Nissan 300ZX Brake Upgrade - Tech Support January 2010

Here's where we act like we know something technical about cars. Feel free to ask us about your technical troubles. Write us at tech superstreetonline.com or Super Street c/o Tech Support, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048. Feel free to include a picture of your project or tech problem.

Q I have a 1990 Nissan (Z32) 300ZX and have a question about the brakes. I've heard that the brakes on these cars were weak and I want to upgrade. Can you point me in the right direction for some decent brake upgrades that fit? Do you think I could use the brake system off a 350Z and would this upgrade them or not. I really don't want to spend $2500 to get upgrades from the web. DeWayne Lowe Via the Internet

A We're not sure what you've heard but the brakes on the Z32 are great. Factory aluminum 4-piston front calipers and aluminum 2-piston rear calipers. Just ask any 240SX owner and they'll tell you that the Z32 brakes are what they want for an upgrade. We suggest you get performance pads, new rotors, stainless steel brake lines and completely flush out the fluid. This setup should cost just about $500 depending on brands. If you wanted to take it a small step further, there are aftermarket brackets that allow you to use the 350Z 12.75" front rotors, instead of your 300ZX 11" front rotors. But if you find a set of 350Z Brembo calipers, the fronts will work (after you drill out your spindle); unfortunately the rears will not.

Q You replied to Anthony Firth's question in the October Tech Support about a 'factory' stroke increase using a B18 block partially incorrectly. The B20A3 has the same main journal diameter as the B18A/B/C, but with the added benefit of a 95mm stroke. Using B16A rods and OE pin location pistons and the B20A3 crankshaft in a B18 block you retain a "factory-esq" piston-to-deck clearance. Thus the crank will bolt in, but making it work correctly will require some minor modifications. The end of crank will need to be modified to allow a proper seal at the oil pump and have enough length at the keyway for an OE crank pulley. When I ran this setup in 2002, I had these extensions made from billet and pressed them onto and into, respectively, the B20A3 crank. At a 81mm bore you have increased displacement to just under two liters. For a tuner on a budget it could prove extremely handy to make your own stroker kit using junkyard parts. I hope you can pass this info along to Anthony and possibly your readers. Dan Jones PFI Performance Fort Collins, CO

A Guess we were wrong about piecing together an OEM 2.0 liter stroker kit for a B18. When we think about Honda B20 blocks, like most, we think of the DOHC B20B and B20Z found in the '96-00 Honda CRV. The SOHC B20A engines from the '88-91 Prelude and '86-89 Accord were thought to be prehistoric and completely different from all other B-series engines. Who would have known the 2.0-liter crank could be modified to fit. We guess you did! Thanks for the correction; we're going to try to make Gary over at Project Car magazine try this on their next project.

Q I have a question about my Datsun 521 pickup project (don't laugh because you put a Datsun 620 pickup in your magazine, January '08 issue). I want to swap in a Nissan SR20 to replace the beaten L16 that currently cranks about 65-ish very tired ponies. But I want to have a NA SR20 engine not a turbocharged one, to keep the headaches down to a minimum. My question is: would it be any easier and quicker to use a FF SR20DE engine and bolt it up to a FR SR20/KA24 transmission than try to build a NA SR20DE out of SR20DET like Gary Narusawa did with his '91 240SX (October '05 issue)? William Peterson Via the Internet