Mark Maras

I've not tried the 10 turns down but I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) the 10 turns down, is read with the float removed. In your last sentence you said you removed the dome. If the float was still installed, the fuel level should have been 1/16" below the nozzle tops at 2 1/2 turns.

A flattened piece of copper tube works great as a back up strip when welding the holes.

Try heating the area around each stud with a heat gun prior to pulling on it.

My first guess is the filter in the banjo fitting. It's the "last chance" filter where the fuel line enters the float bowl. If that's OK, I'd suggest a fuel pump pressure and volume test. Where is the fuel level compared the the nozzle tops and how many turns down are the mixture screws?

Wrong key?

I'd go with blue Loctite. Someone may need to remove the key in the future. Out of curiosity, does the key way look OK?

Wait and see if the new key is any tighter. You may not need it.

If the pump is oriented in the proper direction and the clamps are tight, turn it on and check for leaks. No leaks, fire it up. You'll probably take it for a spin but if it doesn't run well, remember, we still need to verify the fuel height in the nozzles at 2 1/2 turns down. Then we can move on to fine tuning.

Good job. That looks closer to the proper angle. Drive it a bit and let us know how the engine feels, cold and hot. Are the mixture screws set to 2 1/2 turns? In the report be sure to tell us where the fuel levels are in the nozzles.

Eastwood just announced a sale on goodies for treating rust.

If you need some parts, I have a usable disassembled late 71 door. Glass and lock linkage are gone. I believe I have everything else.

I agree with David. That float is set too lean. Bend the float tab so the float sits a bit closer to the lid. Install the lid, fire the engine up (no need to drive it), shut it down and pull the domes and pistons and look at the fuel level in the nozzles. Be sure to do the drop test on the pistons when it's reassembled to be sure nothing is binding. . I'd like to congratulate you. Good to see the parts in your hand rather than a mechanic's verbal description. Keep up the good work.

Update. There are some burned wires. Don't know which ones yet. Pete has tested the starter and says it needs to be replaced. Starter is on order and Jai will have it back tomorrow.

Cliff's got it right. The key is installed tilted just enough to allow the h-balancer to slide onto it easily. The key will rotate as the h-balancer is slid over the key. I think I'd use a dab of blue tread locker on the key but in reality the key can't come out once it's been installed.

All I heard was burned wire(s). Yesterday I asked Jai to tug on both ends of both battery cables to see if any were loose. She checked the solenoid wires too. She says they're all clean and tight. She's getting it towed to Pete's shop, her older mechanic friend who's worked on RB before. I'm still leaning toward a shorted wire. I doubt it's anything too serious.

Yahoo, you got it and it's as good as you hoped.

RedBird (Jai) has been having intermittent starting problems for a few days. I listened to an audio. It sounded like a low battery problem. Battery is about a year old. Starter engaged and barely rolled the engine over. A couple of times it started fine. The engine starts and runs fine with a push. Today when Jai tried to start RB at the gas station, smoke came from under the hood. Inspection by someone says the wires going to the starter are burned. My long distance guess is a bare wire short circuit down by the starter. Possibly intermittently bleeding enough elec. to ground to deprive the starter. Today the wire must have welded itself to the chassis. Thoughts from the Georgia gang?

Hope you get it. Whatever you pay, it'll be worth $5,000.00 more in a year.

If it's as clean and rust free as it appears, it will be a bargain at almost any price when compared to any Z that has rust and the costs involved in body repairs. Get the best one (body wise) you can afford. Prices are going up rapidly and the trend is now including 280's. I'd be shocked if one that clean didn't go well over 24K.

I don't know, I've wondered about that too. Saw it on a couple of TV shows. They appeared to degrease and lightly sand whatever finish is on the old vehicle. Usually it's a combination of paint and rust which is still rusty red color, not acid treated black. They knock off the loose stuff, get it smooth enough to paint and shoot it with clear to preserve the "patina". These were all cars and trucks that were from a time when the steel was thick, even the sheet metal. It took a long time for rust to do any substantial damage back then. They also had real steel bumpers that could take a bump. These were prior to 240 bumpers which should have been called denters.

A dust color choice would be nice. They're clear coating rusty surfaces, maybe dusty surfaces next.

Stop trying to set the floats by measuring them. You're getting focused on something that can be bypassed and ignored. Put away all types of measuring tools where you won't be tempted to use them. The 1/16" below the nozzle tops at 2 1/2 nozzle turns is the goal. The fuel level in the nozzles is the same as the fuel level in the float bowls. Get the fuel at 1/16" below the nozzle tops and the fuel level in the float bowls will be PERFECT. Even if you thought you had the floats set right by measuring something, to be sure they were correct, you'd pull the domes, pistons and check the fuel height in the nozzles 1/1/6",nozzles, 2 1/2, adjust nozzles, nozzles, floats, mixture, nozzles, 2 1/2, nozzles. Whoops. My LP is getting worn out and starting to skip. I'd hate to start sounding like a broken record.

Cliff (Siteunseen) recommends RTV. It will work just fine. Keep adjusting to get that 1/16". I predict that you're going to be so quick and so good at adjusting floats that you'll be the one giving advice in the future.

If the Heli-Coil is too long and interferes with the sealing surface, they are available in different lengths. I've fine tuned the length of them before installation in the past.

Go for it. You could also attach the G3 to the existing fuel pump filter. You can't have too many filters.