Project S130Z

[S130Z]

Well I finally got motivation to get out in the garage and work on the Z, got the motor pulled today, and gonna start the rebuild tomorrow.

I got a quick question, 2.3" piping will it work for a inter-cooler on l28et? evildky? Help!
Modified by S130Z at 5:34 PM 7/19/2009

[gmac708]

We want pictures!

[S130Z]

I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow.

[ravera]

That's right at 60mm, which is the size of a 240SX TB, so given that as your restriction, 2.3" should be fine for IC piping.

[evildky]

too large of intercooelr piping car be difficult to route and cause pressure drop, I run 2" hotpipe as thats the compressor outlet size on my turbo, I then run 2.75" cold pipes as tahts the size of the throttle body, you can split the difference or go up or down a quarter inch with little issue but I try to match hot pipe diamter to trubo outlet size to keep velicity up, and I liek the cold pipe to match the TB so yu din't get pressure drop or extra resistance at the tb

[S130Z]

Alright thanks, I think the ic size is 2.5" for the inlet/outlet size but i figured i would just get a adapter, i got the ic as a gift so might as well make the best of it.

As for the pics, i'm still working on that, I think i'll get out there today and snap some shots of it, but i got a really small garage so it's pretty crammed tight with tools and a engine lol

[S130Z]

Engine Bay

[IMG][/IMG]

Engine

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Bunch of goodies in the back!

[IMG][/IMG]

[EENK S30]

good luck... keep us updated

[S130Z]

Minor set-back on the build, but I have a quick question, I heard that the piston pins are really hard to get out on the Z, and the person said I would have to take it to a machine shop, but I wouldn't think it would be that hard, so if anyone has any tips or tricks to get the internal stuff out smoothly, or just lmk if the guy i heard that from is just stupid lol

thanks in advance

[ravera]

Do you have a press? if you don't you'll ruin the heat treat on the rods trying to heat them up enough to let go of the pins. If you've got access to a press, take a punch or i think an 11/16 socket is what I used... put it up against the pin and press it out. A word of note if you're not planning on re using the pistons, just put them up against a flat surface and push them out, but if you do plan on re-using them you'll have to find or make a cradle to hold them, because just two flat surfaces will pinch the oil rings and lock them in place.

To put them back together, put the oven on 450-500F (completely degrease the rods unless you want your wife/gf kill you) and leave them in there while you go to lunch to bring them slowly up to temp, this will save the heat treat. As the same time throw the pins in the freezer. You'll need a stack of washers on the bottom to space the pin to the correct distance (use a piston that's together to figure this out) and find a tool that fits inside the pins. Pull the rod out, torch it only long enough to carry it out to where your putting it together (remember we're trying to keep them cool as possible), pull the pin out of the freezer and slide them together. When they're together, they're not moving any more

[S130Z]

thanks, I got one more question, I was out there doing a little work today, and when i went to go un-bolt the turbo, there were these washers that connect two bolts, and have tabs on them, which makes it impossible to get a socket around the bolts.

Thanks for all the help, this is my first build so i'm learning

[S130Z]

Well I figured out how to get rid of those pointless washers, but now the build is gonna take a little longer than planned so i can take it to a machine shop and get it done right so i don't ruin anything.

Hopefully I get this done before it gets cold out, I wanna drive the Z so bad, it's been forever since i drove it!

[ravera]

If I were you i'd keep those washers, they're actually lock tabs. It's how nissan kept the bolts in place. A coal chisel flattens them out and puts them back on just fine.

[evildky]

lol, I missed oyur questions in here but...

piston pins are still available fomr courteseyparts, msa and black cragin I believe

...that 'washer" witht he taps locks the nuts to keep them fomr backign out, you just pry the tabs away form the nuts with a screwdriver or whatever is handy untill you can get a wrency or socket ont he nut

[S130Z]

Yea a buddy of mine came over and he just told me to bend them back with a screwdriver, since that's what he did when he had to replace a connector hose or whatever it is on the turbo.

As for the piston pins, I have some already they came with the rings and the pistons i ordered a while back, so does it matter still if I don't have a press since i'm not re-using any of the piston components besides the connecting rods??

[evildky]

you have to press the old pins out to get the pistons off the rods, and you'll need to press the new pins into the new pistons to get them on the rods unless you got customs wiht floating wristpins, I highly recomendhaving th episton pins pressed in and out by a machine shop, you could distort or crack a new piston

[S130Z]

will do thanks!

[S130Z]

Is there any good exhaust system for the 280zx-t? Every time I search I get results for pacesetter, and non turbo exhaust. I'm looking for a Turbo full Exhaust, and down pipe. Anything that sounds good, (deep and not screaming loud.)

[evildky]

MSA has some real bargains for the S30, might wan tto see what they have for the S130, I'd bet they have something

[S130Z]

Thanks dky, would you happen to know how much it cost to get pins pressed in/out.

My dad said 30 per piston does that sound right?

[evildky]

it will vary shop to shop, the shop I go to charges $10 each each way so thats $29 each and $120 total for a set, your local shop might be more or less, might be worth a couple of calls to save a few bucks

[S130Z]

Man I wish the local shop charged 10 per. The best deal I found is 30 per piston so far, I still have time to shop around, but all the machine work is almost the price I paid for the car lol.

I plan on getting the pins pressed out/in, the head and flywheel resurfaced, valves cleaned and resurfaced, and cylinders honed, and the total came out to $650!! That's minus getting tuned, I'm taking it to a different shop for that.

The flywheel seems okay and doesn't really need resurfaced, what's stepped flywheel mean??? because that is only 10 bucks more than getting it resurfaced.

Valves I checked, and look to be in really good condition. And a mechanic at my dad's work has the honing tool so he is going to hone the cylinders free of charge!

but I have the motor torn down to the block, hopefully I get this machine work done so I can start putting it all back together.

[S130Z]

Well, as I thought that I was going to end up paying hundreds of dollars for machine work, I messaged the local machine shop and they said that they can do all 6 pistons for 30bucks!! whoa right?

So that being said first thing Wednesday, i'm going to get that done and see how much if they can charge for lightening the flywheel, to like 16lbs. rather than the stock 23lbs. then the revs will be much smoother, and sound great with the new exhaust I am in the process of buying.

[S130Z]

Still waiting for the pistons, but I got a question, my digital gauge only goes to 85mph, is there a way to make it go higher??? Because I know for a fact it goes faster than 85.

any help appreciated.

[bigred240sx]

sounds like your doing this baby correctly. good luck. as far as speedo, you could always mount a little gps in there, haha. so what exhaust you end up ordering. its always my favorite part of car to play with.

[S130Z]

yeah, i'm trying to do this right the first time, haha I was thinking about that since I just got a gps lol. As for the exhaust i'm getting one custom made, i'm still shopping around for the best work, and best price. I'll post it up once I get it all done, just got the block painted, waiting for a few other things.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

fresh painted valve cover, forgot to spray the cap, but I ran out of paint [IMG][/IMG]
Modified by S130Z at 4:49 PM 8/14/2009

[S130Z]

What grit sand paper could I use to clean off the rest of the old head gasket, that the scraper didn't get, I know it has to be a really fine grit, but not sure what grit exactly? any ideas??

[evildky]

razor blades

[S130Z]

Did that, and there's still some small deposits of gasket, could i just use like the green scuff side of a sponge? lol just a idea.

[ravera]

I use the fine side of a knife polishing stone. It's long and stiff (watch it...) so that you don't dig holes in your deck. Lubricate with some light oil and it should polish her right up.