Mn_Z_Man

I think the clips you are talking about are ones you need to remove to take the joint apart. Also, they are not all the same thickness, as they are used center the joint in the yoke. I don't think the different thickness's are availible anymore- I took my axles to a shop and had them balanced afterward. Mine were really hard to get out, much harder than I remember on the last car I did years ago. I would probably just take it to a shop next time. Also a good time to take apart, grease and clean your slip joint as well, would advise using the FSM on that one, as those parts are NLA as well. Eric

Thanks for all the useful ideas. So we're roughly evenly split between springs and shocks-obviously both will affect the ride, its a question of balance between the two. Sounds like the tociko blue and HP spring combo is about as stiff as it gets. So I'm assuming the Eibach springs are less stiff than mine, but stiffer than stock. How about KYB G2 struts with my Tociko springs? I guess either way I'm in for either new springs or new struts. How is the ride height and quality with KYB's and stock springs? The KYB's are advertised as a lower pressure strut, is it quite a bit lower than the Tockio's (which are pretty stiff)? One of these combo's is going in, just want to increase my odds of being closer this time, with out getting the "4X4" look I have seen in some Z's. Also, bushings are all new polyurethane- I'm sure they are contributing to some of the stiffness, hoping not too much cause they were a grunt to get in! Thanks again. Eric

2 years ago I redid the suspension- bushing's, ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks and springs. Went with the Tociko HP kit, the blues. Well, after daily driving last summer, I am seriously considering switching back to a more stock ride- for my taste, the HP combo is just too stiff for daily driving. I suspect the springs are probably biggest culprit in the bone-jarring feel. Could I go back to my stock springs and keep the tociko struts, or is that a bad idea? My guess is the ride height would go up due to the heavy gas charge in the struts- true? Should I just go back to stock springs and KYB G2 struts? The only other stock-type strut I can find is Monroe- any one have any experience with them? thanks Eric

One of each model, no 2+2's or auto's, bone stock, and one each of the same, decked out in period correct street rod form- and a 1999 twin turbo, burgundy, with black suede. Now back to work.

OK, assuming you got it right initially, one other oddity you don't hear mentioned much is that the marks on the sprockets and bright links will only match up UNTIL you turn them. They will not line up again until you turn the crank something like 12 times (can't remember the exact number). Also, not sure if your slack side chain guide is installed properly- it doesn't look like its touching the chain. If that is true, then you won't be able to set is correctly- when the tensioner and the guide are installed right, there is not much slack in the chain, probably no a whole "tooth" worth like you seem to have. Search a bit, someone has posted some nice pics of the correct setup. Eric

like INF said, and be ready for a couple loud bangs when they fully seat on your first trip out of the garage- can be startling, sounds like something broke.

Thanks Lazeum and John, that was exactly what I was was try to get to. Your build is even similar to what I am planning. I've got an N42 block with an N47 head I picked up used. I also have a fresh rebuilt stock E88 off my L24. I'm trying to do the mix and match thing, with flat top pistons on the table if needed, or the E88 head, but that has smaller valves. I have found several nice write-ups, was just looking for some actual experience with similar builds. Lazeum, do you feel your triples were worth the extra cost over SU's? I've got about $2500 to spend, and triples would eat up a lot of that (new, anyway)- SU's would leave more for other goodies.

Hey all, I'm getting ready to start a 280 NA street build, and am wondering how to pick a compression ratio. Is it worth it to target, say 10:1 (head/piston swap), over the stock 9:1, all other things being equal? I know that going too high will cause problems, but aren't most high output na motors around 10.5:1? thanks Eric

Your're right, that is book for modifying, I meant the Monroe book about rebuilding the L-series datsun engine- my bad.

The reason you can't replace them easily is the u-joint caps are swaged into the yokes- take a close look, you'll see what I mean. You probably just need to take it to a shop, where they will know how to deal with it, and what to replace them with. good luck

You may have knocked loose some crud in your fuel system, that is now stuck somewhere it shouldn't be. Start with the fuel filter, should be easy. If that works, great, if not I would suggest a complete fuel system check from the tank to the carbs, including your pickup line, return line, electronic fuel pump, manual fuel pump, filter screens on the carbs, and float and needle valve assembly. Also confirm your spark just to make sure its not your coil or something and the timing with the Seafoam is a coincidence. Eric

welcome to the world of restoration. In addition to the above, heat from a propane torch can help as well, just be safe if using it under the hood. Use a big vicegrip on the stub while its still hot.

hybridZ.org is really the place to get started for engine swaps- read the stickies before posting. E

most people think a turbo scavenged from a 280zxt is the best bang for the buck for serious gains in a mainly stock and streetable configuration. most other mods are expensive per HP gained (stroker) or require lots of related mods to get the power (cam carbs, headers, compression etc). Just my 2 cents, chime in if you have other experiences.

you need to be more specific about the intended use of the car, the approach you want to take, how much you have to spend, Also spend a little time searching, there are dozens of good Z sites with tips, ideas, and people documenting their projects. This type of forum is for answering specific questions. have fun Eric

Its not difficult, but it does qualify as a significant project. Major issue is getting the head off without popping out your chain tensioner, then getting the valve timing right again. Not a big deal, but you will need the Honsoweitz book the first time through. I don't know if you have to remove the manifolds and cooling stuff, but you would at least have to unhook the exhaust pipe. Personally I would take them off and replace the intake/exhaust gasket at the same time. Getting the valve timing right is important, otherwise you'll bend a valve like someone I know who did it himself the first time. Maybe someone else can address the probability of breaking studs and bolts- mine all came out OK. Make sure the head gasket is the real problem, and hope there is no other damage. good luck Eric

Thanks Jon, I will do leak down test before I commit to rings. Probably also time to to get the reman SU bodies form Ztherapy. Everything else is is in good shape, not too much more to do. thanks Eric

thanks all for the thoughts. I'm guessing if I could really get it back to 185 (new stock), it would run better. My mileage is not good, and the tail pipe stink is driving me crazy. I keep trying to lean out the SU's, but then it runs like doo-doo. Is 155 PSI enough to hurt the efficiency of the engine? The rings are definate maybe this winter. And yes, I'm not in any hurry to change the rocker geometry at this point- that getting inot more than I want to sink into the L24, really just want to run as good as practical. thanks Eric

Ok, I avanced the valve timing to #2, adjusted the lash, and ran it ~250 miles. Rechecked compression, and it was maybe on average 2-3 PSI higher, still around 160 psi. Put one shot of oil in the the lowest cylinder, and it went from 155 to 175. Doesn't run much different after the change, maybe a little smoother at 5+K, gas milage is still the same, about 16-18 around town. Another wierd thing is my plugs still look almost new after 1,000 miles. conclusions- It seems my low compression is likely the result of worn rings, and cleaning of the carbon build up. That would explain why they were variable but higher before the valve job, and lower and even after. Advancing the timing made no real difference. I was assuming that since I don't burn any oil, by rings were OK, but I guess the oil rings and the compressions rings work independently. Any thoughts? Will new rings and good hone bring her back to 185 PSI, and will I notice a difference? I'm trying to decide whether to put the time (and $$) into this engine (with its new head) or start on the L28 build I've been thinking about. The problem is I'm not sure if my N42 head is a good candidate for an L28 build. thanks Eric

Commonly over-looked and easy to fix is the hatch panel. Take it off, clean it up, and silicone it back in place. thats a start.

I just paid $400 at a carquest machine shop, here what I got- 2 new valves, new exhaust guides, valve and seat grinding, tipping off the valve tips to keep them the same installed height, resurfaced head. Gasket set is another $50, I used Felpro, which includes the valve seals. The book by Frank Honsoweitz on how to rebuild your nissan L-series engine is a great investment, lots of detail on the does and dont's of rebuilding. good luck Eric

thanks oz. The Carbon and head gasket came to mind for me too. There was a moderate amount of carbon- don't have much experience, but they did need some cleaning, much of the deposit was actually tan colored. Ditto for tops of pistons, but amount is hard to judge. Also don't know about head gasket, the one I used was a premium FelPro, generally well regarded, but don't know how it compares to what was in there (should have saved it). Depth of valve grinding, only enough to clean them up, again don't know the amount. Yes the pressures were all taken hot, dry, plugs out, throttle wired open, 6-8 cranks, good new gauge. I'm going to check it agian this weekend now that I have ~1000 miles on since the build, and we'll if anything has changed. Thanks Eric

when I first got my '73 the timing chain was stretched and compression was 160 PSI. I advanced the chain to #3 and it came up to 175 PSI. This winter I replaced the timing chain, and bent a valve in process. the 5 cylinders that were good showed 175 to 180 PSI. I then got a valve job to fix the bent valves- new exhaust guides, grind, new seals- AND the head needed to be milled. After the valve job, timing mark back on #1, compression is down to 155-160 PSI. The machinist didn't actually measure the amount he milled off ( :tapemouth), but he thought it was only a few thousands. Now I've heard/read that head/deck milling will retard the valve timing, but never any discussion of how to fix it. the mark is at #1, but I'm wondering if the alignment marks don't work the same after the milling? I'm thinking about advancing to #2 dowel and see if that helps. Any suggestions? Would getting and adjsutable cam sprocket be a better idea? I'm gusing there is another tool to get to time the valves with out using the OEM marks. Any thoughts on this appreciated, I'm kind off the beaten path here, and not a lot of experience with custom engine mechanical. I remember those 15-20 PSI made a big difference in how the engine ran, want to get them back! thanks Eric

How does the ride for these custom springs compare to the Tokico HP set- I bout a set, with the shocks and don't really like them, way too stiff for general use. I was thinking about putting the stock back in, but this sounds like a compromise? thanks Eric

order of trouble shooting. 1. valve timing (timing chain stretch)- and valve lash adjsutment 2. ignition timing and parts 3. check compression and vacuum- correct testing of BOTH is invaluable for diagnosing mechanical problems 4. fuel supply 5. carb adjustment Assuming you have SU carbs, the fine folks at Ztherapy.com are the first stop. The sell a video that is very useful to getting the SU's set up properly. Eric