Zed Head

Which head are you using? Look between the #1 and #2 spark plug holes, down at the edge. It will say N42, N47, P90 or P79.

People would probably buy a Cut "n" Play product. If the relays are common and replaceable, it would be a no-need-to-go-back system. Permanent.

You could make a new tab and mark but the dial back light allows you to use the dial, and the TDC mark (zero) in place of the tab marks. Set the dial to whatever you want your initial timing to be, probably 10, then move the distributor to hit the zero mark you created using the piston stop. That's how the dial-back lights work, all they need is TDC.

You said that you believed that you saw a mark. ?? It's just a crude notch. There is a method for determining TDC, using s piston stop, that you could use if you need to. All you would need is a file to create a notch on the pulley, and a piston stop, maybe a Sharpie. Ffind TDC, mark it, file a notch, set up a pointer...good to go with a dial-back light. Lots of words but actually simple in practice. You'd actually be ahead of most of us, who just assume that our notches are correct.

You could use a dial-back timing light. Actually easier, and if you change distributors, or recurve one, and want to know/confirm max advance, you'd need one anyway. I think that they're about $40.

1973 Engine tuneup chapter shows that 73 used the single notch. So you need the timing tab with the degree notches.

So the question of which side of the rings the oil comes from remains. If it's coming from the intake side that can really only be the PCV hose. If it's coming from the other side of the rings, direct from crank case, it kind of implies broken rings. Seeing it in all cylinders sounds more like PCV hose. But you said you blocked the PCV. And the odds of breaking six oil scrapers seems small. So here's a new one - how about the valve seals on the intake valves? If they went bad for some reason you'd suck oil down the valve stem and in to the intake runners. If your engine was built to a high consistency it would be reasonable to assume that the same part would fail around the same time for all six cylinders. Maybe the first high rev you did or similar.

Not seeing or missing marks? Nissan went to a single notch on the pulley in later years. Look for one.

It's a switch. 100% to one path, or 100% to another. They get dirty. You can take them apart and clean them or just squirt contact cleaner in and work the contacts.

All I can say is, yep, follow the path. Good luck.

The path. it's all about the path...

Steve makes good points. The wiring diagram in the Body Electrical chapter of the FSM is your best bet. It shows a little drawing of the dimmer I think as part of the schematic. And, as he says, there is no relay. Just wires to the switch then the fuse box, the lights, the dimer, etc. So that needs figuring. Pretty sure that there's a separate specific wire with its own connector for thew ground (not a short) of the headlights. It would be shown in the schematic. Maybe it worked loose. No offense, but you'll have to get up on your electrics terminology. A "short" mans the electricity got away from the path it was supposed to follow. Took a short cut. It's all about proper paths, making the electricity work.

Double bummer, because now your new MT-90 is full of particulated bearing. Oh well. Edit - that's the 5 speed that had the crunched up reverse gear, right?

I was going to mention the thickness. They definitely feel thicker. Could be a problem since I think that new pads take up almost all of the space. I took the pictures on top of a set of pads that had shims already stuck. So, if a person had those they might have to remove the pre-stuck shims. BUT, as you can see, the pre-stuck shims also have holes. So you could remove the pre-stuck shims and cut them to look like the MSA shims, and them use them as free-hanging shims. If I didn't have my old beat up Nissan shims that's what I'd try. Actually disappointed that I didn't think of it back when I was messing with squeal.

The range of engagement is partially a function of the marcel spring. The wavy one between the friction surfaces. It compresses, but allows early contact of the surfaces. Some interesting technology in those simple looking parts. http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/1429/Clutch-Technology-Part-3-Clutch-Disc-Construction.aspx Good luck with the 'cane. Florida's just a big sand spit though, so should drain pretty quickly.

Did you check the dimmer switch? At the base of the turn signal. It's a common cause of "no headlights". It's the ground point for the lights.

The Wagner shims arrived today. Here's some pictures. Looks like they might have less contact than the MSA/Nissan shims but might still work I'm going to guess that the partial coverage puts a cocking load on the piston, maybe causing a little bit of binding that damps the vibration..

Saw this article about winter grade gas coming two weeks early. Hot weather + winter grade could = hot start/heat soak. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-01/valero-seeks-texas-help-to-ship-more-gasoline-after-harvey

Cut the shim with two "ears" on the side and bend them over and you'll have a self-locating shim that will probably hold itself in place also. Curious though, and just to be rigorous - are you sure that the mislocated shim reduced flow enough to cause the problem? Often those big passages connect to smaller passages and can't flow that much anyway. Probably doesn't matter since you're rebuilding, but sometimes the obvious thing isn't really what it seems.

Shiny.

I think that EFI engines can handle more radical cam profiles because the fuel metering is more precise. But Nissan used the exact same profile and lift for the 1973 240Z and 1976 280Z. It's in the Engine Mechanical chapter. Kind of weird.

Your posts usually have clarity but this one does not. "Measurement of the hole". From where? Looks about 3/16" in diameter.

12.05 at the battery and 11.33 at the module means that something is drawing current and that there is resistance on the path. Could be a short in the module.. Not really clear where you measured at the module. 12.05 also means that your battery is almost dead. It should be at least 12.6. Your grandfather was probably right but it's always good to confirm. That 260Z module is one of the very first designs, so probably probably to failure. The 260Z was the first Z to get electronic ignition. I'm not really a survivalist but I like their chart. http://modernsurvivalblog.com/alternative-energy/battery-state-of-charge-chart/

I guess you made free-hanging shims from the stick-on Autozone shims. You had to pry them off. I'm confused about what came with your pads, and what you ended up using that worked.