halz

I've seen one in Perth, a vast improvement on the 2+2 but still not as cleanly designed as the 240/260Z

I may know of a car. As I cannot email or PM you, send me an email and I will forward contact details of a 280ZX coupe owner who may be interested in selling. Hayden.

Still, given that its not a Z... I don't mind how over the top it looks - (shock horror!) I like it!

KGC10... I'm not sure if this is the genuine article but it sure would be nice to have in the shed! http://www.c-red.com.au/stock/kgc10/index.shtml

An upholsteror will measure your car and the carpets will fit exactly. My rear deck carpet is very snug and does not move at all. The front carpets 'latch' onto the metal retaining tabs under the seat and they don't slide either - the underlay also stops them from moving. There should not be any need to use glue to hold them.

I beg to differ: I had all of my carpets replaced at the same time my new seat covers were fitted. The total cost which included cutting, overlocking and underlay and new luggage straps was AU$280. This did not include the cost of the new seat covers or (the hard part) finding black loop pile carpet...the carpet itself only cost $55. So shop around your upholsterors... and in the meantime I'll shamelessly show off my new carpets (here's the old stuff) http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=11865&sort=1&cat=500&page=1 And now the new: http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=11866&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

Yep - looks like you've got a rare 5-cylinder version of the L24!

OK - a thick question here: what does SBC stand for? Some Bloody Chev?

Right - I'm getting tired of the rev-happy L24 not having a decent voice and I would like to investigate getting a sports exhaust system (or at least a final muffler with a better note). Note: I'm not talking about headers - just the exhaust system. Where do I go in Perth for someone who knows exhausts?

No! Compression ratio is a theoretical, absolute and unitless ratio. Measurements of psi gives a real number which will vary from cylinder to cylinder despite the calculated compression ratio. For the record, my engine has cylinder pressure readings of 185-195psi for a 9.15:1 compression ratio.

did you replace the points?

Thanks Mike I wil have a look. I'm certain there was a detailed guide to this modification posted somewhere in the forums... What I want to do is remove the bumper-mounted indicators (Shame! A departure from original I hear me say ) and put an amber globe indicator behind my clear parking light lenses.

...are you sure this car is not in Nigeria? Go on Lachlan, just fax him some bank details on company letterhead...

Have a look at my avatar and you will seethat my Z has bumper-mounted indicators. I remember reading some detailed instructions in another post on how these could be removed and the park lights rewired to also act as indicators. Apparently the wiring already exists to do this...its just unused. Can anyone direct me to this thread? I've tried for ages to find it!

No. Yes. Don't know. They are called "Carburettor Exchange" in Fremantle, Western Australia. You could have a chat to them. the man to speak to is Daryl Wardle, 08 9335 1769.

Here's a new one to me: an engine power balance test. Has anyone else heard of this? This test was performed by the people who recently tuned and ajusted the carbs on my L24. When I questioned them more closely, they told me that the test is a truer assesment of the performance of each cyclinder than a straight compression test. Here's what they do: The engine is connected to electrical diagnostic equipment which allow the rpm to be accurately measured. With the engine warm and at idle, one plug lead at a time is disconected and the drop in rpm is measured as a % of the idle rpm. So, if my engine idles at 750rpm and the power balance test records a '10' when the cylinder is disconnected, then 10% of 750rpm is a 75rpm drop when that cylinder is not firing. The results for my engine were: 1=5.2, 2=3.5, 3=8.7, 4=8.5, 5=8, 6=11. This is interpreted to mean that cylinders 1 and 2 are contributing the least effort to the overall engine performance since rpm drops the least when they are each disconnected in turn. Compression on these cylinders is fine - so there must be other reasons they are not performing as well as the other 4... weak valve springs?, poor spark?, something else? your thoughts?

Well here is part 2 in the tuneup can of worms... actually its not as bad as all that. Remember the hesitation I was left with after my z's first ever tuneup? Gone! My over-zealous local mechanic managed to reduce the CO percentage in the exhaust at idle to 0.5% when it should be around 1-1.5%... so it was too lean at idle. Next pearl of wisdom is that the Hitachi SU-style carbs run progressively leaner at wider throttle openings. So, the faster I went the leaner it would get and this accounts for the hesitation at cruise speeds and the constant need for choke. Also accounts for the rapid burning-up of the sparkplugs It is running great now - very strong! (cost $AU150) However, although the exhaust gas readings are now perfect at cruise, the idle readings are around 7-8% CO (remember they should be 1-1.5%). The carb specialist then asked me a peculiar question: "when was the oil last changed?" Err, I had not changed it since owning the car :nervous: Aha! says he, contaminated oil will not absorb any fuel/exhaust that leaks past the rings which means that these elements will be recirculated into the intake manifold. Hey presto - this accounts for the rich idle mixture and high emissions reading. So, I've changed the oil and filter and I plan to change them again after about 500kms. Even after an oil change it seems to run better! Oh, they also discovered the coil was underperforming (18Kv max output when it should be 25-26Kv)..so I've got a new one of those too!

Your engine is a heat pump and heat is created by burning a mixture of fuel and air in a small space. As the misture burns its heat (and therefore pressure) increases. This expanding force drives the piston down. If you burn the same amount of fuel/air mixture in a smaller space then a higher relative pressure is produced and this is the basic effect of increasing compression. Of course, for all of the reasons mentioned earlier it is not as simple or straightforward as this. Increases in compression typically demand corresponding changes in valve and ignition timing. Significant increases in compression will require non-standard fuels to be used - fuel that won't simply ignite under compresion in the absence of a spark. If compresion is raised high enough to require a specific non-pump fuel then I would say that it is too high for street use.

Ita a shame the car didn't have its original engine.. (but I'll get off my soapbox now!) If you are starting from scratch engine-wise you migh as well put in what ever you like...even better if you "keep it in the family" and use a high-end Nissan 6cyl. Talk to Cuong about RB transplants, he's in the wazregister as well. So did you get a good deal from Ian?

Curfew: Bad idea, young drivers need to gain experience at all hours of the day in all conditions... and for some, the car is essential for employment. Passengers: Good idea. Some young drivers (esp. males) are more likely to be distracted or forced into risky driving by peer pressure with car load of mates. P-Platers: Learn patience. Do your time. You are restricted for reasons largely due to the concerns that we, the community at large, have for your safety. We don't want to see you killed or permanently maimed but you are over-represented in the statistics. If you survive your P-plate years and keep your noses clean, then you will be rewarded with the freedom of choice that feel is denied to you right now.

How do I drain the existing oil out of the carbs?

Now that would be useful. As you have probably guessed, my current engine is the one described in the hypothetical above. It is stock in all respects except for the E31 head. I guess that my car would benefit from a set of headers more than the same engine with an E88..? The reason for all of this is that I am presently chasing down a hesitation in the engine off idle and from part throttle while cruising. Exhaust gas analysis at idle indicates the mixture is fine and the car pulls well when warm if the choke is on. I'm wondering if the jets may have been changed in the past or if the car has always been poorly tuned since having its head swapped... Its off to a Carb specialist next week so I will post the latest developments then.

anyone game to venture an opinion...?

Here is a hypothetical question for anyone with some insight into carburetion and engine performance: Suppose I have an L24 engine which is in good working order with stock Hitachi SU-style carbs and a compression ratio of 8.76:1 (eg E88 head). Exhaust gas analysis and seat-of-the-pants tell me that the carbs are well tuned. If I then only change the compression ratio to 9.13:1 (eg E31 head) but make absolutely no other changes, will I need to adjust the mixture of the carbs? Possible answers: (a) Yes - richer. The new higer compression ratio will effectively mean each cylinder will generate proportionally more heat. A richer mixture will help cool the combustion chamber. ( Yes - leaner. The smaller combustion chamber volume at TDC will mean that the previous (low compresion) mixture will be too rich. © No. Correct mixture for low compression = correct mixture for high compression. Your thoughts ladies and gentlemen...?