Zed Head

The bumpers say 76 or earlier. And my 76 has a "square" Datsun on the back hatch, yours has diagonal. Unless that's a 2+2 thing. I'm locking in on 1975. You might get more and move the parts quicker if you spit them up. AFM, AFM rubber boots, ECU, harness, manifold, even the charcoal canister. All valuable individually.

$3.76 and a tune-up. Done. For a while anyway. There is something about seeing history writ in wear and tear that's attractive. 105 looks like 106 looks like 107...after restoration. Looks like it started life as an orange car. The rear strut towers are orange and the sanded through areas on the body. Must have been a good paint shop though, they painted the spare tire well green. Or is that a factory color change? Where's the low number guys.? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Stops-Rust-10-25-oz-Clear-Rust-Inhibitor-Spray-224284/100567660

I am fairly sure that 1976 wiring diagram is close to 1977. There's a nice one available on the site. And the FSM has small diagrams in the Body Electrical chapter and the Engine Electrical chapter. Take at least a glance, some people pick up wiring quick others have to work at it. But the answer's in there. What are you trying to do now? Get it started or just get everything working, or both.

I'd go with a speedi- or redi-sleeve. I eyeballed my rear seal on my current engine and decided that since it was dry and didn't show signs of leaking that I would avoid the minor hassle of replacing it before installing the engine. But it had been sitting 0 years, in a parts car, and the seal has started leaking, and it's getting worse. Wish I would have put the extra effort in to making it better when I had the chance. Your part is much harder to replace if your pseudo-fix of positioning the seal doesn't work.

It just needs a clearcoat to stop the rust. Then drive it as a survivor. What's up with the white gauges? The guy is adding more pictures as we talk about it I think. There seem to be a bunch more now. A ton.

Makes me feel sleazy if they're actually hiding but it is the internet age. Did you hear about that Congressman who posted a screen shot of something important to his constituents but forgot to crop out the porn site links at the top... Maybe it really was found in a barn The youtube video is from Harmon Classics. Apparently an equestrian club. Sounds a lot like the old "Harmony" guy though who posted old Z's but never sold them. http://www.harmonclassics.com/ https://www.facebook.com/HarmonClassics/ Here's another, that's more likely - https://harmonclassicbrakes.com/ Another - http://www.harmonsclassiccars.com/

It has no title - "it is sold with a notorized bill of sale."

You can tell that the guy who got it is just a car guy who got lucky. A collector wouldn't run 40 year old rust and grime through the engine just to hear the engine noise. Cringeworthy...

Stop...

Chirping tires during a shift is really just a function of the amount of rotating mass, the "firmness" of the drivetrain parts involved and the traction limits of the tires. Power isn't really involved. Just saying. A big flywheel and a "heavy duty" clutch will chirp skinny tires all day long. Just an example, you said that you have an automatic. The same basics are involved. Don't forget the top of the suspension assembly, the struts.

I can't find firm documentation but some Googling suggests that it's a 1975 ECU. The 050 on the AFM looks like 1975 also. It will run the 75-78 systems, just not sure what changes Nissan made along the way. People like the square port exhaust manifolds also, which 1975 would have. Is that part of the package? http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MPE0/ECC1447/01599.oap?year=1975&make=Nissan&model=280Z&vi=1209204&ck=Search_C0396_1209204_-1&pt=C0396&ppt=C0334 http://www.ebay.com/itm/75-76-Datsun-280Z-Engine-Control-Module-ECU-A11-000-050-OEM-/142309814346?hash=item212253704a:g:66IAAOSw5cNYc8qG&vxp=mtr http://www.zcar.com/forum/10-70-83-tech-discussion-forum/104601-bosch-ecu-replacement.html

The FSM shows 1975 CA cars with EGR. California got all the good stuff early! I had a 1978 parts car with a fuel pump contact switch in side. Looked all original, a survivor. The 1978 wiring diagram shows the pins and switch and labels them "useless".

Maybe it's a Series I manifold! Seriously, maybe it's just really old. carparts suggest that there was a manifold change in June 72, but doesn't show a gasket change until July 73. You have a puzzle. http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-240z-260z/manifold http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-240z-260z/exhaust-tube-muffler/to-jul-73

That's typical of dirty battery connections, or fusible link connections. The corrosion heats up when current flows and the connection opens up. It's not a short, it's an open circuit. Clean, and maybe give a little extra crimp to the ends of the fusible links, and the battery connections. If you have clamp-on cable ends, take them off and clean the copper wire, or just get better cables. Pretty common. I almost replaced my starter once, even though I knew all about the cable connection problem.

Hey Mike, that looks like a 75-77 system. The intake manifold is the non-webbed N42 intake (very desirable, for some reason). Nissan started using the webbed intake with the N47 head, I believe, which was mid-1977, apparently. And there's the three piece fuel rail which is also pre-1978. 1978 used a one piece. The ECU and AFM numbers would clear things up. Also, if the ECU and AFM are factory stock or aftermarket (like MSA) that would be important. Looks shiny and in good shape.

CO noticed the bumper rubber and the hood vents, signs of 1977. My comment was about the major changes in the body parts from 76 to 77, but confimring what CO noted. For example, if you buy 1976 door parts for your car they probably won't fit. Many other parts aren't' the same either. You probably looked at the stamp on the door jamb, that had a 1976 year on it. But that's the build date, not the model year. Nissan, and most car makers, start building their model years ~6 months ahead of the actual model year. Anyway, your car is probably a 1977 280Z. What does the title show? We're not trolling, just steering...

An important distinction indeed. 77 is the year of change in 280Z world.

I'm pretty sure though, that the "good" gaskets have a metal crush ring around the hole. MY 280Z gaskets do. I assume that it's good, the ring has to add cost. That gasket in your picture looks of lower quality. Here's two other options from OReilly - http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search.oap?year=1973&make=Nissan&model=240Z&vi=5142641&keyword=exhaust+pipe+connector+gasket

I think that munters was right there and with a few more rifle shots would have solved it. My shotgun blasts just hit a lot of things. If you write enough words some of them are bound to be right. I do feel good when a problem gets solved though. And I get to practice my words on the internet. Thanks for the kudos.

Will the head pipe tube ends fit in to the manifold? Detail A. The gasket is kind of a secondary seal, it doesn't affect flow. If the tubes fit in to the casting, you're good.

Sounds like your Ignitor is damaged. There's a test/check procedure for the Ignitor. Ground is important also. https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/pnx-1281.pdf

Final thing - actually, what you need to do is get a meter or a test light and measure voltage at the coil terminals while at Run and Start. You might find that you have power but that the Ignitor is damaged and not breaking the circuit correctly. You'll always get at least one spark when the power to the coil is cut. That's how coils work. Don't know why you'd get three but anyway... Use a meter or light and verify power.

I should actually step out of 240Z world. It's confusing. Still, there's a Start and a Run.

I think that the diagram is a little misleading. I don't have a 71 but on my 76 the wires are connected at the ends of the ballast resistor itself. One at the end that passes through the resistor and the other one directly to the end that then goes to the coil. So, in the vicinity of the coil and ballast you should see the green/blue and the green/white wires. Your green/blue might not be connected, it's the Start power. You didn't say what happened when you tried munters suggestion. Just that you tried it.

Stop replacing parts. There are two circuits to the ballast resistor and coil. One for Start and one for Run. Sounds like your wire for the Start circuit is either not connected or connected incorrectly. Here's the diagram showing the ignition switch wires. Green with a blue stripe would be the Start wire. -