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Richard's 620ZX Coupe


260DET

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OK, you want more sump pictures eh, the story first though. It was the Improved Racing crank scraper which was hitting and after several attempts to fix it gave up and put the sump on without it. Two problems with the scraper, the first being that it does not fit snug over the bolts so it's located precisely, the second is that it sits under the stock windage tray so it's impossible to see where it's hitting.  We're talking small clearances between the scraper and the crank, precise location is a must in that situation, slack Yanks.

 

Why do engine changes take longer than you think? Here is an example involving the power brake vacuum line from the engine. Firstly, different size hose which requires a reducer, try getting one of those to suit from Repco or Supercheep. Ebay to the rescue, again, together with some nice silicone blank off caps for the engine's heater hose outlets. Not those rubber ones that last six months if you are lucky. Second problem, the vacuum outlet on the inlet manifold points to the L while of course it has to go to the R. So order two 90 degree fittings and a connector, Ebay again. Saves so much time and money trying to chase up stuff on the phone when mostly if it does not come within 'make and model' so a day is wrecked driving around.

 

Engine and box should be back in within a few days, can't beat progress that you can see. Now for the pics you have been dying to see  :D

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I feel your pain in all aspects and LOL at your scraper issues....beats me that anyone would market a scraper that wasnt a good fit.....pointless otherwise!

 

 

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It can be a pain but it's all part of building a car isn't it, part of the challenge that eventually makes the car yours. As someone said, if you didn't build it then it's not yours. I like that.

 

Was thinking, it's good in some ways to go from turbo to NA. Not having to have a big IC up front simplifies cooling arrangements and should open up aero options up front. I like aero, particularly the inconspicuous stuff that works.

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I feel your pain in all aspects and LOL at your scraper issues....beats me that anyone would market a scraper that wasnt a good fit.....pointless otherwise!

The crank scrapers do come with instructions that some minor trimming and adjustment may be needed in order to fit without interference. They are quite effective, with the suppliers espousing the benefits!

Thats pretty obvious to those of us who build our own race engines, or take an existing car, and build it to be better and faster, and get out there and prove it, instead of just buying a crate motor and cobbling up various afterthought fix-ups to make it fit.

So looking forward to seeing the end result of the selection of bits and pieces, bolted together, and the proposed trip to PI, and Bathurst, and the resulting lap times. As are no doubt, quite a few others on here.

Comparison to the usual LS3 fitted Sports Sedans will be most fascinating.

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Hi Jason, that time of the month again? Just to clarify things, the car is being built by me for me, not to please you or anyone else. On lap times, well as we know I've already gone way faster around Lakeside than you and I see that Nev did a mid 58 the other day at the lake, beaten only by some Porker turbo thing. Some get out there and do real times, others just bitch  ;D

 

 

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Powell Industrial are hose and fitting specialist they are on Robinson Road At Geebung or Postie Street at Coopers Plains sell lots of fittings that could possible help you out, I used them with my engine conversion.

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The crank scrapers do come with instructions that some minor trimming and adjustment may be needed in order to fit without interference. They are quite effective, with the suppliers espousing the benefits!

Thats pretty obvious to those of us who build our own race engines, or take an existing car, and build it to be better and faster, and get out there and prove it, instead of just buying a crate motor and cobbling up various afterthought fix-ups to make it fit.

So looking forward to seeing the end result of the selection of bits and pieces, bolted together, and the proposed trip to PI, and Bathurst, and the resulting lap times. As are no doubt, quite a few others on here.

Comparison to the usual LS3 fitted Sports Sedans will be most fascinating.

 

My L28 crank scraper came with no instructions, I'm with Rich & Kato, If I pay good money I want something that fits with minimal effort. If not, I won't buy it.

 

You and Rich need to sit down and watch a Matlock marathon until this tit for tat crap is sorted  ;D There's far too many topics getting polluted with this tripe  :P

 

Everyone values both your input greatly, I have gotten a huge information from you and your posts. We are all on the the same team aren't we  :)

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Yeh I should have resisted Jason's bait but was wetting myself laughing and after a few Friday arvo beers...........

 

Anyway, on topic, as I explained the crank scraper was not snug on the studs so a repeatable 100% reliable fit could not be guaranteed even if the windage tray was not used. I've had enough of engine problems in the past so 100% reliability is the goal. Essentially, it came down to either fitting the scraper by itself with 99% certainty or fitting the windage tray with 100% certainty, certainly not both which was the original aim. Given that the modded windage tray is a good piece and likely to do more than the scraper anyway the final decision was easy.

 

The lesson is perhaps don't just assume that a bought piece will fit, check it critically for fit and function.

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Dowel them, like dowelled intake manis to heads for port matching, or the dowels std on head to block.

The cast alloy L series sumps if dowelled to block in a few places gives the block a heck of a lot more rigidity.

 

The crank scraper mount holes are bigger to fit over the threads, as shank is waisted down due to the rolled threads being a bee's pecker bigger. Yes they move, too much, hence engine building chapter 7, lesson on dowelling!

 

What's a Matlock Marathon, is that a in joke thing for old folks?

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Seems like the clutch throwout for my Tremec five speed is completely different to the six speed one, phoned Mal Wood to get the right one which is made by Quarter Master, didn't ask the price because at a certain stage of a build you give up trying to budget and just get on with it. Besides, old mate Mal is competitive with his prices and knows this stuff backwards.

 

Flywheel and clutch are now bolted up, the Xtreme clutch kit came with ARP flywheel bolts which are not the stretch-to-yield type like the GM ones. Wonder why that type is used at all, must be cheaper or something. Clutch will just fit in the bell housing according to some rough measurements, it looks impressive, almost a pity to hide it in the bell. Once the throwout arrives I will be able to move on towards the engine/box installation, everything else that I am going to do is pretty well finished. Sneaky problems excepted of course.

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Not sure if you need a reverse light but if you do it will require a sender on which the the terminals come off at 90 degrees. Otherwise you will have to dent out the transmission tunnel near the sender for a GM unit which has the terminals protruding from the end.

 

The 90 degrees senders came on early 00s Mustangs. Mal has them.

 

Also, do you have the clutch bleeder extending up into the engine bay?

 

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...didn't ask the price because at a certain stage of a build you give up trying to budget and just get on with it.

 

 

Oohh i know this one all too well... haha

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For any of my builds I have never asked for a price, just an indication of whether the budget I have in mind is doable, and then I double my budget if I am told yes. Sometimes I have been pleasantly surprised.

 

It will be interesting to see how it all goes on the track. I know the LS is dirt cheap in comparison to most motors but no consideration for keeping it in the family, or looking at Toyota? Or does the cost of the LS make it that much of a no brainer??????

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Reverse light switch clears OK Peter but there is one thing, no nuts for the two terminals And I have no idea what they are. Certainly not metric, near but not 3/16". Any idea?

 

Would have been cheaper going with a Nissan NA V8 Matt but they don't make the power or have the power potential that the LS3 does. LS as well is light and compact, lighter than the VG and should give about 50/50 weight distribution. They have a lot going for them.

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Reverse light switch clears OK Peter but there is one thing, no nuts for the two terminals And I have no idea what they are. Certainly not metric, near but not 3/16". Any idea?...

 

The terminals on the sender unit I'm using have no thread - they are push-on.

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I corner weighted mine on the weekend. 1320kg with 40 litres of fuel and my skinny butt (73kg).

not quite 50/50 but bloody close. 50.9 front / 49.1 rear. Cross weight dead on at 50% at 660kg.

Admitedly my bolt on bits have added up. But my current motor only cost $1000, add some bits (cam, springs pushrods) and your easy 450-500hp for under $2k. Add the bolt ons (manifold, throttle body, fuel system) and your near 550. Cheap power.

 

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You want it slightly forward so it is neutral under acceleration out of corners from what i have been told.

 

 

Or does the cost of the LS make it that much of a no brainer? ??? ??

 

 

More displacement and have you looked how cheap aftermarket parts are for those things??? There are just so many out there so the aftermarket parts volume is massive.

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What weight distribution is a tough one, with a lot of power my preference would be to have more weight back to improve acceleration out of corners, Porkers illustrate that. May as well throw this clip up of Callum chasing a GT3 at Lakeside, 1.45 on 

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Oh dear, after doing some measurements it became obvious that the big twin plate clutch would not fit due to the TKO gearbox input shaft and bell being too short to accommodate it. Looks like it fits the six speed box only so it's been replaced with a single plate job from Direct Clutch rated to handle over 500 WHP. Just hope that I can push the pedal in :)

 

This clutch uses a concentric throwout which has the slave incorporated into it, see pic which shows the flexible bleed and input lines. Plan is to drop the engine/box into place next and bolt it all up.

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Engine is in and all bolted up, Mr Fussy said that the gearbox mount had to be improved so that has been done. Lots of little things attended to, like putting earth cables onto the starter motor and engine block, made up an engine bay wiring loom for all the non ECU stuff like for temp and oil pressure sensors and alternator wiring. Everything has to be done leaving room for the exhaust which is tight on the driver's side. Hope to get the power steering pressure side line and the tailshaft tomorrow which means that the PS pump can be fitted which will allow the pre throttle body induction bits to be mounted, then the radiator etc which will be about it as far as my part goes.

 

Pics next time when there will be more to see, cheers.

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Just about ready to go to the pro to be finished off. All the front stuff is done except for the radiator to be dropped in and then hoses selected and fitted. No problem there, the local spare parts place will let me look through his stock of hoses. PS oil cooler hose to be fitted and one PITA thing, the alternator pulley does not quite line up with the others so I'll see if a auto leccy can help there. LS3 is a series four engine compared with the LS1 for example which is a series three. Different heads and a few other tricky differences which I've learnt about the hard way.

 

Fitted an underdrive crank pulley, see pic, the other pic taken in artificial light in the garage shows the front - engine and PS oil coolers, Accusump, Nissan PS oil reservoir, throttle body and so on. The crank pulleys are just a press fit, not keyed, which means the degree markings on the underdrive pulley were not aligned with TDC.Bummer.

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