My 72 build just starting

[HudsonMC]

Well, you were right about one thing, your forum communication skills do suck.

edit: that was mean

[kayakdude07]

Yes, you can run those shorter inserts in a longer strut tube, you simply install a spacer at the bottom of the insert inside the strut tube, this will compensate for the difference in the insert length. Unless you are really going to slam the car to the ground, you don't need to shorten the struts. Where is your insert piston sitting when the weight of the car is on the floor? I think most like the insert to sit a about half way extended so you have suspension travel in both directions.

Shimming a short insert up in a long strut will often result in the insert being in a static position that is lower than where is should be. This is dependent on ride height of course.

Shortening struts so you can have travel without hitting the bumpstops is very nice. I did the above last year (280zx struts/ 280zx inserts w/ coilovers) and was hitting the bumpstops on any sizeable/large bumps. Aside from that, the insert is not in it's happy place halfway between full bump and droop. The car was not even slammed. (pics later)....

I made up new coilovers this year that were shortened to suit the desired ride height and it works much better. See build..

There's also the option of putting short inserts in long strut tubes and spacing the top instead of the bottom such as these below but you end up with the same issues I had (little travel until the bumpstops).


Ultimately, the struts should be shortened to suit an insert that is optimal for the desired ride height.

[goichi1]

Yeap, first it's very hard to decipher what you are saying in your posts, there is a huge difference between a strut and a strut insert. If you call them both the same thing it's confusing.

-Bouncing around like a school kid comes from your springs and insert, not the strut. ( a stiff spring will be really bouncy and a soft spring will be floaty). The insert will dampen these effects to a point determined by the brand and application. The strut just holds it all together.
-Once you figure out where you want your ride height you can figure out which length and rate of spring you need/want and which insert is best to match this.
-Pre-load, I'm a little confused on this one too, I thought pre-laod was simply the spring having compression without the weight of the car on them. So the only way to adjust spring pre-load is to make ride height adjustability separate from the spring pre-load adjustability. Meaning, when you assemble the strut housing, insert, spring, top hat and tighten it all up there will be pressure on the spring and to adjust that tension or pre-load, you would have to be able to move the lower perch up or down, right? So, how could you possibly know pre-load by just matching the length of the strut housing to the insert? Could you explain this a little better? I would like to learn more myself, I'm interested.

[badhabit]

In my world what you call struts are really called "uprights". A lot of things can have pre-load, differentials, sway bays, springs ect ect. Shocks also have compression and rebound values that are determined by gas pressure, valving ect ect and ride and response to bumps in the road .I normally drive a 997 GT3 Cup but i guess iam out classed here. I apologize for my ignorance

[goichi1]

In my world what you call struts are really called "uprights". A lot of things can have pre-load, differentials, sway bays, springs ect ect. Shocks also have compression and rebound values that are determined by gas pressure, valving ect ect and ride and response to bumps in the road .I normally drive a 997 GT3 Cup but i guess iam out classed here. I apologize for my ignorance

I not sure if you are being serious or sarcastic, but I too want to learn, I am by no means an expert on any of this. But in order for me and others to learn we should be specific in the parts and pieces we are talking about, you can call them what ever you want as long as its communicated clearly what you are actually talking about.

I have no idea what driving a 997 GT3 is like, so maybe you are trying to replicate that in your 510?? Fill us in on the GT3, I'm interested!

[Sleepys-14]

I normally drive a 997 GT3 Cup but i guess iam out classed here. I apologize for my ignorance

This comment was a little out of place. I feel a little out classed myself now...

[badhabit]

I was being a little sarcastic, sorry. Though iam new to 510's iam not new to race cars and would like to help out anyway i can. Cup cars are fun. Have a look at this video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0-tvH4NMow

[Sleepys-14]

Wow, nice driving! Almost no oversteer at all. Very nice.

[badhabit]

Thanks man, that was 2 seconds faster then the pole lap on the following race weekend. There are a few other video on the same youtube channel if interested

[badhabit]

K, so enough about those crappy porsches. Tried to Dyno her yesterday only to smoke the clutch so my friend came down and replaced today while i had to work. Got her on and here is what we have. Come to find out we have a 1600 cam in her along witha distributor that will only give us 26 degrees total timing. She likes 13 afr though. Been a fun first 2 weeks of ownership!

[okayfine]

DQ issue has the distributor tables; you can look up your distributor body and see what the factory specs were for vac and mechanical advance.

FWIW, while you're way under on HP, you're high-achieving on torque for a stockish L20B. Moreso if you've got the dual DCOEs on for that run.

[badhabit]

We went from high 40 at the wheels to 60 hp with a couple jet changes.You can see the progression. Each run is a fueling change. Unfortunately with not any ignition advance big end power is suffering. Any advice on my setup would be appreciated. The previous owner had a single Solex carb and the El dizzy, the newer unit with the 4 trigger hall. The issue we had when we first picked up the car was that vacuum advance was hooked up to the intake manifold, unfortunately that made no sense as the advance was at full boil at idle. From what i figured, Datsun/Nissan had a port in the original carb that fed vacuum to the advance when partial or wide open throttle was applied. My carb setup does not have such a port, unless there is something iam missing? If we could get the vacuum advance along with the mechanical advance working i think that would achieve what we need. At this point, in order just to get 26 degrees at full throttle, we have to set base timing at 16 degrees.
Okayfine or anyone else that could help me out, that would be nice.
Thanks guys