300zx Made in Japan
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 5:05 am
Hi guys, here is my auto 300 zx TT rebuild which I started in 2009 to date. My friend had tasked a "reputable JHB tuner/builder" to do a fully forged bottom end and after getting the car back for some time and developing issues he dropped the sump and to his shock and dismay after paying thousands of rands (40) for a totally stock motor found the following.... no CP forded pistons, no eagle rods, no ACL bearings ect. This was the final straw for my friend and this is how I got my affordable performance jap car. Thank you very much "reputable JHB tuner/builder".
So I got to get my first "push drive" in my 300zx from my friends house 5 houses up the road to my house as the motor was in a million pieces on his garage floor.
The goal for this project was to have 300zx TT upgraded in all or as many areas as I could afford, I wanted at least a forged bottom end, upgraded turbos, manual transmission and lastly some cosmetic upgrades.
Phase 1 was to do a manual transmission conversion and as there are numerous parts required I bought a doner complete non runner 300zx NA and swopped out the required parts and luckily sold the car for the original price.
Never thought I would see this in my garage...2 zeds.
Phase 2 at the end of 2010 was the purchase of a locally sourced motor which looked good but when started sounded like a tin of nuts and bolts and smoked like the start up of a braai. So out came the motor and a full stock rebuild with affordable imported parts I got on ebay. The heads were reconditioned and I ported and port matched them as well as the inlet and exhaust manifolds. The stock turbos were rebuilt and balanced and once the motor was completed it was fitted and run in and then the boost was raised to 1 bar, ecu chipped and drove my 300zx for the first time under its own power.
This was now the temporary motor so that I could get the car mobile and sort out other issues as well as saving money for the forged build.
The rebuilt stock motor and gearbox was sold in 2012 to a racer in CT as I needed this cash to fund my endless money pit.
From 2011 to date I managed to collect all the parts I needed for the main build and was fortunate to acquire some pricey parts cheap.
The parts list as it stands:
Z1 GT2860RS ball bearing turbos
Z1 divorced turbo down pipes
Wiseco pistons 88mm
Eagle rods
ARP heads studs, main studs, fly wheel bolts
ACL mains and rod bearings
Cometic heads and manifold gaskets
OEM oil pump
700cc side feed injectors
Series 2 cams and VCT Cam gears
Stage 2 clutch and F1 light weight fly wheel
Apexi AVCR electronic boost controller
Full silicone pipe replacement
Alluminium radiator
Larger side mount intercoolers
Full Energy suspension polyurethene kit
BC coil overs
EBC 350z front discs
19' alloys and 275/30/19 rear and 235/35/19 front
Fitted the larger side mount intercoolers.
Phase 3 in late 2013 I started the forged motor rebuild and after checking a few engineering shops in the area I settled on Performance Balancing and really recommend them on their workmanship and favourable price and ultra neat and tidy workshop.
The block was decked to 50ar finish and rebored to 88mm, all welsh plugs replaced and water gallery to number 6 cylinder was de-flashed and opened up for improved cooling.
Complete bottom end was also balanced which hopefully will result in a smooth motor.
Sent the heads for pressure tests and stripped them down and did some form of gas flowing mainly on the exhaust ports and a little on the inlet ports and then sent away for 50AR skim required for cometics, 3 angle valve face cut and swirling.
The lower plenum was port matched to the heads as there was a lot of mismatch as seen by the carbon witness marks.
The stock exhaust turbo manifolds were also seen to as they were in some areas about 3mm mismatched to the heads and were also enlarged and sharp corners smoothed for better flow.
Assembly of the motor was a long process as I had to put it together from a box of 3 motors in pieces....thank goodness for the OEM workshop manual.
Started putting the series 2 manual cams in which have different duration but same lift as the auto cams, also fitted the series 2 cam gears.
Fitted the series-2 700cc injectors into the series1 fuel rail with adaptor kit.
Fitted Nissan cam belt as the forums in UK and Oz swear by OEM...so here goes.
This arrived from Concept Z performance....a lower opening thermostat (68 degree).
Got these delivered from the states at R200 cheaper than I could get locally.
Had a look at these Z1 down pipes and did not think that this bend in the pipe was so good.
So I cut that piece out and made a replacement piece and had a friend tig weld it.
So now the flow is less restrictive.
The motor is almost fully assembled now with new rear heater pipes. braided water and oil lines. I need to respray and fit the balance tube, flywheel and clutch and then its complete.
So I got to get my first "push drive" in my 300zx from my friends house 5 houses up the road to my house as the motor was in a million pieces on his garage floor.
The goal for this project was to have 300zx TT upgraded in all or as many areas as I could afford, I wanted at least a forged bottom end, upgraded turbos, manual transmission and lastly some cosmetic upgrades.
Phase 1 was to do a manual transmission conversion and as there are numerous parts required I bought a doner complete non runner 300zx NA and swopped out the required parts and luckily sold the car for the original price.
Never thought I would see this in my garage...2 zeds.
Phase 2 at the end of 2010 was the purchase of a locally sourced motor which looked good but when started sounded like a tin of nuts and bolts and smoked like the start up of a braai. So out came the motor and a full stock rebuild with affordable imported parts I got on ebay. The heads were reconditioned and I ported and port matched them as well as the inlet and exhaust manifolds. The stock turbos were rebuilt and balanced and once the motor was completed it was fitted and run in and then the boost was raised to 1 bar, ecu chipped and drove my 300zx for the first time under its own power.
This was now the temporary motor so that I could get the car mobile and sort out other issues as well as saving money for the forged build.
The rebuilt stock motor and gearbox was sold in 2012 to a racer in CT as I needed this cash to fund my endless money pit.
From 2011 to date I managed to collect all the parts I needed for the main build and was fortunate to acquire some pricey parts cheap.
The parts list as it stands:
Z1 GT2860RS ball bearing turbos
Z1 divorced turbo down pipes
Wiseco pistons 88mm
Eagle rods
ARP heads studs, main studs, fly wheel bolts
ACL mains and rod bearings
Cometic heads and manifold gaskets
OEM oil pump
700cc side feed injectors
Series 2 cams and VCT Cam gears
Stage 2 clutch and F1 light weight fly wheel
Apexi AVCR electronic boost controller
Full silicone pipe replacement
Alluminium radiator
Larger side mount intercoolers
Full Energy suspension polyurethene kit
BC coil overs
EBC 350z front discs
19' alloys and 275/30/19 rear and 235/35/19 front
Fitted the larger side mount intercoolers.
Phase 3 in late 2013 I started the forged motor rebuild and after checking a few engineering shops in the area I settled on Performance Balancing and really recommend them on their workmanship and favourable price and ultra neat and tidy workshop.
The block was decked to 50ar finish and rebored to 88mm, all welsh plugs replaced and water gallery to number 6 cylinder was de-flashed and opened up for improved cooling.
Complete bottom end was also balanced which hopefully will result in a smooth motor.
Sent the heads for pressure tests and stripped them down and did some form of gas flowing mainly on the exhaust ports and a little on the inlet ports and then sent away for 50AR skim required for cometics, 3 angle valve face cut and swirling.
The lower plenum was port matched to the heads as there was a lot of mismatch as seen by the carbon witness marks.
The stock exhaust turbo manifolds were also seen to as they were in some areas about 3mm mismatched to the heads and were also enlarged and sharp corners smoothed for better flow.
Assembly of the motor was a long process as I had to put it together from a box of 3 motors in pieces....thank goodness for the OEM workshop manual.
Started putting the series 2 manual cams in which have different duration but same lift as the auto cams, also fitted the series 2 cam gears.
Fitted the series-2 700cc injectors into the series1 fuel rail with adaptor kit.
Fitted Nissan cam belt as the forums in UK and Oz swear by OEM...so here goes.
This arrived from Concept Z performance....a lower opening thermostat (68 degree).
Got these delivered from the states at R200 cheaper than I could get locally.
Had a look at these Z1 down pipes and did not think that this bend in the pipe was so good.
So I cut that piece out and made a replacement piece and had a friend tig weld it.
So now the flow is less restrictive.
The motor is almost fully assembled now with new rear heater pipes. braided water and oil lines. I need to respray and fit the balance tube, flywheel and clutch and then its complete.