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HybridZ

TR's 260z L28 Build Thread


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  • 1 month later...

Got some stuff done on the Z this weekend. Since Branson is coming up quick, I figured I'd better start knocking stuff out.

 

About a month ago my speedometer stopped working, so I did some troubleshooting and figured out that my drive pinion had seized in its housing. Luckily they were smart enough to make the pinion's plastic gear softer than the transmissions plastic drive gear, so after picking up a spare from a local Z buddy and I was back in business. Added bonus, this one actually matches my rear end gearing, so I have an accurate speedo now! :D

 

While I was down there I noticed that my passenger axle had popped out of the diff by about 1/2" :shock:

I guess that explains why it felt like the diff loosened back up after about a week of driving it. Popped it back in and it feels as tight as the day I installed the new washers. I'll have to keep an eye on it, and if it does it again check the circlip to see what's going on.

 

I also installed the new metal shifter bushing Flatblack and I ordered for our trannies. My $40 ebay short throw had loosened up over the period of a few months, and I assumed it was due to cheap tolerances. Apparently the stock nylon bushing had just worn loose then dropped off, so with this new one in there it's nice and firm again.

 

Aside from that, I fixed a stripped exhaust mount bolt that was causing the exhaust to rattle, and ghetto rigged the cheap ass stereo I have in there so the face-plate doesn't lose contact with the unit anymore. Was a really nice drive this morning with all that stuff fixed ^_^

 

 

 

Before Branson I need to fix my exhaust leak, hopefully in the next few weekends I'll be borrowing a welder so I can get my flares mounted and my wide wheels on, and while I was up with that Z friend he gave me a stock windshield wiper bottle... so depending on time I may throw my methanol injection kit on and bump up the boost :burnout:

Edited by TrumpetRhapsody
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  • 3 months later...

Guess I might as well take some time for an update. I skipped Branson this year. Had a lot going on, and just didn't feel like I'd done enough on the car to warrant shuffling everything going on to make the trip. Next year will be a good year though! ;)

I figured it was time to get my boost under control, so I ordered a JGS wastegate and had the guys here at work help me get it welded together. It was a 3 or 4 fit-and-try affair with some re-dos, but after I got my boost controller re-plumbed properly so I wasn't hitting 20psi boost cut and blowing off couplers, it held a rock solid spring controlled 15 psi. It felt amazing! Once I tweak the EBC I'll shoot for holding around 18psi for now.

I also borrowed a really nice welder about a month ago and finally got to mounting my flares. The left rear was a bit of a hack job, but I got in the groove on the right side. Left front went well, though I had to dial my caster back A LOT, which sucks. Oh well, because not real race car lol. The right front everything fell apart, and the body damage really showed. I couldn't get the flares anywhere near symmetrical and not hit the FLARE with the wheel. So, I swapped back to my skinnies and drove the Z to a bodyshop. Going to get the front end fixed once and for all, and finally start getting the car looking more legit.

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Edited by TrumpetRhapsody
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  • 3 weeks later...

Well the Z is back from the bodyshop, and the result is... satisfactory. Some of the gaps are still a touch wonky, but at least the front end is straight now! I'll probably spend some more time, or have him do a little extra tweaking before the paint goes on in the next few months. BUT, all 4 wheels/tires and flares are on, and boy does this booger stick! Sadly I had to dial the caster back to 3.8 to get everything to clear properly, but oh well. I'll get some pictures taken when I get her cleaned up more.

 

So, on the tuning front I've made some progress. I finally realized why my idle VE numbers were so low, and my high KPA's so high compared to everyone elses. Multiply map! I've had mine set to "don't" or off this whole time, no wonder I've had such a terrible time getting the car to idle properly, and this is probably why I've been getting such mediocre gas mileage. With multiply map off, 1% VE change equates to about a 12% change in pulsewidth! Once you run the equation you can see how it gives me great tunability in the upper ranges, but honestly they're less sensitive to change anyway, so turning multiply map back on and retuning will give me a much smoother idle and cruise.

Edited by TrumpetRhapsody
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  • 2 months later...

Forgot to mention a fix I did a month or so ago. Without going into the whole narrative of how it happened, found out that the fusible link to maxi fuse conversion can't handle the juice long term. Either that or I just got unlucky with a not-so-solid connection to one of the fuses. My fuse block melted, and I had to come up with something better. I took this opportuinty to do a much cleaner install. I went ahead and stripped the harness all the way back to the dash connectors, and stripped out the stuff I wasn't using anymore. Shaved probably 10lbs of crap out! I replaced the maxi-fuse block with a MIDI-fuse block. These guys bolt down, and light up when they're blown. A bit hard to find fuses locally, so I'll have to keep some extras around. I also took the opportunity to re-do the stock wiring a little, beefing up the battery to block and alternator to block wiring. I couldn't believe how wimpy and bizarre the stock setup was. The electrical system is MUCH improved now.

 

Before:

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After:

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Edited by TrumpetRhapsody
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  • 1 month later...

During a cruise about a month ago my radiator fan stopped working. After doing some checking around I concluded my e-fan had given up the ghost. I'd always meant to upgrade, so I went ahead and ordered a lower amp-draw fan and a 3 row aluminum Koyorad. The Koyo's don't come with a drain plug for some reason, so I had the guys at work tig me on a bung to throw one in. Last weekend I swapped all of that in, finally wired the fan into megasquirt for automatic control, and after tracking down some leaks and such it works like a charm! I can't wait to see how this thing performs in the summer, but from the way the temps drop when the fan comes on I think it'll do a great job. Funny thing is, I found out it was a bad relay the whole time... whoops!

This weekend I took the warm weather opportunity and got some projects out of the way I had been sitting on. After some modifications I swapped on my Hawk HPS brake pads, to hopefully combat the bad brake fade i'd been getting. I also finally put on my rear stainless brake lines (already did the fronts awhile back) and flushed/bled the system with 200* Super Blue dot4 brake fluid. Hopefully this will improve my braking until I can afford to do a proper brake upgrade.

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Aside from that, I did some minor aesthetic tweaks/adjustments and washed my engine bay and wheels. Yay productivity!

 

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