Namerow

Interested in relays? Have time on your hands for a little light technical reading? Try this website... http://www.the12volt.com/relays/relays.asp It has a complete forum on 12VDC relays!

TomoHawk, the engine is still in my car as I'm doing this work. Fenders, hood, grille, front valence panel and front bumper are also still in place. I have, however, done a partial strip of some of the engine compartment stuff -- radiator, hoses, brake lines, alternator, etc. Removal of the rad is key. If the rad was still in place, it would be very difficult (altho not impossible) to get at the wiring harness and connectors that lie along the front of the rad bulkhead.

Yes, exactly. For my June 1970 Series 1, I have 10G and 12G wires that run all the way from their firewall connectors to the LHS headlight connector. At the splicing points on the RHS of the engine bay, the take-off wires for the RHS headlight each go down in gauge by one step (i.e. 12G spliced off of 10G, 14G spliced off of 12G). The upstream splice-in locations for the RHS headlight wires were perhaps an attempt by Nissan designers to balance the net wiring resistance, LHS vs. RHS?

OK. I'll be interested to see what you come up with. I have a certain amount of flexibility for my project, since I had already intended to re-tape some areas of my engine harness where the original tape has hardened and begun to un-stick. As you know, I'm sure, the factory design for the engine harness provides a natural tie-in point for the new R-W and R-B wires at the place (hidden inside the harness tape) where the smaller-size RHS R-W and R-B wires are spliced into the larger-size LHS R-W and R-B wires (the two splices are made about 11" upstream of the place where the RHS lighting wire group breaks out of the main harness).

Captain O: I like the 4-relay concept and I happen to have the engine harness, dash harness, and combo switch out of my car at the moment. In addition, I also plan to add the same internally-regulated alternator mod and starter relay as you. So, all good to this point. I understand the details of the combo switch re-wire and the the 4-relay assembly/mounting scheme. Pretty straight-forward. I wonder, though, if you could be a little more explicit about the wiring mods necessary on the engine harness and at the headlight connectors. Specifically: 1. You talk about 'splicing' into the 'R', 'R-B', 'R-W', and 'R-Y' wires in the engine harness (apparently, somewhere in the vicinity of the voltage regulator). However, it seems like you may actually have had to cut each of these wires so that you could then take a new lead off each wire to go to the relays. It appears you have also added new wiring to lead back from the relays to connect into the appropriate cut-wire points in the harness. For the benefit of us non-electrical types, please explain in more mechanical terms exactly what you did to the engine harness and what new wiring was added to/from the relay group. 2. In your initial circuit diagram, you say, 'Swapped terminal positions at back of bulb' and, 'Added a second R-B wire'. Please explain in greater detail.

"PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) automotive glass and services business, which is under contract to be sold to a new company being formed by Kohlberg & Co., LLC, Mount Kisco, N.Y., and PPG, will begin using the name “Pittsburgh Glass Works,” effective Aug. 1, 2008. The newly-formed business will continue using the name following closure of the transaction with Kohlberg & Co. that is expected in the third quarter of this year." "PITTSBURGH, OCTOBER 2, 2008With the completion of the sale of PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) automotive glass and services business, Pittsburgh Glass Works officially launched business operations, yesterday, October 1, 2008. Affiliates of Kohlberg & Company will own 60 percent and PPG will retain approximately 40 percent of equity share in Pittsburgh Glass Works." " About Pittsburgh Glass WorksPittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) supplies automotive OEM windshields, rear and side windows, sunroofs and assemblies for auto and truck manufacturers, and it supplies and distributes replacement automotive glass products for use in the aftermarket. It also provides insurance claims services through its LYNX Services subsidiary, glass management software and internet marketing services through its GTS subsidiary, and e-business solutions through its GLAXIS offering. Automotive glass products are manufactured and fabricated in nine North American plants located in Berea, Ky.; Creighton, Meadville and Tipton, Pa.; Crestline Ohio; Evansville, Ind.; Evart, Mich.; and Hawkesbury and Oshawa, Ont., Canada. In addition, nine satellite parts assembly plants are located throughout North America, and two LYNX Services claims management call centers in Ft. Myers, Fla. and Paducah, Ky. Combined, the businesses employ approximately 4,400 people." " About Kohlberg & Co., LLC Kohlberg & Company, LLC is a leading U.S. private equity firm which acquires "middle market" companies. Since 1987, the firm has organized six private equity funds, through which it has raised $3.7" In other words, the windshields you have are manufactured by what used to be PPG Industries' automotive glass division. Same design/technology (presumably), same manufacturing facilities (USA), new ownership/name/management. PGW does, indeed, have operations in Poland, but I doubt that the Z windshields come from that location.

Another 'practical' upgrade would be to replace your 40-yr-old seat belts with new. The Wesco 'roadster' 3-point belts seem to be the consensus choice. EZ bolt-in. You can keep the original Nissan belts for concours events. Also: 1. The windshield wiper system should be attended to. Having read most of the threads on this, as well as taking a couple of systems apart, I think you can probably get 90% of the way just by cleaning and re-greasing all of the linkage joints and shafts. The wiper-arm stub shafts are prime culprits. You can also do the w/w motor upgrade using a more modern unit from a Honda Civic, but I'm not convinced that this is a cost-effective step to take. 2. The interior heating/vent system will also need attention. Most of the seals and baffles will probably be shot... although this isn't a terminal problem. The control cables and control levers will probably need to be lubricated (and that can become terminal, if the linkages bind and a cable gets kinked). A good, pro-active move (not really an 'upgrade', though) will be to replace the 'water ****' and the heater hoses. A worthwhile actual upgrade will be to swap out the blower motor for a more modern motor. Again, a Honda Civic unit seems to be the most popular choice. EZ to do, although the re-and-re of the system from under the dash rewards small hands, a strong back, good lighting, the right selection of tools... and lots of patience.

Upgraded wiring harnesses for headlights and parking lights. Updated fuse block, too, if your OE unit is 'toasted'. Follow with upgraded headlights.

My guess (and that's all it is) is that the spring keeps the entire linkage lightly loaded during the load cycle that the motor and linkage experience as they go about their business. By far, the principal load on the system comes from the friction load created by the wipers sweeping over the glass. That friction load goes through a 'pause' and then reversal when the wiper blades reach the end of their sweep. The clock spring in the motor output link would inhibit a 'click' in the system during the load transition event.

If you're interested, Parasol Inc. of Toronto, Canada can provide you with vinyl paint ('Varikote') that is custom-matched to OE Nissan 'Butterscotch' seat/trim colour. Go to www.parasolinc.com for details. I have the colour code (pm me if you want it -- Parasol doesn't know it as 'butterscotch'). Requires meticulous surface prep beforehand (esp. to remove silicone treatments like ArmorAll), as well as careful spray application, but the end result is very good. Excellent for non-contact interior surfaces (both soft vinyl and hard plastic), but prob. not up to the demands of seating surfaces. You'll need 2 - 4 qt. to do a complete Z interior, n/incl seats (2 qt if you're touching up butterscotch panels, 3-4 qt if you're changing colours from black or blue or red). Cannot be applied successfully at temps below ~ 17 degrees C. Cost is ~ Cdn $150 / qt (plus shipping).

Dredging up an old-but-interesting thread. My June-70 Z has the 2x4 vent hole arrangement. Never knew about the early 1x3 arrangement until I stumbled on these pictures from Kats.

Small typo in Zup's post -- the size of the replacement trimmer line is 0.13" (i.e. about 1/8"). I just finished rebuilding the antenna for my 1970 Z, so Zup's new picture is interesting. The antenna in my car uses only the top half of the cup-and-ball mounting hardware (i.e. the pieces that you see from the outside of the body panel). On the inside it uses a stamped-steel 'shoe' that rides in a small, cupped washer sitting at the top of the mast housing. The shoe has curved bottom edges (with teeth) that ride in the cupped washer and allow for adjustment of the mast angle. The electrical grounding of the antenna (required to complete the circuit for the antenna motor) is established through the shoe. Note the grounding collar/strap system used in both examples in Zup's picture. I assume this is required because these examples both use a dual (inside/outside) cup-and-ball arrangement, where the contact on both the inside and outside of the fender is plastic-to-metal.

Interesting photos. Never seen one of these dissected before. How did you get it apart?

Just to muddy the waters furter, I read somewhere not long ago that capacitors have a shelf life and may lose effectiveness with age. Anyone know more about this? I suppose a bench test could verify 'good' vs 'bad'.

Got it. Thanks!

Anybody know how to go about getting one's CZCC membership number? IIRC, these used to appear under 'Profile' but now they're blanked out. I need my # to qualify for a discount on an MSA order.

From Wick Humble's standard reference, 'How to Restore Your Datsun Z-Car'" "On ISO fasteners, the grade is indicated by its number - 4, 5, 9 and so forth - on the bolt head. But this doesn't mean that a bolt marked 5 is equivalent to SAE Grade 5. Unfortunately, the ISO number indicates a torque capacity lower than the SAE number -- a negative safety margin if you mix them up. For instance, the ISO Grade 7 is the equivalent to approximately an SAE Grade 5 -- for a 14mm bolt, Nissan's torque spec on this bolt is 56-76 lb-ft. ISO Grade 9, the highest number I've found on any Z-car bolt, is torqued 80-108 lb-ft if it's a 14mm bolt. At the other end of the spectrum, anything ISO Grade 4 -- as are many of the 10mm Phillips head bolts found on a Z -- is comparable to unmarked 'hardware-store' grade bolts. |That means they could conceivably be snapped off with an overenthusiastic twist on a Phillips screwdriver."

Yes. OE core is gloss black. Same for my 05/70

Interesting. Two questions: Who is your plater in Toronto? In rough numbers, how much do you think you'll have spent when you get done with all your hardware plating? (Sorry, but I have to ask)

I took my dash out of the car ('70 Z) last year to do repairs to the cracked cap. As part of the process, I removed the dash wiring harness and have now finished giving it a general clean-up (which included cleaning all the connectors and spiffing up all of the metal contact surfaces for the electrical terminals -- male connectors sanded, female connectors treated with De-Oxit). All the gauge bulbs have been replaced. Also: The harness looks to be in good shape and unmolested. No visual signs of melt-downs. The fuse block has been replaced with a NOS unit (the original had the typical burnt circuit) All the gauges have been cleaned up and the meter movements bench-checked for proper operation (excepting the Tach and Speedo). The Combination Switch, T/S Switch, and Hazard Switch have all been stripped and internal contacts cleaned, per write-ups posted on the CZCC site by others. The switches and gauges could all be conveniently connected up to the dash harness as it sits on my workbench. The metal dash armature (frame) would seem to provide the common ground circuit -- just as it does when the dash is installed in the car. I bought this car in good, but non-running condition. It has relatively low miles on the odometer. Before putting the harness back in the dash and putting the dash back in the car, though, it seems like it would be a good idea to do some checks for electrical continuity and possible shorts (I don't ever want to see the underside of the dash again if I can help it). So here's my question: Can anyone suggest a resource for how to carry out a systemic check of the harness wiring/circuits? There seem to be infinite ways of going about this and I would prefer to avoid re-inventing the wheel if someone has a plan or strategy for how these checks can be done in an efficient way. Note 1 - I have a color-keyed wiring diagram for the 70 Z, created by someone named Sully Ridout (CSCC member?). It seems to be accurate enough (excepting a little confusion over the correct pairings of the four aux gauges -- something which even the factory diagram got wrong). Note 2 - The Ignition Switch is still in the car -- although I could remove it and bring it into the workshop if that would make system checks easier/faster/more accurate.

I've built a DIY zinc plating setup similar to the ones discussed in the Factory Five link. Used zinc-strip roofing peak strip called 'Moss Boss' (available on special order from Home Hardware and costs ~ Cdn $30... comes in a 50' roll, ~ 4" wide and has the same consistency as ultra-thick aluminum foil). I used a big Home Depot white plastic pail for the tub. I built a stack of 4 rings of the zinc foil to create a full-depth liner for the pail (rings were stapled to two wood strips at the 12:00 and 6:00 positions to provide some support, with a bare copper wire then stapled on top to electrically link the rings). I used a thin wood strip (half-round dowel) sitting across the top of the pail as the parts support. The wood strip has a length of copper wire stapled across the length its top surface. The parts are hung in the electrolyte bath using lengths of copper wire with hooks bent at each end. The top hook makes contact with the copper wire on the wood strip. Vinegar and epsom salts for the electrolyte. The sugar is optional, and is supposed to act as a brightener (most people seems to find that it doesn't really do much). My power supply came from my selection of left-over appliance wall packs. You really need to put both a voltmeter sand an ammeter into the circuit to be able to get a sense of what's going on. I bought two cheapo multimeters for this purpose @ $10 each. I've just started experimenting with this set-up. Plating process is fast ( ~ 5 minutes). The results look promising, but I need to fine-tune a bit. Too much power creates a really granular coating. Too little power = no visible coating at all. It's preferable to put a rheostat controller into the power circuit, but I haven't found one yet with an adequate power rating. As you will see from other write-ups, the plating process is directional (line-of-sight), so getting proper coating coverage for shielded areas of the part can be challenging (I've been working with the Z's tailgate latch as my test piece). Still, the end effect is pleasing (shiny silver), even if it lacks the rainbow appearance of the factory, cad plating. Bead blast the part(s) for a start. Wire wheel, if you want. Acid dip (muriatic should be adequate) to etch the surface a bit. Then clean in two steps: degreaser (I use acetone), followed by demineralized water. Warning: If you try this approach, do not leave your zinc foil in the electrolyte bath between plating sessions. It dissolves!

Two options (that I know of): 1. Eiko A-72-BP. These have the same 'BA9S' base and 'G3-1/2' globe as the original bulbs, but are rated at 4W output (compared to 3.4W for the original Japanese 'Life' bulbs), so ~ 15% higher output rating. They're available in a 10-pack (you'll need 12 for a 240Z, if you include the glovebox light). 2. MSA are now offering a replacement kit, consisting of 15 bulbs. These are said to be rated at '3.5W+' output power, which MSA say equates to 24 lumens of lighting output (the OE bulbs were rated at 20 lumens). $29.95. Be careful of alternatives that offer higher output ratings. They'll fit the socket but often have a base that's longer than the OE bulbs so they project too far into the gauge (i.e. bump up against the green plastic shade). Also, the globe (glass part) may be a bigger diameter.

I don't think it's any of the above. It's 70's era, stiff and it likes to crack. That indicates styrene (or polystyrene, if you like) -- same as plastic model kits. I'm not optimistic about repairs of thin styrene sheet using a plastic welder. There are several old threads about repairing cracks in these panels. The accepted wisdom is to use a glued-on bridging sheet, applied strategically on the inside (hidden) surface. An old credit card or hotel key card is about the right thickness and flexibility. JB Weld (5-minute type will be ok here) recommended, although Gorilla Glue might be a good alternative (good bond, more flex). If you use JB Weld, score both glue application areas with a single-edge razor blade (cross-hatch pattern) in order to give the glue some 'traction' on the shiny surfaces.

Suggest that Blue's notes on derelict L24 engine start-up be posted to the 'Tech Pubs' folder. That's a very good guide and could serve a lot of club members well in the future. Re possible value of this car, as found, there's another low-mileage '72 Z on the Bring-a-Trailer auction site this week. Two-owner, dry-storage on axle stands for many years, pretty much unmolested, and in very good running order (see seller's 5-minute video). Auction closes on Wednesday. Current bid is $15,500. I think the car will bring $23,000.

This website -- www.donsbulbs.com -- will give you some insights into how incandescent-type light bulbs are spec'd and named. Terminology like 'miniature bayonet', 'festoon', 'base type' and 'bulb type', as well as sizing rules, become a little more understandable. The site also provides some comprehensive x-reference charts for bulb spec vs. manufacturers' product names. Although it's probably self-evident to most of us, one of the primary challenges facing the LED lighting industry is the absence of beam spread. A lot of work is being put into the development of 'lens' technologies for LED's in an effort to correct for this. An example of the problem can be found in most of the LED-type work lights that are available for automotive work. No matter how many LED cells they have, the light is difficult to aim so that it's on-target -- intense illumination in a small zone, very little illumination elsewhere. I have about 6, all of different design, and I don't like any of them. I've gone back to my old-fashioned incandescent and fluorescent units.