tim13

turn up at his shop with beers and pizza late on a friday ? never hurts to be the guy who didnt just ask questions and not come back , once he knows you are not just a time waster but you bring beer too things might get easier , these guys often get more questions/phonecalls than they can handle and often no business from those calls/questions , so setting yourself apart from 'those guys' who waste his time will usually help your cause

Mine is a wagon so can't help on rears , front was about an inch lower than a mates au3 ticford xr6 but still has reasonable ground clearance so not really low at all by oldschool standards !

Yes , I have ef xr6 front springs/shocks in my au , brake hose brackets are the only thing you need to be creative with . Ba/f front rotors & calipers are a fairly straight forward upgrade while you are under there too

So I asked earlier about improving sound quality on my au wagon and didn't get much response , then I procrastinated until my xr6 muffler disintegrated and I finally had to do something (other than complain !) I now have an exhaust note I am happy with on my falcon , the recipe that worked for me is a 2 1/2" system with a 18" coby followed by an 'afterburner' (trademe $80) and followed by what was originally a front resonator from an xr6 , seems to have freed some midrange torque and improved pitch and volume from the previous manifold to main xr6 muffler to resonator system (also 2 1/2) (please note no actual science or data has be used to leap to these conclusions)

Overheating is usually either really obvious what's wrong or a total nightmare ! I use an digital infrared thermometer to confirm whether it is actually overheating or a guage issue ? Then if it is overheating you can find if there is a localized hot or cool spot to give you a clue whats up . some interesting things to find include internally bypassing radiators , water pumps with wrong impeller trying to pump the wrong way and more of a new car issue air locks , good luck dude , hope it's easier to fix than it is to find ......

Agreed , with easily found models colapsable spacer replacement is the best answer .......but oddball stuff or late night before an event a spacer can save the day . Poor workmanship/service from 'Professionals' annoys me

I am no diff expert (although I have broken a few ......) but if you have to reuse a crush tube I am pretty sure you can add a shim/small spacer to allow another stage of crush ?

that , or cantabury brake and clutch are pretty good

just had a read of this and build thread and wondering if you have checked spark at plugs fuel at rail and pulse at injectors ? you prob have but it may help with our virtual diagnosis

worth checking for hidden bolts too some heads have some small ones which hide under gunge , been ages since I did one of these so may or may not be the case here .....

I am guessing a forgotten extra fill between calculations ........ although as a 2000 owner mine has used less than half a tank in 12 months so the economy is goooooood

depends what events you want to run though , that car has run in a few 'classic' events which it could still do with a Z or L or FJ motor but only two of those can be done cheaply ...... if you are not worried about classicness or datsun-ness there are some great options out there too . but for me I would go Z based as best bang for buck , no fabrication , classic option

isnt this the generation with the autochoke that gums up inside and out ? if so often the suplementry idleup unit for a/c & p/s wont be engaging cause choke still on a bit ...... worth checking what choke is doing before you go much further anyway cause that may explain the high idle you are trying to adjust/bend into submission too ! also check basics like timing and vacuum leaks sooner rather than later , good luck

at Steelies , I had Mikuni flatslides on my spittie , they were fitted before I bought it so basic setup was already done , drove great but had a few minor issues with leaks and getting correct fuel pump and pressure . car is still in wellie and I can put you in touch with current owner if you want ? cheers Tim

the above theory on thinning oils is why people believe cars will run on water in the future