This information is being provided free of charge to anyone that is interested in reading it. It has been compiled from ZCAR.COM, Web pages, and mailing lists on Z cars. When I find something good, I stick it in here. There is a lot of information here. Feel free to pass it on, edit it, and organize it, anything ya want. Just don’t try and sell it.

Disclaimer:

This information is provided free of charge to anyone that is willing to request it. There is no warranty expressed or implied that this information is 100% fact. Use this information at your own risk. Verify anything that you feel is questionable. I am unable to be held responsible for anything that you decide to do with information.

[ And Here's a link to some links... ]

Camaro Radiator

Back when my car was L24 powered, it ran hot. I took it to a mechanic who said that the guage was just reading high - not to worry. So, I motored on. Then the water pump fell off, the car instantly overheated, and, well, the short of it is that the car is now L28 powered (L24 melted). So, in order to solve this problem, I did some digging around.

If you look at the parts list at the JTR site, there's a link to the radiator that they recommend (and resell at a premium) for a V8 Z with dimensions and everything. I figured that if it's good enough to cool a big 350, it should work very nicely for an L28. So, I went to the local parts stores. They all only had the wide one. There are two 85 camaro radiators, 951 and 952. One is 26" (too wide) and the other is 20" (just right). I don't have my info in front of me, but I think the 20" one is the 952.

I got mine for $145 + $17 shipping (then minus a $50 coupon for total of $112!) from Carparts, vs. $225 plus shipping from JTR.

I mounted it by holding it in place where it seemed to fit best, marking the holes (they are top and bottom since the tanks are on the side) and then drilling them (3/8" bit). Then I got 2 M8 60mm bolts put them thru the top holes, put the nuts on such that 1/4" of the ends of the bolts came thru. I slid the radiator in place and hung it by the bolts in the top holes. Then I tacked the nuts in place. Did the same for the bottom of the radiator support. The bottom holes end up being right at the very bottom edge - barely qualify as holes since there's like a sliver of metal left on the bottom of each one. Again, I tacked nuts in place. Then I took the radiator out and welded the nuts in securely. This is tricky since the threads can get screwed up by welding - I put a bolt in the nut before welding it in (not all the way!) and then right after I weld, I turn it back and forth. Anyway, with some 1 inch nylons spacers, everything fits perfectly. There actually might be enough room to put a pusher elec. fan in between the A/C condenser and the radiator. It's very thin and light. Fits very nicely.

For hoses I sort of made some guestimates based on the original hoses and went to the local Advance Auto parts. The guy let me peruse all the hoses and I came up with these: c71302 d71560 They both had to be trimmed a tad, but they fit beautifully. I don't know if those part numbers will translate well at other stores. The engine runs much cooler now than it did before. If you don't have access to a welder, JTR sells bracketry for mounting this radiator in a Z. - jeromio

When ya transplant a 3.90 R200 diff in a Z car, you will need the 19 tooth speedo gear, part number 32703-78103,

Here are two tables which outline the various transmissions and differentials with corresponding ratios available for our use. Fortunately, most of these can be found in junkyards for minimal cost. Although, most will require some type of rebuild, as many have over 150K miles on them. And for the amount of effort required to install these, it would be unwise to install a questionable part. At the bare minimum, I would suggest new seals and bearings. Those are the two most likely things to wear out, aside from the synchros in the transmission. Thankfully, Nissan/Datsun tended to overbuild many of their parts. The stock transmissions have been known to be reliable up to ~450hp, and the R180 good for ~350hp and the R200 good for ~350+hp.You will most likely break your U-joints before you start breaking these parts. Keep in mind that the R200 is equivalent to 7.9"...plenty big for almost any application. All of these charts refer to Manual transmissions only, since the Datsun performance enthusiast is not really concerned about Automatic Transmissions.

TRANSMISSION RATIOS

DIFFERENTIAL RATIOS

KEY

Transmission Gear Spacing Ratios
Formula: Gear spacing ratio = Gear (new) / Gear (old)
Example: Difference between 280Z 5spd 1st and 2nd gear.
2.077 (2nd gear) / 3.321 (1st gear) = 0.625 or 2nd gear is 63% of 1st gear

Overall Gear Spacing Ratios
Formula: Overall Ratio = Transmission gear ratio x Final Drive (Differential Gear ratio)
Example: 280Z 5spd 1st gear with 3.54:1 Differential Ratio
3.321(1st gear) x 3.54(diff gear) = 11.75:1

Maximum MPH in each gear
Formula: MPH = rpm x tire diamter (in) / gear x final gear ratio (diff) x 336
Example: Maximum mph in 280Z 5spd 1st gear using 6500rpm redline.
MPH = 6500rpm x 24.0"(tire dia)/ 3.321(1st gear) x 3.54(diff gear) x 336 = 39.5mph
Note: Top gear is most likely hp limited, and would not be able to reach max rpm.

RPM @65mph (Derivived from Max MPH formula)
Formula: RPM = mph x gear x final ratio x 336/tire diameter
Example: RPM at 65mph for stock 280Z 5spd
65mph x 0.864(5th gear) x 3.54(diff gear) x 336/24.0"(tire dia.) = 2783rpm

Shift Points
Formula: RPM desired = RPM shifted at x (gear shifted to/gear shifted from)
Example: 4000 is desired rpm after shift into 2nd gear from 1st gear.
4000rpm / (2.077/3.321) = 6396rpm is when you shift from 1st to 2nd.

http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/

Datsun made several blocks over the years, varying in bore and casting methods.
Compared to the 240Z, the 260Z had a longer stroke, while the 280Z had both the longer stroke and a larger bore.
The way to identify the block is to look on the driver side of the engine, to the right of the motor mount. That's where they cast the block number. I've been told the 240 had a couple of different block numbers, I doubt it matters...

It seems that only in the last few years have people been focussing on the F54 engines. I think the reason is that when Zcars were popular for racing in the late '70s and early '80s, the ZX motors were not available in junkyards. And people also probably thought: "...why would I want a slow ZX motor". What they didn't realize is that minus all the ZX plumbing, the F54 motor is Nissan's final evolution of the Z engine and has more horsepower and torque than the earlier motors.
The heavy Zx is what made it slow....... All favoritism aside, I think a 1983 motor is going to be a better evolution of design and tolerances than a 1975 version, and certainly over a 1970 motor.

So if you want to install a newer motor in your Z, go for the "best" 2.8 liter block, the 1981-1983 F54. According to the factory it has additional webbing cast between the cylinders for more rigidity and to promote better cooling, compared to the N42 block. In addition, all Datsun did to make the F54 a turbo motor was to replace the flattop pistons with dished ones ( to lower compression), and add a turbo head with better exhaust ports. So there really isn't a "turbo block", the substitution of parts is what creates the different motor. An easier way identify a motor is to look for the head code between the 1st and 2nd spark plugs. Check out the head page to see which head came with which block. Keep in mind though, that a lot of rebuilt motors have had the heads swapped. I saw a P79 on a '75 280z, and recently a P79 on a '83 turbo, so don't trust the head number to tell you what block is in the car.

• PISTONS The P79motors ('81-83) have flat-top pistons. All other L28 motors(N42,N47,P90, P90a) use dished pistons. In any performance engine, flattop pistons are preferable as they help create a higher-quench mixture, preventing hotspots and reducing pinging. The dished pistons are all the same cc, but the turbo piston has a different crown/land design with different rings.
• HEADSThe P79, P90 and P90a heads are the three heads found on ZX F54 blocks, and have the same chamber volume and dimensions (53.5cc). The P79 has round exhaust ports with steel liners that heat red-hot to reduce emissions, some say they reduce flow, but many people have raced with them.
  My guru racer buddy says Nissan finally "got it right" on the P90, and he feels it's the best flowing head out there I have to agree. I'm modifying one right now, and it's design incorporates all the best features of all the heads: square exhaust ports, high-quench chamber, and steel seats. Check out my P90 and P79 pages for more modification details
• COMPRESSIONUsing a P79/P90/P90a head on a flattop piston L28 motor will give you 8.8:1 compression, the highest of the L28s. Using them on a dished piston L28 ('75-78) will yield 7.4:1. This means that you should always use the P79/90/90a on a flattop motor.
• HORSEPOWER A lot of factors affect horsepower, but as a baseline the '75-80 motors put out about 135, the '81-83 motors 145. Despite what the little plate in your 280's engine bay says, the '75-78 motor doesn't produce 170hp by modern standards.

Swapping a R200 rear end from a 280Zx into a 240/260/280 is very popular now due to it's relative ease, and the impressive increase in performance. Even if you have a '75-78 280Z with an R200, you can upgrade it to a 3.90 from a ZX and add some serious acceleration.
All you're doing is replacing rear end (and differential) parts with 280Z /ZXversions, that's all. But if you decide to get the R-200 and the halfshafts from a 280ZX, those are the only parts that cross into a 240/260/280Z. The ZX driveshaft and mounting hardware won't.

• the curved rear crossmember which bolts immediately behind the bottom/rear of the differential (early models are straight). The R-200 sits back by about 1 1/2 inches and needs the curve. Bolts in perfectly. This is a necessary part.
• Get the "mustache bar" that bolts onto the rear differential cover from a '75-78. This is a necessary part. Despite your budget, replace the bar's bushings with urethane ones. I tried to be retro, and replaced mine with new soft stock ones, which allowed the extra torque from the 3.90 to thunk the bar-ends against the floor. This made me realize that thunks are only partially caused by the front mount.
• Get the R-200 halfshafts too, halfshafts from all '75-83 R200's are identical. I consider these a necessary part. But be careful not to swap the halfshafts as the flange that slips into the differential on the passenger side is 1/4 inch longer than the driver side. I made this mistake and got 2 short (left) ones from the junkyard. Later ZX's came with CV joint shafts which will fit , but with difficult modifications to the wheel hub which I've never tried. So, try to get the "older style" ones from a ZX. Just "yank" them out of the differential. R180 shafts will just fit as they have to be compressed, but why bother with a "maybe" fit, get the R200's. For some reason ZX shafts sealed the grease fittings with plugs. Remove the plugs and add new fittings, and remember to grease them every 3,000 miles.
• As I said above: to get halfshafts out, DON"T pry them out, that tears up the seals. Simply unbolt the wheel end, and "yank" the halfshaft a couple of times. A little circlip in the diff it but it will pop right out, the yanks don't hurt it.

[image not available]

• Get a good driveshaft from a '76-78 280Z. They are about 20 cm longer than the 240 shaft, which will maintain drive-angle geometry. Strangely, '75 shafts were 10mm shorter and fatter and the rear bolt pattern doesn't fit onto a later R-200, stay away from those. You can use a 240/260 driveshaft, but do it right and try to use the R200 parts. BTW, don't believe the dealer when they say the joints aren't replaceable on your 280 shaft, any driveshaft shop can replace them. It's that Nissan doesn't sell replaceable joints.
• The front differential crossmember from a 280Z that bolts to the frame (holds the front rubber insulator) is thicker and beefier and should be replaced also. Of course you should then replace the actual rubber front differential mount with a '75-78 version.
• The '70' and early '71s differential strap sits forward by about 2 inches compared to later 240 models (different brackets). So if you try a R200 swap on an early cars, the R-200's front mount nuts on the top will hit the strap. I found I had to reverse the bolts, place the nuts on the bottom, and saw off the protruding bolt threads so the mount would flex. I then raised the differential with my floor jack, and placed it very tightly against the strap. Only then was I able to bolt the front crossmember in. Since later 240/260/280s's had different strap brackets, they won't have this problem.

Tom,

I ran into this website that you might want to try. They carry fiberglass and steel body parts for 240Z/260Z/280Z cars.

Bodyparts Unlimited - www.showcars-bodyparts.com/240z.html

Ruben

E wrote:
-------------------------------
If the clutch type LSDs came stock in US spec cars why would anyone pay a premium and get them from Japan? (e.g. ArizonaZcar) You can only get clutch type R200 LSD either from a Japanese Skyline or later model Bluebird or from NISMO. Greg, you should check your sources before posting anything...


I reply:
--------------------------------
Answer: Because the only ratio available in the US model was a 3.7 clutch or viscous type LSD rear. The premium being paid for the overseas imports is for the lower gear ratios available there such as 4.11, 4.38, etc. The LSD rears have a different ring gear bolt pattern that precludes you from just swapping gears. The other reason is that the R200LSD rear was only available on the late 87 through 89 300zx turbo cars. Going rate for those is about $400 used if you can find one. It seems arizona z also has a market because guys like you think the LSD is not available here in the US. The limited edition 88ss model had the undesireable viscous style rear. The viscous style rear had oddball halfshafts that do not interchange with other R200 rears. The clutch type rear can use standard R200 shafts, making it desireable. As far as my sources needing to be checked all I need to do is walk outside to my car that has a US model R200 clutch LSD in it. I have also installed these before as well as ought and sold a number of them. I have also had my hands on a few viscous rears as well. Nothing beats first hand knowledge. If you are limiting your sources to the hype being printed in Motorsport Auto or Arizona Z cars catalog then I can see why you have been misinformed. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Check these out. Future pic files for a R200 LSD article I intend to post on my webpage so other misinformed people can become enlightened.
greg

87-89 300zx turbos had r200 3.7 clutch pack LSDs.
The 88 SE had the viscous as greg stated. I can also attest to this as I have one in my 240 pulled from a 1987 300zx turbo. Production date of the zx was 06/87. I bought it for $200 at Highway 71 East auto salvage in Austin TX. The was one more in the yard when I pulled it 4 months ago.

Greg, I had some time so I went out and checked it out for my self. You were right (sorry), the 4/87 to 12/87 turbos came with the clutch-type LSD (part# 38420-40F70). I also, found out that you can in fact change the gear ratios using the non-LSDs. Even though the ring gear bolt are different (10mm to 12mm) You can take out just the LSD unit out of the car mentioned above and find a car with the right gear ratio that you want. You replace the spider gear with the LSD unit. The key is to get a S/S pipe with an outer diameter matching the hole of the LSD unit and an inner diameter mathcing the 10mm bolt. Make sure the spacer fits tight. Then, make sure to adjust the backlashing when you install the LSD unit into the non-LSD housing.

Author: Ricjaywhit (fw3.loctite.com)
Date: 03-09-2000 01:28

I work at loctite the people who make permatex's stuff. Of all the sealants we make the Ultra Gray silicone is best in my opinion for water pump and thermostat sealing. Hope this helps.

Rich

shox.com

***SPECIAL NOTE****

There are currently two new brake bleeding products available for do-it-yourselfers. They are bleed screws with check valves installed to allow brake bleeding without worrying about air entering the system when you lift the brake pedal. Russell's Speed Bleeders are one, and Earl's Solo-Bleeders are the other. You can find Russell Speed Bleeders in catalogs such as Summit, and Earl's can be found anywhere that sells Earl's merchandise. You can contact Earl's directly to find a vendor in your area.

Option #1
Toyota 4x4 caliper and stock 240-280Z rotor
[Parts List] [Procedure]

This upgrade improves the braking of the stock 240-280Z by increasing the clamping force of the front brakes with the use of Toyota 4 piston calipers from a Toyota 4x4 pickup and the stock solid 240-280 rotors. These calipers will bolt directly to the Z strut, with no modifications. The reason for this, is that these calipers are made by Sumitomo, a brake component manufacturer, who manufactured brake components for Nissan/Datsun and Toyota. This really works out great for us Z fanatics, since they used the same bolt pattern quite a bit, which enables us to do this swap. By using the larger front calipers, your brake torque for the front wheels is increased. Brake torque is what makes your car stop, the larger the amount of torque the quicker you can stop. There are two ways to increase brake torque. First, you can increase the clamping ability of the calipers, and secondly to increase the rotor diameter. Of course, if you do both modifications at the same time, you will substantially increase brake torque. If you take a look at any after market brakes, they are always larger in diameter than their stock counterparts for this very reason. This particular upgrade, while effective, does not address the rotor warpage issue, associated with excess heat. You can check out Option #2 if you are interested in that setup.

1. (2) Calipers from a '79-'84 Toyota 4x4 pickup. They should be stamped 'S12' on the side. (new or rebuilt)
2. (1) Get a set of semi metallic pads. There are many brands, I prefer Porterfields.
3. (1) 280ZX 15/16" master cylinder (new or rebuilt)
4. (1) DOT 5 Brake fluid.

Not required, but recommended:
1. Stainless braided brake lines and new hard lines.
2. New rotors, possibly cross drilled if available/desired (I wouldn't use cross-drilled, but that's your choice).
3. Proportioning valve (280ZX unit works well)

1) Remove your wheels (obviously), and safely jack up the car.
2) Disconnect the brake lines from the calipers.
3) Remove your old caliper and pad assemblies.
4) Remove the front rotors and bearings.
Now is the time to check your rotor and bearing condition. If anything is questionable, take it to a shop and
have it machined within spec, or spend a little cash and buy new parts. Although not required, I highly suggest a new set of rotors, since there is no point in doing this upgrade with old worn out rotors.
5) Remove the backing plate.
This is an optional step, since the backing plate can be retained by cutting excess metal to provide clearance for the new 4 piston calipers. However, these plates were known to retain moisture on stock Z cars, and I suggest removing them entirely. While this will create a dustier condition, the moisture problem will no longer be an issue.
6) Remove the master cylinder.
Disconnect all brake lines at the master cylinder, and remove it. You can retain the stock 240-280 brake booster. Be careful, as brake fluid is highly corrosive, and any spills should be cleaned up immediately. It is a good idea to keep some soapy water and a rag handy if you are at all concerned about your paint.

1) Install new 15/16" 280ZX master cylinder.
This is a direct replacement for the 240-280 style. Reconnect all previously disconnected brake lines. Be careful to not over tighten, you might strip threads.
2) Install the new rotor and/or bearings/seals.
Installation is reverse of removal. Use new cotter keys and nuts as well, these are very cheap, but necessary.
3) Install new brake lines.
If you are retaining your old lines, then skip this step. Although, that would be a mistake in my opinion.
I would also install the proportioning valve at this time. Although not deemed necessary, I feel the brake upgrade is incomplete without it. The reasoning for this, is that the new 4 piston calipers have a much greater clamping force. So, the brake system becomes unfairly biased towards the front. The proportioning valve alleviates some of this phenomenon.
4) Install new 4 piston calipers.
Installation is the reverse of the stock 240Z caliper removal. These are a direct replacement, and require no special mounting. Make sure to have the brake bleed screw towards the top. You can install it the other way, but it will not function correctly. Bleed screw orientation is how you can tell the difference between the right and left calipers.
5) Re-connect all brake lines.
Installation is once again, reverse of removal. Some minor bending of the hard brake lines is necessary to get them to fit correctly. Be careful not to kink any lines, and make sure that all lines are free of obstruction or interference.
6) Install new brake pads.
7) Bleed the brakes.
Do this in whatever method you prefer, but be aware that most brake problems can be associated with improper
bleeding. If you are in question, just take it to a local shop, and have them power bleed the brakes. This isn't
expensive, and works far better than any backyard job.

From: Eric Helms <http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=Eric_Helms@invision.iip.com&YY=3829&order=down&sort=date&pos=0> Subject: RE: <240> Choke problem and potential solution I would like to add to this if I may. One of the few times where I can claim that I have been there and done that......The ongoing thread is correct, NC switch contacts, light comes on and soon...Have yet to have a problem with the switch however, the mounting of the entire assembly to the console has caused more than one Z owner some grief. If memory serves me correctly, the original design had the mounting bracket screw into the underside of console with 2 self taping screws. Age the plastic a few years, add in choke cable binding and sooner or later the mounting studs on the console will give way. I have seen a few solutions where people drilled through the top of the console and installed some real hardware. I have a solution that eliminates buggering up the console any further, about 2 hours work. Remove the center console Remove the choke lever and mounting bracket from the center console You will need a 2.5" length of 2.0" X 2.0" angle, .125 thick. Suggest staying away from alum. (potential electrolysis which will cause more problems!)We mounted the choke bracket to the metal bracket and then attached the metal bracket to body just forward of the pan-out for the console ashtray. End result was the choke bracket was mounted to the body (metal to metal) and one didn't have to worry about ripping the bracket off of the console. AND One may remove the center console without having to worry about crimping the choke cables. Now I worry about snapping the lever handle off (time to grease the cable up again).This has been successful on 3 73-240's.I will be in the console of one for the Z's this weekend, if anyone needs pictures of this, send me an e-mail. Eric in Livermore.

From: Morgan <http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=morgan@z31.com&YY=97738&order=down&sort=date&pos=0>

Subject: <l6><280zx><240>

Microfiche For whatever it's worth, I discovered a printing error in the microfiche that was making the s30 and s130 fiche nearly useless. I fixed the error and now you can actually make use of the fiche, which is always a nice thing to be able to do! http://www.carfiche.com/ Morgan

Subject: <280zx>Adjustable Proportioning Valve Install

The 280zx proportioning valve is located in the engine compartment below the battery. The install was very easy, on the stock proportioning valve find the tubing going to the passenger front caliper and disconnect it and the tubing directly across from it, reconnect the two lines using one of the10mm F to F fittings. Attach one each of the below fittings to each side of the new valve. Disconnect the other two lines from the stock valve and carefully bend them back to make room for the new valve and fittings. Reconnect to your new valve carefully observing the in and out markings on the new valve. Remove the stock valve and attach the new valve in the same location. Top off the brake fluid and bleed the brakes. WARNING Installation of these components should only be performed by persons experienced in installation and proper operation of disc brake systems. It is the responsibility of the person installing any brake components to determine the suitability of the components for that particular application. Before operating vehicle, test the brakes under controlled conditions. Make several stops in a safe area from low speeds and gradually work up to speed. Parts list: 1 each Summit G3905 or Wilwood 260-2220 Adjustable Proportioning Valve. 2 each Eldemann 261320 1/8 ntp to 3/16 flare male. 2 each Eldemann 270300 3/16 flare female to 10mm male.3 each Eldemann 274000 10mm female to 10mm female. Total damage, $46US for the valve, $20US for the fittings.

Philip Childs - San Diego, CA –

http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=pchilds@geocities.com&YY=97738&order=down&sort=date&pos=0 http://zcsd.org/

ZCSD #100 - IZCC #2849 - 83 280ZXT, 95 300ZX

I have had a lot of people ask me how to compute compression ratio. I have personally heard lots of different ways, but many don't accurately predict the static compression,(the dynamic compression depends on the camshaft, engine configuration, etc... more than I can understand). Anyways, The following will yield an accurate compression ratio, and take into account all your variables.

I use the following equation to compute the compression ratio, or CR:

• Swept volume + gasket thickness volume + head cc volume

I then divide that number by the following:

• gasket volume + head cc volume + any dish volume

So what do each of those terms include?

Lets start with Swept volume. The swept volume is the area the piston displaces in one up-down sweep. In other words, starting at the bottom, and going to the top, the piston will displace X amount of volume. The easy way to figure this part out it to take the total displacement, and divide by the number of cylinders. Or, if you don't know, or are looking at different stroke and bore combinations, it can be computed by the following:

• Area of the piston,(Pi x r^2) x stroke where r = 1/2 the bore or diameter of the piston.

Let's start with a stock 280ZX,(I am choosing the ZX because it came with flat top pistons, which will simplify the calculations, for the dish size varied in the run of the Z's). It has a piston diameter of 86 mm or 8.6 cm. The radius is 4.3 cm. The stroke of a L28 is 7.9 cm, which will yield a swept area of (Pi x 4.3^2) x 7.9 = 458.9 cc. Multiplying that by the number of cylinders would yield the total displacement of (458.9 x 6) = 2753 cc.

Moving on, the next step would be the gasket thickness volume. This is the one area many people fail to consider, and consequently, end up with an artificially high CR. You must know the compressed thickness of the head gasket, and the diameter of the gasket opening. For a stock L6 gasket, the compressed thickness is 1.2 mm. The opening, or bore, is 89 mm. For reference, the 1 mm and 2 mm HKS metal gaskets do not compress, so that is the thickness for computations, and they have a 91 mm bore, which will further change the calculation.

So back to the stock gasket. With a diameter of 89 mm, which is a radius of 4.45 cm, we compute the area, (Pi x 4.45^2) = 62.2 cc. That must now be multiplied by the thickness of the gasket, which is 1.2 mm or .12 cm. 62.2 x .12 = 7.47 cc.

And now for the last part, the chamber volume. To be 100% accurate, you should have your builder measure each chamber with a dropper, for there are manufacturing variances, which will change each head slightly. But for everything but the fanatic, the factory specs are more than adequate. The Texas Z Car club head page has the chamber volumes of each head listed. Jump to their page and to the technical pages and find the measurement of your head. For the stock 280ZX computation, I will use the P-79 head, which has a chamber volume of 53.6 cc,(incidentally, the P-90 and the P-90A have the same chamber in both design and size).

Now, adding all these together, will yield the total start volume:

• Swept volume + gasket thickness volume + head cc volume

Now, we must compute the final or compressed volume, which, is, again:

• gasket volume + head cc volume + any dish volume

We already know the gasket volume, which is 7.47 cc, and the head volume, 53.6 cc. Since I am using a later ZX motor, which has flat top pistons, there is no dish volume to take into account. It should also be noted that I am assuming zero deck height, or that the top of the piston is flush with the top of the block. If you deck,(plane, make flat, lap, machine, etc...), the block, you reduce the overall block height, and the piston may stick over the top of the block, which would reduce your gasket volume. Or, conversely, you could have a piston/rod combo where the top of the piston never reached the top of the block, which would add volume to your final volume. But as I said before, I am assuming zero deck height, to simplify the calculations.

Which brings us to the final volume, using the equation above:

• (7.47 cc + 53.6 cc) = 61.07 cc

With these two figures, we can now calculate the CR. We take the total volume, and divide it by the compressed volume, as follows:

• (519.97 cc) / (61.07 cc) = 8.51

So the compression ratio for a 280ZX non-turbo with the P-79 head is 8.5 to 1.

Now for some fun. Lets look at what changing the stock gasket for the HKS gaskets will do. Here are the gasket volumes for the HKS metal head gaskets:

• 1 mm HKS,(now remember, this has a bore of 91 mm, vice the 89 of the stock gasket) = 6.51cc.
• 2 mm HKS = 13.01 cc.

So plugging those figures into the previous equations, yields the following:

• Start Volume: 458.9 cc + 6.51 cc + 53.6 cc = 519.01 cc
• Compressed Volume: 6.51 cc + 53.6 cc = 60.11 cc

And now dividing by each other:

• (519.01 cc) / (60.11 cc) = 8.63

And for the 2 mm HKS, it yields:

• (525.51 cc) / (66.61 cc) = 7.89

As you can see, the 2 mm significantly drops the CR, which is advantageous on Forced induction motors, or when using early heads with larger displacement motors.

Increasing either the bore or stroke will Increase your CR. You are increasing your start volume, but keeping the end volume the same,(we are assuming, for it will change with different stroke cranks, different length rods...), and are compressing more air.

I hope this helps. If you see any gross, or even not so gross errors, please let me know.

Mail all cool stuff to: m002619@nadn.navy.mil

I hope that on this page, I can successfully get across all that I learned while building my 3.1L. I researched lots of sources, including many people who have built a stroker motor. Through all my trials and tribulations, I think I finally have a good idea on how someone else can successfully tackle what is really a monumental buildup.

First, as on all these pages, I need to start with a discalimer. While I am offering up this information for all to share, and I am a mechanic,(although on the side now), I am by no means an expert. I have just spent a lot of time researching and working with the Stroker setup. I cannot promise you will see the same results. Any forage you take into this project, you take of your own free will, and soon to be empty wallet!

I originally thought, "Hey, just pick up a diesel crank, and some 9mm 240 rods, and those 89mm pistons, and abra-cadabra, lots of power!"
The thought process was fairly sound for the most part, for what appeared to be a minimal investment, i.e. a few hundred dollars, the over all re-build cost would be about the same, Right? WRONG!

Well, as I started gathering my parts for the re-build, I also,(thank God, in hindsight), started to do a little research. I wanted to see how people had done the mighty stroker motor. I was checking to see if it would be worth my time to get the LD28,(stroker), crank and the bigger pistons. The rods and pistons were actually a moot point for me, since I had to replace mine anyway. So the only real cost difference to me,(as I first saw it), was the cost of the crank.

So, I began my quest for knowledge. I started in my trusty book, How to Hod Rod and Race your Datsun by Bob Waar. While that had a lot of great info, 1) it was somewhat dated, and 2) it didn't really answer my questions.

So I turned to the Internet and magazines. The internet has been, by far, the best resource I have used/found yet. Two pages in particular were especially informative and useful:

"The Datsun Garage" , by Bryan Little. He outlines many simple upgrades for the 240, which greatly increase it's performance for a small outlay in money. I consider this a must stop for those of you looking to improve your performance.

The IZCC, or Internet Z Car Club, has an excellent web page, with everything from a mailing list to pages on "How to modify your L6", etc... Carl Beck has done an excellent job of pulling from the many knowledgable sources on the net and put it all in one place.

As I continued my search, I called many engine builders camshaft grinders, etc... The list goes on and on. As I began to get the full picture, I realized that there was a whole lot more than anything I had anticipated. I deceided that I would stay with the stroker combo, even though I began to see just how much it was going to involve. I figured that if I was going to spend that much money to do it right, I might as well have the best out there!

I started by giving my L28 block to the builder to start on. I then set out to find a LD28 crank. The LD28 crank was offered in the early 80's Nissan Maxima Diesel. What it offers is a slightly longer stroke,(83mm vs 79mm). There is a fair amount of math, thermodynamics, and basic engine stuff involved, the end result is more power.

How much more depends on what other things you do. Just putting a LD28 crank in an L-28 block will increase your stroke, and increase your compression ratio. You now have a greater swept volume, i.e. the pistons travel a longer distance in the bore,(that would be the up and down). So with some geometry, you now have a greater start volume, and the same end volume, result - a higher compression ratio.

However, if you left the stock 280Z rods and pistons in place, they would stick above the deck about 2mm! While you could mill those pistons, you are just asking for all kinds of trouble. First, you have an odd rod/crank ratio, which is not very good for power. You need a longer rod to take advantage of your increased stroke. By putting the LD28 crank with the stock L28 rods, you have a fairly large rod angle,(the maximum angle the rod forms with the vertical). The larger this angle, the more force the piston will exert on the side of the cylinder, and less gets forced down, which turns the crank. By using a longer rod, the rod angle is reduced, and more of that newfound power can be utilized.

So the key is to find a rod/piston combo that puts the top of the piston in the right place. But wait! You say. Why, then would I want to put the longer 240 rods in there, theoretically, since they are almost 3mm longer than the 280 rods, the piston would now stick up almost 5mm! That is why you need to find a piston whose pin height, (where the "pin" goes through the piston and rod, connecting the two), is less than the stock 280's. The pin height of the stock 280 piston is 38.1mm. The two most common used pistons in 3.1 buildups, the 240sx piston, and the 720 truck piston, have pin heights of ~34.5 mm. Problem solved. The amount they stick above the deck is managable.

I have had many people ask why the 9mm rods, and what does the 9mm stand for? First the 9mm is the bolt size. The later 240 rods had 9mm bolts, and that is why they are called the 9mm rods. Being the evolution in design, they were lighter, and stronger. This is why they are the prefered choice for a performance build up. Your motor will survive if you can only find 8mm rods, but I would reccomend two things, one, replace the rod bolts with stronger ARP bolts, or order the set from Motorsport Auto that will replace the 8mm bolts with 9mm ones, and two,(nice run-on sentence I have now), don't run the daylights out of your motor.

Now I have this really cool LD28 crank, and some nifty used 9mm rods. So now time to order some 240sx pistons. Incidentally, the 720 truck and 240sx pistons both have a diameter of 89mm, and that is why they were chosen, because that, coupled with the 83mm stroke, yields a displacement of 3098cc, or 3.1L. For the part numbers and other options for combinations, look at the IZCC homepage,(link above) under How to modify your Z for more HP under the section about building 3.0 and 3.1L engines. Steve Golik did a lot of research on part numbers and combinations, and put it all together in a FAQ, saving us all lots of time and effort.

So here I am all ready to go, and then I hear that the turbo block is stronger than the stock L28 and should be used for the 3.1 stroker! Why?!?!?! No one could tell me. Having a friend that had a spare turbo motor,(and the fact that he wanted my "spare" 240 motor), I deceided that it was the better part of valor to go with what is supposedly a stronger block. The turbo block is the F54 block.

For clarification purposes, the F54 block, which is often refered to as the "Turbo" block, is actually the block that replaced the N42, and you will find it in both turbo and non-turbo motors from 81-83. There was a period where Nissan was using both blocks, and you can find some turbo motors that have the older N42 block.

About a month later, I was finally able to find out the difference between the two L28 blocks. When I was de-burring the block, (a process where you smooth out the casting ridges in the block, helping eliminate potential stress areas, and possibly future failure areas), I could see no difference between my old L28 and the F54 turbo block. I didn't know if it was just made with a different material or what. Finally a Nissan technician told me that in-between each cylinder, in the water jackets, they made an extra re-inforcing near the center of each bore. This was designed to strengthen the block in anticipation of the added stresses of the turbo. Remember, Nissan over-engineered most of the Z parts.

In my opinion, the F54 block is the only block you should use for anything with a 3mm overbore!
Many sources will tell you that the 3mm overbore is risky, and it most certainly is! Remember, that is ~.120" of metal you are looking at taking off. For those of you familiar with V8 rebuilds, .040 or .060 over is considered a large overbore. So three times that most certainly is. If you take the normal L28 block, and bore it out that much, you are greatly decreasing its rigidity. What will happen, is as you start to produce power, the block will deform slightly, and you will lose power. By using the stronger F54 block, you minimize your deformation, and keep some of your power, as well as extend the life of your engine. I consider this, after balancing, to be the most important part to do.

At this point, I feel some comment should be made about boring with a torque plate. What this involves is bolting a plate to the block that simulates the cylinder head being on the block and torqued down. By doing this, the engine will last longer and likely will produce more power. In a nutshell, by boring the block with the torque plate on, your are cutting holes in the block when it is stressed as it will be when you reassemble the motor. When you torque down the head, you distort the cylinders, and if they were bored without a torque plate, you will actually make them slightly out of round when you reassemble the engine. So, as some of you may ask, who has these plates, and what if I can't use them? I am sure there are more,(please e-mail me if you have knowledge of any), but the two I know of are D.L. Potter Racing, and Rebello Racing. You can ship your engines to them, and expect to pay a fair penny for them to work on them. So what if you don't have access to these parts? You can still do it, but make sure your machine shop really knows what it is doing. Actually, this is one of the most important choices as well,(there is a list at the bottom). A bad bore job can ruin a rebuild,(and waste a lot of money). I didn't use one, and my engine is one of the strongest out there, but as is the theme here, it cost a lot of money to get there. We have all heard the term, "Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

So now we have a stroker crank, the 9mm rods, the cool pistons, the ultra superman block. So where from here? The head. This is another area I feel strongly about. While I was researching, on "The Datsun Garage", Bryan Little talked about modifying a P-79 head. He also briefly discussed the turbo heads, the P-90 and P-90A. Those three heads, which I talk about on my Head page, are basicly of the same design. Their biggest advantage is the squish combustion chamber. It is a heart shaped design, which helps put all the fuel/air mixture around the spark plug, promoting better combustion. The P-79 head, however, has those "Evil Exhaust Liners". People have tried to take them out, and few have succeded. My engine builder spent countless hours after they had removed them, trying to get decent flow, but never could get it to work for his high HP race motors. However, as Bryan Little says, it is great for the street enthusiast.

The P-90 heads have the same square exhaust as the early style heads, (E-31, E-88, N-42) and they flow much better. So I went out searching for some turbo heads, to see if they were worth a try. Once I saw them, I knew they were. Unfortunatly, these heads are not very good for smaller displacement engines, for the combustion chamber is much larger than the early style heads. But for the 3.1, it is the best you can get. Coupling the P series heads with a 3.1 motor yields about a 9.6:1 Compression ratio. I shaved my head slightly to get 10:1. I am not going to discuss the heads much on this page because it is covered thoroughly on the head page.

So what is left? You have the block, crank, rods, pistons? Lots. Rings, bearings, new oil/water pumps, timing chain, clutch/flywheel, induction, exhaust, camshaft selection. This is what tends to nail people as far as budget planning goes. Those parts alone added up to several thousand for me. And that doesn't get into upgrades that are now nescessary for your newfound power, brakes, tires, rearends, transmissions, etc...

Let me start with the exhaust. I personally chose the Nissan Motorsport 6-2 large diameter header. I think it is the best available, and many shops will support this claim. However, it is not cheap, it is about $300. I personally feel it is worth it. Then of course, as with all headers, you will have to pay for a exhaust system. That ran me about $270, and was well worth it. I had them run the two pipes back until the back of the transmission, then join them together,(from two 2.5 in to one 3 in). I then put a Walker race muffler,(basicly a better glasspack), then the two 90 degree bends, into a Ultraflow muffler. Even with the two mufflers, it is loud. The race muffler in the drive tunnel serves to help cut down on the resonance famous in Z cars. Actually, by running the two pipes back as far as I could, that helped as well. Let me say the exhaust shop that worked on my Z did some excellent work, for the pipes don't hang down,(except near the rear lower A-arm), and that is impressive considering there is not room for two pipes to run down the side of the transmission, and it runs 3 in the rest of the way back. There is often debate on 2.5 in vs 3in, and I am not going to get into it. I have always wanted a 3 in system, because I belive the stroker benefits from it,(better breathing etc...). In addition, noone in the area could do mandrel bends,(no crimp or indentation in the tubes), so if I chose the 2.5 in, when you factor in the indentations, I have a system that is smaller than 2.5 in. in the end, it is an individual choice. With the 3 in system, expect to drag your exhaust once in a while, especially if you lowered it and drive on bad roads.

I have saved camshafts for the very last, because that will vary dramatically regardless of who you are. First, there are no "Stroker" grinds out there. There is so little demand for the stroker motor to begin with, noone has taken the time to dyno multiple camshafts and find the best one. I had a shop in Califoria tell me he had done so, and gave me the specs and the shop that ground it. I ordered that grind, and when we ran the engine dyno and tried several difference cams, I found it didn't produce the broad range of power, or even the peak, as the one I ended up with. It did well, but not as well. I ended up with the Motorsport Auto 2003 cam. It is a 460 lift, 270/280 duration cam that is advertised to produce power from 2000-6000. It does exactly that, and even up to 7k. Schneider actually grinds the cams for Motorsport Auto. They are well respected and have worked with L6 motors for some time now. There are many cam grinders out there, from Crane to Schneider, and many inbetween. You look at how you will drive the car 90+% of the time, and I mean MOST of the time. Sure a 500 lift, 300 duration cam is really cool for 5000+rpm driving, but it sucks around town. Look at how you will drive and go from there. Drive other peoples cars and see what you think. Find one you like and go with it.
I don't really want to address how the stroker affects the cam specs, because I don't fully know. Mine works great, so I am happy. I am also running the hydrualic head, which slightly increases the effective duration, because the lifters lock up a little sooner. But again, we have no way of knowing how much the stroker part contributed, the cam, the induction,(which is 40mm SK's, similar to webers), exhaust, etc...

Bottom line, plan on over 5K to do it right. You can do it for under 2k, but you take some chances of reducing your longevity, power producing cabability, etc... With stroker motors, it is a crap shot. For those looking at turbo strokers, I will tell you, NOONE has built a good turbo stroker, because it costs too much to do both well. Those that did try, skimped in the stroker part, because the turbo is what produces easy to see power. If you want a turbo, stick with the L28, unless you just have money to throw around, and want the ultimate power. In that case, throw a few grand my way! So what is important for the stroker? In order of importance, in my humble opinion:

1) Balance, Balance, Balance. Enough said.

2)F54 block. 3mm overbore is HUGE! Keep some of that strength.

3)The best machine shop you can find,(not afford, find, for if you can't afford it, then you are throwing money away).

4)Money

With those, you will have a good start. Do lots of research, and pick the brains of everyone you can. You will start to get a clear picture when you do. - Good Luck!
Bob Hanvey

I want to start by saying something that is on every page on this website. I am not an expert. I do not know everything. I have a really good working knowledge of what I have been in contact with, however, I have not seen everything. I ask that you are take everything I say with a grain of salt, from my stroker information, to this head page. Remember, you get what you pay for, and all of this information is free. I am not trying to discredit myself, or my information, but all to often, over the first year I had these pages up, I found people taking what I wrote, and making it gospel. Sure, I have lots of information on this page, and I have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of what I wrote. However, I do not do this for a living. While I used to be a mechanic, I am no longer, and never worked exclusively on Datsuns. If you want someone who really knows what they are talking about with Datsun motors, go to the Don Potters or Dave Rebellos. These people make their living working on the L4 and L6 motors, and have done so very successfully. But they will not just give away what they have learned in all the years they have worked. You must pay for that service. If ultimate performance is you goal, go to them, don't do it yourself. I guarantee you will not be able to extract the performance or reliability that they can. Period. Now that I have discredited myself, here is what I have to say!

I have had so many questions e-mailed to me about performance questions for heads, that I needed to rewrite this page. My original intent was to focus entirely on the Stroker motor. And the emphasis on the P-90 and P-90A was in line with that. It is an excellent head for two types of motors. Any forced induction, such as a turbo or a supercharger, or a big inch motor, like the 3.1L. What I hope to do is outline what each of the heads are, dispel some myths that even I helped to perpetuate, and maybe give the average Joe and idea of what head is good for their application.

Lots.

It helps to understand some of Nissans development timeline on their heads. While this is not 100% accurate, it gives a basic understanding.

When Datsun designed the L6 motor, they combined what they had learned from their highly successful L4 motors with a lot of design cues from the durable Mercedes L6 of that era,(as a matter of fact, bought the patent for it). And in typical Japanese fashion, they kept all the good parts, and improved most of the bad ones. With 7 main bearings for the crank, they are for the most part bullet proof.

First, you must find out what head you are looking at. You can tell by glancing on the passenger side of the head,(spark plug side), in-between the # 1 and # 2 spark plugs. Near the base of the head,(where aluminum stops and iron starts), there will be a letter and number combination. The first heads had an E-31 cast there. This head is a performance oriented head, with high compression, and as far as I know, was only built through 71. In 72, the E-88 replaced it, but for all purposes, is the same. It has a slightly larger and redesigned combustion chamber, which will lower your compression,(ever so little). But both these heads are impractical for any big-inch motor buildup. With a 3.1 stroker, the compression just gets to high, and other steps must be taken.

But on with the time line. The E-88 head gained a larger exhaust valve as it was put on the 260. The E-88 gave way to the N-42. Up to this point, all these heads had round intake ports, and square exhaust ports. Some N-42's have notches for fuel injectors, some don't. For anything but all out performance,(ie race) the notches make little difference if running carbs.

Then, with the 280Z, and fuel injection, the N-47 was introduced. This had round intakes, with notches for the fuel injectors. But more importantly, this was the introduction of the Exhaust liners. The exhaust port was now round, and lined with a metal "liner" whose purpose was to heat up red hot and in a glow plug effect, burn off unburned gasses, lowering emissions. It is interesting to note that this liner, sometimes referred to as the Evil Exhaust Liner, has been often lambasted, even by me, is actually very good. Paul Ruschman took the time to write me and give me some excellent background on the exhaust liners and their effect on performance. He actually did some extensive flow testing with many heads in various states of modification. Here is what he said:

He went on to say a great deal more, which I am very grateful for, and has given me permission to share some of it with everyone.

This was one of the most common questions I received over the first year my web page was up. While the 3.1 motor sounds really cool on paper, it is downright expensive, and can be impractical for most people. So what head is the best for a higher performance 2.8? Ask 10 engine builders that same question, and you will get 10 different answers. As I have tried to stress, you need to look at the engine as a WHOLE. But since I talk about the engine as a whole on the 2.8 page, I will get straight to my thoughts on head selection. I agree with Paul about the N-47. It is an excellent all around head, that offers great performance with some minor work. The N-47 head is also found on some early 80's Maximas. There is one important difference on the Maxima N-47 vs the Z N-47. One, the combustion chamber is significantly smaller than any previous L6 head, cc'ing between 39 and 40cc's. But more importantly, it has the squish combustion chamber design of the later ZX engines, or the P series heads. This allows great performance, with the appearance of a stock head. It has the smaller combustion chamber because the Maxima motor is a 2.4L motor.

But what do you do to get the most out of your N-47?

Again, I will defer to Paul, who says this better than I can:

So what is he saying? He is saying that because the heads with liners have a larger radius coming out of the cylinder, and a larger area at the turn, the air has an easier time making that 90 degree turn to exit the head. Some minor work needs to be done to the bowl area to see the full benefit of the exhaust liner heads. The bowl area is immediately above the valve, and appears, well, like a bowl! It is where the air has to turn to make the entry into or out of the cylinder. The idea is to enlarge that area so the air can slow down, and has an eaiser time making that turn. When I get a chance, I will scan an excellent diagram from a book about porting chevy heads. It clearly illustrates what we are trying to say. Again, here is Paul:

We are familiar with fluid flow, and it takes the path of least resistance. If it must change direction dramatically, it slows down and loses energy. Now in a stock vs stock configuration, the square ports flow better. But with some minor bowl work on the liner heads, they really shine. When I port Datsun heads this is the main thing I do: I unshroud the valves by bringing the chamber wall out to the gasket and under cutting the chamber walls immediately around the valves to aid in air flow. Any work in the ports themselves will yield no performance benefits as the ports themselves already out flow the region in the chamber around the valves usually by 2 fold, depending on the head of course.

Right here, I need to say something about working on your head, either in the runners or in the chamber area. There are people out there who have worked on Nissan heads for longer than some of us have been alive. And they, who are "in the know" as I call it, are still learning stuff about the Z heads. What does this mean? It means that those of us with little to no knowledge of porting Z heads should leave it to the professionals. You can expect to spend anywhere from 300-1500 to get a Z head ported, and the more you spend, the better it gets. If you attempt some of the things Paul or I talk about, do so carefully, and be prepared to lose a head, or lose much of the performance you may have gained thus far. DO NOT GO TO A CHEVY PLACE TO GET YOUR Z HEAD PORTED!!! Find somewhere that knows and understands Z heads. Otherwise, you will just be sorry in the long run. What commonly happens is, someone works on the ports or chamber of a head, either you or someone who doesn't know Z heads, and ends up with less power than a stock head! If you are really interested in porting and doing it yourself, I recommend buying the following book. It offers excellent information on porting/polishing, and all the magic involved. It explains it in easy to understand terms the lend themselves to learning. The book is called (I'll put it here as soon as I find it, I misplaced it!!).

So on with the heads. For a buildup of a 2.8 motor, or even the smaller 2.4 and 2.6 motors, the Maxima N-47 offers amazing flexibility, and keeps the compression up there. With the 2.8 and a Maxima head, the compression needs to be watched closely, for it is easy to end up with 11:1 or even higher compression. By juggling piston heights, gasket thickness, etc.. A streetable compression can be found. It is the "squish" design on the Maxima head offers greater protection against detonation, or pinging as it is sometimes called, so you can get away with a little higher compression than the earlier heads.

I haven't really talked about the later heads yet, so let me get on to them. The P series heads were introduced on the ZX motor. With the improved combustion chamber design, and flat top pistons, the Z now had more power than it ever had,(although it also weighed more than it ever had!). When I can get some pictures, I will put them here, but for now, you can go to the <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/2824/">DATSUN GARAGE</A> and look on his head page to see the dramatic difference in chamber design. The later style heads have a "quench" area, which squishes the fuel mixture around the spark plug. This promotes better combustion, and as a nice side result, more power, more mileage, etc.. Granted, these are small gains, almost unnoticeable, but there nonetheless. The first turbo motors, had N-42. I feel the primary reason was Nissan wanted a square exhaust port,(for more flow), for the turbos, but had no recent head designed for such, except the old N-42. They were quickly switched,(during the first year, so not many have it), to the newer P-90 heads.

The P-90, the P-90A and the P-79 all have the same combustion chamber, in both design and size. The advantage of the "turbo" heads, or the P-90 and P-90A is that they have the squish combustion chamber of the P-79, (better power, etc...), and the same size SQUARE exhaust ports as the earlier, E-31, E-88, N-42 heads. The P-90A was introduced in 82 and has hydraulic lifters instead of the former solid ones. Both P-90 heads are covered on my P-90 page.

As a side note, the first turbo’s were not available with a 5 speed because Datsun deemed that their existing 5 speed was inadequate for turbo use. So after adapting the stronger Borg T-5 to work with the L6, the turbo was available with the 5 speed. However, as many people who have driven those gearboxes will tell you, they shift horribly compared to the NA 5 speeds. Balky, poor shifting, and vague. Almost completely opposite of the NA boxes. This doesn't mean you have to run the Borg Warner T-5 if you are running any kind of power, for many people run the other tranny with lots of power and no problems. If anything, I would stay away from them. Just my opinion, but it is my web page!

To the best of my knowledge, the valve lengths are all the same on the later style heads,(P-79, P-90's), for I used some new valves I had laying around from an E-88 in my P-90A,(the E-88 had been fitted for the later, larger valves). As always, you should have a machine shop check the length before you order any valves or try any mods, like the one listed on <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/2824/">The Datsun Garage </A>homepage, written by Bryan Little, where he talks about using longer valves on the P-79 head, and shaving to get higher compression. I see no reason why you can't do this on the P-90 heads.

At this point, I need to make an important decision again. Unless you are going to do Bryan Little's,(actually , the Z Doc in Roanoke, VA) mod,,(which is only good for the 2.8L) or are running a large displacement motor,(3.0 or 3.1), none of the three above mentioned heads,(the P- series), are for you. They simply have too much chamber area for any good application in a smaller motor. Your compression will be too low. On a 240 or 260 motor, I would recommend the N-47 from the early 80's maxima. Sure, with the mods to a P-series, your compression will be near stock, but we are looking for more performance, right! More compression generally equates to more power. If you are unsure of where you stand compression wise, take a visit to my compression page, and calculate your compression. There is an excellent program that was written by someone in the Sydney Z car club, and it was posted on the web. I had it e-mailed to me, and will post it on this page when I can. It is an interface program which lets you see what different combinations of heads, blocks, pistons, etc.. will produce. It is called Lengine, and I am currently asking permission for its use.

first, this page is undergoing massive changes. some html is exposed, etc.. i just wanted to keep the access up so people could still read the basic jist. -bob
I hope that on this page I can relay to you what I learned while researching and checking on the P-90 and P-90A heads. First, it is important to understand where these heads came from, and why they were produced.

produced,(I'll let everyone know when I find out what other ones they produced, for their was one on a early Maxima I think, or if you have proof, e-mail me). There is information

out there saying that the hydraulic head is the P-99. I cannot refute this claim, however, I have never seen one.

Those same sources have told me that there is no such head as a P-90A. I have one, therefore I know it exists.

This brings us to the heads in question. The P-79, the P-90 and P-90A. The P-79 was introduced on the 81 ZX motor. With the improved combustion chamber design, and flat top pistons, the Z now had more power than it ever had,(although it also weighed more than it ever had!). When I can get some pictures, I will put them here, but for now, you can go to the DATSUN GARAGE and look on his head page and see the dramatic difference in chamber design. The later style heads have a "quench" area, which squishes the fuel mixture around the spark plug. This promotes better combustion, and as a nice side result, more power, more mileage, etc..
The first turbo motors, had N-42. I feel the primary reason was Nissan wanted a square exhaust port,(for more flow), for the turbos, but had no recent head designed for such, except the older N-42. But they were quickly switched,(during the first year, so not many have it), to the newer P-90 heads.

The P-90, the P-90A and the P-79 all have the same combustion chamber, in both design and size. The advantage of the "turbo" heads, or the P-90 and P-90A is that they have the squish combustion chamber of the P-79,(better power, etc...), and the same size SQUARE exhaust ports as the earlier, E-31, E-88, N-42 heads.The P-90A was introduced around mid 82, i think, anyways, later in the three year turbo run. (84 started the 300ZX).

As a side note, the first turbos were not available with a 5 speed because Datsun deemed that their existing 5 speed was inadequate for turbo use. So after adapting the stronger Borg T-5 to work with the L6, the turbo was available with the 5 speed. However, as many people who have driven those gearboxes will tell you, they shift horribly compared to the NA 5 speeds. Balky, poor shifting, and vague. Almost completely opposite of the NA boxes.

This doesn't mean you have to run the Borg Warner T-5 if you are running any kind of power, for many people run the other tranny with lots of power and no problems. If anything, I would stay away from them. Just my opinion, but it is my web page!

To the best of my knowledge, the valve lengths are all the same on the later style heads,(P-79, P-90's), for I used some new valves I had laying around from an E-88 in my P-90A,(the E-88 had been fitted for the later, larger valves). As always, you should have a machine shop check the length before you order any valves or try any mods, like the one listed on The Datsun Garage homepage, written by Bryan Little, where he talks about using longer valves on the P-79 head, and shaving to get higher compression. I see no reason why you can't do this on the P-90 heads.

As a quick comparison, the difference between the hydraulic heads and the non-hydraulic heads is simple. The adjusting boss,(where we spend hours adjusting the valve lash on non-hyd. heads), is different. The normal heads, there is what amounts to three "nuts" if you will. There are two adjustment nuts,(one to move the boss up and down, which is actually a bolt which the rocker sits on, and one to lock that bolt down), and the bottom of the boss is nut shaped allowing removal of the entire boss. BTW, the boss is the part that the follower,(under cam, touches valve top), sits on top of. There are many names for that part, but that is what I have chosen to call it. Anyway, on with my book. The hydraulic boss, one, is physically larger, so there can be no interchanging of solid and hydraulic bosses, and two, it only has the nut that allows it to be removed from the head. Beyond that, it is really hard to tell the difference between the heads. No matter what anyone tells you, if it says P-90A, it is hydraulic.

Well, a while ago, I was talking with Ron at Nissan Motorsports about my car,(I was mainly calling to check prices on parts). I was asking about oil pumps and my hydraulic head. We got into the discussion about my cam and whatI had found out about sizes, limits etc.. and I asked him if he thought I might have problems with lifter bleed down. Now, again, as some background, this is the reason many people say the hydraulic head is a poor choice for performance applications. What has been claimed,(and experienced), is that with a large cam, when you run the motor at high rpms for extended periods of time, the lifter "bleeds" down, in other words, it fails to keep its pressure and keep the follower in contact with the cam, preventing the cam from reaching Maximum lift, changing the duration, etc.. lots of bad stuff. Bottom line, loss of power.

At this point, it helps to understand how the hydraulic head works differently from the non-hyd head. I could explain why we have such a thing as valve lash, but this is already VERY long. I can do that if somebody really wants to know, just ask. Anyway, the hydraulic setup eliminates lash and all adjustments for such. Oil is directed up into the hydraulic boss, pushes the "lifter" up, making the follower stay in constant contact with the cam and valve. As the cam starts to exert pressure on the follower, a small check ball closes up the "out" hole for the oil, locking the lifter in place. From that point on, it acts the same as a solid lifter, just sitting there supporting the follower. So why do it that way? It accomplishes several things. One, you will never have to open up the valve cover and adjust the valves again. Two, it is immensely quieter, for the cam is no longer slapping down on the follower every revolution, making that nice clicking noise we are so used to. If you have ever heard the turbo motor with the hydraulic head, all you can hear is the injector clicks, nothing else, very quiet. You also have the added benefit of less valve train wear. Because your cam is not slapping down on the follower god knows how many times every day, hence experiencing a high load every cycle, it lasts longer. Lastly you, because of that, you will have a small,(ok, VERY small), increase in power because you have reduced the internal friction in the motor.

I started asking if I would benefit from running their competition pump. I was concerned that on some of my high speed runs, I might encounter the same problems many people had talked about with the hydraulic heads, lifter bleed down. What I failed to understand about the hydraulic lifter, is that once it has enough pressure to "lift" it, and keep it pressurized, it doesn't matter how much more pressure or volume you run, once its up, its up,(unless as I talk about later, the lifter is worn). He said DO NOT run the competition pump unless you have really big clearances, like in a race motor. I could run a pump that had 600gpm and 1000psi, but it still might not address the problem. It would blow out your seals, but still might let your lifters bleed down!

There are basically three things that cause the lifter to bleed down.

• You are not running enough oil pressure. if you run the hydraulic head, you MUST have the turbo pump. Your oiling system now has the added demand

• Bad or worn lifters.

• Incorrect spring pressures.

Here are some general guidelines to follow when looking at seat pressures. I say general because I am not a cam grinder. They will have to tell you what will work for your cam. The stock specs are as follows:

Closed seat pressure,(this is with the valve fully closed), ~70-80lbs. Stock max lift pressure,(this is the spring

pressure at max lift), ~160-170lbs. As you go to an aftermarket cam, which will have higher lift and a longer duration,

you must usually change the springs to control the valve under high rpm conditions. This is an area that MUST be

coordinated with the cam grinder. They know what is required for their grind. I will put out what the pressures

are for my cam, but remember, it is specific to my cam. I would, however, say that these are close to the max you

want to run with the hydraulic head.

Closed seat pressure, ~100-110lbs. Max lift spring pressure, ~210-230lbs. Now I would say,(and remember, I

am no expert), that much over that max lift figure, maybe up to 250lbs, and you are beginning to exceed the capability

of the hydraulic lifter and check ball. Again, talk with the cam grinder. Get to know them and their family, then,

you gain two things, some new friends, and a new found respect for that cylindrical, lobed thing in your motor.

Want to stop that Z a little better? Craig Marcho's Toyota 4X4 setup not manly enough for you? Want vented front rotors? Read on!

I looked into this a while back, and may eventually do it. However, talk of
replacing the (new) master with a truck unit seems like a little more than
I'm up for - so I'll probably go Craig Marcho's route, with the stock rotors
and truck calipers.

An interesting note about the calipers - I think Craig's article calls for
the same rotors as the below mod. I think the vented rotors require 4Runner
calipers, not Truck calipers, but you'll hafta look to be sure....

Toyota 4X4/4Runner calipers (86-88)
Nissan Maxima rotors (85-88)

You'll need to machine the rotor:
New lug holes
New mounting holes
Bore out center for clearance

Then you'll need to shim the rotor out to center it in the caliper.

You may need to change the master cylinder to a Nissan truck (year?)

Thanks to Paul Richer, Steve Golik, and the mysterious Joe.
Here's some info someone sent me on this:

Kyle,

I have the following info which was forwarded to me by Steve Golik.
I have _not_ done the Maxima conversion, so I can't confirm any of this.

Good Luck.

Paul

--
Paul Richer
paulr@lsid.hp.com

>From goliks@knox.pcec.philips.com Tue Apr 15 08:01 PDT 1997
<SNIP HEADER>
> I pestered the s**t out of Randy Ayers of NWDE to figure out
> what was wrong with his info on the vented rotor conversion,
> and to his credit, he figured it out.

Good for you Joe! Thanks for being so persistent!

> First off he referenced the wrong calipers. He originally
> called out the 79-84 Toyota 4X4 calipers because he went by the
> casting number on the caliper. I told him that the these
> calipers would not work, and he discovered that between 86-89
> the exact same caliper casting was used BUT modified for a
> thicker vented rotor on the Toyota 4X4. So the '86-89 Toyota
> 4X4 caliper is the one that fits this conversion.

Yeah, I thought that this was the case...but according to my
brake cross reference manual, only the '86-'88 (and not the '89)
Toyota 4x4 calipers are the same.

Now the '89-'94 4x4 Toyota calipers WILL also work except that it
has more piston area, and the brake pads are larger in area. The
pistons have a total area that is over 25% more than the '70-'78
Z cars and therefore requires the 1" diameter Nissan truck master
cylinder to reduce pedal travel (this is my present setup on my
260Z).

> Second, we went round and round with that Maxima rotor. He
> finally went back and checked his original source on the info
> for the conversion, and found out that the '85-88 Maxima rotor,
> a front wheel drive rotor, has to be modified for the
> conversion....

After looking at the '88 Maxima rotor I obtained, I agree that
some machining must be done.

> The piloting bore for the hub has to be opened up to about
> 3.190" (I still have to measure the same bore on my original 73
> Z rotors just to make sure). And 4 new mounting holes have to
> be drilled to fasten the rotor to the hub. The existing holes
> for the wheel lugs are on a larger bolt circle, so you'll wind
> up having 8 holes in the rotor, you'll only use 4. Anyway,
> pretty straight forward mods to the rotor, should not be
> difficult or expensive.

I agree. This sounds like it's fairly easy machining operation.
However, my only concern is that I consider the rotor to be a
"wear" item and therefore it may require periodic replacement. It
would be an expensive and unyielding proposition to have a new
rotor machined for each time it was necessary for replacement.

> Lastly, I'll have to gauge the position of caliper relative to
> the rotor to ensure that they are center to center. He mounts
> the rotor-hub assembly to the spindle in its normal fashion,
> and without the caliper fastened to its bracket, uses
> compressed air to expand the pads onto the rotor. He then uses
> a feeler gauge to measure the distance between the caliper
> mounting surfaces. This is then the thickness of the shim that
> is positioned between the hub and rotor. Haven't done it yet,
> but doesn't sound too difficult...Any comments or suggestion??

I don't know what expanding the pistons with compressed air is
going to accomplish. You don't even need to have the pads mounted
to determine the thickness of the shims. I would mount the rotor
(without any shims) and see if the caliper would bolt up without
any interference. If there was rotor-to-caliper interference,
then you would have to shim the rotor until you could mount the
caliper. Then I would just attempt to center the rotor exactly
halfway in between the opening in the caliper. There's not much
room there, so this is fairly critical. Oh, yeah I would use a
rotor that had very little wear for this, because a well used one
may have more wear on one side than the other. A NEW rotor would
be the best way to go.

Personally, I'm still a little pissed at Randy for allowing such
misinformation to be spread (especially via the Internet) and
then adamantly denying the errors in his article (at least to
me!). I wonder if he will go back and correct his web page?

BTW, I have been looking into another possible conversion for the
front brakes using a '86-'88 Toyota Cressida (vented) rotor. It
is the same outside diameter as the Maxima (and 300ZX) rotor, and
it may be easier to adapt (i.e., it would require little or no
machine shop work). I'll keep you posted.

Steve Golik

Contributed By: William Marotta

http://www.zhome.com/http://www.zhome.com/

ABOUT This Article:
This article is about the process of removing, restoring and reinstalling the Dome Light, as well as the door switches that control it, in the Datsun 240Z.

(Written 15 Oct.99)
(1st up-date 23 Oct.99)

<FONT=ARIAL+1The dome light housing is not screwed in place. The dome light housing is pressed into position and is held in place by four "tabs" that are part of the dome light housing.

To remove the housing use a flat blade object, like a screwdriver, insert between housing and roof vinyl. Lever the housing part way out. Move flat bladed object to oposite side of housing and repeat. After I had the housing part way dislodged I grasped with fingers in gently pulled from the roof. There are three wires attached to the housing. Carfefully remove the three wires.

At this point I wanted to remove the plastic lens from the housing. The only way I saw to do this was to remove the metal trim ring from the housing. There may be another way to remove the housing lens. To remove the metal ring from the housing you have to un bend two of the locking tabs. I used a pick and ended up with a couple of new holes in the palm of my hand. After I had removed the chrome trim ring I was then able to separate the lens. I wash and clean plastic parts in water with no other chemicals. You may wish to use other cleaning methods.

The switch is working well in my car and I could not see a non destructive way of taking apart the switch, so i left that alone. The other parts of the housing were in good condition and I did nothing more to the housing.

When you check your housing see that the rivets that hold the electrical contacts/wires are tight. To correct loose rivets you will need a small punch about 3mm in diameter at most and not less than 1mm. A small hammer, if you "stake" the rivets with too much force you will probably shatter the plastic housing. Be careful and be inventive.

After cleaning the lens, place the lens into position and depress once to make shure it is able to activate the switch. This will confirm you have the lens in proper position. replace the metal trim ring. Bend the two tabs back down. Reattach wires, and press the housing back in to place in the roof panel.

To prevent damage to paint, vinyl and plastic parts I often put tape, cloth or leather around my tools. I spent 40 minutes just on the courtesy light.

Courtesy Light Switches:
The passenger door courtesy switch is the simpler of the two so I will start there. The wire for the switch is black in color and can be found above the right side knob for the fresh air vent. The wire comes out of the right side kick panel, there are many wiring connectors in this area, look for a single black wire by it's lonesome. Unplug this wire. Open the passenger door if you have not already.

You can see the switch in the front of the door opening about two thirds of the way up, it is chrome with a white plastic plunger. I used a very sharp knife with the blade covered by a layer of masking tape so as not to mar the paint. Use the sharp edge of the knife to pry up just a little on the edge of the switch, between the paint and the chrome, then go to the opposite side and do the same. Use a rocking like motion to work the switch out of its hole.

Time for a short side bar here. The switches are the ground connection to the courtesy light. The light has power all the time. The hole that the switch plugs in to is the ground. If there is rust or a poor connection of the outside of the switch body to the metal that is the hole the switch plugs into the switch may not work. The wire you unplugged is the gound connection. When I get to painting this car i will probably use a light grease around this opening to seal out water in help in rust prevention. You might want to consider some sort of body caulking or sealant instead of grease. I assume that if a sealed switch is ever needed to come out it will be that much more difficult to get it unsealed and off the body, that is why I used the grease and not a sealant. Consider also the effects of sealant and the electrical connection of the body of the switch and body of the car.

The wire is attached with a singe phillips head screw. Remove the screw. Under the screw is the wire end/contact. What is left is a cylinder and the plunger and what I will call the end cap. The end cap is the chrome part that you see when you open the door. My door switches no longer moved and this is why I disassembled them. If your switch still has springyness to them you may want to avoid this... Bend each tab, there are about 8 or 9 of them, so that when you are finished the tabs look like the petals on a daisy opened up and the cylinder in the middle of it all.

At this point I was able to separate the end cap from the body of the switch. The plunger has a steped portion, two washers, and a spring. All fo this should now come apart. Did you see where that spring whent? I hope so. The spring and washers on my door switches were rusted in the closed position and had to be replaced. I wanted to use brass washers instead of the steel ones that were original. I could not find proper sized brass washers at the local hardware store here. I did find stainless steel and that is what I used, sized in metric. The english dimensioned washers did not fit well. The metric sized ones were correct for inside and out side diameters.

A note on springs. The wire diameter has the largest effect on spring pressure or tightness if you will. If you need to get the closest one, keep in mind, try to get the wire diameter and the outside diamter of the spring the same. If you get a spring of too large outside diameter it will not fit the switch body. If you have gotten this far you should be able to use your intution of what to do if faced with a NOT EXACT replacement.

I could only find a spring with the outside diameter the same as needed, the wire diameter of the spring was like a thousandanth of an inch larger. Put that into perspective note book paper is about three to three and half thousands of an inch thick. I had to buy a spring much longer than needed and then cut to length. The first one was too short, I felt the spring did not privde enough force to ground the contact, so the next one was a smidge longer. I am sorry I cannot give dimensions of this stuff but if you buy a different spring than I did you will not be able to use the same dimensions. First place one washer on the plunger, then the spring, then the second washer. Put plunger and spring assembly into the body of the switch and for now just put the end cap over it all.

Test the plunger. Is there enough force to the plunger? Do you need to cut a longer or shorter spring? At this time I put a thin layer of grease in side the body of the switch, my switch had some rust in it and I wanted to prevent as much of that as I could. Nissan did not have grease in there so this might be a bad idea. I wonder how much road dust will stick to that grease and ball up the works in the future? If every things seems good to go put the end cap back on and bend all those petals back to original position.

Take the wire you removed and use a scotch brite pad to remove corrosion where the contact touches the switch body when the door is open. Reattach wire. Insert switch body into hole. Yea right! easier said than done. Remember the petals that you bent outward? Well this is what I did. Use a small zip tie, you know those plastic wire tie thingys that make a "zip" sound when you pull them tight. I used the zip tie to hold the petals closed untill I could get all the petals started in the hole and then cut the zip tie with an exacto knife with the pointy blade in it. Remember to always cut away from you.

So i did all this and the damn light still did not always work.... I grabbed the plastic plunger and rotated clockwise about 20 degrees and anticlockwise about 20 degrees, now the light is doing it's thing. Just this might work if the springs in your door switches are not working...

The drivers door switch has a couple of other parts to it and I will turn that in later. thank you william

Refreshing A Classic Datsun 240Z

Contributed By: Carl Beck, IZCC #260

http://www.zhome.com/http://www.zhome.com/

ABOUT This Article:
This article is intended to give you a some idea of the costs involved in terms of time and money required to carry out the process of "refreshing" a Classic 240Z.

(Written 06 Jun.99, updated 10 NOV. 99)

Refreshing A 72 240Z
by: Carl Beck, IZCC #260

This Link Will Take You To The Picture Pages

How many Z Cars have you looked at and thought to yourself, "I could just clean that car up a bit, do some minor fixing and repairing, and I would have a very nice early Z car to drive daily"?

For that matter, how many early Z Cars do you have to look at, before you find one in good enough condition, that all you need to do is "refresh" it - rather than completely "rebuild" or "restore" it?

What should it cost today, to find a really good, first generation Z Car and then go through the process of "refreshing" it? That process should then yield a very presentable Classic Z Car, that one could drive on the street and take to local events and show, without having to make any excuses.

I get those questions from people all the time, so I thought I'd tell you about one Z Car that I am "refreshing" at this time. I use the term "refresh" rather than "restore" because the "restoration" of a Classic Car carries a connotation of meticulously returning it to "As Factory - New" condition. The goal in the case of a restoration, is to have a Z Car that looks the same as the day it first came out of the factory.

Refreshing a Classic Car on the other hand, for the purposes of this discussion should carry the connotation of disassembling the car, cleaning and detailing the existing serviceable parts, to as good a condition as possible, but without the need for perfection, without the need for "Factory New" appearance that a "Restoration" process would involve.

Both the restoration and refreshing processes yield a beautiful Z Car at the end, however they have very different end objectives. Cost constraints are ever present in the process of refreshing a Z car, while the pursuit of perfection is ever present in the restoration process applied to a Classic Car. Which is one reason that the Factory Restored 240Z's are selling for over $30,000.00 today.

So this discussion focuses on the "refreshing" of a two owner, 1972 Datsun 240Z. I purchased the car from its original owner four years ago. ( Feb. 24, 1995). At the time of purchase it had 61K miles, was in very clean, rust free and factory stock condition. Always garage kept. The car is white with the red (burgundy) interior.

At the time of its original sale in 1972, the Datsun Dealer had loaded it up with Dealer Installed Options - the "option" being that the person could either take the car the way it was (and pay the additional money), or they could decide to not take the car. (the Dealers loved that "option" ).

Lucky for me, Mr. John B. Gay decided to "take the car" with the Dealer installed options. The car had Dealer installed A/C, Front Bumper Guard, 240Z Side Strip Kit, Body Side Molding, Vinyl Roof, Wire Basket Chrome Wheels and Rust Proofing ..... all of which boosted its original factory MSRP from $4208.00 to a Dealer List Price of $5158.90. (Mr. Gay traded in his 1971 240Z and received a credit of $3,300 for it).

[image not available]
Car as purchased, but with vinyl top removed. What you see in the picture is the glue that had to be stripped. The vinly top was removed to inspect the sheetmetal underneath... it was perfect.

Below: Here is a close up of the left rear wheel arch and rocker panel. I could not find one spec. of rust on this car. Yes, those are the Appliance "Wire Basket Wheels", but I couldn't save them. I replaced them with American Racing Wheel Libera's
[image not available]

I say, "lucky for me", however the truth is, it wasn't all luck. I had looked at almost every Datsun 240Z, advertised as being in "great condition", within the State of Florida for the previous three years. I was also willing to pay what Mr. Gay wanted for his Z - which at the time, was more than just about anyone else would have been willing to pay. It took $4,500.00 to convince Mr. Gay that I really wanted that car! At the time a nice 240Z could be purchased for between $2,000.00 to $3,000.00. Today Mr. Gay's car, in that condition would sell for around $6,500.00 in this area of the Country.

Why was I willing to pay a 50% premium for this Z? Because I have "refreshed" and "restored" several cars prior to this one. I knew from experience that its always far less costly, and far less work, to start with a very nice car, than it is to start with a less than perfect candidate. Not only is it less costly - its far more enjoyable to work on a really nice car.

So lesson #1 - Pay what ever you have to - to start with a really clean, straight, rust free car. It is always far less expensive in the end and far more enjoyable during the process.

Lesion #2 - Keep looking! Until you find the car described in Lesson #1 above. There are lots of Z Cars out there like this one still to be found, even today. So Keep Looking ... and looking ...and looking.

Now, jump forward four years to 1999......
I did not have the time to work on this car until this year. Nor could I find a body shop that I was comfortable with, to get the paint and body work done. So I waited until now...

Why did I wait? Because the refreshing or restoration process is supposed to be an enjoyable one for the owner. It is not a profit making activity for sure! It is very hard to find a good bodyshop that you can work with, that will get your car done on schedule, that will do the work correctly when your not watching and which anyone less than Bill Gates can afford to deal with....

Lesson #3 - find a good bodyshop. Ask your friends who they deal with. Go to local car shows of all kinds and talk to the owners of show cars, ask who they would recommend - and question them about the process used and the schedule maintained... make written notes.... Spend time on this - as it becomes critical to the quality of the job and your enjoyment of the process.

Last December a friend offered to do the paint and body work on this Z - if I would sell him one of the other collectable cars that I owned. One which he had done the paint and body work on over ten years ago. One which still looks like new today. ( a beautiful silver, 1970 SS 396 El Camino). Its always a good sign when the person who did the work on your car - is willing to buy it themselves years later. (gives you an idea that they knew the work was done correctly to begin with;-)

I say he "offered" to do the Z - the truth is, I had ask, begged, pleaded and hassled him for four years ... none the less he wouldn't do it. He had too many cars of his own that he wanted to work on... and this wasn't a Chevy!

Did I mention that he only applies his considerable skills to cars he personally likes?. Well, he really likes 70 El Camino's & Chevelles.... but he too has learned Lesson #1 above - from years of experience! What he had to pay for a really nice 1970 El Camino - included painting my 240Z! ;-)

 

ITEM                                         QTY       COST

1972 Datsun 240Z                              1      $4,500.00

Paint & Body Work - complete                  1       3,500.00

Windshield                                    1         179.00

Reinstall Rear Glass                                     45.00________

                                                              $8224.00

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

MATERIALS & SHOP SUPPLIES:

SEM Napa Red vinyl die                        3          18.00

SEM Black - vinyl die                         1           6.00

SEM Charcoal Metalic Trim Paint               1           6.85

Bright White - RustProofing Paint             3          12.50

Black - RustProofing Spray Paint              1           4.95

Masking Tap                                   2           3.50

& 18 inch masking paper                       1          18.00

Ospho                                         1          10.00

Throw-away 2inch brushes                      5           3.50

Rust Proofing (brush on black 3M)                         N/C

3M Rust Fighter-I (inter-panel spray )        2          13.35

Carb Cleaner- spray                           4cans      10.00

Carb Cleaner - Dip Can                        1          15.50

WD-40                                         2           4.50

Marvel Mistery Oil                            1 can       6.50

LocTight                                      1 tube      4.50

Permitex                                      2           7.50

All Purpose Cleaner                           1 gal      12.00

5gal Lacquer Thinner                          5 gal      15.00

Thinner Pump for 5gal can                     1          18.00

Glass Beads - 55lbs                           1          38.00

Rags                                          1box       24.00______

                                                             $ 252.15

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS:

Weather-strips/Seals:

- Tail Light Gasket R (78818-E4100)            1     24.50

- Tail Light Gasket L                          1     24.50

- heater hose grommets/firewall                2      1.80

- Grommet - Windshield Wiper/firewall          1  NLA

- Acc. linkage Boot/firewall                   1      14.75

- door stops (rubber bumpers)                  2

- gas filler protector                         1      24.50



Door Wedge (striker)                           2     32.50

Clutch Disc                                    1     68.00

Interior plastic rivets (red 90909-E8800)     35     22.40

Plastic rivets (79909-E4100 rear finisher)     6     11.00

Hood medallion                                 1     39.00

front fender scripts L&R (DATSUN)              2     70.00

Spark Plug Wire Set                            1     85.75





Front Bumper                                   1     293.00

Front Rubbers (62690-E4100)                    2      47.34 

Rear Bumper

- - Center                                     1     164.00

- - Right Side                                 1      78.00

- - Left Side                                  1      76.00

Rear Rubbers                                   2      66.04

Rear View Mirror -side                         1      82.03     

Rear View Mirror -inside                       1      

Engine Lamp                                    1      24.33

Choke Knob                                     1       4.12

Door Threshold Covers - alum.                  2      64.00________

                                                          $1317.56

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

PARTS:

Engine Paint  (1/4 can )                      1      15.00

Thermostat                                    1       6.50

Motor Mounts                                  2      45.00

Trans. Mount                                  1      31.00

Water Pump                                    1      36.00

Brake Master (rebuilt)                        1      72.00

Silicone Brake Fluid                          4      30.00

Upper & Lower Rad. Hose (9.24 + 13.78 + tax)  2      26.00                  

Heater hose                                  8ft.    12.50

Fuel Line Hose                               2ft.     3.50

Battery Cables

Weather-strip Kit-(Precision)                  1     215.00

-Windshield Gasket

-Rear Deck Window Gasket

-1/4 window gaskets

-Rear Deck Seal (main seal)

-Rear Deck (secondary seals)

Clutch Slave Cylinder 

Recore Radiator (three row)                          154.00

Rebuild Orig. Starter...                              54.50

5spd. Trans                                          250.00

New front shocks (KYB's)                              80.00

Rebuilt front brake calip.                            45.00



Innerfender Weather-strips/seals                       5.50

Brass Plugs (exhaust manifold - air injection         12.50

Brass Plugs                                            7.94

Welding Rod                                           18.50

Nuts & washers for bumper rubbers                      4.28_______

                                                          $1124.72

 - - - - - - -

OPTIONS:

American Racing Wheels -used  (1972 Libra¼s)         300.00

Lug Nuts & Washers (12mmx1.25)                        42.80

Shipping                                              56.00                

Headlight Covers (clear)                              89.00

Front Air Dam (BRE Style)                            169.00

Sony AM/FM -CD                                       213.99

Speakers & Wire                                      169.00

Fiberglass & labor for speaker enclosures             60.00_______

                                                          $1098.99 



 - - - -  Necessary Shop Supplies/Tools - - -- - - --  

Camera For Garage                                    $161.50

Beer & Pizza for the guys helping                      40.00

Part Washing Sink:

-Stainless Steel Sink (60 in. x 24in. x 8in)  1        75.00

-Mineral Spirits                             25gal     72.00

-Solvent Pump (submersible)                   1        68.00

-hose kit  (2@13.50)                          2        27.00

-Nylon Tubing (pump solvents)                 6 ft.     5.87

-Fittings for Sink                            1 set    12.36

-30 Gallon Drum                               1         free

-4 casters                                    4        27.53



1 1/16 inch socket for crank bolt             1        40.00

(after buying the wrong sizes - x5)

(25mm and 26mm = $12.37)

(1 1/16 inch = $2.97)

(1 1/16 inch + 28mm = $25.67)

4 Bolts for Engine Stand + 4 longer ones!     8        12.00_______

                                                           $ 513.71

- - - - -  - -- - - - - - - 

Outside Labor:

Clean & Set Up carb.'s                                 200.00

Mount & Balance Tires on Mags (63.77+tip 10.00)         73.77

Towing (pickup body - take to shop)                     40.00_______

                                                            $ 313.77

                                                             -------

                                                             -------

                                              Sub Total:  $12,844.18

Notes: To be honest with myself - I have to add the following amounts to the sub-total. This is what it cost me to produce this car in its current configuration.

Adjustment to Market Value of 72 240Z to reflect current replacement cost + $2,000. (could have sold it for $6,500 instead to refreshing it - originally paid $4,500.00)

                   

Current Market Value Adj.  2000.00

Storage for 4 years        2000.00

License Plates               80.00

Insurance                   220.00

                                    add to sub-total:     $4,300.00



                                             Sub total  $17,144.18

STEP 1 - was:
- completely strip the body of its interior
- removed the engine and transmission
- remove all chrome and glass
- remove everything from the firewall
- remove all weather-stipping & rubber stops (hood,decklid,doors etc).
- remove front splash pan
- remove headlight nancels - remove tail lights and tail light panels
- remove doors, hood, deckled

All this took me about three days.....

STEP 2. send the body shell & panels to the body shop
- Repaint to original color - use single stage poly paint.
- strip vinyl top
- strip hood, top, and deckled
- sand and prime the sides of the car
- fix all door dings and small dents in front fenders
- strip engine compartment & treat galvanized panels
- repaint engine compartment, door jams and deck lid rain gutter.
- prime, block sand & paint entire car and all parts

All this took two men working about 40 hours each - 80 hours total x 37.50 per hour, plus $500.00 paint/materials = $3,500.00

STEP 3: The Engine:
While the car body was in the body shop - I put the engine on the engine stand, dissembled it to the short block, cleaned and detailed the block and all parts and then resealed the engine. I tried very hard to keep myself from getting carried away with fine details - I reused all the original parts that I could and did not replace cad plated linkages, bolts etc. just for the sake of making everything look as new. Rather, I spent more time cleaning and detailing the original bits and pieces... IMHO the finished product came out looking very good...

All in all, I finished the engine up over a six week period - as it was one of the last components to be reinstalled in the car. Had lots of little bits and pieces to find or replace - vacuum hoses, water hoses. I also spent a great deal of time cleaning small items - one at a time - like hose clamps, nuts and bolts etc... I was in no hurry however... Having a large parts washing sink was a life saver and I can't imagine not having one to do this job...

I'd say the actual working time on the engine was every bit of seven days...lots of time spent on cleaning and detailing...

Step 3a: The Engine Compartment:
Having removed everything from the engine compartment - it all had to be cleaned / detailed and reinstalled. Brake Lines, Clutch Lines, Wiring Harness, firewall grommets (heater hose, accl. linkage, windshield wiper wiring,

STEP 4. Glass & Seals and Weather-strips:
Next it was time to have a new windshield installed (the old one had a crack/chip and it was starting to fog around the corners)... Also had the Glass man reinstall the rear decklid glass. Then I started to work at getting the side windows put back in. The rear quarter windows with new seals were a snug fit - and took a bit of time and pressure to reinstall - but they went back in without breaking. The door windows took the better part of an afternoon - tricky installation - but easy once you figure out how its done - putting your hands in the correct position to begin with - and fitting them through the openings in the door frame is the hardest part..

Took a couple of days to finish up the glass work.

STEP 5: The Interior:
The car has a red interior and most everything was in very good condition. So it was just a mater of cleaning and redying most vinyl parts. The SEM Napa Red was an almost perfect match for the original color. I reinstalled the factory original carpet as it too was in near as new condition. Lots of new little red plastic rivets were used... Seatbelts had to be cleaned and put back

While working on the interior I also cleaned and painted the spare tire well, detailed the spare wheel and tire and put everything back in the car.

One of the mounting screws for the choke lever mount had broken in the center console - so I used the method shown by Scott on his Carb. Tune Up Video to fix it properly. I also referenced Scott's Video while setting up my S.U.'s so the engine would at least start again? ...

Then I cleaned and detailed the dash (it has no cracks - been ArmorAlled since new)

Next it was time for a new radio - (Sony Am/FM CD unit with removable face plate) and speakers (Pioneer TS-C1353) in custom built kick panel mounts... (5.25inch & separate tweets with crossover's)...... sounds better than any other system I've had so far in an old Z.

Worked on the interior for about eight days in total...

STEP 6. Wheels & Tires:
I bought a used set of American Racing Equipment Libra¼s from a fellow list member. I happen to have a set on my other 72 Z and I just love them. They look like the 70's to me - a period piece so to speak. They were in near perfect condition as far as being straight and unscared. They were however badly corroded and had about four previously applied coats of paint on the spokes. So took them to Steve's Shop and glass bead blasted them. Then wet sanded the rims, then rubbed the rims out with rubbing compound then polished them... dusted a light coat of silver paint on the spokes and they were ready to install on the car. The tires on the car were almost new so I reused them (Nitto's).

STEP 7: Install Bumpers, Chrome Trim, Name Plates & Scripts
The original bumpers were in really good shape - a couple of small dents and the chrome was slightly scratched and slightly dulled... So I thought I'd just get them re-chromed and reuse them - NOT. The price quoted for the re-chrome job was within a few dollars of what new bumpers cost. So I decided to put new OEM bumpers on the car - and hold the old one's until I find a shop that charges less than the single local shop here in Tampa. (they were nuts on the prices they quoted IMHO)...

I leave the bumper uprights off - when someone hits your bumper, that¼s one thing. When they hit your bumper with the up-rights in place - it pushes the up-rights back into the bodywork - and thus more damage is done with them in place, than is done without them - at least that¼s been my experience... so I left them off.

STEP 7 - Other Stuff over the next couple of weeks ...
Remember - I was refreshing this Z - so it doesn't have to be Pure Stock. I added the clear headlight covers (I've always loved them on the 240Z's) and a BRE Spook. Both of these items go with the ARE Libra¼s anyway. Because I plan on driving this Z - the Spook is a must at road speeds.

New Springs, Shocks and Suspension Bushings are next. I'll most likely go with OEM Springs and KYB shocks (to keep as close to stock as possible) This is going to be used more as a GT - so I want good road ride.

For A/C I plan on using Vintage Air's - Universal SuperCooler with rebuilt Hitachi Compressor, new condenser and all new bits and pieces (dryer, hoses etc). It will be an R134 System to start with. Vintage Air's SuperCooler has both heater core and A/C Evap. units in a single enclosure. It's 24in. X 8.5in X 8.5in - so should take up less room than the ARA unit from 1972. It also puts out 2X the air flow from what I can tell at present. Its designed to cool sedans that are converted to Street Rod use. You know the 34 - 48 Chevy's and Fords. So it should actually cool the interior of a 240Z. So I figure I'll have another $1,500.00 in that by the time I'm done - I'll do a complete write up on that system if it does the job I want...

Hope this gives you an idea of what it takes to "Refresh" a 240Z. The bottom line looks like its going to be around $18,500.00
FWIW
Carl

240Z PAINT AND INTERIOR COLORS

Listed Below Are The Exterior and Interior Colors For The DATSUN 240Z's, As Imported Into The North American Market

Interior and Exterior Color Combinations:

Note 1:Factory Service Bulletin (VOL.171) - Introduction of Datsun 240Z, Model S30 Series (1973 Models) which states the following: Please note: The Foreword states that " This Service Bulletin has incorporated only the descriptions and specifications for the modification parts and newly designed mechanism and others, but has not introduced the items continued from the present model vehicle."

Note 2: Published 11 Jun. 98, up-dated 27 June 98, after review by the IZCC Z Car List Members. For additions or corrections please contact Carl Beck via e-mail at:mailto:beck@becksystems.com

1970/71 Exterior Color      Interior Color:       
            Silver 901          Black
            Dk. Blue 903        Black / Lt. Blue
            White 904           Black / Blue
            Red  905            Black
            Dk. Green 907       Tan
            Orange  918         Black
            Yellow 919          Black
            Gold 920            Black  (#920 aka - Mustard)   

1972    Exterior Color      Interior Color:       
            Silver 901          Red
            White 904           Red
            Orange  918         Black / White
            Red 110             White / Black
            Yellow 112          Black  
           (#112 aka: Lime )
            Green Metallic 113  Tan
            Brown Metallic 114  Tan    
            (#114 aka: CoCo Brown)
            Blue Metallic 115   White

1973    Exterior Color      Interior Color: 

 Note 1                          USA:         Canada      
            Silver 901          Black        Black
            White 904           Red          N/A in Canada
            Orange  918         Black        Black
            Red 110             Black        Beige
            Yellow 112          Black        Black     
            (#112 aka: Lime )
            Green Metallic 113  Brown        Brown
            Brown Metallic 114  Brown        Brown    
            (#114 aka:CoCo Brown)
            Blue Metallic 115   Beige        Beige

(Note: Beige is just off white)


Paint Codes and Interior Colors 1970 Through 1976:
1970 and 71 Model Year Cars

901 Light Metallic Gray or Silver Metallic
903 Blue (till 8/71)
904 White (till 7/75)
905 Red (till 8/71)
907 Dark Green (till 8/71)
918 Orange
919 Yellow (till 8/71)
920 Gold  (till 8/71)

Added/Changed for 72/73 Model Year Cars

110 Red (from 9/71 on)
112 Yellow (from 9/71)            (aka: Lime)
113 Green Metallic (from 9/71)    (aka: Leaf Green / Avocado)
114 Bronze Metallic (from 9/71)   (aka: coco / dark brown)
115 Blue Metallic (from 9/71)
260Z / 280Z Colors

215 White (from 8/75 on)
214 Dark Brown (from 8/73 - 7/76)
240 Green Metallic (from 8/75 on)
301 Brown Metallic (from 8/73)     
302 Leaf Green Metallic (from 8/73)
303 Green Metallic (8/73 - 7/75)
304 Gold Metallic (8/73 - 7/75)
305 Light Blue Metallic (from 8/73)
306 Silver Metallic (from 8/73)
307 Blue Metallic (from 8/73)
362 Dark Purple Metallic (from 8/75)
517 Beige Metallic (from 8/76)      (aka: Lt. Gold)
611 Wine Red Metallic (from 8/76)   (aka: Burgundy)
901 Silver Metallic

Well, a few people asked, so here is the long version of what I did to paint my 260-Z. I did this job on weekends and holidays, a few hours at a time. I began stripping the car back in June, and put the last clear coat on in early November. I still have to reassemble the car, plus acquire a few more gaskets and seals from Motorsports. I broke this down into a series of major topics, to show how I planned and thought about the job.

Research:

I got interested painting by reading a thread on paint on the z-car list shortly after I joined. Besides some of the hints included in those posts, I obtained a couple of books:

"How to Paint Your Car"

and

I probably leafed through others as well.

I also sought the advice of a couple of body shop supply houses, and got a lot of useful information from Stone Auto Body Supply in Watertown; kudos to them for taking the time to listen to my needs and help me choose materials and supplies.

A Place to Paint:

The first order of business was to give some thought to how I could do this and still get a decent job. I decided to use "my side" of the garage, since the Z was sitting there anyway. It's a two car garage, under the house at the basement level. The fireplace chimney is between the two stalls on the outside, so the garage is extra-wide. Also the house gets wider toward the "rear" of the garage (the end away from the doors); about 6 feet from the back wall the garage widens a few feet on each side. The whole space is finished and insulated. Lolly columns run down the middle between the stalls to support the room above.

I wanted to make it as dust-free as possible, and provide ventilation and compressed air convenient. I also needed it to be easy to set up and break down, since I didn't want to live with big structural changes, like studded walls. My workbench and tool boxes live at the front of that side, so I would need things back as they were in order to continue on with car and household projects after the painting was done.

Dust-Free:

Following the suggestions in the books, I used 6 mil plastic, bought from Home Depot. The plastic was stapled to 1x2 strapping, which I installed in advance on the ceiling around the perimeter of the spray booth area with drywall screws. I stapled the plastic up on spray day, taping it to the floor with duct tape and cutting it for the fans and air outlets as needed. I used two large 10x25 rolls, and started from the garage door jamb on each side. The two sheets met at the far end of the garage with about 8" overlap; I left this gap as a door, and taped it up just before painting. I believe this enclosed an area roughly 12'x18'.

As an afterthought, I had some 1 mil plastic left to me by a house painter some years back, and I used this on the ceiling of the garage, fastening it to the already in-place strapping.

With a mechanical staple gun and 9/16 staples, the installation is pretty fast.

Ventilation:

I constructed two frames to support standard "box fans". Picture two inverted T's, with the cross-bars parallel, held together by horizontal members. These made out of 2x3. I built the T's and cut the horizontals, and stored the pieces leaning against convenient walls until "spray day" Then I fastened them together on "spray day" with drywall screws. I placed one of these one each side, facing each other, right at the "back" of my spraybooth (the front being the garage door). On one side the structure sits in the alcove where the garage widens, and on the other its sitting next to the last lolly column before the back wall. The plastic got stapled to these (they helped define the "corners" at the rear wall of the booth. I cut a hole in the plastic for each fan, and taped the plastic to the fan housing for a tight seal

The fans were 10 inch, 10 dollar specials from BJ's (like Price Club). I would recommend bigger fans, they moved air pretty slowly. The fans blow into the spray area, and the backside of each fan is covered by a standard 20x20 paper furnace filter; any gaps on the intake side were sealed with brown cardboard and masking and/or duct tape. The fans and filters were mounted in the wooded frames mentioned above.

The garage door I left open while spraying, hoping that the fans forcing clean air in the rear would exhaust the fumes to the front. WHile spraying, I frequently hosed the driveway to minimize dust blown in by the wind.

Another aspect of this design is that the (flammable!) paint fumes are not drawn through the electric fan; only clean air is handled by the fan.

Compressed Air Supply:

I have a Sears compressor, they rate at a ridiculous 4HP. It could only be 2 1/2 or so based on the amperage draw. I've already broken this once, they were unable to repair it and gave a replacement under warranty. Buy something else, unless you like the idea of $300 disposable tools!

I built an air delivery system for the bay using 1" copper pipe for a main air line and 3/4" drops. Basically, the main line runs from the back wall straight down the middle, then runs over the door on "my" side. I used four drops in various places around the garage - one on the back wall near my workbench, one between the stalls on the lolly column closest to the back wall, and one on each side of the garage door opening. The main pipe slopes slightly down for the whole run, and the drops all go up, then make a u-turn to come down -- standard approach to help keep moisture from getting to the spray gun. Most of the drops have a moisture trap.

Following advice from either this or the hotrod list, I used a ball valve on each drop and a ball valve to isolate the system from the compressor. All the stuff for this I bought at Home Depot. This part I put up well in advance.

Tools and other:

I bought a DevilBiss spraygun, owing mostly to the desire for being able to keep and repair it over a long period of time. I believe the Sharpe and Binks are two other well-known brands used by pros. If you're doing a one-shot never-again job, a cheaper gun might be ok. Since I had no clue as to how to assess a spray gun, I bought a name-brand. All I can tell you is that the DB gun worked superbly and was easy to adjust, use and clean. I thought about buying a cheap jamb gun for some of the work, but never got around to it. I used a small regulator right on the gun to control the pressure at the gun; I set the main regulator for the compressor to 90-100 psi.

I also collected other miscellaneous stuff during this period -- rubber gloves, respirator, tack cloths, scotch-brites, tons of sandpaper, some "Rust Mort" stuff for a couple of hard to reach areas (e.g. inside the driver's door). In short, I collected everything in my inventory that I though I might need to derust, prep, and paint the car.

Auto Preparation

Well, yes, there is a car somewhere in this story, and here's its turn in the spotlight. It's a '74 260-Z I acquired in 1977; I believe it was a turn-in on a lease. The car lived most of its life in southern California, and was garaged much of the time I had it, so there is virtually *no* serious rust anywhere.

At the time I acquired it, the original metallic silver was starting to go, and about 3 years later I had it repainted. The guy said he was using Dupont Imron, but this paint job also chalked and deteriorated within about 3 years. The body shop supply house suggested it was not Imron, else it would have lasted better and would have been harder to strip.

Exterior Stripping

I removed the bumpers, lights, mirror. I looked at the old windshield and hatch mouldings, and decided they would have to go as well. To help clean under them, I forced thick white cord under the edge of these mouldings; this lifted the rubber slightly and let me clean and paint slightly under where the new moulding will set, and should help prevent any breaks in the protection of the metal underneath at the moulding line. A better way to do this would have been to remove the windshield and hatch glass; I was just running out of decent weather at this point.

I removed most other weatherstrips as well, after 20 years, they had pretty much lived their useful lives.

Paint Stripping

General advice is to remove paint in the gentlest way consistent with the condition of the car. Mine was just chalked, and had only one repaired area that I knew of, so I chose a chemical stripper. The supply house sold me Kleen-Strip's "Aircraft Stripper", but I'm sure there are other brands. It worked great, one application lifted both coats of paint and often the primer right off the bare metal. Not something you'd want to spill on anything you care about. Interesting stuff to put in a styrofoam cup (the cup lasted about 10 seconds).

In the first stripping pass, I did the whole car up to within an inch or so of the "edges" of things. Then I did a second pass after carefully taping up "edges" to keep the stripper from taking off paint I wanted to meld the new coat into. Basically I wanted to do the exterior body panels, but I did not strip door jambs or wheel arches, or the interior of the car (this is one of those 100's of decisions I found myself making during this restoration -- how far to go with any particular step; in this case I wanted to finish exterior paint before New England's winter made working in the garage uncomfortable, so I left alone areas that were in good shape or that didn't show). I can go back and work these undone areas later without impacting the exterior paint job.

The driver's door had been dinged and bondo'd in a couple of places, other than that, and the little holes all down both sides for the side mouldings, the car was clean and straight. I noticed I have one fiberglass and one steel head light bucket, which probably meant some damage was done to the front at some time. The hood showed a lot of surface rust, and both the hood and top had a few tiny rust "pits" beginning to develop.

I filled all the body damage with solder, using Eastwood as a source for the stuff. It was very easy for the holes, and required only a propane torch. The ding on the driver's door was bigger and harder to fill; the job I did there is not perfect, but it was good enough for now. This doorskin has enough rust on it's bottom lip to that I will want to replace it eventually anyway. I believe the "ding" in that side distorted the doorskin enough so that the rubber-and-chrome strip along the top of the doorskin didn't even touch the window glass; as a result there was a lot of rusting inside the door.

I sanded the whole car with 80 grit then with 200 grit, and treated all the surfaces with Oxysolv. This seems to be a weak phosphoric acid solution that etches off the last of the rust and leaves a protective zinc phosphate coating behind. It removed any non-visible rust that might have developed as the bare car sat exposed for several months in my garage.

Interior stripping

I removed the interior panels, seats, and carpets. Partly to minimize paint dust clean up, and partly check panel backsides and floors for rust and such.

Some rust in the spare tire well and on the passenger floorboard, but not to the point of requiring metal surgury. I cleaned it and neutralized it, then primed/painted with Rustoleum. Again, this was a non-appearance area, where I just wanted to protect the metal from any further water damage, and maybe deal with it differently on another day.

Paint Selection

I chose acrylic urethane over acrylic enamal. The acrylic enamal sprays in one step, but has limited durability. The acrylic urethane requires basecoat and clearcoat, but supposedly lasts much longer. An interesting note in all this was that I found out I had been cheated by the body shop that painted the car 12 years ago. They claimed to use "Imron"; the local shop said what I had came off far too easily to be Imron (pretty much the first application of stripper removed both coats of paint). It was probably painted with an acrylic enamal; it definitely was not basecoat/clearcoat. And the prep work must have been poor, the second job in some areas could be peeled right off the first.

Imron, by the way, is "polyurethane" enamal; it is supposedly very durable, but difficult to apply well. I was told that it's seldom used on autos, but is more common on trucks.

The alleged Imron was a dark silver, for this job I went back to the factory color code "Sterling Silver".

My local emporium carries PPG stuff, so I used it throughout.

I should remind everyone here that these paints contain pretty foul stuff (just about every nasty hydrocarbon solvent, plus cyanide compounds), and need to be sprayed with a respirator. The safest way is with a forced fresh air mask; I used a regular respirator and lots of ventilation.

I'd also point out here that you should carefully read the spec sheets on the paints you want to use; they are meant for pros and often have a lot of restrictions that are ok in a body shop but could be killers for the weekend warrior. Things like "recoat within the hour, or wait 24 hours before recoating" (DAU 82). Or the DP - recoat within a week, else you have to scuff, add another coat of DP, and then add the topcoats. In other words, once you start spraying, the materials themselves will drive the schedule/sequence to a great extent.

Masking

I used brown paper and tape. I unbolted the hatch from the hinges, and bolted two 6" pieces of metal between the hatch and the hinges. This held the hatch up and open for painting. I had some rust and pitting in the hatch jamb area between the hinges, and wanted to be able to thoroughly clean and paint it. I masked both sides of the hatch, taping on where the gasket would go as a line. I masked both door openings, also taping where the seal usually sits. I had not stripped these jamb areas, but I scuffed and sanded them so the new layers of paint would take. I did all this the weekend prior to painting the car, except for the wheels. On paint day, I rolled the car out, wahed and degreased it; and rolled it back in and masked the wheels before tacking and painting.

Priming

I went over the car with a wax/grease remover, and tacked it off before spraying. This is a routine step to help keep the job clean, and its critical when working in a relatively dirty space like a garage. I tacked between almost every coat of paint.

I used DP-50 epoxy primer (50 is the code for gray). It was very easy to spray. Two quarts of primer and two quarts of activator make a gallon of paint; I was able to put 2 complete coats on the car with this, covering the exterior, the door jambs, the hatch jamb, and the cross member under the radiator. DP can be topcoated after fairly short drying time, and must be topcoated within a week, or you get to scuff it, put on another coat of DP, and then put finish coats over that. Getting the DP on was as far as I got on day one.

To fill the minor scratches from the body file or places that had been severely sanded, I used NCT-250 primer-surfacer. One quart of this stuff did all the areas that needed minor filling/surfacing. This stuff needed a couple hours drying time before sanding.

I wet sanded the primer with 400-500 grit paper, per this instructions with the paint. Once it was all smooth and cleaned off I went directly to color coats.

Painting

I had chosen PPG DBU basecoat, in a metallic silver color. It sprays *a lot* differently than DP, and I created terrible runs on the first spray gun pass, with way too much paint coming out. I found I had to cut the paint volume way back and use a pretty fast steady stroke to get decent looking passes. After two light coats, I called it a night.

Sunday morning I sanded the grossest color flaws off, and cleaned up and then went on with color coats after the air temperature reached the 65 or so maximum it was likely to achieve. I was spraying it pretty light, and probably put on 3-4 complete coats before acheiving complete coverage of the purple colored primer surfacer. By this time it was around 5pm, and the color needed around an hour's drying time, so we went out to dinner. Back by around 7pm, I shot four clear coats over the car. This was much easier to spray than the metallic color. Unfortunately stormy weather was blowing through the area that evening, so contending with dust was worse at this time than it had been for the whole rest of the job (Murphy's law, I guess) The paint here was PPG DAU 82.

The car has been drying since then, the spec sheet said to give it 7 days before rubbing it out, so I may work on buffing it this weekend.

Altogether I had about 20 hours of painting time in the job.

Mistakes/problems:

Air hoses - I bought cheap ($10) plastic ones from BJ's (like Price Club), and they are a pain when painting, because when you twist them they want to form loops and when you drag them they want to unloop by jumping up into your paint job. Shell out the extra for nice rubber hoses that behave better.

Light - I was originally hoping to do this earlier in the summer and just work when it's light, so I bagged plans to put extensive lighting over the work area, even though books and the painters on this list recommended it. I noticed on the day I finished that the local discount store had those sit-on-the-ground halogen work-lights for $10. Four or so of those jerry-rigged above/around the car would have been pretty cheap, and made the late afternoon/evening painting easier.

Ventilation/dust - I wanted, and discovered I could have used, bigger fans, like a 14" box fan or so. But by the time I went looking the were sold out locally; I ended up using some little fans we'd bought earlier in the summer for use around the house.

Not practicing - I have a parts car, and could have stripped and prepped a panel from it and used that to experiment on. That would have improved the quality of the job, because I would have found some of the flaws in technique that way. Working against this is the nature of the materials -- the paints are expensive and cannot be saved long once mixed -- whether you do arrange practice or not may depend on how perfect a result you want on the final job versus how much time/money you're willing to invest. My job came out good enough without it, would have been a little better/quicker with it.

Accounting:

I saved all the receipts from the restoration, and the stripping and painting phase seems to break down approximately as follows:

$450 (DP-50, NCP-250, DBU color, and DAU-82 clear) 1 quart of NCP-250; 2 quarts of everything else. 2 quarts makes a gallon or more, since most of them mix 1:1 with activator.

$150 (sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, gloves, etc, etc)

$300 compressor $150 spray gun $300 piping/fittings/moisture traps

$300 misc tools/supplies (body solder, etc)

Summary:

While the job definitely has a few flaws, I'm totally thrilled with it. It has a great "wet-look" silver metallic appearance, and this without yet having done any buffing. And the acrylic urethane topcoat looks pretty durable. Also it's repairable, by me or any body shop, should something unfortunate happen.

As with all things in life, there are a lot of trade offs here. For me, the desire to learn and do this myself overcame any concern about concours quality in the final result. In terms of the money spent, I could probably have spent less, but job and family demand much of my time, so I sometimes traded $$$$ for time. For example, I did not shop around at all for the the paint; I established a good working relationship with one supply shop and went there for everything. I think there are better deals to be had on air compressors than Sears, (to say the least!).

I enjoy manual work as a hobby/stress relief/break from my job, which is focused on things computer and things management. Much of the enjoyment of the job for me is in the doing, and the learning to do. I accepted that no way would I match the result of a master auto painter with years of experience and a proper clean environment; that just wasn't my goal.

If you're thinking of doing your own paint, I'd advise making sure that you settle on your own expectations and goals before proceeding; plan the job as carefully as your environment allows; and then do it and have fun!

Walter izc#112

On Mon, 14 Nov 1994, Walter Meares wrote:

> > > Question though: If you were going to all of the trouble of stripping

> > the car, why didn't you buy a blocking primer such as PPG's K36 and block

> > sand the whole car before painting it? The epoxy primer is good stuff,

> > but I don't necessarily think that it is meant to be directly sprayed

> > upon.

>

> Bearing in mind my answer comes from a novice perspective, and as I recall

> you have access to some professional help...

>

> I'm not familiar with K36, I gather it's a primer-surfacer, and that the goa

l > of using/sanding it is to have a smoother/flatter body finish? I used the

> NCP-250 to get this effect where I needed it; I didn't find any advice or

> books that indicated primer-surfacing the entire car as a necessary step when

> the body was in good shape already. But if you've advice/experience that

> suggests otherwise, I'd appreciate hearing it!

The NCP-250 is reddish if I remember correctly...it is generally used in the same manner as the K36, but is much more expensive. Reason being (I think) is that the NCP is made for cars that already have paint on them, and for some reason it is more compatible with spot priming...but then again, I'm no pro either :-)

>

> PPG has such a dizzying array of products, I'd guess that there are many

> combinations that will deliver a super paint job. What did you use on your

> Z to get the result you wanted?

>

I basically did the same thing that you did, stripped with Aircraft stripper, sanded down all body panels with a DA with 80 grit paper, then metal prepped using PPG's metal prep. From there, I used the black epoxy primer (since the car was going to be either black or white, I wanted to get an idea of what it would like black :-), and *THEN* the body work started.

My car, unlike yours was not void of any real body work. I had rust problems in the lower fenders, some in the rear quarters, so all of that had to be either sandblasted, or cut out with a plasma cutter. I took my whole car apart, including windows and you'd be surprised at how many window leaks you can attribute to a rusting window support frame!

After removing all of the bad metal, I welded in patch panels, including the sidelights that came standard on American Z's. I always thought they looked tacky and added on, so I just welded them up. Over each of the weld I used a type putty filler to cover them which we just called "metal to metal."

Then came the "b" word. Bondo. I was at first aghast at anyone who does really good quality body work would use bondo, but I've learned since then that bondo if used correctly is really a great tool. My car had 23 years of knicks, dings, fender benders, just like all other Z's, but it also had the added benefit of a tree falling on it!

After sanding down the bondo with 36 then 80 grit dry paper, I went to the next step which is the K36 primer (called PRIMA by PPG) and laid on a *very* thick coat and started block sanding. The whole car was block sanded and reprimed probably 10 times. I was very anal about the whole thing. Like I said before, this was to be show quality. For any low spots I found I used what we refer to as "glaze" which is just a finer quality bondo to fill it in.

Finally, the car was done with all of the block sanding...what a pain in the ass :-) And, the car had to be sealed. We sealed the primer with a mixture of half k36 and half Concept Clearcoat. Once sealed, the car was sanded again with 600 grit and was ready to spray base coat.

I used DBC basecoat and the newest PPG Concept Clear coat. We used a Devilbiss gravity fed gun, and it came out quite nice. But like I said, I didn't want your average finish, so I sanded the entire car with 1000 grit microfine paper, then 2000 grit to get rid of any dirt, runs and "orange peel" in the paint.

After the colorsanding, I buffed out the paint using a rotary buffer and 3M's liquid compound. Several steps of Maguire's later, and the car was finally buffed out. That's where I am as it stands today. The car was painted in pieces, some of which have yet to make it back on the car, but overall I'm quite pleased with the results. Even if I do say so myself :-)

-Scott E. Stevenson

From: spindel@anchor.apl.washington.edu (Bob Spindel)

Subject: More on Painting

Please allow me to add my 2 cents to Walter's excellent posting about car painting. (Walter, please don't take this the wrong way. You did a fabulous job and have a wonderful setup. My purpose is to just tell folks what my experience has been with a somewhat simpler approach.)

I've done 4 cars, two in lacquer and two in basecoat/clearcoat, both in my driveway, outdoors, with no special 'booth' or 'dust-filtering.' I've also used an inexpensive $40 gun made by Mark Air, and a Sears compressor. The gun was recommended to me by fellows who get 99 out of 100 points on their concours entries. They said it's as good as a Binks, and I believe them. It worked great for me.

I think the real secret for the do it youselfer is a paint system that dries fast, and I mean fast, and then allows wet sanding and rubbing out. Fast drying will prevent dust and bugs, wet sanding (with 1200 or 15oo grit) and rubbing (with PPG or Dupont compounds) will eliminate any that manage to get in the paint in spite of the fast drying. Professionals can't afford to spend the time sanding and rubbing, so they use dust-free booths and heat lamps. But a home hobbyist can spend a few extra hours on the job. That's what hobbies are for, right? And remember, most of those concours finishes are patiently wet sanded and lovingly rubbed out.

Lacquer dries extremely fast, maybe 30 seconds. It's practically dry when it hits the car. And if there is still a dust speck or two, wet sanding takes it right out. You can get a really fine finish outdoors, with no special equipment. Lacquer is also easy to repair. If it drips or runs, it's dry in a few minutes and you can sand it smooth and repaint. Lacquer isn't quite as durable as a basecoat/clearcoat, but it looks just as good if not better. Lacquer is still the medium of choice for a real classic show car finish.

There are some basecoats/clearcoats that also dry fast. The DBU basecoat that Walter used dries almost as fast as lacquer, and there are catalysts for the clearcoat (PPG makes one called Supercharger) that take them out of dust in a minute or two. Not much dust can settle in that brief a time, and even if some does, the wet sanding takes it right out. It's hard to beat for ease of application, convenience, and a really beautiful finished product. Also, if you manage to get it all on and dry with no dust specks, it just might be good enough not to warrant sanding and rubbing. It sounds like Walter's came out that well. Congrats to him. It ain't easy.

I have also found that a simple water vapor filter attached right to the gun (about $5) takes out any vapor. I usually use two or three per paint job. One for the primer and sealer, one for the color coat and another for the clearcoat.

The beauty of the wet sanding/rubbing process is that you can make a few errors along the way, even get a bug or two in the finish, and it'll all come out in the end. How can you beat that?

Bob Spindel

Take a buddy, and just turn it to find out. My dad and I have turned at least a dozen. Fix one rear wheel so it can't turn (pry bar and foot of the driveshaft counter, or jam it otherwise). Mark the driveshaft w/ chalk or scratch w/ a nail. rotate the other rear wheel 10 times, other person counts the driveshaft rotations. Then multiply the driveshaft rot's number by 2(and divide by ten I spose) and whammo its your diff ratio.

If 10 turns gives you (x driveshaft rotations) just shy of 17, then its a 3.365 17.5 then a 3.54 18.5 then a 3.7 19.5 then a 3.9 Each difference is at least a whole number (except 3.36->3.54, but still 16 or 17?) so this always works for us. Don't forget to grab the speedo gear out of the tranny (one 10mm bolt), even though you don't need it (w/ a 700R4 for a V8 conversion), if you ever sell it it'll help out a Datsun dude.

Others reccomend removing the rear cover plate and readig the ring gear. The number of teeth on the ring and pinion are stamped on the ring gear - so just divide one number by the other. The units I look at most of the time are still in the cars, so this "counting the turns" method works for me.

Ross Corrigan / Vancouver, Canada IZCC#255 '80 327ZX [14 February 1998]

Contributed By:
Carl Beck, IZCC #260

http://www.zhome.com/http://www.zhome.com/

As Of 6 Nov. 99

Pictured above: Rear Suspension For 240Z

Installing an R200 differential from the 280Z, 280ZX or first generation 300ZX in the Datsun 240Z is a popular and easy swap. Some of the most common questions are answered here.

Question: What are all the parts I need, in addition to the R200 differential itself?

Answer: All parts below should come from a 280Z that has the R200 installed at the factory.
1. the mustache
2. the front differential mount and insulator
3. the rear transverse link mount

Mustache Bars: See Item #2 in drawing above.
(AKA - Differential Case Mounting Bar-Rear)
There are three different types of mustache bars used in the 240/260/280Z's. The early Z cars used a flat mustache bar (70/71), when the rear end was moved further rearward with the beginning of the 72 production run, the mustache bar was offset rearward and could thus be described as having an offset. The mustache bar for the R200 found in the 280Z's was further offset by moving the mounting points on the subframe rearward, it is stronger and had larger holes for mounting the R200's larger mounting studs.

Front Differential Mount:
The R180 and R200 use different front differential case mounts & insulators (see #9 and #10 in drawing above). So it is best and easiest to grab the front mount and insulator, along with the other two parts above (Mustache Bar & Rear Transverse Link Mount) out of a 280Z equipped with the R200.

Rear Transverse Link Mount:
(Not visible in drawing above:) The rear transverse link mount runs under the rear of the differential and ties to two lower transverse links (see item #8 in drawing above) i.e. the right & left side, together. Two vertical plates run up from it and bolt to the rear subframe (see #5 in drawing above). There are two types used in the first generation Z's. The 280Z's equipped with the R200 use a transverse link that has a downward curve in it, thus allowing more room for the larger R200. The transverse link mount used in Z's equipped with the R180 is straight and should not be used with the R200.

If you are changing the differential ratio at the same time your changing differentials....
Don't Forget: - the Transmission Speedo Gear to match the differential gear ratios. Speedometer gears in the transmission are made to match the rear differential gear ratio. If you are making this swap, be sure to grab the speedo gear out of the transmission of the donor car. Assuming the donor is a 280Z/280ZX - if the donor is a 300ZX then you'll need the correct gear out of a 280Z/280ZX.

About the R200 Differentials:
The R200 has a 200mm ring gear hence the designation (likewise the R180 has a 180mm ring gear). Nissan used this same differential although modified over time, in the Z Cars from 1975 through 1996. However some changes made to them during that period were minor and others of a more major nature.

The R200 of the first and second generation Z Cars (280Z/280ZX) were for the most part the same and are therefore interchangeable on a direct bolt in basis.

The R200 of the third generation Z's (84-89 300ZX) are also basically the same, but do have major differences that must be addressed, prior to retro fitting them to the earlier generations of Z Cars. The side output shafts (stub axles) have to be swapped with those of an R200 from the first or second generation cars.

Ring Gear Bolts:
The 84 to 89 R200's used a ring gear bolted to the carrier with 12mm bolts vs. the 75-83 R200's which used 10mm bolts for that purpose. Thus the ring and pinion sets are not interchangeable between the two.

Stub Axles with Bolt on Flanges, CV Joints and Driveshaft Flanges:
Some of the R200's use stub axles (stub axles come out the side of the differential carrier) with bolt on flanges, which attach to the halfshafts (which Nissan calls driveshafts - side) that use universal joints. Some R200's use stub axles that are attached to CV Joints. You can pop the stub axles out of the differential carrier in each of these and swap them.

About Swapping-out The R180 In The 240Z - For An R200 LSD From A 300ZX.
You need the same mounting hardware described above. Plus you have to change the flanges and/or drive shaft input yoke.

The R200's used in the 84-89 300ZX Turbo were equipped with Clutch Type Limited Slip Differential Units. These rear end's are set up to run with CV joints. So to install one in your 240Z you have to remove the CV joint type stub axle and replace it with the stub axles with flanges that will match the flanges on your half shafts (what Nissan calls a "drive shaft -side" - we usually refer to as "half shafts"). This is a pull out/snap in operation.

The input flange is another story however. You either have to change your drive shaft yoke to match the input shaft on the differential, or you have to change the input shaft on the differential to match the yoke on your stock drive shaft. Most people suggest that this is a job for a professional rear end shop. Because the internal parts to the rear end have to be removed and then reinstalled. (not something you want to mess up on).

What Gear Ratio Is In This Differential?
You do NOT have to count the teeth. Just turn the ring gear until you see two numbers separated by a slash ( / ) or colon ( : ). Simply divide the larger number by the smaller number and (tah dah!) you will have your final drive ratio.

If you can't remove the rear cover - then you have to turn the wheels and count the driveshaft turns to determine the rear gear ratio.

R200 - 3.9 gear sets: FYI, THE 3.9 (R200 ONLY) RATIO WAS OEM IN THE 2+2 M/T (FROM 8/79) AND 2-SEATER M/T 'J' MODEL (FROM 8/79). YOU CAN VERIFY A 'J' MODEL BY LOOKING AT THE MODEL ID #. AFTER THE "S130" THERE WILL BE THE LETTER "J". THE 280ZX MODELS EQUIPPED WITH AN R180 DIFF HAD EITHER 3.364 OR 3.545 GEARING.

Speedo Gears:
3.3?? : Yellow
3.545 : Black
3.7 : Blue
3.9 : White
The following rear gear ratios were only available from Nissan Competition Dept. - not OE in any models sold in the US
4.11 : Red
4.375 : Purple?

As long as the tires are still the original aspect ratio, the speedo will be accurate, if the correct speedometer gear is used. Gearbox ratio's are irrelevant, only the tire size matters. Depending on which gearbox you are running, you might have to swap the speedo gear carrier - there are two types (clear anodized and black anodized), which have different offsets. The changeover point is when you go from 3.9:1 to 4.11:1 or visa versa.

Contributed By: the Members of the IZCC

Produced by: Carl Beck IZCC #260
Special Thanks to: Steve Golik-IZCC #356, Tom Bell-IZCC #2802 & Ross Corrigan-IZCC # 255
http://www.zhome.com/http://www.zhome.com/

As of 16 Nov 99 -cjb

Standard Differentials & Rear Gear Ratio's

240Z        70-73   MT       (3.364) (R180)

240Z        71-73   Auto     (3.545) (R180)



260Z        74      MT       (3.364) (R180)

260Z        74      Auto     (3.545) (R180)



280Z        75-76            (3.545) (R200)

280Z        77-78   MT       (3.545) (R200)

280Z        77-78   Auto     (3.545) (R180)



280ZX       79      MT,4 Spd,2 Seater (3.364) (R180)

280ZX       79      MT,5 Spd,2 Seater (3.364) (R180)

280ZX       79      All With Automatic(3.545) (R180)

280ZX       79      MT,4 Spd,4 Seater (3.364) (R200)

280ZX       79      MT,5 Spd,4 Seater   (3.7) (R200)

280ZX-GL    79                          (3.7) (R200)



280ZX       80      MT,2 Seater       (3.545) (R180)

280ZX       80      Automatic 2/4Seat (3.545) (R180)

280ZX       80      MT,4 Seater         (3.9) (R200)

280ZX-GL    80                          (3.9) (R200) 



280ZX       81-83   Automatic all     (3.545) (R180)

280ZX       81-83   Turbo - all       (3.545) (R200)

280ZX       81-83   MT                  (3.9) (R200)

 - - - - 300ZX's - - - - - -- -

300ZX       84-86   MT and A/T          (3.7)  (R200)
300ZX       84-86   Turbo MT and A/T    (3.54) (R200)
300ZX       87-89   MT and A/T          (3.9 ) (R200)
300ZX       87-89   MT and A/T          (3.9 ) (R200)
300ZX       87-89   Turbo MT and A/T    (3.7 ) (R200)
            Note Turbos: 
            #1) after 4/87 only-(3.7 Clutch Type LSD)
             2) 88 All White SS used a 3.7 Viscous Coupling LSD)
             3) LSD Unites Came With Finned Rear Covers

Additional Comments:
a) Viscous Coupling LSD requires special splined half shafts -
b) 84-87 R200's can be used in earlier cars, but require modifications
   they are not direct bolt in swapable to 240/260/280Z/280ZX's
c) 84-89 R200's used a 12mm bolt in the ring gear - earlier R200
   used a 10mm bolt in the ring gear, so you can not swap Gear Sets
   with the older R200's
 

1977 through 1983 Factory Five Speed Transmission Ratios



    77-79    1980     81-83   Borg Warner T-5 {Turbo Only]

1    3.321     3.062     3.062         3.500

2    2.077     1.858     1.858         2.144

3    1.308     1.308     1.308         1.375

4    1.000     1.000     1.000         1.000

5    0.864     0.773     0.745         0.780


1984 Through 1989 Factory Five Speed and Auto Trans.

      T5         Nissan   FS5w71c       auto        auto
     turbo       turbo    non-turbo     non-turbo   turbo
     84-86       87-89    84-89         87-89       87-89
   
1    3.350       3.324    3.321         2.458

2    2.056       2.077    1.902         1.458

3    1.376       1.360    1.308         1.000

4    1.000       1.000    1.000

5    0.752       0.711    0.759

R    3.153       3.382    3.636         2.400


Special Note#1There was a 5 speed 720 truck('79-'85)transmission that will bolt into an L-6 car, that also has "lower" gearing. However, there were two other sets of different gear ratios available, depending on the truck model: 

   #1         #2        #3

1    3.592     3.321     3.592

2    2.246     2.077     2.057

3    1.415     1.308     1.361

4    1.000     1.000     1.000

5    0.813     0.833     0.813

Factory Competition Transmissions 77 - 83


There were Factory Competition 5-Speeds available through NISSAN Competiton Dept. There were two overdrive Transmissions, and four with the direct drive (1:1 in fifth gear) 

                #1       #2       #3       #4       #5      

32010-N3130   2.906    1.902    1.308    1.000    0.864  (close ratio)

32010-N3030   3.321    2.077    1.308    1.000    0.864  (wide ratio)



32010-N3220   2.818    1.973    1.470    1.192    1.000

32010-N3221   2.348    1.601    1.296    1.138    1.000

32010-N3222   2.192    1.601    1.470    1.138    1.000

32010_N3201   3.321    2.270    1.601    1.240    1.000   (rally transmissions)
Notes: The overdrive (FS5C71B) and direct drive (F5C71B) transmissions utilize the Servo-type (steel) snycro mechanism. For a complete parts breakdown of the listed overdrive and direct drive transmissions see the Nissan Motorsports Schematic catalog (99996-M8015). The shift kit (99996-E3030) is required when installing any of the listed transmissions into 240Z's built up to 8/71. 
FS5C71A Conversions:


These parts will allow the FS5C71A 5-spd transmission from the Datsun 2000 (SLR311) roadster to be adapted to any Z. The R200 flang assy (38210-N3103) is required on Z's built from 12/74 to 7/75. 

30401-22010        Clutch Housing

32130-A7100        Tail Housing

32241-A0200        Main Shaft

32890-A0100*       Striking Rod Assy.

37000-E4100        Driveshaft (to 8/71)

37000-E8710        Driveshaft (from 9/71)

1990-96 300ZX Transmission For Both Turbo and NA.

The transmission model is RS5R30A.


The 300ZX model is the same for both the NA and TT, but Nissan relocated the starter in the TT, and changed the outer and inner front cases. 

1st     3.214

2nd     1.925

3rd     1.302

4th     1.000

5th     0.752



Reverse 3.369

Contributed By: Steve Golik, IZCC #356 (Smoky Mountain Z Car Club)

http://www.zhome.com/http://www.zhome.com/

Question: > I would like to know if anyone has converted from the external
> regulated alternator to an internal. What wiring did you change?

Answer: First a little background: The 60 amp internal regulator alternator was used on the '78 280Z and then the non-turbo 280ZX. I have also seen it on the '78-'85 810/Maxima and the '81-'85 720 pickup trucks. It is marked "LR160" on the case. There was also a 70 amp version (marked LR170) that was used on the 280ZX turbo's.

[Note: It looks like the '84-'86 non-turbo 300ZX 70 amp alternator could be used as well, but the wiring connectors are different, so get (i.e., cut it off) the corresponding engine harness connectors as well if you get one of these alternators. I'll write this up this conversion later.]

Because I don't like to give instructions without some explanation of what you are doing (it makes troubleshooting easier), I will start by describing the internally regulated alternator's electrical connections:

1. An "L" connection which goes to a "switched" 12V supply. By this I mean a 12V source that is active only when the ignition switch is in the ON position. I use the mnemonic "L" for "lamp", the alternator warning lamp (if used) is in series with this connection. This terminal also supplies the "excitation" current to the alternator field winding at engine turn on, allowing the alternator to begin producing voltage as the engine is ramping up to idle speed. Once the alternator rotor is turning fast enough, it generates it's own supply for the field winding and the current in the "L" connection stops flowing. The warning lamp (if used) goes out.

2. An "S" connection which goes as close to the positive terminal of the battery as physically possible. The "S" connection "senses" the battery voltage and this is the voltage that the regulator is tying to control. This connection has a high impedance, so it only draws only micro amps from the battery, so it can be left connected without fear of battery discharging.

The "L" and "S" connections are in the plug connector on the rear
of the alternator that looks like the capital letter "T". The top
of the "T" is the "S", and the other part of the "T" is the "L". Or
in crude ASCII art:
                         "S"
                    ...............
                    :   -------   :
                    :....  |  ....:
                        :  |  :
                        :  |  : "L"
                        :.....:

3. An "A" terminal, which is the output of the alternator, which also is connected to the positive terminal of the battery. This connector carries the charging current. Because of the high currents this wire must carry, it is a low gauge wire, which means it has a large cross sectional area. For safety reasons, a fusible link should be in series with this connector. The "A" terminal is the insulated threaded stud on the rear of the alternator.

Of course, someone may ask: "Why do you need two separate (the "S" and the "A") connections between the battery and alternator?". It is because of the fact that even large wires have some resistance, and therefore there will be a voltage drop between the alternator and the battery when the battery is being charged. If the regulator sensed the alternator output (which is higher in voltage) and not the battery terminal, the result would be undercharging of the battery. Now there are alternators which work this way, but they need a fairly large diameter charging wire to reduce the voltage drop. The separate "S" connection is a much better method of regulation.

4. There is a "P" terminal on the 280ZX turbo alternator (but I have also seen it on a few of the non-turbo 280ZX alternators). There is not a corresponding connector on the engine harness to mate with the "P" terminal, even on the turbo 280ZX's. So, the "P" terminal is not used/needed.

5. Finally, there is a ground connection on the alternator, although the case is a pretty good ground connection to the engine block.

Now, the following procedure only applies to the 240Z. The 260Z has electrical connections between the regulator and the interlock module and the electric fuel pump, so it's more difficult to convert to an internally regulated alternator, but I have a procedure for it as well. Please email me directly if anyone is interested. I have not looked into converting a 280Z, but I would think that it would be possible as well.

1. Disconnect the battery.

2. Unplug the external regulator and note the color code of the wires that are on the regulator connector of the engine wiring harness. You will be connecting some of these wires together, so get another plug from a junked regulator or cut the one off your old regulator. Now the wire colors I will be referring to are on the regulator connector of the engine wiring harness. This is because although the regulator wire colors match the engine harness with the stock regulator, I've noticed that some aftermarket regulators have a different wire color code.

3. Connect the white wire to the yellow wire. This connects the battery to the "S" input.

4. Connect the black with a white stripe wire to the white with black stripe wire. This connects the "L" terminal to a switched 12V.

5. Disconnect and unbolt your old alternator. Bolt up the new alternator. Depending on what particular internally regulated alternator you use (I've seen different pulley sizes), you might need a different length belt.

6. At the alternator, connect the white with red stripe wire of the engine wiring harness to the threaded stud (the "A" terminal) on the alternator. This connection provides the charging current for the battery. Connect the black ground wire to the alternator. Don't forget to include any bypass, or filter capacitor. Plug the two-pin "T" connector into the alternator.

7. Re-connect the battery and start the engine. With a good digital voltmeter measure the voltage directly across the battery terminals. This is the charging voltage. It should be 14.7V +/- 0.3V, but this voltage is a function of the ambient temperature and the state of charge of the battery. If the voltage reading is not correct, then re-check your wiring. More than 15.0V indicates that the "S" connection may not be connected correctly.

STOP THAT Z !!

by CraigMarcho

The road is smooth......I'm doing about 65.......no one around me.....ISLAM on the brakes as hard as I can! My body wants to fly through the windshield,but my seat belts do their job and hold me tightly to my Koenig seat. My1973 240Z screams to a halt in similar fashion to a Formula One racergoing 200 mph braking late into a hairpin corner! Wow! Looking in the rearviewmirror, I notice no black streaks on the pavement from tire lockup. I quicklystomp on the accelerator and change up through the gears to do it all overagain!
Why would someone punish their Z-car like this? How can MY Z-carhave braking power like that? Who's the weird guy trying to give himselfwhiplash? You might be asking yourself one or more of these questions, andin the following paragraphs, you'll find the answer to the first two, I thinkyou can figure out the answer to the third!
If you drive like I do, thenyou probably wish your Z had better braking capabilities! It seems that thebrakes of early Z-cars were only designed for basic day to day driving, andnot with the true performance enthusiast in mind. One way to increase yourstopping power is to replace your Z's front calipers with four-piston caliperslike those found on a Toyota 4wd truck. These calipers are basically a bolt-onmodification. "Why do they fit so easily" you might ask? These calipers weremanufactured by the same company, Sumitomo, and as luck would have it, usedthe same mounting location. The job is very simple, it consists of removingthe old calipers, and replacing them with the new ones. That's it. Well,maybe a little more, but as you are about to find out, this is a very easyupgrade to your brakes that will gain impressive results! To upgrade to the4-piston style calipers, you will need to locate and purchase the followingstuff from your favorite parts house, or dismantling yard:

You also may want to consider picking up the following things, although they are notnecessary for the conversion, it may be a good idea tohave:

First, you beginby getting your hands on some calipers. I opted to find mine at a localdismantling yard, although an alternative is to buy them new at an autopartsstore or your local Toyota dealer. Being on a very tight budget (who isn't!)I got mine used. Make sure that you find some that are still on the truck,this way you can see how they are assembled with pads and clips, and you'llalso want to mark on them which side they belong on (drivers/passenger).Once you get them, clean them up at the local carwash using degreaser first,then using the brake parts cleaner. Be sure to tape off the ends of the linesto prevent water from contaminating the brake fluid inside the calipers.Next, to make them look nice, I painted them using regular aluminum paint.
[image not available]
After cleaning and prepping the calipers,remove the old Z calipers. The backing plate will need to be trimmed witha hacksaw somewhat to make room for the larger calipers. To do this, youmust remove the rotor.
[image not available]
This wouldbe a good time to replace/re-pack wheel bearings if you need to. Before removingthe rotor and plate, you may want to set the new caliper in the approximatelocation to get an idea of how much and what needs to be trimmed. The backingplate is held in place with four phillips' head screws.
[image not available]
Mine were on pretty tight, trying tounscrew them really messed up the head of the screw, so I used good ol' vicegrips to break the screws loose. When they are broken loose, you can finishunscrewing them with your screwdriver. Once the plate is trimmed, attachit back in its original position, and install the rotor. On this particularcar, the backing plate was left off to aid in cooling the brakes, but youmay want to retain yours to keep dirt and debris off of your rotors.
Next, install your brake pads, semi-metallic were used in this swap (theywere supplied by the nice people at Performance Toyota of Plano). You maywant to buy some of the "anti-squeal" compound that you spread on the backof the brake pads. The new calipers will now bolt into place where the oldones were.
[image not available]
You can use the same bolts thatwere on the old Z calipers. In case you didn't mark which side the calipersgo on, or bought them new and aren't sure, the larger diameter pistons andthe bleeder screws should be on the top half of the caliper when installedcorrectly.
Now comes the hardest part, for me anyway: re-attaching thebrake lines. Some minor bending of the brake lines is necessary, just becareful not to pinch them. It took me a little while of working the braketubing around so that the line would match up with the hole on the caliper.After attaching the brake lines, a good bleeding is in order.
Next, mountthe tire on the rotor to check for clearance. Depending on the type of rimyou have, some wheel spacers may be required to accommodate the larger calipers(you can find spacers at most auto parts stores). Usually, most aftermarketrims, and 15" Z rims will be able to be mounted without any spacers, youwill just have to check your particular rim to see exactly how much roomyou have. Just for reference, I have 14x6 280ZX six spoke aluminum rims,and I had no problems with clearance.
Once the tires are mounted, youare ready to head out to your favorite private testing facility! Now, yourcar may not stop like a Formula One car, but, with everything done properly,you should feel a noticeable difference in your Z's stopping ability. Goodluck!

Special thanks to:
Mike Young
Performance Toyotaof Plano
1001 Preston Road
Plano, Tx.
1-800-275-8696
(Askfor Mike, mention this article, and
he'll give you a 10% discount onparts)

http://www.justdashes.com/index.html

lifetime warranty! 750 bucks.

[image not available]

Just Dashes
5941 Lemona Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91411
1-800-247-3274

The only 2 Zshops I've dealt with locally and would recommend are:EMI Racing in Huntington Beach, CA. - Erik Messley does fantastic work(mostly suspension) IF he has time (which he never does). Begging,pleading, cash, and a nice Z car will often get him to find some extra time.http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=emiracing@mindspring.com&YY=16514&order=down&sort=date&pos=0 (714) 899-3669Datsun Alley in Signal Hill (Long Beach), CA. - Mark Jones is the owner andhe did some of the Datsun Z Restorations. Datsun Alley is a good sized shopand they do great work. (562) 988-0009

>Hi all>>I am looking for a good source(web-site) on foam kits for my seats in the 240. Any hints?

Call Mike at:Banzai Motorworks

6735 MidCities Avenue

Beltsville, Maryland 20705

E Mail: http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=zspert@erols.com&YY=134&order=down&sort=date&pos=0

Web Site: http://www.zzxdatsun.com/

Phone/Fax: 1-301- 937-5746

Vintage Datsun Specialist Since 1970

I just had them measured with some calipers and it came out at 365 ID and 468 OD. If you can make these out of oil-impregnated bronze you will have alot of customers hungry for them.

The only source is John Kane (see parts & acc section 3/27) who is clearing out his inventory of stainless steel bushings. I have heard mixed results with them.

This information was posted on zcar.com in April of 2000

Converting Maunal Antenna to Automatic

From: "Paul X. Johnson" <http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=pxj@earthlink.net&YY=134&order=down&sort=date&pos=0> Subject: RE:<240z-club> How to convert manual to automatic antenna control - -- Group Message from "Paul X. Johnson" <http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=pxj@earthlink.net&YY=134&order=down&sort=date&pos=0> --Steve Wang Wrote:> There have been many recent lists on stereo upgrade, but nobody mentioned> how to connect the antenna wiring. The early Z cars have a manual> switch at> the dash to raise or lower the antenna, as you all know. The> manual switch> has three leads, two go to the antenna motor and one to the power supply.> But any stereo head you buy today has only one lead wire, the> power supply,> to connect to the antenna. My understanding is that the switching is now> done at the antenna end automatically. What can I do now.> I bought the same JVC head that Art mentioned in a recent list. Maybe Art> can help answer this question if he would ask his installer. Thanks There is no practical way to wire up the manual antenna to work as an automatic antenna by changing just the stereo, the "automatic" part is built into the antenna. If you are willing to replace your antenna with an automatic one, you can use the existing wiring to connect it up. You have 3 wires, one with power, and you need only two for the automatic, one for power, and one that connects to the antenna lead on the stereo (That's how the antenna knows when the radio is on).If you don't want to replace the antenna, then just relocate the existing switch, that's about all you can do. Good Luck,- -pxj71 240Z 93 300ZX TT

carfax.com on the VIN number to see if it is actual

Well, being the curious sort that i am, i e-mailed Jim Wolf Technologies about what they make for the Z31's, an interesting list, I'll probably be picking up one of those ECU's some time after my i get my intake and exhaust...oh, yeah, here's what JWT said: Thanks for your interest in JWT products. Here is a list of what we have for the 1981-89 280/300ZX Turbo models. For Non-Turbo 300ZXs, see the bottom of this list.

BASIC UPGRADES FOR THE 81-89 280/300ZX-T:280ZX-T Stock HP= 180 @ ~6-7 PSI

300ZX-T Stock HP = 200 @ ~6-7 PSI Add JWT upgraded ECU can run about 11 PSI = ~225 HP $595 exchange. Turnaround time is typically 2-3 business days.(Must use a boost controller to go higher than 6-7 PSI) We do offer a core exchange option. Call us for details on this. Manual boost controller kit $100Greddy Profec B electronic boost controller $420 Add your own 2.5"-3" exhaust system and an intercooler system (See HKS for the 280ZX-T,) will allow you to run ~14-14.5 PSI = ~260 HP.Spearco Intercooler system for 1984-89 300ZX-T (this is a complete kit,88-89 requires some modifications.) $1100The stock injectors will allow a maximum of ~260HP due to their 259ccflow rate. For more horsepower than the above system upgrades can do, use our 450HPControl System upgrade. THE 450HP CONTROL SYSTEM: Purpose: This conversion is required when horsepower requirements exceed the limits of the stock injectors and flow meter. Note that a working knowledge of the control system is required before attempting this conversion. This conversion is not intended for applications subject to specific emission control requirements and should not be used for such applications. This system requires converting the ECU to an 88-89 unit which we do for$595 to make it a plug in swap. You must supply the correct ECU. We have a detailed list of acceptable ECU numbers available if you call us and are ready to proceed. Turnaround time for this ECU is typically 2-4 business days. 420cc injectors $100 each Dropping resistors $3 each, 6 required Ford Mustang Cobra MAF w/harness adapter $250MSD 43 GPH fuel pump $138.80 Sport 350 turbo $795 on an exchange basis, this turbo can make 350 HP on race fuel and 300 HP on 92+ octane pump fuel when used with the 450HP control system. Sport 400 turbo $895 on an exchange basis, this turbo can make 400 HP on race fuel and 300 HP on 92+ octane pump fuel when used with the 450 HP control system. Sport 450 turbo $995 on an exchange basis, this turbo can make 450 HP on race fuel and 300 HP on 92+ octane pump fuel when used with the 450 HP control system. Billet cams are now available for the VG30E-T and we have two different versions available $560 for the set. Call for details. Forged pistons (~8.0:1 C.R.,) are available for the VG30E-T engine and are $180each. To use these rods in a VG30E-T, you need to use one of the following connecting rods as the small end (pin diameter,) of the factory rods is not large enough. Use our Crower billet steel connecting rods ($200 each,) or you can use factory 1990+ 300ZX (Z32) connecting rods to make our forged pistons work on your VG30E-T engine. The stock VG30E-T connecting rods can also be modified to accept our forged pistons. Contact us on how this is done if interested. We have a single page info sheet which we can fax or mail you and we have additional instruction sheets that apply to the 450HP control system. Call us during our business hours to see if this system will work for you and to answer any other questions pertaining to this system. **For owners of the Non-Turbo 1984-89 300ZX, we offer the following upgrades: ECU upgrade $595 (on an exchange basis)Billet cams are now available for the VG30E and we have two different versions available $560 for the set. Call for details. Due to the large amount of e-mail we receive, we ask that you call us during our business hours for any additional questions. Jim Wolf Technology (619) 442-0680 Monday-Friday 8am-5pm PST Note: prices subject to change without notice, call to confirm all pricing.

From: Jim King <http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=jking@shore.net&YY=80886&order=down&sort=date&pos=0>

Don Lew owns a 84 Supra which he bought some3 piece Epsilon wheels with custom offset/bolt pattern.16x8, 0mm offset. These are BBS mesh style wheels, which most mfg do not produce. He has contact information on his site for Epsilon.http://members.aol.com/~familyrx1/supra003.htm

Group Message from Rob Roy <http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=royr@genium.com&YY=31338&order=down&sort=date&pos=0>

A friend wanted to use different wheels and tires on his Sentra and found he needed longer studs. He was taken aback by the price of the Nissan studs, so he did a little research. I snipped out the following for your information. "Anyway, we spoke of the ridiculous price of over $7.00 a lug stud, from Nissan Motorsport. Well, I wrote down the specs. for the extra long studs, and went to Napa. They let me look through their catalog, and I found a perfect match. They cost $2.49 each, and can be had anytime, instead of having to order them from CA. I checked the part number for the Z car, [in the Nissan catalog], and it is indeed the same as the Sentra. Nissan Motorsport's stud, part # 40222-A0220 can be had at Napa as part # 6412785.

Mazda part # la01-33-062 Stud for (I think) some MPVs...... Only about 7mm longer than stock nissan studs, but very good quality metal (A problem I've had with autozone type cheapie studs) And they're m12x1.5 instead of the 1.25 pitch normal on Nissan. Ran me $2.88 each.

Stock Stud is m12x1.25 pitch

I have a 1971 and the rear defroster doesn't work. Power is getting to => the glass, but it doesn't work. Are there any replacement windows => better than another, that have the appropriate element? Also do any of => these replacements come tinted? To check out the filaments on the glass (works well for finding a break in any one element too):By the way, when touching the elements, don't scrape or you will do furtherdamage.1. Take a voltmeter and measure from one side of the window, to the other. There should be about 12 volts across the full glass.2. Then, leave the meter connected to one side, (preferably the negative side) and touch the other lead along the element. There should be a voltage drop proportional to how far across the glass you move the lead. For example: If you put the positive lead 1/4 way across the glass, there should be 3volts. If you put the positive lead 1/2 way across the glass, there should be 6volts. If you put the positive lead 3/4 way across the glass, there should be 9volts.HOWEVER, if the voltage suddenly jumps from zero to 12 volts some where across the glass, you have an open in the line. Quite often the open is only a tiny crack. Auto stores sell a paint that is conductive and allows you to patch the cracks.

Bonzi Motors

Z and ZX Label’s and hard to find parts for the Z. Nissan used there parts for the restored project.

All so have window seals, and the only place for a one piece hatch seal. There stuff is well priced and very good quality.

http://www.zzxdatsun.com/parts.htm

http://240z.jeromio.com/ym/Compose?To=JSL3@pge.com&YY=60899&order=down&sort=date> --Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 22:38:28 -0600

Q: Weather-strip I'm rebuilding the doors on my 240Z. I'm looking for the CHEAPEST SOURCE for the weather strip that wipes the outside of the window when you roll your window up or down. It installs by snapping on the door with a chrome strip. Mine is hard and brittle and doesn't even touch the window glass. Can I get it any cheaper by just replacing the rubber and using the same chrome strip that I have? If so, how do you attach the new rubber strip onto the chrome? Looks like the original is stapled on, but what kind of stapler do I use? Similar question on the inside window "fuzzy" strip on the interior door panel: The original is stapled on; what kind of stapler do I use, or is there some other neat way of attaching the fuzzy strip. Keith 72 240Z Rattletrap.

A: Keith, you can buy the part from Victoria British, both inside and outside. Outside = $75.85 ea, Inside = is only $6.95 ea. My rubber may not be as bad as yours, but I'll tell you how I fixed mine, For cheap. I was putting new channel felt in and had taken the chrome strip off for better access and decided to apply a new strip of soft rubber to the inside of the existing rubber. I went to the hardware store and bought a piece of "shower door" seal that was 1.5 inches wide and 42 inches long. It was gray and thin. Probably 1/16" or less. I split it down the middle with scissors and then used contact cement to glue it to the existing rubber. The tricky part was to align it so that it didn't protrude to far past the old rubber so it's not visible when installed. It's soft and now wipes the glass when you roll down the window and it keeps the water out of the door cavity. You can just barley see the gray rubber if you look carefully at the seal. This cost me $1.79 plus the cement. I did both doors. By the way go to my web page and look at my write-up on replacing the window channel felt. www.jps.net/jsl3

www.jps.net/jsl3

I have put up with wind noise and a cold left ear for a long time. Most of us with 25-30 year old cars have also. I’ve looked at replacing the window channel felt, but was turned away because of price. Dealer parts were way too expensive and the best price I had found was with Victoria British at $13.00 per side. That was until someone on the 240zclub-email list mentioned that he had found the part at JC Whitney for cheap. He even gave the part number and price. I thought I’d hear an uproar on the discussion list of people thanking him and expounding on their experiences with replacing this little serviced but greatly needed part. But low and behold I never heard a word. That thread stopped as quickly as it had begun. I however, didn't forget to print the ordering information and called JC Whitney to order the parts for my ’73 240Z.

I have to tell you that replacing this window seal was the second best improvement/modification I’ve ever made to my car. Second only to installing the GM HEI electronic ignition. The wind noise has disappeared, the glass doesn’t rattle within the frame, and there is no cold air blowing on my ear. Quite the improvement

The channel felt doesn’t extend all the way down into the door, but stops about 1 ½ " down past the window glass seal and the inner fussy trim. Because you can reach all this from outside, all you have to do to replace the channel seal is remove the inside door panel. (Although, when I did the passenger side, I left the door panel inplace and had no trouble completing the job) This will give you more room to work. You don’t have to pull off the metal channel piece. I cut the new channel seal to length and then marked and cut a notch in it where the upper most 90-degree corner is. This notch should not cut all the way through the seal, but rather only notch the sides so that when you bend it, it will form the 90-degree corner. You’ll have the old to use as a pattern, so just copy it.

www.jcwhitney.com

Don Lew owns a 84 Supra which he bought some3 piece Epsilon wheels with custom offset/bolt pattern.16x8, 0mm offset.These are BBS mesh style wheels, which most mfgdo not produce.He has contact information on his site for Epsilon.http://members.aol.com/~familyrx1/supra003.htm

I know a lot of you probably already knew this (and/or have>strong opinions pro/con), but I figured I'd pass it along anyway for discussion. I'm having an LZ22 motor professionally built (thanks, Dave L for the recommendation). I asked my builder about the advantages of installing a PCV valve. My old L18 motor simply had a pseudo-K&N mini air filter installed on the block breather tube. Regardless, here's what he said. I'm interested in hearing others' comments/experiences. You should hook up your breather tube to a PCV valve. There should be a provision in the bottom, maybe the top or side, of the intake for a PCV valve. Typically on the Datsun engines it is a either 1/4" or 3/8" pipe thread. As your engine builder I STRONGLY advise you run a PCV system. There are no cons and a bunch of pros to having a functional PCV system. A few of the pros is better ring seal, (this means more power), increases ring and cylinder wall life, (for the GREEN people, less emissions). By having a vacuum in the crank case it helps o reduce oil foaming and boils off the moisture in the crank case a little sooner as well, lower pressure makes for a lower boiling point. The vacuum in the crank case also helps to keep the oil from seeping out of every seal and gasket on the engine as well, less mess on the driveway and the engine/subframe will stay cleaner.

The Nissan manual specs are .008I and .010E cold, and .010I and .012E hot. Yup, Andy was right on the ball on that one (why didn't that occur to ME?) FWIW, my Racer Brown cam (installed in 1984) calls for .006I and .008E hot, AT THE VALVE! Now those are pretty tight clearances. Sure are. Makes me wonder.... Lash specs are probably made to ensure you never burn a valve, or have excessive slop, given a max inspection interval and gradual reduction/increase in clearance. So if you inspect much more frequently you should be able to run tighter clearances, right? Hmm....BTW, since I'm a lazy bum and don't wanna work on a hot engine, I always set mine cold. Just curious how far off the more conscientious among us (Carl) find the settings to be after the engine has warmed up. Adjustment nuts are just under the rocker arms, where they pivot.14mm wrench. Locknuts are just below the adjustment nuts, 17mm wrench. Don't mess with the bigger nut below the 17mm one. Aptitude at adjustment procedure develops with experience. I can do 'em pretty quick now. Helps to be able to hold both the 14 and 17mm wrenches in one hand, modulating the 14mm until you feel proper drag on the feeler gauge in the other hand. Adjust to 1 thou over, when you tighten the lock nut it'll be right.

Dan Baldwin

If you've never seen it done Scott's (ZTherapy) 240 Tune up video shows you quite clearly. http://www.ztherapy.com/TuneTrunkVideo.html

Hi Guys:

Just so we don't get carried away with worry over a thousandth of an inch one way or the other...;-). The Factory Manuals specify the valve lash for a car when new...They specify: Intake Exhaust HOT Setting 0.25mm (0.0098 in) 0.30mm (0.0118 in) With a reground cam - the lash spec.'s could very well change. Likewise, with an engine with 100K+ miles on it, the original Factory Spec.'s may not be the best for your car. Most of the time the valves will tighten themselves down over time... also with worn parts the original factory spec.'s may result in a lot of extra valve noise. Even though you are keeping the valve lash the same – other parts of the valve train wear and increase their tolerances (valve train slop). Sometimes your better off running a thousandth or two tighter valve lash on a high mileage engine... It's a matter of some trial and error - but you want to be close to the original spec.'s - and you want the least valve train noise... The rational being that excessive valve lash results in excessive valve train noise and parts that are hammering themselves to death... to little clearance and you get excessive wear. On a high mileage engine if the factory spec.'s result in a lot of valve "tappet tick" - I'd give them a try at 0.008 and 0.010 and see what they sound like...If you have never adjusted the valves yourself - I agree with who ever said get Scott's Video. I'll add this:

1. Get yourself some good high quality, thin profile wrenches.. that fit the nuts exactly - the longer the handles the better for the beginner. Longer wrenches allow you to keep your hands farther away from the head to begin with - and they allow you to put a little more torque on the nuts (better leverage for weaker hands like mine).
2. 2. Get yourself a small brass hammer - to tap the wrenches and break the lock nuts lose as well as to tap them tight again. (a brass hammer won't bounce back when it strikes the wrench).
3. 3. The first few times - wear leather work gloves. The edge of that head is like a razor - a couple of slips while twisting the wrench and you will lose a lot of blood. (Item #2 above helps greatly to prevent slipping when your putting a lot of pressure on the wrench - a little pressure and alight tap with a heavy brass hammer is much safer ;-)..
4. OK - 1. Adjust the valves on the engine cold - FIRST. This will let you loosen the nuts etc and get used to adjusting the lash and tightening things back down - without burning your hands. 2. Warn the engine up - and then recheck the valve lash - adjust if necessary. Don't be afraid to try it - and do it several times - even if you don't have to - it's just one of those things you have to put some time into...Good tools and the right tools make the whole thing much easier to master...
5. Good luck,
6. Carl Beck
7. Clearwater, FL

Z Car Magazine on CD is at:

The url is http://zcarmag.com/issue16/

has anyone done this conversion? i was reading an old issue of ZCCD (vol. 4 no. 15) and they were discussing an E Production Z car.... and as i was drooling over the pictures I noticed that they were using braided lines and AN fittings on the SU's... i was wondering if anyone else has ever tried this conversion.... what size AN did you use.... How does this affect fuel return if there is even a fuel return line.... ANSWER: if anyone else is interested its an AN-6 fitting. Ed

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