DJZ's 280ZX

[DJZ]

Wastegate pipe, you can't see it that well but above the downpipe to the top right is where it joins back in.

Just about finished my battery tray today, decided I'd create a new alloy I've named stainuminium when I picked up the wrong filler rod, whoops. I need to get some rubber to put under the top piece to put some downward pressure on the battery.

This is where it lives, in the spare wheel well on the right hand side of the car.

Power steering cooler mounted.

This is how the car is sitting at the moment and how it'll be sitting when certed, don't really want to go any lower.

Got some wheel aluminium wheel nuts off my mate, they hide the long studs on the rear and I either needed open nuts on the front or really long nuts because the studs in my legal wheel spacers are quite long too. I think the colour of the nuts suits the centres quite well.

This is what I do when I'm not working on my car, this setup when it's finished can lift 2400 tons and will be lifting one of the new Christchurch motorway bridges in a couple of weeks.

[DJZ]

Took the car in for cert today, failed on a few things but nothing to serious which is awesome!

1. Exhaust is sitting on the rear crossmember.

I knew about this but didn't have time to fix it before today. It's not really the crossmember, just a plate thing that runs between the chassis rails.

2. Need to fit a heat shield to the turbo.

Will just buy a turbo beanie I think.

3. Need to heat wrap the downpipe.

Already have the wrap and already had planned to do it.

4. Fit a bracket to my vacuum tank and change the fuel hose that I used to vacuum hose.

Easy enough.

5. Weld gussets to the gearbox mounts.

This is the most annoying one but still an easy fix.

6. Diff is too tight.

I'll add a bit more of the Redline limited slip additive which should fix that.

7. Wheel alignment report.

Already done, forgot to give it to him.

8. Chassis/VIN# tag.

Got this at home, chassis number is on the firewall but I'll refit it anyway.

9. Need a letter regarding the welding of the engine mount & gearbox mounts.

Easy as.

[DJZ]

So far I've reattached the ID plate, put some more of the Redline friction modifier in the diff, taken the gearbox mounts out again, took about an hour to undo 3 of the nylock nuts so I bought a 17mm ratchet spanner to speed up the process. I've made up some gussets and tacked them into place, just have to check with the Hoff to make sure they are okay.

Bought some black heat wrap as I thought that would look better in the engine bay than the light coloured stuff. Looking into turbo beanies, again I want a black one but it's hard to figure out which ones are shit and which ones aren't. Probably going to go with this one:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=448297243

[DJZ]

Got the mufflers straightened up.

Wrapped the downpipe and got my turbo beanie fitted.

Car is not ready to get rechecked, just need to get a letter from the dudes that welded my stuff which I'll try and get tomorrow with the help of some beers.

[DJZ]

Welded a bracket onto the vacuum canister this afternoon and put it back on the car tonight, it's finally ready for the cert recheck so hopefully the Hoff can fit it in this week, then it's about 5 days to make the cert plate up then I can try for a warrant hopefully not this weekend but next weekend.

[DJZ]

Passed cert today, no more problems. Just need my cert plate and then a warrant!

[DJZ]

Got the letter today saying my cert plate is ready, will take the car down on Monday and hopefully it'll be legal by the end of the day!

Had some trouble with the chassis number just like I did last time, someone has entered it into the LTSA system as an H5130 rather than an HS130, should really try and get that fixed.

[DJZ]

Warranted, suckas!

[DJZ]

Been working through a couple of little bits and pieces now that it's legal.

First one has been that it developed really, really squealy brakes all of a sudden a couple of weeks ago. I took everything apart, cleaned it and put it back together 3 times and it was still doing it. I noticed that the pads were quite tight to get in and out so it looks like with R32 GTR rotors and R33 GTS-25t calipers if you use new pads with rubber backing they are too tight and are constantly up against the rotor. So last night I ripped the rubber backings off, sprayed the pads with CRC anti squeal stuff and sanded the pads down a little bit, and today no more squealy brakes!

Only problem is this has affected the master cylinder adjustment, it seemed pretty good when I put everything together originally but it must have been because the pads were right up against the rotor to start with. Now the brake pedal was pretty much just off the stopper before anything happened. I've adjusted the master cylinder push rod tonight, test drive tomorrow and hopefully it'll be fixed.

Managed to get the final couple of interior bits that my car has been missing ever since I got it and some unbroken a pillar trim that I'll put in at some stage as they require removal of the glove box and instrument cluster which needs to come out as there is a blown bulb in for the fuel gauge.

Other than that the car seems to be going all good, pretty hard on the ass driving around with worn out seats and the roads the way they are. I've still got some FD RX7 seats but I don't think there is much of a hope of them fitting. Still looking at getting a clutch maybe end of next week.

[DJZ]

Brakes are still squealy, they only do it sometimes now though. Still need to take the rotors off, get them skimmed and replace the pads to see if that fixes it.

Have been modifying the radius rods to try and get a bit more caster, I've chopped 20mm out of the hex piece in the middle at the right hand threaded end, this should be enough to get all the adjustment that I want.

I have a feeling that I put the lock stoppers on the control arms in the wrong place, it used to have a really good turning circle but now struggles to do a u turn in a normal 2 lane road. The rack ends have flat bits that stop on the ends of the rack (you move these out with "drift" rack end spacers) so I'm not even sure if I need the ones on the control arms - might cut the ones on the control arms off again and see how much lock I actually get without them and whether the wheels hit on the inner guards at full lock. Does anybody know if it's okay just to stop on the rack ends?

One thing I noticed after the car was first tuned but didn't do anything about is the rear stub axle flanges appear to be hitting on the body under hard acceleration in first gear mostly, this makes for some interesting noises and probably isn't very good for the bolts/flanges/body. I'm in the process of tracking down some 3x2 flanges from an R31/Z31 which hopefully will be a bit smaller on the OD than the 4x1 flanges that I'm using at the moment. I've got 3 pairs of 3x2 flanged axles so hopefully one set will match up. I'm not really sure what to do if it doesn't fix it, options pretty much are chopping some out of the body or fitting stiffer springs in the back I think?

Delayed buying a clutch and getting a retune for a while as I've bought another car, it's another '80s Nissan - I'll start a project thread for it once I've got it in my possession. Anybody want to buy my Stagea?

[DJZ]

It's been ages since I've updated this, I've pretty much just been driving it around and putting up with squealy brakes and knocking in the rear end under acceleration mostly in 1st gear.

The brake rotors are getting skimmed at the moment, should have them back tomorrow - I've got new pads to go in with them and hopefully that'll fix the front brakes!

The knocking in the rear from what I can tell has been from the outside of the companion flanges/axle flanges hitting on the body as per this picture:

I did a bit of research and it appeared that the 3x2 flanges were smaller on the OD than the 4x1 flanges, it turned out to only be about 5mm but I thought that might be enough, so I got some off NZeder complete with axles ex Jap R31.

Now if I'd had a good look at everything first I would have realised that the R31 axles are a little bit longer than the Z31 axles, now the Z31 axles were already a tight fit so it looks like the R31 axles probably aren't going to fit. I ran out of time to have a really good look but from a quick measure they are 20 - 30mm longer on both sides, by the time I realised I'd already got to this point - it's not tight tight as my torque wrench doesn't go high enough, I'll have to borrow one from work.

I suppose I could just knock the crap out of the lip part where it looks like it's been hitting, I'll have another look tomorrow.

[DJZ]

Sweet so I flipped one cage on one original axle and put that back in, the R31 stuff just isn't going to work. Looks like my only option at the moment is to put stiffer springs in the back.

Got my freshly machined rotors and brand new pads, first application of the brakes and the squeal is still there. I pulled the back apart for a look last night and there was a pretty big lip on the pads where they don't actually sit on the face of the rotor (long story), so I filed that off all the pads as I was in a hurry and didn't have new ones and the squeal is still there! I'm almost at the point of paying someone to fix it because I'm stumped.

Also mate bought this:

[DJZ]

To add to the never ending list of things I keep finding wrong with this thing, after trying the R31 companion flanges, flipping the bearing cage on the right hand out CV to shorten the axle a little bit and replacing the back pads I've now developed another noise from the right hand rear, it's hard to describe but seems to be when the shock is extending after hitting a bump etc. I've had a bit of a poke around for that and the only thing I can find is that possibly the brake pads are loose in the caliper due to one of the removable slider plate things was a bit broken or possibly the piston hasn't advanced fully due to the rubber boot on it not being in the right place? I'm trying to find another slider plate thing.

Also while investigating this noise I thought I'd check out the loose wheel bearing that the guy noted on my warrant sheet last time (also the right rear). Jacked it up the other day and had a feel, definitely some movement. Drop the axle off and tighten up the nut a bit more, still movement, tighten it up more and more (the torque range for this nut is pretty big) got to about 220ftlb and there was still movement. I replaced the bearings when I fitted the 5 stud hubs originally which was about 3 years ago so this seemed a little strange?

Pulled that whole side apart tonight, knocked the hub out extremely easily which made me sad. Took the bearings out and the inner bearing pretty much just drops onto the hub with no force required, they should be press fit from what I understand. I also found some strands of metal shavings on the inside of the control arm between the two bearings which is a bit worrying, I'm going to be replacing the bearing spacers and bearings, I'll give the bearings a good clean at work tomorrow to see if I can find out where the metal has come from. Basically it means one of my 5 stud hubs is rooted. I'm in the process of buying another pair which hopefully aren't worn, I'll have a chat to the guys at HBI and see if they can think of a way of fixing it, possibly machining it back and fitting a sleeve which I can tack in place (even though you aren't supposed to weld axle parts I don't think). The other way might be metal spraying but I don't really know anything about that.

The good news if I can get it fixed is I'll have a full set of 5 stud hubs for the DR now! Also I got a pair of spare 8Kg springs from my mate out of the front of his S13, they are 40mm shorter than the rear springs in my car which are 6Kg but I might try and fit them and see if I can get the height etc right with them. It's basically just to test whether I can stop the companion flanges hitting the body before I have to go and buy new front springs too.

[DJZ]

So I've managed to get another pair of Z31 rear hubs, just need to get them down from Auckland and get a new set of wheel bearings for that side and chuck it back together.

Rung up Euroblast to find out about metal spraying, guy I talked to wasn't interested at all and did nothing to talk up the process and wouldn't even really give me an estimate just told me it was "expensive" and "not worth it".

I've got the 8Kg springs for the rear, I've installed one, the spring perch is now only about 20 - 30mm from the top of the shock body, I don't really think it'll cause any problems. I don't really know much about it but will a short 8Kg spring bind faster than a longer 8Kg spring? I guess once it's back in the car and on the ground I can see how much the spring is compressed.

Still thinking about whether to install the new Nolathane rear control arm bushes I got ages ago, I probably should as one control arm is almost out and it's not really that big a job to remove the other.

[DJZ]

Got this thing back together today.

Bought 2 new rear hubs off a guy in the Z Club, measured up the where the inner bearing runs and it was pretty much spot on 30mm where the old one was 29.85ish, swapped the long studs out of the old hub into the new one, went to press on the new outer wheel bearing, tight, tight, loose. Busted out a few swear words and then the Loctite bearing retainer. I can't be bothered trying to get it sleeved or find another one at the moment so this will have to do. I got the only bearing kit that Saeco had left in stock, doesn't really matter as the bearings are still available on their own and the seal was the wrong size anyway.

Put the whole lot back together with the new 8Kg springs in the back, it looks like it's sitting slightly higher but that's to be expected as I didn't adjust the height at all. The funny noise that appeared after I took the companion flange off last time has gone away, I'm wonder if it was the dust shield on the companion flange touching on something because the wheel bearing was loose? Not sure. The weather wasn't really great for winding it out in 1st gear but I think the companion flanges aren't hitting on the body any more, I'll have to check on the ride height and possibly lower it and bit, then check again.

[DJZ]

Got sick of the squealing from the front brakes so I bought some more. I'll keep the other ones for the DR, might end up swapping the rotors for some correct ones to match the calipers.

These are the biggest of the non Brembo Skyline brakes, R34 GT-t at 310x30mm. The rotors are Znoelli ones with the fancy thermographic paint on the sides. Will try and get them on this weekend and hopefully no more squeal! I have to drill out the caliper mounting holes to 14mm to match the calipers which shouldn't be too hard.

[DJZ]

Changed the front springs to 10Kg ones, haven't driven it yet, possibly tomorrow. Coming up due for a warrant just before the Datsun Club Nationals so will have to see about getting it in this week.

Also adjusted the brake master cylinder push rod a little bit, the pedal still had a little too much travel for my liking. Will also bleed the brakes to see if they get any better.

[DJZ]

Passed my warrant. Car feels much much better with the new springs all round, just need to do something about the ride height. It doesn't look like it's come up much at the front but I think it's come up about 30mm in the rear if the cert plate is accurate. It's still not as bad as the DR though!

Also bought these off Kane, they are pretty sweet and I'm sure they are genuine Nismo ones, they are cool because they have hinges so you can lift them up to clean under them etc without having to remove them completely. Won't be fitting them to the car till I get some new headlight buckets sorted and painted, they are both cracked. I can't understand why anybody would go to the trouble of trying to fix them with more fibreglass instead of just replacing them.

[DJZ]

Can't quite put my finger on it but I think somethings not right here.