Six_Shooter's cause of stress and relief

[Six_Shooter]

This will be just a copy and paste from another forum, so some of the time lines might be a bit old.

 

I bought my 1973 240Z from a guy in Richland Washington that had bought it with the intent of installing a SBC, but decided it was too small for him.

 

So after a couple months of flying out to see the car, finalizing the deal, and getting the car shipped I had my 240Z home, and in need of some TLC to get road worthy.

 

It was a less than typical 240Z, brown (eww), Butterscotch interior (double Eww), and Automatic (tripple eww)! But it was solid underneath, and I got a good deal on it.

 

The first thing I did was swap out the brakes, since they were in desperate need of repair.

 

I decided on going 4 wheel disc, using Toyota 4 piston front calipers, and 280ZX rear disc set-up.

 

I also had some electrical repair work to do, to get everything working right.

 

The only pictures I seem to have of the exterior are after a couple months of driving it, so there are some changes that I had already made.

 

I had already added the Spook by this point.

 

 

Here is a picture of the rear, that I believe I took on the day I got it on the road, due to the old tires being on it, the mudflaps and a box of spare parts in the back, that came with the car when I purchased it.

 

Tranny

 

Well after driving the Datsun for a month in auto tranny form, I got sick of not using my left foot, and just resting my hand on the shifter, though I had been shifting it manually...

 

I had also been able to locate the rest of the parts I needed, to complete the swap.

 

I started the swap about 2 PM on a Saturday, and had most of it done by about 8 PM, just a few details I couldn't finish in the dark.

 

Sunday came and didn't have much time and spent most of it trying to find a nut to install my solid front diff mount, which I could find and re-surfacing the exhaust flange to eliminate the exhaust leak I had there. Then family obligations meant no more time to work on the Z.

 

Monday I re-installed the exhaust, checked everything over, and then took it out for a drive. A manual Z is one billleeeeon times better than an auto Z.

 

I'm using a Centerforce Dual Friction, and it grabs HARD!! The tires screaming for traction going into 3rd made that apparent.

 

I was actually enjoying the L28 that's in this car, the auto just made that car a real dog, a real slow dog.

 

This tranny was a 4 speed, since I couldn't locate a 5-speed at that time.

 

On to the pics:

 

Not enough pedals:

 

Ahhh, that's better:

 

This shifter only moves forward and back:

 

This one also moves side to side.

 

CFDF:

 

This is where/how it was done:

 

More pictures:

http://domestic.3400z24.com/sixshooter/My%20vehicles/Datsun/Tranny%20swap/

 

Now I have a manual Z, just like it should have been.

 

EFI and Turbocharging

 

When I first got my 240, it had Weber down draft carbs that had seen better days.

Here is the engine in the form that I recieved it:

 

Well since I'm a fan of EFI and turbocharging I decided to play with the engine that was already in the car, which turned out to be an L28, F54 block, with a P90 head, N/A version from a 1981 or 1982 280ZX, is as far as I can narrow it down.

 

I started with an N47 intake, which I cut off excess parts and smoothed out, it was also modified to accept "O-ring" injectors, which are more common than the stock "barbed" injectors, and many more sizes available.

 

 

I also had a throttle body adaptor made to use a GM 3400 throttle body. This is a 56mm TB and would also serve to house a compatible IAC motor and proper range TPS.

 

Onto the turbo and exhaust:

I used a stock L28T exhaust manifold, and mated it to a Borg Warner turbo, pirated from a 6.5L diesel. This required the use of a small spacer between the manifold and turbine inlet. The wastegate actuator started as an actuator from a Pontiac Sunbird turbo, combined with some custom brackets and arms, it now controls the internal wastegate of the BW turbo. I chose that actuator, because I had one and it also opens at about 2 PSIG, giving me a large range of control over the pressures I am able to set.

 

the exhaust is 3" from downpipe to tip. All fitted and TIG welded by yours truely.

 

Muffler, a Moroso Spiro-flow and tip:

 

Turning attention to the ECM and wiring:

I first had to chose a place to come thorugh the firewall with the wiring. I used a stock firewall feed through ("grommet" ), from a 1988 Chevy Cavalier, since it was part of the harness I already had, prviously installed in my 1985 GMC Jimmy, that had a turbo 3.2L V6.

 

Here is the ECM, which is in it's "easy to access" location. You can also see the grey "EMU cable" that attaches to my EPROM emulator to allow real time tuning.

I use a custom code called "Code59", which is a modified version of a stock GM code called "$58", which was originally used in the Syclones, Typhoons and Turbo Sunbirds. This allows for Wide Band O2 fuel control, extended VE and spark tables (up to 30 PSIG!) and many other refinements that the developers have done and they plan even more! (http://www.code59.org for more information.)

 

Working on the wiring:

 

(Mostly) Complete harness:

 

Fast forward to a running installation, which didn't have an intercooler, since I ran out of time, seeing as I got running the day before 2008 ZFest, and had a few other details to iron out. I had to turn the TB upside down due to the dizzy cap interfering with the TB linkage. I didn't really mind this since I was already planning on a DIS swap later on. (more on that later.)

 

 

I've skipped over a lot of details, like modifying a 280Z speedo to accept a GM optical Vehicle Speed Sensor, oil supply and return for the turbo, modification of the throttle pedal to use a GM throttle cable from a Buick Century (IIRC), using a GM ignition control module between the 280Z dizzy and the ECM, E-fan install, electric fuel pump and larger fuel pick up from the tank, along with many little brackets and adaptors to make it all work together. I also swapped in a 5-speed from a 1981 280ZX that I bought for parts in this time.

 

I was able to get it tuned and work well up to 10 PSIG, but the weather was turning cold and time to park it for the winter.

[Six_Shooter]

I decided to take the 240Z apart to do some up grades and other planned changes, but since my garage wasn't insulated (working on that), I didn't get a whole lot done when it was cold out, and then everyone wanted to me work on their vehicles (along with house hold chores), put the 240 on the back burner.

 

I had been able to get the DIS conversion almost done, just some wiring to the ECM and power are all that was left at that point.

 

I already had some parts that could be used for this conversion, due to needing to make an external crank position trigger system for my aformentioned GMC Jimmy. I retained the reluctor wheel and part of the CPS bracket, along with the ICM and coils.

 

I started by having my grandfather (A retired machinist) redrill the reluctor wheel to fit the Datsun harmonic balancer. I then went ahead and made a new base for the CPS mount, with some adjustablility built into it.

 

 

Some of the parts:

 

The only glitch I've had was getting the stock (280Z) tach working with the DIS.

 

The tach, which I installed last year, worked with the dizzy set-up connected to the negitive side of the coil.

 

It seems that the output of the DIS module is too weak to trigger the 280Z tach (works fine with an Auto Meter tach), so a resistor needed to be bypassed inside the tach, now worked fine, until I hit about 5000 RPM, at which point the tach would either peg, or drop to zero. After doing some reading, I think this was due to the dwell of the tach signal getting too short at upper RPM for the tach to read correctly.

 

I got tired of the ECM sitting on the floor, so I found a place to mount the ECM, so that I could take passengers, and not worry about them kicking the ECM or cables.

 

The Brackets, which are made from textured ABS sheet:

 

Attached to the ECM:

 

I cut the MEMCAL cover to allow for the EMU cable to come out of the ECM without being pinched:

 

Details of the ECM mounted:

 

 

 

And finally, the view the passenger will have of the ECM:

 

 

Interior

 

In the time I've had the 240Z, I've had a few gauges set-ups in.

 

Obviously I started with the original gauges, then I swapped the Amp gauge to a 280Z Volt meter. Swapped the 240 tach for a 280Z tach.

 

 

I then wanted more information on my dash I swapped to this:

 

 

I modified a quad gauge from a Turbo Sunbird GT gauge cluster, to fit into an original tach housing, this gave me, Oil pressure, Volts, Water Temp and Fuel Level. I then installed my boost gauge, a 2" tach and my AFR gauge into the trio location.

 

 

 

I found that I really didn't like the small tach, part of that might have been due to the poor illumination of it, good thing it was a cheap tach to test the theory. The LEDs that I installed in the small tach (as seen here: shift light test ) were too far out of my peripheral vision to be useful, at least during the day.

 

More pictures of the above gauge install HERE

 

I decided to pull the rest of my Auto Meter gauges out of retirement, I Left the boost gauge where it was previously, I then installed the Oil Pressure and Water Temp gauges where the other trio gauges were. I gear clamped the volts and AFR gauges to my steering column and sat my fuel level gauge in the pocket left by leaving the fuse panel cover out of the car. I got sick of this ratty look, and decided to remove the radio, to install the 3 "loose" gauges into. I had other audio plans at the time.

I retained the 280Z tach for a while, then decided that I needed something that will keep reading above 5000 RPM, so I borrowed a Pro-Comp 5" "tattle-tale" tach from my Grandfather, that isn't being used in any other project. I installed this where the original tach would have been, and it fits snug, without any retaining hardware. I also installed an Auto Meter Shift (which is now triggered by the ECM), on a custom arm above the tach, on top of the dash.

 

Unfortunatly I don't have any pictures of this right now.

 

I am now looking for a new gauge set-up for a few reasons. According to my datalogging program, and my known thermostat temp, the water temp gauge reads about 10 degrees low, this is an annoying quirk to me. The Boost gauge might read about 2 PSIG low, but there is some question to the accuracy of the datalogging definition file in this specific data output, so I will need to do some other testing before I condemn my boost gauge. I also want a gauge set-up that illuminates the font, graduations and needle directly, instead of the "flood lighting" that the early Sport Comp gauges I have now uses. I also want a radio again, the iPod and computer speakers just aren't cutting it, and as a Car Audio/Electronic Accessory Installation Technician, I should have something better for sound in my car.

 

I may go back to the Quad gauge where the tach was, and install a digital tach/shift light above the dash or in one of the trio gauge locations. I also have a couple other ideas.

 

 

Suspension

 

I have made some suspension changes, which include Tokico strut inserts, a solid front diff mount and aluminium torque arm bushings.

 

 

Misc

 

Here is a picture from the track, before I turbo charged it.

 

This is a picture of my girlfriend, and I at her brother's wedding, with the Datsun. Here you can see the 280ZX wheels I had on it.

[Six_Shooter]

Just adding some random eye candy, this was when I removed my engine for some much needed maintenance as you can see from the pictures.

 

Getting the 2.8L out

 

Inspecting the timing chain, do you see a problem here?

 

New timing chain installed

 

Just some pictures of the piping just after the turbo, since people seem to ask about it.

 

 

The lowest point is the clamps.

 

On Monday got in a new product that I am beta testing.

 

It's called a Tuner View II, and while the actual Tuner View II has been around for a while, used in Hondas, with certain aftermarket tuning programs, the new part is the ALDLink, that allows it to be used with certain GM ECMs, more GM support will be added in the future. I'm Working with Craig from Moates tuning, and JR from HRTuning, to get the Code 59 side of it running well.

 

Anyway onto the pictures...

 

I was giddy even at this point...

 

Unpacking...

 

All the wonderful new toys.. There's some other stuff that I ordered from Moates in there as well, not just the TV II

 

 

The Tuner View II itself. Craig put this in a case for me, with a suction cup. It can be ordered with or without the case.

 

This is so new that Craig doesn't have ALDLink stickers yet, so there is the Xtreme ALDL sticker on it, which I think is a more fitting name for this than the orginal product. LOL

 

This is what is different from the Xtreme ALDL, normally there would be an USB A connector here:

 

A picture in my car.

 

 

I have since changed the way I mount it in the car, because the suction cup started falling off. Because of this I think I have found exactly where I am going to install it.

Edited August 8, 2011 by Six_Shooter

[Six_Shooter]

Here are some pictures of swapping from an R180 rear diff to an R200. In this post there are also some pictures of the 300ZX CV shafts that I installed at the same time.

 

Rear suspension brackets all sand blasted:

 

Brackets all painted:

 

No Diff or brackets:

 

R200 diff painted and cover re-installed:

 

R180 to R200 comparison:

 

R200 and brackets all installed:

 

CV joint swap:

 

Welded CV plates to original companion flanges:

 

Close of up my TIG welding:

 

Just a picture of the modified flanges with a stock one:

 

CV shaft installed:

 

I decided to add a proper crankcase EVAC bung to the inlet to to the turbo, especially since I was replacing the filter and didn't want to drill a hole in this one for the hose like I had in the last one:

 

Inside:

 

MMMmmmmmmm

 

The gears, new timing chain, and maybe the new filter have really changed the way this drives, it needed a new tune, pretty badly.

Edited August 8, 2011 by Six_Shooter

[Six_Shooter]

Some videos of the 240.

 

Here is a run at TMP, when it was still carburated and naturally aspirated.

 

Minutes before I started taking the carburators off:

 

Running on EFI, turbocharged and had just completed the DIS ignition swap:

 

This was actually done long ago, but thought I'd post the details.

 

Delco Alternator conversion.

 

The alternator I used would be like the ones found in the late '80s to early '90s Sunbird and similar with the 2.0L OHC engine. The mounting ears are at 6 and 12 o'clock which makes the install somewhat easy.

 

Just for reference, here is the OEM alternator:

 

The harness adaptor I made from the original regulator plug and a Delco alternator plug:

 

The pivot bracket marked to be cut, I don't seem to have any after being cut.

 

The upper bracket needed to have the slot slight enlarged for the slightly larger diameter bolt that the Delco alternator used. I used a cimbination of files to get the right size.

 

Installed

 

Running

 

Some voltage comparisons:

 

Stock no load, at idle, not even really charging.

 

Stock "high" load, meaning lights, fans, etc, at idle. Not even charging.

 

Profit:

 

Delco idle, no load. Oh so much better.

 

Delco idle, high load. You can see that the high load at idle with the Delco alternator is almost that of what the OEM alternator was at no load. The voltage would be higher here with a larger crank pulley, mine is a very small 240 crank pulley I believe. Just a few hundred engine RPM up, to say around 1100 RPM, brings the charge right up to over 14V. A larger crank pulley would accomplish this as well.

Edited August 8, 2011 by Six_Shooter

[Six_Shooter]

Moar piktarz!....

 

I built a "CAI" for my car, since my intake temps would soar when I was in boost and would even be higher than I liked while cruising. When I made the small extension to move the filter from the turbo down and forward about 10" it really helped, so getting it right out of the engine bay should help even more, and it has.

 

CAI welded up, but raw:

 

Another view:

 

Painted:

 

Installed:

 

Installed:

 

Connection in engine bay:

 

Behind airdam:

 

Intercooler fab pics:

 

 

 

Some test fitting:

 

More progress on this:

[Six_Shooter]

Well, time for some updated pictures.

 

Long overdue pictures of the FMIC installed:

 

 

 

 

Just a picture of how the outside currently looks. I really need to get onto improving this.

[Six_Shooter]

Well, the car has been jackstand racing for a while, and I'm finally getting somewhere with it. The rear brake and 5 lug swap is nearly complete. I turned down the rotors from 290mm to 280mm tonight to fit with the brackets, caliper hangers and calipers I have on hand. I'll have to measure the old rotors, but I think that's still an inch larger than the old ones.

 

The front is almost as complete, but ran into a slight snag with the flex lines. The lines I was planning to use are a few days to get, and would be coming from two different warehouses. That means with my luck, I will only receive 1 of them by next week. I'm trying to get the car together again for the 24th, since that's the Brantford Downtown annual car show. So I'm looking at alternate flex lines to use.

 

Everyone loves piktarz!

 

Rear all assembled, before detailing.

 

Front bracket to support Z31 NA caliper, using the Z31 Hub and brake disc without a spacer between the hub rotor. I still need to cut the upper brake caliper mount off, so that the new caliper will fit. lol

 

A few pictures:

 

 

Oh noes, point of no return, cut off that pesky brake caliper mounting ear...

 

Z31 NA Front brakes and hub on an S30:

 

A shot from behind:

 

Still on jack stands, but the wheels bolted on:

[Six_Shooter]

This was actually done long ago, but thought I'd post the details.

 

Delco Alternator conversion.

 

The alternator I used would be like the ones found in the late '80s to early '90s Sunbird and similar with the 2.0L OHC engine. The mounting ears are at 6 and 12 o'clock which makes the install somewhat easy.

 

Just for reference, here is the OEM alternator:

 

The harness adaptor I made from the original regulator plug and a Delco alternator plug:

 

The pivot bracket marked to be cut, I don't seem to have any after being cut.

 

The upper bracket needed to have the slot slight enlarged for the slightly larger diameter bolt that the Delco alternator used. I used a cimbination of files to get the right size.

 

Installed

 

Running

 

Some voltage comparisons:

 

Stock no load, at idle, not even really charging.

 

Stock "high" load, meaning lights, fans, etc, at idle. Not even charging.

 

Profit:

 

Delco idle, no load. Oh so much better.

 

Delco idle, high load. You can see that the high load at idle with the Delco alternator is almost that of what the OEM alternator was at no load. The voltage would be higher here with a larger crank pulley, mine is a very small 240 crank pulley I believe. Just a few hundred engine RPM up, to say around 1100 RPM, brings the charge right up to over 14V. A larger crank pulley would accomplish this as well.

 

A few more pictures from the Car show. These were taken by a guy I know that runs High Impact Imagery.

 

 

 

Well, I found one issue tonight, when I had the car on the hoist...

 

My right rear wheel was rubbing on the spring perch of the strut. :/

 

It seems that all of my test fitting was done with the wheel that has ended up on the left rear of the car, since it was a narrower tire (same size in numbers 225/50/16), but the rest of the tires were wider at the sidewall.

 

So for a quick fix for now, I bought some 5mm thick spacers.

[Six_Shooter]

Hell must be a bit chilly this evening...

 

I started to do some body work on the 240Z....

 

Well, even what I did would still be considered more on the modification side than repair....

 

I filled the antenna hole and filled the driver side 1/4 vent hole. I didn't have to time to do the passenger side yet, either I'll head back later and do it, or do it tomorrow night.

 

 

 

 

 

One day it will be one colour. lol

[Six_Shooter]

Well yesterday morning (Aug 6 2011) I received some Eibach lowering springs from Nigel.

 

I honestly didn't think they would make as much difference as they have.

 

I also didn't think I could love driving this car more than I already had with the stock springs. The ride is now firm, without being harsh. handling accel and braking all seem to be improved.

 

Stock springs:

 

 

 

Eibach springs:

 

 

 

 

It's subtle difference in ride hight, but has made a huge difference in handling.

[JSM]

Man, your welding is really bad! I'm sure that skill comes in quite handy.

 

You should consider making more of those CV adapters. You could probably bring in some extra cash.

[Six_Shooter]

LOL.

 

Yeah Terrible. I do plan to take some welding classes within the next couple years though. There are a few things I still want/need to learn and get some certificates won't hurt either.

 

I do plan to make a few more sets, a friend of mine wants a set for his car, which means his brother probably will as well, and there have been some people wanting some on the forums as well.

 

I should be posting some more pictures tonight, nothing new, really, just was able to get some shots under he car while it was on the hoist.

[Six_Shooter]

I got tired of the multi-colour look, so I did something about it for now...

 

 

 

 

Just rattle can, but better than before.

[Six_Shooter]

I don't think I've mentioned it, but I had a boost problem. It seems I probably had this problem longer than I realized.

 

I noticed it earlier this year, when I tried to turn up the boost from 12 PSIG to 15 PSIG, that it stayed at 12 PSIG.

 

Checked a few things over, eventually wired my wastegate closed with some mechanics wire, but the problem still persisted. I knew the mechanics wire wasn't keeping it sealed, but it seemed to hold it almost closed, enough that I figured it would allow boost to build higher than 12 PSIG at high RPM. I had been considering that my couplings between the turbo and TB might be leaking, or the IC was leaking from somewhere, thinking that maybe the turbo really was too big, but then it should have spooled to the 5 PSIG even later.

 

Apparently, it wouldn't and after installing a heavy spring on the wastegate tonight, I pulled out of the driveway at work, then hit the gas in a slightly spirited fashion, I happened to be looking in the direction of my boost gauge, when I saw it spring around to about 12 PSIG and my shift light came on!! It never did that, it just kinda slowly climbed up to that point, and it took a fair amount of time to get the shift light on, even in first gear, this was almost instant. Woo-HA! So I drove around a bit and checked to make sure that was actually the case.

 

Let me tell you 15 PSIG of boost on this 2.8L is a phenomenally fun. THIS was the reason I put the turbo on this car. I was seriously considering my planned engine swap for this winter, even though I didn't really have time for it. I've just been disappointed with the performance of it recently. It was still decently quick, just not that hard hitting surge of power I've been trying to get.

 

Now... OMG, so much fun, hard hitting, slam you into the seat, everything goes to a blur fun...

[Nelsonian]

In need of some video so I can remember why I am building a l28et project as it has been that long since driving it, period...

[Six_Shooter]

Well, if the rain holds off, I'm supposed to be going to a local drag strip on Friday, and there is supposed to be one of our entourage holding a video camera.

 

Even if the rain doesn't hold off, I'll be at the same track on Sunday to run the road course, I'll see if there is anyway to get video that day.

[Six_Shooter]

Went to the drag strip on Friday, got a best of 13.741 @ 105.something. Had 3 other runs at over 106.

 

Then on Saturday, my tranny finally let go. There's been something up with it for a while since it would pop out of second gear when down shifting and engine braking, along with just feeling clunky going into 1st and 2nd gears lately.

 

I pulled the tranny out and took it apart to confirm that there was an issue with the 1-2 shift fork. It had broken away around the shift shaft.

 

The only part that sucks about that is I was supposed to have a lapping day today (Sunday), but since I don't have a spare shift fork, the car won't make it there.

[Six_Shooter]

Just an update that should have been posted long ago:

 

Tranny is fixed and re-assembled.

 

I swapped both the 1-2 and 3-4 shift forks. The donor 4 speed had steel shift forks, and decided that while I was in this far, might as well swap both. I had to drill out the roll pin holes in the shift forks with a number 10 drill bit (.193"). I looked at swapping the shift shafts, but they are shorter in the 4 speed. Just shifting the tranny on the floor, it feels better than it ever has. I'll see once it's back in the car and driving again.

[Canadianz]

Good to hear Chris,

 

Im excited to see how the car goes this season, I know she was sure quick last year.