What needs to be done to make my car driveable...

[utvolman99]

Okay after two years and two houses, a new job and getting married I am jumping back on the V8 240Z band waggon. One thing that discouraged me was that I had ridden in a couple of SBC Z Cars and was just not impressed...

 

1. They were both VERY hot inside and it was only in the mid 70s outside. I guess those big engines give off a lot of heat!

 

2. VVVIIIBBBRRRAAATTTIIIOOONNN!! both of them sounded and felt like the car was coming appart when they were really given the gas! I am assuming this can be fixed/helped by somehow getting the proper diveshaft angles?

 

3. I felt as if I needed a gas mask in both. I am not trying to be picky here but he exhaust smell was just bad! I honestly could care less for myself but I will be driving this to work and can't have my clothes smelling like that all day...

 

This is what I have planned to combat each of the above but am not sure I am doing enough or on the right track?

 

1. I am going to use Brown Bread extensively inside me care for noise and heat control...

 

2. What is the best way to phase a driveline?

 

3. I have a new seal kit and hope this will help?

 

Any help would be great...

[A. G. Olphart]

There has been a long thread on exhaust smell recently... it may be related to rust holes in floor and firewall, so check carefully as you install your insulation and air conditioning. Your new seals can't hurt if they fit; some door seals have a rep for being too thick.

 

The neatest driveline phasing trick I've seen was the fellow (never can remember names for attributions) who made a couple of magnetic LED pointers at 90 degrees to their base. With one on the diff flange and one on the trans output shaft, a little smoke/fog under the car and all is aligned if the beams are parallel in all planes. (I wonder how far the output shaft moves under full load? That might explain to your observed full throttle vibrations).

 

I really like the Ron Tyler front diff mount. Look here for plans and a discussion of driveline phasing: http://alteredz.com/drivelinemods.htm. (Thanks Pete!)

 

HTH

 

 

 

.

[fastzcars]

I'll give is a shot. For 1. double layer the brown bread on the firewall and the trans tunnel as well as the area around the muffler. That will help for the heat/sound.

 

Then 2. used the GM factory rubber motor/trans mounts. As far as feeling as everything is coming apart, you have to realize that the cars are 30 years old nuts and bolts holding panels in place are probably loose. So basicly you have to tighten down EVERY nut and bolt you can lay your hands on. Squeeks and rattles drive me nuts so I know what you mean, I took apart every panel and tightend eveything down.

 

Now as far a driveshaft angles Pete Pparaska has a great website explaining this.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/

 

And finally 3. Changing the seals helps, but you have to make sure that the panels are straight and actually sealing against it's intended part. For example I replace my rear hatch seal for I had a massive water leak. I replaced the seal and found that it still leaked ,so I smeared some white grease on the mating surface of the hatch/seal and found a large area that wasn't sealing. I found that the ridge that the seal was on was deformed and I had to hammer and dolly that ridge up. Again you have to be maticulous when you install the seals.

Another source of gas smell is the small vapor tank hidden in the rear passenger side hatch panel. It has several hoses that from age are most likely age cracked. I removed that tank and all the hoses and sealed the holes that are left on the floor of the hatch area, which reminds me that there are a couple of large access holes for the mustash mounting bolts that go through the rear floor that you have to cover up, exhaust fumes can enter from ther as well. I can go on and on, but I'll let other's here chime in.

[Pop N Wood]

Hey, welcome back. Haven't seen you post in a year or more.

 

The Ron Tyler site also mentions vibrations. He claims an aluminum driveshaft makes a big difference in a V8Z. Something about the short driveshaft and relatively high RPM due to the generally tall gearing in the diff. He also discussed alignment.

 

JTR talks about using GM motor and trans mounts and not generic knock offs for vibration also.

 

I posted some time ago the idea of using laser pointers. But I suggested mylar sheets and not smoke.

 

Fumes are a source of many discussions here. Do a search and start reading. Too much advice to summarize here.

[utvolman99]

I guess a better question would be are you all happy with how your car drives? I have read all the suggestions for working out some of these issues but am not sure how many people have a finished product that they are happy with?

[fastzcars]

utvolman99 I guess a better question would be are you all happy with how your car drives? I have read all the suggestions for working out some of these issues but am not sure how many people have a finished product that they are happy with?

 

 

I love the way my car came out. It's not a BMW or a caddy. So I take as that. Believe me it was frustrating finding all the issues, but in the end I could say "I built it with my own two hands" . Ther'es just no feeling like it. :mrgreen:

[violacleff]

I don't have a V8Z but I'll chime in here. I drive my car daily, and basically I get the fumes everytime I roll down the windows. The other problem is not having any defrost when it's raining or cold in the morning.

 

I've contemplated trying to seal things up, but if you read the threads, you will find that lots of people have tried everything, and still get fumes. I've never done any wheather sealing before, and I'm pretty sure that my attempt won't be the best job, and it gets expensive to do all the sealing even if you do it yourself.

 

So now I'm thinking, "why not just get an AC unit and be done with it?" It will save gas, defrost the windows, give me cold air in the summer, and save my brain cells. The only time I need to roll the window down is when a cute girl pulls up next to me anyway. It's an expensive solution but its a sure thing and a huge payoff imo.

[qwik240z]

I guess a better question would be are you all happy with how your car drives? I have read all the suggestions for working out some of these issues but am not sure how many people have a finished product that they are happy with?

 

I love my LS1 240Z. It is a blast to drive and very reliable. Faster then 95% of the cars on the road, handles like it's on rails, and gets all kinds of looks and thumbs up all the time.

 

 

I don't use it as a daily driver but I drive it as much as possible.

 

Go for it. Done preperly a V8 Z car is the best.

[BrandonsZ]

 

1. They were both VERY hot inside and it was only in the mid 70s outside. I guess those big engines give off a lot of heat!

 

2. VVVIIIBBBRRRAAATTTIIIOOONNN!! both of them sounded and felt like the car was coming appart when they were really given the gas! I am assuming this can be fixed/helped by somehow getting the proper diveshaft angles?

 

3. I felt as if I needed a gas mask in both. I am not trying to be picky here but he exhaust smell was just bad! I honestly could care less for myself but I will be driving this to work and can't have my clothes smelling like that all day...

 

1. Mine is nice inside, and even in Bonsal on a 100+ day it was suprisingly cool inside, REALLY a black interior in an orange car and my friend commented before I could even realize that we stepped out of 100 degree air and were sitting in my car at a stoplight and DID NOT feel all that hot. I do however have aluminum bonded cloth fiber insulation stuffered everywhere. And about 3 lbs of black asphalt based adhesive based sound deadening. under most of the panels. No trouble with heat here.

 

2. That vibration you feal is from the freekin huge engine in a tiny little lightweight car. If you don't plow your foot in the pedal it's smooth as a baby's butt. Again not an issue for me, I have the proper driveline angles obviously, poly motor mounts, and a stock tranny mount. no problem unless I'm into the secondaries in 1st or 2nd. I consider it more like what it must feel to be strapped to a rocket. No squeeks or rattles except when it's really cold <40F the plastic around the windows make a styrofoam vs styrofoam noise.

 

3. I did have that same issue, somehow the exhaust gets in the driver's window, how? I have no idea but on a cold morning I see the freekin fumes coming in the window behind my head even at as high as 15 mph!. It was especially bad when I floored it, but prety constant otherwise. To fix this I put a CAT in the exhaust and never smelled gas again. Now it's like any other car, but because the carburator dumps fuel inthe exhaust when I floor it I smell something like following an underpowered volvo as it struggles to pull up a hill. Kinda like cooked eggs. But it goes right away. If anything this car pretty much picks up any smell from outside no matter where it's coming from. I actually decided to add the cat when I was getting over a cold and my eyes were watering and I was coughing but only when driving my car. I figured I better do something. Now it's great, and even the egg smell is not noxious.

 

 

I drive it every day and I wouldn't drive anything else, it's like a 4 wheeled motorcycle. You can't beat the feeling of 1:8 power to weight ratio. and 1:6.6 torque to weight. I'm only sad for myself having missed this for so long.

[DavyZ]

1. They were both VERY hot inside and it was only in the mid 70s outside. I guess those big engines give off a lot of heat!

 

2. VVVIIIBBBRRRAAATTTIIIOOONNN!! both of them sounded and felt like the car was coming appart when they were really given the gas! I am assuming this can be fixed/helped by somehow getting the proper diveshaft angles?

 

3. I felt as if I needed a gas mask in both. I am not trying to be picky here but he exhaust smell was just bad! I honestly could care less for myself but I will be driving this to work and can't have my clothes smelling like that all day...

 

1) I have driven a number of V8Z cars in the SF Bay Area during the summer and even w/o AC they are not unbearable. I feel quite comfy in a non AC car after a short time, even when pampered with a climate controlled car most of the time. I suppose one gets acclimated to what one drives. That said, I'm using dynomat and will be using new under carriage spray. I'm contemplating ditching the tar stuff and just POR 15 the underside, but do Rhinoliner or something similar inside on the floors.

 

2) Vibrations can be caused by a number of things. After sorting out most common causes on a V8 Z, there should be no more vibration than from a stock Z---think about it!!

 

3) Fumes are a problem, but there is a stuck thread someplace in one of the forums addressing the issue--search The guys above have given you excellent advice.

 

 

OH YEAH, WELCOME BACK!

 

Davy

[pparaska]

For Vibrations, I agree, it makes the car very unnerving at WOT. A.G. Olphart linked to my drivelinemods page - there's a bunch of detail on how I moved the transmission tail up, the differential nose down, and the differential tail up to get 1 degree vertical driveshaft angles. My Z has no vibration issues.

 

The thing that REALLY irritates me about my Z is the huge amount of play in the gears (I believe it's mostly the spider gears) in the differential. Let off the gas and bang. Get on it after coasting and bang. I HATE that. And the diff is polyurethane mounted front and rear.

 

The last thing is the fumes. And I don't mean exhaust fumes. Gasoline fumes. The vapor tank must have a slight leak because the car has ALL new fuel hoses back there and everything is tight. I'm going to solve that shortly by removing the vapor tank and all the hoses.