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Norm Z-runner

1971 240z
2.9 Liter Datsun Inline 6 cylinder Stroker
Dual SU carb's
2390 lbs. with driver
20" (tall) slicks

Hey, V8's aren't the only motor that can get things done!!!
Times

60 foot - 1.805 best: 1.701
1/8 ET - 8.224
1/8 MPH - 84.07
1/4 ET - 12.88
1/4 MPH - 106.6

Damn, that's one quick Datsun motor!!! What's he got done to it?

Funny you should ask, Norm sent me this e-mail from a thread he started on Zcar.com describing how to build an 'el cheapo 2.9L motor.

Subject: Stats on my 2.9L Junkyard Dog powered 240Z
Author: norm(the 12 sec. dual SU dude)
Date: 09-18-1999

I told Drax I'd post the low down on my car so here it is.BTW, I called this engine a Junkyard dog because I used the same 280 block,rods and pistons that I had previously broken TWO stock 280 crankshafts in before due to speed shifting at the track(Lift when you shift ,the crank you save may be your own.)

Car: Daily driven N/A 1971 240Z that gets 22 mpg while being driven INSANELY!! LOL

Best 1/4 mile ET: 12.948 @ 104.49 mph

Weight: 2350 lbs with spare tire + full gas tank

Race weight: 2390 lbs. this weight includes myself at 165 lbs. plus approx. 5 gallons of fuel and spare tire removed.

Engine stats
Displacement: 2.9L

Redline: 7100 rpm

Block: Stock factory bore 1975 280 with valve reliefs at top of the bores for improved breathing.

Crankshaft: Stock Maxima diesel crankshaft

Pistons: .015" shaved 1975 280 dished pistons

Rods: 75 280 rods

Note: I personally balanced the pistons and rods as an assembled unit. The factory had done a horrible job of balancing as the lightest to heaviest assembly varied by over 3 grams!! 1 gram is considered acceptable, but I balanced them to within .01 gram on an extremely accurate paint weighing scale.

Deck clearance: Pistons extend up out of the block deck by .063"

Head gasketS: TWO stock 280z \$18 Fel Pro headgaskets( I had to use two headgaskets due to the positive piston deck height) The HKS was too narrow for my application.

Compression ratio: Approx. 10.7:1
Head : .070" shaved N42 head with steel valve seats and a mild port and polish job I did myself with a 1200 rpm hand drill and sandpaper rolls!! It took weeks to do this working nights after work. BTW, a high rpm Dremel tool would have knocked weeks off of this task....but I was too cheap to buy one!!! LOL!!

Valves: Stock 280 valves ,but I polished the face and backside of the valves to a high gloss by inserting them in the afore mentioned drill and using 4 different grades of sandpaper to shine to a mirror finish.

Cam: 272/282 .450" lift Crane cam

Rocker arms: resurfaced stock 1975 280(Don't buy the crane rocker arms as the quality is WAY inferior to the stock Nissan rocker arms)

Springs: New Stock 280 springs

Cam towers: shimmed .030"

Flywheel: stock 1975 280

Crankshaft-damper/pulley: stock 1971 240(The 280 damper/pulley will come apart when constantly subjected to revs in excess of 6500 rpm and its larger diameter robs HP.)

Carbs: Dual SU's from 1971 240Z. I am using performance fuel needles and do not run the piston dampening rods. The throttle shafts were narrowed down by use of a file.

Air filters: Dual K+N

Header: Motorsport 6 into 3 into 2

NOTE: I run without the exhaust system hooked up at the track. Three bolts and off comes the whole system. Hehe

Exhaust: 2 1/2 inch NON mandrel bend with 2 chamber Flowmaster muffler.

Ignition system: Stock 1978 Datsun 810 electronic ignition and coil with 8 mm NGK Spark plug wires and NGK spark plugs gapped .050"

Clutch: Some aftermarket clutch I bought years ago and reinstalled after blowing up a Centerforce stage 1 and two stock nissan clutches.

Transmission: Stock rebuilt 82 280 ZX 5 speed with some important steel parts from the earlier 79 280ZX 5 speed.

Rear end: Stock 82 280ZX OPEN 3.90 R200

Tires: BFG drag radials size 215/60 14

I have been drag racing for 5 years and have run a 2.4L with all above items installed and ran a 13.641 @ 99.22 mph on drag radials.

I also ran a 2.8L with the above items installed and ran a 13.413 @ 100.80 mph on regular street tires on a run that just about hooked like I had drag radials installed ie. 1.94 60 ft.If I had run drag radials that run would have been a low 13.3.

So as you can see you don't have to build a big ol stroker to run 13's in the 1/4 mile, but if your goals are 12's in the 1/4 mile on a N/A dual SU equipped 240Z, then there may be a Junkyard dog in your future too!!!

Later,norm

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Norm Z-runner

Times