Meet Loreli (Version 2.0 aquired)

Week 6
Tuesday

Did motor work today. I pulled a plenum for the first time O_O
Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then again... the motor IS out of the car, hahaha.

Did the usuals...
EGR delete


Coolant passages bypass


Redoing the PCV piping. Starting off by looping these two guys

I had them looped already, but it was a much, much longer loop than this. This will clean up the plumbing so much more.

New heater hoses


Plenum off


A peek inside one of the intake ports


In the middle of cleaning her up. She's definitely dirty after 233k miles of abuse.



In the plans for tomorrow:
Welding unused coolant passages shut
Replacing valvecover gaskets
Replacing half moon seals
Reinstalling waterlines (they were pulled for ease of welding water lines shut and to remove the PCV vent tubing that intertwines with the water lines in the rear)

I also purchased this on a gamble.


Many might be wonder what the hell that is. On the top, it is the stock bushing that goes between the two halves of the steering shaft in the engine bay. Over time, the rubber bushings gets soft and mushy, killing a good amount of steering response.
I bought a 240SX part, hoping it would fit the Z32. And it did, after some work.
On the stock piece, it has some metal sleeves that go through the holes in the rubber bushing, as well as some plastic bushings around those sleeves, as shown in the pic. All I did was remove those sleeves and press them into the solid bushing I just purchased. And I transferred over the plastic bushings. This is the result.


Steering should be much more responsive. Can't wait to install it.

That's all for today.

 

Week 6
Thursday
Got some more work done on old reliable.

Pulled off the valve covers and clean them off.
Before:


After:

Yes, I know it's a different valve cover, but the effect is the same.

New valve cover seals too


A peak at one of the cams. Not too bad in wear IMO


What she looks like right now


Much cleaner.

Still need to seal up the exhaust-side valve covers. The shop I want to ran out of Permatex Super Grey, so I'll seal it up well tomorrow. Got new half moons as well. Once the valve covers are all set, I'll be modifying the water lines (chopping and welding shut) any feed/ return lines from the intake manifold water lines for a cleaner install and to avoid looping water lines. The complete reassembly can begin.

I'm still waiting on my Stillen headers to come back from ceramic coating :/
That could lag my swap. Oh well.. we'll see.

 

Week 6
Friday
Didn't do much today. Only cleaned up the water lines in the back of the block. Postponing the swap one more week since I still haven't gotten my headers back. Which is ok. Gives me time to change out all the fuel lines, and get everything ready to install a swirl pot/ coolant expansion tank I've had for years but have never installed.
Since the water lines that run under the intake manifold were deleted, I was left with 2 unused feed and return water lines. Usually, people just loop them. I wasn't much feeling that solution. Leaves chances for possible leaks, and it just doesn't seem as clean a solution as I'd want.
So I decided to chop of one feed and one return line, and weld them shut. The remaining feed and return line will be ultimately connected to my expansion tank. What's great is that both lines point towards the passenger side, which is where I planned on placing my expansion tank. The smaller Odyssey battery opens up a ton of room for me to do so.

Here's a pic of both main lines with the branched off lines removed:

Much much cleaner. Note I've also removed the PCV hardline that runs along with the water lines along the back of the heads. I wasn't planing on using it and it cleans up the motor a whole lot more as well

What was removed


Close up of the plugged lines



Just need to buy some silicone and I'm reinstalling the lines.

I also need to buy new push lock lines for my expansion tank so I can plumb it into the remaining feed and return lines that branch off the main heater hose lines.

 

solid work man! power through!

 

You're an animal! Car looks great, all this hard work will certainly reward you.

 

very nice man, your first beauty has inspired me to go all out white with one of my z's

 

More motor work. Finally got some Permatex super grey. Time to reseal the exhaust valve covers. Seriously, laying down RTV is one of my least favorite things to do.


Reinstalled the plenum, minus the fuel lines. Looking almost complete.


And reinstalled my water lines. I just noticed, the lines I left on, are facing the wrong way. Oh well, just slightly bent them a bit and looped them for now. I'll figure out the expension tank issue soon enough.


The expansion tank I'm talking about


Still waiting on headers :/

 

can't wait to hear it with the headers!

 

In other news, I've decided to keep the white car. When I'm ready and able financially, it's getting resurrected and staying VG powered
I don't know why I even considered scrapping it down the road

 

Nope. Track build. Pull the frame professionally. Replace dented panels (chop off and reweld new panels). Strip out interior. Cage it. tube frame from the front strut towers forward, and from the rear strut towers back.
It would be a competition only car.

 

Week 7
Thursday
Got my headers back finally!
And they look great!





Great stuff. I'm excited to head my exhaust in conjunction with the headers!
All that's left on the motor are fuel lines and the headers.

Week 7
Friday
Prepped the grey car for work over the weekend. Pulling the motor out. Got the harness completely unplugged. Serious work resumes tomorrow, Can't explain how excited I am to finally be going through with this!

 

I did write a 3 paragraph reply,
But i accidentally pressed 'back' on my mouse and lost it all.

So I'll just summarize.

**** YEAH,
Lovin' it.

And I shall keep in mind never to let you pump my fenders.

 

I had clean fenders at one point. Like so:





Drifting annihilated fenders due to rubbing at full lock, and the fenders on this car weren't exactly perfect when I got it. Soooo.... give me a break, lol

Week 7
Saturday
Lots of work done today. Mainly this:


The demon motor is out. GOOD RIDDANCE!


The source of all my headaches.
Tucked away in the corner on time out.


The source of the oil leak and oil burning issues?
Most likely this:



Only place there was fresh oil anywhere. Here's the whole backside.


Ran into more mickey mouse work!


Yes, that is blue painter's tape on all the wires that go to the white plug on the engine harness. It was a big WTF moment when I unplugged it from the body harness.
My guess, instead of depinning the plug to get the "new" harness in, they chopped off the wires, really close to the connector btw, and just "reconnected" it all in the cabin. WTF?!

There's more!

Scotch tape over twisted wires for the reverse light signals. Cool.

Aside from all the janky stuff I fixed/ replaced, we got the tranny on the old motor.


Headers on!


Solid steering shaft bushing in place.


And brand spanking new harness installed, without needing to depin the white plug



Cleaned up the crossmember and the engine bay as well, of all the oil gunk left over from a leaking PS line. Transferred over my hi pressure PS line from my white car since I bought that one brand new from Nissan, and I'm have to pick up new feed and return lines from the PS reservoir that have just been chilling at the dealership for me.

Peek a boo, lol


I'm excited for tomorrow. Tomorrow, old reliable goes back in

 

just a thought edgar... you're already doing a motor swap... why didn't you slap in a tt donk and keep ol' reliable in ol' reliable...

 

hey, what's the US seeming fascination with "jdm" fenders? we only have the side indicators because we have to, much cleaner without them...

 

Because I needed a motor now, and a TT isn't in the budget. And this motor works, so why not take it out of the car that isn't gonna run for a good while, and swap it into the car I am driving now, you know?

No clue. Car came with them. I'm keeping these as drift fenders. Wiring up the side indicators with flashers for drifting at night coolness, haha.
I actually just got some smoked side indicators. Look so much better.

Back on track.

Week 8
Sunday (2 months of ownership)
Motor went in today.
We bolted it in. Wired her up. Capped off an vacuum sources no longer used. I also transferred my intake piping. It is straight through from the white car, and the filter is definitely much cleaner. Here is the old filter and MAF

New set up installed

And the piping:

Took out the ebay short shifter and installed the oem shifter out of my white car. This is what I took out.


Also noticed this by the headlamps :/



I'm assuming that isn't normal. Oh well.

So we go to fire her up. And boy, she fired up with ZERO issues on the first attempt. She's definitely earned the name Old Reliable, that's for sure.
Here is start up footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8686f5lMpbI
Called it a night after that.

Week 8
Monday
Such a long day. Started at 12pm. Left at 1am in the morning X_X
Finished buttoning up the car.
Installed all of the exhaust system, header back.
Shot of the headers




Good to have the Veilside back on!


Rerouted the slave cylinder line since the line installed was too long. But at least it's better than it hanging over the header, and running UNDER the transmission


Swapped out HIDs for my old ones (slim ballast and 5k bulbs)
Before (messy)


After:
Installed the ballasts under the headlamps




Shots of my PCV reroute
The looped section:



The breather section:
PCV to top of intake valve cover



I go to led the coolant...


And she started sputtering and dies. Battery is drained. Turns out the ONE plug I didn't connect from the transmission harness transmits power to the rest of the car from the alternator. Didn't plug it since it didn't match want was there with the body harness. Soooooo.... I had to get my old automatic transmission harness that came with the car, and swap that over, with everything bolted up already.
Many cuss words later, the manual tranny harness was out.
Many more cuss words later, the auto tranny harness was in. Jump started, and boom, started right up. And time for bleeding more coolant. Bolted the wheels on, drove her out to face outwards, and here she is...
Running without a hiccup


Took her home and zero issues, except for the shift linkage being super stiff. Stupid me overtightened the bolt that goes through the shifter bushing. Oh well, long night, time for rest.

Week 8
Tuesday
Alternator pulley was making a god awful squealing. Tightened the belt, and all is well.
Also loosened the bolt that goes through the shifter bushing. Much better shifting now.
Tomorrow, she goes in for an oil change at the dealer. Then redline, all day everyday.
BTW, headers feel AWESOME. Video of exhaust with headers soon!

 

keen for video of sound!

why do you go for an oil change at the dealer dude?

 

How many spare rims do you need? lol

 

Because it is only $25 USD, and my car clears their rack, and I don't have to deal with getting rid of the oil, and they use all OEM parts. Makes it worth it for me.