Zed Head

The colored links are just there for assembly. To evaluate wear you want to put the crankshaft at zero on the damper puller (TDC), tighten the chain on the tight side, then see where the notch is. Everything starts with the crankshaft. But, regardless, it will still run with the cam at 2. The torque curve will just be shifted to lower RPM.

Not sure what you mean by "slack". Choosing a sprocket position depends on the relationship of the notch and groove. A picture of the chain tensioner will give a clue on chain wear. No offense, but you're still working with a hodge podge of parts. But if it ran before it will probably run again.

I have a Ford truck now and they completely changed the way the cooling system works. The reservoir is directly open to the bottom radiator hose. The pressure cap is on the reservoir, it's 16 psi on mine. Any bubbles that pass through the bottom hose rise up in to the reservoir. It's also called the degas bottle. There's a small hose on the top of the radiator that lets the fluid level in the radiator equalize to the level in the reservoir. When you see the fluid in the reservoir you're seeing the same fluid that is flowing through the system. No guessing necessary about level or fluid quality. It's pretty nice.

This was my point. The whole thread revolves around guesstimating. Always fun to discuss cooling systems though.

Take it out and run it and see if temperature keeps climbing or if it just rises and levels out. Fill up the reservoir first so you can see if the level changes. Here's a question though - how can you be so precise on the temperature?

Where did you get it? What do you know about it? Does it shows signs of being apart in the past?

Not sure why you can't just, as my father used to say, "get with the program". You're refusing to follow basic maintenance guidelines. The Z engines are fun learning tools though. You can do all kinds of crazy things to them and they just keep running.

Cylinder pressures at engine temperature are much greater than the leak-down test. And coolant gets sucked in due to engine vacuum. For a problem like yours, where you're on the edge, it would have been best to start with a properly filled and maintained system. You started with an empty reservoir, but didn't really say if it was ever full. Most of us never see any change at all in out coolant reservoirs. I have often wondered on my various cars if it was even working, the change was so indiscernible. If a change did happen it would have been concerning. Empty would be panic.

Not clear how this could happen considering how the system works. How does the end of the shift lever get past the 3rd gear rod fitting? The 3rd/4th rod should be centered and therefore in the way. I see roll pins. Maybe something is loose.

Early on you were buying and trying different thermostats. Running without a thermostat takes the thermostat completely out of the picture. The thermostat is a heat control device, not a cooling device. If the rest of the cooling system without a thermostat can't keep the engine under the desired temperature then changing thermostats will never solve the high temperature problem. It was the fastest way to learn if the thermostat was the source of your problem.

Running without a thermostat was not suggested as a solution to the problem. It was suggested as a diagnostic tool. You chose a halfway diagnostic method. What's next? Good luck.

I wasn't making fun, I'd really like to see a brand new Nissan 1978 280Z hood.

Can you elaborate? It's not clear what you're saying here. Have you run it without a thermostat yet?

Not terrible. I'd like see the bonnet hood in the box. "I will throw in a brand new bonnet hood in the box"

It's the feedback from the O2 sensors that make the EFI systems cleaner (cleaner burning, leaner) and more fuel efficient (indirectly, overall, cleaner). Plus, the fuel trimming done by the O2 sensor controlled system allows the use of catalytic converters. Which makes the overall system even cleaner. It's just science and logic. The early EFI systems without O2 sensors and/or converters could be just as dirty as a carb'ed engine though.

You might be right. If you had the lines open the odds are good that an air bubble got in. But, since all of the work was at the top you could probably just leave the lines cracked and slowly press the pedal to move the bubbles out of the loose fitting. It could be messy. You won't really know until you try the brakes. It's possible that the system gravity bled while you were putting it back together.

Did you leave the hydraulic lines connected to the MC? If so, there wouldn't be a need to rebleed.

Actually, it was an RNM. Get yours out there quick!

I don't see any progress until spring. You seem confident in what you've done.

Patcon is right, heat won't work. The resin is a thermoset, like a 2K paint. Once it sets, it's done. Your best bet might be more FRP underneath. Fixture is so that it is where you want it and lay on some fiberglass strips with resin. They will be under tension after curing so should work well. The hardest, most important, part will be getting good adhesion to the material that has already cured. A boat builder/repairer should have the materials and know how. Or >>> hood pins.

So you're planning to sell them or hang on to them? Hence the rebuild? They look crusty. I'll bet when you get them apart you'll find that a simple rebuild won't do it. Somebody might buy them for cores though so that they can do the conversion. Good luck.

I missed your first post, I see that now. So, basically, you're planning the Toyota caliper conversion. Better study all of the fine details that EuroDat is supplying. Are you going to paint them red?

Think about converting back to stock. I don't know if the conversions involve permanent changes. I thought that they were just bolt-on pieces.

Good luck with that. Might want to see the cylinders, if you can get them apart, before you buy the rebuild parts. Pretty crusty.

Look at BE-94 in the Body Electrical chapter. Nissan really didn't label the chapter sections well. You have to stumble upon it.