IdahoKidd

Sent you a PM-I have one

Could easily be a dry u-joint on the drive shaft or in the axles. Could also be a bad bearing. Any way of safely putting the car in the air (jack stands, etc) and then listen or have someone listen for location? No issues with the brake or park brake? (hung up shoe or metal contact can make noise, especially forward and not backwards). Even with a diff full of oil, a bad pinion bearing can roar as well. Let us know. I am curious. Leonard

Nah Sarah, I wasn't pointing at you. In way, I think it is cool to experiment and come up with solutions outside the box. But, I read posts here and on other sites where the guys are so hung up on what they are going to gain with all this complex mix and match ignition stuff and then post questions here as to why it doesn't work. ( I have a 77 dizzy with an 81 pickup coil and a turbo this or that and no spark, etc) Some of these guys have hundreds of dollars into guessing what is going to work. Maybe I am just a little jealous I don't have those kind of bucks to throw out. I just had a kid, probably 20ish, tell me that he just bolted on at least 50 hp by changing to an MSD ignition. (I wish it were that easy) I think Arne is pretty much dead on when he says if you have enough other complimentary parts it might make a difference, but most of us don't have that type of motor, and not meaning to offend anyone, if we did, we probably wouldn't be asking here about how to get spark. Sorry if I rubbed anyone the wrong way, it just seems there have been a bunch of redundant and ultimately meaningless questions about ignitions.

I have been reading tons of posts on here about all the ignition "improvements" one can do to the 240 and 280's. ( I am working on both at the same time-ugh!). In real world application, it seems much of the effort and expense on the 240's is over kill. Is there really a significant gain in going beyond a pertronix and good coil? It is hard for me to believe that one will ever recover the benefits of spending more money on it than that. I could be wrong, have been before, but when I used to fool with SBC's, the only time it might be worth the money is when we were running 9 seconds or less and there was money involved at the finish line, and never on the street. No one ever beat me between street lights because they were running an MSD or Supercoil, or ??? It just seems that most of the people on this board have cars that are drivers and the money would be better spent on other mods. I am still working on the learning curve on the 280's and the whole fuel injection issues with spark, but by and large the same thought applies. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) works the best, has the least hassle and the most bang for the buck. I am looking for a compelling argument otherwise. "Cool" factor doesn't count Convince me I am wrong. Thanks, Leonard

My 77 often blows cold air. Oddly, after a second start up, it will blow warm. (ie, drive to store, air is cold. Drive back home with warm air). When it doesn't blow warm, engine temp shows warm. I am curious what you come up with for a solution. I simply haven't taken the time to track it down. I too will have a look at the vacuum lines.

Hate this one too. I can't, but I suppose most of you will. http://jalopnik.com/5112714/datsun-260z-with-the-face-of-a-snake-and-the-tail-of-a-stallion This one is finished and more "polished", but clearly a dream. There are things I don't like about it, but I still like "it".

What amazes me through all of this, besides the overwhelming number of hypocrits, is that most of you think there are only 8 or 9 Z's left on the planet. There are literally thousands upon thousands of them still out there. Someone personalizes theirs and it is different than yours and he is a bastard. It is absolutely no different than putting 17 inch tires on yours and lowering it. None. Maybe one should appreciate the time and effort to get as far as he did. I feel in a bit of a hole here as I pointed the car out and it is in my home town. I do not know the owner nor have ever seen the car. And I do know that is not a trailerhouse in the back ground. As far as 'throwing up a little in my mouth", it is almost the same feeling I had when I saw the paint job on said posters car(s). But it is HIS and he can do what he wants. I am disapointed in most of you. Not that any of you really care, but people that live in glass houses (and drive non 100% bone stock original Z's) shouldn't throw stones.

First, I have no affiliation with this car at all. Found it on ebay and it turns out it is in my home town. I'll have to go check it out. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Series_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1c0d97e28eQQitemZ120487142030QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks Not sure how to turn it blue to make it a link. Worth taking a look though. Leonard

I am doing that very thing at this moment, but taking the turbo motor as well. If you swap the rear discs (you'll need mounting brackets), you'll need the master cylinder from the zx. The n54 block in the zx is often considered "better" as it is slightly stronger (webbing in the block) and I believe they have flat top pistons (NA motors) and can mix and match for some better power. How much, depends on who you argue with. The 5 speed is a direct swap (non turbo zx) and in reasonably high demand. Lots of arguments about it really being better in the Z's. I am putting one in all three of my drivers anyway. Oh, and under hood light will swap : )

Hey RB, I missed in your post about the spring and went on about how to trouble shoot something you already fixed. Apparently I really do need glasses. Too much fuel (pumping the throttle too much for example) can cause a backfire too. The aftermarket cam, without having the details, can throw off diagnosing the timing. Does the motor want to kick back on the starter in the crank cycle or try to diesel when it does fire. (I am trying to determine if it is too far advanced). With a hand held remote start button or an assistant, I'd start with rotating the distributor by hand as it is being cranked and see what I get for results. If it starts to crank hard, rotate it back a bit until you get it to at least run and maintain itself. Then get a timing light on it and see what your working with. If it ran before, it will run again. It may indeed need some ignition stuff done. Pull the cap off the dizzy and spay the inside of it and the top of the open dizzy with WD 40. Even though the WD is wet, it will clean up and dry out the components. Check to be sure there are good connections to wires at the cap and then at the plugs. I personally still think it is carb issues. I hate holleys. Just a personal thing. I never saw one out of the box that worked as well as a quadra jet out of a junk yard. Depending on the holley, one of things to check is the power valve. A backfire wipes them out as I recall. Leonard

This is an "aha" moment. All conventional Z information concerning the carbs is off. With the aircleaner off, look down the throats and rotate the linkage to open the butterflies. Be sure when you let off, they close completely. Do so with the help of someone actually using the gas pedal in the car as it is possible to have a bind of sorts on the linkage. Be sure the carb is securely fastened to the air cleaner. A vacuum leak at the base can cause wide open throttle symptoms even though the trottle isn't actually moved. Again, looking down the throats, rotate the linkage and you should see squirts of fuel from the accelerator pump. This will confirm fuel delivery to the carb, it still may have junk in the jetting. If the plugs were black and smelled of fuel when you pulled them, they are getting fuel. An almost start accompanied by a wide open throttle run is, in my experience, a substantial vacuum leak. IF and only IF you are comfortable, after checking the mounting flanges and the manifold to the head bolts to see if they are loose, and checking to see if it starts, and if not, spray (or pour) a small amount of fuel into the carb with the butterfly open. Close the butteryfly, (no foot on the accelerator) start the engine. If it starts and runs wide open, shut it down. Vacuum leak. If it starts and runs, then dies, fuel delivery. If it doesn't start at all and you didn't put in so much that it flooded it, (if no start, open throttle and start) then there are other issues. The fact that it will run wide open throttle tells me that the timing is adequate to run, it is getting fuel, it has spark, and there is enough compression. While none of these may be perfect, the combination says it will indeed run. BE VERY CAUTIOUS when putting fuel into the carb. Incorrect timing (to advanced) can cause a backfire and a brief ball of fire. Don't look into the carbs to see what is going on when cranking. Also, not a bad idea to have a fire extinguisher near by. You didn't say, but does this have an electric or a manual fuel pump? Let us know Leonard

It sounds less like iginition and more like fuel delivery to me. Ignition isn't going to make the motor rev when you step on the clutch. A stuck slide in the carb will though. The load against the engine will keep the rpms down but when allowed to rotate freely will take off. I don't trust your readings on the compression test at all-no offense, but carefully take them again. I don't think that is the problem. It may be A problem, but it isn't THE problem here. You mentioned 'carburetor' and not 'carburetors' (plural). Does it have the dual carbs or is it a single carb? If dual, are they SU's? (opposed to webers', etc) If they are SU's, check the oil in the carbs (little black knobs on top of the carbs that unscrew). If the factory air cleaner is in place, remove the cover and stick your finger in each carb and see if the slides move up and down-push them up, they should return on their own. Check to see if the linkage moves freely and equally on each carb. What is the history of the car? ie, setting a long time, modified, etc. How old is the fuel? There are a lot of folks here that can help and have way more knowledge than I do but it is my experience from when I started asking questions, the more exact information I could provided yeilded more exact answers and less "guessing". Many of the 'old heads' won't even answer questions that are too general. From the description in the first post, the engine racing and the battery drain are two completely different problems. As for the battery drain, charge the battery and remove a single fuse over night until your battery stays charged. The removed fuse will then point to the circuit in need and you can isolate the exact cause from there. Start with a known good battery (manditory) Good luck, it can be over the top frustrating. As cumbersome as the 'search' is here, you can find a lot information on getting the carbs adjusted, oil level correct, linkage adjustments, spark plug color, etc. Leonard

Personally, I'm more concerned about the looks of the front. The front spoiler with the headlight looks like a shark about to bite into a surfboard. The lines are too awkward from the dam over the hood. And I definately would stay away from the cell phone tower inspired spoilers in the last two pics. So, #5 or none at all. Also bear in mind, I occasionally drive a Volvo too.........

Are you looking for the 3rd one that bolts onto the front of the two grove one, or just the two groove one? I bought a non runing 280z that the PO put a zx motor into. He didn't take the third pulley off and the fan caught it when I did get it running and promptly destroyed the radiator. I did have that pulley laying in the shop. I also have at least 4 engines laying around. It seems unlikely to me that having a turbo would affect the pulley situation and I will have one off a turbo motor that I am putting in the 77. As I recall, it spins the power steering pump.

I had what sounds like the very same thing happen to my glass in my RX7 years ago. Simply shattered in place. It didn't even fall in until I touched it. Never did figure out why. The equivalent of spontaneous human combustion I guess....................

It turns out that by the number on the ecu, it is an 83 ecu afterall, not an 84 as marked. My gut instinct was right. However, it is for an automatic. Still, someone steals your ecu? Could have been worse though I guess.

So I roll my donor zx turbo into the garage to see if I can hear it run before I pull the motor to put in my 77. I hook up my remote starter to make life easier and no power anywhere. Classic corroded battery cables. Clean them up, power now to the dash, wiggle a few wires and the motor turns right over. But, no spark. I fool and fool with it and nothing. Read ten thousand threads on a half dozen z sites and chase every single lead I can find. Finally give up and admit defeat. Low and behold, the entire ecu was missing. :stupid: Who steals an ecu? I bet I have 10 hours into the thing to figure that out. I found an ecu at a local bone yard that has 84zx turbo written on it in a marking pen. The guy let me take it and try it. It plugged right in and after priming the intake manifold, it started right up. The gas is so old it will barely burn when thrown into the fire in the stove so I don't know how well it runs, but it runs. But, isn't the 84 turbo z a v6 motor? At any rate, no where to go but up from here. I'll start the conversion in the evenings and weekends. Looking forward to the project........... Leonard

I'd go to the heat gun as a very last resort. Try something called "Goof Off". I've been impressed with it before. I've found it at the local ACE hardware, I'd guess Wally World and the like as well. Ain't it cool to have friends? That's why (at least one reason) I don't have any............

Ricey? It IS a japanese car afterall. I like them and am considering them for my 77 turbo car. Maybe they will match my ricey wheels.........

Even here in Idaho, at least in my city, every vehicle on the property must be licensed and insured if it is stored outside. I have 17 cars. Four of them are 1995 and newer. All of them run and are drivable but I only drive 5 on a regular basis (two are work trucks, one is my daughters car). I sent a letter back to the city telling them of their need to go have sex with themselves and haven't heard a word back in two years now. Only the 5 are insured, 8 are licensed. I am guessing that if they were to get a complaint from a neighbor it would be a different story. There is talk of a "clunker" law here to where it may become illegal to park a car over 20 years old on the street or leave in one spot more than 48 hours, even on your own property. This town, by the way, is the most "liberal" in all of Idaho and the county is only one of two counties to have voted Democrat last year. You decide if there is a correlation....... Ain't it great to live in a free country?

It sounds like a poor connection at the positive terminal. Be sure the inside of the cable clamp is clean and be sure the battery post is clean. Smoke from the terminal and the click are a dead give away to a bad connection. It is unlikely your cable is bad. Possible, but unlikely. Does it have a factory installed cable clamp on it or has it been replaced with one that has a couple of bolts that clamp to the battery wire? This type can get corrosion in that fitting as well and cause the exact same symptoms. A battery post cleaner (wire brush assembly) along with some baking soda and water can clean it up in short order. If truly in doubt, any parts house will have a cable. Measure the old one for length or take the old one with you. Leonard

Bumble Bee stripe? I believe that the Mopar in the picture is a Super Bee. And it is hardly a crappy design. There are very few Z's if any, in perfect condition that approach the value of a Super Bee in perfect condition. They are simply very different cars with very different followings. I have five Z's and would trade them in a heart beat all for a Super Bee in the same condition as my best Z. However, that is my personal opinion, (favortism to the Mopar, not maarket values on the cars). As for the stripes themselves, that stripe is iconic to that car. The ZAP stripes are iconic to the Z. While they say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, sometimes attempting immitation ends up embarassing (can you say New Coke?). Keep in mind what they say about opinions....... and every body has one. Leonard

The fusable link comes into play once the power leaves the starter at the terminal. It is the resistance, the sparks, that tells me the hot circuit is coming into a ground somewhere. Now it could be a primary wire after the starter, but I am betting worn bushings are allowing the dragging starter issue he mentioned and now they are shorting out the armature. 2 cents worth less some change......... Leonard

It sounds like a shorted starter. If it is worn enough, the thing will ground out on the inside and basically be a dead short to the positive side of the battery. Remove the main battery wire at the starter and temporarily connect all the wires that would have hooked to that terminal and then hook up known good battery. Everything should work but the starter. IF that works out, you'll need to replace the starter. Another way to get a general test to see if it is a short is to disconnect the wires from the starter, put a jump cable lead right on the terminal stud, put the other end on an engine ground hook up the positive end of the jumper cable to the positive cable to a good battery and then just bump the neg cable across the neg post of the battery. If sparks fly, it is a short in the battery. Of course both of these are "back yard" tests, the correct electrical testing tools should be used if they are availabe. I'd bet the only two nickles I have left that it is a shorted starter though. Post a note when you find the solution. Leonard

Yes that helps immensely. I either was misinformed or misunderstood about the engine ID number. I did know about the other numbers all matching. I do have one other question about ID numbers that perhaps is a different post. Is there documentation somewhere based on the VIN or other identifying number that tells paint color and interior color? That is to say, if I have VIN 123456 for example, can I determine the interior/exterior colors or did the records not come that complete then? Thanks Leonard