Zed Head

I would wonder why there were blown fuses in the first place. And recheck the ones you replaced. Maybe they blew again. Starts for a few seconds then dies is typical of a dirty fuel pump contact switch. There's no reason for the injectors to click when you push the AFM flap. That's not right and just weird. I would put the fusible link back, even if it's corroded. If you burn the wiring you'll be even farther up the creek, in a leaky boat. I would test the fuel pump contact switch like SteveJ said first, moving the AFM flap, while the key is On. That will show you if the fuel pump contact switch is allowing the pump to get power when you let go of the key while Start'ing.

I had a coolant leak from between the cylinder head and block at the very back of the cylinder head, right over the starter. Coolant would run down the back of the engine above the starter. It was self-sealing when the engine got warmed up. Only leaked during warm-up and cool-down.

Worth a shot. Your initial wiring mistake with the extra ground might have damaged it. I damaged one when I forgot to put the one and two plug wires back on and started the engine. I turned the engine off immediately but afterward, the engine would only start with starting fluid, even when hot. I think that the module was damaged enough by stray spark or something I don't understand, to where it wouldn't generate a strong spark with the voltage available during starting. It would run just fine, it just wouldn't start. A new module and I was back to normal. Anyway, I almost mentioned it before but your symptoms were different. Who knows.

Still not clear what happens between the engine starting and how it gets to 4000 RPM. Sounds like you turn the key with no throttle applied, it starts, then will die unless you give it full throttle. I know that just a small amount of throttle with no load will get 4000 RPM easily. You're saying that you have the throttle to the floor and all you get is 4000 RPM? Do you have an air filter attached? Something's weird with the facts of the problem. If you want to measure voltage, maybe you can set the meter on the cowl where you can see it through the windshield. Clamp the probes on to the battery posts and start the engine. Above 12.6 means the alternator is charging.

Do you have to have it floored to get it to start or just floor it after it kicks over? Does it sound right at 4000 RPM or does it run rough? Backfiring is often from a lean mixture (as suggested re vacuum leaks). I'm not familiar with SK/OER carbs, but if there's some way to increase the "choke" it might offer a clue. Maybe your mixture is just off at low air flow. You could also have someone standing over the carb with starter fluid or carb cleaner (the petro-based stuff not the new "green" stuff) or a small cup of gasoline to feed in while you start it. If it's mixture based they should be able to keep it running by dribbling or spraying in more fuel. Of course, a backfire on to a cup of gasoline wouldn't be good. Just pour a little in, back away and see if it stays running longer. Brainstorming. How about a bad or disconnected brake booster?

Figgers. Since you've confirmed spark (it stays running at 4000 RPM), you might draw more attention with a new title containing the word carburetor. The carb guys and the wiring guys tend to be two different groups. Good luck.

Are you using carbs or EFI? The problem sounds typical of the fuel pump contact in the AFM switch not completing the circuit, due to low air flow or being out of adjustment. Or, if it's a 78 or later system, the oil pump switch or alternator are not feeding the right fuel pump control relays.

In theory, you should be able to make a VR from another car work on the Z. The one in your picture looks a little like the 1974 VR I replaced after it boiled my battery, back in 1980. It was "solid state" but it was one of the first solid state VR's Mopar (not Nissan) used. Not modern today, but modern then (of course). Looking at your picture, it looks like you might have the charging wire connected to ground. If so, you might have melted a fusible link. Take a better picture from the back of the battery and describe the color of the wires that connect to each are. Your pictures are hard to see.

Your local Nissan dealer might have them. They probably have a better microfiche image also. #4 shows as highly available and cheap. Datsun 240Z/260Z Cylinder Block & Fitting L24, L26 (To Nov.-'74) DOWEL :: Nissan Parts, NISMO and Nissan Accessories - Courtesyparts.com

One is probably a "top gear" switch. I think that all of the switches are normally open and close when activated. A multimeter, or battery and test light, will tell you which is which if you move the shift lever.

Did they work before you installed the lights? Here's a link to a diagram - http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/wiringdiagrams/240z/1971_240z.gif

"Grind" - I should have put 1 and 1 together. I'm having a slow day. Keep an eye out for complete engines and complete cars. Sometimes you can get them for the cost of the part you're looking for.

Just for fun and to get some camera practice, here's my F stamp. I notice that Miller Time said "grind mark" where mine is obviously a stamp. Either made with straight line three stamps or one F stamp. I'm still thinking that the Canada factor might apply. Nissan would likely put another letter on a cam with different specs.

Strike two for me for the day. I went out and checked and I have an "F" cam in my P79 head, not a "K". There are two cam specs. though, still, for the 1981-83 cams - Canada and USA. Maybe "K" is Canada and the Maxima N47. I've seen at least one post on Hybridz from a guy who had a "K" cam in a head that should have been "F". The"K"'s are out there, but not clear where they belong.

I oversimplified, neglected the booster in between the pedal and MC. These guys are right. You might consider loosening the nuts holding the MC to the booster and inserting some slotted shims, if you'd like to know before you take it apart again, to shorten the rod. You can get shims at most hardware stores, I know that Ace has them. You might also be able to feel if the rod is pressing the pistons in the MC when you have the nuts loose. I've also found that there's enough flex in the lines to remove the MC from the booster without breaking the fluid lines open, if you remove the line mounting brackets and the brake check switch. Can't remember why I did it but I didn't want to lose a good bleed.

Sounds like the rod from the pedal to the MC is adjusted too long. The hole that allows the fluid to return to the reservoir is covered, the fluid heats up and expands, causing the brakes to apply. One possibility. It's possible to adjust the rod from under the dash without removing the MC. A wrench, a pair of pliers and some contortions.

The "K" cam is common. I have one in my 1981 P79 head. The charts that float around the internet are not always 100% accurate and/or may be missing information. Canada specs were introduced in 1981, apparently, by the FSM data. That could be where the other letter comes from. BUT, the Canada specs. match the previous "A" cam specs. So really they introduced a new USA cam and kept the old specs in Canada, and went to internal lubrication. Each FSM has the specs. charted at the end of the Engine Mechanical chapter. The N47 heads all seem to come with an "A" cam.

They're purty cheap if you want to go back - http://www.courtesyparts.com/bushing-p-345116.html

Is Part #31 installed? Without it the lever will bounce around and buzz and you'll have loose-feeling shifting. Available through the dealer or courtesyparts.com. Datsun 280Z Transmission Control Lever & Fork (5 Speed-FS5W71B) (From Aug.-'76)

Your voltage measurements are right. The making and breaking of the primary circuit, to make the spark, only happens when the distributor is turning and the pickup coil is producing voltage changes (positive and negative current). The module breaks the ground circuit to protect the coil and module itself if the distributor's not turning. Ignition modules are hard to diagnose with just a meter. Your best bet is to pull a spark plug wire and stick a spark plug in. Ground the plug threads, spin the engine and watch for spark across the gap. The reluctor magnets on the ZX distributors are quite often broken, from the ones I've seen. If you have a used one and have never run it.

Thanks John. This whole conversation is about the difference between routing the heater outlet to the pump inlet or routing it to the radiator or thermostat housing. Started when I said in another thread that sending the coolant back to the radiator has been shown to be worse than blocking the port, when the typical bypass is done by sending it back to the pump inlet, not the radiator, so I had no basis for my statement, which I acknowledged later. It was a mental typo, radiator instead of pump inlet. My ending thesis after the word battle is that the Electromotive method of drilling the holes in the head indicate that there's more to the situation than just where the coolant ends up, in the inlet or at the T-stat housing. It's where you pull the coolant from that matters. Otherwise the guys that know, like Electromotive, would just run a hose from the heater supply port at the back of the head to the thermostat housing and get the same results. If we could get past the butting of heads, it's probably easy to answer. Maybe someone has even tried it and knows.

The distance from the flywheel to the surface on the collar that the clutch fork rides on should be about 92 mm. Lay the pressure plate down and set the collar on the fingers to take the measurement.

pakmule offers good advice. Many of the older Volvos have the same three wire connector that the TPS uses. They also have the same style of injector connectors, but of a better design. If you can get to a wrecking yard with Volvos in it you'll probably find a replacement that will get you by. If you need it. If you want to test the TPS itself, I think that it has numbers molded in to it to indicate which pin attaches to which circuit. I would test at the ECU connector first though, if it fails there it could be the wires (which is what the FSM means when it says "check the circuit") or the TPS itself. The pin numbers at the ECU are the same as on the TPS. p.s. I've heard good things about FricFracs connector package if you decide to replace your old ones with new. Junk yard parts tend to be stiff and dirty.

Yellow is the water temperature switch for activating the second magnetic pickup in the distributor, I believe.

Round and round... I expected better. Oh well.