NewZed

The factory spec. for the 260Z was 8.8 CR. Regardless, you're still applying the paradigms from other engine platforms. Cranking up the CR alone does not do much. From what I've gathered, an appreciable bump in CR will not give a comparative increase in performance. It will make the engine more sensitive to fuel quality (octane rating) and more detonation-prone. It's all covered in this forum, here and there. Good luck. If you're looking to be unique just pick a powerplant that nobody's ever done and make it work.

Compared to the E88 (one of them anyway, I believe there were several variations), the E31 just bumps the CR from 8.3 to 8.6. Valves are the same size. Probably a faction of a horse or a ft-lb. gained. I'm going from ozdat's engine calculator so might be missing something, but it looks like the E31 is bathed in the glow of the mysticism of unavailability here. Happy to learn something different though, in case I see an E31 in the local yards. In general, there don't seem to be many simple stock part swaps with the L6 that produce big gains, like you find with other engine platforms. Easier to just swap a bigger engine. http://www.ozdat.com/ozdatonline/enginedesign/

Good link to some good work. Has anyone followed up with a USA L28E engine? Hate to be picky but that's what the OP has (probably, assuming nobody put a JDM engine in to his 76).

If you were on all-bacon diet you might get some beneficial surface treatment effects but probably not worth the time and/or effort. You probably are getting rods mixed up with pistons. The turbo engines have a different part number for both pistons and piston rings (Honsowetz and Monroe as reference). I don't know what the difference is. If you're going to tear down or refresh things before installing the turbo you night consider a "Hybridz best-practices" route. Do some work on the head unshrouding the valves, which will give a bigger chamber, lowering compression ratio and also give better flow to get the most from every pound of boost. Use an aftermarket EMS, like Megasquirt. Don't spend any money on the bottom end until you're sure the tune isn't going to destroy expensive parts. Etc. Take a few notes as you browse the threads and a good path will appear.

After reading the various cam destruction threads over the past few years, if I ever install a new cam I'll leave the rocker arms off and spin the engine with all valves closed before starting. Probably build a little aluminum foil shield to direct any spray then check each lobe for flow. Or even cut a plexiglass tube lengthwise to allow viewing as the cam turns. Confirmation of flow before applying any pressure to the cam or rocker arms. If it still gets destroyed at least the oil supply question will be clear. Inline, you could still do that if you haven't taken things apart yet or taken a sledge to it. It would tell you something.

Doesn't the unburned fuel from a miss skew the O2 sensor's reading to the rich side? If it's "false rich", adding fuel should make the AFR reading show leaner, as the lean misses go away.

If you can smell the mouse pee you'll probably want to hose it out with water. That stink will last forever.

The thumping noise is at cold start. It goes away and doesn't come back, I assume when oil is supplied. The other noise follows RPM exactly so doesn't seem like it would be a timing chain flopping around. That's why I thought it might be the wrist pin, after looking through Monroe's book. Removing the injector plug is a variation on his recommendation of removing spark. The motor has always had a ticking that remained after adjusting lash and I've kind of blown it off as just a noise that this particular engine makes, maybe from a loose mouse-trap spring or something. But I decided to find the source and here I am. Can't find it, except I know now it's associated with the #1 cylinder. Everything's adjusted, the mouse-traps all seem tight, the noise seems to come from somewhere besides the valve train. I've put about 10,000 miles on it so hopefully I'll get some more noise as it gets worse if it's about to go. I have another engine that will go in eventually. If I knew what to look for on the ticking engine I might take it out sooner and fix it. Thanks for the comments. The only blown up L6's I've personally seen all had rods thrown through the side of the block, but they weren't mine so I have no idea how much warning the drivers had. Mystery noises make me nervous.

For the money spent already, it probably would have been worthwhile to modify a valve cover with a plexiglass window to see what's happening while running. Might still be. Cold running only of course.

I had a similar problem with the ignition switch. I just took a pair of pliers and twisted/bent the actuating rod so that it hit Start before it ran out of twist. The electrical component was fine. I tried two (had a spare) before I figured out what was happening. You can test the electrical piece with a flat blade screwdriver. Actually, if you wanted a fail-safe you could let the electrical part hang, carry a screwdriver, and keep the key for show until you get it fixed.

Are you replacing the whole switch (with key) or just the electrical part? The mechanical pieces can wear to where it won't turn the electrical switch far enough to make contact with the starter circuit. You can bend the rod from the key part to the electrical part to get more twist if that's the case.

Does anyone know how to tell for sure if a wrist pin is bad? I thought I had a timing chain noise but did some more inspecting and find that removing the #1 injector plug removes the noise. Loose wrist pin is the only thing that seems to fit (Honsowetz Rebuild book as my source), aside from possibly a small exhaust or head gasket leak. The engine (used, probably high mileage) has a light thumping noise that goes away after 4-6 thumps when started in the morning which is apparently a sign of a worn bearing. The inside of the engine had much sludge, which is slowly washing away with detergent oil usage, so it's probably had a hard life. But it runs great, except for the irritating ticking noise. Lash is adjusted, oil level right. Any insights on how long you can run with a bad wrist pin, and what happens when it gets too bad (does something break or does it just get super noisy?) would also be appreciated. Odd topic and I won't be surprised if it's just another one of my DOA threads.

In summary, you've purchased a Z with an early 240Z engine. Pretty basic. For performance, transplanting an L28 would probably be quickest, cheapest and easiest. You haven't said what year Z you have. I'll guess 260Z since you assumed it was an L26. Apparently the E31 is "uncommon and desirable" to some though. http://www.xenons30.com/Heads.html

I was just pointing out, indirectly, that transmitting 60 ft-lbs of torque through the urethane flange seems unlikely. There's something weird going on with your assembly of parts if the outer nuts are loosening, self-locking or not, if they're tightened to 60 ft-lbs.. The urethane might get squished and squeak but it seems unlikely to transmit that kind of torque.

Regarding low oil flow at idle - it might be worhwhile to bump the idle speed up semi-permanently, until you get some miles on the cam, or even permanently. A couple hundred RPM might make the difference in flow with no real adverse effects except you'd lose some of the cammy/lopey idle sound.

What's it look like?

Seems like you are mixing up adjusting timing with adjusting rotor position (phasing, I think some call it). Timing is just when the coil discharges. This is adjusted with the 81 CAS by moving the sensor at the pulley. Described on EF-46. When the spark happens it will then jump to the closest terminal to the rotor tip. If the rotor is not closest to the #1 position terminal, the spark will jump to the one in front or behind. #4 or #5. #1 will then get its spark when #4 or #5 should have got theirs. So when you rotate the distributor on your 81 crank-mounted CAS all you're doing is moving the point at which the terminal gets its spark. If you move it too far, the "timing" will be way off, like a whole cylinder's worth. Phase the rotor position to #1 using distributor rotation and/or plug wire position, then adjust the CAS at the pulley to set timing.

Flooded?

I pulled a combined EFI/fuel pump relay from a 78 parts car that I had, that was the same as my 76's. I think that Nissan may have used the same combined relay in 78, but not all of its functions. They all have JECS part numbers on them. Compare those. By the way, they don't go bad often, probably because they're in the dryest location of all of the relays.

Use an ohm-meter to check the pinout to the Microtech ECU plug, and the Microtech wiring diagram to determine what should be there. Why guess?

Some people just don't have that kind of money. I know I don't. Or they need something to get them by until they get the extra funds. If I was trying to fix a mess like that, in the garage on the weekends, I might consider using a good strut brace to locate the tops of the struts with the new fabricated pieces underneath. You still need to do some other locating work but it might work as a good jig to hold things together. The chassis dimensions are in the Body chapter of the FSM.

I've had a persistent ticking noise from my stock L6 that I can't get rid of. I've found that tweaking the chain guide (with a screwdriver from the top) will affect the noise but won't get rid of it. It's most noticeable as I idle by parked cars with the window open. Seems to disappear at higher RPM. On the Kameari site they mention "heat seizing" chain links. Has anyone ever seen a seized or balky timing chain link? Wondering if I have a tight one that is causing the noise, or if my chain guides are just worn out. The chain itself seems to be within normal stretch range. http://www.kameariusa.com/L6_TimingChain.php Could someone who's installed a new timing chain share how tight the chain should be with nothing moving? I have quite a bit of play in the tight side of the chain if I turn the camshaft forward. The spring in the tensioner isn't taking up the slack, but I don't know how much slack it should take. I might just have a worn chain slapping around, even though timing is right. Thanks for any insights.

On coatings. Found some stuff on the Kameari site. Manganese phosphate, manganese phosphoric acid. Seems to be typically used for corrosion-proofing, but Kameari is touting it for wear. Seems like some marketing guys might have their hands in here, but still interesting. http://www.kameariusa.com/L6_SuperDragCamshaft.php http://www.kameariusa.com/L6_TimingChain.php

You need to measure the housing (outer tube), not the shaft. The gland nut locates and clamps the outer shock tube in to the strut tube. Measure at the top, the part that fits inside the gland nut.