Inf

pic #2

I may be buying an N42 that is in need of a rebuild. The owner sent some pics along with an explanation of what went wrong before he replaced it. Maybe you guys could give me some advice. I was a little concerned by looking at the photos since it looks like the casting is deformed around the water passages. I'm no expert and have really never looked at the business side of a cylinder head, but I am sure many of you know your way around. Here is the explanation I got from the seller :

Maybe it's just me, but in the last pic the good looks of the Z put the viper to shame.

I suppose you could count the number of rotations from the input to the output, but there is a # stamped on one of the ring gears if you can open it up. more info here : http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4270

Are you talking about a 350 cubic inch V8 swap or a VQ35 from a 350Z?

Haha, sounds like you guys have a lot of good makeshift solutions. The seller said he doesnt have a hoist available, so I guess ill be looking for a place to rent one to at least load/unload it, preferably one i can transport around. I looked on the uhaul website and didnt see any mention about renting equipment like that, I will call around and see if any of the nearby locations rent out something like that. If you guys have any idea of a good place to look beyond that (in case I can't find one) please chime in. I may just rent a trailer like you recommended TexasZ, that seems a lot easier to get things in and out of than a truck bed that is ~3ft off the ground, although if I find a rental hoist that fits on the trailer hitch like Daniel recommended, I may have some trouble! Maybe I can find one that folds up and can be tied down in the trailer or truck bed. As for securing the engine, I will probably lay it down on the drivers side (USA, LHD) and properly secure it with rope, maybe on top of a couple of folded army blankets for padding. The seller hasnt been responding to my emails for the last two days or so, but even if I don't go pick it up, I will need to do it eventually when I buy an engine in the future. Andrew

I may have found an L28 and 5 speed for a reasonable price ~200 miles from Dallas, but I have no real idea of how I can secure and transport it. I have a pickup truck that can more than handle the ~600 lbs I have seen the weights rated as, just no idea how to secure it properly for the trip home. No idea if the engine is out of the car yet or not, or if the seller even has a hoist available. I am waiting for a response back on those points. Anyone have experience picking up an engine/transmission in a pickup (4x4, relatively high off the ground compared with a normal truck)? Andrew

I think that depends more on what you are used to. A lot of people in the US don't even know exactly how the measurement for horse power was came about. We have to do a lot of calculations involving si and standard units in school, and really, noone except the professors who got their phd in 1960 really like dealing with standard units - tons of messy conversions that complicate your calculations when you could just use si. Understanding how horse power is related to the power a horse can exert is one thing, but actually comparing a modern vehicle to a horse seems a little pointless. I think the boosters they use to get the space shuttle into space are rated at something like a million horse power... Maybe its just personal preference, or the preference of modern lazy college students, but I would much rather deal with kilo-watts than horse power when actually using the numbers for something. When someone asks me "what's kinda horse power does that car(Z) have?" I will of course tell them "it's SAE rated at 150," but that's just because when you are talking about cars with someone in the US they are more comfortable just hearing a horse power #. I think perhaps the Aussies or Japanese would have just an easy time understanding a rating given in kilo-watts as we do in horse power. This is all based on opinion, so you will probably disagree with me. I personally just wish we would start the transition to the metric system in this country, but that obviously isnt going to happen.

Sounds cool toecutter, did you happen to take any pictures of it before you put the door trims back on?

Yes Ernie, I had the same problem with my 240z at first. My hatch was also pretty tough to open, and still is. I think this is because of the aftermarket weather strip being slightly thicker than the OEM strips? I don't have an OEM strip handy to compare. To open my hatch, I turn the key to the unlocked position (key slot perpendicular to the length of the car) and push in on the button until I hear a pop noise, then I can raise the hatch (while holding the button). It takes quite a bit more force than I would expect on my Z. Not sure if this is normal operation or not, but that is the way mine works right now. It doesn't really bother me since I do not put anything back there anyway. Andrew

What would be a good way to re-lubricate the cable? I have this same problem to a lesser extent. What kind of lubricant do you recommend for this?

I don't think I have seen anything solid about the R35 having an RB26. Most people are guessing it will have a V8 or turbocharged V6, maybe the v6 from the 350z/g35 since they seem to be throwing that into everything lately. It may be some time yet before we hear anything legit about R35 GTRs being sold in the US, the only thing I have heard solidly confirmed about it is that there will be a LHD model.

Did you try to jump-start it with another battery when it wont turn over? A friend of mine had a similar problem with his truck, and replacing the battery seemed to fix it. Andrew

What is special about the ones labeled "automotive relays?" Are they water resistant or something or are they just a grade that is commonly used in lots of automotive applications?

I too have this problem. After reading a lot in this forum, as well as others, I am guessing that the non-hardened valve seats have deteriorated from lack of leaded gas use by the previous owner. I guess it could also of course be the rings, but I would be surprised if this was the case since the engine only has 110,000 miles on it. In either case, I think it is in need of a rebuild or a swap-out. I am not really insterested in building a super performance Z, as it is fun enough to drive in stock form, IMHO. Oil consumption is pretty high, I need to add about half a quart every 100 miles! I do not really plan on driving it much more until I do something about this problem. I know several people on this board have sent their engines into companies like Jasper to have them rebuilt, were you happy with the results? How much was the total cost with shipping and everything? I wish I had the time to rebuild it myself and learn a lot along the way, but I just do not have the time at this point . I would much rather have the entire engine rebuilt at this point, rather than just pulling the head and having some headwork done - Rather get it all at once and have a nearly 'like-new' engine to enjoy and treat well from the beginning. Sorry to hijack your thread biker, just seemed like the right place for my post to be since the problems sound identical. Andrew

Have you tried looking at Radio Shack? I don't know that they still carry them for certain, but that would be the first place I would check. Our local Radio Shack sure scaled back on carrying electrical components. All they seem to care about these days is selling TVs and cell phones.

I can't believe i've never chimed in here before, out of all the times it has come back to the surface of the forum. My name is Andrew and I am a 19 year old college student at UT Arlington majoring in aerospace engineering. I have a good GPA right now, so I am currently planning on transferring to UT Austin next summer. I plan to first get a bachelors in aerospace engineering, then complete the ~30 credit hour difference and pick up a bachelors in mechanical engineering. The only thing I see as an obstacle to going to Austin is finding an affordable place to live that has a garage(I don't think I could sleep at night knowing she is exposed to the elements!) and is relatively close to campus (if any of you Austin Z guys have tips about this, please let me know :cheeky: ). I have been in love with the looks and character of the early Z for a while now. I picked mine up through an ebay auction for a car in the "rust free" area of Modesto, CA. Let's just say I learned a few good lessons about dealing with people that will certainly serve me well when I decide its time to get another Z! I must say, we sure do have a lot of variety on these forums, and it shows in the kinds of diverse opinions people have! This is the most useful Z-car website I have checked out. Andrew

Look on page 25 of the 20th Anniversary Edition MSA catalog (the one with the orange cover). The picture above "Side Window Louvers" is of a 1st gen Z with these louvers fitted, and taken from the catalog : "SIDE WINDOW LOUVERS Use these side louvers as a nice complement to your rear louver, or on their own. Their one piece ABS construction make them a snap to install. 50-1081 70-78 Coupe $119.99 4lbs 50-1082 79-83 Coupe $119.99 4lbs 50-1083 79-83 2+2 $119.99 4lbs 50-1084 84-89 Coupe $119.99 4lbs 50-1085 84-89 2+2 $119.99 4lbs" They are even listed similarly in MSA's online catalog http://www.zcarparts.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SWL

Yeah, they are in the MSA catalog for $120, listed as "louvers, side window"

Carbs have more character! There is a guy who posts on zcar.com who claims to get 28+ mpg on an SU carbed L28 on the highway, and even 34mpg once on a long drive, then run low 14s in the 1/4 mile with the same setup! http://www.zcar.com/forums/read.php?f=1&i=356939&t=356798 post is about half-way down by a guy named "ase mat."

It is probably someplace on the DOT website http://www.dot.state.tx.us/txdot.htm

Thanks guys, In that case, i'll probably try to start on it at the end of summer. Andrew

I looked through the archives and couldn't find any info on this. What temperatures are acceptable to have por-15 cure at? I might put off doing the underside painting until I have some time off this December. It doesn't usually get down to freezing in Dallas that early, but usually 40s-50s during the day. Will this be too cold to paint without heating up the garage some? Andrew