RB30X

Sounds like the go this coating stuff you speak of. I should've checked this thread earlier this arv. I've done the rest of the carbs and manifold and the one I did yesterday had already started oxidising on the surface where my acidic hands had touched it, so I had to do it again. I had some clear coat left in a tin so I tried that to see how the finish was. I was very happy with the result. The surface soaked up the clear and you can't really see that it has been applied. I wasn't ever going for polished bling look, just a new surface finish which I think is what I got. What did it take me so long to discover bead blasting?????

I'm sure many of you are cringing at the thought of bead blasting carbs just as I was but after testing it on my old SU's, the results were quite good. I built myself a wooden bead blasting cabinet yesterday and thought I'd test it out. As you know, after installing bling braided fuel lines and speed flow fittings on the L24, all of a sudden the carbs and manifold got terribly dirty. I've tried a few weak chemical cleaners and autosol etc but nothing really removed the stains. After I excepted that some of the throttle shafts were bent and would require dissassembly, i gave them a hit with beads. Before: After: The blasted carb next to the others on the manifold, which I did hit with beads in a few small sections to see how they would work. One question I do have now is should I coat the new surface in a sealer? I have a small spray can of automotive paint clear, would that work or is there a better metal sealer/cear coat I should use? Cheers

There are a couple of damaged trumpets actually, it happened during frieght for a number of reasons I won't go into.

I'm so offended. But you're absolutley right the dorks who sprayed the car before I bought it did that, I'm slowly getting around to replacing or fixing it up.

Suddenly those carbs look very dirty.

Yes the black fittings are a lot more suttle. I do understand the even feed for each carb you mentioned, but wouldn't the problem have been the lack of flow from the pump?

A couple of pics of my new fuel set up. Subject to some alterations. I don't think its too bling.

Well after being so inspired from all of your replies I decided on a path and bought the required fittings. The price could make a grown man cry as always. The results. I am not sure if I like the braided breather hose, I may go back to normal black hose. Still undecided on where the fuel feed may come from too. It will either dissapear under the car to be feed from the electric pump, like in the photos with a rear carb feed first, or swapped around to be feed from the mechanical pump, after the filter then onto the normal hard fuel line. No return. I am also swapping the red trumpets for blue ones at a later date. What are your thoughts/criticisms.

ignition dramas?

I want to set up a proper fuel supply to my triple webers so they are all getting even fuel pressure.This would involve using speedflow fittings and dash six braided hose, but I am undecided as to how I should go about it. My initial drawing to decide how many fittings were required ended up with about 20 different pieces. The webers themselves aren’t exactly large so you’d see more fittings than braided hose. This is not a look I wanted to go for. It would almost be worth making a hard line fuel rail with three tee’s to feed the carbs or a proper fuel rail set up. Do any of you have pics of a really sweet fuel supply set up or some pics of your own fuel system? Below are some examples I’ve found of speedflow fittings on L series engines with triples. Some are very tidy, other a little extreme.

I think he is refering to a module that replaces the points inside a points dizzy making it electronic, rather than upgrading to the 280zx electronic dizzy you speak of.

Yes, and every time I'd adjust the idle screw for the individual carb I'd open the throttle briefly and let it settle again. But each time I'd adjust one carb (no linkage hooked up) the engine revs would change obviously and effect the other carb readings. Providing I can still get a low rpm idle, does this much difference really matter with low rpm air flow. I'm guessing the shaft itself would only be a bee's dick out anyway so at cruising or high rpm the difference would be minimal. I will perform some more measurements at higher rpm increments to get more readings from the higher end of the scale of the carb sync tool and see how different they are.

Hooray, my 'Multi Carburettor Syncronising Tool arrived today, so I skip out to my shed like Dorothy along the yellow brick road, fire up the L24 and hello, it doesn't fit so I have to remove the trumpets After trumpets are removed I test each carb with 0% throttle, then again with small throttle opening. I basically got the first carb to flow to 2 then recorded the second carb of each pair. The results aren't to die for. The figures I'm referring to are the flow incriments on the tool. Cylinder 1 2 3 4 5 6 0% 1.4 1.8 1.0 1.8 1.1 1.0 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.8 2.0 1.7 random 1.9 2.0 0.8 1.6 1.8 1.5 The results were inconsistent with the first pair but the two other pairs had similar gaps throughout. Because these are old school Webbers there is no air flow adjustment to compensate these differences, so I guess this means I have at least two bent shafts :'( Has any one replaced these before. Is it hard. How do shafts get bent in the first place? Thanks

How did you cut out the bit that goes between the carb face and the trumpets though. http://www.viczcar.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-2526 Thats a crazy looking rb30 rocker cover by the way. Whats with the cam gear inspection hole?

Turbos were a lot different back in the day too so if you wanted more low down response than your single offered you, putting two turbos on made a little sense. These days turbos have flash bearings not bushes (oil has chaged as well) and spool up so much quicker than the old ones. Spend your money on a HKS or Garret turbo like my mate did on his RB26 (twins) and you can hear the turbos spinning for at least 20 seconds after he shuts the engine off. Plumbing is the pain in the backside however.

Scootag, how did you polish your carbs and manifold in your album, and did you make your own heat sheild or buy it like that?? I am going down this path at the moment. Cheers

How much for the rear wing, has it been snapped up yet??

E30??? Are you sure. The E30 is the head from Fairlady 2.0 6-cylinder motor. The Fairlady was the Japanese version of the 240Z released in 1970 in America. The E31 is an uncommon, desirable head that came on many 1970 240's. It's chambers were high-quench designs, however the valves were smaller than the 260 and 280 heads. Probably about 10,000 were made. After 37 years, most of them are long gone having been over-collected and used up in racing. 42cc chambers I believe. The E88 came on the 1971-73 240s and '74 260s, in 2 versions, small valve on the 240 and larger valve on the 260. It's chambers are the same cc size as later N42 and 47 heads. Despite what some older books say, I can't see why the E88 would have any performance advantage over any other head. The larger valve N42 came on the 1975-76 280Z. 48 state U.S. 280Zs didn't use a catalytic converter until 1977, so the head came with softer brass valve seats for use with leaded gas. Many people like these for performance because of it's square exhaust ports. And as a easy mod, putting it on a flattop L28 motor puts compression in the mid 10's. The N47 came on the '77-80 280Z(X). It has diamond-shaped exhaust ports with emission liners, which some feel reduce flow. Starting in 1977 Nissan heads came with steel seats for use with unleaded gas. Like the N42, putting it on a flattop L28 motor puts compression in the mid 10's. The P79 came on 81-83 flattop piston L28 (F54) blocks. It has a 53cc chamber and must be used with flattop pistons or compression drops to 7.8:1 (with dished pistons). The exhaust ports/liners are identical to the N47, and used an internally oiled cam. My P79 page . The P90 is the turbo head from the '81-82 ZX. It has the same combustion chambers as the P79, but has square exhaust ports like the N42. The P90 and P90a are said to be the best flowing heads due to their turbo origins. They both use an internally oiled cam. My P90 page. The P90a is an interesting turbo head which I believe came out in 1983 only. It has hydraulic valve lifters instead of standard rocker arms, which make the engine almost silent. It has identical chambers and ports to the P90 and uses an internally oiled cam. I think with a low lift, higher duration cam this head would be a hot setup. But the manuals say nothing about servicing it and replacement lifters do not exist anymore. Y70, E80 I've heard these heads were used on Australia/New Zealand Z's. The AU E88 was used on L28 motors. Interestingly, while the 260 was only made in 1974 in the states it was made until 1978 or so over there. I believe they had leaded 96 octane gas until the early '00s, so these may have been higher compression heads, or ones designed for leaded gas. A friend of mine has an E88 with injector ports on his L24, he suspects it received an Austratlian head at some point.

Hasn't done a whole lot lately though??

That dude is so taking the rocker cover off that engine.......... I've been looking out for the rip as well.

Why pre-turbo, isn't this is for the brake booster?? I was inspecting my mates FC RX7 turbo the other day and it has a belt driven vacuum pump for the booster. Can't see why, but obviously someone thought they needed it in Japan.

Is it just me or can't you see any engine pics of that car???

Very sweet vid mate. You're obviously familiar with the Mull vids: http://gallery.voodoo-people.com/~daz/mull/wmv/ I reckon your skills are up there. You've done so much to the Zed already.

I'd be getting a second opinion before installing one. If that's still what you want I've got a spare one.

Wow, that looked a lot harder than with an engine crane. Love the vid. Daft Punk rocks by the way.