Zed Head

When you slide the drive shaft out of the transmission, the gear oil will come out unless you have drained it first or have the rear end of the car jacked up. You might want to make sure that you can get the transmission fill plug out to add more before you start. I had the same problem with the diff fill and drain plugs. If you heat the area around the plugs with a propane or MAPP torch you should be able to get them loose. The diff gets pretty hot when in use so the heat shouldn't hurt it. I could not get either to budge until I applied the torch.

Back on topic (yippee)... Maybe this old quote applies (had to Google it to get it right) - "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is." Jan La Van De Snepscheut (apparently a Cal Tech computer expert) So it doesn't really do much. The Datsun engineers put some effort in to it though. Too bad we don't have those old reminisces from the engineers that worked on it, like we do for some other car makers so we could know what they were thinking at the time.

I read your original post. Here's a summary: The car ran with starting fluid through the intake when you got it. Then you "set the motor to TDC". Did some more stuff. Now it won't run at all. It sounds like you just think that you set the #1 to TDC and/or set the distributor wrong. Any way to go back to before you did anything? You must have had the timing good enough to run in the beginning.

If the car starts but then dies, it could be the fuel pump safety cutoff. On the 78 I believe it is controlled through an oil pressure switch. The switch has to see oil pressure to close the contact to run the fuel pump. Typically (at least for 76 with the AFM switch) the car will start, run for ~3-5 seconds, then die. Not sure why warmer would be better than cold, but it is something to look at. If this is the problem, then hitting Start real quick as it is dying, will get it to run a few more seconds again (because Start bypasses the switch), although you will get a grind from the starter gears. I had this problem on my 76 which has the AFM controlled fuel pump switch.

Don't bite mel marabante. They're just words on an internet page from some anonymous Benny Hill fan... Not worth the effort.

Doesn't the coil ground through the tachometer circuit? Just a guess, no real knowledge of what you're doing. But I did see that you have the tachomoter output disconnected, although I'm not sure what effect that would have with your setup..

I did not know that. I have a 280. Thanks for the quick correction. I think that the L terminal on a newer alternator still needs 12 volts, low amps, to power the windings immediately. It could be checked with a volt meter, with the key on, to verify. That's where I would start if I had this problem. If the L terminal is not getting power, then you can focus on the wiring. If the L terminal is getting power, focus on the alternator itself. I'll stop now...

I'm sure that Zs-ondabrain can explain in depth, but, as I understand the charging system, the L wire does what the "cut-in" speed is doing. I believe that it magnetizes the windings right away so that the alternator can start generating current immediately. The L wire runs through the red charging light (Lamp) on your volt or ammeter. If the red light comes on when you turn the key on, and the other end of the wire is connected to the L terminal, then the windings are getting powered as they should. It goes off when the current starts flowing. Does your red charging light work as it should. Lighted when the key is On, off when the engine starts? I could be iffy on the details, but I'm sure that the red charging light is an integral part of the system and needs to be functional and wired correctly for the system to work as designed.

Actually, you missed my point (no pun intended). I do stand corrected though that the L20B came in carbed form in 1978 in the US. It has been a good discussion. Overall, I learned something and if I ever a get a carbed Datsun I will be ahead.

This has turned in to an interesting technical discussion (aside from all of the extra stuff). Here is a paragraph from the 1972 FSM, in the Emissions section (page EC-13), but it seems to be a general statement that the coolant lines are there for consistency in fuel supply, by keeping the gasoline at a constant temperature through heating of the carburetors. I could not find a comparable page in the 1973 FSM. Draw your own conclusions.

Your page is for a 1978 EFI engine. The discussion is about coolant lines on a 1973 carburated engine. Replay point...

I came across an interesting discussion on this topic over on Hybridz a while ago (link below). Apparently the keyway is mainly for initial indexing, not holding the damper/pulley from rotating out of sync with the crank. The force locking the damper/pulley to the crank comes from the compressive force of the bolt on the crank end. So minor damage to the keyway should not necessitate crank replacement or even repair, if you can live with the knowledge that slot is not straight anymore. Not perfect but might save you some time and money. It's worth a read. Post #21 summarizes pretty well. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/topic/91212-cracked-crank-pulley-worn-woodruff-keys-crank/page__st__20__p__872134__hl__crank%20keyway__fromsearch__1entry872134

I hope you're not looking at the volt meter in the dash. Mine was off by several volts, as I've heard many are. You should measure voltage at the battery with the engine at about 2500 rpm according to the FSM. The FSM for 1976 says 14.3 - 15.3 volts at 68 degrees F. It also recommends measuring amps but the procedure is a little more involved. You still haven't really stated the problem. Does the battery go dead or does it just not charge? Could be different causes...

So the problem is that the battery does not charge correctly? The old-style mechanical regulators are adjustable. Have you measured the voltage at the terminals with the engine at ~1500 - 2000 rpm, to see what the regulator is doing? Need more numbers to make better guesses...

Maybe the can of Seafoam was rattling when you revved the motor. I have actually spent a few moments in the past wondering what "that noise" was from the rear end of the car then realized it was the old beat up speakers behind the seats sliding back and forth...

Click through the choices in the link. You will get to a page that shows a positive and a negative option for the style and size chosen. I second (third, fourth?) the thanks for putting this out there. Much better than what is typically found in the auto parts store.

Never mind. Not a good discussion starter...

Didn't mean to stir things up with my KISS comment. The last S can be inflammatory and that was unintended. So Rocket88, you have options. Since you mentioned that the coolant was flowing along the head/block interface, you should make sure that you look closely at the thermostat housing. It might be starting there, flowing down to the interface, and just showing up between plugs 1 and 2. It's difficult to see up under there, a mirror might help. There are several sensors in the housing that could leak plus the housing gasket itself. Have fun.

Agreeing with the man from OZ... The original post described a very small problem. A "bit of a coolant leak." It goes away completely when the motor warms up. No mention of overheating, oil burning, etc. The post even says "no white smoke" so there is some awareness of the various bad head gasket issues. Just taking off the head can cost extra money and time, for gaskets, broken bolts/studs, possibly failing to secure the timing chain, etc. I would apply the KISS principle here.

You could try some of that "magic" leak stopping powder, like Bar's or other. I had a small external leak from the back of my engine and one bottle of Bar's stopped it.

You are probably supplying another ground path to the battery, through the brace to the mounting points, then on to the negative terminal of the battery. You might have a weak ground wire connection or corroded connection points. I think that the sparks imply that there is some resistance in your current ground path, from the engine to the battery. The main ground for the engine on my car is from the negative terminal of the battery through the heavy gauge wire to a transmission mounting bolt. It would be worth checking yours to make sure it is low resistance.

jacobmccabe92 might have some used... http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?p=327794#post327794

I have a 76 and a 78 parts car and they both have that ugly-looking thing. Zs apparently came from the factory like that, not sure what year it started. It's in the Rear Axle and Suspension section of the FSM, called a "damper plate". It must be designed to damp either vibrations or clunks, I would guess. By the way grantf, I went to see what year car you had and your About Me says that you don't even have a car yet.

My car ran about medium-rare over the winter but since spring is here has been running medium. Coming up the Highway 26 hill the other day I let it rev in 3rd gear just to listen and see how things sounded. It started getting pretty close to done though show I shifted up before I really cooked it. :laugh: