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!

Sounds like the spring is too firm for the boost with that fluttering!

I think that was because the vacuum reference was, at the time of the video, plumbed in pre throttle body not post throttle body.

 

However the flutter is not audible inside or outside the car though (it’s only picking up as the mic was literally right next to the air filter) and although I’ve not put a mic back under the nose section since rectifying the vac reference, I’m pretty sure that flutter has been eliminated

So today I purchased a set of the Smoked version of these:

 

Shock Horror..... AMS parts! Yes yes I know however, they are an AMS original part that they haven’t copied off another manufacturer, so there’s no guilt here.

 

There are 2 reasons why I have gone with these over just OE covers, one aesthetic and one mechanical

 

Aesthetic is that I have a bloody expensive valve train with the BDE cam pulleys and the PE Kevlar belt. Seems silly to hide that lovely engineering away

The other reason is I run the EPR manual tensioner, so makes it easy to keep an eye on both my belt tension and timing marks without having to remove the covers.

 

My OE fasteners are a bit of the tatty side nowadays, so I’ll see if I can purchase some through ZSpec while they have a sale on

You going to keep the AMS logos on them?

You going to keep the AMS logos on them?

 

Ill have to have a look what they’re like when they turn up. I suspect that there’s not going to be enough material there for me to sand it back to remove the emblems.

They ruin an otherwise glorious exhaust note.

 

What ruins the sound of these cars most is the map at the deceleration point, that’s why they just don’t crackle and pop like a car should.

What ruins the sound of these cars most is the map at the deceleration point, that’s why they just don’t crackle and pop like a car should.

 

That got sorted with the recent map. Unfortunately, as I’m on my temporary straight pipe exhaust, I can make the quaintest of villages sound like Beirut in the 70’s..... needs tweaking a touch to say the least, but I’ll sort that when the new exhaust is made

Edited January 3, 20196 yr by nickz32

Talk to Ceejay (Chris Kelsall) about your timing cover fasteners i got a complete set of stainless bolts and anodized tapered cup washers for mine from him.

I’d completely forgotten Chris was doing dress up parts. Something to remember for the future!

Well I have to say, I’m a little miffed!

 

I had a message from EP Racing late last night asking if I was available for a video call.... never a good sign.

 

Mitch had started stripping my heads down for them to have the valve guides on the intake side changed and CNC ported. I’d told Mitch that I’d previously had a CNC multi profile valve seat and throat machined when I changed to the SuoerTech valvetrain. For those who have heard of 3 angle and 5 angle valve seats cuts, a multi profile cut is a step above a 5 angle cut.

 

when he removed my valves he was presented with this

 

 

That is a 2 angle valve seat that’s been stone cut.... not CNC cut. To put some more meat on the bones, an standard stone valve seat cut costs roughly £85..... i was charged for my CNC valve seats £400.

 

So, Mitch will be CNC cutting my valve seats when the CNC porting takes place, and should look like this

 

I’ll be speaking to the machine shop that carried out my head work later this week to express my displeasure!

That is bad mate, hope they have a good explanation why the work you wanted was not carried out but you were overcharged for that work.

Mitch will be CNC cutting my valve seats when the CNC porting takes place, and should look like this

[ATTACH=CONFIG]115728[/ATTACH]

 

Spark plug bosses coming off?

 

 

http://epracing.net/cnc-vg30dett-cylinder-heads/

Spark plug bosses coming off?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]115751[/ATTACH]

 

http://epracing.net/cnc-vg30dett-cylinder-heads/

 

You know what, I’m not sure. I’ll ask and report back

Yes, the boss comes off when the bowls are machined

 

This is a good read should anyone be interested

 

https://www.dsportmag.com/the-tech/cylinder-head-101-getting-the-chambers-and-ports-in-shape/3/

Edited January 7, 20196 yr by nickz32

Isn’t the easiest way to port the heads to stick your air filter in a sand pit and then redline it for a few minutes?!

Yes, the boss comes off when the bowls are machined

 

That will give you a much larger range of spark plugs to work with (NA type on left, TT on right):

 

 

http://www.twinturbo.net/nissan/300zx/forums/general/view/1751111/AshsZ-II-Ultimate-Street-Z-COMPILATION-V1.html

Edited January 7, 20196 yr by AndrewG

What’s the source of that picture Andrew?

Isn’t the easiest way to port the heads to stick your air filter in a sand pit and then redline it for a few minutes?!

 

I’d rather stick play doh through it

 

[video=youtube_share;meXz_Ph5N50]

What’s the source of that picture Andrew?

 

Oops missed the link off ^^^

Oops missed the link off ^^^

 

Hmm. Interesting. Spark plug placement in the combustion chamber is quite a critical thing for flame fronts, so by pulling the plug further out of the combustion chamber you’re changing where the initial flame front is in the combustion process. I’m guessing there’s a reason why Nissan specified the plug protrudes that much more for the TT engine than the NA... From what I understood, you want the source of ignition to be as central in the combustion chamber as possible, so as protruding into the combustion chamber as possible without causing interference with the piston or valves

 

It’s certainly something I’ll research further

Edited January 7, 20196 yr by nickz32

From Hot Rod magazine: https://www.hotrod.com/articles/spark-plugs-tips/

 

Electrode and Gap Design

 

When selecting the spark plug “nose” configuration, the simple rule to remember is: The more the spark plug is exposed to the air/fuel mixture, the easier it is to initiate combustion. Many specialized plugs have been developed for high-end race cars, but for most dual-purpose vehicles the choice typically boils down to either regular-gap (conventional) or projected-nose styles.

 

 

The regular-gap plug is the traditional configuration factory-installed on many classic musclecars. For modern high-performance work, it should only be used if there isn’t enough clearance for a projected-nose plug. The latter style “projects” the spark further into the chamber than a standard plug, and will nearly always offer improved performance if there is sufficient valve and piston clearance, although many nitrous oxide users prefer to stay away from them because of excessive heat buildup in the tip that can cause detonation.

 

Projected plugs initiate the flame-front closer to the center of the combustion chamber, which has an effect similar to advancing the timing. This lets the total ignition advance be reduced, decreasing the chances of detonation while providing superior throttle response. A projected plug’s longer core nose provides a hotter plug at low speed to help prevent fouling. As engine speed increases, the incoming air/fuel mixture flows across the core nose tip, providing charge cooling that effectively reduces the heat range for increased top-end detonation resistance. Today many race cars also used projected-nose plugs, albeit in highly modified form from the “civilian” versions—the ground electrodes are often cut back to help improve the flame kernel and reduce the voltage amount needed to fire the plug

Who did your porting Nick, I would be looking for some money back

I shall be having a conversation with them this week.

 

On a positive note, my Billet main caps are due to be machined today...

 

I saw a video of the guys machining out a set today, must be yours:thumbup1:

I think that was a block belonging to le_wild_z on Instagram... but here’s my block with his