DTA (UK)

Oops, my last sentence should read: "data transfer problem"

Just to add my 2p to this conversation. You should be aware that not all Serial/USB converters are created equally ;-) The DTA ConZult will only work correctly with a very limited number of converters. Something to do with how bi-directional data is "interpreted" by the chip inside the converter. Unfortunately I can't give any concrete recommendations as to which convert works 100%. When I used to sell ConZults I sold them with our own converters which were tried and tested. However, I've just noticed that the supplier we used has closed down and I haven't got any converters left to give you or check for a model number. My best advice is to first try and match the com ports (you can set the comport from withing the settings menu in the ConZult software) and if that fails try a different converter. One more thing, always install the converter drivers which are specific to your OS version BEFORE you connect the physical converter to a USB port. Do it any other way and Windows will try to use a generic driver that definitely will not work. Znut - the fact that your software is functioning and then hangs during certain checks/phases indicates to me that you've got a date transfer problem - probably best to try a different converter. All the best, Dan (ex-DTA-Motorsport UK trader)

Hi Paul! Got a text from Lee saying you were looking to get in touch with me (Thanks Lee :) ) I can confirm that the caliper relocation brackets you've got there are to be used with the 324 x 30mm discs which are commonly found on the R33GTR. DBA do some excellent discs in this size (check out Clark Motorsport). These are the same as the 350Z uses at the front. I'm pretty sure the 350Z was specced with either red or gold brembo calipers, the latter using a bigger disc. I'm afraid I've been out of this market too long to remember so you'd need to check with the disc supplier to be sure you're getting a 324x30mm disc. If you need any further information, please feel free to contact me through e-mail (dannyzaat@yahoo.co.uk) as that will get a much quicker reply (I don't come on here too often anymore). All the best! Dan

Paraphrased and taken from today's Dutch Telegraph newspaper: Apparently a registry office has refused to register the name of a new born girl. Her family name is "Pot" and her parents wanted her given name to be "Flower" ... I'm very glad to see that for once a civil servant had more common sense than the girl's parents - what the heck were they thinking!?!?

I'm not 100% sure what's going on here but to me it looks like this particular "ebay" kit is trying to achieve two things, namely: (1) Underdrive crank pully to reduce drag on the crank, and (2) Allow the re-use of the standard belts by over-sizing the ancillary pulleys Don't quote me on this but looking at the pictures of the new pulley sizes versus stock pulley sizes it is clear that the crank pulley is SMALLER, which is how it should be. All the other new pulleys appear to be LARGER than the stock pulleys. As I can't really see a mechanical reason for this I can only assume it is done to allow the stock ancillary belts to be reused (ie, smaller crank pully + larger ancillary pulley = roughly the same belt length). As a general rule, always use NEW belts when you change any of the pulleys. I have sold many Unorthodox pulley kits over the years (as well as our own 'DTA-Motorsport' branded lightened pulley kits) I don't think that the above 'ebay' kit will cause any harm to your engine components but critical parts such as the water pump and powersteering pump rotating at a lower rpm will eventually cause undue stress on the components. If you look at an Unorthodox Racing kit you'll find that only the crank pulley is smaller than stock, all the others are the same size. This of course requires shorter belts than stock. This setup does mean the waterpump is rotating slower but it is still within tolerances. However, there are OVERDRIVE waterpump pulleys on the market which will return the rotational speed of the waterpump back to normal. In conclusion, which is relevant to the OP, the kit you have purchased is NOT a normal lightened underdrive pulley kit. I personally don't think installing it will cause any harm to the engine BUT I would seek professional advice from the likes of Jeff/Jaime at ZedWorld to be 100% sure. They know these kits (and cars) inside-out. I hope the above explanation makes some sense. Regards, Dan ex-trader

During my stint at Birmingham International Airport (many moons ago) there was a chap called "Randy Blackman" ... you've guessed it, he was black and always chasing skirt!

I'm afraid that I can't offer any suggestions for the BMC brace. I stopped selling the stainless steel ones years ago and don't know if anyone else has taken over the design and manufacturing of these. I seem to recall somebody on here fabricating a job lot in stainless at some point a few years ago but I can't remember (or find) his name or relevant posts.

Dave, There is a difference in the off-set between TT and NA P/S pulleys. If he's using the NA pump he'll need a NA pulley to bring everything back into alignment. I wouldn't recommend mounting the TT pulley the other way round. Belt will be a 3-rib belt instead of a 4-rib TT belt. HTH. All the best, Dan

Oops, nearly forgot to mention: Discs! Stock discs are good but if your budget can stretch to DBA discs (phone RB Motorsport) then you'll immediately notice a difference. As you were ;) Dan

When I used to sell big brake kits I always used to advise people who weren't going to use the car on track to go down the following route: 1. Brake fluid change (don't forget to bleed the ABS pump) 2. Caliper refurb (call Biggred - http://www.biggred.co.uk - for a Z32 specific kit - they do it but don't list it in their online shop - both seals and pistons) 3. Braided brake lines (there are a lot of kits out there but I would recommend the kit from Earl's Performance - phone them and ask them for their Z32 kit that they developed in conjunction with Smithy's Place/DTA-Motorsport (UK), ie me, this kit goes directly into the caliper and bypasses the metal pipes which can corrode on the inside) 4. Performance brake pads - ie, Ferrodo or Mintex - note that Ferrodo pads are bloody hard and will squeel and eat your discs if used "spiritedly" ;) Porterfield pads are also highly recommended but I doubt you can buy them in the UK since I stopped selling them :( 5. Brake Master Cylinder Brace - this will NOT enhance braking performance but will firm up the brake pedal feel thereby giving you a more "confident" braking experience Like Richard Smith said above, the stock brake system is actually very good when everything is in tip-top condition. The Zed is a heavy car and 20 years of "abuse" will take it's toll on the various parts. All the best, Dan

My preferred options are: Toyo Proxes T1-R Falken 452 Both are excellent in the dry and wet although I can't vouch for the Falken's performance in snow. When I had the Proxes on my Zed they performed well in most weather conditions. Kind regards, Dan

The originals are 6" x 4". There aren't many manufacturers out there that still produce this size but as said above, you can modify the aperture of the metal frame to accept 6" x 9" speakers. IIRC you'll also need to bash down the passenger side wheel well a little as it fouls on the speaker's magnet. Fronts should take 6.5" speakers without requiring any modifications to the frame. There are people who've fitted 6" x 9" in the front but that requires a completely new frame to be manufactured (usually from MDF). Good luck with the project. Regards, Dan

There is a recall in progress in the USA that covers the M6 and M5 (MY2013 but built between July & September 2012). Apparently there is a production fault in the oil pump ... However, the documentation clearly states it only concerns US cars and not UK and/or European cars ... Perhaps the problem is wider spread than BMW is acknowledging at the moment ... Lovely cars though :)

Rob, I haven't sold these in a couple of years but from my notes I can see the following belts to be used with a full Unorthodox Racing pully kit: A/C: 4PK925 P/S: 4PK880 Alt/H2O: 4PK985 Hope this helps. All the best, Dan

Hi Steve, I trust you're keeping well chap! :) In my past life, as proprietor of DTA-Motorsport UK et al, I did quite a bit of research into the benefits/drawbacks of grooved/slotted and/or drilled discs. Firstly, and most importantly, as AndrewG posted above, cooling of the disc is aided by the inclusion of curved cooling vanes sandwhiched between the two outer surfaces of the discs. It's not so much about getting cool air INTO the discs as it is about getting hot air OUT of them. This is done primarily through centrifugal forces hence the discs being "directional". I can't quite remember whether the K-Sport discs have these cooling vanes but I would be surprised if they didn't. By comparisson, DBA discs have what is known as "kangaroo paw" cooling structures inside the discs (they look like triangular "islands"). These also aid cooling but are located in such a way that the discs are not directional. Secondly, external grooves/slots cut into the disc surface are generally there to help expell gasses that form when brake pads are subjected to extreme heat through friction. Again, centrifugal forces ensure that these gasses, as well as any brake pad material and water on the disc, is ejected from the disc as quickly as possible. In order to do this most efficiently the grooves should be cut in such a way that when the disc is rotating in the driving direction the grooves will expell the particulates rather than scoop them up. So, if you're looking at the top section of the disc, the groove starts at the centre of the disc, curves outward to the right and then ends further to the left than the starting point. I hope this makes sense. Furthermore, the more grooves/slots are cut into the disc, the less surface area is available for actual contact with the brake pads. There is no concensus on the optimal number of grooves but I have always maintained that 10 grooves is more than adequate. Fully drilled discs are much better at expelling gasses and cooling discs than grooved discs. However, these types of discs are far more prone to cracking when used "spiritedly". This is of course also dependent on the disc casting material. If you look at the drilled discs made by Brembo for say our 300ZX versus discs made for a Bentley GTC (pre- carbon ceramic brakes) the massive difference in price (approx. £110 and £580 respectively) is not only down to size but is very much down to the purity and strength of the casting. The 300ZX disc is far more likely to crack/warp than the Bentley disc. Anyway, I digress. If you're still reading this, the most important factor in mounting your discs correctly is to ensure that the cooling vanes between the discs are pointing in the right direction. I believe that EBC discs and AP discs have their cooling vanes going in the same direction but their external grooves in opposite directions. Fitting either of these discs therefore depends on the direction of the internal vanes and not the external grooves. My apologies for this long-winded post but I do hope it was of some interest and help to you. All the best, Dan

Hi Jay! It's been a long time! Hope you're well fella. I did indeed take over Smithy's Place from Paul, expanded the S/S product range and combined it with DTA-Motorsport (UK) products. Things were going well for some years but ultimately the downward economy, competition from ebay and in particular American resellers caused an unsustainable drop in sales for me. I put a lot of effort and money in to the business to try and keep it going as long as possible but at some point you've got to draw the line. It was a very difficult decision but one that had to be made. What really didn't help was that all the S/S product designs were copied by a company in North America ... At the end of the day I can honestly say that I've enjoyed spending time talking to every customer and meeting a lot of them (and members on here) at meets like Japfest and JAE. Those were the good days! All the best fella. Dan

Best hose to go for is 2m of ID8mm stainless steel braided high pressure fuel line (needs to withstand at least 44psi pressure). Also get propper hose finishers and hose separators. You'll need to cut the 2m down into two 1m lengths and this will replace the fuel lines on the top of the engine (between the fuel filter, fpr, fpd, etc). There are also some small fiddly hoses under the throttle linkage/cover which are difficult to replace with braided lines and ends because of the short lengths. BTW, all parts can be purchased directly from EARLS (google it) - that's where I used to buy from when I was a trader on here. One piece of advise, check the hose clamps/finishers weekly and tighten them as these tend to loosen over time. HTH Dan

Thank you very much guys! Cheers! Dan

Just a general bit of information on JWT chips. Originally they were set up to run USA octane rating fuel (which is less than our normal unleaded 92 octane fuel). Over the years it would seem that countless copies have been made and I've seen some serious degredation of the data on the chips. So much so that somewhere along the line the safety boost map was disabled (ie, no safety boost facility to safeguard your engine in the event detonation/pinking is detected). I'm not saying at ALL JWT chips floating around on the market have been altered but from experience a good many have. Like Paul C said, JWT only ever supplied complete ECUs and all the copies of the chip floating around will have been tinkered with in one way or another. Originally they were good chips but after nearly 22 years of "copies/fettling" I don't think they are worth the risk anymore (IMHO only). Speak to Jeff at ZedWorld, he will give you sound advise and should be able to provide a chip to suit any budget. Rgrds, Dan

Hi Paul, I do indeed still "lurk" on here and I've responded to your PM. All the best, Dan

Just my 2p worth: Through experience of selling discs for a number of years you do NOT want cheap discs which do not have a proven track record of high performance. Our Z32's qualify as "heavy" vehicles and as such require good brake components. This pertains to the discs, pads, calipers and fluid. DO NOT SKIMP ON QUALITY for the sake of price. The braking system (in combination with your tyres) is the only thing standing between you and going off the road, backwards through a hedge and into a tree. 3G discs are made from Brembo casts which are good quality and resembles good value for money. DBA discs are also highly rated on performance, especially if you drive "spritedly". The DBA discs have an advanced cooling system between the two disc plates which aids in the cooling of the discs. Don't be talked into getting discs with loads of grooves or drilled holes. Grooves were introduced on high performance discs to aid in the expulsion of hot gasses from the discs under braking. To be effective you only really need between 5~10 grooves on the disc, any more and you're reducing the contact surface and thus reducing braking efficiency. Drilled holes were introduced to discs NOT to increase braking efficiency but to REDUCE WEIGHT (ie, unsprung weight at each corner of the car)! In practice drilled discs often crack and warp after extensive use. The best way to improve the performance of the Z32's braking system is to make sure that all calipers are in top condition (ie, refurb the seals and pistons if necessary), you're using new and the correct brake fluid and that your pads & discs are in good condition. I've driven TT's with both upgraded brake discs/pads and with stock discs/pads. If the calipers are in good condition then the stock setup is more than adequate for fast road conditions. So, my preference would be: DBA BREMBO 3G All the above with max of 10 grooves only. HTH and again, this only IMHO. Regards, Dan

@ Pyronut: I can't say where the current HIDS4U bulbs come from but when I was involved all the components came from the same factory that makes OEM HID kits for the likes of Mercedes, BMW, General Motors, etc. The factory was located in the Far East but all components were built to EU and US certified quality levels. In other words, those bulbs would have been of an identical standard as Philips and Osram bulbs. Not sure if production was moved since I stopped selling them. HIDS4U are very confident about the superior quality of their kits because they are guaranteed for 2 years (I think but don't quote me on that), not something you get with an ebay kit ... @ Clarkey: See above comments re: quality of the HIDS4U kits as compared to the usual ebay kits. A lot of the latter ones are manufactured using inferior components, particularly in the ballasts which can cause no end of problems. As for the cut-offs and focal points of HID lights, you're correct when you say that the halogen approved projector headlights aren't meant to be used with HID bulbs. You'll probably have noticed that a HID bulb is significantly longer than a H3 bulb and as the base of the HID bulb sits in the same place as the base of the halogen bulb it stands to reason that the focus of the light is going to be slightly out of sync. You can usually remedy this by ensuring you re-align the headlights but it will never be as crisp and sharp as a headlight that was built and certified for use with HID systems. HTH Regards, Dan

Thanks for the pointers mate. I think a certain Phil (something or other) also had one from Middlehurst but I'm not sure about that. Yep, I'm still alive and kicking ;) Hope you're well too. All the best, Dan

PaulC is indeed correct. I worked together with HIDS4U to develop the best value for money kits with top quality parts. They've now taken over the supply of the kits and as far as I can tell they sell thousands a year! The kits are top quality and they are a delight to deal with both on the sale and after sale side. I highly recommend using them for all your lighting requirements. One word of advise regarding the increasingly high wattage kits available through the likes of fleabay, etc. The load on the electrical system also increases as wattage goes up which could cause all sorts of problems if there are problems in the lighting wiring loom. I've seen fused wires, burned looms and connectors, etc in cars fitted with 55W HID kits so it stands to reason that 75/100W kits will potentially cause problems even quicker. In my opinion, gained from selling these kits for over 5 years, a 55W kit is more than plenty. The most important thing is that the headlight are completely clean both inside the projector housing and outside. And also ensure that the alignment is spot on. If you're going up the wattage range the light does become brighter (not necessarily whiter), therefore hotter as well, but you're not projecting it any further than you would even with a normal halogen bulb. Just my 2p worth ;) All the best, Dan

Hi Dave, Don't think so because they are branded hoses from one of their biggest competitors (no, not Samco). I've been in contact with Middlehurst Nissan so that might be a viable avenue. Have thought about Litchfield as well but they're already supplied with silicone hoses from SFS ... Cheers! Dan