IdahoKidd

ok so ever since I put a new battery in my car the Cd player doesnt work, doesnt even turn on and my halogen/foglights dont work anymore either. In fact the old man I bought the car from had his battery cables backwards on the starter and hooked up black to positive and red to negative... But anyways I tested this with the new battery, put red on positive and black on negative and the starter started smoking but I took it off within a couple seconds. But ever since then the cd player doesnt work and the foglights dont either You switched the cables and smoked the electrical system. You just stated that. What do you mean I had it hooked backwards? I bought the car with it like that and it ran fine (as far as electrical goes) I didnt mess with the battery until I bought a new battery cause this one was almost dead. Didnt flip flop any wires. i noticed the battery was hooked up wrong when I was taking the old battery And why oh why would you buy a new battery because the old one was almost dead? Seems pretty clear you are in way over your head.

Could also just be a bad connection at the battery, on either the ground or positive side. Clean the posts and clamps, be sure the battery is charged, and.... be sure you have the little yellow wire with the spade on it plugged in at the starter solenoid. It is the starter excite wire and the starter will NOT turn with out it. In fact, check there first...........

You obviously had the battery hooked up backwards (the PO had it correct). Hopefully the lights and the radio were fused. If not, they're toast. Black and red have are not definitive on multiple owner cars. You need to check to see that the wire going from the positive side of the battery hooks to the starter and the wire that goes from the negative side goes to the engine block (usually at a bolt holding the transmission to the engine) but a good solid ground. You should also find the wire that grounds the body to the engine. It is important to have it in place. Color of the wires is completely irrelavent at the moment. At some point, it is recommended you change out the cables to the correct color code. The clunk could be the diff mount and or mustache bar bushings, among other things. Put the car on jack stands, put it in first gear with the engine off, and firmly rotate the rear wheel while watching for movement in any part of the suspension or mounts. You may have to hold the other wheel from turning.

Zed Head, I roared across town certain your post was the problem. Talk about a let down. It was installed correctly. EverRude, I do know for a fact that the push rod was pulled from the master with the intent to get it out (it wouldn't come). Do you have any information or can you tell me where I might find the information on the disc of which you speak? I have no idea if he has an fsm. I have only seen a chilton book at his place. I'll see if I can find anything in my cd version. It is an ebay black market sort of thing that is just poor pictures of the pages and by and large worthless. Thanks guys! Leonard

I didn't put it together, but you might just be on to something! I'll have to drive across town and have a look. I do recall thinking to myself that was an odd place for the bleeder. Going to head out right now in fact. I certainly hope you are right! and may just be. I'll let you know.

Checked that. The rear calipers are the ZX ones and visually it appears the bleeder is in the middle of the piston cup, but they are on correctly so one would have to assume it should bleed correctly. Have thought about taking them off the mounts, putting something between the piston and plate (to simulate the rotor) and bleed them out flat. Checked source, they are from NAPA, not that it matters much I suppose. They can't get another at this time. At the moment it takes more time to fool with than I have. Still trying to find the post I read about adjusting the pushrod in the booster, but I may have morphed the thoughts and it doesn't work that way at all. The pedal is just too soft until mid throw.

He bought them from Schucks/O'rielly's. No leaks on these either. Sort of narrowed it down to an internally collapsed braided steel line or a defective caliper. You know the story, a friend in need is a pain in the a!! Will spend some more time there this evening trying to sort it all out.

Helping a friend on his 75 280. Just put on toyota 4 piston calipers on the front and ZX calipers on the rear. New steel braided lines on all four corners and a new 15/16 master cylinder. All the calipers are new/reman. The pedal seems to go halfway down before any "feel" and more to the point, there is very little pressure to the left rear caliper. If we pump up a half dozen times or more, there is movement in the caliper piston and it does hold until the pedal is release. The feel in the pedal remains the same. I have been reading posts on this conversion for some time as the exact system is going to go on my 72, but I don't recall anything on this particular issue. I suspect a defective part, but am not sure. Seems I recall something about adjusting the pushrod from the booster to the master to get a full throw, but haven't figured out how to get that adjustment. Adjusting the rod under the dash doesn't seem to do it. The system has been thoroughly and repeatedly bled. I will keep reading posts but was hoping someone might catch this and have a thought/solution. Thanks! Leonard

Does this thing die every time it is started or does it sometimes go for a while first? Is it still running for five minutes then dying and is this also consistant? From your narrative, it sounds (to me) like it sometimes runs for a while and dies unexpectedly. Not to be rude, but this ain't your truck. With 2/3 the folks helping you here saying to check vairious fuel delivery issues, that's probably what I would do, just to rule out that issue. A fuel filter is much cheaper than a coil for example.

Hmmmmmmmm,,,,, thought we'd hear from you again..... Have you checked fuel pressure as Zed Head suggested? Does every thing else electrical work the moment it shuts off? Radio, lights, anything else drop off too? (looking for a electrical feed or ground issue here). Did you ever replace the fuel filter? Does you local shop know anything about Z's or are they generalizing. New systems work very differently than the old ones. When it dies, is it like the coil wire is pulled or does it wind down and fade away? Next time it dies in the driveway, pull the wire from the starter (I think it is yellow) that has the single spade on it. This is the starter excite wire. With that wire unhooked, the motor will not turn over but you should be able to hear the fuel pump working with the key in the start position (fuel pump works in the crank cycle). I'm still thinking fuel Leonard

I didn't know it was a pacesetter when I bought it (new in box on CL for $50). I came up with a solution. Don't know it is the right one but it appears to work (visually). I took some 1/4 key stock, heated and formed it into a U and welded it on. In theory, there is enough pressure all the way around the pipe that it will seal. Had a &%$#! of a time getting the nuts on the studs and had to notch the compression washers to get past the pipe as well. If the engine weren't on the stand and I could turn it flat, I don't know that I could ever have gotten it all in place. Just this weekend my car budget envelope (ala Dave Ramsey for all of you on the plan) has enough in it to get the carbs from Bruce at Z therapy. I definately will put it all together before dropping the engine in place.

I have a pacesetter header with a flange that is thinner than that of the intakes (SU's). I have seen stagered compression washers on other vehicles, but what are you folks using to make the header work with the intake? A solution would be to mill down the intake side, but that becomes a one way street in the event of reverting back. Any suggestions or what has worked for you? Thanks, Leonard

Arne, No, I haven't posted it elsewhere, not even the local craigslist. Tells you how bad I want to sell it! I am terrified that someone will buy it, and gut it, put in a small block or someother hybrid set up and that would be beyond a shame. My daughter will graduate college in another year and a half. Maybe I'll give it to her if it doesn't sell. Les, I still don't have my car assembled. Too many irons in the fire but finally convinced the docs are going to let me live. It is all a matter of assembly now. All the pieces are there. Somewhere. 24, I used a single stage Valspar (my painter did) on my car. It was the type of paint used originally and I have seen way to many clear coats fail. My Benz is an example that breaks my heart. Not all clear coats fail, but too many for my taste. Plus, it is more forgiving come touch up time.

It amazes me, I haven't gotten a single response on the car. I drove it last night to an out of town banquet. Awesome. If I didn't have both cars, I wouldn't try to sell this one. And still may not. I know I'll never find another like it. Even my 'pretty' one won't be the same as an "original one". I even have the original steel wheels and hubcaps (in well above average condition). Guess it is too much money? Les has great stuff and my experience is pretty much the same as everyone else. He isn't the greatest communicator. I'd still absolutely work with him, just be prepared to accept it won't be overnight. Or two. Or three.

Hi 24, My opinion, and I am biased. Absolutely keep the white! 110 color code and white interior; nothing finer! (I have two of these cars). I recently bought as new reproduction every single piece of the white to go into the car I am restoring-refreshing. I purchased the plastics from Les Cannady at Classic Datsun and the seat coves, vinyl, head liner from Motorsports. I am VERY pleased with both. The 72's have an "white" and the later have an "off white" which DO NOT MATCH. Even though I bought from two vendors, the colors were a perfect match. You can't tell the seat covers from the orignals. The plastics were all black and were painted, but they are that way in my original car too. I bought new because they were so brittle and had bits and pieces broken away. I'd be happy to share experiences and photos if you want to send a PM. Contrats on the car by the way, and welcome! Leonard

One evening last week, my girlfriend and I were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says, 'I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me.' I said, 'WHAT??!! What was that?!' So she says the words that every boyfriend on the planet dreads to hear... 'You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man.' She responded to my puzzled look by saying, 'Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?' Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, I went to sleep. The very next day I opted to take the day off of work to spend time with her. We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big, unnamed department store. I walked around with her while she tried on several different very expensive outfits. She couldn't decide which one to take, so I told her we'd just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to compliment her new clothes, so I said, 'Lets get a pair for each outfit.....' We went on to the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings. Let me tell you... she was so excited. She must have thought I was one wave short of a shipwreck. I started to think she was testing me because she asked for a tennis bracelet when she doesn't even know how to play tennis. I think I threw her for a loop when I said, 'That's fine, honey..' She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all of the excitement.. Smiling with excited anticipation, she finally said, 'I think this is all dear, let's go to the cashier.' I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, 'No honey, I don't feel like it.' Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled, 'WHAT?' I then said, 'Honey! I just want you to HOLD this stuff for a while.. You're just not in touch with my financial needs as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman.' And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me, I added, 'Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?' Apparently I'm not having sex tonight either....but at least that bitch knows I'm smarter than her.

Endless posts say you need the zx master, 15/16's bore. I have it installed but haven't done much else on that system. I do agree with Zed Head about it being mid stroke. The rod is adjustable and the piston in the cylinder may have a different face on it forcing it to start at a later point (the original piston has a dish in it for the plunger to set it. If it doesn't have that dish, it would start much later in the throw for example.) Do let us know what you find to aid in future searches and solutions. Leonard

I use the 6 into 2 and twice pipes. It seemed the logical application

I'm confused. You opened the radiator cap and saw water? I am going to associate water with coolant for the moment and leave "anti-freeze" out of the equation. In general terms, they do the same thing, conduct heat away from the engine. There is no correlation between anti freeze or water not making the car run. Now if the "coolant" level was low enough to make the temp gauge rise, you wouldn't be seeing it in the radiator. If the radiator were so low that there wasn't water moving over the temp sensor, it would think the engine was cold and would enrichen the mix, resulting in the flood symptoms FastWoman describes. I can't recall if the engine dies on my 77 when I disconnect the temp sending unit to the computer or not. (buried in my 240 build and very different systems). As I recall however, there are two senders in that water neck area, one goes to the gauge, the other to the computer. Tapping the housing and the engine dieing makes me think a bad connection or faulty sender. Your problem is now just hiding, it hasn't gone away and you are looking to have an alternative ride home at some point. Check the factory service manual and locate and check the sensors and the wiring. Mine has a bullet type connector that was very corroded when I got the car.