Owen

Magnetic engine hoist!! Or better yet, magnetic CAR hoist!! Who needs a hydraulic lift? Just make sure those overhead beams are sturdy enough... Owen

Thanks everyone for your replies, this IS a high quality gear reduction starter!!!! Anyway, like I said above, I took it out of the car and gave it power, (jumper cables) moves out but doesn't spin. I'm gonna send it back and hope they replace it for free. Still, it's just a bandaid solution. How's this, I'll get one of those spray setups like in front of the intercoolers and spray NOS on the starter, all the while monitoring it with a temperature gauge?!?!?! Owen

I found out that the way I have it is OK as well. But still, I now know that the starter itself is no good. So I have to send it in. Owen

My starter is a Powermaster #9600. 180 lbs-ft, 4.44:1 gear reduction. I have another starter at home which I was using before this. Something else has to be causing this than just bad starters. I tested it by pulling the starter out and hitting the start button (recorded what was going on with my video camera while I was hitting the button). As I said, the pinion gear pops out but does not spin. The solenoid is most likely seized and is causing a short circuit. Owen

Hi everyone, I've gone thru like 3 starters on my V8Z. One was fried, one was simply replaced, and the current one seems to have seized. The current starter is a Powermaster 9600 or 9004, I can't remember off the top of my head. But it's supposed to be "not affected by heatsoak" or so they say. Anyway, I stalled the car at a light and couldn't get it to crank back up. Battery has 12V. My friend put on jumper cables and I saw them start to smoke. 2 hours later, having been towed home, it still won't crank. The starter makes a sound like it is physically blocked or jammed. The battery is an Optima red top, tested ok at the local auto parts store. Alternator is charging at 14V during idle. So why do my starters die? All my starters were wrapped with heatshielding. Currently the exhaust pipe running underneath it has about 3 inches gap between it and the starter. The pipe is also wrapped in header wrap. How hot does everyones' exhausts get? The other day, I started the car in the driveway and backed it into the garage. I needed to do something in the engine bay and burned my damn hand against the header. I took out my infrared thermometer and within 20 seconds, the headers were 500 degrees or higher. They are block huggers ceramic coated, water temps are stable at 180deg. Compression is 9.0-9.5 to 1, mild cam, etc. From what I know, my O2 sensor needs like 600 degrees so maybe this is ok. Do I have the damn thing wired wrong? I have a Ford Remote Solenoid, +12V from batt in on left, solenoid activation wire, and the +12V out to the starter. Like this http://www.chevyasylum.com/63chevy2/63chevy2_572w.jpg Here's an alternative way I just found. http://www.oldengine.org/unfaq/solenoid.htm There are 2 positive terminals on the starter, one for the heavy gauge and one small one for the signal coming from the starter. I have a loop going from the heavy terminal to the smaller one, per instructions that came with my remote solenoid. Is this done right? So I'm trying to figure out what else in my setup could be causing me to eat starters. I can't check the alignment of the starter to the flywheel because there's just no room with the T56 bellhousing. I need a fiberoptic scope.... Removed the starter last nite and gave it some power. The pinion pops out but does not spin. Thanks, Owen

Well, this reply is hella old and I only saw it cuz I was looking for the PNs I posted...but, yes the caliper is metric, but my brake lines aren't. I ripped them all out and re-bent re-routed them using the stuff I bought from PepBoys. My old metric fittings were all crapped out from someone using a vicegrip on them too. Owen

Yeah, try to type in your fuel management settings on a 4inch screen! Don't try this while driving either.... I'd rather have a camera in the rear so I see what the hell I backed into after hearing that clunk! This would be easy with those B/W mini cams on ebay, plus one mounted into the passenger mirror facing forward so I can see around those damn SUVs! Owen

Yeah, the MSA ones are meant for people not wanting to cut their metal up. I wouldn't get them even though the appeal of a still-soft ride after the mod was done is nice. Owen

I've been asking that question for a couple of months and it seems no one has. I was at MSA the otherday and asked to see them. They are thick urethane pieces with slotted holes, one person pushes on the strut assy. while another tightens the mounting hat down. Must be a biatch to get the X number of degrees desired... Owen

I don't think that's a problem. From what I remember, the corner that I ground off had two steel pieces but they weren't joined at the corner, so I figured that grinding off a little bit couldn't hurt (what else was I gonna do?) I'm in Huntington Beach, south So.Cal. Owen

I had to grind off the corner of the mount that was closest to shaft. Hey, where in So.Cal are you? Owen

My final evaluation is that it's worth it if you can't afford the real stuff and are sick of your old weatherstripping crumble away each time the car goes over a bump. Once again, I don't have the Precision kit, or I have an old one which doesn't inlcude the front door pieces. Owen

Apparently the clothing makers French Connection know about this too! http://www.frenchconnection-usa.com/FCUSSite/pages/home/default.asp Owen

Georgia Flash, I discovered that my door panels were too thick, I have the padded leathery ones and not the plastic ones. So, I took a hammer and pounded down the vertical area right near the door lock pin and a at the front of the door panel as well. So far, I don't have to slam it very hard anymore! Owen

I don't BELIEVE this Dave!!! NO!!!!

I tried to copy this off an RX7. But I don't think the RX7 would benefit too much because the ducts don't have a lip that would create low pressure at speed to suck the hot air out of the engine bay. http://www.hybridz.org/phpBB2/album_pic.php?pic_id=1770 The bulge in the Z hood makes things difficult. I do not want to remove it and the addition of raised ducts might make things too gaudy. I can't make it look too ricey or I'll never hear the end of it from Tim! Terry, I have not started over yet, I need to get my butt in gear! Owen

OK, that didn't work but this link does. http://www.v8zcar.com/sanmaruz/aero%20hood%201.html Anyone know why Adobe GoLive inserts the "%20" things into my URL? Owen

I did this back in May and didn't like it so I'm starting over, but basically the same idea as Tim's. Mine is a street car so water is a concern, as well as thieves will small hands! On one site, I saw a Naca duct with a sliding bottom that effectively closed the duct. Maybe I could make mine do the same, hinge the angled vents to close like blinds? http://www.v8zcar.com/sanmaruz/aerohood1.html Owen

We're talking about the 12-1.25 thread (I believe) Yeah, those Nismo studs are expensive! I'm still wondering how strongthese studs are. The Honda pitch of 12-1.50 are more popular. GM uses this same pitch in some cars and can be bought from Summit Racing for cheap, they're under the ARP brand from what I remember. Owen

Mike, What part number are those studs you got? If they're longer than the Quest ones, that would be cool. Owen

Pegasus Racing has some camber plates for the Z. http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pdfs/115.pdf Are these the same things Ground Control sells? Owen

Joe, I had the same problem, I pulled the pan with the engine in the car and replaced it with a 1-pc seal from Canton Racing. While you're at it, ARP stud bolts make things a lot easier putting the pan on. Owen

Are they noisy? Also, what kind of struts are those? Owen

Thanks, Basically the same thing as Pegasus. I'll just order from wherever is closest to me. Mat, I don't think I'll need you to go to Pegasus for me, the specs were already there. Thanks for the offer! Owen

Yeah, that's what I thought...but the spray...is that a cover???? No one's gonna notice the sprayed plate unless it's got runs in it, and how are they gonna catch you with photo (assuming the spray works). Owen