johnc

Remember, we're discussing the technical aspects of ethanol use in our cars, not the merits of the decisions made by the DOT, EPA, and Congress.

No podium. I drove like a fool and kept hitting cones. Thanks for coming by the shop and it was nice to see your 710.

The following is pure conjecture, but that's what this thread is asking for anyway... Without seeing the engine torque curve from a dyno chart we are all assuming a bunch in this discussion. Generally the rise to torque peak is steeper then the fall off after torque peak: 500 rpm below the torque peak has less torque then 500 rpm past the torque peak. Let's assume the engine makes no usable power (at least for this discussion) at 1,000 rpm. So there's a 1,400 rpm range where 220 ft. lbs. is built up. Take away the top 800 rpm of that range with the changes proposed and what kind of torque numbers do you think the engine is producing? At 65 mph the aerodynamic drag is probably (wild ass guess) 75 ft. lbs. of torque. How much more torque is needed for friction losses, tire drag, MOI, etc.? I don't know.

Its a problem that SuperDan has been looking into. No resolution as yet.

Benchmark Composites makes the parts for me, I take no credit for the quality of the parts I sell. I do own the molds. Stan uses an epoxy resin that's almost solid at room temperature, it needs to be heated to get it out of the container and applied and then heated to cure.

An update: the water jet guy has the drawings for the crossmember plates. I'll let you know when I get the cut parts.

That's a 16.5% drop in ratio which is a big drop given the engine torque numbers you list. If you can split that with a shorter tire you will probably see a small increase in fuel mileage, but since your torque peak is at 2,400 rpm you don't want to get too far away from that number.

Glad someone out there understands this. Add in the cost of heat cured epoxy resin, bags, and a pump.

And then the person who buys your car complains about how everything was done wrong. One person's "done right" is another person's "hack job".

I know where there's a really nice Fiat 850 for sale. It cruises into my shop complex every now an then.

Yasin, You're making a very fundamental philosposhical error: using logic to understand an emotional desire. This will lead to confusion, bewilderment, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The only cure is to go out and buy yourself a nice, $15,000 240Z. Its a very effective therapy and works every time.

Guys, as I said above, I'm not going to get into specific alignment numbers. I can spend a hour a day posting in this thread and its not worth my time to do that.

You have the HZ3099 HP and the BZ3099 Illumina if you're shortening the 280ZX front struts or the HZ3038 HP and BZ3038 for non-shortened struts. Tokico does not list any 610/710/810 application but the 510 HP HE2572 or the 280ZX HP HU2286 might work.

I sell the HTS102Fs individually for $160 each and I have them in stock, plus the gland nuts you'll need. http://www.betamotorsports.com There are also some Tokico Illumina and HP applications that will work in your shortened 280ZX front struts.

If I owned a car that was repeatedly breaking off the back end of the crank, I would be looking at engine/transmission alignment along with the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing, and trans input shaft.

For engines in the 2.5 to 3.5L range header primary tube length should be 28 to 32" long. That measurement is from the back of the exhaust valve to the point in the header collector and/or Y pipe where all flow from the primary pipes meet. I don't know if this is true for larger engines. I suspect it is because we're concerned with wave speed.

The diff, the side axles, and the CV joint inners.

Shorter CV axle shafts, another pair of inner CVs to replace the outers, and adapters to connect them to the S30 stub axle. Probably $750 worth of parts. EDIT: Also forgot to add the differential mounts. Another $350(?)

You need to do a complete tune-up on the car and fix all vacuum leaks. After-run is caused by many things and is indicative of a poorly tuned car. Sea Foam won't fix your problem, it may mask it for a short time, but there's something basically wrong with the tune of your engine.

FYI... carbon buildup isn't the problem that it used to be. Since DOT required cleaning additives in fuel years ago caron buildup has pretty much been eliminated. You still get some varnish (a lot less then before) on some intake surfaces but that's not a big issue.

I've never been afraid to tell people how I do things, from suspension setups, alignments, dimensions on fabricated parts, etc. Even when I was a partner in a software company we freely explained our algorithms, models, etc. to our customers and sales prospects. 99% of the people out there can't make something work even if given detailed instructions. They are usually missing one of the following: patience, determination, or resources. People that steal ideas are looking for a quick score and you can usually outlast them with very little effort. Once they hit a tough spot they bail and look for the next quick score.

I politely referred him to the vendor who sold him the kit. Later that day I saw a post here and on Classic Z Cars asking lots of questions about installing springs and shocks. I somehow missed replying to those threads.

My favorite is a potential customer who talked to me for a 1/2 hour about which Tokico shocks and springs to put on his 240Z and then says he's going to buy them from JDMWerks on eBay because the whole kit is $20 cheaper. And then, two weeks later, the guy calls back wanting some phone help installing the parts!

Me.

They really screw up the car's aerodynamics. Lots of drag increase.