Mikelly

Cary THANK YOU!!! I was wondering what I would do myself since I've removed the wiper from my setup. I plan to install an arm in the passenger side and clock it with a longer wiper to be in the vertical position when off, and wipe the driver's side when on. I want to find a smaller motor for this application though and figured until I am ready for TT, I'll just run without it. Sorry to hijack! Mike

It was good to "see" these pics because I didn't "Feel" any rubbing in the car, and VIR is a track that works the suspension. Was nice to have a look at her in key spots around the course. I never got over 130MPH because of the mechanical issues, but the oil temps never got above 220 and the coolant temps never got above 190. So overall I think that was good. Oil pressure was constantly in the 40-50 range. The car had a little wiggle at speed on the back straight. I'm hoping that sectioning the front struts and dropping the nose down an inch to add more rake will help, along with some side skirts that are awaiting the arrival of kydex I ordered last week. Mike

Got some pics from F&S for my 4 laps on track... Hell the car looks fast for the minimal time it was there...

Zack I actually spent Friday and Saturday morning coaching a Chump Car driver at VIR in a 1996 Prelude. The car was VERY fast, due to the cantilever wheel/tire combo. Oh those 14 inch goodyear slicks worked wonders. I was able to cut his lap times by 5+ seconds. Obviously he wont be running those at an event. But man that car stuck like glue and we harassed a lot of higher end HP cars with it! Sorry for the hijack Matt! Mike

"When you spin, Both feet in"... As in Clutch and Brake... And in the rain like that, as Matt demonstrated, you're along for the ride, because wet grass is like ice. Looking good Matt... Maybe I should ship my car (and my 401K) down to MTI and let them debug it. Mike

I also plan to retain the TKO600 fivespeed that's in the car... As of right now I am waiting on some parts to come in and I ordered a new set of leakdown/compression gauges. I'm hoping that I find a solid bottom end in the motor and that it turns out to be to much oil getting thru the breathers and not enough baffeling in the valve covers, coupled with maybe a couple of faulty header tube extractors. Both were in poor shape, even though they were less than a year old. I won't be using that setup again. I've ordered TWO oil/air separators and will run one per head assembly, and plumb everything direct to the intake at the Throttlebody. All that said, if I find there is damage to a cylinder, I am ABSOLUTELY pulling this motor and parting it out. It'll be time to move to another motor and I'll be ready for the change. Mike

Got some pics from this weekend posted by F&S: http://store.fandsenterprises.com/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=12470#image=619250 Mike

Somehow in all of these pages guys have forgotten that 18 months ago we installed FAST efi and integrated dash. I already have standalone efi on this motor and that efi will transfer to which ever platform I would choose. Dan that motor in that particular Vette was 112K miles of hard running. There's been a lot of changes to how the LS motors can be made to survive these days. Adding a drysump to any of the motors is going to cost serious money. So that's a push. I appreciate all the comments, but if the motor has to come out, then I'm moving onto another platform. I already have the headers and the drysump pan. Also have an LS1 shortblock sitting in my shop, along with the z06 intake, nick Williams Tbody and a host of other LS parts.

110% in agreement with Mark and Clive here. The motor is only supposed to make 450HP/490 torque anyway. It's nothing ubber exotic, just a forged bottom end, roller hydraulic valvetrain and big valve heads. I don't think the guys at EB3 will do a damned thing for me. They haven't been the most responsive when I've called and talked with them in the past about other things. Pretty sure this is going to be a "leak down and compression" test, jot the numbers down, and try to sell the damned thing for whatever I can get for it. And there is no argument that the LS based motors are 100+ pounds lighter, and in my application that is critical. At the end of the day I want the damned car to run right or be gone so I can buy something that will. Right now it's a doorstop.

Here's a very brief video clip. Tried a new location on the cage. Mike

We are home and unloaded. I will do a compression test in the coming days to see what is going on. Break in was 30 minutes run in stepping from 2500-3500, changing oil, running it a few more times with no load and changing the oil again. Couple weeks back I drove the car 1/4 mile to the gas station and back. First hard running time was at the track on Friday. At this point if it is the motor, it is not going back in. I am seriously contemplating a change. I am sick, just SICK of missing track time after so many years fooling with this car. I have some decisions to make in the next few weeks, but I am pretty disgusted with the whole mess at this point. Mike

We installed a Flyin' Miata turbo kit and Megasquirt PNP on a 90 Miata and that car was an absolute blast to drive. They are great fun and cheap to run and maintain if you can fit in them. I have never liked the S2000 power delivery. It is gutless below 6k and I just never enjoyed that coupled with the position of the steering wheel in your lap. The Z4 is less nimble than the Z3, but BMW in general would be off my list due to cost of parts and their finicky nature. Happy hunting.

Well I don't know about the rings, because the shortblock was installed by someone else. The pan has a wind age tray so I don't think that is it. The crank evacuation tubes run straight from the valve covers now. Wondering if it is the check valves clogging. I may buy a vacuum pump kit and give that a try.

My fronts are zero offset 18X10. My day and weekend were cut short. My car is still forcing oil out of the dipstick with to much crank case pressure. Frustrated is not even close to my current state. I got three laps in and had to bag it because of smoke coming out from under the car. Mike

Washed and ready to go!

With this, or any high HP upgrade, you're going to have to focus more on the set up of the suspension. You will want the car to be more neutral to slight oversteer and you'll want to be able to catch the car. No "fast break away understeer". Mike

Johns Cars mount kit seems like the one everybody is using. I'm going to fab my own up, since I plan to weld the platform for the biscuit mounts to sit on, and I want to optimally position the motor with those long tube 1 3/4 group buy headers and the Tilton Belhousing/5.5 clutch kit when I'm ready to do it. As for getting rid of the donor car, it should be the LAST thing you do after you start your Zcar and drive it. Mike

I have no idea why we have three duplicate posts in that last interaction... anyway, tonight I installed the latest versions of the intake. I also went ahead and fabricated a visor for the touch screen so I could see the screen better in sunlight. I want to take a moment here and say a word about Ross Corrigan. I have known Ross since HybridZ was started. I have bought parts from Ross, chatted with him on the phone a number of times, disagreed, and chastised him over the years. I have also admired the man and the enthusiast. Today Ross' father posted that Ross has terminal cancer and was given but a few weeks to live. I can not express how sad I am to hear this news. We come here to learn, share and be a family. I can not say I was always the best of friends to Ross over the years, but I can tell you guys this much. Ross did more for the Zcar community with his innovative ideas and willingness to take risk to produce products for the community than 99% of Zcar owners out there. Ross' commitment to the community was not always ideal due to his career but Ross did the best he could while managing a very successful career as an engineer in Canada. I pray that Ross either makes a miraculous comeback or is taken quickly and with as little pain as possible. And I can only assume that he is going to a far more understanding place where another great mind will be utilized for greater good. Godspeed to The Corrigan Family

I am saddened to read this news. Frank, please pass along my best Wishes to Ross. Mike Kelly

I've had excellent luck with Sumitomo's HTRZ3. Ran them on my 670BHP Monster Porsche Turbo, My GT3 and will be putting them on my Mustang GT (All mentioned were daily driver use tires that saw light track duty). The HTR Z2s are nearly as good for a street tire.http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Sumitomo&tireModel=HTR+Z+II If you're not driving the car in the rain, I'd recommend Nitto NT01s. They're amazing and predictable. http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/tires/nitto/product/submitProductSize.do?pc=40304&tmn=NT-01&typ=Passenger%2FPerformance I've got a set I'll be running on the Zcar once my Hoosiers cook off. The latest edition of GRM had an excellent review on the BFG Rival and they claimed it is in a class all its own above Dunlop and the others mentions... Highly recommend checking that article out. Their lap times were impressive and the gap to number 2 said it all.

Miles HAHAHAHAHA Seriously, If you're considering something under $10K, and you want EFI, you're probably going to want to buy a donor Camaro from 1998 -2002. Buy it and swap the complete running gear out into the Zcar. You'll get the ECU, Wiring Harness, trans/motor and all accessories, then scrap the car for $500-600 at the local scrap yard. Mike

FrankieD, There is a lot of good info here, so be patient and check those links out when you get the chance. Here's some basic info though. The LS based motors are approximately 100 pounds LIGHTER than the traditional steel based Gen1/2 Chevy V8 which I have in my car now (Aluminum heads/intake/waterpump). A well built Chevy Gen 1/2 can be built to be within about 35# of an L6 motor. Also DomZ LOWERED his car's ride height do to the weight reduction. Also, as mentioned by others, The R200 is more than capable. I went with the Q45 rear conversion and wish I hadn't. It's more complex, heavier, and more expensive. I plan to eventually go with something else as we develop the car, but heed the warning and stick with the R200. Convert to CV axles, but retain the R200. Do a lot of research and reading, and plan out your build. Jegs and Summit both were blowing out all their LS1 crate motors over the winter. You might be able to get a complete crate motor for less than $3500. Give them a ring. Mike

I've changed a few things on my setup...

It was yesterday, but I track prepped my little monster, and she's ready (I hope) for her big showing at VIR. So what did that involve? Bleeding the brakes, changing the oil, checking the plugs and while I was at it, clearancing the inner two plugs on each side of the motor, which means "dinging" the pipes for air flow around the plug wire, adding some insulated wrap to a brake line that runs close to the header on the passenger side, and in general checking everything once, and putting a wrench on all the important bits. Rock on! Mike

I'll come at this from another angle... Go find a SMALL outfit. Ask if you can be their parts running/wrench caddie and shop sweeper. You'd be surprised at how many of them might say yes. I know of a couple of one-man or two man operations here in my area that do this with "Summer only" types. They don't pay much but they do give them a summer's worth of hands on experience that eventually translates into "Dude can you install plugs in that civic over there? And change the ailfilter while you're at it". I here people for a living and what everyone else has stated is true about getting into your chosen profession for the reasons they've all specified. But I get your intended need to get your hands dirty and desire to learn. It IS a tough market out there, but I hire people who have more than a degree. Matter of fact, I'll hire a guy with direct hands on experience before i'll hire someone with a degree, because I can pay for their education (I've paid for 6 masters degrees for staff members to date) and that is far easier to get than hands on experience. Good luck! Mike