Zed Head

The damper rubber can fail and the outer pulley will slip. If you were 100% positive that you were at TDC, you would mark a new pulley to know where zero is. All of the timing marks, both cam and ignition, are based on top dead center of #1 on the compression stroke. So, either the damper has failed or you're on the exhaust stroke on #1 or the builder installed the pulley in the wrong spot. Maybe he pushed the key out of its keyway. We were just talking about that possibility in Wally's thread. Anyway, everything starts with TDC on #1, valves closed.

12 might be a 280Z dropping resistor. Mounts behind the wiper washer bottle. 5 looks like part of the air flow control for AC/heat. 7 does look a dashpot for an EFI TB. 3 is definitely an AFM. It has numbers on it that are important. This number is important also for 11 although they all seem to work about the same.

If you're sure that the #1 piston (the front piston) is at TDC, and that the camshaft is at "valves closed" on #1 then there are two possibilities for the missing or incorrect timing marks. Some of the aftermarket timing sprockets don't have the notch on the sprocket. They just rely on using the 42 links for installation and there's no way to monitor chain wear over time. So you might have to trust the builder on that. On the damper ignition timing marks you might have the wrong combination timing mark plate/pointer and damper. Some were on the left and some were on the right. jonbill just replied but I'm going to post this anyway.

Red 72 survivor. White interior. Looks interesting, but...automatic. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-datsun-240z-162/

Sorry to hear about your aunt site. So far, I've been lucky, people I know have got it, but survived, although they seem to have some of the long haul syndrome. But I do have people I've been waiting for the "got COVID-19" call about. But it looks like they made it through to vaccination. Let's hope the vaccines do the job. Things I'm growing tired of - the half beard-half face guy in the commercials. And the Royal Family - who cares? They're the Kardashians (also who cares) of England (formerly). It's weird how eager the media is to get back to the old BS normal. Dragging up all of the old gossipy news, like the last year didn't really happen. Carry on.

Which parts did you install? The 42 links don't really matter once the engine has cranked over a few times. And how did you verify TDC? Did you actually check the piston height or did you assume because the cam lobes were up?

Howdy Ed. Me again. Is this the "normal" length that will also work on 280Z's, or the early shorter length for the forward mounted diff?

This 510 got pretty good money. Only one turbo. Maybe that 240 will do well. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-datsun-510-38/

Just a few years ago you couldn't find the collars. The guys you listed weren't selling them. So, it hasn't always been so simple. And, there were people saying if you have a 4 speed you needed one collar, a 5 speed another. Simple was wrong then.

The 1978 ignition system uses a 0.84 - 1.02 coil. It's in the FSM. No reason to vary from that, it's a "high-energy" wide spark plug gap system. Looks like everyone is consolidating on the label, and not the specs. Those flames look cool. OReilly has one that is supposed to meet spec. but they don't show the spec. Rockauto is am option. They have an NGK coil. Coils are a basic electrical component. The flames and colors really don't add much. A 1.5 ohm might actually give you less spark power than a 1.0. I like to stick with matched components if I can. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/import-direct-ignition-4488/ignition---tune-up-16776/ignition-coils-19690/ignition-coil-12493/90c5da72ae86/import-direct-ignition-coil/230257/4578740/1978/nissan/280z?q=ignition+coil&pos=0 https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/nissan,1978,280z,2.8l+l6,1209260,ignition,ignition+coil,7060

What ignition system? The module. Not clear. If it's Pertronix, there are two types.

(Reserve not met, I'm guessing) twin turbo RB26DETT 1972 240Z. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-datsun-240z-168/

There is no link in the starter motor circuit. The current passes directly down the positive cable to the starter motor and through the starter motor to ground. That's why the cable is so big.

You have a DVM so, really, you should be checking for short circuits. Every circuit should have some resistance. I'm not familiar with the link or links on a 71, so can't really imagine what might have shorted when you turned the key to Start. The wire to the solenoid either has fuse or is just a straight shot to the solenoid, I think. Maybe an early Z owner knows what might have shorted. The starter motor itself doesn't have a fuse it runs through the positive battery cable. You didn't say how you used the DVM to test the link. The fusible links are known for bad connections. Those exposed spade terminals corrode. It really sounds more like the heat from current flow caused an open circuit. Just a guess. Poke around with the DVM to be sure.

When I was in high school a "friend" showed me how to wrap a blown fuse in Juicy Fruit wrapper to make the fuse work. It burned all of my headlight wiring. Those old Juicy Fruit wrappers must have been like 40 amp.

Should show up on fuel pressure.

Here's the thread I was thinking about. He created his own solution.

I am 99% sure that I have seen the problem with that type of mount before. There's a thread where somebody removed their old bushings then found that the new ones wouldn't fit. I'll see if I can find it, but you might search around in the meantime. Short answer is "I don't think replacement bushings exist". For whatever reason, Nissan doubled up on rubber back there. You've got a rubber mount on a rubber mount. Never really understood why. And the mount doesn't see much twist because the motor mounts stop the engine from twisting. It's not like the mustache bar mount. Nissan actually calls it an "engine mount". Anyway, don't tear it apart assuming that you'll find a fix.

I think that if you put washers on the inside of the fork you could tighten it up. Shim it.

We had a good conversation about damper/pulleys in the thread below. Don't forget that somewhere along the line they moved the timing degree marks from the damper to the timing tab/plate/thing. 72 or 73 I think.

Note to future car sellers - close the hood (bonnet), just to show that it will.

The guy did not take $16,500 for his off-road 280Z. There's even a Baja type video on the page.

You can get a fair idea of diff looseness just by lifting with your hands on the mustache bar ends, and using a jack under the diff nose. The clunk at the diff nose seems to come from the diff nose dropping back down after it lifts up under load. Lift-clunk-lift-clunk, as you shift gears and accelerate. The torque specs are in the FSM. https://www.classiczcars.com/files/category/11-240z/

I have a pair of these that would do the job. They come in small size. Hope you haven't replaced the seal yet, you don't want to try to squeeze in there with the seal installed. Worst case, if it does fall in to the cover it won't hurt anything. It will just sit there, waiting for some future owner to find and wonder about. https://www.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Original-Locking-Pliers-1602L3/dp/B0000BYD9A/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=vise-grip&qid=1614964787&s=hi&sr=1-8

Three Datsuns up today. A silver 78 with normal shine, the Mad Max 76, and a 68 Roadster. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-datsun-280z-86/ https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-datsun-280z-44/ https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1968-datsun-1600-roadster-18/