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Zed Head

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Everything posted by Zed Head

  1. I don't. That's what I was going to do. Then realized it didn't matter for my plans. I only have to pass emissions every two years and my engine is unmodified.
  2. I thought about building my own system and just using a look-up table, a real paper one, to mark up a voltmeter. Not sure where "legitimacy" comes in to the conversation. It's just a number from a sensor, some basic scientific principles, and some math.
  3. Sounds like the numbers are coming up as engine RPM increases. That might explain why it runs well, with bad cylinder pressures. You probably have lots of blowby. If you have all of the plugs out and the throttle open and a fully charged battery for the most recent test, the only way you could get a little more RPM to bump the numbers up even more might be to connect jumper cables from a running car, to get 14 volts to the starter, instead of 12.6. But it all seems moot, cylinders 1 and 2 aren't sealing well for some reason. Also helps explain why it "likes" a higher idle speed. You might put it all back together and give it a good "Italian tuneup". Go beat the heck out of it on the road. Then see if the numbers get better. Overall though, it looks like you're in the situation I was in when I got my car. An old worn engine that runs okay but could be better. You might have to live with its flaws until you decide to rebuild or swap a new engine in. On the remote starter, just remember that all you're doing is supplying the small terminal on the solenoid with battery power. Power to the solenoid small terminal is all you need. One wire will do it. My remote starter is a piece of wire with a female terminal on one end, to connect to the solenoid, and a bare end to touch to the battery positive on the other. It's kind of sparky.
  4. Just went and looked at my 76 and it doesn't have any washers at all. I think it's a crimped lock nut also. Nyloc didn't come around til later. Interesting topic. https://data.epo.org/publication-server/rest/v1.0/publication-dates/19820310/patents/EP0047061NWA1/document.html
  5. You only really need one, since only the nut spins when you're tightening. I don't think there is a washer under the bolt head. The parts guys aren't even supplying the other washer. https://zcardepot.com/collections/front-suspension/products/front-lower-control-arm-bolt-240z-260z-280z https://zcarsource.com/bolt-kit-front-control-arm-240z-260z-280z-70-78-new
  6. You have to take the door apart. The code is probably in there. Good luck. It's just a lock. Normal picking skills should work.
  7. Is the key code sticker still on the inside of the glove box door? Locksmiths can cut a new key from that code. It should also be on the passenger side door lock, apparently, if the parts car is still around. A good locksmith could probably pick that lock too.
  8. Not sure exactly what you're looking at but it might be shown here. http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsuns30/Datsun-Z-Index/Axle/Front-Suspension
  9. I have the whole combination switch from a 1978. Kind of worn, I had to dose it with DeOxit to get the dimmer to work, and also took the HL switch apart to clean it up. It all worked when I put it in the box, and put the box on the shelf.
  10. Shocking. A rich person avoiding taxes! I can't be party to this, I'm selling my 42 year old old beat up 280Z!
  11. Man, I don't know what this means, as a whole or in parts. Only "lazy suckers do their own work, and doing so is a gamble"? Are you recommending that he has somebody else do the work? Or that he buy new parts? Or that he does the work himself? You told an anecdote about doing the work yourself, yourself. Were you saying that you made a mistake in trusting yourself, or that you only trust your own work? Not kidding. I like to leave a little puzzle behind myself sometimes, but I can't tell what your message is. My message was - leave the insides of the injectors alone they've been fine all this time.
  12. My "adjustment" was just putting a broken one back to where it had been. They're not supposed to twist. Whatever parts you're moving, if it's open at 68 F (not freezer temperature), and closes after about 5 minutes of 12 volts, it's good. I forgot to copy Nissan's chart in before. EF-18.
  13. I overlooked the fact that you have a 1978. They don't have the second pickup coil. Have you confirmed that the hoses are actually open? So that air can flow through the AAR. It should stay partially open for about 5 minutes. My vague memory of adjusting an AAR is that the plastic terminal end would twist. Maybe I'll go dig one up to verify. But as I recall, I twisted the connector end until the opening was open the proper amount and it also fully closed after battery voltage was applied. Then I glued the connector, which is actually connected to the heater mechanism, to the metal body. I think that they can come loose, as Blue showed in his Tech Tip. Grab the end of yours and see if it twists. http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/aar/index.html
  14. I'm not sure what the issue is now. Is it a low idle speed when cold? You haven't confirmed that the AAR power circuit is working. The AAR has only one purpose - to raise the idle speed of the engine when cold. If you're careful you can connect the two pins in the AAR to a battery and see if it moves. There is a part of the ignition system that raises idle speed, very slightly. The second pickup coil in the distributor. The AAR raises idle speed first, immediately, then the second pickup coil keeps it slightly higher until the engine is fully warmed up. Do you have a two pickup coil system?
  15. Sounds like you're doing everything right. Your engine is doing things wrong though. I'd pop the valve cover and check the valve train. As Patcon suggested, valve lash set wrong can affect cylinder pressures. Although yours are way off for just a simple lash adjustment. If you're lucky you'll find a rocker arm lock nut or two that is loose, causing the valves to open only partially. If you're unlucky you'll find some damaged cam lobes. Getting a new cam and rocker arms installed and broken in without damaging the cam lobes can be difficult on these engines.
  16. Those are terrible. Are you positive that you had a good seal on the tester and the pressures are correct? You didn't use the extension on #1 and #2 then take it off for the others did you? The extension/adapter will give a much lower reading because it adds volume. What is your ignition system? Distributor and ignition module. Your plug gaps seem pretty wide for a points system.
  17. Words-wise, you're saying that we've all been irresponsible,and imprudent, with our injector stories. Not sure that's what you intended. Nonetheless, the old rusty injectors could very well be fine. It's the guts that matter.
  18. I took your 80's hair-metal comment from the other thread, combined it with Pygmy Pony, and a Google search, and get a tenuous Frank Zappa link. Or this. Mug of mead anyone? - https://www.pygmypony.net/ What is the truth?
  19. I would give the engine a full tuneup before getting too far in to the carbs. Valve lash, ignition timing, etc. Many tears have been shed and much time wasted just to find out that a simple tuneup did the trick. Plus, since you have a modified engine, I would check the engine basics, like cam timing and compression ratio. People often go off-spec. when they install their new performance cams. You don't know that the PO did things right. Your engine does sound odd in that short sound clip. Could be cam and/or ignition timing. Also still looks like you have two issues - dying at the lights when the engine gets hot, and getting the carbs synchronized. The tuneup procedure seems lengthy but it's not too bad. When you're done you'll know a lot more about what you're working with.
  20. I'd like to see a system that sends you a text message when there's a problem. A true "idiot text".
  21. I have an old set of 1978 injectors that looked worse than those. They sat on the non-running engine for 10 years. They guy I bought the car from had gotten the engine running before I bought it for parts so I don't know what state the fuel system had been in . I tested the injector flow rates later and they were all dead even. They opened and closed fine, nice solid clicks. I ran them on the engine for quite a while. I would just put new hoses on those old crusty injectors and use them. If you decide to clean them up don't get any moisture inside, at all. The metal inside is only meant to see gasoline and will rust quickly if any water gets in there.
  22. Zed Head replied to gotham22's topic in Wanted
    Are you doing a resto? Need it shiny? I did a quick run around the internet and it looks like a hard-to-find piece. It's in the carpartsmanual list, but not the illustration. Then if you search the number you get on to a merry-go-round to other parts. I did find one picture of it on a ZX diagram though. Part #14710E. You can carry on from here. Good luck. I'll bet you could make a good facsimile by yourself with the right material and some tin snips. Here's the ZX illustration but there's no link to a part - https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts-list/1981-nissan-280zx/egr-parts.html?Diagram=147_A01 #57 here is a heat shield but it's not shown in the drawing - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsuns30/Datsun-Z-Index/Engine-280Z/Manifold-Egr/From-Aug-76
  23. Are you sure that you connected it properly? Didn't nick any wires? Don't put larger fuses in to fix a short circuit problem. Find the short and fix it instead. https://www.datsun-240z-upgrades.net/product-info/
  24. Not sure what Nissan calls it but most of us call that the "dimmer switch". The power supply switch is the combination switch. Edit - actually Nissan calls the whole assembly the combination switch. But they do break it down in to sub-switches. Picture below. Dimmer. I thought the dimmer switch was pretty simple, parts-wise. Mine was "stuck" at no power to either circuit but dousing it with DeOxit and working it back and forth fixed it. Not sure how it could get stuck on high. I thought it was a toggle switch. If the lever moves, the switch contacts move. Anyway, I found some new news while I was looking for old pictures of what people have done with the dimmer. Dave Irwin has moved to Montana and doesn't rebuild switches any more. https://www.datsun-240z-upgrades.net/
  25. That's a CO mod isn't it? Dang it. I want one.

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