ryanonthevedder

Thanks for the replies. I hard wired the ignition today as well as tested the fuel pressure. I ran power from the batt to the resistor to the coil to the distributor. Spark is as good and consistent as always. The fuel pressure was 3-4 psi while running and 6 psi with the return blocked off. The float levels were good on the sight glasses. I did not check the banjo bolt screens because I don't have them. They were too deteriorated to put them back in. When I took apart the front carb after the problem arose I did not find anything in the float bowl that was out of the ordinary. I have also tried spraying carb cleaner in and around the intake and carbs in search of vacuum leaks and/or lack of fuel with no great results. I have done a lot of work to the carbs to get them working well, but I am beginning to think they may have failed in some cruel and obscure way.... stupid flat tops.

I have read many posts and have a lot of success with my 1973 240Z, until now. I consider myself to be a pretty good mechanic and did all of the work on my car myself (with a little help from the body guru Randy), but to the problem at hand... The car sat for 15 years before I got to it, and I did a fairly extensive freshening up on it. I did the carbs (flat tops), re & re on the engine, high lift cam, ported head (N42). The ign is original points, but received all new parts. Then all the new metal. The car worked great for 2.5 months then one day a problem arose. I drove the car to work in the morning, but when I went for lunch I started the car and let it idle for a minute. It started fine but then developed a little miss. I thought maybe the carbs picked something up ( I did a lot of work to get them working well/reliably) so I took it out for a burn. The problem got worse as I went and it seemed to me that the car had developed an electrical fault. It drove like someone was switching the key on and off... Once I got back to work it died and would not restart. It has lots of spark (new coil and condenser last week) Points OK TDC verified on the dampener Cam Timing Checked OK Tank drained & new fuel (last week) Distributor drive shaft OK No vacuum leaks Front carb re & re and seemed OK, both seem to be working OK I have hot wired the coil direct from the battery to eliminate electrical/resistor problems Compression was 145 psi after break in and is the same today The only way the car will start and run is if I advance the timing to 30 or 40 degrees. When I get it running I cant retard it past 20 degrees or it sputters and dies. I am at a loss... any insight would be appreciated Cheers Ryan