Picked up an early 260Z

[EvilC]

So I was able to pick up this from a club member yesterday - the plan is to rebuild them, intake manni powder coated and use cygnusx1 billet parts for the linkage. Not sure yet if I am going to stick with the short runners vs the longer style.

 

[brianZortiz]

This looks like my early 260z when I picked her up. 904 white. nice car!

[78zstyle]

I can understand why she likes the N/A. My l24 carb'd 240z is actually a lot of fun to drive. It almost makes me feel bad to pull a perfectly good engine out to drop my l28et in there.

[Perfect240z]

Good stuff! I'll be looking forward to putting my L24 back together with some triples. That 260z is going to fly!

[EvilC]

Well slowly moving forward with the NA build - JohnC has been great answering many questions and I decided to go with him for my E-31 head build.

 

Stock head:

 

New hardware:

 

Port work:

 

Cleaned up chambers:

 

Almost ready- port n polish looks great:

 

Final flow numbers will be in soon and the head should be back to me late this week or early next. The it will be time to mate this head to the L30 block waiting for it. Getting excited!

Edited July 22, 2012 by EvilC

[EvilC]

So few nights I get a call from home saying there is a large box outside!

 

 

E31 head from JohnC (Betamotorsports)

 

 

Here are some pictures of the final product:

 

 

 

 

So with all the port work done there was an increase 18% on the intake side - 32% on the exhaust side. Custom Isky cam to be match with the new Weber 45s I was able to get for a great deal!

 

 

 

So the plan is to mate this head to the 3L block I have that has been sitting waiting to be used. Expect a few updates in the next few weeks, winter seems to be coming early this yr in the northeast so time to get to work!

[Leon]

Nice, that's going to be a sweet setup!

[EvilC]

So it has been a week of gathering all my parts and getting them at one location. I am doing this swap at Dave's house (Cygnusx1) and few days ago we made some room in the garage cleaning up from his last two projects.

 

I first had to go to Joe's house (Rags) to pick up the block and other parts that were being stored there for the last 3 yrs! I know what Joe will say Then made a list ordering a new al rad, e-fan, engine mounts, clutch, exhaust and paint! I am going to paint the engine bay while it is naked and clean up the wiring and re-tape the harness. I am looking to take a few days off from work and project this to take about three weeks to do it all right and once. I will also do the 5 speed swap at this time. I have also been finishing up the audio system for this car and finally installed the power windows. In the Spring once the car is up and running well, I will have the door panels redone and new seats added.

 

 

Pictures to come soon!

[EvilC]

After day one:

 

 

[EvilC]

So yesterday put in a lot of hours getting the engine to the point where I need a few odds/ends and she is complete.

 

 

Pulled the head back off yesterday to give a final wipe down and double checking everything. Here is a pics of the lower half of the L30 with the 1mm HG:

 

 

After reinstalling the head with the ARP head bolts - I reinstalled the E31 spary bar just to make sure the cam is well oiled. I am running a 280zx turbo oil pump:

 

 

Front cover complete - timing set, all gaskets seal up nice and a must have is a SS bolt kit when putting one of these together. It makes assembly super easy and clean. Also it just pops well against the new parts:

 

 

 

Also added new SS studs and bolts for intake and exhaust:

 

 

 

It is nice having a spare engine to steal parts from because I def lost 2 years ago small odds and ends. Next picture shows the engine flipped over and I was getting ready to install that metal shield that goes over the mesh for the breather tube. Def easier to do this with the crank out. Also had to rotate the engine a few times to check clearence, don't want to have to pull the oil pan to fix that later. Also gave a final check to make sure there were no nuts and bolts or just debris in the block after working on it for a few hours. Once that was complete, wiped the block face down where the gasket would be and went to town sealing it up!

 

 

 

 

So the one major item I am missing right now is.......a dip stick tube! Machine shop removed mine and I have no clue where it is now. The spare engines tube got messed up when I tried to remove it. Progress is being made and hope to have the engine completely sealed up in a week. Waiting on header I bought from a Hybridz member and then I can mount the Weber 45s and see the BIG PICTURE!

 

Next -

 

[EvilC]

So a few days later and here are some updates:

 

First picture shows my notes I took right on the head - checked lash clearance and check lash pad sizes. This was done in conjunction with double checking the wipe pattern of the cam lobe on the rocker arm. When complete, the head was relubed and finally closed up. ARP head bolts torqued to spec (60lbs) and just did another check of all bolts on the head.

 

 

 

Since I will be running MegaJolt I wanted to mock up the header and intake on the engine to see how much room I have to work with because I have to tap the runners to pull a vaccum source for the MegaJolt that has an internal MAP sensor. Well in doing so a few issues were caught last night. First is, I have to ditch the turbo oil pan and you a NA pan because the oil pan breather sits way too close to the header, easy fix and already cleaned and painted another pan. Second issue was, the 5 fat washers that hold the exhaust mannifold and the intake mannifold down into place once you tighten them up was not working out. The intake flange and the header flange were not even so had to grind down have of each washer to make a step in it. This way once tightened down both mannifolds would seal against the gasket. Last issue found last night which I have to to some research on, the last weber carb hits the tower on the mannifold.

 

 

Also looks like I have to reverse the pivot to make it work with the rod....hmmm. Will update when I find new info today on how to tackle that problem.

 

So far it is coming along, the details are the killer but will make the difference with the end product.

 

Diggin the look!

 

 

 

Exhaust came in the mail, thanks Inline6! Got a killer deal on a new clutch and AL flywheel, came yesterday also in the mail. It is a great feeling when the boxes from USPS, FEDEX and UPS start to go away!

[Leon]

Looking good! I'm digging the Clifford Research header. Let me know if you have any questions regarding Megajolt.

[EvilC]

Leon will do! Thanks for the kind words! Can't wait to fire this thing up!

[Leon]

As for the carb-manifold interference, how about some thicker soft mounts between the two?

 

Like seen here: http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/109179-triple-40mm-mikunis-and-n42-head/page__pid__1021537#entry1021537

 

I know Dave (cygnusx1) made a bellcrank to use the cold start units with minimal hassle.

[EvilC]

Yeah - I bought his linkage and we spent sometime getting it together. The problem wasn't his linkage, the TWM manifold requires some mods {minor} for the Webers to work. Leon thought you would like this pic

 

 

[RebekahsZ]

I could never get my carbs to stay synche'd with those insulators. Finally found some made of bakelite and they solved the problem. Looks great-traitor!😜

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

Looks so good!

 

Love the headers.

[Leon]

Yeah - I bought his linkage and we spent sometime getting it together. The problem wasn't his linkage, the TWM manifold requires some mods {minor} for the Webers to work. Leon thought you would like this pic

Clive! You're not allowed to post porn on hybridZ!!!

 

[EvilC]

Thanks guys!

 

Here is the next project - the ford ring clocked in the wrong position and pressed onto a datsun crank that had been turned down for a nice tight slip fit. I have the entire crank in my freezer because I plan to remove the ring with some heat and a press I have access to. Once I am able to get it off, I can place the ring in the right direction. If not, got an idea from Cygnusx1 - remove a tooth and add one to the ring....slick idea.

 

 

 

 

BTW - still have the V8 car RebekahsZ =P

[EvilC]

Very close to start up -

 

 

Currently I have swap two wires on the EDIS to get the coils to fire in the correct order. I assumed EDIS fired ABC when in fact it is ACB so that is an easy fix. I am getting fuel to the carbs but not sure if the 260z stock e pump maintains a 4psi rating. A FPR and gauge will fix that issue if there is one. The MegaJolt is mounted in the car and needs to get the PIP,SAW and Vac siganl ran to it which is all in the car already just needs to be wired to the unit. I have a small coolant leak and retorqued the head to 65lbs. I am hoping with a few heat cycles this small leak will seal itself up if not, the head will have to be pulled at a later date. By passed the stock fuel pump relays since they are in series with a bunch of other signals so I ran a new wire that is relayed so issue solved. E fan is wired up, edis wired up and weber linkage almost complete. Had to cut the J hook very short and mod the bracket against the firewall. I plan to slot this mount so I can put the hook and rod on the same plane.

 

So far everything is going well after pulling two very late nights on the car. DC and I are shot for now and I will have to spend a few days away from the car. So for now here are some pics:

 

Fidanza flywheel and clutchmaster 6 puck clutch installed

 

Finally going in

 

Pic as of last night, 2:30am =)

 

 

Feedback is welcomed, I also need to get some info on the 260z. Not sure how my tach signal works and also if I can grab it from the EDIS. I know I have to pick up that transitor box from RAGS as mine is no good. My tach pins itself at 8k when the key is on.