Parts Arrival

Parts are slowly starting to trickle in for The White Z
This will be a fun/easy build

A-1 Coilover Sleeves
A-1 Coilover Top Hats
TTT Upper Hats for front
QA1 Coil Springs (2) 200 lbs./in. Rate 12in.
Landrum Coil Springs (2) 185 lb./in. Rate 12in.
ES Bumpstops
Inner and Outer Front Wheel bearings
Stoptech Slotted Rotors
Hawk Pads
Exhaust Bends and Megaphone Tips
MOMO Steering Wheel Hub
Mudflaps
280zx Distributor
Bosch Cap & Rotor
ABS kickpanels w/formed speaker cutouts (datsunworks.com)

Have you figured it out yet?

Newest Aquisition

Long time no see

Introducing the newest aquizition/project

Keeping this project pretty low key as the car is in excellent condition as is

Going in an entirely different direction as the yellow Z

Stay Tuned

The owner saying goodbye to his beloved Z

The yellow Z saying hi to his new friend

Deal was sourced through a friend for an unbelievable price. Purchased from an old man looking to move on. Garage kept the majority of its life and hasn't been outside since 2007.

1972 240Z
New Body Gaskets
New Windshield
New Window Gaskets
L28 & 5 Speed 
New Carpet 
Rechromed Bumpers
White Repaint
80s Aftermarket Ignition
Appliance Slot Mags
New Shocks
New Springs
New Seat Vinyl
EVERYTHING WORKS!

The brakes need refreshing and the rear wheel cylinders leak.
Not an original car by any means, but that's a good thing in my opinion...

Strappin On a Tank

A common problem with S30 Z's is a faulty gas gauge

Prior to restoration my Z was no exception

I bought a new fuel sending unit from the dealer in an attempt to remedy the bad readings

Installed the new sending unit along with a new O-ring (a must) and thought all was well

Nope

The gauge read full ALL THE TIME

Oh well, I tried

After some research I determined everything was working properly

Turns out the fuel tank needs to be insulated from the straps that hold it to the body

And there was the root of my problem

When i remounted my fuel tank mid restoration the straps were directly in contact with the tank

therefore grounding out the fuel sender

While I had the car up in the air trying to source a fuel leak I would fix the tank insulation problem

Once I fixed the leak, a loose clamp, I moved on to the tank

Step 1: put the rear of the car on jack stands

Step 2: jack the jack so it supports the fuel tank

Step 3: Inspect your badass fuel pump and associated fittings (wiring could use some work)

Step 4: loosen the support straps

Step 5: Find a sheet of urethane. 

I got a sheet on ebay for an insanely cheap price as it was scrap

Step 6: cut urethane in to strips just a bit wider than the straps

Step 7: insert strips of urethane in between the straps and the tank

Step 8: tighten straps

Step 9: Lower jack and remove car from jack stands

Step 10: Viola it works

Updated info on Subie R180 install

Some new info regarding previous post

be sure to torque the input flange bolt to 136lbs/ft

This is critical.

Don't ask me how I know.

Some more info stolen from hybridz.org

Subaru Part #s that might be helpful to folks using the STi R180s:
Genuine Subaru STi LSD oil PN K0305Y0900 ($18-25 a liter!) Perrin finned cover #PSP-SUS-510 will incr capacity to 1.3qts.
Others use Motul 90PA or Motul 300 if a Torsen unit.
R180 rear cover gasket PN 38353AA050 (about $10)
R180 STi stub snap ring PN 805326000 (lives inside diff) (about $2.50 ea)
R180 rear cover plastic breather vent PN 38354AA002 (about $4)
R180 STi diff rubber side seal PN 806732030 or 806732200 (about $6 ea)
You can also tap the rear cover vent hole 1/4NPT for a -6 AN fitting if you want to run a hose to a vent or a catch can.

Torque values for the STi R180s:
Driveshaft Pinion flange nut torque spec is 134 lb-ft. This preserves pinion bearing pre-load.Diff side plate bolt torque spec is 7.6 lb-ft.
Rear cover bolt torque spec is 32 lb-ft (22 lb-ft for Non-STi and Perrin recs this tq # with their finned covers).
Fill/drain plug torque spec is 36 lb-ft (Use the $30 13mm KTC Socket to avoid rounding out these plugs: http://ultimatetoolc...drainplugs.aspx).
Rear diff mounting bolts torque spec is 52 lb-ft. (Ditch the studs & replace w/ 12x1.75 gr 10.9 bolts to make R&R easier)

A 26-page pdf of the Subaru Manual for WRX R160 & STi R180 diffs can be found here:
http://ken-gilbert.c...ifferential.pdf

Although possibly NLA at times, these part #s might be useful:
Nissan halfshaft bolts PN 39628-E4100
Nissan halfshaft nuts PN 39627-N3000
Nissan halfshaft washers PN 08915-2401A
Nissan halfshaft bolts PN 38228-21000 (Thanks Dtsnlvrs!)
(Torque to 58 lb-ft)

Subie R180 Install

Happy New Year

I picked up the parts to do a STI R180 swap a looong time ago

With some time off of work, now was the time do the swap

The first step is to remove the existing diff

Pics of this are pretty boring so I didnt take any

Below is the best way to remove the diff

"1. Remove the rear wheels and tires and place under the car. (I DIDN'T DO THIS)
2. Unbolt driveshaft (4 bolts) and hang out of the way.
3. Unbolt halfshafts (CLOSEST TO DIFF) (8 nuts) and hang out of the way.
4. Unbolt front diff crossmember (4 bolts) and let diff hang off moustache bar (don't worry about the rear LCAs).
5. Put a jack or your chest under the diff.
6. Unbolt the diff from the moustache bar (2 nuts).
7. Slide diff forward onto the jack or your chest."

There is quite a bit of wrangling to be done to get the diff out.

Do yourself a favor and use the jack if it is your 1st time doing this.

Dont try to be he-man and muscle it.

I had to unbolt my exhaust to get some more room to remove.

But the above directions are basic enough to get you where you need to be.

Future home of the new diff

OK here is what you need to do to swap over.

First you need an WRX STI R180 with the Limited Slip type and gear ratio of your choice

2007 STI 3.54 LSD:

Next you need Beta Motorsports Half Shaft adapters.

Wolfcreek Racing currently sells them.

That's it

Start by removing the old diff and salvage the studs from the old half shafts

I hammered mine out with a plastic mallet.

Do not use a steel mallet as you will damage the studs 

Next install the studs you just salvaged into the new Beta Motorsports half shafts

Again use a plastic mallet to "press" them in

Next step is to swap the input flange from your old diff to the new subie diff

The easiest way to do this is with an impact gun and the appropriate socket

Use the impact gun to remove the input shaft bolts and pull the flanges off the diffs

My old datsun flange slipped right off.

The subie flange required some very light persuasion to be removed.

 Put the datsun flange on the subie diff.

Use the impact gun to tighten the bolt.
BE SURE TO TIGHTEN BOLT TO 136 LBS/FT

That's it. Flanges swapped.

Now install ONE of the half shafts

The "subie" half shafts are unlike the datsuns in that they snap in rather than bolt in

Simply hit the shaft with plastic mallet and it will pop in to place

Now fill the diff with fluid through the hole for the other half shaft

Everything I could find says the diff holds 1 liter (1000ml or 1.1 quarts) of fluid

There is a lot of opinions on what diff oil to use for the subie LSDs.

Do your own research and use what you think will work best.

Here's what I decided on:

Now that the diff is full of fluid install the other half shaft.

While I had the diff out I replaced the front crossmember bushing

Easy peasy

Now we are ready to reinstall

If you can, cut a peice of wood to support both ends of the diff on the jack

Position it in place and slide the bolts on the diff cover into the mustache bar and secure

The rest is simply bolting up everything you had previously unbolted.

UPDATE 1: 
The diff I got on ebay 2 years ago is junk.
It howls on deceleration like a banshee.
From what I've read the pinion bearings are shot and the thing could grenade at any second
Awesome