Kevin Shasteen

So it is the bearing ends where the two halves butt up against each other that are not flush with the bearing cap where the bearing cap is flush w/the upper engine where they are bolted on? Well, I know you can do it (do the sanding/honing ect) yourself; just take plenty of measurements along the way. I sympathize with you but I am also glad I am not you. Maybe this will give you a piece of mind; I had a friend who had a friend that was really tight on their budget. His engine spun a bearing. This guy pulled the crank out-sanded the bearing down himself w/emory cloth & measured the crank then to be .010" under. This guy then cut a spacer "FROM A BEER CAN" to match that of the main cap-drilled the oil hole & then bolted everything back up. Believe it or not-the engine ran for another two weeks: long enough to get this guy to his next paycheck for a down payment on a used car. Just said that to say this: you can do it-I've seen your website & know you are very resourceful. As you're grinding/sanding-dont just take four measurments-North,South,East & West, but also take measurements within those four measurements-hopefully it will work out! I cant believe that there is a Nation in this world that doesnt have a machine shop that doesnt also have an align boring machine? Good Luck! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

What's the name of the Magazine? When you say Zoom no.43 is that the page number? Is it in Turbo Mag? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Forgive me for getting hung up on this; but when you say "Sticks Out" are you referring to fore/aft? It is not usually adviseable to only grind one cap down-it is always best to match all caps to each other. This way you dont have to worry about a spun bearing or a scarred journal. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Ok guys, I am factory engine code name illiterate I have attempted to read this forum because I find anything new to me intriguing; but you guys and your references to engines are leaving me out in left field. Please, for the other illieterates like me; when you make references to the: 1) 7m-gte 2) RB / RB26 / RB25det 3) Z3a / Z32 4) VG30DET 5) VG30DETT or any other name; please be aware I most likely am not up to speed. Sorry to drag any of ya'll down to my level-but I need help on the lingo. You might have to talk slow & draw plenty of pictures if you have to; with a little help I should catch on fairly quickly. There was a thread on the VG30DET/DETT engines so I'm kind've up on those & then a previous post about the 7m-gte...so I now know what year that goes to. I would also like to know if the engine being illuded to was a Push Rod, SOHC, or DOCH engine and or Inline 6 or V6. Thanks for the consideration. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

280Zone, I like your wheels, are they 4 lug or are they of the 5 lug conversion. I also plan on using the same set up for fender vents-but I grabbed my vents from the same year F-Series Pontiac T/A. Did you only use the outer vents from the Camaro or did you also grab the inner mounting that mates to the outer vents from the insider? Are you using your Vents to vent the wheel well or running a tube to the engine to vent the engine-that is my plan: to utilize the vents to vent the engine (with an electrical fan inside the tube that kicks on when the electrical fan kicks on. BTW: Your Vents looks good. And dont forget to tell me what brand wheels are on your car (and how much you paid for them-if you dont mind me asking)! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I just re-read your post....you are not talking about the ends of the bearings protruding/pressin in on the journal itself; you are actually talking about the sides of the bearings(?), yes/no? So then, what you are saying is that the bearing width is wider than the cap width? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I once had to replace a main cap on an engine and it also, like yours, was not a perfect match. The reason is that the other caps are machined from the factory as a set. When you replace one cap that didnt originally come w/the engine-you will either get extemely lucky and find a cap that fits close enough to perfect....or you will have to do what most people do & align bore your engine mains: this way all caps will fit properly. Unless someone else knows of another solution-you are pretty much stuck to the align boring of the mains. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

From my 12 years w/MIC (Motors Insuranc Corp.) my first 5 years were w/GMPP (General Motros Protection Plan) as a warranty adjuster. In those first few years I learned that we, MIC, was a tax write off, for GMAC/GM. Each year each adjuster would receive a listing of all the prices for each New & Used Car Protection Plans. Every year the prices of a protection plan for an Import Car was a fraction to that of an American Car. I remember one example specifically. I looked at Cadillac's most luxurious car & priced the most expensive protection plan...it was right at $2.5k. Then I looked at Infinity's finest & that exact same protection plan...it was only $300.00 Keep in mind these prices are dealer cost-and dont include the inflated profit the dealers thought they could get away with when selling it to a buyer. That difference from $2.5k to $300 is a big difference; which just goes to show that even GMAC, who controls GMPP, has done their marketing and they know that the Import Cars will out perform the American Cars, in the long run. In those first few years I also learned that when the American Cars are mfg'd w/a defect-they simply make a recall whereas if and when the Asian Mfg has a defect-they also have a recall, but the recall comes directly out of the pocket of the President of that Asian Mfg. This would be a good reason for the Asian cars to "Not Break Down" before its time. Also, if you have looked at new cars now days-you will find that the Import Car Dealers dont even try to sell you a protection plan but the American Car Dealers cant wait to sell you a protection plan on top of the Bumper to Bumper Warranty....Hmmm? What could that Possibly Mean? I will have to agree that on a whole, and for the long run, the Import/Asian cars will out perform the American Cars. Does that mean that American Cars are junk? Well, not really. IMHO it means that the American Car Mfg & Dealers are into the Protection Plan business as a main money maker and no longer design their cars to run forever; instead they now design their cars w/engineered failures to occur in a timely fashion. So, anyone out there thinking about buying an American Car had best purchase the best Protection Plan on top of the Bumper to Bumper Warranty..chances are you will need it. If this is what you mean about American Cars being junk-then I would agree. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Dont say that; of course people care what you think. If you have an opinion then it is worth talking about. Even more important is that you have a dream I understand rotary engines (no hands on experience) but dont let people poo-pah your idea. Your idea is yours...make it happen & surround yourself with other people who think like you do & it will come to pass. Dreams are cool, it is what inspires people to do some pretty amazing things. Scarab Inc got started because of a dream. Mike Knell began his JTR Inc as a result of a dream. Now we have HybridZ as a direct result of all those other dreams from other people. Keep your dream in the back of your mind (on the back shelf) and when timing is right-go for it. Seriously-dont ever think that people dont care about what you think! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I've always considered the Z as Datsun's attempt at designing a TRUE European Touring Sports Car that was both marketable to the European & American markets; and IMHO they, Datsun, hit the "GT" mark right on the Bulls-eye. I would have to agree with the other comments that a Z is not the typical stereotype of "Rice". The Z is completely functional for its purpose-to take on the twisty roads w/out modifications. I also believe that for somthing to be "Riced" it has to have rediculous non-funtional items placed on it. The Z on its own is very functional-with the added transplant of a powertrain or boosting the original power train; the Z is even more functional. The Z is a GT car; is it not? At least that is how I have always thought of the Z. Has "Rice" even been put in a defintion by the expert's...by experts I mean the auto industry's dept's that test, drive, write & present mfg's & rodder's ideologies to the public? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

That is basically the point I was trying to make. To over simplify: Compression means to squeeze something into a smaller state of existance. Keeping this in mind a Compression Test is not measuring the Compression Ratio-it is measuring the Cylinder Pressure in the Cylinder. Compression Ratio is a mathematical relationship that doesnt change after the Engine has been built, doesnt matter if it is a Static or Dynamic Compression Ratio-once the engine is built those two Ratio's never change. Unless of course you can engineer a "Variable Bore & Stroke" as well as a "Variable Camshaft Intake Valve Closing"-then you can alter the Compression Ratios: till then-the Ratios will always remain the same. It is the pressure of the chamber that is altered when a "Compressor" such as a Turbo/Supercharger is added: or a Chemical Compressor such as Nitrous is added. Pressure deals in density, as in Moisture Content of the Air Molecule, while the Compression Ratio deals in the Mathematical Relationships of the Cylinder Displacement (Volume) relative to the Total Combutsion Chamber (Volume). Both the Cyl.Displacement & Total Combustion Chamber Volumes can not be altered once you have put your engine together. It is only the Intake Pressure (PSI) of the Intake System, that is altered relative to ambient pressures (Density of the Air Molecule) that a Compressor will effect. The Density of the PSI is also what we are effecting when we add an Intercooler to a Turbo; we are amplifying the Turbo's ability to Pressurize the intake system. That is how I understand the issue of Pressure, Compression Ratio and Volumes. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

IMHO I dont mind Rice when it is functional. But to put a rear wing on a FWD vehicle is not functional: it is theatre w/out function. I would like to think that the HybridZ never becomes Theater. I sincerely hope there are no HybridZ'ers out there putting stickers on your Z in an attempt to make your car go faster...that is not function-it is theater. Theater isnt interested in function but entertainment. I prefer to get my entertainment by beating my oponent at the stop light drag strip: entertainement thru function...not theater. Mike Knell-who followed on the ScarabZ & improved the idea wasnt interested in Theatre, rather, they, Scarab Inc and Mike Knell, were only interested in the idea of complete and total function. I also believe, that is what HybridZ is all about; improving on Mike Knell's idea. I believe, the "Rice" term, doesnt apply to function...as there are some really really fast import tuners out there-I would not refer to those as Rice but as Rodders; maybe I'm wrong here but that is my .02c's worth. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Compression and Pressure are often misunderstood; simply because the differences are usually assumed to be understood and therefore the how-to mags dont teach it. Take the Compression Test, you are not testing the Compression Ratio: what you are actually testing is the Pressure in the engine as it compresses. Yet we dont call it a Pressure Test we call it a Compression Test; therefore the "Compression Ratio" is mentally associated w/the Compression Test; because that is how our minds work. Confused yet? The distinction between the Compression Test and the Compression Ratio is the word "Ratio". The ratio, Static or Dynamic, as said earlier is a mechanical function of mathematical relationships between the Piston design, Stroke, Connecting Rods, Block Deck Height and for Dynamic Compression Ratio's you would include the Cam's Intake Valve Closing. Basically we are always interested in the amount of air above the Piston-relative to the volume of the cylinder. The Pressure in the cylinder at any moment depends on the Volumetric Efficiency of how your engine was constructed; how well it draws air in AKA: Intake System, and in a Turbo/Supercharged engine the pressure will go up: also how well your engine combusts and exhausted the airflow. Compression "Ratio's" and Pressure are not one in the same but the two will work hand in hand positively...if you have chosen your part components correctly. If you have chosen poorly then they will work against you. As a hot rodder that is all we are trying to do: effect the airflow velocity in such a manner that the internal air pressures are max'd at an rpm range where we need it most. To answer your question about what your friend said: A turbo doesnt change the "Compression Ratio" instead what it changes is the Velocity of the Air which effects the Density of that air and fuel as it enters the engine. When building any engine you must account for the relationships between three basic categories, which all fall under the main category of Pressure, and they are: I) Pressure 1) Volume 2) Velocity 3) Density this is the juggling act every rodder struggles with. Until it understood it can be confusing at times. Hope this helped. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

That's a horrible way for anyone to lose their dad. I remember when I began slowing down, driving-wise that is; it was after I became an Insurance Adjuster and began reading all those Police Reports with each claim I handled. Some of them would make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up. It was then I no longer saw life in the same manner-instead I began seeing things in a paradigm (sp?) of "Liability -vs- Non-Liability. In a vehicle things can really get out of control in a hurry. Paying attention & not driving out of your comfort zone is the first step to being safe. Upon reconstructing an accident scene you will find that most accidents are not accidents; the people who are involved in them will tell you it was an accident, but in reality-they were merely inattentive and simply unaware of their environment..., and not so much of a surprise-simply unaware of their actions. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

We do some funny things for our cars....er uh I mean our families (technically our cars are family-in a twisted mentally warped kind've way). Well I dont have a garage (really need one) but I do have a wood burning stove in the house. It's the type that has an 18gauge steel housing surrounding the cast iron housing. Here in Texas we dont have too many freezing days but when it gets below the 40's or 30's I can crank up the wood burning stove & still have the windows open. The wood burning stove will warm you to the bones; you can run around the house in shorts & short sleeves while still being warmed to the bones plus with the widows open you get to breathe fresh outside air. Anyone thinking about getting one should definately do so. If you are going to get one dont penny pinch on the smoke stacks-go with the most expensive or you will be replacing the stacks every year if you use your wood burning stove alot; & make sure it ventalates well. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Good kill Spork. It must be a good (SMUG) feeling to know you built your car yourself & have so much less invested than the Vette owner: as you are passing him on by. Poor, poor Vette owner Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Dont go to the auto parts stores, instead go to your yellow pages & locate the nearest bearing mfg in your city-or nearby city. Every major city has two or three bearing mfg's. If a bearing mfg cant produce what you want then no one can. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Alright, Finally found it. Remember the May 2002 issue of Car Craft? In that issue their heading was "Fuel Injection for any Engine". They swapped the carb'd engines for fuel injected engines and discussed any/every possible requirement for doing the swap. Anyway, one of the engine swaps was for a 65 Biscayne that got lucky in that it received as its transplant a GM Ramjet FI engine. The guys said they were elated when the engine fired up immediately....but then they were curiously bamboozled when they couldnt shut the engine off (with the key). They had to pull the primary ignition lead just to shut the engine off. A few calls to some wiring harness gurus gave them the answer. It was explained that the alternator was getting feedback from the Idiot Light circuit & then to the ignition. To confirm if you are getting feedback from the idiot light (if you have one-DID YOU SWAP GAUGES FROM A 280z TO YOUR 260z?); you can disconnect your two-wire plug at the back of the alternator, after you have already turned the key off, and the engine should shut down-if that was the source of the extra unwanted power. As it was explained by the expert, with a factory non-transistorized ignition, the ignition coil draws a considerable amount of current directly from the ignition circuit when the engine is running. When the factory system is replaced w/a transistorized computer controlled ignition system, which draws much less current, surplus current present in the charging system finds the source of least resistance back to the ignition thru the voltage regulator and/or its idiot light on dash's amp gauge. This feedback is enough to keep the computer ignition energized when the key is turned off, so the engine will continue running. Their expert also said this continual running condition is common when a capacitive-discharge ignition system, such as an MSD, is wired to an older car with either an internal or an external voltage regulator. Hope this helped; if nothing else it confirmed what others have already said. Keep us posted; my curiosity (and your sanity) needs to know the answer to your problem. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Yep. That would be the one! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Glad to hear that Mike. When I read this post for the first time this morning....I was moved by the despiration in your initial posting; losing anyone in your family is tough, but especially someone as immediate as your mother, father, brother or sister. Glad to hear your Dad is doing better! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I dislike any retail store that asks those personal questions. I just tell them its a cash sale; then they say we only need it so we can send you a catalogue...then I tell them I dont want your catalogue: I just want the item I'm attempting to pay cash for....at that moment if you're talking to a young teen whose new to the work force you get a funny look. If you are talking to a professional whose been around they usually realize you are not going to answer their rediculous questions: then they ring up the sale. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

What about considering the latest trend? As a qualifier, all that follows is in regards to a typical wedge head & doesn not refer to a Hemi or Semi-Hemi head. I say trend, I'm talking about the the last 5 to 10 years or so, whereby one will use the Piston that has a Dish in a Dome. The Dome is not the typical dome but actually resembles an extended Flat Top Piston. The Flat Top extends beyond the factory Piston Comp.Height and will have a Dish in it to bring the Comb.Chamber cc's closer back to ground "0". This Dish in the Extended Flat Top Dome will also match the pirameter of the Closed Chamber Cyl.Head's Comb.Chamber. This relationship will exist in a near '0' Deck Clearance. I believe this is often referred to as "Squench" which is a combination of Squish & Quench. As said earlier the Dome with a Dish in it is not an excessive dome therefore it doesnt inhibit flame travel; because it has a dish in it some of the combusted gasses tend to stay with the piston longer: AKA-a little more power. I too have the understanding (book smart-not actual hands on testing) that the typical Dome, of the 60's/70's style, will inhibit flame travel. I guess we should clearify what we are talking about when we use the term Dome; as in mild or excessive. It would be nice to have a comparison of two engines that utilize the same compressions; yet one would have a typical dome while the other engine would have a Squench type piston matched to the Combustion Chamber of the Cylinder Head. What'dya think; comments-suggestions? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

There was a GTO Replica off a Datsun body in the Dallas Auto Trader this past week. Picture appears the body, paint & Stickers have been completed. There were no comments as to the powertrain still in the car. The owner listed an asking price of $6000.00; for that price it probably still has the Datsun powertrain....or no powertrain at all. For the life of me I cant find my Auto Trader or I would give the phone number. Who knows, it may be a HybridZ member(?). Anyone interested can probably do a search at the Auto Trader Online; for what I know-they, Auto Trader, post all their adds online. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

(?); Were the 91-96 NON-Turbo V6's also DOHC's? I'm Not really up to snuff on the last gen Z's. A V6 DOHC, turbo'd or not, would be a pretty sweet engine in an earlier gen Z! I was scouring a local salvage yard this past weekend and came upon an early 80's Toyota Supra Celica w/the DOHC I6; this was the first time I had ever seen that particular engine: looked like it would also make for a nice engine swap. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Kid Vid, About the Piston to Deck Clearance that is something you will have to determine by working the Block Deck Height inches relative to the Assembly Height inches I mentioned in the previous post. As for the Piston Dish/Dome cc's you can visit KB-Piston's site. His pistons are Hypereutectic and not pure forged pistons. If you are looking for pure forged pistons you will have to go to another site; but for practicing the math on Compressions you can use KB-Pistons as a baseline model. The math process doesnt care what metal the pistons are made from. If you are interested in KB's site you can click on it here: http://www.KB-Silvolite.com/1toc.htm Scroll downward till you find the Chevy seciton/383 & enjoy. Kevin, Yea,Still an Inliner)