Thanks for the additional insights Jeff. About the eccentric bushing... My plan is to put the stock cam back to the stock valve timing using the original timing marks. For the bushings, I'll come up with a simple fixture to press the bushing into place (off the car) and locate the holes for me. So the difficulty of turning the bushings once installed won't be an issue. In the end, even though I'll have the ability to change the bushings to mess with the timing, I wasn't planning to do so. The only reason I was going to use the bushings was to account for the timing change incurred as a result of cutting the head. But once I get it set back to the stock timing, I wasn't planning to mess with it (ever?) again.

The plan is to pick a bushing while I have the front timing cover off and hopefully be done with it. Pulling the gear off to change bushings shouldn't be a big deal.

And at this point I'm planning to put the stock cam back in and run the stock EFI, so it sounds like your street Z. When you say that this 9:5 motor is better than your 10:1 street Z motor.. . Why is that? Just raw power?

11 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

Thanks much.  There's lots of other stuff I need, but it's not the kind of things I can lean on vou for. Bigger stuff like gasket set, rings, head bolts...

You have a pair of piston ring pliers or a ring gap grinder? I don't have that stuff and I'll probably only ever use them this once.

And I'd love to fight over another lunch bill.  My house is your house!

Yup. PR pliers, ring grinder and piston installing ring clamp thing. I'll also send the anaerobic sealant for the main side bearings.

 

Sounds like a plan.  That should be similar to my street engine.  That engine does run well, though my race engine pulls harder and has a broad powerband.  It pulls hard to 7,000RPM.  It's a little hard to quantify since the race car isn't street legal, they are hard to directly compare to each other.  I think the light flywheel helps as well.

The only time you'd have to change the eccentric if you stick with the stock cam is to adjust for chain stretch.  That will not happen anytime soon though.

I'm just looking for a little more than stock while still being pretty much stock. Sounds like exactly what you did with your street motor.

I don't know if you had seen my whole broken camshaft debacle with the motor that's currently in my 77, but as part of that whole fix, I found and repaired a whole bunch of previous owner caused problems inside that motor and it's now running way better than it ever did as long as I owned it. For me, that upgrade step was just getting that motor "back to what it should be producing" and I found that increase noticeable. It's amazing what happens when you have all six cylinders actually contributing to the power output.

So my threshold for success on this F54/P79 build is "noticeably better than a properly working (but worn) stock N42/N47 combo". Should be pretty easy to achieve.

While I have you here... You pulled out the plugs in the oil galleys and talked about flash in there that you cleaned out. Any additional info about that? Any pics? I've not pulled the plugs and I wasn't planning to do so unless I had a compelling reason. Did you pull the plugs on the head as well?

32 minutes ago, 240260280 said:

Yup. PR pliers, ring grinder and piston installing ring clamp thing. I'll also send the anaerobic sealant for the main side bearings.

Awesome!! There are three of us working on these motors at the same time and I know none of us have that stuff.   @GGRIII  @Av8ferg

I should post my parts list and tool needs...

You are also getting 2 Clevite Rod Bolt Condoms.  Let me know if you need a formal ring land cleaning tool?  It is a bit clunky. I prefer using the old rings (and my ultrasonic cleaner)

 

Engine Builders Unite!

@240260280 What do you use the flange Sealant for?

Rear main bearing cap seals...left/right?

Thanks!

Edited September 23, 20195 yr by jonathanrussell

23 minutes ago, jonathanrussell said:

@240260280 What do you use the flange Sealant for?

Rear main bearing cap seals...left/right?

Thanks!

Correct ?

3 hours ago, 240260280 said:

Engine Builders Unite!

You are the man! I'll keep my eyes peeled!  

18 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

My house is your house!

We say "treat it like it's yours"

Cars, boats, houses, whatever you need except the girl.

CO's motor should make it to my garage on Wednesday.  Since I have his hoist he will finally be able to get to the bottom end!  Since I have a 260 my exhaust is set up for square exhaust ports.  I'm thinking about using an E88 head and sticking the bigger valves in it or using a P90 head depending on what I can find.  That means I would have a P79 head laying around - if I can find an E88 or P90.  As part of the 280zx strip I also have an extra 5spd and diff.  CO will have first dibs but at the end of the build I will be clearing out the garage of extra stuff :).

N42 has square too. Big valves also.

Edited September 24, 20195 yr by siteunseen