Mike's Z32

[MagicMikeZ32]

Engine out before lunch on Saturday.

Getting the manifolds off took longer than the engine pull (turbos get in the way of everything).

Engine pulled to chase down what sounded like an exhaist mani gasket leak. I was concerned when the gaskets looked fine :s But while I was prepping the manifold faces for re-install I happened to hold it at just the right angle and noticed daylight through the manifold wall

At least I found the cause. Hopefully a quick weld and it'll be good to go. Also installed a new knock sensor and harness because it is impossible to install in OEM location with engine in.

While the engine is out I will run new turbo coolant lines, chuck in the new clutch and fix up the air-con hardlines.

[lidz]

But while I was prepping the manifold faces for re-install I happened to hold it at just the right angle and noticed daylight through the manifold wall

AMS manifolds yeah?

Edited October 29, 2015 by lidz

[MagicMikeZ32]

You guessed it

[lidz]

dang, good old chinese casting.

Not worth a change while everything's out? Maybe those new Ash manifolds? Not purchased direct obviously but a couple of the traders seem to be getting stock now. Dane (Houston) has advertised a couple sets not too long ago.
http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=classified&msg_id=177015&forum=classified&dtSearch=22

[MagicMikeZ32]

Sounds good in theory but I would like to see them tested first tbh. Havent seen anyone using them on a running engine as yet

[lidz]

keep your eye on on the US forums, there's 3 or 4 builds currently getting them installed so hopefully have some results soon.

Regardless hope your back up & running soon mate

[MagicMikeZ32]

I am not in any great hurry, seeing as I am now on a work only licence. Only real time constraint is Zedfest You going to make the trip?

[lidz]

nah unfortunately not, too much going on with 18 mth old & moving in / reno-ing a new place. Plus other than right now work tends to be pretty flat out consistently.

[MagicMikeZ32]

So I ended up getting new MSP manifolds from the USofA. They are in customs atm.

Also have some top feed rails on the way which is a stuffaround to install but will be worth it in the end along with totally new fuel supply system.

The new manifolds have eaten my ECU allocation now tho, so we will see how nistune with the upgrade works out.

[MagicMikeZ32]

Have had some progress. Got new manis on and engine back in.

Heaps nicer than the chinese stuff

Got most of my fuel system stuff in 1 shipment

Went with Fuelab 42401 pump and 52901 regulator, cheaped out on lines etc with raceworks 200 series. Injectors I started with bosch 2200cc but as pointed out by some, they aren't e85 safe. Hopefully end up with Delphi 1400cc.

Had to get a new custom surge tank made to replace the custom tank I already had to fit in the limited undercar space. Thanks to Steveo's customs for that, and thanks to Al for the fitting welding and sealing work! And thanks Lisa for driving up after he forgot the filler

New tank is actually larger in volume than the old one, 3L instead of 2.7 but whatever.

Had to modify a few bosses etc on the plenum to allow clearance of the rails. I got a bit carried away and cut off and smoothed all the other redundant bosses. I returned to the original plenum off the car which had been polished (once upon a time) and port matched to the lower plenum (and the lower to the heads). Doing this meant I had to enlarge the throttle body openings to match the larger throttles. Seemed easier to do this than to do the upper to lower holes on the HPC coated plenum that already had larger throttle body holes (did that on my last zed, not fun).

While the plenum was off I took the oppertunity to re-do the cam covers is some kind of sparkly silver. It is kinda textured but shiny and I think will contrast the black wrinkle that the plenum will be finished in. I didn't pick the color, I sent Cara out for some 'grey or silver or something' and she did pretty well.

Before clear coat

Done

Starting to make up routes and lengths

Edited January 12, 2016 by MagicMikeZ32

[MagicMikeZ32]

I also have had the dash out to re-install some of the air con stuff that didn't get put back in after the wiring harness install (was pressed for time with an event the following day). With the dash out, I took the time to tidy up a stack of wiring.

I tried to enlist some help with the dash re-install but he wanted none of it.


And that's about where I am at. Dash is back in but still need to do the pods and the trims (and seats). Engine is in but haven't finished plumbing. Need to add a new bulkhead fitting because the fancy regulator has to be on a return line direct to the main tank.

System goes something like this:
Walbro 460 in tank -> surge tank -> fuelab external pump -> rails -> regulator -> main tank.

The surge tank overflow returns to the main tank via a cooler.

Still haven't decided the final routing of the 10AN feed line and a few other engine bay routings, but it is getting there.

[MagicMikeZ32]

So I made some more progress.

Installed new fitting in the bulkhead for the main return line from the rail, finished mounting the new in-tank pump and connected all the lines and re-installed bulkhead to the main tank.

Finalised the surge tank mounting and installed the Boom mat on it. It is a thermal and acoustic insulation, dimpled foil stuff with fibre stuff and a sticky backing. Also wrapped another section of exhaust that is closest to the tank and pump (I re-wrapped the dumps while the engine was out, and the front pipes are still wrapped).

Tank is 170mm x 180mm x 100mm.

I spent yesterday making a bracket to support the big ass pump. I actually made 3 brackets and modified one of them a few times, because I kept on finding better ways to do it.

I am still deciding on how and where to split the 10an into 2 x 6an and spent some time yesterday trying different runs. I am leaning towards splitting it about 30cm back from the drivers dump and running the 6an lines from there in a cool tube up past the dump and direct to the back of the rails. My reasoning is I have to fit a big 10an filter in before it splits and doing this in the engine bay makes things very cluttered with the filter and the 'Y'. The filter fits on the inside of the rail and the rail is still the lowest point.

I couldn't decide 100% so I put that on hold and started installing turbo/ic pipework, so I can get my loom in the right spot, so I can confirm that the braided lines to and from the rail are actually going to be in the right spot/right lengths (and not clash with wiring runs!).

[MagicMikeZ32]

Had a bit more progress. Finished the plumbing. Ran the regulator output for pump speed control. Made some guards and heat shields. Got dash back in mostly.

I ended up putting the ethanol sensor here. I am not sure how long the cable from the board in the ecu (nistune) is so I wanted to keep it fairly close. I'll run it through a hole in the floor if I have to.

This is where I have the 10AN filter and the split from 10AN to 2 x 6.

This is the drivers side dump, where the 2 x 6 lines run up the firewall to feed the rails. The lines are in a cool tube, but since I was making stuff I made a shield also. There is a stud on the firewall up a bit higher than dump height that the lines are secured with a p-clamp, and the shield is also secured to the same stud. The shield (somewhat) follows the contour of the firewall down to the floorpan and bolts to the guard that houses the filter and y splitter above.

This is the shield for the surgetank. Barely enough room but it is mostly not touching the zorst.

Did some more work on the plenum also as there was a few blanked off ports like the OEM PCV ports and stuff like that.

And painted it once I was happy with the smoothing out.

[Ants]

nice work Mike.

Why the Ethanol sensor under the car? Could you not find any space in the boot? I'd be concerned if you scraped the car from sleepers

Same goes for the surge tank,

Looks like much hard work has gone into it.

[MagicMikeZ32]

Zeds don't have a boot, so technically are in cabin. Any fuel components in a zed boot need to be sealed off. Plus that's where the roof goes!

I am happy where the under car stuff is located that they are protected by the rails somewhat. I am more worried about the bottom of the fuel pump than anything else, but should be ok because I have a reasonable ride height.

The front pipes on the exhaust typically take the scraping over speed bumps etc, don't have too many issues in the rear.

[Ryno]

Love your attention to detail... Very nice build - I wish the car was matt black though!

[MagicMikeZ32]

Nearly there...

Used up some more boommat on the shields. Everything underneath is now complete. Stupidly I had to re-do some fittings because I didn't get o-ring fittings for the pump and filter originally. Exhaust, starter etc all done. Took the oppertunity to clean the oil filters pre-turbos, not that they needed it.

Had a shit of a time installing the injectors. I ordered Delphi 1400s which are meant to be a 14mm top and bottom, but for whatever reason they came configured with a 14mm top and a 15.5mm bottom o-rings (wtf) with 2 stupid plastic rings either side of the bottom o-ring to keep it located.

For those interested, the injector bucket adapter is 13.70mm ID. After to and fro with the supplier, he sent me some other orings and told me to remove one of the plastic rings and file down the other (from 14mm down to something less than 13.70mm) and install 2 of the new orings.

This didn't work either, but luckily I ordered some new orings which I ended up using. They are a 14.22mm OD. Hopefully they don't leak.

This is not the config I ended up going with but the brown viton o-ring does do the sealing and the stupid plastic ring does stop it from moving up. I didn't take any pics of the config I ended up going with.

This is one fitted to the bucket

After I got the injectors and rail in, I collected my upgraded nistuned ECU from Karl @ Epic Automotive on Sat, and dropped off my balance tube for him to modify for the top feeds.

Shame I didn't tweak that the wiring for the injectors and coilpacks etc don't fit under the rail after the rail is bolted down, but I'm not going back there now I will live with the ugly (as long as nothing leaks!).

I also ran the connection for the ethanol sensor to the ecu and finished putting the cabin back together (drivers seat and steering wheel aside).

I am at the point now that I think I can prime the fuel system and see what happens

[SCR48]

looking the goods

[Ants]

looking the goods

this ^

[MagicMikeZ32]

For the interest of keeping current

ENGINE

Block bored 20 thou oversize, decked and o ringed, fitted with forged ACL race pistons and rings

Scat H beam conrods, fitted with ACL race bearings

Crankshaft linished and deflashed oilways

Modified oil pump for greater flow

Heads have received a lot of work with machining, porting and polishing, cc’d, flow tested

1mm oversize Ferrea valves

Competition valve springs

Compression set at 8.5-1.

Inlet manifold has been match ported to the heads and the upper plenum

Modified crankcase ventilation with catch can

(Jim Wolf Technology) JWT 400+ wild Cams

BDE (Brett Dempsy Engineering) modified Intake Cam gears

Tomei adjustable exhaust cam gears

A new set of hydraulic lifters fitted with shims has the motor running nice and quiet

2 x GTX 28/63 ball bearing turbos

Complete 2.5in intake to turbo to intercooler to throttle body piping upgrade

Massive 2.5 inch, ducted side mount intercoolers

54mm throttle bodies with match ported plenum

Selin twin AFM translator

Twin Apexi power air filters

Turbosmart, BOV’s

Ross Racing harmonic balancer

56mm Alloy Radiator

72 plate external oil cooler

Boost control by Blitz dual SBC controller

Engine management is by Nistune (upgraded firmware for flex fuel/launch etc)

Wiring Specialties wiring harness

AEM patch harness

EXHAUST

Custom 5 bolt, divorced dump pipes

Mike Smith Performance exhaust manifolds

Twin 3” system through hi flow cats, and pair of Varex adjustable Mufflers

FUEL/IGNITION SYSTEM

BDE (Brett Dempsy Engineering) top feed fuel rails with various modified stock bits to suit (balance tube etc etc)

Bosch 1000cc top feed injectors (these only installed so the car is drivable while injector issue is resolved.)

Walbro 460 in tank

Custom surge tank

Fuelab 42401 external pump

Fuelab 52901 regulator

Custom fuel cooler

Teflon braided lines front to back with various heat shielding

Multiple fuel filters, pre external pump, pre fuel rails, post fuel cooler (pre main tank)

Flex sensor

Battery has been moved to the boot area sealed in a battery box fitted with an isolation switch

Series two power transistor unit

HKS DLI Ignition Amplifier

Spitfire coilpacks

Engine earthing kit

DRIVELINE

OS Giken twin plate/lightweight fly combo

Chrome molly one piece tailshaft.

Richmond leader diff gears of 4.11 ratio

SUSPENSION

Bilstein PSS9’s coilovers

Powertrix front upper control arms

Powertrix front lower tension rods

Tune Agent rear camber

Tune Agent traction arms

Energy suspension bushings all round

Nagisa Auto Gacchiri Support fender braces

UAS HICAS lock out

BRAKES

Front - Stop Tech ST-40 calipers big brake kit

332 mm slotted, curved vein rotors

Braided stainless brake lines

Ferodo 2500 pads

Rear - Reliance Edge 297mm slotted rotors

Ferodo pads

Stone shields have been removed and tubular ducting has been fitted for extra cooling

WHEELS and TYRES

18x9 and 18x10 Gram Lights 57F-Pro

Also available is a pair of stock 16” wheels fitted with Mickey Thompson ET street radials for those nights at the drag strip

EXTERIOR

2000 model urethane front bar with Powertrix carbon air guides

Various undertrays

2000 rear tail lights

Modified stock bonnet

Modified nose panel

Genuine Trust/Greddy side skirts

UAS rear wing

UAS enclosed rear bar fitted with Perspex diffusers.

Ab-flug Aero mirrors

Custom made Miracle Zed Motors vented air guides for improved cooling to the radiator.

HID headlights

INTERIOR

Recaro SR3 driver and passenger seats on Z32 recaro rails

Stock gauges have been replaced with el panels giving various shades of blue

Genuine Defi triple set, oil, water temp and pressure

Pivot boost gauge

Twin AEM wideband AFR gauges

Boarder racing gauge hood

Kenwood head unit with four kenwood 5” speakers

Terrano chrome door handles

Leather 300zx logo handbrake boot

Leather 300zx logo shift boot

2000 model gear knob

Leather trimmed doorcards, glovebox, center console etc

PARTS NOT FITTED

RARE Final Flag polished throttle cable cover (1 actually have 2 of these and they don’t fit with the top feed rail L)

Nissan front strut brace (1 of only 2 in Aus), again doesn’t fit with the top feed rails

Twinz front lip V2 (to be fitted with splitter)

Bosch 1650cc injectors