Gollum

Stock wheel would have been a 175SR14, or more accurately 175/78/14 I believe. The wider you go, the taller for a given ratio. The second number is a RATIO of the with. So a 300/40/15 would have literally TWICE the sidewall height as a 150/40/15. For your next tire, I'd suggest going 215/60/14 if your rims can fit it. 225/60/14 would be even better, again, if your rims can fit it. You can use this calculator here to test different setups. http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp Oh, and yes, a taller wheel will end up give you a larger GPS reading per your speedo reading. This would lead to making you think you have a lower ratio rear end than you actually have 3.9. Won't know until you do at least a semi-definitive test, which is sounds like you're well on your way to do. BTW, my preferred method when it comes to just rotating stuff and guessing, is to draw a line on the tire with chalk, then put a line on the driveshaft going down the length. Spin the driveshaft 1 turn as perfectly as you can, while having someone watch the wheel. If you can guess about how many degrees the wheel turned you can now do some basic maths to get you in the ballpark, or close enough to be sure which diff you have. I find guessing the chalk on the wheel easier than guessing how far around the input of the diff as spun.

Well, it's sad that they both flaked, but I honestly believe your car is worth that kind of price. If it were to go to a place like barrett-jackson I'm sure it could pull in at least 60k+. It's probably one of the best GTO replicas built. I wish you and your car the best. It (and you and your work) have been an inspiration to many of us.

So what you're saying is that you're going to build a FFR GTM now?...

205/70/14 is tall for a S30. You're almost an inch taller than stock, which would result in about a 3% speed difference. But it should be noted... that's almost a moot point compared to how off the speedo was STOCK. Comparing it against another car is almost useless. What's MORE reliable is to actually calculate it out. You can use a handy tool like a transmission calculator here - http://sd2cx1.webring.org/l/rd?ring=zcars;id=157;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebspace%2Ewebring%2Ecom%2Fpeople%2Fcz%2Fz_design_studio%2F If you know what trans you have, calculating the diff is easy. If you know the diff, calculating the trans is easy. Punch in your tire size, select trans, and then get some readings using a GPS speedo. Take measurements at higher RPM ranges since this will accentuate differences. Transmissions are RATIO devices, so it's hard to tell the different from one diff to the next at low RPM. Get 4th (since it's 1:1 in almost any trans you could have) up over 4,000rpm and measure your speed. Now you can calculate the diff ratio. OR... go the much easier route. Go to the local auto store and get some diff fluid (many like 90 weight), and then pop your rear cover. There will be a tooth readout scribed into the gear who's smooth face is facing you. Rotate the wheels till you find this scribe mark. Should say something like 10/37. Divide the larger number by the smaller, you now have your ratio. Tada. Put rear cover back on, refill with bought fluid. Done.

Maybe I'm just cranky today, but this seems ban-worthy to me. Maybe it's a good thing I'm not a mod. ...so to the OP, it's call finding a bloody car. We even have a for sale section on this very site so you don't have to clutter up other sections of the site asking people if they have something. Just be glad you live in CA, and so-cal at that. You've got one of the richest mine fields of S30 cars in the world at your disposal. Seems all the best rust-freeish cars are in CA or AZ and they're much more plentiful here than anywhere else I've seen.

When the car starts to die, does the alternator belt actually seem loose? If it's actually coming loose than you need to recheck your bolts. Don't forget that there's three. Sometimes people forget that there's TWO on the lower side. With just one tight sometimes the alternator can still wiggle loose. Having both bolts keeps the alternator tight in two directions and the upper bolt on the tensioner mount just keeps it stable. If the belt seems decently tight when you pull over during the power drain, then you need to look at your battery. Have it checked again, and by someone else. If they seem to think it's fine... Well then you've probably got some iffy electrical connections somewhere. My first bet in this case would be the fusible links.

Oh, and the ford 3.8 is 90 degrees. This will make it wider than the 60 degree VQ or VG down low, but this should be seen as a benefit in many ways. This puts the heavy part of the engine as low as possible without being a horizontal engine which wouldn't fit in a stock S30 engine bay. And check out ZR8ED's thread if you haven't. The ford 3.8 should be more compact than the VG, which is smaller still than the VQ. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/73970-z31-vg30et-into-an-s30-project-outline/ Downsides? 90 degree V6 motors run a little rougher and as such usually aren't designed to be as rev happy. Again, not an issue for some of us. Also not a huge issue if you're not looking for 700hp like some of the VQ guys are looking for, which puts you in a whole different wallet range which changes everything I've said...

Remember that even though weight is king when it comes to pure grip, weight placement combined with the right tuning is what will give you the actual FEEL of the car, and if the FEEL is right then you'll GO FASTER thanks to confidence in the corner. Ideally you want the weight as low as possible, behind the wheel centerline, with just enough at the ends to give predictable inertia. I've been eyeing the ford 3.8 lately too. It's INSANELY compact. It's most certainly NOT a windsor motor in the slightest, other than the fact that it shares bell housing patterns (yummy trans options for such a dirt cheap motor). These V6's have a smaller bore and smaller bore centerline, so they're quite a bit shorter than just a 5.0 with two cylinders lopped off. And since it's a pushrod motor the heads are teeny tiny. The engine you want is the later mustang engine (99+). Comes with revised heads to fix gasket failures. Also has a main girdle for main caps. It's basically a stouter bottom end than what came in the supercoupes. The heads suck billiard balls dropped from the empire state building... But nothing that some force induction can't fix. And since you can get spare heads for FREE, go to town learning how to port!!! I'm sure a little warming over, more cam, and retune the EFI and you'd get a good bump. They're never going to be high revving motors though. That doesn't stop people from getting 500+ from these motors, and they'll produce that power for a good 30% of their RPM band when done right. OH, and did I mention it's Ford EDIS EFI!!!! Tweecer is compatible with most ECU's you'll find. Megasquirt is a piece of cake to convert if you go that route. And coming full circle, if you're concerned about weight... don't. This motor isn't going to be more than 50-75 pounds more than a VQ and if you had them next to eachother it'd look like the 5.0 compared to the 4.6 And guess what? You'll probably SAVE weight in the trans department...

Most def. Those DGV's will probably never raise in value much other than inflation, while here in the states people are probably going to start importing those MN47s from places like Australia where they're still semi-common. Getting to be slim pickings here in the state, and even still, welding chambers can be more work/more expensive than sourcing that lovely head.

What he said.

Isn't it kinda funny that I don't doubt the power claims, but I do doubt the weight claim? My slick top was well under 2700lbs with both bumpers. I can't see how they're 150+ lbs more than my car considering they've removed both bumpers, carpet, padding, etc. Even with a giant turbo, even with the cage, even if he's got a Z32 trans... If I were building a serious street/strip S130 I'd be shooting for 2600lbs or less, even with huge tires and full glass.

It really depends on the application. In a "perfect" world you're choosing your hot side based off the engine it's going into, and how it would perform in NA condition, and the cold side based off of how much power you'd like to make. For example, a .63 T3 isn't going to choke a stock L28, but the typical T3 compressors aren't going to make as much power as people around these parts are looking for. Even the largest T3 sized compressors aren't going to support 400+hp, which you're knocking on the door of if you're pushing 325+ to the wheels. And really, I think you're over-generalizing that a small turbine AR is going to choke mid range and top end power. Look at rally or vintage F1 turbo setups. They run/ran turbine sizes small enough to get more than enough boost off idle, and then size the compressor to reach the top end they're looking for. The only reasons to feel a small turbine AR is going to "fall off" is that either 1. You don't have a large enough wastegate, or it's not properly designed), or you're mistaking earlier power for less power. Many times the fact that a larger turbo hits harder and later, is mistaken as "more" when that isn't necessarily the case. I've see a stock, unmodified VF39 (sti oem) turbo put over 350 to the wheels in a STI, which is almost 100 more than many people expect as "the limit" for the stock turbo. Was this turbo "choking" at the top? Hell yes! But that was an issue at the compressor side, not the turbine. We didn't have a pressure sensor on the manifold, but I'd be willing to put money on the fact that it wasn't absurd. I'm sure we'd have made even MORE power from it if we'd installed an external wastegate and pulled a few other tricks we hadn't touched yet, but we moved on to a larger turbo after a sweet deal on a longblock came up. Oh, and to really piss people off we were running the stock intercooler. Speaking (or typing, more literally...) about this reminds me of Big Phil's whole saga about which turbo to run. He was having surge issues with a turbo and found that going to a turbo with a larger turbine AR made it go away. The main issue was that he was developing too much boost too early for that compressor. Sure, he made "more power" with the larger turbine AR, but that's simply a function of the fact he was able to run more boost since he wasn't surging the compressor wheel because boost was hitting later. Even garrett themselves in their literature state that the biggest issue with too-small of an AR on the turbine's main issue is excessive back pressure causing the engine to choke.... This IS NOT an issue with a correctly designed wastegate. AND, even still, I've seen plenty of engines that continue to make power with pressures at the exhaust upwards of 2.5 BAR while they're not even running 1.5 BAR on the intake.... Like I said, it's really about perceptions of power and where it comes in. Of course an engine is going to feel like it's "choking" if you've added extra power up front when there isn't power to be gained up top, giving yourself a flat HP curve. Well, that's my 2 cents. All that said, ray, you've got plenty of turbos to play around with before you bite the bullet on any purchases. And remember, there's many ways to skin a cat when it comes to spool time, so don't fret if the turbo sizing you like doesn't seem responsive enough,

My issue is never the car hobby per say, it's the 50 other hobbies too. I do all manner of IT work when it comes to in-home house calls. So I do everything from format/reinstalls to URC programming. Needless to say this means there's a fair amount of computer junk around the house. I finally brought in about 10 desktops the other day to e-waste and now I find I've already built up about 3 more that need to go, and that's after having built a system I donated to a non-profit. Then there's music. I've been an avid guitarist for 10+ years now and even though it hasn't taken up as much time as it has in the past lately, I still have, I think, 3 guitar amps in pieces in the garage, waiting for me to order parts so I can finish the mods/rebuilds I've got planned. One is basically just an empty chassis with transformers and tube sockets. It's getting a ground up rebuild, and I've got the circuit I built for it taped to the wall. 2 years ago I decided on a whim to make a new 2x12 cab that was modeled after my silvertone cab that was falling apart... Boy does she have some grace... The list goes on. I pretty much gave up video games 6 years ago but people still try to drag me back in. I don't think I've bought a game for myself in at least 3 years yet I've got a shelf of recent stuff I haven't touched. My life is a like of projects. Some people can just do one project at a time, and when they complete one project they start another. I don't understand how people do it, but it must be nice. At any give time I've got 10+ projects going, with a good 2-3 of them being worked on at a weekly basis at least. Lately it's been experimenting more with solidworks flow simulation and cleaning junk around the house (you know... taking those S130 doors to recycle that you've had lying around for 7 years....). And of course a friend built me a new computer for christmas (or darn right?) so there's all of that fun transfer stuff going on lately. So when it comes to cars, that's usually the LEAST of my worries with wife tolerances. What mike said is definitely words of wisdom, Never let your car hobby become more important that the relationships that make life worth living. It sucks to live life alone. The best introverts might be able to take it for a time, but even the best introvert enjoys being appreciated by someone. My challenge is to pick and choose what hobbies get to see what little time I get to give to them. This is probably why updates in my project thread goes in waves, and why my car hasn't seen the street in 2 years... All in all though, she likes my S30, and wants her own Z32 someday. She'd probably enjoy her own S30 if she understood how "nice" and "civil" they can actually be. Mine isn't going to win many people over. I think my favorite comment I've ever had from a woman was "I really like your car. I'd never EVER ride in her, but she really just makes me happy inside." (this was soon after I'd pulled the dash) I do find it humorous though how many women have had positive comments on my car, yet would never take up the offer to go for a ride... Again... my car isn't one to be adored (compared to the breed). But all that said, the one time in the last 6 years I talked about selling my S30, my wife was the first one to try to convince me not to. She's a keeper.

Not to mention the fact I've seen deer total cars that were sitting at a light... They're pretty darn solid creatures.

Well since it's a '83 setup the CAS is inside the dizzy. The likelihood of both being out is slim. Now, the wiring from the CAS to the ECU could be bad... Again, a full wiring check needs to be done. Also, considering the ECUs are analog, not digital, the only issue I could see arising is bad caps. And to have two ECUs that inject fuel but not trigger spark tells me that it's most likely NOT the ECUs being bad. Keep searching, you're overlooking something somewhere. The problem at this point almost CANT be a part needing replaced, as you've just about replaced it all.

Oh don't get all defensive tony. I was using the term oilburners to bring up the topic of ANYTHING that burns oil, which our fine state seems to want to eviscerate entirely. They're already attacking older 18 wheeler's, so expect them to go after older passenger diesels next.

Your transmission needs work. If it feels sloppy then I'd first look at the bushings at the shifter pivot. I've driven some sloppy shifting Z cars and found that the bushings were just plain GONE. If the bushings are there and in good shape, then syncros might be in order. Or you can do what a lot of us do, just go find another trans. There's at least 2 or 3 S130's in my local yard every time I go, so they're always in supply. Another reason I don't personally want to convert to the T5.

Have you driven fox body mustangs? The T5 is by no means a real "winner" of a trans. Ford guys use it because it's what's available, that's it! Any guys out there doing serious racing either dump the T5 or go with completely different gear sets, making it not so much of a T5 anymore, basically in box name only. They shift terribly, and you have to be careful setting stops on aftermarket shifters otherwise you can ruin them quickly. Considering that I've seen plenty of guys put 300+ to the wheels on the S130 NA Manual trans, and that I've seen plenty of 300whp mustangs blow up T5 transmissions, I'd say the benefit is hardly worth it. If you're going to do an upgrade, look at the Z32 trans. It's a hell of a lot better through and through. Better case and bearing design that's not going to flex as much, beefier gears through and through, much better syncros that will last through much more abuse.

I talked to a ref about 2 months ago and he said that by the looks of things pretty soon all 2 strokes will be under the knife and we'll most likely see their use wane substantially here in CA. Because according to him: Fixed...

It depends on a couple of factors. 1. Do you have a decent tool selection to get between the x-member and the pan for those hidden bolts. 2. How worn are your engine mounts, ie - how much extra droop is in there. 3. Are we talking S30 or S130? I know this is the S30 section, but it's worth noting that the S30 chassis is much easier to remove the oil pan from than other chassis with bulkier steering setups.

This is the first I've heard about a gasket that's just the front section of the pan gasket, but it sounds almost plausible. The only reason to do such a thing is if you don't have the time/ability to pull the entire pan, which can be a serious headache without a cherry picker. In reality though I think what stops many people is that you don't need to unbolt/remove nearly as much as you think to get enough clearance for the pan. I'd say replace the whole thing if you can. But don't be afraid not to if the gasket is in decent shape. Last time I dropped a tensioner and had to pull the front cover I just used some rtv and called it a day. Never had any leaks there. To be a bit fancier you could just buy the oil pan gasket and cut the front section of it off.

To be brutally honest, I think one of your biggest obstacles on a project like this will be space, and cleanliness of it. I'm not really much better off, so don't take it personally (I didn't think you would, but others might think I'm stabbing at ya), even a half cluttered 2 car garage will be hard to work in. You'll need to make a solid jig that's perfectly square to work off of, and space around it to work. But, if you plan to make a tube front end to multiple cars, maybe taking the time to make a jig that's project specific could be beneficial. IF, and that's the big if, you can design something that's fairly easy to attach squarely to any S30, it might be "relatively easy" to weld together 4 or 5 of them and attach them at your leisure. John's point still remains though, and that you will still need to make damn sure that the attaching process is perfectly square, which is going to require holding the chassis perfectly square, which they don't do by themselves even under their own weight.

Yea, performance 15" tires are extremely hard to find, and is the reason the rota group buy even happened. Rudypoochris, like many others, wanted a serious street tire, and that simply didn't exist in the 15" range wider than 225, and performance tires in the 16" range pretty much stop at 245. If you want a 275 or wider then 17" is pretty much the minimum for actually having options. The sucky thing for S30 guys is that no matter what getting a performance street tire in those widths means running a TALL wheel compared to what you really should be running at the track. The S30 geometry just doesn't cope with a wheel that tall very well. The S130 on the other hand does much better with the taller wheels, and also has far fewer fitment issues getting a 275 to fit.

Yea, forget using a multimeter on a fast pulsing signal light that. BUT, you can go buy a sub $20 test light and that will show it just fine. Personally I'd have avoided all of the assuming and buying new parts. I'm all for the HEI conversion, but there was never really a guarantee your ignitor was dead. You're probably just overlooking something simple. I know because I've been there. I once stared my engine down for 5 months until I finally found the issue, which was hooking up a wire incorrectly. It "looked" fine and seemed unrelated to my problem, but after finding the issue it DID make sense. It just wasn't where I was looking. Go back to square one. Assume nothing, pull out the FSM and check voltages EVERYWHERE. I'm betting that SOMETHING isn't getting voltage somewhere. You just need to figure out where in the chain it's not getting through.

Look up "kroil", it's a helluva lot better than PB blast, which I usually only use if someone gives me a bottle. The kroil stuff is the same stuff that caterpiillar uses for their machinery and relabel it with their name on it. It's good stuff. I used some getting my CAT out and I'd been heaving and heaving to no avail. Sprayed some kroil on and let it work for 5 minutes while I took a breather, came back and immediately snapped loose with less than I'd guess about 20lbs of force input.