Kevin Shasteen

I know that cars built in the 90's had power relays that when shorted would give that exact same symptom...check your manual for relays & their locations. You're either not getting power to the starter or not getting enough power thru the starter. Your alternator's voltage regulator will fail sometimes causing the gauges to fluctuate. If your battery was about to go bad at the same time your voltage regulator failed it could've put the finishing touches on your battery. Also, if you starter is old-it too could've been effected. The battery, alternator & starter seem to always go bad in the same time span if/when those components have a lot of miles on them. You may have a combination of those three that failed. The first step would be to put another battery in it to check to see if your starter will turn other than just click. Use a battery from another car...this will save you from buying a battery you may not need. If the substitute battery doesnt power the starter; then you have a relay somewhere that is bad or a starter solenoid; or as Pete said...a short in the starter/charging circuit. Be sure & check for "Inliner Fuses"..sometimes found inline in the battery cable to the starter. Start w/a surrogate battery first-then go from there. If the battery starts the car; make sure the battery is fully charged; if you notice, in the following nights-while driving, that the headlights get brighter while accelerating-then chances are your alternator's voltage regulator has failed & is draining your battery dead. This has been my experience w/the battery, starter & alternator failures: sometimes power relays. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Sorry to hear about your car; hopefully-Lesson Learned! I've never done that myself, but one of my earlier insurance claims I took as an adjuster was from a Toyota Dealership. Their used car salesman was showing off one of their newly traded in P/Up Trucks. Just so happened the previous owner had installed one of those "Remote Starter" kits. The salesman.., attempting to show off to the customer pressed the remote & not realizing that the Neutral Safety Switch had been bypassed, started the truck-which was a standard trans'd truck and happened to be in gear. Needless to say-the truck lunged forward & proceeded forward as it rammed into one of the new Toyota vehicles on the lot! Talk about not only being embarrassed-but extremely dangerous. No one was injured-just slightly frightened with the only damage being the two dealer vehicles. Dont ever bypass the neutral safety switch-too many bad things can happen. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Pete, Be sure & let us know what cam their shop spec's out for you! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Jerimio, I kind of stumbled on this by accident while working at MIC. I worked there almost 4 years before I realized GM's Publishing Dept, was right next door to our office (umm..GM Building-DUH!) for North Texas Region. Anyway...you cant call the HQ in Flint because they hate phone calls as they are extremely busy. But for any & I MEAN [ANY] GM Manual-Service Manual or Frame & Chassis Manual...actually you can obtain just about any manual used to service a GM vehicle that the dealer has. You can write your letter to: Warehouse & Distribution Division of General Motors Corp. 6060 West Bristol Road Flint, Michigan 48554 In your letter you will need to make a request for their form listing the "current & classic" service manuals still available. They usually respond rather quickly (10 days to 3 weeks). You can also ask for a dozen copies of that list (for your friends & such) as it is in their best interest to circulate the list to as many people you can as anyone can buy the books w/out being a GM employee. The best thing is you dont have to go thru the dealer so you can avoid their mark-up on whatever manual you're purchasing....and we all know the fun you've had w/dealers this year. I'm not sure if they have any manuals on the fuel/electrical systems only(?). Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 30, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

From everything I've read the W2 flows better than any RPO mfg'd cyl.head w/exception to the Boss 302 cyl/heads...and that's with the W2 being bone stock w/out any mod's; in other words there are plenty of options for porting. I dont remember where I read it but I do remember reading a listing of what a small cyl head is compared to a large cyl head: 1) X thru 160cc...Small 2) 161-190cc......Medium 3) 191-above......NASCAR 8,500rpm kind of a head So dont go hog wild on a cyl.head that you know will be ran on the street; as low rpm will suffer incredibly. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

quote: Originally posted by scottyMiz: ..,I just ask that you guys don't get really impatient with me.., Scotty, I hope no one on this site ever gets short w/anyone for any reason...we all have to approach auto mod's at our own level & you , like the rest of us, should ask as many questions as you need. If you have Maximum Boost then that is a good book; however, I wouldnt call it the "Book for Dummies"; it is a very [complete] book in its approach on turbo's & done in a way that if you understand [airflow] to begin with...then you can understand turbo's. Atleast that is how it worked for me. I initially purchased Hugh MacInnes book over a year ago: ...after continually reading Scottie's progress w/his GN/Trubo car I thought I would further my understanding on turbo's... however, it didnt even make a dent on me as my metal block as at the time I had no real understanding of airflow. When I say Airflow I'm talking about 1)Density of the Air/Fuel, 2)Speed of the Air/Flow & 3)Compression of the Air/fuel as well as 4)combustion of the Air/Fuel. Once I finally had a major breakthru, mentally speaking, on airflow-then all other dominoes just began falling like a house of cards. This happened just recently, after a two year R&D on my own, literally reading everything I could & seriously attempting to understand the dynamics of an engine; and believe me there were countless nights I fell asleep w/the book on my eyes & my ceiling room light on only to awake at three in the morning to realize I had fallen asleep (countless times this happened); until I finally began understanding. It was at that time I decided to re-read Hugh MacInnes book & everything made sense...I still had to read somethings two/three times-but I understood it. I've recently purchased Maximum Boost by Corky Bell & have found it much more complete than Hugh MacInnes book (more current) & am still reading it; but I think for you to fully understand it, I mean really understand it, you have to have a [basic] understanding in Airflow: Density, Speed, Compression...as this is what the Turbo effects, as does any modification to an engine. The trick to auto modifications is understanding the [how the airflow is effected] when the modification is made...if that made sense(?). Dont fret...keep reading, keep striving to understand even when the mental block seems like unimpentrable-be persistant & the mental house of cards will fall. When they fall, as it did for me, it was like someone opened a door & I walked thru; no longer was I on the outside looking in but now on the inside looking out. Pretty cool; I'm still humbled that I actually understand airflow now. It really is like someone flipped on a light switch. If I can do it then anyone can do it. So keep your questions coming-but try to understand airflow first; then graduate in incremental levels. Sorry for the long post; just thought a pep talk was in order as I've been there/done that..., in the sense of not knowing something auto/perf-wise and realize how it can be frustrating at times. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

If rust is in the filter then maybe your fuel tank is rusting & that rust has clogged your fuel pump! Datsun tanks are metal arent they-I cant honestly remember ever tapping on one...or are they plastic? I dont think plastic tanks came on to the scene yet way back in the 70's so they must be metal; your tank is probably rusting. You'll need to buy either a new tank or remove that tank & purchase the appropriate chemicals to burn out the rust & then to reseal the inside of the tank; sometimes this works & sometimes the rust is so bad the tank is not sealable. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Both those links were interesting; BTW-Vizard was charging $50 to pick a turbo cam for you & to also tell you what the backpressure on the exhaust is as a result prior per choice of cam offered. I agree Pete-he was illuding to the Slider Crank Mechanism procedure for choosing a camshaft. $35 & $50 simply for consulting in picking out a cam(?) & we do it for free on this site...we are in the wrong business. I'll concede that Vizard surely offers quite a bit more data than we are privy to. Wouldnt it be nice to hear his thoughts & know what he's thinking-if only for a day. Hey, I've got the Slider Crank Mech process, Cyl.Head math, Camshaft Math....and now most of the Turbo Math on Excel; maybe I can charge $35 as a consultant. I only have one problem-what do I have to do to get a reputation equal to his....eh, not enough time in my life. Vizard has definately paid his dues & put in his time in the R&D field of auto performance. Thanks Pete for the site-it was most interesting & nice to see confirmation of the process on the Slider Crank Mechanism being advertised...even if it was an illusive advertisement-we know what he was talking about even if he never actually came out & called it by name! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Driving a V8 TT has got to be an incredible kick in the pants adrenaline rush; I guess I'll have to put that on this years Christmas list as "Things I Need TO DO" before the year ends....probably wont happen but I can dream. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Yes my [inliner] is my daily driver; & I didnt get that info from Desktop Dyno. I also have Desktop Dyno-but I mark my magazines & books whenever an article comparison of cams or cyl.heads are made that also offers dyno print outs. Drax, I knew as soon as I entered my post "bad reaction time" that it was a mistake...kind of like closing your door as you realize you just locked your keys in the car; wasnt gonna go back & change it tho: I knew someone here would catch it & correct me. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Scottie, Nice pic & very clean install-only one question...why only one turbo-dont we need two (haha). Turbo looks like it might be close to the strut tower. Worth checking into for anyone starting their turbo'd V8Z. Pete, Its my understanding that you wont get immedieate boost down low & also get the same response way up high. It's gotta be one or the other or a broad response spread thruout the rpm range. The Boost Threshold (lowest possible rpm where boost is created) is determined by the A/R Ratio of the turbo itself. The "kick in the seat of the pants" (absence of Lag) is fine tuned, for your rpm needs, by Hybridizing your turbo housing. A larger A/R ratio (A/R meaning Air/Radius Ratio) inhibits airflow & increases "lag" while a smaller A/R ratio increases airflow & decreases "Lag". Too small of an A/R ratio will give the car a [jumpy] & [touchy] on its throttle response. A too small A/R ratio will give the same effect of a HiPerf engine w/too small of a carburetor-it runs great at low rpms but seems "choked" at higher rpms. At least this is my undestanding thus far. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

Lone, Still on a learning curve here, where in MacInnes book (what page) did he talk about joining the twin pipes together? I could see how that would aid the signals putts to the exhaust on a horzonatal 4 or 6, v6 but on a V8 the signals are many; would there be a requirment on a v8 for the exhaust to be connected also? I intended for my statement to take into consideration the lower temps when Boost is brought about by each banks own turbo where as Boost brought about by a single turbo on a V/Block would increase temps even higher as a larger turbo would then be required; larger turbo means higher boost, higher boost means more power-more power means more heat. Jim, you are correct-so I've read, turbo's do rob energy when used; however, the energy loss pales into consideration to that of a supercharger. Still learning turbo's & enjoying every minute of it. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

Scotty, Picking a turbo isnt like choosing a gear shift knob and its even more involved than choosing a camshaft; and we all know what kind of questions arise when one poses the question "What Camshaft Should I Use"! I think you know that & this is why you've probably asked your question. My suggestion to you would be to research turbocharging yourself & learn to read turbo maps. This way you wont have to ask which turbo is best for your needs because you will "KNOW" which turbo is correct for your needs. There are to many variables involved to simply "suggest" a turbo. You have pressure & temperature differentials that have to be understood & then you have the metering devices that control those pressure/temp differentials which also need to be understood. Also, do a internet search on turbo's & read their tech info...anything offered as free advise on their sites is always helpful. If you're planning on going 20-25psi boost-then it is imperative you understand what you are doing. Sorry there isnt an easier answer for you but you yourself need to read a few books & then cruise the tech aids on some internet sites...then you'll be able to answer your own question. Good luck & always have fun. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Regarding the "Rubberband" effect on turbo's; no actual hands on experience here- simply recent "Book Learning". After reading 1/2 way thru Corky Bell's book of which he makes a hole heap of interesting points I've grown to understand the misconception on Turbo's. For starters most people (up to recent-including myself) dont understand turbo's & how they work. Most RPO Mfg's Turbo cars are going to be produced w/all kinds of limiting factors, for warranty purposes, therefore-the car is going to be a compromise in just about all circumstances. I've not had actual turbo experience but I did work the warranty side of GM for 5 years (the GN & GNx hay days) & the mfg's come down hard on the dealers about replacing turbo's under warranty....a lot of scrutiny abounds. I remember taking one claim where the dealer was "Tattling" on the customer; claiming he witnessed the customer at the local 1/4 mile track hot rodding his GN & smoking his tires on his burn out to rediculous levels. The dealer claimed this equated to "Customer Abuse". I told the dealer I understood his concerns but if GM didnt want their cust's hot rodding the car they shouldnt put a turbo in it & packag the car as a muscle car; I definately auth the new turbo (I hate hypocritical thinking). Remember, the "Lag" is not a bad thing; its merely the time one waits for Boost to build. Therefore, in order to reduce "Lag" time, one must understand all the dynamics with which "Lag" is created; as in Pete's alteration of the Wastegate set up. Lag is nothing more than the effects of controlling "Airflow" by way of controlling Boost...or the bleeding off of Boost. According to Corky Bell if you want a low boost threshold (lowest rpm where boost is created) then usually you will lose boost at a higher rpm but at a lower rpm than usual had you not altered its initial set up; if that makes sense-providing I expressed that point correctly. Its similar to the ole "Gobbs of Power" at low rpms at the sacrifice of "Top End Power"...everything's a juggling act. Corky claims when you are researching a turbo to find one whose Turbo allows 65/70% efficiency beginning at 3/4 WOT. Anything sooner sacrifices tope end boost. Corky Bell does compliment the Porsche 944, Buick GN/GNX & the Lotus Esprit turbo set ups as quality Mfg's powerplants; he says most all other factory systems are wrought w/comprimises; as with any compromised system-the Hot Rodder must understand its dynamics so they can then modify the short comings for positive gains. Kevin, (Yea,Still a, Turbo Learning, Inliner)

quote: Originally posted by johnc: ..,Bosch Fuel Injection & Engine Managment by Charles O. Probst, SAE Robert Bently Publishers.., This is the same book I bought that I feel realy opened my eyes & as fun (complicated) as EFI may seem at times, this book really explains EFI in a manner a novice can understand it. I've got other EFI books, but this one IMO is really worth the money if you are looking into attempting to understand EFI. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Turbocharging has become my most recent "Last Frontier" as I've read Hugh Macinnes book "TurboCharging" & am now reading Corky Bell's "Maximum Boost" & have found the turbo set up rather intriguing. According to Corky, the internal spark engine looses anywhere from 1/4 upto 1/3 of its power thru its exhaust....that translates into "Wasted Power" out the exhaust pipe. What I like about the turbo is that it isnt connected [directly] to the engine's crank & therefore is basically "free power" for the taking; as opposed to the supercharger which runs off the crankshaft pulley...the supercharger definately adds power/but robs it also as you mentioned earlier, can you say Parasitic Power Loss! Corky claims that the V engines or the Horzontally opposed engines do actually benefit from Twin Turbo's as the single turbo set up adds to the heat of the exhaust due to the size of the turbo required. Using a twin turbo set allows for two smaller turbo's but also decreases the actual heat as each bank takes advantages of its own exhaust & the piping doesnt include a cross over pipe connecting the two banks-therefore underhood temps are reduced. The real fun in piping comes in when you add IC-then things can get complicated...still IMO the complication is worth the bang for the buck. If I had the money I'ld go turbo-it just makes so much since now that I understand them (or should I say, in the process of understanding them). Even a 4.3 Twin Turbo would be incredibly attractive to me...eh, the Grease Monkey/Hot Rodder tells me to go V8 TT: who should I listen to, the evil voice or the good voice? For now I hace to listen to my bank account voice (party pooper!). Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

Vince, For starters, 350 RWHP, indicates a 11.65 ET at the 1/4 mile traps and doesnt account for lack of traction or bad reaction times. 350 RWHP translates into 353 ft.lbs if torque at 5200rpms...which is a nice RPM to trip the 1/4 mile traps. If the old argument of Volumetric Efficiency & power loss from Flywheel to Rear Wheels is correct then 350 RWHP w/a .85% VE translates into 415 FWHP. 415 is still easily achievable w/the plethora of aftermarket parts nowadays; yet 415 FWHP is nothing to sneeze at. With the basic foundational powerplant as follows: 1) SBC 355 2) 9.7:1 Comp.Ratio 3) AFR ALluminum Cyl.Heads 3a) 2.02/1.60...190cc Intake Runners 4) Edelbrock Performer RPM Intake Manifold 5) 750 cfm carb (you choose EFI, Q-Jet, Holley) 6) MSD (or Comparable Distributor) 7) MSD 6AL Box 8) Roller Rockers 9) Good Flowing Exhaust System Using the above & Comp.Cams top 4 sellers you can obtain anywhere from: 1) 252H High Energy Cam 350 FWHP @ 5100rpms/398 ft.lbs @ 3900rpms NOTE: This engine idled at 600rpms & produced 17-18 inches of vacuum. 2) 268H High Energy Cam 380 FWHP @ 5400rpms/401 ft.lbs @ 4100rpms NOTE: This engine idled at 800rpms & produced 16 inches of vacuum. 3) 280 Magnum Cam 404 FWHP @ 5700rpms/403 ft.lbs @ 4300rpm's NOTE: This engine produced a choppy idle & idled at 850rpms where it produced 12.5 inches of vacuum & is recommended that you run a vacuum assist canister. 4) 292 Magnum Cam 430 FWHP @ 6700rpms/399 ft.lbs @ 4400rpms NOTE: This engine trades torque for HP and should allow the driver to shift at higher rpms as a result. It has a waverey choppy idle which idles at 850/900rpms & only produced 8-9inches of vacuum: not really a daily driver...and a single plane intake would've added @ another 20hp. All these cams were Hyd.Flat Tappets; if you chose a Roller Cam-things would happen smoother w/improved idles. Dont forget your rear gears & tire size; once you get the engine of choice you need its powerband to come into play at the correct rpm...fun fun fun/it never ends does it? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Is it spitting/sputtering at all? Even if timing is off...you should get some kind of a sputter as the engine [attempts] to start. The ignition occurs so fast (in relation to timing) that sometimes, even tho you think you have the rotor pointing at #1, in reality, the distributor is 180* out. After you dropped the distributor where you think it should be...go ahead and spin the engine over a few rpms; then as you slowly bring the piston back up on the compression stroke check your rotor & also check your harmonic balancer for proper timing (is this balancer the correct balancer for your engine?). As Ross illuded to earlier; How have you confirmed you have "SPARK"? Either you have it or you dont! If your tool box includes a spark tester-now would be the perfect time to use it & confirm if you are getting spark to the plug or not...even more importantly...are you getting electricity to the coil? If you do have spark...then chances are your problem is fuel related (I know you know this-just thinking out loud). 1) Make sure your distributor is getting electricity 2) Make sure the coil is sending that signal to the spark plug 2) Make sure your fuel pump is operational a) Be sure the fuel pump is operational during engine cranking at all times. 3) Confirm fuel is making it to the spark plug; as Ross mentioned-remove one & see if it is wet! 4) If you are getting fuel...you should be able to smell it! Once you have done the above you should have an idea as to the problem at hand; if it is still not functioning correctly then you should atleast have a new set of answers to this problem...report back here w/an update; and we'll go at it again. Even if you get it running-report back to us & inform us as to what the problem was as it might help me or someone else in the future. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 27, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

No, No: Scottie..You Da Man!! Thanks a million for the pic's & keep them coming as the budget allows...I cant afford it yet but will definately go this route when I can afford my swap. I firmly believe what you're doing will solve a lot of problems. Keep up the good work. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

A good ground is imperative & if you can install it where it always gets a good dose of "Cool Ram Air" is also nice..but you cant always do that when space is at a premium (Ex: small engine bays). I like the "Under the Cowl Panel Idea". You can mount it there & also fabricate a stell plate over it to shed any water/rain that finds its way inside/under the cowl (Car Wash!). If you have to cut the wires to extend the mounting of the box you could also install a "Toggle Switch" inline to the main power feed wire & mount the toggle switch just under the dash on the driver side which will allow you to have a "Kill Switch"...,that, hopefully, only you will ever know exists. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I hate it when I come out of a store just to realize an oil puddle/coolant puddle under my car....left there by someone else & I didnt see it when I initially parked there. Saw the race on TNN; dont usually watch NASCAR but I new this was "THE FASTEST MILE IN NASCAR" & that things would get harry shortly after the start; which they did....overall it was pretty intense! Glad to hear the car did well! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I've never used it but there is an auto/truck parts supply shop that has a display of the Lucas Oil in action -vs- Regular Viscosity Oil encased in a clear plastic case. This case is vertical & holds 2 sets of 4 gear cogs in place; one set on the left & another set on the right. Each side has a small hand crank you can manually turn while watching the difference between the Lucas Oil -vs- the regular oil in action. The regular oil viscosity will only work its way up to the 2nd gear cog & if you work real hard by turning the gears as fast as can you will get a little (very little) of the regular oil up to the bottem of the third gear. While the other side w/the Lucas Oil in it only needs to be turned; you can even turn it as slow as you'ld like & the Lucas Oil climbs all the way upward to the very top of the 4th gear cog...very impressive. If & when I ever change my trans oil I will be using that stuf..pretty neat indeed. If you're gonna use it make sure you get the correct blend as there are different types of Lucas Oil that are not compatible w/other oils...ask the store assistant for help & if they're not sure-dont buy it till you know for sure they are compatible (if you plan on mixing it w/other oils). Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 25, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]

quote: Originally posted by turbo boy: ..,MAXIMIN BOOST by CORKY BELL.., Turbo Boy, "Maximin"...that's not a typo is it because I'm interested in learning up to date info & would like to purchase the book. Please confirm "Maximin" as being correct -vs- what it sounds like it should be as in "Maximum". Thanks for pointing me (us) in the right direction. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Our SBC/BBC Push Rod's worthyness has been weighed...& found wanting (by GM)...ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED; as a RPO option at least! Well-well-well-well; GM's been trying to get rid of the Push Rod V8 for years; now, it looks like they may actually be on the right (interesting track) track in that direction anyway. I wonder if this is what the Hot Rodders that spent countless hours tweaking the Flat Heads felt like when they got wind of the OHV engines about to hit the market(?)! I agree about the "Displacement on Demand" thing...I immediately thought of the late 70's/80's 4-6-8 cyl's at certain speeds that GM attempted on the luxury cars...what was that called back then (Variable Timing?). I can only hope that this time w/better electronics that their scheme will work. I also noticed they had the variable intake systems (three different settings) being toyed with. Lets hope GM gets it right this time on their luxury car powertrain...they've got a bad record/reputation w/the past luxury powertrains; such as the venerable all alluminum V8 of the 80's & then the Northstar alluminum engine w/its bewildering inherent problems. All were great disigns/just lacking in the durable dept. Even tho I realize this is the "Death Noll" as far as the Factory RPO for a SBC/BBC on a GM vehicle; that V12 would certainly put GM back at the top in way of High Tech powertrains & bring about an all new decade of performance & hot rodding...looks like the "Writing is on the Wall"! hey what about a GM V12/DOHC NASCAR team or the same engine in SCCA/Grand AM racing? You know GM has to be licking their chops waiting for this powertrain to hit the racing...if it hasnt already under another name. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ August 23, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ]