Mikelly

My starter is dragging now when I start the car up... is this inherrant of relocating a solenoid??? Anything I can do to fix it? It hangs for a brief moment upon startup and then its fine... Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I think my smokey motor issue as been resolved... FYI for anyone building a motor, I strongly suggest two things: Use high quality rings (I used C&A Zgap rings) and if you suspect that the motor has been flooded, smell the dipstick. If you detect a hint of gas...Change the oil, filter and try toflush the engine. I also pulled the plugs and ran compressed air in each cylinder twice. Now, after all that, you will still get a hint of smoke for a bit, but I was told by several engine builders that Molly rings take longer to break in, up to 4000 miles. As long as leak down and compression numbers are good, don't panic and re-ring the motor. Be patient and do a break-in on the motor. Run it thru the rev range on a nice drive taking it up to around 4000 and back down several times over a 30 minute period. This is what I'm gonna do, and every time I start the car up, there is less of a trace of smoke. After about 1500 miles I'm gonna re-check the situation and go from there, but I'm pretty sure the motor is fine at this point! Thank god!!!! Panic attack over...resume your regular programming.... Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Dan, Told ya it was a better solution....Just wait till you drive it!!! I think Owen or Mike KZ mentioned that the fins DON'T have to come off. I had written my tech article based on what Matt Millen advised, which is why I ground off my fins and widened the tunnel more than I needed to. I didn't have to modify my tranny mount Either... Fit like a glove between the framerails! You are gonna flip when you drive it now... More weight to the rear wheels and you will spin MUCH less now! Faster launches, better steering and braking!!!!! Let us know what you think! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

There should be a production date stamped on the door. It sounds like it is a Z and Not a ZX. If it is, that would make it a 78 or older. Make sure you compare the VIN number on the title to those on the firewall next to the brake booster, and on the panel rivited on the drivers side dash board. To my knowledge ALL ZXs came with disc brakes. Hope this helps. Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Pete, My switch panel is a Moroso cage mounted panel with a 30amp fuse in line. I'm not sure if there is a problem there or not. I am considering a fuel pump relay and harness from painless wiring. Comes with a circuit breaker which is nice to have.... I didn't notice this until I re-routed my fuel line. I'm gonna play with it this evening. BTW, blue smoke is starting to clear up.... Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Ron, I'll give it a try at 7psi. I'm also gonna route my fuel line at the rear a little different. Noticed that the pump is running louder with the new setup and that ain't good. So I'll be under the car tomorrow sorting that one out. Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Lee's building a drag car, Lee's building a drag car....... Mike };>)~ ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Yup, ATI would be my 1st choice as well. Former sponsor became a pro charger dealer and I can still get a pretty good deal on them if he is still in business....I'll have to look into that one... I'm trying to talk my little brother into getting a Z and letting me do a 5.0 W/ecc4 computer and injection w/a T5! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Spenc, I would definately be interested in seeing what you turn out. As long as it fits in the same location...I have an issue since my roll cage was installed around my dash.... Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

My speedo is hooked up to the VDO pickup mounted on the drive shaft and it isn't working. I'm calling VDO on Monday. If it will work off the T56 pickup, then I'm gonna buy another one of those and use it! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

BTW, Engine braking is not a good idea. I did this for years until I went to a drivers training school. They had some real good examples of parts failure due to engine braking a car. Driving instructor chewed me a new one every time he saw me doing it on the road course and it eventually broke me from doing it. Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

....Mounted everything up this week and got the fuel dialed in but now when I start the motor the pressure runs at 9psi until the car gets warmed up... Seems like the pump is spyking or something...brand new BG regulator, which makes me wonder whats wrong... After about 5 minutes the regulator shows pressure in the 6.5-7psi range, doesn't fluxuate, but doesn't make sense to me either. Ideas??? Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Takman, Both engine builders said that that was a good idea for a short term fix, but all of those busch and grand national motors get torn down after a weekend, so it won't hurt them. Both builders said that if it was a junkyard motor and I wanted to get 15-20K miles out of it then go the comet route, but with aluminum heads and high end parts, it might not do as much good as bad. Also, there is no such thing as a bad idea here man! Thanks for the help! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

....New starter solenoid by Summit requires a metal surface to be bolted to....Or you have to run a ground strap... That was the problem with the hard starting. Now it cranks fine, no problem. Didn't have to run 0/1 wire from the rear, but I did go ahead and run an additional 0/1 ground at the rear where the battery box bolts in. Now onto bigger things! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Based on Myron's debacles with the 700R4, I would say it is a toss up for cost. I used to think the $2000 price tag of the T56 was a show stopper, but getting a 700R4 setup to handle the 400HLP range might just put it in the same ball park as the T56, certainly within $400.... Guess it depends on if you want to row your own gears or have it done for you... I do have a 700R4 in the truck and I LOVE IT!!!!!! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Based on the scanned text and image, it would appear that I modified the speedo sensor (As did Matt Millen). Now I guess my question is this: Why is my trans working???? I am now wondering if tha trans needs any real mods at all...... I am confused. Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I contacted three engine builders, all who know my build and all who want to build me a motor... All three said that since I have Molly rings, and since the motor is new, it will probably be OK. Motor will take about 1000-1500 miles to seal up, but the contaminants will eventually purge from the system. All three told me they have had motors take up to 4000 miles to quit smoking, but as long as compression is good and leakdown numbers are good, DON'T tear down the motor because of a little smoke. And Ron, You are right about the Comet.. ASked two of them this AM and they both said that it was a bad idea beacuse of what it does to the valve train, and roller valve trains in particular. I'm gonna Re-break the motor in and see if it clears up. If the motor does have to be reringed, I'm gonna get it internally balanced while it is out. Maybe even go with a forged crank. Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

....I'[m still concerned about getting my rings to seal, now that they have been washed down with gas...TWICE. What are my optionjs here in getting this thing to quit smoking? I'm hearing all kinds of things, but what really works, short of pulling the pistons and re-ringing them... It is gonna kill me to do this... Solution for the starter is the ground issue Pete mentioned earlier. CHecked it and got a voltage reading of the wiring and it is definitely the issue. Car needs better ground. OK...that is fixable cheap and easy... ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Torque specs on the 93 T56 are 400Ft#, while all 94-97 T56s are capable of 450FT#. This is the exact same trans being used on Vipers, Corvettes and 93 and newer Fbodies! Very stout, but you would be correct about the Nash, Muncie and Richmond units being very stout! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Send me a copy please... and I'll upgrade the info on the tech article and include it (Giving you credit!)! Mike

Full Carbon interior, including custom center console and dash. Cage extending trhough the firewall, custom belly pans with venturies properly mapped out in the sheet metal. angle adjustable rear wing, and chin spliter. New front fenders that house 255-35-15s in the front....and maybe a heads up display on the windshield. I've planned all of the above, except the carbon interior and adjustable rear wing... the rest will be done by summer 01! ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Fuel Pressure is set to 7psi. To high? To low? 750 double pumper BG. Of course when I pulled the plugs to blow out any excess gas, the plugs were black and wet with gas, so I'm not 100% sure the carb is dialed in because of the eradic fuel pressure I was getting....6-15psi was the range I saw the day I called it quits and replaced it... Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited April 14, 2000).]

Scottie, As I posted under another category, the bottom line here, as has always been my personal agenda, is the fact that we all drive a Datsun Z. I've always been a fan of Zcar modifications. I don't care how you get it down the road, or how mild or wild, we each have our own interpritation of what the ultimate Z is. You and anyone else from the internet Zcar community are welcome here. We just run things differentlly here. A little more adult, a little more focused on helping each other and less on pointing fingers and hammering each others ideas... SpencZ is an excellent example of a guy who'se ideas you read, and you think he is nuts.... Then you go to his web page and you see....THIS GUY IS NOT NUTS! This guy, like many, has a million ideas running through his head all the time. Rather than tell someone why they can't do something, I like letting them show me what they can, and even if it isn't a success, it isn't failure because they tried, probably learned, and can apply that to the next wild idea that pops up! Welcome, and I hope to see some of your crazy ideas bounce around here! Mike Kelly Moderator at large! ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited April 14, 2000).]

The regulator would sometimes hold correct pressure, and because the gauge was partially obstructed by the ramiar box (New regulator has a port on it...Problem solved) I couldn't see it dropping or moving eradically when I would have the hood up... The wash down of the rings has happened twice, but the 1st time the motor was not running, and I pulled the plugs, drained the oil and blew out the cylinders with compressed air. This time, it had been running (Not driven, but sitting in the drive) for maybe a total of 15 minutes.. I will have to check the timing (Forget what it was set to), but I remember when we set the distributor up (MSD Billet Unit) we made sure the springs and weights were dialed in properly per MSD. What Should initial timing be at? Pete, I'll run a 0/1 wire up from the battery to the chassis and see if this takes care of it. I do have to 0/1 straps from the back of the motor up to the strut towers. The car was running all of 15 minutes...cut it off to restart it for the fuel pressure check (Still checking the pump, to see if it was part of the fuel problem) and when I tried to restart it, the wire at the starter and the solenoid was hot to the touch... I'm going nuts!!!!! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Two problems: Installed the new starter relay and I'm still having heat soak or some kinda problem...I'm perplexed... Thing starts increadibly fast when it is cold...Here is what I have: Optra Sealed battery, Summit Bulk head units for the floor. 1/0 Wire for the ground and hot. Ground back at the rear of the car. Hot running the length of the car to the relay which is on the fenderwell. I have a HOT SHOT 30amp booster jumped in there at that point and then 1/0 wire running to the starter. The issue is that the starter solenoid is getting hot, as is the starter terminal and wire...Is this a ground issue??? HELP!!!!!!! Problem number 2: New fuel pressure gauge is in and working great. Check the oil and detect a heavy smell of gas.... Change oil... start car and when I rev the motor blue smoke comes out of the pipes even with the car pretty lean. Regulator is working like a charm BTW.. Anyway, this motor has about 500 miles on it... are the rings toast? Will it clear up? This is twince in three weeks that this motor has been washed down with gas due to the regulator issue. Any thoughts would be much help! Thanks! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk