heavy85
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Posts posted by heavy85
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Some progress finally.
Open for comments before I stick it in for good. Also still debating adding the bars from the b-pillar bend back to the rear strut tower (like 74_5.0L_Z) and how to handle the harness bar unless I just keep it like this and use the rear strut tower bar for the harness like I have been doing. Like that run-on sentence
Cameron
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OBD1 - Autozone doesn't have a scanner for OBD1 unless you want to buy one ... guess there's not many Ford tech on the board?
Cameron
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I just bought a '92 E-150 with a 5.0 (302) to tow the Z. It's only got 80,000 miles and in general is in cherry condition. However, when cold it starts right up then dies several seconds later. It floods out and I know that because when it restarts you can smell the half burnt fuel. If you try to start it back up it just cranks unless you floor it then it will start right back up. You have to keep it reved otherwise it will die again. Once it's a bit warm it runs and idles smooth. There are no lights on the dash other than the rear ABS and the temp gauge bounces around. Any ideas where to start? Since it's fuel injected I'm confused why flooring it allow it to start right back up like it's got a carb? Since this is Ford V-8 tech land I was hoping there would be someone who have seen this before.
Thanks
Cameron
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I guess his rear brakes work ... better than his clutch
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Instead of drilling all the holes, what about getting some steel mesh and wrap it around a tube to get the diameter. Pack the fiberglass around it and tack it onto tubing for the inlet and outlet, etc. etc. Would the mesh work better to quiet it up since it would be more open?
I would be worried with structural integrity of the mesh unless it's fairly thick. Exhaust heat and vibration can fatigue things relatively quick.
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If you want to add a baffled muffler then good luck with the science there. If you want a straight through we built one for our FSAE car that worked pretty well. Take a 4" in your case tube and drill a zillion ~1/8" holes in it, wrap in some type of insulation (imagine thick steel wool might work, we permanently borrowed some fiberglass insulation off the steam pipes in a maintenance room off the shop), weld on outer however big tube that will fit with some end plates. It's just a basic straight through muffler. Or better yet just buy one and cut it to the length that will fit.
Cameron
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See if we can revive this. So did anyone do any additional testing as was discussed? Jon - did you get those mounted? I just bid a on gauge to do some testing this spring. I also bought some 280 hood vents so need to decide where to put then on my 240 hood. I think it will be pretty far forward but we'll see after testing.
Cameron
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My 3.7 LSD out of an '88 300 ZX is much louder than the lightly muffled LS1 at cruise. It's brutal loud and gives you a headache without earplugs. I bought all new bearings to rebuild a 3.54 this winter to swap it out with. After your experience I hope it's not the LSD unit itself
as I wasn't planning to touch it.Cameron
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Well I looked at that van today. It's real nice. Just about perfect interior and exterior. Drives nice but get as low as 11-13 short in town driving and 16-17 interstate. It seems very well maintained. Its only got 80,000 miles. He said he's had problems in the past with it running hot so it has a new radiatior which seems to have fixed it. That scares me a bit but the gauge is flaky and jumps around which may have been the problem all along. It's got the factory tow package but he took the hitch off. Anyway he said $3k I offered $2k but he didn't bite. Kbb is $2400-2800 Only thing wrong is an ac leak the temp gauge and he took the hitch off. What do you guys think? It would be perfect IMO with the fold down bed, lots of space, etc. I would like to haul the kids daily in it if it got better mileage!
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I have wondered how much air to the wing you would lose if vented out the sides instead of over the top?
Cameron
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I'm not hooked on a diesel just was looking at Suburbans which you can find cherry one's for around $3k but they get 11 city /15 hwy MPG. That my fiends just sucks IMO. Something closer to 20 highway would be the desire so diesels are closest or go to smaller V6.
So how much does towing reduce the highway MPG typically? Would it be closer to the 'city' or even lower?
This one caught my eye. Ridiculously low miles, KBB ~$2400 so it's overpriced and need to negotiate, queen bed nice for camping, comfortably hauls kids when needed. Rated at 13/17 MPH which does not sound like much but that's almost 20% better than Suburban. Again I wonder what mileage would be towing the Z? If it's in the middle say ~15 mpg then I could be temped but if it's down in single digits then I need to keep looking for diesel ...
http://decatur.craigslist.org/cto/1490894763.html
Cameron
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If it's primarily a kid hauler you cant beat a minivan. I have five kids so ask me how I know. If you still want a fun car that can seat more than two then just pick whatever you want just make sure the carseat fits. JonM has good points that you dont think about until your there - backwards car seats are HUGE. Hell, I haul four in my SVT Focus and they they only mildly complain.
Cameron
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Interesting Jon. That's probably why it's so low priced for a diesel.
Cameron
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Look for a Service Bodied Work Truck. My acquaintenace here bought a 2002 City of Los Angeles DWP 3500 Chevy for $1000 from an auction reseller. Guy bought it at auction for $300. Has put thousands of miles on it. Not the pretty truck, not a lot of comfort options, but it's got a SERVICE BED on it that you can literally load every tool you own into it and STILL tow your car on a trailer! He gets 15 unladen, but he also resembles Fred Sanford in both physical appearance and driving habits...
You mean like this?
http://chambana.craigslist.org/ctd/1487832882.html
Hard to haul the kids but this could otherwise pretty decent.
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It's not going to be a daily driver, just to tow the Z. Never thought of V6. How would that pull? I'm in the midwest so dont have mountains to deal with but would like to be able to maintain reasonable highway speed. Budget is a couple grand. I've been looking at 90's diesels like preith suggested but there are not any around here without being dually which I would rather not have. From past experience anything much over 120k mile starts to have maintenance so 200k definitely scares me. I'll only use maybe 4k miles a year so I wont add many miles and dont want to have to nickle and dime my time away keeping it going.
My goals are not too lofty huh ....
Cameron
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Bringing one up from the dead. So a year later and I'm still debating on buying a tow rig. I've been looking around and late '90s trucks / vans are cheap - $3-4k can buy a lot. It will be to tow my Z on a most likely open steel trailer. Requirements are reliable - I dont want to spend time working on the damn thing, seats 5 for when I take the kids, has working A/C, and gets as good of gas mileage as possible. I've been thinking either 1) conversion van - super cheap, usually low miles, can comfortably camp at the track in the fold down rear seat (currently tent it at the track) 2) Suburban - comfortably seats kids if needed, hauls lots, it's a truck more or less so should tow, possibly fold down rear seats and camp inside on rainy nights?? 3) extended / super cab pick-up - less useful but can tow.
The gas mileage is killing me. Closest tracks are 150-200 miles one way and I currently drive the Z with 20 something MPG. Most of the options above get ~11 MPG in town, maybe 16 on highway and I'm assuming single digits towing. That leaves a diesel but they are much more expensive. Although there are several mid 80's military trucks / blazers with diesels for sale in the $1-3k range with very low <100k miles. I doubt they have A/C though. Government must have just spent all our excess $ on new trucks ....
I'll end for now by saying I've never even owned a truck. It's always been minivan or compact cars so this is all new to me. When I raced go-karts I towed a small trailer with my Rabbit then my Focus if that counts
. Any additional experiences to share?Thanks
Cameron
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After my winter engine swap project turned into two winters and a summer I suggest you tackle as much as you can this winter. Drive it like that next year then start the rest next winter. What good is finishing the build next fall - just in time to park it for the winter? It sucked being without a toy for that long and the motivation shrinks the longer it's on stands. Those are my 'words of wisdom' after having been in similar but less ambitious situation. I only swapped engine and did some frame work let alone new rear end, turbo, cage that you are planning.
Cameron
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You dont have a horizontal harness tube as part of the rollbar. I thought this was required but dont see it in the NASA rules? What's the general consensus here? I was planning to do both what you have back to the rear strut tower bar as well as the harness bar but I would have to use a bent harness bar and after seeing your picture I'm questioning if it's really needed?
Cameron
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I just thought I would share my 1976 280z 2+2 Wind Tunnel Testing I completed recently, I figured it would be great food for thought for our resident aerodynamics specialist to comment on, as well as everyone to benefit from.
Best of all this testing was done for free overnight while I slept and yielded the optimum aerodynamic profile for a S30.
I find the affect of the drip rails the most interesting.
Cameron
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I think this about answers it. Front of bar is in line with back of seat. I think I'll remove the nubbin and slide the top forward slightly so that I can raise is closer to the roof. Should still be wedged in there still. As you can see, parallel to the window frame would be too close to my head.
Cameron
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Around here A6 rule hands down. Even for 20 minute time trial (time attack). I'm too cheap to use them as I run used full slicks. Hoosiers slicks and now Avon which are faster than the Hoosiers slicks were.
Cameron
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In the jeep world (my other money pit) we use these.
http://www.genright.com/category.aspx?categoryID=117
Is there enough open area to actually reduce temps? The long strips could mount nicely alongside the power bulge.
Cameron
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I got the bar back. It's TIGHT. Here is it wedged in the car. I'm debating on where to locate it and looking for feedback.
It is literally wedged in the there touching the wheel wheel down low, the side just behind the nubbin right below the front edged of the 1/4 window and touching the roof. You couldn't get a tighter fit with as many contact points. The only trade-off here is it's hitting the roof structure about 3/4" below the skin of the roof. 74_5.0L_Z put his in front of that previously mentioned nubbin which pulls it forward where it's in front of the roof structure and also away from the wheel well. This gets that extra 3/4" height but also compromises contact points and the ability to tie it in all around. Thoughts?
Next question has to do with the bends themselves. I've never bent rollbar tubing and the tube bender used was a high $$ hydraulic production type of bender. He also used to build cages often as a living and his personal dragster was top notch. However the bends are perfectly round. You can feel the tube get a little oval in the bends and the transition from bend to straight there is a slight wave to it in a couple places. Is this normal or do I need to find another shop (or cave and buy one) to rebend this thing? You can kind of see it here but it's hard to see.
Thanks
Cameron
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What pads are you using? After upgrading to similar brakes (Outlaw vs Wilwood) I still faded pads but after about three laps instead of one with stock brakes. Balls were there but the pads weren't and I didn't expect that. These were with Hawk HP+ pads so if you dont have a true track pad and are running on a full road course then I would put real track pads on there.
Cameron
as I wasn't planning to touch it.
How much tubing to make a roll bar?
in Brakes, Wheels, Suspension and Chassis
Posted
Yep - that's why I chose 1.75x0.095
Cameron