New DOHC Aftermarket Source

[datsun1973]

Well folks, I've been trying to source aftermarket parts for the 3.4 DOHC and I've encountered nothing but frustration. Sooooo, long story short I'm going to make parts. I'm going to start with header flanges because they seem simple and people are always looking for them. I'll initially offer both the early and late style in mild steal 3/8" thick and eventually I will offer 304 SS and or 17-4 Stainless at an additional cost if there is a demand.

I'm currently in the design phase and sourcing the shop to conduct the machine work. What I'm looking for is a little market research. So if you can think of any other parts I'm all ears.

A little about me. I have a degree in mechanical engineering from the US Air Force Academy and spent 6 years in the active duty USAF as an engineer and a pilot. I'm now a USAF reserve pilot and I work in the aerospace industry here in Indianapolis. My passion has always been in the automotive field though and I'd really like to get more involved providing good quality parts at a reasonable price.

I'm also working on a fabricated dry sump oil pan for the DOHC engine and an external belt drive oil pump with all the brackets.

Please let me know and if you don't want to post here you can email me:

AndyandKelly77@Peoplepc.com

Thanks!
Andy

[dohcfiend]

what kind of parts were you looking for?

i have done several group buys for one off parts in the past and if need be put you in touch with the vendors i used.

as far as what i personally would still like to see, the list isn't as big as it used to be:

7075 aluminum cam gears
7075 aluminum drive gear
poly engine lower mounts
symmetrical intake

[datsun1973]

The cam gears would require a new machined casting and that would put the cost way out of the ballpark. I will check up on how much it would cost to machine the part froma solid chunk of billiet but I'm guessing you won't like the answer.

No-one makes the lower mount? thats kinda surprising.

What kind of intake were you thinking about? I was also planning an intake but I'm still trying to figure out a way to make it fit under a stock hood with most W-body's. With my kit the clearance isn't a problem. I can have the aluminum intake flange cut cheaply and a custom aluminum sheetmetal box welded up that will accept an LT1 or northstar throttle body pretty easy.

Keep the ideas coming.


Thanks for the offer on the sources but I'm going to try and use local Indy shops. I believe in keeping business local so I can develop those relationships. I already have a solid machine shop and I'm working on a water jet cutting shop.

[pocket-rocket]

If you made poly lower mounts, couldn't you drop the engine a little? That would help lower the center of gravity slightly helping cornering, and help give a little more space for an intake set up (just be sure to raise the car so the suspension drops fully to make sure there is clearance in case someone gets crazy and ramps RR tracks or something, lol). I know some people that get a little more hardcore with their cars would like an A/C delete pulley, and some might even entertain the thought of P/S delete (I wouldn't because no P/S makes these cars nearly unbearable to drive in parking lots). I also know someone had entertained the thought of A/C delete and moving their alternator to that location which makes a lot of sense because of the airflow at that spot, and ease of changing it if it went bad. Now that FFP is out of the parts supply business (for now, according to his site) you could probably get some good feedback on underdrive pulleys (I never got to get one). Do I get a discount for any ideas used? :P

[toms92gp]

I think the intake is a good Ideal, and the poly motor and transmission mounts. You can get ac delete pullies at most parts stores. A front stb that would tie into the fire wall for additional support would be sweet. Ud pulley, I have one but Alot of people are still looking for it.

[dohcfiend]

ditto, you can buy a/c delete pulley's or make your own, there were ps delete kits on the fiero forums as well. they are easy to make as too.

as far as the cam gears, i would be happy with aluminum copies of the stockers since they are adjustable. as far as the symmetrical intake goes, i was thinking about a design that used a lt1 tb that split the cylinder banks into each side of the twin lt1 tb. symmetrical means all the intake runners would be equal length so the tubing would be kind of intricate kinda like headers.

i like the idea of the lower poly mounts and would like to see these most of all, on top of that, they should be within the budget of most 60v6 owners, the install would be simple and would require no tuning.

[dohcfiend]

i'll try to draw up a list of the stuff i had made in the past as i may have access to the CAD files used.

as long as the price is within reason, don't write me off for 1 off parts that i want.

a dry sump system would be nice as the oiling system is a major weak point of the lq1. probably lots of power to be had there but costly i am sure. i cannot imagine it being under $1,000 but i would consider it almost essential for my purposes of road racing/autoX which i intend to use the car for.

quite a few of my parts are in the project section http://www.dohcfiend.60degreev6.com/

[toms92gp]

ditto, you can buy a/c delete pulley's or make

i like the idea of the lower poly mounts and would like to see these most of all, on top of that, they should be within the budget of most 60v6 owners, the install would be simple and would require no tuning.

Yes, and with most of our cars with the age and milage on them they could probably use new motor mounts or will need them before to long anyway, might as well replace them with poly mounts.

[dohcfiend]

if you are interested lmk and i will see what i can do to acquire the CAD files. I am not sure on your motivations but i have no ambitions to make money but only to circulate parts.

if you do want to help a guy out though, ckeck out my GB thread in the suspension section on the tubular control arms and jump in if you are interested to help bring these to light.

i'll have the list of parts for you later fo sho.

[gpse3400]

a dry sump system would be nice as the oiling system is a major weak point of the lq1. probably lots of power to be had there but costly i am sure. http://www.dohcfiend.60degreev6.com/

How do you figure? I think the oil pump is quite possibly the best part about the engine..frankly the only part of the motor I can count on....Other than the pump being immensly huge I think it works just damn fine...

Polyurethane main mounts I guess..... would be good for a track car or something, but for a everyday car you'll induce so much vibration, might even stress and break some bosses due to there not being any give...I'm up for controlling all the wheel hop these cars have but polyurethane is alittle too rough...at least for me. Some hard rubber mounts would be good for everyday use. I'm running a solid rubber front lower mount.

[toms92gp]

If i drove my car daily i wouldn't really want poly mounts but i drive my car once maybe twice a week at the most.

[dohcfiend]

How do you figure? I think the oil pump is quite possibly the best part about the engine..frankly the only part of the motor I can count on....Other than the pump being immensly huge I think it works just damn fine...

Polyurethane main mounts I guess..... would be good for a track car or something, but for a everyday car you'll induce so much vibration, might even stress and break some bosses due to there not being any give...I'm up for controlling all the wheel hop these cars have but polyurethane is alittle too rough...at least for me. Some hard rubber mounts would be good for everyday use. I'm running a solid rubber front lower mount.

i am running the solid rubber lower front mount as well.

stiffer springs will get rid of your wheel hop.

poly is not that bad for engine mounts, it has been used in many other applications with success.

i never implied the pump was a problem, other than the fact it is so good it sucks the pan dry during high rpm acceleration.

the pan isn't baffled very well so hard cornering and high rpm is a problem.

other then that, it doesn't get the oil back to the pan fast enough is another contributing factor to an oiling system that is less than ideal.

[datsun1973]

Thanks for all the replys. I am going to start with the header flanges then it sounds like the poly mounts are next in line. I don't want to drop the engine though because that may bring many other issues with engine and driveline NVH etc to light requiring many hours of development. I'll have to go pick up some new mounts and see what I'm dealing with to develop a poly mount.

I would love to see any CAD files you have. It never hurts to pick up where someone else left off. No sense re-inventing the wheel!

On the intake. I had the same idea to keep the clearance low. I want to stick with the LIM though because it flows good and a new LIM would greatly drive up the cost. A flange with some short runners and a dual chamber leading to a single TB is very doable.

I actually have most of my design experience in suspension design. I'll have to check out your lower control arm thread. Tubular control arms are however very complicated on a FWD car due to the loads they encounter from steering, drive line torque, and the normal loads from the suspension. The part is basically in bending and torsion at all times! Yikes! Its doable but a durable part will require some analysis to prevent failure over time.

[dohcfiend]

keep us posted

[datsun1973]

Email me the CAD files to AndyandKelly77@Peoplepc.com if you have them