I am by things like compromised heat management for looks. I've said it a few times, but IMHO if you are worried about looks, the heat shield looks pretty darned good if you JetHot coat it, too. Plus it will work even better this way.

Then maybe he should try searching - it's not like this has never been discussed, and it's not like nobody has ever had boost control problems with too small a wastegate.

Where in California are you? E85 is starting to become available in Cali - WAY cheaper than race gas.

Thanks, Yasin. However, I think that I will be bested by Jeff S (Monzter). If he ever gets the damned thing running, that is.

Okay, I'll play...

Picasa is driving me crazy - does this work any better? E85 vs a year before on Sunoco94: Same vs a Stock Z06: ...it always seems to work when I first post it, then later everything craps out.

But did you bleed the MC once it was installed in the car? This has made a big difference for me, too. It seems like it ought to take care of itself with a system bleed, but it ain't necessarily so. Try bleeding the MC in the car - it's easy to get to and will only take a minute or two.

I'll second that, and up the volume a bit. The AZC brake setup is not designed to be run without a prop valve - it's not even close to being usable without one, under any conditions. I have to dial mine almost all the way out to keep from locking the rears first. A few years back I had cranked up the pressure in the rear as a test and forgot to put it back. At the first stop light from my house, the car went completely sideways when I hit the brakes to stop. I had to sit at the front of the line completely sideways in the lane and wait for the light to turn green. Really embarrassing, but I was extremely lucky that this was how I found out. On the parking brake, didn't I see that someone was making a rear kit that included a spot caliper? I think maybe they were in Australia...

Yep - I switched ISPs and the forum settings won't let me go back and correct the image links - here they are again, hosted at Picasa: EDIT: Picasa seems a little flaky with its linking behavior, so if you still have trouble with these pics try the links below the pics E85 vs a year before on Sunoco94: http://picasaweb.google.com/tzwicky/Webpics#5265899418869656802 Same vs a Stock Z06: http://picasaweb.google.com/tzwicky/Webpics#5265899437497905250

Somebody else had a similar dilema not too long ago... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=141159&highlight=sunk+valves

Agreed - I don't think that you'll see a measurable increase in power from this if everything else is left the same. Where you might see an increase from the decreased mass could come from a decreased tendency to float the valves, allowing selection of a higher revving cam (needs lots of supporting mods), or you might be able to run lower tension valve springs and keep your current redline and get a power increase from friction reduction. As I recall I was able to reduce the levered mass by something like 3 grams, so the effect is not insignificant, but you'd probably still want to combine this with other valvetrain lightening efforts (titanium retainers, lighter valves, etc) in order to see a measurable power increase.

Interesting- those numbers are very similar to the numbers for my N42 - the exhaust is almost exactly the same. That should work very nicely for you. Have you considered coating the chambers and exhaust ports, too?

You realize he's a relatively new member, AND he most likely found this thread using the search button, right? That seems like behavior that we should be encouraging...

It has to do with the way that different colors absorb or reflect infra-red energy. It's exactly the same effect that causes a black leather seat to get really hot when you set it in the sun. Colors in any object work by absorbing some wavelengths (i.e. colors) and reflecting others. On one end of the scale, black absorbs everything and reflects nothing. On the other, white absorbs nothing and reflects everything.

Like I said - it's somewhat counter-intuitive. Generally speaking, darker colors transmit heat more readily, in both directions. If the dark colored surface is cooler than its surroundings it will absorb heat from the surroundings more readily. Conversely if it is hotter than its surroundings (as is the case here unless your car is made of magnesium and is on fire ) it will will radiate heat to its surroundings more readily. So in the case of the exhaust manifold/downpipe, etc. In order to keep as little heat from transferring from the exhaust gas into the pipe as possible, it would be best to coat the inside with the lighter color. Then to keep whatever heat does transfer into the pipe from transferring to the surroundings, you still would want the lighter color on the exterior. BTW, this applies to both turbo and n/a manifolds and exhausts - the only thing you don't want to coat the inside of is the turbine housing so that the coating can't screw up the impeller to housing clearance.