garvice Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Decided now was as good a time as any to start a build thread (since all the cool kids are doing it) to try and keep myself honest and motivated (it is not going to be quick). I bought the car below back in late 2006 (photos from first outing with the blokes). I had been casually looking at the adverts for a good year and nothing decent had come up for sale, then all of a sudden this and 260DET’s cars came up for sale at the same time. Should have bought his back then, but as we say hindsight is a . . .. The owner had just built an L28et engine for the car. I drove it like this for probably 18 months until the megasquirt computer gave up the ghost. Since I did not want to put another cheap computer back in, the car sat under the carport for 12 months while I saved for parts and worked out what to do. In all honesty I probably blamed the computer a bit too much, as the installation was probably the biggest contributor to how the car ran (it would run right sometimes then rich or lean other times.) The wiring had no screening, a lot of places where insulation was melting through due to no heatsheilding near exhaust and then there were poor solder joints covered in insulation tape. So at the end of 08 I put a new computer in and redid the engine loom with a fresh flying loom and all new connectors/devices, LS1 coils, deleted distributor etc. I also got the dashboard recovered, played with some electronics and put in FD RX7 seats. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/86016-vdo-tacho-original-type-face/page__p__815654#entry815654 http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/77957-rx7-fd-series-678-seats-installed-in-2nd-gen-s30/page__p__741304#entry741304 Ran much better with the new tune until end of 09 when I started playing with having the computer control the boost and this happened. Blown headgasket. Thought, no worries, will pull head off, take a look, replace gasket, button it all up and drive it while building a real engine for it. Was going to go all out with an L28et, larger cams, bigger turbo, head work, blah blah blah. Well when pulling it down I started to notice more and more things wrong with the engine as I went. Pistons seemed undersized in bore (bore still crosshatched but piston was wearing on skirt and piston was quite loose in bore). Little ends were really tight (rod would stand up all by itself), balancer was welded together (and welded 10 degrees off, no wonder power was down, was running 10deg less then I thought). Crank keyway/woodruff key was shot, bearings were shot blah blah blah. Cylinder 3 standing up So it was at this stage that my mates brother said “lets just chuck a RB26 in thereâ€. T which I replied, "No, I am feeling nostalgic about the L series engine, I might just build another" (had already started buying parts). He proceeded to give me a blank stare followed with, "Let me get this right, you are nostalgic about an engine that is no longer the original displacement (2.8 instead of 2.6), is now fuel injected (all s30 were carb) and is turbo charged (all s30 were NA)". So at the start of 2010 I bought this. Got the engine sitting on mounts around April, then work stopped as I had to build a shed before my wife had our first child. Around July car was brought back to my new shed where it sat and nothing really happened for the next 6 months (had a lot of money and time spent on the shed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 So end of 2010 and start of 2011 work started on the datsun again. I built a new transmission mount (300zx transmission with RB26 bellhousing) and crossmember (this took far to long, but I am glad I didn't rush it, because I changed my mind almost as many times as I changed my underwear and am glad with the final way I made it). http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/98380-transmission-mount-for-260z-rb26-300zx/page__p__923033#entry923033 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 And just made mk3 of the engine mounts this week. Mk1 mounts were ok, but the engine had not been lined up straight when we put it in, would have been fine as the angle was not that great, but thought I could do better. Mk2 engine mounts started last weekend and were still not good enough so spent a couple of nights last week building mk3. I am happy with how the engine sits now. http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,9250.0.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 So the list of big things to do now. - Build mount to Lower nose of diff (and change mount from below diff to above diff) by 2.5 degrees to oppose/match engine/transmission angle. - Get a driveshaft - Build an exhaust manifold - Build a sump, either modify the RD28 sump or the R200 sump or build a new one from scratch - Install my CV joint rear axles - Intercooler and piping - Radiator/fan/plumbing - New loom - Brake upgrade (thinking r32 gtr calipers with custom mount and got to find a disc to work) - Suspension rebuild/upgrade - Tear down of engine and rebuild Well that list should keep me off the streets for a while. Some of the big ticket items like the engine work might get put off to another build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 MK3 mounts ? From a Toyota Supra ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Ha, no. Mk3 as in third time lucky as I was not happy with my first two attempts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Oh Ok! Many people use the McKinney Motorsports mounts for a RB swap, which I hear are pretty good. I'm just trying to find a cheaper alternative to them cause $499 is on the expensive side for motor mounts for me, but if I have to buy them then I will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZT-R Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Oh Ok! Many people use the McKinney Motorsports mounts for a RB swap, which I hear are pretty good. I'm just trying to find a cheaper alternative to them cause $499 is on the expensive side for motor mounts for me, but if I have to buy them then I will. and very little clearance on the oil pan.. and a total pain in the ass if you are doing external sump plumbing. still havent been able to get my driveline angles right with the r230 swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I'm just trying to find a cheaper alternative to them cause $499 is on the expensive side for motor mounts for me, but if I have to buy them then I will. I think you need to build your own mounts then, metal is cheap. Mine probably cost about $20 in metal/cutting discs/blades and paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZT-R Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 i would make my own but my swap came with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 Someone on another forum (yes I have been cheating on you all) asked about where my gearstick would come through and how angled it would be since my engine is now standing up straight. See photos below. Will see how it feels before I decide if it needs a bend in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Built a Ron Tyler inspired Diff mount today. Didn't have any 3" or 1" x 1/4" flat bar, but did have some 6mm x 100mm flat bar, so used that instead. I didn't use Ron's dimensions as my driveline angles are not the same as a JTR build. Overall I got my driveline sitting at 1.9 degrees and the driveline is parallel in the horizontal plane within ~0.1 degrees. Here are the pictures. As you can see in the photos, I am going to need to change to a 240z rear mount roll bar. Edited June 13, 2011 by garvice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenfood Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm sure a few people have asked already but I'm dead tired and don't want to go searching for the answer, why is you engine vertical as apposed on an angle is it a clearance thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 That is a coincidence, as I don't like helping out people who won't first help themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xepher2792 Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Just thought I would mention this as I noticed it as I was reading through the thread. But not all s30s were carbed the 280z came with fuel injection. Not a big deal as it was still a non-stock motor and the rb26 will be much more fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted June 18, 2011 Author Share Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) No 280z in Australia, But yes I take you point. Edited June 18, 2011 by garvice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garvice Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 I haven't had a chance to work on the Z much as it requires a bit of money. So being doing this instead (as well as work on the shed) http://the510realm.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24424&p=203134#p203134 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I'm sure a few people have asked already but I'm dead tired and don't want to go searching for the answer, why is you engine vertical as apposed on an angle is it a clearance thing? Easy, oil drainage. i have seen people run them verticle with no issues. but that is the answer, oil drans out of teh side of the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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