Zed Head

SSBB, any chance you could change your screen name? It's really unpleasant to look at. Not even sure why someone would do that...

Actually, I'm pretty sure that that is not an R200. Maybe the grease and grime is obscuring the view. Here is a picture of mine, from a 76 280Z manual. Bigger and bulkier with a more rounded shape, fill plug is more offset and so is the breather vent. There is a big difference between cygnusx1's curved cross-brace with transverse link caps and rscottm's combined cap and cross-brace. I assume that rscottm has the early forward-mounted diff, with the potential vibration issues? I'm a 280 guy for now so can't really speak to how the 240s are supposed to look.

Actually, they used the external regulator up to 1977 (I did the ZX internal regulator alt swap on my 76). I think the diode is need with the ammeter, which passes current, as opposed to the voltmeter, which doesn't. When did they go to voltmeters? Either way, I found this link - http://www.zcarcreations.com/howto/voltreg.htm - which says it's the L wire, if you need it.

A three minute reply (when I started)! Must be cold and rainy in Oregon (where I am). I thought that you said you were buying a new Autozone distributor back in Post #71? So I'm just suggesting being conservative until you know more about the advance curves on the new one. I don't know if you run Premium or Regular either (I'm assuming Premium?). If you give it too much static advance and you have aggressive advance curves and you ran Regular, you could get some knocking at part-throttle or wide open. There were a wide variety of advance curves used for the different years of Z cars, and I've noticed the auto parts stores going with "close enough" for some parts (they call it SKU - Stock Keeping Unit - reduction in the business world, it saves money). Just look at the "compatibility" option on OReilly's web site. I'm running 17 degrees on mine but I did get a bad tank of gas once and got a little bit of knocking at part throttle. But I also have a 78 mechanical curve with a 76 vacuum (Frankendistributor). 14 static would give you 34 total on a 1976 curve, so you're probably fine there. I can't tell if you're trying to get back to stock or if you're up for modifying until it runs the way you want it to. Either way is good, FW and cozye can get you there. Edit - I actually started this before your last post...

Here is a picture of the breather vent from a 1976 R200. The screwdriver goes through the hole at the bottom. The stepped down portion is a press fit in to the breather hole. Same effect, arrow pointing forward or backward. In general, I have found that arrows are usually meant to point forward. There has to be some "breather vent install instructions" out there somewhere! p.s. I crawled under my car and found that the arrow on that breather points sideways as noted above. I forgot to look at the one in this picture (it's a spare), I pried it out then noticed the arrow. Bonus finding though - my fill plug could be tightened an extra turn and might have been contributing to the oily mess. Edit - amusing coincidence - here's a 71 R180 with the arrow pointing forward, post #9 pictures (you might have to view it and blow it up to see it) - http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=40824

j280Z, not really sure what you're saying here, but anyway, the vacuum and centrifugal advance happens inside the distributor (at your shiny new breaker plate with new ball bearings). The factory static advance (no vac or centrifugal/mechanical movement) should be 7 degrees, 1976, engine warmed up. That is what you are setting by rotating the distributor body at idle. Although, it is fairly common to run a few more degrees static advance. The vacuum and centrifugal advances are not really "tunable" but can be changed with a little work. It would be interesting to know what your reman distributor has for these two, since I am pretty sure the reman companies standardized on some middle of the road numbers, as shown by their "compatibility" between many models that had different advance curves from the factory. Anyway, for starters, you should probably set your static timing at 7 degrees per the FSM (10 degrees for CA model), especially since you may have been driving it with stuck advance mechanisms on your old distributor.

If it's been in storage since the 80s then it has lower miles on it than most, a good thing. But there are 4 speeds for sale all over the place, as people take them out in favor of 5 speeds. Check CL in your area, or just throw an ad up. Someone might buy it just for the low mileage. I have a 4 speed in my garage myself, keeping it as a spare. I replaced it with a 5 speed.

You can narrow things down with a test light or volt meter. You should have power at the brake switch all the time. The wires are (relatively) easy to get to. Just test both wires to ground, with the pedal down and the pedal up. If you don't have 12 volts on at least one wire with the pedal up (switch open) work your way toward the battery. If you have power on one wire, but you don't get ~12 volts on the both wires with the pedal down,then your switch needs work. If you get power to both wires with pedal down then work your way toward the lights.

The minutiae is the most interesting stuff... I think that there might be two different breather types. The text below is from the web link shown. The breather on my car was pointing sideways. I think it may have "walked" its way around after a few million heat cycles. http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsunS30/PartNumberDetails/tabid/1848/Default.aspx?PartNo=38352-78600&SectionNo=088B&KeyNo=10 Section 88B Key# 10 Datsun 240Z/260Z/280Z Differential Gear, Pinion & Cover (R200) 38352-78600 BREATHER Model code: C30-SUT Newer part numbers: Older part numbers: 38352-78500 Part No. Model Applied Date Qty Ica Superceded From To N F BREATHER 38352-78500 - 7510 1 38352-78600 7511 - 1 38352-78500

Show a picture of your differential housing, from the back. Maybe someone hacked an R200 in there. I don't have a 240 but that looks abnormal to me.

I was browsing through this place two days ago - http://www.picknpull.com/locations.aspx?View=Detail&ID=119&ClusterID=5 - and saw three 280ZXs that weren't listed on their web page. One was an 82 or 83 (late 82 build date), I think there was an 81 and I don't know the other, someone was taking the five-speed out so I left it alone. I asked the guy at the counter why they weren't in the inventory and he said that some cars just don't get listed right. You might have to go there, since they won't be able to see it on their computer. It might be worth a drive.

I just found this interesting site that I have not seen before. Worth a look, the menu is on the left side. - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsuns30/DatsunFairladyZIndex/Engine280Z/tabid/1545/Default.aspx Of course, 2 seconds later I stumbled over the atlanticz site - http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/explodedviews/280z/index.html Good views of things you can't really see like the door lock mechanism and window regulators.

Mine too is slowly covering the back of the differential housing with oil. Luckily, the dirt stops it from dripping on the garage floor. I wonder if a piece of sponge or cloth or maybe a plug of Scotchbrite might stop the splashing, but still let it breathe. I've never had one off so don't know what's inside but have to assume that the leak is oil getting splashed up, probably in a fine mist form, in to the vent where it can then dribble out and down the differential housing.

Bees can't fly faster than 50 mph. Have you been underneath to look around? If it's RPM independent then everything from the tail end of the transmission back should be looked at.

Wow, I guess you get what you pay. I've not used either so can't speak to reliability. That's good information. Side note re money - the E12-80 uses the VR trigger so you could retrofit to the very inexpensive GM HEI module in the future, if you had to, with some wire splicing and a little fabrication.

You might compare the costs of the two modules. I think that you can get the new Pertronix kit for about 70% of the cost of even a cheap O'Reilly's E12-80 module. The junkyard would save some money on the E12-80 if you can find one, or you could spend a lot more for higher quality. Up in the 2's. Besides that, the big plastic E12-80 "matchbox" won't polish up very well.

That thing I tried to draw an arrow to is a rubber plug. Underneath it is the idle air adjustment screw. You'll probably need a small screwdriver or an awl to pry the plug out. It is about 1/2" tall. I'm just pointing it out. I don't know if you'll want to mess with it or not. If you're trying to get things back to stock performance, you probably want to leave it alone for now.

Here is a way to test that I have seen in various places, including on this forum. It's from a writeup on converting to the GM 4 pin HEI module. I cut out the install portions,but you can read the whole thing here - http://www.sonic.net/~kyle/hei.html - if you want. Date: Sun, 12 Mar 1995 19:49:02 -0800 (PST) From: Andrew Levy <allevy@violin.aix.calpoly.edu> To: Z-car <z-car@CS.Princeton.EDU> Subject: ignition - HEI Mime-Version: 1.0 Sender: snd@CS.Princeton.EDU Precedence: bulk ..................... First you need to determin the polarity of the wires going to the distributors pickup. Some have a red and a green wire, the red is the positive. If you have one with two green wires or you can't tell what color they are you will need to test them. This can be done by rotating the dist. shaft the same direction as it would be turned by the engine and use a volt meter to establish the polarity. This system generaters AC current so look for a positive reading when the raised portion is approaching the pick up and negative when it departs. You could try to establish the polarity by starting the engine and use a timinglight to check each combination, the one that gives you the most retarded timing should be correct. ................

The red wire coming off the distributor should be the positive one. I've read that you can hook them up backward but your timing will be off and will jump around a lot, because the triggering point will be incorrect. If so, just switch the wires and the timing should steady and go back to the proper range, where it was before you started the swap, assuming that you have not moved the distributor body. Hopefully for you, you will have a red wire. I have seen some pickup coils that have been spliced to have two blue wires, so you might have to trace the red one down from the pickup coil in the distributor.

Saw this yesterday - http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/2132183103.html Text from the listing - 280z 1980 - $600 Date: 2010-12-27, 10:18PM PST Reply to: sale-zwtre-2132183103@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?] CLEAN TITLE BROKE UP WITH MY BOY FREIND NOW I HATE THE CAR. 360-772-0926 * it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests PostingID: 2132183103

I don't think that your problem is related to the original 2002 post, unless you also removed some jumper wires so that you could plug the old regulator back in. Was the old regulator plugged in before you replaced it? If it was, then your mechanic might be right. The key can be removed from the ignition on these old cars, in any position. Why did you feel the need to replace the regulator? All of the ZX alternator upgrade write-ups described leaving the old regulator unplugged, most suggest removing it. You can't follow the instructions AND end up with the old regulator plugged in to the harness. It would be odd if the car would run with an internally regulated alternator running through an external regulator. I can't say it's not possible though.

My rear sway bar mounting rubber groaned after I put new urethane end link pieces on. The mounts are right on the body so transmit the noise directly in to the cabin. Worth checking if you have a sway bar.

One advantage to doing them cold first is that many, maybe even all of them, will be in spec. when you check them hot. If they are in spec. you don't need to loosen the locknut, just move on to the next one. You will end up only actually adjusting a few of them hot.

Make sure that your voltage regulator is working. Your 260 should have an external regulator unless someone has switched it to an internally regulated alternator. You can probably have it checked at an auto parts store (take the new alternator in with it to confirm it's not damaged) or measure voltage at the battery while the engine is running.

Good work. An L24. Is that the engine in the car or the extra? That's one, what does the other engine show? Back to your original question - it depends. I would use the one that is in the best condition, if i was trying to save some money. Or the L26 if I was looking for more power. What are you trying to do? Good luck with the project.