NewZed

Might get better information from a Chevy V8 forum.

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/19918-the-ultimate-turbo-faqbeginners-guide/

In case anyone else wants to compete - http://grantcontest.fedex.com/fedex-small-business-grant-contest/microsite Or just understand what the contest is about.

Thought you might have a second pickup coil and wonder how it gets used. No biggy, enjoy the old EFI system.

Maybe there should be a separate "Automotive 101" sub-forum. Then the "serious" forums won't get muddied up, but there will be a spot for the simple questions. Pinned at the top of the 101 forum could be the links to the xenon sites for FSMs, and various 101 type links, like "how an alternator works" and similar. Simple posts can get moved to 101 instead of exiled to the Tool Shed. Win-win.

All of the sensors are described in the FSM. Some have interesting functions. Have you looked under your distributor cap yet?

I miss the Tool Shed. It doesn't seem to be getting much use any more.

(Edited several times after staring at the drawing) The attached picture suggests that full droop actually lengthens the half-shaft and suspension compression shortens the shafts (I'm using "half-shaft" to describe both styles, CV and u-joint). This might explain a few things. A car lowered to allow compression beyond the factory design could bind the shafts. The drawing is from the 1976 RA chapter, but I assume that the 240Zs are the same. Someone with some drawing skills could probably calculate the amount of movement based on the arcs of travel of the link and the axle. More food for thought - It could be that Nissan designed the loose rubber mounting on the differential to allow sideways movement under extreme suspension compression to avoid binding. I've always wondered why the mustache bar rubber was so loose.

The attached picture suggests that full droop actually lengthens the half-shaft and suspension compression shortens the shafts (I'm using "half-shaft" to describe both styles, CV and u-joint). This might explain a few things. A car lowered to allow compression beyond the factory design could bind the shafts. It could also be that Nissan designed the loose rubber mounting on the differential to allow sideways movement under extreme suspension compression. The drawing is from the 1976 RA chapter, but I assume that the 240Zs are the same. Someone with some drawing skills could probably calculate the amount of movement based on the arcs of travel of the link and the axle.

Pics are too tiny. But there are several ways to wire in the internally regulated alternators, if it charges and the charge lamp works and the battery doesn't drain itself it's probably "right". Have you checked output? The amperage at idle of the stock 60 amp alternator is on the edge even when all of the electrical connections are clean. Keep cleaning connections, everywhere, including grounds, and the dip will get smaller and smaller. Start with the fusible links. It is possible to make a stock alternator work with no dimming. But after 35 years the small corrosion on every connection adds up to some sizable wasted amps. Relays on the light circuits help also and will save your combination switches.

About 1/3 to 1/2 way down JMortensen's "Differential/..." page there is a comment about the NA 300ZX CV shafts being too long. Sounds like you got a pair of those. There's also a comment about the six bolt adapter at MM. I'm fairly certain that the six bolt pattern for the Z31 NA is the same as the six bolt pattern for the S130. You could get some 280ZX CV half-shafts and they should fit your MM adapters and be the right length. The 280ZX turbos and some NA cars came with the CV shafts. It does get confusing, especially if you start looking at hybrid CV shafts, hub options and differential setups. Lots of options and none very easy. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/49194-differential-cv-lsd-hp-torque-r160-r180-r200-r230-diff-mount/ From the page: "The CV shafts first made their appearance in the Z line with the 280ZXT. This car got the tripod style CVs which have 3 large rollers arranged 120 degrees apart from each other. The 280ZXT CV’s are more durable than the halfshafts and are a good upgrade. www.modern-motorsports.com makes an adapter which allows the CV shaft to be bolted to the companion flange on the stub axle (the wheel side connection for the halfshaft). The 280ZXT CV plugs into an open or CLSD R200. These CV joints have bulky housings and can interfere with rear swaybar end links. Some have simply put smaller end links on to get around this issue. 280ZXT CV shafts: Resized to 20% (was 512 x 384) - Click image to enlarge The Z31 got a different, stronger CV shaft. In addition to being stronger, the housing for the CV joint is smaller in diameter, and this means that it interferes with sway bar end links less. There are two different Z31 CV shafts. The normally aspirated Z31 uses a 6 bolt shaft. For whatever reason, these shafts are too long to be used in the S30 chassis. Don’t get NA Z31 shafts. The Z31 turbo shafts have 4 bolts, and they are the right size to fit into the S30, using companion flange adapters from www.modern-motorsports.com."

Most people spend days, months or years trying to figure their engine problems out. You are outside the lines with the turbo on the NA EFI system which may be why you didn't get much feedback. It's the "asking for trouble, you're on your own" path. Plus reporting voltages for the AFM and CTS test doesn't really mean anything since the tests describe measuring resistance. I'm not a turbo guy but the fact that you're boosting early seems to suggest a problem with the turbo and boost control (of course)(Edit - had written something else but it was backward thinking). Reporting RPM instead of MPH would probably be more useful too.

Which part of Oregon are you in and how far are you willing to drive. If used is okay... - http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx?Address=97225&Lat=45.506451&Lng=-122.775622&Make=Datsun&Model=280&Distance=200 http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/pts/3349040887.html

The R200's generally are loose and have some play. 2 degrees doesn't sound like much at all. I assume that you mean you can rotate a half shaft 2 degrees of play. Loose u-joints will make a noise also, look for rust around the bearing seals. Loose diff mount. Loose lug nuts. Loose mustache bar nuts. Loose half-shaft bolts. Loose strut mounts. Something loose rolling around in the tool compartments behind the seats. These have all been implicated in noise from the rear. Autocross isn't supposed to be that hard on the driveline is it? It's not drag-racing.

My point wasn't that you would get a ticket for not registering but that you could get pulled over for the out-of-state plates so the officer could ask you if are new to town, to inform you about the registration law. Once you're pulled over they can start looking at other things. My general rule of dealing with law enforcement is to avoid giving them any reason to get involved in what you're doing. Not that I don't respect what they do, but I like my privacy.

An out of state plate is an easy reason to pull you over. They only have to see the plate twice, eleven days apart. Even if your car is legal, getting pulled over can lead to unintended consequences. Food for thought. You'll be watching your back for a year.

Been digging through the CV shaft length threads and found couple of dots to connect, if anyone is still looking for the way around having new shafts cut. In the thread linked below NZeder posted a picture from an FSM showing a factory CV assembly with two tripods, for the NA VG30E. Apparently they'll work, but the Birfield/double offset combination must be stronger. Post #57. Found the same diagram in the 1989 RA chapter. I've noticed that all of the threads trying to find a combination of factory parts to use just peter out and fade away. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/topic/65177-300zxt-cv-issue/page__hl__cv%20shaft%20length__st__60

I guess a lot depends on how and where you drive the car and where you live. I just put a 3.9 in my NA car from 3.54, with the 3.062 ZX first gear, to get more pickup from a stop and when I'm on the hilly streets of Portland OR. Otherwise, on the flat roads outside of the city it was nice to have the extra speed in first to wait on the shift to 2nd. Out on the flat plains of Texas Ben might find that a 3.9 is wasteful. In San Francisco, he might be hating a 3.54. As for why the factory put the 3.54 in the turbo cars instead the 3.9, it could be to make the car less likely to burn the tires from throttle alone in first gear. Detuning for the masses.

When you all are reporting "useless" are you talking about when accelerating only? Otherwise, when putting around town, off-boost, isn't the car essentially a low compression NA engine, which could use the same ratios as any other NA engine? If you get a diff that makes first gear useful for getting on the boost, won't the car be boggy in normal city traffic? Just wondering if I'm missing something about how the turbo engines work. The factory set the cars up with about a 12 ratio, first gear times diff. 3.54 x 3.321 (11.75), 3.9 x 3.062 (11.94).

You replied over on zcar.com, if that's what you mean. He posted the same thing on classiczcars, zcar and here, maybe more.

The later (Type 4 and 5 speed transmissions are the same length and use the same drive shaft. For example, I've had a 78, 80 and 83 5 speed in my 76 car that came with a stock 4 speed and the original 4 speed shaft worked fine. Plus it was identical to the drive shaft that came in the car I got the 78 5 speed from (bought a parts car). Pretty sure that the early 4 speeds are the same length also. The drive shaft length changed with the diff mounting position. Early is about 28 3/8", later is about 29 3/4". I think that it's been determined that the measurements in Nigel's picture in Post #2 are off a little bit. Not sure if that's your question since your sig says RB26DETT, 2-speed Powerglide, etc. Different car? Edit - B followed by parens = smug face apparently. (Type

That adapter looks interesting. How long are the GM CV shaft assemblies? Did you have new shafts made to fit, or size the adapter to work?

I just saw a short driveshaft in a 240Z at the Portland OR South PicknPull (I posted on another thread also about the trans mount). The front yoke adapter looked a little worn around the seal area and the dust shield has a big ding in it. But the u-joints seemed in good shape. I had to ballpark the length, but, coincidentally, I had a one foot stick that I was using to estimate CV shaft length. There was also a normal length shaft there so I'm 95% positive it's a short one. If you need it bad, you could get both and swap the other yoke on to the short shaft. 240s have the replaceable u-joints. Two manual transmissions, an engine block and an N42 head are also in the car. Looks like someone gave up on a project or finished one and got rid of the extra stuff.

Just saw one inside a 240Z at the Portland OR South PicknPull. It's been removed and sitting inside along with a bunch of other parts. If you know someone in the Portland area, or if someone wants to get it for you. I'm not in to parts selling and shipping myself.

The blue wire from the coil negative terminal to Pin 1 of the ECU may not be connected. Assuming that you have spark. The ECU doesn't send a signal to the injectors, it just grounds the circuit every three coil discharges. It "sees" the coil discharge through the wire from the coil negative. You most likely had an electronic ignition system before since all of the EFI engines came with them, so your comment about upgrading to electrical (assume you meant electronic) doesn't make sense. If you swapped in a ZX distributor with the "matchbox' on the side, you might not have disconnected the other ignition module in the cabin. That might screw up the signal to the ECU. Type and year of car would make things more clear.