ITR Z3 rebuild thread

Tonight I placed the main-bearings in the block and inserted the crank, but have hit a road block. It seems my Bently manual doesn't have torque specs for the bottom end. So I need torque specs for the main bolts, rod bolts, main cap truss bolts, maybe even the piston oil jet bolts. Would these be on the ETK disk? I'll probably need to get one sooner or later, rather get it later than sooner though. So can anyone help me with these specs for a M-52 aluminum block single vanos?

Update.....
Nevermind, I've found a pdf of the specs from google. Good thing I ordered new main cap bolts as they're torque to yield just like the head, rod, flywheel, and cluch cover bolts. They're not here yet of course, but I'll assemble the bottom end without torquing the caps and when I get the new main cap bolts I'll torque the caps down then. Next the pistons will go in and torque the rods cap bolts.

Here's what I was up to tonight:









I've also been cleaning the front cover, rear seal cover, and the S-52 intake manifold I plan to have the motor togeather except for the cams by next week. In a couple of weeks I should have it back in the chassis and ready to fire up.

Last weekend I had a friend come over with a special tool to install the camshaft without breaking it. Here's a picture of the tool while we were installing the exhaust cam:





Also, he helped me set the timing on the cams and took a video of the cam adjustment in action:

I placed the motor last Friday, and have been working to hook it up since.

Saturday evening:





Tonight's photos:


And:




I know that the 30lb injectors aren't going to fly, but since they're the ones I have a current tune for, they're going to be used to start the motor for the first time in over three years. I still need to fix the power steering hose, but at $220 for a new one and no sources for a second hand one, I'm waiting untill next month.

I had to pull the motor one more time as I couldn't get the clutch slave cylinder back into the transmission. While it was out, I also welded up a slight tear in one of the transmission nuts and pounded it back into shape. I also welded washers to the radiator core where the A/C condenser mounts. I was using this for the hood pins which pulled through, now it's nice, solid, and painted silver. I've only got to install the radiator and oil cooler and I'll be ready to light this puppy off. I should be ready to run this weekends double/double at AAA Speedway.

It's alive!!!

Looks like this weekend I'll finally be

Well maybe not. I guess it was too much to hope that the radiator had survived intact. It's got a little weaper in one of the tubes. I'll probably just go with an OE replacement ~$200.

I was going to go to a test and tune day last week, but then the weather intervened. I didn't feel like getting stuck on the wrong side of the mountain for a couple of days for the pass to clear, also driving in the rain has a lack of appeal. So, I've gone over the car once more, stringed the toe, and made a gauge to measure and adjust camber. I also gave the trailer a once over. This Saturday there's another test and tune day forcast high is 67* and 0% chance of rain, low in the pass is 34* so I'll have to keep an eye out for black ice on the drive. Can't wait to get back out there and put some break-in miles on the motor.

Has a successfu, but long, day yesterday. I left the house at 4 dark 30, and made it to Buttonwillow 3 hours later. The run groups were alternated between open wheel and closed wheel, and closed wheel was up for the first run, but before the track was opened we were allowed to take "Sedan Laps" because of fog. I took the last sedan lap.

With everything seeming to be going well, I got in line for the first run group. My main objective for the day was to just run some break in laps and get the oil warm. So during the first couple of sessions I kept the motor below 5000 rpm. After the first session, as I was driving in I was hearing a cricket like sound, which I found to be comming from the body. Once I opneed the hood I found a little oil leak, with a little drip hanging off a banjo bolt, I found the source, tightened it up, and cleaned the leaked oil up with a little simple green.

Congrats James!

Marcus Miller said:

Congrats James!

Click to expand...

Thanks Marcus:026:

Here's a little vid

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lvVAbEg9rY[/ame]

Since my first race is this weekend at Willow Springs, I spent last Sunday with Speed Ventures doing one of their track days. Here's some video from my third session:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KNkXo2pFF8[/ame]

I know that my laps times were good, for a fast ITB car

I'll need to shave off about 15seconds if I plan to stay ahead of Naji in ITA.

This is some video for my qualifying session. I move the bullet camera, zip-tied it to the wink mirror actually, and get a better exposure. Note the ITE Vette that catches fire at the apex of turn #7.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUqPvOFFYVs[/ame]

I'll post video from the race later....

Well it's later and here it is:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDLkalACITQ[/ame]

Since I raced my car two weeks ago, this will be my last post in this thread. As my rebuild is all but over. But I wanted to post a few final thoughts about my the rebuild and race at Willow Springs.

First of all, I couldn't have finished my rebuild without the help of many. The assistance of my friend Richard Kirshner, who's councile and help has been invaluable. Also, Luca Paindelli helped me with installing and timing my cams and Gilbert Magana helped me with installing my new windshield.

This was the first weekend where we had a full podium in ITR. John Norris and Brian Lampe also ran in ITR, both driving 325's. I was looking forward to racing with both of them in May, after my budget recovered. Unfortunetly during the race on Sunday Brian's car rolled, he walked away, but the damage to his car is much more extensive than mine. So he'll be building a new car, I hope he's back soon, but probably not before next season. Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who either posted or checked in here to see my progress. Race safe, and have fun, and keep the rubber side down

Congrats on "done" and welcome to ITR!

Good Job.

That track is pretty big and wide; I'd like to try it someday.