Seanh

I'm just at a total lose now. I have no idea whats going on or how the hell to fix it...unless I can figure it out tonight this Datsun will be one less car cluttering up my driveway...

Actually I unscrew both ends of both wires in there and I'm still getting the same effect....Now just something else that might be of interest...I appear to get 5 ohms of resistance between the coil negative and the frame of the car...This is the same reading as I get at the distributor also, so I know that the little torn up wire isn't bad or shorting out...It has continuity thru it all the time no matter which way I twist it...I just put new plugs in it also, to no avail...runs just as bas as before...What the hell is wrong with this peice of crap?

Checking again I seem to be a little off that last time...With the key in the run position, there is 0 ohms between ground and the worn insulated wire in the distributor...So apperently my problem lies here...I found out that if I pull that negative wire off the coil, the grounding stops...so if my new coil shot and causeing the problem do you think? But yeah, all and all, there is perfect continuity between ground (dist. houseing) and the wore wire, with the points open...however the worn wire is not whats at fault, and if I pull the negative wire off the coil this grounding stops...

NOW I'm getting somewhere...There appears to be 6 ohms of continuity between ground and that wire with the points open...However...its not the wire thats torn up thats causing the problem...I unhooked it all from the little plastic thing in the side of the distributor...And found that its the black wire that is causeing the problem short...I don't know where it goes to though...I'm assumeing this is the one that hooks to the negative side of the distributor right? Now, is it supposed to be grounded or not? Either way, yes, with the points open there are 6 ohms of resistance between ground and that wire...I'm assumeing there should be no continuity between that and a ground right? This wire that goes on the negative side of the coil, where does it run to? I think its the one that I'm haveing a problem with, doesn't it sound like that? If so, where else does this wire run to? Does it just run between the neg. side of the coil and the distributor? If so, I'm guessing it should only be grounded when the points are closed, and not grounded when they are open right?

Alright, I shelled out the whole 4 bucks and got a points kit. Put it in, wired everything up correctly, set gap as best I could...Started up finally...but ran like ****. So I gave it some gas and it stumbled and finally died...I don't know whats going on anymore, I set and played with the gap atleast 20 times, and tired takeing it for a drive, and it died and had one hell of a time getting it back home. I pulled a plug, and they are pretty nasty (about 30 days old) but I guess that could be contributed to trying to start it last night and fouling the plugs or somthing. But yeah, the gap is correct, and it doesn't run worth a ****...The plugs, wires, cap, and rotor are all 30 days old, not 30 years...I was on my way into town to get some new plugs, but obviosly didn't make it...What should I do now? I looked at the points and on the old one I replaced it looked like it had corrosion on it, some green crap covering the end of the arm...Now, on my new ones, after running the car probally a total of 20 minutes, its starting to look like its getting the same thing happening to it...What the hell is wrong? Condenser perhaps? I didn't think it would screw up the points this fast, but maybe so? Why is it running like crap? Plugs maybe? LMK Thanks

This is the shot of the coil and that stupid little condensor looking thing that I have no idea which side to hook it to? (Sorry about the size, I'm on my crappy computer that has no photo editing software...)

Most of you probally thinking I'm pretty stupid right now, and yeah, I am...So heres a couple pictures I took (thank god for digital cameras) of what I'm talking about... In this picture you can see the distributor...That wire in the upper left corner is the one thats all shredded and torn up...

Alright, back again. When out and checked that ground wire you were talking about...Appears to be pretty messed up, along with my points. The grounding has a sleeve on it, its all shreded and torn up. After looking over it again I noticed some other things too. There appears to be 2 ground wires in there. One is tword the front, that goes between the springy part of the points and the condensor. The other is to the back, near the vaccum advance and goes between the screwed down metal part of the points to the distributor body, this wire is in great shape. The first one is the one thats torn up. I plan to go down to the store and buy a points tune up kit for it. How do I do about setting the gap and everything? I'v never worked with a points distributor before, so I don't quite get it. If someone would be kind enough to go thru the procedure of setting it all up I'd be very thankful. Thanks! Also, one more thing...I probally messed up on saying this before. On my coil, I have 3 wires plus the coil-distributor wire. Alright, one wire is ground, one is 12+, and the other goes to a condensor looking thing that is bolted onto the coil bracket. Where does the wire to this go? It used to be hooked onto the negative side, and had been working fine up until now, but then you said that the positive side should have 2 wires? So which is it and what is this thing anyway?

Alright, I also just learned the difference between the coil resistor and the condensor. Points look alright, but I didn't check the ground wire, I will do that. However you said the positive side has the 2 wires...Which wires is it supposed to have? I would assume its supposed to have the wire that is getting 12+ in the run position and the condensor also? Is that correct? Thanks

Something else I just noticed, I don't know whats going on or if this is normal. When the car is shut off, the coil isn't really gounded totally, theres a little resistance, about 6 ohms actually. But when the ignition is on, its grounded totally with 0 ohms. However, useing a test light, while the car was turned on (but not running obviously) there is a backfeed of power thru the negative side of the coil. While yes, it is perfectly grounded, I get a test light to come on dimly if I touch it to the negative side while its on. Is this normal or whats going on? I'm thinking perhaps I have another problem somewhere else in the car? LMK what you think?

I also just tried hot wireing power to the coil directly from the battery, and still nothing. So I'm thinking it has to be a grounding problem, I think? Could it be that stupid little resistor thingy? Thanks

Last night on my 72 240z I thought my coil went bad. After sitting for about a half hour last night it wouldn't start up again. I towed it home and looked it over. It wasn't getting any spark at the plugs, so I checked the coil wire. Won't jump harldy any gap, couldn't even see a visable spark unless it was touching the block. So I checked power to it. Oddly, it had 12 volts at the negative end, and nothing at the positive end. So I bought a new coil this morning, put it on, wired up just like the old one, and still no starting. I need 2 people to check spark, so I can't check it yet, but I did check power. Were back to haveing 12 volts on the positive side of the coil and perfect grounding on the negative side. I just don't understand what could be wrong here? The positive is the side that just has one wire correct? And negative is the side with 2 wires, one going to the car, and the other to the resistor right? Perhaps the resistor or whatever that thing is, went bad also? Do I need to replace it? What do you think I should check now?

Hey, I am really in need of a drives side window crank for my 72 240z. I need the thing inside the door, I'm sure you know what I mean. Please email me at sean@kdsi.net if anyone out there has one for sale, I'm dieing of heat with no window so please email me! Thanks

They have been sold

Alright, after looking around for a couple days now I think I know what I'm going to go with. I'm going to get an N42 head, mild porting, valve job, new valves, springs and retainers. Victoria British performance camshaft and new timeing chain. High volume oil pump. New Victoria Britsh 20 over flattop pistons, rings, and pins. Haveing my entire engine balanced, flywheel shaved, knife edge/lighten crank, recondition rods, bore 20 over, shave head and block. Other then that its going to be a complete rebuild, with new bearing and all that good stuff. Useing a close ratio 5spd with 4.11 rear end. Going to go with sold mounts all around, engine, trans, rearend, the works... Should make for a pretty fast car wouldn't you think? I'm also going to run some juice just for extra insurance that I always win.... :classic: Never leave the garage without it!

Actually.....that temp guage on your dash is showing the temp of the Coolant, not the engine, there shouldn't be a considerably difference, but they are different under some circumstances. So you oil could be hotter then your coolant is going to be. Oil can get hotter then the engine also, so don't rule out that as a possibility. An oil cooler would be a good idea if you plan on running that hard regularly. I would go ahead and slap an oil cooler on there anyway, I have one on mine. I also put an oil temp guage, and engine head temp guage in there also, so yeah, before I put an oil cooler on there, the oil at times got considably hotter then the coolant temp, which gave me the idea of a cooler. There fairly cheap, and easy to install also.

Whats the MSA website? I can't seem to find it... I will try again tomarrow, and I think if I can't get it out I may just break out the drill and drill it out, and retap to a larger size if I have to, maybe that way I wouldn't have to but an adapter for my new temp sensor...

So I take it as there isn't much aftermarket for pistons on these engines? I was hopeing for some speedpro forged or something to the like, but oh well I guess. I am looking at the set in Victoria British, 20 over, $249, w/pins, clips, and rings. Sound good? I would like to keep the FI if I knew how. Know of a website telling what all I need to do to make it work? Perhaps I will entertain that idea if the work isn't too difficult. If I do use FI, how is it going to like a bigger cam, or is it mechanical and prolly won't care? I plan on doing all that porting and balanceing work mentioned above, as well as APR's wherever possible. I always use 94 octane pump gas, so I could stand some slightly higher compression if I wanted to go that way. However I would really like that possibility of Nitrous if I am not happy with my performance once I'm done. I love NOS, had it on 2 of my previous cars, best stuff money could buy. However I want a rotating assembly that will be able to handle whatever I dish out. Thats why I'm looking for some good aftermarket forged pistons. Will stock rods handle NOS? Maybe up to a 100 hp shot, probally only about 60hp, but I want the possibility there incase I decide to. Thanks for all the information so far. I'm really looking for places to buy all stuff from now. Any reccomendations? HeHe, Can't wait to get my 90 Eclipse GS sold, that will give me a nice $3500 starting budget for my engine :devious:

This thing is really ticking me off. I am trying to install my new guages, mechnical by the way. And I cannot get the temp sensor out to save my life. I just can't figure it out. I unscrewd the flange, but I can't get the rest of it out. Any ideas on how to do it? I can't fit my channel locks in there with the lack of room. Should I just take the entire assembly off the head and do that way? Thanks

Hey everyone. I'v finally got the money to start my L28 engine build up. I have an 81 L28 from a 280zx. I am planning on doing a cheap, but high performance rebuild on it before dropping it in. I am getting a dual webber setup as we speak. I don't know what else I need though. I want to make this engine capable of running in the 13 second range. I am also using the 5spd from the same car. I am looking to find out what all I will need to do to make this engine that fast. I plan on a complete rebuild, but I don't know where I can get the parts I need? I want a high compression head, flattop high compression pistons. What else do I need to do? I plan on haveing it balanced also in the end. I will be useing a stock flywheel, can't afford aluminum at this time. Will stock rods be alright, fitted with APR bolts? Where can I get all the parts I need? I can't seem to find the pistons anywhere...What will I need to do with the head? What head should I be using? Would the high compersion gains of one be worth the loss of better airflow of another? I can do porting myself. Any special valves I should get, or stock be alright also? Cam suggestions? Please let me know anything and everything you think I will find useful. Thanks!

I'm probally way off here, and I can't really read much of the writeing on it. But, where does that large wire in the middle go to? I used to be in the Car audio business, and judgeing to me that kinda looks like an older radio noise supressor or antenna signal booster. Just thought I'd share my guess here...

What brand oil did you use? First thing I thought when I saw this post was that your useing Penzoil. I have never had Pennz in an engine and not seen it foam up. I hate that crap. I'd use $49 per quart Wal-Mart oil over that junk. If you are useing Pennz, I'd switch it as fast as possible...If not, I would assume its just a faulty sender. Try getting a cheap mechanical oil pressure guage for a while and see what it shows for pressure.

Holy Crap, what is with the stock temp sensor? I pulled the wire off, then unscrewed the fitting, thinking that it was a normal sensor and was all one peice, but soon discovered that its not. So I took the theaded thingy out, and tried to get the sensor out, but it just dont move...Any advice on how to get it out? Thanks Hope you like the brakes...I would love to try mine, but the damned stupid Ford parts dept. hasn't gotten my lines in yet, so its still drive-way bound until Monday probally.

Alright, hopefully this should work without trouble then. I will be installing tomarrow probally. Yea, I am getting mechanical gauges. Just can't really find any descent place to put the 3 gauge pod, so for now its going on top of the dash in the corner until I get the time to make a spot for them in the dash. Thanks!

Alright, I was just curious since I'd heard of other cars haveing them. No, my stock gauges are fine...Just that my water temp gauge only has like the 120 250 marked on it..I just want something more accurate and easier to read, Same with oil press. Thanks Still Curious on the thead sizes for those if anyone knows off hand.