jcdozier

BUMMER, Daniel ! You're right, insulation can work both ways. I understand the heat transfer "stuff" (I did stay awake MOST of the time in ChE Thermo class ) and also understand that the "heat entrapment" problem could arise. (Driving a hundred miles and then parking in direct sun for a few hours in August might do it.) However, I haven't had any problems so far. I agree about the intake heat shield - no Z south of the Mason-Dixon line should be without it:finger: . JIM DOZIER

Good job, Guy. BTW, the early Z's didn't come with the tank-mounted electric fuel pump, just the mechanical "sucker" mounted on the engine block. I wouldn't think vapor-lock would be much of a problem in the UK, but in the southern reaches of the US the 100+ degree days can cause problems. It may help to insulate the fuel rail - I've seen small-diameter tubing insulation on some of the auto parts sites. My '71 is a "pre-electric", with only the mechanical fuel pump. I wrapped the fuel rail with aluminum foil, shiny side out, ("real" insulation is on my to-do list, albeit near the bottom). Doesn't look very professional, but I don't have vapor lock problems. There is no doubt also a way to insulate the carb bowls, but I haven't tried. JIM DOZIER

After the new brake components, don't forget the seat belts . The windshield is harder than even a Z-driver's head . JIM DOZIER

I didn't know there was such a thing as a non-ineterference engine until a few weeks ago. Whilst at a Goodyear store with my son I saw a wall-chart listing interference and non-interference engines. Unfortunately, the early Z engines weren't listed, so I don't know the answer to your question. Since Goodyear had the chart, maybe your local dealer can answer?? JIM DOZIER

Like 2ManyZs, I didn't know there was such a thing as a non-ineterference engine until a few weeks ago. Whilst at a Goodyear store with my son I saw a wall-chart listing interference and non-interference engines. Unfortunately, the early Z engines weren't listed, so I don't know the answer to your question.

ED: 10pm sounds like the "graveyard" shift. I did that years ago when I lived in SF - north over the Golden Gate through Marin and over the Richmond-San Rafael bridge to the Richmond refinery. Going to work was a breeze (more than 10-15 cars, though) but the ride home with all of the folks commuting into SF was a whole 'nother experience. Good luck with the engine. JIM DOZIER

Daniel's post is spot on. All of those neato bells and whistles aren't much use when you're breaking new ground through the woods 'cus the brakes didn't work. A complete brake system "refresher" should be first on the To-Do List. It will likely be near the bottom of the Expenses List, and can be the best money you ever spent on your Z. JIM DOZIER

You can't "overfill" - any excess oil will overflow inside the "pot", seep down the sides of the piston, and be sucked into the intake along with the air/fuel mixture. (Another reason not to use brake fluid.) You can, however "underfill" and lose some of the dampening effeciency. OBTW, in addition to Beandip's and EScanlon's lists of bad things about brake fluid, it is also one of the best paint removers known to man. So, for those who like to paint stuff under the hood, there's yet another reason not to use it, (especially if you're like I am and often have the oil running down the sides of the carbs when putting the plunger in after "topping off"). I have used both 20 weight oil and ATF in my SU's, and can't tell the difference. Currently have ATF (I think). 20 weight is sometimes hard to find, but ATF is a great substitute. DON'T use a multi-weight oil! JIM DOZIER

A California freeway with "...about 10-15 cars in 17 miles."?? What time of the night do you commute to work? JIM DOZIER

I'm well past the 33yo cut-off (59), but I hope to have a few more good years - I'll need them at the rate my 240-Z "refurbish" is progressing. Joined the Navy out of high school in 1960 and spent 8+ years as a Common Enlisted Swine in the Submarine Force - SS-338, SSBN-625, SSBN-611. Sometime during my second hitch I grew up enough to know I didn't like being a second-class citizen, so I applied for college. Got my BSChe from Clemson Univ. in 1974 and went to work for what is now ChevronTexaco. After 25 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, I took early retirement in 1999. Currently living in Clemson, SC with my two sons - a senior at Clemson and a welding technology stident at the local tech college (divorced nearly 20 years ago, and yes, I was the single parent). Picked up my 1971 T-I 240-Z (built 12/70) in 1990 - it apparently lead a rough life. I've spent lots of hours "reversing" various po's work and still have some to do. Next "project" is to swap in a Maxima overdrive transmission. JIM DOZIER

I just use plain old carb cleaner and shop rags (sometimes paper towels as well) to clean the linkage. For lubrication, I use the same lithium-based grease that we use around here to pack wheel bearings. The current can is Coastal Uniplex Hi-Temp Grease - I believe my son picked it up at the local NAPA parts store. (Back of the can says it is suitable for, among other things, backhoe hinge pins, so if you also have a backhoe.........).

Hmm, "...a belated mechanical sneeze..." isn't one I'm familiar with. If you hear pinging or a clatter, it could be dieseling. Since you're using the lower grade fuel, you could confirm or eliminate dieseling easily - fill the tank with the expensive premium grade. The higher-octane fuel won't auto-ignite and the engine won't run on without spark from the plugs. If it is dieseling (commonly called spark-knock), we can get it weaned off of the premium fuel over time by "dosing" the fuel with Techron. I don't use a lead additive in my '71 240-Z. However I do add the detergent additive Techron, (a concentrated form of the mouse milk blended into Chevron gasoline) every two or three fill-ups because I don't have ready access to Chevron Gasoline here in the hinterlands :mad: . To be open and honest here, I worked for Chevron (now ChevronTexaco) for 25 years. I took my retirement in a lump sum and rolled it over into an IRA, so I don't get any financial benefit from folks buying Chevron products. I use Techron because it is arguably the best intake system cleaner on the market. (I use either Texaco or Shell motor oil.)

To follow up on 2ManyZs post, if the car is NOT running at a normal idle, you may have a dieseling problem and not an electrical/ingnition problem. (Although the worse after idle than after driving isn't a typical dieseling symptom). Is the run-on smooth or rough? What grade of gasoline do you use? Do you use a fuel additive, such as Techron?

MIKE: You might also try the Z Barn in Maryville, Tennesee - 1-800-247-2795. They claim to have acres and acres of Z's. I've done business with them before and have had only good experiences. www.zbarn.com

I know I may be preaching to the choir here, but IMHO the throttle linkage should undergo an annual cleaning and re-lube. It's not good to just re-lube the moving parts - they should be cleaned off first. As we drive we get all kinds of crap, crud and corruption flying around under the hood, and over time the moving parts of the linkage collect a lot of it. I use a lithium-based high temperature grease, the same "stuff" as used to pack wheel bearings. With so many moving parts and connectors on the linkage, there are abundant opportunities for friction and even binding. One often overlooked potential source of trouble is the alignment of the plastic "cups" at the ends of the several linkage shafts (the ones the plastic balls pop into - I know here's a "proper" name for them but I forget the nomenclature). They are adjustable, and if they aren't aligned right they can produce extra friction. I had a misaligned one pop apart on me - suddenly having a "floppy" accelerator and no engine control is a sure attention-getter.

I can't prove it one way or another, but a rear-deck spoiler will disrupt the "normal" airflow and probably wouldn't hurt. One thing in your favor with the 72 is that the vents aren't on the hatch (Nissan didn't move them just for looks). However, I don;t thing a spoiler alone will eliminate a fume problem. One thing many folks forget is that the fuel tank vent hoses are in the car with you, (remove the back panel and the side panel by the fuel filler and take a look). Fumes from a leaky hose don't have to be pulled into the car - they are already inside. I don't have fume problems with my 71 Type-1, despite having the vents in the hatch. However, I have good vent hoses, a good hatch seal and a tight hatch (have to slam it down to latch), and a BRE-type spoiler.

DAN: With two 250 watt bulbs, perhaps you didn't exaggerate much - mine only has 13 watt tubes. By comparison, yours WOULD look like it's giving off 2 bazillion watts.

DAN: A 2 bazillion watt shop light sounds like what every Z owner should have. Where might I find one? Got weary of replacing bulbs in my shop light, so I bought a flourescent light. It has two light tubes - abut 1/2 inch in diameter each. The whole unit is only about a foot long, but alas, it doesn't come close to 2 bazillion watts.

dhayes5: Sorry, but I can't directly compare the ride quality between stock and stage 1 springs. Concurrent with replacing the springs I also put in new strut inserts and did a complete replacement of rubber bushings with polyurethane. I can tell you that the ride has been significantly improved - feels "tighter" on turns, no more steering wheel wobble on low-speed braking, much less rear dip on acceleration and front dip on braking. As far as I can tell the springs I took off were the thirty-year-old originals. The strut inserts were in sad shape as well - more like trombone slides than shocks. I suspect any spring and insert replacement would have resulted in an improved ride.

2MantZs: I put Suspesion Techniques (Stage 1's, if memory serves) on the little darlin' last year, replacing the original springs. Eyeball only, without actually measuring the ride height, neither my son nor I could tell any difference in the before and after height. Guess the original springs were pretty tired after 30 years....... The son and I also did a complete "polyurethane replacement" along with swapping in Tokiko non-adjustable strut inserts. Right now, the car has no front dam or spoiler. I would prefer the smaller "BRE spook" type that tucks under on the front valance, but I have only seen them in fiberglass. Looks like I will be going with a larger air dam to get urethane, unless I can find a source for a urethane spook.

OOPS! Reference my last post, in case anyone was interested inthe transmission conversion writeup, it is at the ZCar site , not ZDriver.

Thanks. I found a write-up on the conversion into a turbo 280ZX in the "Articles" section over on ZDriver that I'm mulling over. Says use the 82-83 Maxima unit with a shortened drive-shaft from the 84-89 300ZX. I had been thinking of using the Maxima drive-shaft, shortened and with the curent diff "connection" welded on. Any comments on the drive-shaft??

My '71 with the "dealer option" slot aluminum wheels is 25" at all four wheels - no wonder I bottom out on the higher speed bumps!

Yeah, 2ManyZs, I read your post so I know you didn't do it, but the opportunity was just too good to pass up . (Sorry if I offended you.)

"Shutters" sounds like fun . Be sure to let us know how they work when you get them installed. In addition to hood vents, our good friends at MSA offer a couple of different options, (or did - my MSA catalog is 2-3 years old). They had a louvered steel hood - four rows of louvers - for about $400. The also had louvered inspection lids for about $45 + core (i.e., you send them your old ones). The catalog doesn't specify whether it's $45 each or for a pair (who would buy just one ). IMHO the louvered inspection lids would be more for looks than cooling.