Captain Obvious

It is my understanding that the diameter of the strut tubes got bigger in the later years. From 50mm to 55mm OD and a corresponding increase in the ID as well. The length may have changed as well, but I don't know for sure. So if the ID of the strut tubes increased, I expect that KYB increased the diameter of the insert. They also changed the height of the rear insulator mount that goes at the top of the strut assembly. The later mounts are taller than the earlier mounts. The mount in your pic appears to be the earlier shorter version. So I don't know if it's possible to even fit the wrong insert... I suspect (because of the diameter change) that it's impossible to stuff a newer design insert into an older design housing, but the converse may be possible. It may be possible to fit an older design insert into a newer larger housing. Than about the top insulators... I know the overall height changed, but I don't know if that height change resulted in a change in length of the necked down portion of the insert chromed rod. I can theorize that the taller insulator used a longer non-threaded portion of the shaft, while the shorter insulator needs a shorter non-threaded portion. All that said... Here's my thoughts. If they fit a smaller diameter insert into a larger tube, it may be knocking around inside there. And if there is some sort of mismatch on the rear insulator mount, the threaded portion of the insert shaft may not be long enough. You may be bottoming out the nut on the threads before you get to the shoulder. In other words... The nut will get tight, but only because it's binding on the threads instead of tightening up against the shoulder like it should. Bottom line? Make sure all the parts are matched for the car. An early thin bumper 260 should have the smaller strut tube and the shorter insulator on top of the strut assembly. And I'm a little confused by this part - "I pulled one of the rear struts out and disassembled it to look for damage or perhaps a missing part or incorrect assembly. Apparently the correct part number for this car is 361001 (the 20mm version), but I don't know if that is what's on the car or not." If you took a strut assembly apart, then why don't know if the insert is the right one or not? Isn't it as simple as looking at the part number on the side of the insert?

You could run the "pull the hose off and look for differences" now. That way, you would know if it really mattered before you threw another variable into the mix. In other words... When your car won't start after the points conversion (because of some detail somewhere), you may know if it could potentially have anything to do with the vacuum advance system. Or not.

Thanks for the summary. From the context, I figured it was something like that, but I'm surprised it spun up and got out of hand that quickly. I usually check the forum at once or twice a day and I completely missed the whole thing. In any event, I'm hoping that all parties involved get the satisfaction they are looking for. I'll stop bumping this thread and let it go back to sleep.

Cool. Hope everything works out as expected. So out of curiosity... It seems you've got an L28 in your 240Z. Are you running carbs or the L28 fuel injection system?

Well I'm no expert on the subject, but my answer is "In theory, it shouldn't matter whether the vacuum advance line is connected or not." Why? Because the source for the vacuum advance is a ported vacuum source that should provide no vacuum at idle. So, if your car is tuned and idling properly and your throttle butterfly is where it belongs when your engine is idling, then you should have no advance at idle. And because of that, it shouldn't matter whether that hose is connected or not. However, if your car is out of tune in some way and you need to have the throttle open further than normal just to get the engine to idle, then all bets are off. So, here's a way to check... Put the timing light on it at idle with the vacuum line connected. Then disconnect the line and see what happens. There should be no change in engine RPM and no change in timing advance.

Wow. I'm completely lost... What did I miss? I mean, I can piece together the whole ZMEFLY / Burgess scam thing, but what does this have to do with Datsun Spirit? Seems there was a controversial thread deleted before I even got the chance to get involved? I feel left out!

Excellent. Thanks for the closure write-up, and hoping the replacement AFM gets rid of the lean boot. At least you found something tangible! Let's hope that was it!

@Mike

That sounds so much like the setup for a joke....

Thanks Steve. I think that's the same thing I have. I'll check tomorrow in the daylight if I get a chance.

Can you snap a pic of this? I didn't get into details before, but I think I've got the same issue and I believe that's where the majority of my wind noise comes from. If it weren't for the fact that the window fits fine, I would have guessed that my stainless frame was bent out of shape. But if that were the case, the window would bind or something (and mine doesn't).

I did not. I left a small amount of extra length so the two ends are butted together and just friction holds them together. There is not much of a gap, but it's still noisy.

Haha! I bet the insides look pretty much normal, but would sure be fun to poke around. Somebody (I think it was ZH?) posted a very crusty rusty relay at one point... Don't remember if it was an ignition relay or a seat belt relay, but it said "NFG" on the outside and looked like a boat anchor on the inside. Great pic.

So where are you going to put the split seam (the cut ends) of the weatherstripping? I'm currently running the Kia weatherstripping and I put the seam in the square corner at the upper back of the window. I figured I didn't want the seam down at the bottom because that's where water ingress could be more of an issue. So I put it up high and tried to hide it in the corner by cutting 45 degree bevels on the ends. After having it like that for a couple years, I'm not sure that was the best decision.... My Z is a fair weather driver (so it doesn't see much water) and I get a lot of wind noise from the door when I'm on the highway. I wonder if some of that noise would be lower if I had put the seam down at the bottom. So I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on the matter. And I'm glad to hear you're doing OK. I'm not sure I would be if I did what you did.

That one is clearly faster.

I'm impressed you were able to actually get all up in there and replace those bulbs without pulling the gauges. Good work! Let us know tomorrow how your back and shoulders are.

I must be missing something, but I'm confused on the plan for your high/low beams... Are you saying that you will never latch your high beams on? And about your voltmeter placement... You aren't missing a plate next to your defroster switch. You're missing your HAZARD switch. right?

@Dave WM Haha!!!

Got it. Without the guidance, I would have probably said "you be" or just always referred it to by acronym letters "U B E".

Haha!! UBE. I like it!

Just like when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail... When you have a cheap HF welder, everything looks like a great place for a blob of terrible looking weld slag.

What he said. If Datsun used the same pattern they typically used, then there would be an "N33" cast into the exhaust manifold.

So here's a link from PennDOT: http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/info_se.htm On there are other links to things like the list of stations in the area and "what emissions tests will your vehicle require?" https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/aq_apps/emissions/ Following the link to what tests are required says gas cap and visual only for 75 to 95. But the actual documentation says it needs the one speed idle test too. typical right?

Right. And about that sniffer or test... As I suspected, it's a little murky. The documentation still says you need it, but PennDOT's website says gas cap and visual only. No dyno and no sniffer. I found a list of inspection stations in the Philadelphia county and there are maybe ten on the list with a sniffer and just two with a dyno. It just seems unachievable that they would be forcing everyone in that entire are with cars between 75 and 96 to go to just those stations. Either I'm missing something, or they have given up and aren't enforcing the details as written in the regs.

I just took another look at the emissions requirements, and registering it as a classic WOULD get you out of the tests. So what I said earlier about having to register it as an antique was incorrect. Registering as Classsic would work as well. This get's you out of the visual test: ":In addition to the exceptions under § 175.4, this subsection (the visual inspection of emission system) shall not apply to vehicles registered as collectible or classic motor vehicles as defined in 75 Pa.C.S. § 102" And this gets you out of the enhanced emissions test (the one-speed idle test, gas cap test, etc) (b) Other exempted vehicles. Other exempted vehicles include vehicles operated or registered as one of the following: (4) Classic, antique or collectible motor vehicles. So that "One-speed idle test" can be an issue. That's supposed to be the running on a dyno test where they stick the sniffer up the tailpipe. The reason it's murky though is that as soon as OBD2 (1996) came out, they stopped requiring that dyno test. Not every station ever installed a dyno, and many of the ones that did... The dyno doesn't even work anymore. Not official, but I had heard (rumors?) they were having trouble enforcing the dyno test because of the lack of availability of working dynos. My Z has always been exempt from anything other than the visual test because of the mileage threshold... If you drive less than 5K miles per year, you are exempt from the "enhanced emissions" and that's what I have always had. I suspect your Z will be the same. Only complication is they probably won't give you that exemption on the first year of ownership because you don't have a baseline mileage from which to claim exemption. The issue is If they really require you to take the dyno test, you will have to find a station that even HAS a dyno and your car will have to pass the sniffer test.