Zed Head

Seeing that wire, and considering that it';s a 240Z, you'll want to check your points. Looks like a 240Z distributor. Best just get new wires, plugs, points, etc. Even better, check that distributor isn't shot (the breaker plate bearings) and decide whether or not to just swap up to something better. You're already off of original.

You used the synchros on different gears, not the ones they started on? Many say that the synchros and gear cone wear down together and you can't do that. But it seems like wear would be similar since they all start in the same tolerance zone. Aren't 3 and 4 on the same coupling sleeve and shift fork? Might be part of the problem. Just to simplify - is the clutch being replaced because of the 3-4 grinding problem or because it has problems anyway? A relevant anecdotal aside- you can shift a good transmission without the clutch once you get moving. I drove my old GTO all night that way back when it was too early to go home (high school weekend) and my clutch linkage broke in the early evening. Started it in first gear, then just matched RPM to keep going. Timed the traffic lights, etc. No racing that night though.

486!

Search EuroDat's work. He has many posts and at least one good thread on rebuilding. Maybe even some download material. The 5 speed references are good for you too, they're the same transmission, just with an extra gear. Word is that the aftermarket synchros are sketchy. You need to decide hwo much "rebuild"ing you want to do. Bearings, bushings, seals, synchros. How do you know it needs a rebuild? Many of us have solved synchro problems with better fluid.

Looks like your firing order might be off. I can only verify one wire from your picture and it looks wrong. What should be 2 is 4. Here's a couple of good references. http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/15211-firing-order-at-head-did-search/ http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/28399-firing-order-with-photos/

How's the old fuel smell? Some of the newer fuel systems are pretty well sealed. The tank might not be in bad shape. If it has that sweet smell, you'd probably want the external tank and pump for the short trip. Don't forget the return line. Your pump will suck a 2.5 gallon can dry pretty quickly. On the other hand, you could remove one of the outlet lines and see what comes out. If it's not wet and rusty, just draining and replacing what's in there might let you use the stock tank and pump. Zip tie all of the loose lines and wires, and seal everything up well. You won't have time to jump out and extinguish a fire if the pump is running full bore. I get nervous just running my setup to test injectors or when I had an engine running in the garage. OR. Just get a friend to tow it the old-fashioned way. A rope and a tire. 1/4 mile is nothing.

Just a note - the socket and hammer are done with the valve head free, no compressor. That breaks the retainer free from the keepers. Then the spring compressor should easily press the retainer down so that you can remove the keepers. Your writing implies that you're combining the steps. Maybe causing binding. As I understand the various tips and tricks.

Yes on the hammer drill. It's all about high inertia, low amplitude. There are also hammer drivers, for driving screws in to wood. The impact keeps the heads from stripping and pushes the screw in while turning. They come with adapters for sockets. I have a hammer drill, for concrete drilling, so if it was my problem I'd rig up a socket drive on the end and give it some spins. I've not read of retainers being so stuck that head removal is necessary but would be surprised if it happens. 150,000 miles of heat cycles and vibration.

No tips on technique, but just a thought on "first principles". The point of hitting the retainer, using a socket, is to release it from its jammed position on the keepers, allowing it to move later without the valve and keepers, using the spring compressor.. If yours are jammed so tight that the inertia of the hammer blow can't break it free, maybe something like a hammer drill would help, or pneumatic chisel without the chisel. Your problem is that you can't move the retainer fast enough to leave the valve and keepers behind. The pros probably trust that their hammer hits will break it free and they just nail it hard. You're probably tapping weakly (no offense) afraid that you'll break something.

For the record, the distributor adjustment procedures are described in the Engine Electrical section. All of these checks and measurements are easy and can be done within an hour. 20 minutes if you've done them before. With that mind, plus the incorrectly installed distributor drive spindle, DJ may want to recheck valve lash. And cam timing (notch and groove) while the valve cover is off. If the valves don't open because lash is wrong, or valves are bent because cam timing was off the engine won't run right. No suction and/or no compression.

That's a good point on aftermarket. What brand is the new one? The engagement point should get narrower as the disc wears in. There are other factors also, like thickness of the marcel spring and just general tightness of tolerances for the disc and pressure plate. The slave cylinder self-adjusts becuase it stays as full as the clutch fork lets it. The piston in the cylinder is pushed back by the clutch fork and pushed forward by a spring inside. So it stays full and ready for action. If it refills through the hole in the MC, as described. I've mentioned this before, but one way to get very close to correct on the initial pedal linkage adjustment is to turn the rod clevis out until the clevis pin slides in easily with the pedal all the way up, pulled up by its own spring. Then you can add a few turns to tighten it even more or take out play from wear. If you had to pull/push the rod or pedal back or forward or get the pin in, it's probably not right.

People new to engines often are somewhat oblivious to measurements. The actual numbers are very important. And sometimes the definitions of terms can be confusing. How did you "make sure" the timing was right? And what is "pulse"? As SteveJ noted, how did you check spark? How did you "try" to spray starter fluid? It either went in the manifold or it didn't. You and Djanssen have a lot in common. You both should probably go back to square one and check that the parts are correctly oriented. People have been putting these engines together the wrong way for many years. Engine Mechanical chapter, engine assembly section. Check the marks and orientations, the notch and groove, the rotor position, the timing mark, all of that. A good engine assembler will know that his engine is going to start because there are marks on all of the important parts. You just have to line them all up. Like ducks.

Oops. You really need to find that notch. The notch is placed so that you'll know exactly where TDC of #1 is. And TDC is what timing is referenced to. If the notch is wrong, your damper may be failing. Besides that, without the notch you won't be able to set timing. And timing is very important on these engines, they have a tendency to knock/detonate. You can't just turn the distributor until t sounds right, like an old US V8 engine.

You could still have some play in the pedal linkage, or air in the hydraulics. And the clevis pin and other parts have been known to wear. Congrats. You never did give a good telling of how you got the transmission installed, after getting a transmission jack. Did it slide right in or was there more cursing?

If you didn't find the notch on the pulley and set it to zero it may still be wrong. You can be off by one gear tooth. There's a procedure in the FSM, Engine Mechanical chapter, Assembly section that describes all of this, with pictures. Whoever put the engine together was not using the manual, apparently..

The mark on the pulley is actually a notch in the metal, it's not painted on. I don't see it in your picture. I would slowly rotate the engine until I found the notch. It should be close. The cam lobe should be up as you show, but not necessarily straight up. Pull the distributor and see if you've jammed it on to the spindle incorrectly. One side is smaller than the other, but wear can make things loose. People have also found that the gear can slip to where the distributor is not actually engaged with the spindle. Grab the rotor with your hand and see if you can spin it. It should be locked tight to the spindle.

I'd show some pictures of the port work. Even better, post pictures of stock ports alongside for comparison. Maybe even some measurements, like of the intake port diameters. You've raised the question of Rebello provenance (sorry, been watching Antique Roadshow) so some pictures might help you out. Plus, I'd like to see them.

Actually, I think that any wear allows more movement (of course) and intereference. The shift fork bushings, the coupler sleeve groove, any moving surfaces between the shift lever and the synchros, and the detent balls. You could even get interference and divot formation after the coupler sleeve has locked in to position. One of those "how far is far enough" dilemmas. A transmission guy could probably spend some time tuning the shifting mechanism itself. Once the sleeve is in place and the inserts have dropped in to their slots the job is done. The shift fork wear pads have changed over the years. Plastic and bronze/brass have been used. There's probably a wear spec. out there somewhere. Next tear-down!

Here's some shifter stuff. MSA says that there are two styles of 1978 transmissions. An A and a B. I assume that their little brackets fit on the ears, extending them so that the really long lower lever's tip will ride at the right spot. I wonder if there are other differences. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/20-1054 http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/20-1050 Don't forget, if the lower nylon bushing is worn the lever will move farther, causing more interference. Even wear on the inside will allow the metal rod to move farther. A tighter bushing might help.

The valves will be closed.

Never mind. Good luck.

Hmmm... Well here's something to worry about then - maybe the nut on the shaft really is coming loose and the ZX shifter is just allowing it to work. Pushng the synchro sleeve farther so that it grabs the gear,which is trying to get away. I don't know how you'd diagnose that. Maybe a bore scope through the speedo gear hole. Better keep an ear on things. OR, the long shaft lever is for 4 speeds only. If you get some good measurements I can see if I have a long shaft or short shaft wide-ratio bent lever, that worked with my early wide-ratio 5 speed. That carpet needed chewing! Puppy's trying to tell you something.

Pretty sure they stopped using the "wide-ratio" in 1980. The 1979 ZX has the 280Z wide-ratio, but after that they're all close-ratio. I have a close-ratio transmission from 1981 2+2 5 speed in my car. But it does have the .773 5th gear ratio of the 1980 ZX. Maybe an early 81 or a transplant. Still, I think that the exhaust hangers and the speedo bolt will tell the story. I don't think that there are any wide-ratio 5 speeds out there with the later ZX tail shaft housing. Could be wrong of course, especially considering KDMatt's recent oddball box,, but I can't see why Nissan would make a partial transition to the ZX boxes. Of course, we all know that after 35+ years, year of car loses importance also. Count those hangers, check that bolt.

Notice also in EuroDat's picture that the fork is centered in the hole, like yours. I took my picture from above reaching down with my camera. The car was drive-ready, in the garage. If I draw a mental arc in my mental image of Chas's pciture I get a mental 58 mm to the bolt head. Yours is going to be fine, I can feel it. Where's Dave's magical prediction?

Actually....not sure it's clear what year transmission this is. How many exhaust hangers?