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Appendix Z
Material presented in the FAQs have been compiled, edited & reformatted to
be as concise as possible.
2+2 / 2+0
2+0 : Also known as a coupe. Two front seats, no back seat
2+2 : Two front seats, two (small) back seats
How to recognize them...
The 2+0 has the fuel trap in FRONT of the rear left wheel, while the 2+2 has
the fuel trap AFTER the rear left wheel.
The following info is only about models that can be bought through local
dealerships (not converted, not privately imported)
In the US,
- ALL the 2+2 ARE NA, there was no 2+2 TT imported.
- The 2+0 can either be a NA or a TT
- Convertibles are based on the 2+0 model
In Europe
- ALL the 90+ are 2+2 AND TT
- The 2+0 are not available
- The NA are not available
In Japan (not absolutely sure about this...)
- The 2+0 can either be TT or NA
- The 2+2 can either be TT or NA
Henri Le Hir
AIV valves
The AIV function, as described in the manual, is to send secondary air to the
exhaust manifold using a vacuum created by exhaust pulsation in the exhaust
manifold. When the exhaust pressure is below atmospheric pressure, secondary
air is sent to the exhaust manifold. When the exhaust pressure is above
atmospheric pressure, the reed valves prevent secondary air form being sent
back to the sub-air cleaner. I've heard that de-acceleration is supposed to
keep the assembly clear of water.
Eric Rahkola
As for the AIV (air injection valves) "gurgling", they are in the front fender
wells behind the plastic shielding at the rear of the front tires. Very few
90-92 ZXs have escaped a failure of these. Symptoms include the "gurgling"
sound at idle that stops just off idle and returns on decel back to idle. Also
the car will fail the idle portion of most smog inspections, since the
ECU
adds 7% more fuel when they operate so the extra air they pump to the catalytic
converter has some fuel to burn to keep the cat up to temp. If the AIVs are not
sucking air into the exhaust the fuel just passes through making things worse
then ever. The fix is to try to clean and align the reeds in the AIVs, replace
reeds, or replace the AIVs as an assembly.
Jim Wolf (from his only known forum post!)
ALC-Automatic Line Controller
The ALC is a product made by HKS and ALC stands for: Automatic Line Controller.
The ALC was developed for the computer controlled automatic transmission as
equipped on the Z. It is designed to maintain line pressure within the
transmission for consistent, high performance shifting.
Kyle(Houston)
Boost
The amount of positive air/fuel mixture pressure inside the intake. Usually
measured in pounds per square inch (PSI), but sometimes measured in barametric
(bar). Alternately, a negative intake pressure is vacuum.
Dallas DamonZ
Boost Jets/Welding Tips
Calibrated Boost Jets come with the Jim Wolf ECU upgrade.
They are simply small orifices to restrict vacuum pressure to the turbo
wastegates, causing the wastegates to stay closed until a much higher
boost pressure is achieved. The power gained from the ECU upgrade is
from the boost jets, not the ECU. The ECU is remapped to provide adequate
air/fuel mixture to the engine under the altered boost levels.
Dallas DamonZ
Contact Welding tips are originally used to meter gas on welding guns, but can
be used in place of boost jets. They are metal, not aluminum like boost jets,
so are a bit easier to work with since they are sturdier.
They can be bought at any welding supply shop in different metering hole sizes,
such as 0.045 inch, 0.035, 0.030, and 0.025 inch. since they came in many
sizes, boost level can be fine tuned to your requiremnent.
***Caution***
Remember that a Jim Wolf ECU upgrade makes the raised boost safe, but boost can
be raised on a stock ecu up to about 14 psi if you use it sparingly, i.e.: no
top speed runs, etc. It is also of prime importance to always have an accurate
boost gauge (non-stock) on the car and use cooler pfr6b-11b(#6)
NGK plugs or pfr6b-11 plugs to help ward off detonation
. The boost limits of the stock injectors is 15.5 psi per Jim Wolf.
Chris(Miami)
Cats
Catalytic convertors are devices used in the exhaust system to reduce pollution
of the environment from unstable hydrocarbons from the emission.
They contain some catalysts (like vanadium or platinum) that neutralize unburnt
hydrocarbons into carbon di-oxide and water.
Cars with cats (after 1975) should only use unleaded fuel as the lead (Lead
tetra-ethyl was added to gas to reduce knocking and to lubricate) in the
gas will coat the catalysts and make them inoperative.
Kam
Cat-Back Performance Exhaust
An exhaust from your main catalytic convertors back to the
mufflers. Most cat back exhaust are 2.5 inch to 3 inches in diameter. Depending
on your needs, anything above 500 horsepower should have a 3 inch system so the
air can flow much faster. Prices for a cat-back system can range from about
$400-$900, depending on who the supplier is. However, you can have a custom
built cat-back system using a 2.5 or 3 inch pipe with the mufflers of your
choice, or you can purchase a complete system from any major supplier which
will include not only the pipes but the mufflers also. Most cat-back exhaust
system are built to achieve maximum power from an engine by letting the air
flow much quicker and smoother... Hence most aftermarket exhausts use
mandrel-bent pipes which allows the air to flow quicker and smoother. Power
gained from an aftermarket exhaust is best determined by a dyno, but in most
cases expect about 20-30 more horsepower. Choosing an aftermarket muffler not
only depends on the about of horsepower gained but also on the way it SOUNDS!!
zlemard
Chip
Cold plugs
Used in cars that will see harder use since the combustion temperatures rise
and promotes detonation.
The lower the #, the hotter the plug.
The stock TT plug is a #5. Typically, colder plugs are used when raising boost
in the TT's. PFR6b-11B is the part # for the #6 plug and PFR6B-11 is for
the #7.
Colder plugs aren't generallly used for the N/A Z's since they do not heat up
their combustion chambers as much as the TT's.
Chris(Miami)
CAS - Crank Angle Sensor
Known in the service manual as the CMPS - Camshaft Position Sensor. The CMPS
monitors engine speed & piston position to send the data to the ECU. It's
basically a disc with 360 slits cut in it around the perimeter & 6 slits
cut to mark the 120 degree positions. It uses photodiodes to transmit light
through the slits while rotating to determine speed & angle.
Dallas DamonZ
www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Service Bulletin #: FC0004794
Date of Bulletin: Jan. '91
Model: 300ZX
Year: 1990
Summary: Excessive initial timing advance, index notch on camshaft damaged, R/R
crank angle sensor, camshaft and cylinder head--1990-91 300ZX CM
The problem was that the left cylinder head of a certain production # range of
early Z cars ('90) was mis-machined. This caused the CAS to be thrown off in
its readings of cam timing, so the symptoms are usually very sluggish
performance or detonation. Eventually the readings of the CAS stray so far (for
reasons unknown to me) that the symptoms show up when the cars have some
mileage on them. I've heard of some having this problem and they replaced the
CAS, but the CAS was expected to fail again, because the root of the problem is
the badly machined left cylinder head.
Chris(Miami)
Detonation
When increasing boost, there is a danger of detonation.
Detonation occurs when the compressed air and gasoline ignite due to the heat
of compression before the spark plug sparks. This results in a loss of power
(at least) or blowing holes out of the side of the engine block (very bad).
Higher octane fuel has a slower burn rate, and is less susceptible to
detonation.
Joe VA
Detonation Sensor
The detonation sensor (or knock sensor) is a piezoelectric sensor that detects
detonation noise below 3500rpm and sends a signal to the ECU.
If detonation is detected below 3500rpm the ECU will cut the boost
to 7psi and retard the timing in order to protect the engine. Any detonation
above 3500rpm will not be detected by the detonation sensor and the ECU will
not
protect the engine.
The detonation sensor is mounted to the block between the heads. To replace
this sensor the engine has to be removed ($$$$).
Kyle(Houston)
Downpipes/Testpipes
The purpose of down and test pipes is to reduce the flow restriction imposed by
the catylitic convertors.
Down pipes are hollow pipes used to replace the restrictive pre-cats that come
right after the turbos on TT Z's. They sell for about $500 for stainless steel
units.
N/A Z's do not have pre-cats. most people do not keep the pre-cats since they
are easily gutted when the clutch is changed or the trans is dropped.
Test pipes are hollow pipes that replace the two main cats under the car. The
main cats can be hollowed out for similar effect.
***This is not a legal modification in the U.S. for street-driven and
registered vehicles and should only be done when the car is an off-road track
car. Getting caught carries high penalties.***
Chris(Miami)
On a Stage III TT, gutted/removed pre-cats can gain 10-15hp &
gutted/removed main cats can gain 10-15hp too.
Dallas DamonZ
Dual POP Charger
Only Useful if the TT engine is producing 450 or more HP.
The kit consists of TWO POP chargers installed side
by side where the air intake was. The MAS
will be relocated on one of the side, while the other will only have a tube.
(If the car already has a POP charger, only the required parts will be needed)
Because the MAS will only see HALF of the air going to the engine, the
ECU will have to get a new EPROM
programmed to handle the change.
The low speed driveability may suffer, and the JWT "low speed driveability
update" should be installed (comes free with the DUAL POP charger).
Installation of the "low speed driveability update" will required to cut some
vacuum lines, drill a hole in the right stock surge valve, and route a hose to
it.
Henri Le Hir
ECU
Acronym : ECU = Engine Control Unit.
Location : Under the passenger's foot well, under the wooden board.
Function : This is the "computer" that is controlling all the engine functions.
Notes : When you put a "performance" upgrade, you'll have to change the
"software" in it. The software is stored in an EPROM
.
Henri Le Hir
EGR
This is a valve on the engine that goes from the exhaust manifold to the intake
manifold, controlled by the ECU. When the ECU senses that
there is too much oxygen in the exhaust, it diverts some exhaust gas into the
cylinder, reducing the oxygen in the cylinder, causing more total ignition of
the available oxygen and gas, and reduced emissions.
Joe VA
EPROM
Acronym : EPROM = Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory Also known as a
"chip".
Location : Inside the ECU
which is under the passenger's foot well, under the wooden board.
Function : The EPROM is an electronic component where the software running the
ECU, and the data about the car (i.e. maps) are (semi) permanently stored. Most
of the modification that can be done to a Z are through some optimization of
this code, and the modification of the data.
The EPROM is kind of a "silicon floppy disk"
Notes : The EPROM is a 28 pin "chip" that has the software code to run/manage
the engine stored on it. When you upgrade your "chip", you are actually buying
a new/modified EPROM with different "software" on it.
In the case of Jim Wolf Technology (JWT) the code has been SUBSTANTIALLY
changed. In the case of SuperChips, only ONE byte on the entire EPROM is
different (removal of the speed limiter).
Henri Le Hir
EVC
This aftermarket modification controls the level of turbo boost
in the Z. This is attained by a solenoid which sits in the engine bay that is
connected 'through' the boost line (it goes in between the intake and the
wastegate on the turbo.) The EVC's solenoid stays closed which doesn't allow
the wastegate to see the pressure that is really building up (it thinks boost
is low so it's staying closed also). Then, at the last second (once desired
boost is seen by the EVC), the EVC solenoid opens, and the wastegates slam open
and shut again (I think this takes like a nanosecond,) and this is what allows
the EVC to keep rock-steady boost at a pre-programmed level.
Michael (Topeka)
Fascia
Basically, this is the front bumper on a 300ZX. A stock TT fascia will have
intercooler "gills" underneath the turn signals. Along with the wing,
this is the most popular body molding upgrades. Many companies make
aftermarket front fascias for both NA and TT models.
Greg(Dallas)
Fairlady Z
The Short Story:
Fairlady - The name given to the first line of sports cars designed and built
by Nissan Motors Japan after W.W.II, with the specific intent of being marketed
in the USA - 1960.
The name "Fairlady" was given to the new sports car line by Mr. Katsuji
Kawamata, President Of Nissan Motors Japan, after he attended the Broadway
Musical "My Fair Lady" while visiting the US in 1958. He felt that the
name would invoke an image of beauty for the car - because people would think
of the beauty of the music and the leading lady in that Broadway Musical.
This is a common and accepted practice within the Japanese culture for
selecting automotive names. It is not a usual cultural method here in the
US however - so Nissan more commonly used engine size and model numbers as
Model Names for the US market. (Note There are also minor differences in
many cases related to engine sizes, safety and emissions equipment between the
Japanese home market models (Fairlady Z's) that thoes exported to other
countries)
Carl Beck
Gutting the Cats
To remove the catalytic material from inside the exhaust, this allows much
freer flow of the exhaust gasses. Gutting all four can gain ~22hp on TTs. NAs
should retain their cats to keep enough backpressure for optimum performance,
TTs get backpressure from the turbine side of the turbo.
Dallas DamonZ
H-Pipe
A style of exhaust pipe between the main cats & the mufflers sections. The
left & right side pipes are joined with a center pipe in an 'H' fashion for
balancing the exhaust pressures before the mufflers.
Dallas DamonZ
HICAS
Acronym for: High Capacity Actively Controlled Suspension.
Method by which all 4 wheels are steered based on information processed by the
HICAS control unit with the main input being vehicle speed.
For some detailed info:
click here
or get "Nissan 300ZX: An Enthusiast's Guide" by Ray Hutton (of C&D fame)
Kam
Injectors
Small solenoid valve that injects atomized fuel into cylinder. Signal from
ECU causes coil in injector to energize, pulling a
pintle back from the tip of the injector, allowing fuel to spray out. The
duration of the spray is varied by the ECU depending
on throttle position, RPM, etc.
PWS
Intake
Intercoolers
Turbochargers compress air. From PV=nRT, the only other variable is
temperature. When boost pressure goes up, so does
temperature. Hot air is less dense. Intercoolers cool the air, making it
denser, creating more burnable oxygen per unit, equalling more horsepower.
Larger intercoolers work better, making more hp.
Joe VA
MAS
MAF = Mass Airflow Sensor
A device which measures the amount (mass) of air inducted into the engine. This
measurement is used by the ECU
to calculate the amount of fuel neccessary for complete and safe combustion.
Gonzalez
NA/TT
NA (Naturally Aspirated) - Non-Turbo version of the Z. 10.5:1 compression, 222
horsepower stock, 225/50-16 stock tire size, 16x7.5 stock wheel size. 4.08 rear
differential ratio. Available in convertible, 2+2, t-top, and slicktop.
TT (Twin Turbo) - Turbocharged version of the Z.
Compression dropped to 8.5:1, 300 horsepower stock, 9.5 psi boost
from the factory. Same tire/wheel combo in front, but with 245/45-16 on 16x8.5
wheel in the back. Front fascia changed for intercooler
slots. 3.69 rear differential ratio. Heavier clutch & clutch vacuum
booster, Super HICAS rear wheel steering, t-tops, rear
spoiler/wing, TwinTurbo sticker on rear right side, adjustable suspension,
& dash cluster boost gauge are all standard equipment. See 2+2
/ 2+0
for more configuration specs.
compiled from: Henri Le Hir &
MikeeZ
NOS-Nitrous Oxide System
Nitrous Oxide is a gas. It's properties dictate that it burns faster and hotter
than oxygen. A NOS system sprays Nitrous Oxide into the air stream coming into
the engine (before it gets to any of the 6 cylinders,) this then mixes with the
air coming in and gets drawn into the cylinders. More power is provided because
of the faster and hotter burning of NOS compared with the air it's mixed with.
NOS systems usually draw quite a concern about the added stress it puts on an
engine (and it really does pack quite a punch when released.) But, the VG30DE
engine in the Z is quite a strong one and withstands this quite well.
Nevertheless, caution (and moderation :) should be taken in using any Nitrous
setup.
Michael (Topeka)
O2 Sensors
The O2 sensor's purpose is to read how much oxygen is present in the exhaust.
This signal is sent to the ECU. This signal is used to tell
the ecu how rich or lean the air/fuel mixture is so the ecu can adjust how much
fuel the injectors inject to achieve as close to a 14.7:1 stoichiometric
air/fuel ratio, which is neither rich nor lean and produces good power and fuel
economy.
Chris(Miami)
PCV-Positive Crankcase Ventilation
The purpose of the PCV valves is to relieve pressure that might build up in the
engine (crankcase). This pressure can arise due to a slight amount of pressure
(from the fuel burning in the pistons) "leaking" its way past the piston rings,
into the crankcase.
Excessive pressure can cause engine oil seepage past the engine seals,
especially the main rear seal, out of the engine, where it may slightly leak to
the ground, or be burned on the exhaust pipes.
Gonzalez
Plenum
The plenum (or upper intake) is the upper piece on the engine that is connected
to the throttle bodies. The plenum is what separates the air to go into the
lower intake and then to the intake runners on the heads.
Kyle(Houston)
POP Charger
POP=Jim Wolf Technology's Performance Optimized Programming. This is a cone air
filter/intake 'velocity stack' that replaces the stock air box, reducing
induction restriction, and give some extra horsepower and fuel mileage. It
either comes with a K&N filter (Stillen) or a generic one (some JWT), both
of which are washable
Joe VA
Power Transistor Recall
The power transistor is the unit that amplifies the ignition signal to each of
the 6 individual ignition coils. The early Hitachi ones on 90' and 91' Z's were
prone to failure so Nissan made a voluntary recall on them to replace with a
new improved Mitsubishi unit.
The symptoms of a bad power transistor are stalling and running rough. Many
times, the car will not restart once it stalls. Nissan is to pay for towing as
well as the part since this is a recall.
A few of the replacements have failed as well, so Nissan should pay to replace
the faulty transistor again.
Call 1-800-Nissan-1 with your VIN # handy so you can find out if the recall has
been performed on your Z.
Chris(Miami)
Even if the Power transistor is exactly the same all around the world, Nissan
decided that ONLY the US Z can benefit from the recall !
So if (or more exactly when) it'll fail, the NON-US Zers have to buy a
replacement Power Transistor Unit , very often at a overinflated price
(depending on your country, you may be charged between 2 to 5 times the US
price).
And to add insult to injury, the power transistor unit you'll then get will
have the same old, faulty design, and will fail again (guess how I know ?)
The best workaround is to buy one in the US , and install it yourself (it's
easy, and can be done in about 20 minutes)
Henri Le Hir
Pre-cats
Only on TTs. The pre-cats are a second set of catalytic convertors
for cold start emissions purposes. They are immediately after the turbos in the
exhaust pipes. The main cats are sufficient to pass regular emissions tests, so
a lot of the time they are 'gutted' or replaced with downpipes, gaining ~10rwhp
& decreasing spool-up time, while still meeting most
standard emissions requirements.
Dallas DamonZ
Pre-silencers
The stock exhaust & some performance cat-back systems
utilize pre-silencers to aid the mufflers in quietening the exhaust note. They
come between the main cats and the muffler sections of the exhaust. On other
performance exhaust systems, they are replaced with an 'H'
or 'X' style pipe.
Dallas DamonZ
Safety Boost
Slicktop
Production model of the Z possessing a hardtop to the driver's cabin in lieu of
the T-roof or convertible top. Relatively few were produced and all were
normally aspirated. These machines are approximately 200 pounds lighter than
the standard T-roof model.
Kevin (Jacksonville)
Soft Valves (early models)
This is a known problem with the very early '90+ Z's, both NA and TT.
Somewhere around 350 1990 Z motors were produced with 'soft' intake valves. The
chances of having one of these engines is pretty remote. There were
35,000 or so 1990 models sold in the US alone. It took Nissan until mid-1992 to
get enough data together to determine what the problem was and to isolate it
when it occurred. By then, cars had tens of thousands of miles on them, so it's
not a problem that occured in the early stages of ownership. Although Nissan
published a Technical Bulletin describing the problem and giving the engine
serial numbers affected, not all of the engines in the group will experience
the problem.
Other problems could cause these symptoms including a worn spring in the intake
valve timing cam. This is also a known problem, which Nissan diagnosed in 1992
also and issued another Technical Bulletin about. This is much more common and
could be the problem here. Three things could cause the noise: the VTC
tensioner spring, the auto tensioner, or a lifter. Nissan indicates in the
Technical Bulletin that the lifter is the primary suspect, followed by the VTC
spring and then the tensioner.
Then, just to confuse things, Maximas, which use a different head, have a
similar problem that's caused by some other things. I mention this because some
folks have confused the Maxima problems with the 300ZX ones because the engines
are similar.
The 'soft' valve problem *could* be in NA engines with serial numbers lower
than 777599, while TT engines are lower than 619550. The engine serial number
is located on the rear of the passenger's side head. Car assembly dates
are earlier than June 22, 1990 for NA's and December 11, 1989 for TT's. The
intake cam problems are NA ENGINES ONLY, and are for engine serial numbers
lower than 475679 in cars with VIN's lower than 012836 for the coupes and
003754 for 2+2's
Tom Bell(WI)
Spool
Spool up time is the amount of time it takes to reach full boost
from a turbo. Spool up is a function of turbo design and
how much exhaust flow reaches the turbo. On the ZTT, this is at about 3500
rpm's.
Larger aftermarket turbos can have nearly stock spool up, but will flow more
air which produces more power per given boost pressure level(psi).
Chris(Miami)
SR-71
The SR71 is a limited edition 300ZX that was modified by Texas Motorsports and
was done similar to what Saleen does to the Mustang.
They took stock 300ZXs and upgraded them to a Stage VII w/NOS
using mostly HKS products, along with Kaminari bodykit and forged 3pc BBS rims.
Kyle(Houston)
Stages
This is the standard benchmark Twinturbo Z stage chart. Most people use this as
their performance upgrade path:
| Stages: |
Modifications Required: |
Approximate M-T HP at Flywheel & Boost Pressure |
| Stock |
None |
300hp 9.5 psi |
| Stage I |
Performance cat-back exhaust system |
320hp 10 psi |
| Stage II |
High flow intake |
340hp 10.5 psi |
| Stage III |
ECU EPROM upgrade & boost jets |
396hp 13.5 psi |
| Stage IV |
Larger intercoolers |
405hp 13.5 psi |
| Stage V |
EVC |
418hp 14.5 psi |
| Stage VI |
555cc injectors & 550 type turbo upgrade |
445-500hp 16.5 psi |
| Stage VII |
Dual high flow intake |
520hp 16.5 psi |
| Stage VIII |
600 type turbo upgrade |
620hp variable psi |
| Stage IX |
NOS |
680-760hp variable psi |
This standard stage chart is a bit dated.
SGP Performance has made an updated TT chart to include newer
modifications & rearranged a few of the steps in their performance upgrade
path. On the forum, you'll see this noted as SGP Stage ????.
| Stages: |
Modifications Required: |
Approximate M-T HP at Flywheel & Boost Pressure |
| Stock |
None |
300hp 9.5 psi |
| Stage I |
JWT POP charger & Underdrive pulley |
305-325 hp 10 psi |
| Stage II |
JWT ECU upgrade & boost jets |
365-380 hp 12-14 psi |
| Stage III |
B&B test pipes & Gut pre-cats |
385-400 hp 12-14 psi |
| Stage IV |
Performance cat-back exhaust system |
400-415 hp 12-14 psi |
| Stage V |
EVC |
420-435 hp 15 psi |
| Stage VI |
JWT NOS system |
490-505 hp 15 psi |
| Stage VII |
Larger intercoolers |
495-510 hp 15 psi |
| Stage VIII |
JWT dual POP charger |
510-525 hp 15 psi |
| Stage IX |
Ported throttle bodies & Matched intake |
515-530 hp 15 psi |
| Stage X |
NISMO 555cc injectors |
530-545 hp 17 psi |
| Stage XI |
Sport 500 turbos
Sport 600 turbos
Sport 650 turbos (cam upgrade required) |
555-575 hp 17-21 psi
560-605 hp 17-21 psi
620-675 hp 17-21 psi |
| Stage XII |
JWT cams & SGP head package |
640-695 hp 17-21 psi |
The standard stage chart for NAs:
| Stage: |
Modifications Required: |
Approximate M-T HP at Flywheel |
| Stock |
None |
222hp |
| Stage I |
Performance cat-back exhaust system |
234hp |
| Stage II |
Computer Upgrade & Intake |
254hp |
| Stage III |
Nitrous Oxide & Injector Upgrade |
300-320 hp |
Again, SGP Performance has
created a more up-to-date NA performance upgrade path to follow:
| Stage: |
Modifications Required: |
Approximate M-T HP at Flywheel |
| Stock |
None |
222hp |
| Stage I |
JWT POP charger & Underdrive pulley |
238 hp |
| Stage II |
JWT ECU Upgrade |
250 hp |
| Stage III |
Performance cat-back exhaust system (also ALC for A-T) |
262 hp |
| Stage IV |
Stillen headers |
279 hp |
| Stage V |
Ported throttle bodies & Matched intake |
290 hp |
| Stage VI |
Injector upgrade & JWT NOS system |
390 hp |
| Stage VII |
SGP head package (porting & 5 angle valve job) |
420-430 hp |
Dallas DamonZ
Sway Bar
A sway bar is connected to two points on the suspension, across the frame, from
left to right. Their use results in less body roll and a stiffer suspension.
Joe VA
Test Pipes
Throttle Bodies
Connects intake piping to intake manifold. Throttle position sensor and
throttle position switch are attached. Contains a butterfly valve - when the
accelerator is pushed down it pulls a cable which is connected to the thottle
body, which causes the valve to open, allowing air to flow into the engine.
PWS
TPS-Throttle Position Sensor
A sensor connected to the outside of the driver side throttle body that feeds
information back to the ECU telling it where the throttle
position is. The connections on the TPS can often get dirty and cause an
erratic idle. Cleaning the TPS connector can often cure idling problems.
Steven(Phx)
Turbos
Basically, a turbo is an exhaust-gas driven air pump. Exhaust gases exit the
engine, run through the turbine section of the turbo, spin the turbine, and
then exit the vehicle through the exhaust system. The turbo's turbine is
connected via a shaft to the turbo compressor. The compressor is spun by the
turbine, and compresses intake air to the engine. As the intake air is
compressed it is made more dense. Because the air is more dense, more air, and
therefore more oxygen, flows into the engine on each intake cycle. The engine's
ECU measures the air and adds the correct amount of fuel. Therefore,
compared to a normally-aspirated (NA) engine, more oxygen goes into the engine
and more power is made.
The intercoolers
come into play by reducing the temperature of the intake air after being
compressed by the turbo, further increasing intake air density.
Turbo wastegates allow some exhaust to pass around the turbo's turbine under
certain conditions (i.e., to avoid over-boosting the engine).
The shaft connecting the turbine and compressor is supported by an
oil-lubricated bearing. This bearing cavity is cooled using engine coolant.
When people talk about letting a turbocharged engine idle for a bit after
start-up and prior to shutdown, it's due to this bearing.
njttz
Turbo Timer
A Turbo Timer is an electronic device that will allow your engine to keep
running AFTER the ignition key was turned OFF and removed, either for a preset
amount of time (most of them), or a computed amount of time (based on how
"hard" you drove)
Some of them have additional functions (like a boost
gauge) They may require electrical skills to install them if the car is fitted
with an auto-activating alarm, or if they aren't provided with a wiring harness
for installation
They will prevent the common mistake to simply shut down a turbo engine after a
"hot" run. If the engine is directly shut down, oil will stop flowing, may
"cook" in the turbos and this may damage the turbo's
bearings.
It's a "nice to have" gizmo, but not absolutely necessary if...
- You let your engine idle down from 30 secs to 2 mins before shutting it down
OR
- You do NOT engage the boost for the last 2 minutes of driving before stopping
the engine
- Use of 100% synthetic oil will greatly reduce the risk of "cooking" your oil
(but you'll still have to let the car idle)
Henri Le Hir
Underdrive Pulley
An underdrive pulley is a pulley that is smaller in diameter than the pulley it
replaces. The diameter of the crank pulley is reduced a specific amount (from
20-30%), depending on the vehicles accessory needs. In other words, all
accessory minimums are retained: air conditioning efficiency, power steering
feel, and voltage (minimum allowable voltage 12v), even at idle, with
everything on in the car. With the smaller diameter of the pulley the car will
rev up quicker. Weight loss is the most critical factor in HP production,
each lb. of mass taken off the crank/eccentric shaft is worth approximately 2.7
HP and the figure increases with forced induction and as RPM's increase.
Kyle(Houston)
Valence
Basically the rear bumper & ground effects, some aftermarket body kit
suppliers have bumper replacements or a bumper 'cap' that covers the bumper
area & adds different ground effects.
Dallas DamonZ
Welding Tips
X-Pipe
A new style of exhaust pipe between the main cats & the
mufflers sections. The left & right side pipes actually come together in an
'X' fashion for better exhaust pulse blending.
Dallas DamonZ
Z32
Nissan's model designation for the '90+ 300ZX. The '84-'89 300ZX is the Z31.
Dallas DamonZ
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