johnc

Do you have problem with the power steering?

Well... The high performance hader gasket sold by MSA is the Nissan Comp one (I think). It is the only one that will retain its integrity when you grind on it while port matching the header to the head.

I think you mean wheel speed instead of RPMs correct? A clutch pack LSD generates the most heat when its working as a differential. The tighter the turn and/or the greater the torque application the more heat it will generate. That's one reason clutch pack LSDs used in autocross competition need more frequent rebuilding than the same diff used for road racing. Here on the west coast I don't know any ITS racer that runs a diff cooler and they sometimes start races with ambient temps around 100F. Again, I'm suggesting you do some baseline measurements before adding weight, complexity, and another possible failure point to your car. If you do eventually run a cooler, the temp guage and related plumbing will be needed anyway. Plus you'll have a baseline to work from in determining cooler efficiency and location.

Canton and Earl's both make remote mount thermostats for oil systems. I'm sure they can be used for trans fluid with the right fittings. Most start opening around 160F and are fully open at 190F.

Mike, Before you spend money on this, drill and tap the rear cover for a temp sending unit and install an oil temp guage. You might be surprised to find that you don't need a cooler. If your diff oil temps are over 240 degrees for more than a few minutes then you need a cooler. Otherwise, you're just adding weight and complexity.

I used Velcro.

EMI Racing has been making and selling the "unobtanium" suspension bushings for years. I've had a set on my 240Z for 6 years and they are still going strong. Call Erik at (714) 713-9096.

Post it! I've been busy with other stuff and will be until next week. Hopefully I'll be able to dig through a bunch of suspension and brake stuff and add more.

> I am looking to run ~400bhp and I'm pretty much > limited to these 15x6.5 rims, so what would you > suggest to get the most power down to the > ground? Power to the ground is more a function of tread compund than tread width. A narrower, stickier tire will give you more traction than a wider, harder tire. A good example is my Contour SVT. On the street I run 215/50-16 BFG gForce KDWs on a 7" wide rim and for the occaisional autocross I run 205/50-16 BFG gForce TA R1s on a 6.5" wide rim. The R1s are significantly faster but their tread width is 1" narrower (I measured them). Ideally you should shop around for two more used rims to run on the back of your car for drag events. Mount up a set of BFG Drag Radials and put them on the car when you're at the strip. For the street I would stick with 215/50-15. I did a quick search on Tire Rack and you can get Dunlop SP Sport 9000, SP Sport 5000, SP Sport D87M, Pirelli P7000, and Goodyear Eagle GA tires in that size. The SP Sport 9000 would be the best tire but the Pirellis are a deal at $114 each.

Cool. Hopefully I get my engine and DTA setup ready this month.

The DTA P8Pro has traction control with wet/dry settings, launch control, full power shift cut, turbo anti-lag control, multiple RPM limits, and more. http://www.dtafast.co.uk/ For traction and launch control you'll need to install wheel sensors on the car. For the shift cut you'll need an electronic sensor in the gearbox or on the shifter.

I've seen 225/50s on 6" wide rims but that was for an autocross application. 225/50s need an 8" wide rim although lots of Z ITS racers run 225/50s on 7" rims. So, my guess would be that the 225/50s are a little too wide for the 6.5" rims. I would run 215 or 205s on 6.5" wide rims. BTW... the different in performance between 225 and 205s is not that great (and probably not noticeable) on a street car.

Now why didn't I think of that!

Its a $3,000 to $7,000 scooter. If you like it, cool. IMHO, that money can be better spent on a nice SB for your Z.

Well... the road race look IS wheels wider than the tires. Check out the repeats of the ALMS Petite Le Mans on Speedvision. But for drag racing, you want the wheels narrower than the tread so you can get more sidewall flex. So, maybe the straight sidewall is where you want to be. Also, be aware that tire tread widths vary even though the same tires might be listed as 255s.

From a tire performance standpoint, you want the wheel width equal to or wider (up to 1") than tread width. Both Rudy from Kumho and Jeff from Hoosier have told me that repeadedly over the years. Your 255 tires should probably be on 10" wide rims and the 275s need at least 12". I suggest you install a set of 245s on the 9" wide rims.

Tokico Illuminas work well with springs in the 150 to 300 lb in range. Anything below that and compression/rebound doesn't let the spring work. Anything over that and compression/rebound cannot control the spring. Jeromio's suggestion about testing your setup at the lowest Tokico settings is a good one. The collar setup and the strut sectioning job are not the best, but you can work with it. Longer springs in the rear are a must.

I think Mike is on to something. With the softer springs I think you're suspension is bottoming. I might add to his suggestion by trying a set of 12" long springs. Hyperco and Eibach make them. Try going up 25 lbs all around (175 front, 200 rear) and putting in a good set of the cone shaped poly bump stops.

Forced air to SUs is bad. I messes up the piston metering. Remember, the pistons react to the pressure differential between the air going into the engine and the air outside the engine. Regarding your cowl intake: it will work but you'll have to stop using your heater, it draws air from the same place.

I almost bought an HTP welder but the price was an issue. I found a new Miller 135 (115 v) welder on sale locally for $450.00. I do buy lots of supplies, tools, etc. from HTP. I found the new Miller requires less amps to do the same work as an older Miller 130 I had. I'm welding .095 wall tubing at 2.5 amps with good penetration and no drop through whereas the old Miller required 5 amps.

Well Pete, since you named your project The Marathon Z Project... I think linking to information on other established Z sites is a good way to go. Unfortunately, linking to information on people's personal web sites often breaks down after a couple years. My FAQ strategy has been to ask permission and then copy/paste for the good stuff that people have on their own sites.

And only buy Nissan, Timken, or SK bearings. Pay extra money for the best parts.

Brembo makes various stages or levels of braking components. Their high performance street stuff is called "High Performance Sport" and "GT." These components (calipers, rotors, etc.) are built to a lower price point than the Brambo "Racing" components. The Sport and GT stuff is still very good, just cheaper than what's pictures above. FYI... the Brembo Racing calipers, machined aluminum/anodized hats, full floating rotors, hardware, brakes lines, aluminum caliper brackets, line brackets, pads, etc. for just the front of the S2000 is $2,500.00. A similar setup for the front of the 240Z would probably cost... $2,500.00!

You chickened out too early! I ended up jumping up and down on the end of a 5' pipe attached to a 2' breaker bar. When the nut finally let go I fell to the ground with a thud as breaker bar and pipe went flying. But the nut was loose! The next day I went out and bought an impact gun, at my wife's insistence.

BTW... a lot of the swap stuff I stole from Mike Kelly's page. Want to give credit where credit is due. I'll start working on Suspension/Chassis stuff. Also, regarding this statement I put as an answer to a question: "A shortened Nissan driveshaft or a custom one should be strong enough for most conversions." I've never heard of a Nissan driveshaft being used in a V8 swap? True, but I've seen them reused in tranny and other non-V8 swaps. Maybe we should just reference the custom driveshaft. Even shortening a Nissan drivshaft is really making a custom one. How about: "A properly built custom driveshaft should be strong enough for most conversions."