Ben's Z

Here is my update from hybridz Well I tried a few things this morning. 1) I took my NA cam out of my P90 and put it back in my NA head which is still on the block to get an idea of how free the cam should spin. Knowing that I took it back out. 2) I installed my P90 head with the head gasket with the theory that perhaps with the head torqued the cam might spin easier. Sort of a reverse torque plate theory when machine shops bore cylinders. I put the cam towers on loose and put the cam in. I did the torque sequence checking the cam for spin after each sequence. I torqued it to 20 ft lbs first go around and then tightened the cam towers to 14 ft lbs. The cam was even tighter than my bench top spin. Went once more around to 40 ft lbs., no change. Still too tight, I stopped there. My question is this. When Nissan align bored the cam towers at the factory did they torque the head to spec first? I believe they did straighten the head but if they didn't resurface the top the I am pissing in to a 100mph head wind and torquing the head made it worse. I am going to take it to a shop and have them plane the top. Is there anyway they should simulate the head being torqued to the block when they do this?

Posted this over at hybrid too. Mostly a lot of snarky comments from ****head n chief Tony D. I had my P90 machine 15 thousandths but the head was warped more than that, so they heated and straightened it. They told me the cam spun fine, which it does to a certain degree. I have read that the cam should spin with 2 fingers about 360 degrees with minimal effort. With mine torqued to 12 ft lbs. it spins about 300 degrees but is tighter then this finger spin everyone talks about and for about 20% of the rotation it is even tighter. It never doesn't spin. I am convinced the shop did not machine the top of the block after all of this. I ran it over to another machine shop questioning my first yesterday and they thought that once the car was warm the aluminum towers would expand more than the cam and all would be well. This just doesn't sit well with me. I also thought about putting the head on the block with the head gasket and torquing it down to see if that last bit of twist makes it spin better. Thoughts? Here is my post at hybrid. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/110330-how-easy-should-a-cam-turn/

Here is my engine bay refresh. I am not done and this included a L28ET swap. You 240 guys got it so much easier on this project. These are my before and after photos. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread46890-3.html Midway down this page or so.

Ok. Dropped the head off at the machine shop. They had put the 2mm longer exhaust valves from the N47 in the head and not the shorter turbo valves. Now I know why I was killing myself to compress the valve springs to get the rocker arms in! I bet they didn't keep the rocker in order though. Whatdya bet?

They are all the original valves except for 1 they had to replace.

As posted at hybridz My god, can this build can any worse. So I got my Heli Coil in today with my cam towers and my N47 cam spun great on the P90. Reused the rockers from the N47 and kept them in order. I put permanent marker on all the rockers arms in prep to check the wipe pattern. Anyhow, I got all the rockers in and start setting the lash. I quickly found out even on base circle I couldn't get ANY feeler gauge on the rocker arm on ANY of the exhaust valves. The adjusters are all the way down. I was able to adjust all the intake valves and usually had about 1/2 to 1 full thread sticking out on the ball pivot past the jam nut. I spoke to a knowledgeable forum member who thinks the shop cut the exhaust valve seat too deep. .0015 was taken off the head by this shop and they felt as much as .0010 was taken off in a previous life. Holy crap I am getting weary of this... If they cut the seat too deep can they still use my valves and take some off of the stem or will that make the lash pad compress the spring retainer and not the stem itself? Are we look at custom valves on the exhaust side at the very least? What do you guys think?

If I use my cam out of my 77 should I use those cam towers or the ones out of my P90?

Compression would be too high. I think the combustion chamber is bigger on the turbo heads.

Two feckless turds in a row now have hosed me on back to back P90 cams at Hybrid Z and my patience is wearing thin. My motor build ( http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread46890.html ) has been set back 4 weeks from actually enjoying my car because of all of this. A couple guys over at hybrid suggested running an internally oiled "A" cam from a 77-81 N/A motor (Think I got my dates right). I know there are not a lot of turbo folks over here but any help would be great. I could pull my cam out of my old motor, towers and all and let it rip. Doug at Awesome Z said he has some cams too. I don't know:ermm: I do know I have been banged out of nearly $300 in either junk or nowhere to be found cams from hybridz members.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-250-GTO-Replica-/221153348738?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item337dc44c82#v4-42 :stupid:

An understanding brother would have volunteered to drive the truck and stare at the 240's posterior across I-10!

So the million dollar question? With the Ferrari driving from New Jersey... Did you DRIVE the the Z home?

Make sure you have your bearings in the right order. #1 and #7 are wider than all the others. I recently torqued my main bolts to 40 ft lbs. Did this thing turn over before it went to the shop? Does it spin freely with the rear cap loose? My rear oil seal was in there crooked and I had to take the cap off and reposition. Mine was a little tight and went in awkward too, but I was able to tap it straight. If you think that sucks wait until you have to put in the side seals and nails. I had to LIGHTLY take a razor blade and shave just a little off of the tops of the "U" side of the seals. I'd put the rear saddle in a freezer and use a torch or heat gun on the block. Good luck.

With regards to the towing, I am by no means an expert, but I think you might find better results by favoring the Z to the back of the trailer a little more. You got all that engine weight way out over the tongue. Combine that with U Haul trailer tongue weight to begin with and that is a lot of weight on the rear of that Tundra. I'd almost have the rear wheels of the Z at the end of the trailer. Looks like one hell of a time.

What a tool.

You got some expensive company there...

Since I had to take off my front bumper to paint my engine bay, and I never intended on keeping the park benches anyhow; I am not putting my park bench back on ever again. That being said I do not have any 240z bumper brackets to look at, so I have no idea how the horns will go back on. I guess it is no different than a 240Z?

They look about the same? Not going for concourse here...

Did you ever find anything for this? I need some...

Long time, no post! A lot of down time waiting for parts... I mentioned before I was not entirely satisfied with my original paint match in the engine bay, it was too dark. I bought some paint from www.automotivetouchup.com Zedy had used them and if he was satisfied I knew I would be. I ordered 3 aerosol cans of 306, but only needed 2. I just had to rescuff the engine bay again, I didn't need to seal the enamel. I bought a cheapo Harbor Freight HVLP touch up gun and sprayed the clear conventionally. Urethane is the only way to go when it comes to paint. The color is obviously darker than my 1979 respray but is lighter by a few shades than the original color I sprayed. I also got a new booster and sprayed that. I have also been media blasting and painting small items like wiper arms, the little metal pieces around the firewall A/C lines and the tubes for the heater core. I also did the bracket that holds the voltage regulator and fusible links. I completely dissembled my grill and resprayed that and it is now back together. Before After The short block is together and I am now waiting on my rocker arms to come back from Delta Cams for resurfacing along with cam #4 since this project started. I have tried wrinkle coat painting the valve cover twice now and it still looks like crap! Followed VHT's instructions to the letter and no dice. Bought a used 240mm Turbo flywheel and it is at the machine shop being resurfaced. I am too loyal this machine shop, they have lost a head alignment dowel and one of my ball pivot inserts for the lash adjustment. Still need to either have my turbo rebuilt, or source a good used one. That is all for now, I don't think I will be done by Thanksgiving, just too many set backs especially with the cam.

No luck on the cam. Got some leads over on hybridz. Sent my rockers to delta cam in Tacoma Washington o get resurfaced. Just going to take my other cam and make a table lamp out of it.

Yes I did, I had to remove the crank. All the block bearings were correct, just had 1 and 2 on the cap side swapped. Short block is done! Machine shop is starting to aggravate me. They didn't give me back all of my part, so I called and they said they were still there. I go to put in my ballpivots and adjusters and find out I have 12 ball pivots and 11 inserts. I need to call these hillbillies and see if they have it.

Update: ZCurves comes over to mi casa and tells me to "not settle" on my paint not matching. Out comes the red scotch brite pads and I have scuffed the engine bay again. Ordered 3 rattle cans from these guys http://www.automotivetouchup.com/, they will be here Monday. I talked to a friend and my old high school body shop teacher. I should be able to spray this urethane over my acrylic enamel just by scuffing it. My shortblock is put together. Painted my valve cover with VHT wrinkle coat. It kept getting spots that would not wrinkle, this is pissing me off to no end. I think I will need to blast it all again and start over. Technically cam #3 is toast. Cam 1 that came in the motor in the parts car was rusted. Cam 2 was lost by "Newman" at the USPS. Cam 3 was good then the other night I noticed it looked like it was dropped off a 10 story building onto the cam dowel. Dowels can be replaced but the hairline crack in the dowel hole to the edge of the cam is another story. Anyone have a good P90 cam they can sell me?

So glad guys are saying silver. My 280z is Paint code 306. I ever sell it someday it's nice to know others will appreciate the color.

Towin' er? or Drivin'er?