DJZ's 280ZX

[DJZ]

Apart from the lack of rocker covers it's starting to look like a motor again.

[Datto_610]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww yeah!

[DJZ]

The 20 is basically ready to come out, got a couple more bolts to undo and have to take the bonnet off.

26 is pretty much ready to go back in, just have to swap the sump and flywheel/clutch back off the 20. Put the cam pulleys on yesterday after spending ages looking for the M7 bolts that hold them on, stole them off the 20 and then found the correct ones in box this morning. Put the new timing belt, tensioner and idler on as well.

Might have to take the intercooler out and move either the inlet or outlet over slightly so I can fit the old radiator out of the R30 which has the inlet on the correct side.

[DJZ]

Motor is back in the hole, I'm going to need to buy a short clutch master cylinder as the standard one interferes with the Freddy plenum as I suspected it would. Will get a braided clutch line at the same time. Only have one rocker cover on as the only thing the genuine gasket set doesn't have in it is the half moon seals and I'm missing one of the ones off the old motor.





Wastegate clears, will have to run the pipe forwards with a sweeping bend backwards to clear the downpipe.



Still got heaps to do but might have it running by the end of the weekend.

[DJZ]

I live ... again!

(for those Army Of Darkness fans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82E7vhtLxNs)

After a couple of little hickups I turned off the injectors so that it wouldn't start so I could crank it over to get the oil pressure up, I turned the key and cranked it and I guess due to having primed the fuel system several times there was enough fuel in it to start even with the injectors turned off!

It wasn't running on all 6 so I pulled the injector plugs off one at a time and it turned out to be cylinder 6, while looking at the spark plug leads I realised I'd forgotten to ground the ignitor, grounded that to the head and started it up again and it's running on all 6! It sounds a little bit rough/missy but I've only done a quick job to get it going so it's got a few vacuum leaks and missing hose clamps so after I get all that sorted hopefully it'll be back to the way it should be.

The turbo seems to be okay, it's spinning fine with no odd noises.

[Bartman]

Nice one Daniel!
It's going to be nice to see this machine ripping it up again.

[DJZ]

Took the intercooler out and put the radiator out of the old R30 in, had to make a new temporary top hose but the old bottom hose worked. Was trying to warm it up to temp but it looks like the alternator isn't charging the battery. It's never had a proper alternator plug on it and I think I've just got the terminals not quite on properly, but the battery went flat anyway.

Will try and track down a proper plug soon.

[DJZ]

Got a proper plug for the alternator off Zac, just have to solder it on.

What an annoying weekend, didn't get much done. Put the rear sway bar mount bushes on, went to tighten up the links and the spacers between the two middle bushes were too short which meant the sway bar hit on the control arm.

The new front and rear bush kits were the same but the old front bushes had longer spacers, but I'd only changed one side of the front (the easy side to get to) so had to change the other side, then went to put them in the back and they looked a bit on the long side so I cut them down about 10mm then couldn't get the nut on, had to jack the sway bar up to compress the bushes a bit to actually get the nut on but with them torqued up there is about 10 - 15mm of thread sticking out.

Tightened up the loose engine mount and gearbox to engine bolts, fitted the new clutch master and braided clutch line, bled it all up and the pedal feels pretty good, and the master cylinder doesn't leak. Mucked around tidying a few little bits and pieces up in the engine bay then finally tonight drove it back into the garage under it's own power.

I'll try and modify the intercooler tomorrow night after work, then it's just finishing the intercooler piping, finishing the downpipe, finalising the idle control, get some new front tyres and it should be ready for a WOF.

[DJZ]

Made some reasonably good progress today.

Got the intercooler piping 99% sorted, it's pretty ugly and I'll be changing it again but there is a Z Club cruise next weekend so I'm trying to get everything sorted before then, I still need to drill and tap a hole for the air temp sensor. The PCV system is also plumbed up as well, I need to find another RB rocker cover with a right angle fitting to tidy it up, haven't been able to bring myself to spend the $40 - $80 they are going for on Trademe.

Tomorrow I need to:

Cut some new lengths of tube to mount the intercooler properly
Drill and rivnut a new mount for the power steering line - it used to bolt to the radiator but this new radiator doesn't have the lower fan mounting holes
Swap the blow off valve back off the DR and hopefully it fits - it's going to be pretty close to the power steering pump and air filter
Figure out what spring I should be running in the wastegate and fit that all up properly
Make a downpipe
Put the bonnet back on

[Bartman]

we also want a startup video too.