As with most projects and rebuilds, they all start in the same place, mine was no different. However, this isn’t truely the start of my forever ongoing Z project. I’ve owned this car (my second Z) since 2008 when I purchased it from a former member. For the first 5 or 6 years I did the usual mods with suspension parts and basic bolt ons. For reasons unknown, whilst running stock boost, piston 5 cracked a ring land during a track day at Castle Coombe. A forged build and a remap later all was well until a sunny October’s day 2013 at Bruntingthorpe killed that engine with what at the time was a suspected head gasket failure at 181mph..... And this is where I shall start my journal.

 

The Z was stored off the road from Oct 2013 until March 2015. I’d had a major knee operation at the beginning of 2015 which meant I was going to be off work for 6 months. I’d saved up enough to start thinking about a parts list to rebuild her and frankly, after a couple of months of staring at the same 4 walls, I was going stir crazy! I employed the help of a good friend and decided to pull the engine and see what was what.... just a head gasket my arse!

 

March 2015

Problem 1: It turns out stainless steel, exhaust wraps and condensation don’t mix well

 

Before I’d even got the engine out, a new set of downpipes was added to this list. These AMS items were only 2 years old, so I was far from impressed! I contacted the retailer and after a bit of tooing and froing I secured myself a set of replacements for free... how long they will last, only time will tell!

Do you happen to know a reputable company in the UK who can undertake ceramic coating?

I do, .Zircotech, but they have quoted £350 more than EP Racing are charging me for the same product

First bunch of parts have arrived...

 

Beautifully engineered rods Nick - you can hardy see the joint between the cap and the rod. The Patek Philippe

of internal combustion engine parts.

For anyone that’s on FB, you’ll find my engine under the album name “UK’s Black Betty” on the EP Racing page. I can’t link the album (stoopid FB) but you’ll be able to see the album from this post

 

 

I’ll be posting a selection of the pics that Mitch posts on here anyway, but he usually describes certain processes of his builds on FB if any of you have interest in seeing the machining that’s going into my build.

 

As before, if anyone has any Q’s, please feel free to ask.... I don’t bite!

Boxed up my heads, manifolds, down pipes, turbine housings, lower Plenum, backing plates, block water pipes and a few other bits and bobs ready to be sent to EPR tomorrow.

 

 

£170 for a 6 day delivery with TNT/FedEx.... not too bad considering it weighs 90KG

Here you go Nick, something to pass the time in eager anticipation of the new engine!

 

Hoo-oo ha-a ha-a hoo-oo

Precious moments

When will I see you again

When will we share precious moments

Will I have to wait forever

Will I have to suffer

And cry the whole night trough?

When will I see you again

When will our hearts beat together?

Are we in love or just friends?

Is this my beginning

Or is this the end?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

Hoo-oo- a hoo-oo

Precious moments

Are we in love or just friends?

Is this my beginning

Or is this the end?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

When will I see you again?

 

(With credit to the The Three Degrees).

Hahahahaha...... hopefully in 12 weeks!

Yesterday I managed to source a second hand SZ segmented flywheel for a very reasonable price, which is now making its way to EPR. I may have to buy replacement segments for it, but even if I do, I’ll have made a decent savings over a new item

 

Edited January 5, 20196 yr by nickz32

Good find! The RPS and later SZ segmented flywheels are an excellent design with high quality manufacture.

Fascinating build thread Nick. :thumbup1:

Today I addressed one of the little things that’s been bothering me.

 

For the last couple of years, the bonnet panel gap across the front has lifted due to someone jacking the car up on the lower radiator support. You can just about see it in some of the pics of my car. The bonnet only sits a couple of mm proud of where it should, but to me it’s noticable...... devils in the details and all.

 

Having removed the AC condensor (which I’m replacing) I had a good look at the lower rad support. While there is some deformation on the underside, there was nothing apparent on the upper side. Infact it’s in pretty good condition with only a small amount of surface corrosion, which I shall treat.

 

I removed the 12mm and 10mm bolts that attach the brace to the bonnet latch, and gently pressed down on the upper scuttle panel until I got the desired contact on the headlight seals

 

With very little effort and a bit of tweaking of the bump stops on the scuttle panel, I managed to get the bonnet to sit where it should

 

I reinstalled the brace and inspected the bolt holes

 

I decided than rather go for the full surgery and try an massage the lower rad support, and potentially damage it further, that I’m going to elongate the holes in the support bracke, given I only need to increase the slots by about 5mm, I shouldn’t have any issue when I refit the new AC condensor.

 

I’ve also decided that I want to improve the fitting of my HKS SSQV’s. When everything is in place, they kind of sit up along side the filters, but they have a habit of flopping around a bit. I’m going to have a bit of a measure and see if there is room for me to weld the bosses directly into the IC piping, where the port that the BOV’s are fed from. If not, I’ll have to try and maybe make a support bracket and some better suited angled silicon piping, just to tidy things up down there.

 

Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to start some of the other engine bay work I had planned, sorting more heat shielding for the fuel lines, general cleaning and investigating a notch I can feel through the steering on right hand turns (even with the engine off)

Bit more fettling today.

 

Test fitted the support bar for the scuttle panel. Now just need to sand back the surface corrosion, treat, prime and repaint.

 

Also had a bit of a faff with the bov’s. I managed to reuse the silicon joiners that were previously fitted, but swapped them around to different angles, so they now sit like this

 

I refitted the auxiliary fan to make sure nothing fouled. Luckily everything all good on that front. Will have to wait until the AC condensor arrives before I settle on what orientation the BOV’s sit at. I suspect that sitting as they are in the pic, I may be too close to the condensor, so I’ll have to spin them round 90 degrees. I’m also going to order some new black silicon pipes, not a fan of the blue!

 

Still got the following on the “to do” list before the engine goes back in

 

Reconnect steering

Identify any steering issue

Steering rack bushes

Recon starter motor

Clean engine bay

Sort fuel line heat shield

Replace gear linkage bushing

Reinstall centre exhaust hanger

Test Actuators

Edited December 29, 20186 yr by nickz32

Have you thought about making your SSQV’s recircs rather than dumps?

Have you thought about making your SSQV’s recircs rather than dumps?

 

I’ve pondered it, but to be honest I like the sound of the SSQV’s. I also don’t have any of the issues that BOV’s can potentially cause (fuelling and idle) as I’m using a MAP sensor.

 

The options always there in the future should I change my mind

Edited December 29, 20186 yr by nickz32

Simon will be raging when you blast past him and release all that boost to atmosphere right by his drivers window!

Simon will be raging when you blast past him and release all that boost to atmosphere right by his drivers window!

 

Like I’d do such a thing, lol

Have you thought about making your SSQV’s recircs rather than dumps?

 

^^^^ this x 1million!!!

^^^^ this x 1million!!!

 

Squeak squeak lol

Squeak squeak lol

 

If they're making that noise then they're screwed. :lol:

Squeak squeak lol

 

No more like this...

 

No more like this...

 

 

Lol

 

I’ve got the fins installed in mine, so it’s deffo more of a high pitched squeak rather than a hush noise (which is why I chose the HKS and not the Apexi twin chambers that I had in my old Z)

An old video of mine, but you can hear them at the end of the run

 

[video=youtube_share;_ptkRddQcF8]

Or this vid....... one of these days I will fix my SSR’s!

 

[video=youtube_share;EkyCQEdTu2A]

They ruin an otherwise glorious exhaust note.