gwri8

Solved a couple of nagging issues with a new ignition switch and re-torqued the not so tight exhaust manifold. Starts fine and no more backfire between shifts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2fPkzJsMU8

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You will find it here on this forum. Look up at the Header with Classic Z Car Club on it and there will be a tab called resources. click it and look for the 77' color wiring diagram. I know you have a 78' and the coil and voltage reg will be different but a lot of it still pertains. Lots of other good stuff there also.

Congrats on getting a Z and welcome to the group. There is probably more that one thing that needs to be done in order to start the engine and keep it running. You can download the FSM and a beautiful color wiring diagram to really help. As far as the electrical portion goes, there are a few very knowledgeable electrical guys here ( I'm not one of them), but what anybody who is bringing a old car back to life has to do is, go through and clean and check E V E R Y Single electrical connection. That means the dash harness, the EFI harness, the cabin harness and the engine bay harness along with everything that is attached to them. 40+ year old wiring oxidizes, rusts and corrodes with time and moisture. DeOxit electrical cleaner seems to be recommended often. If you do this in the beginning it will help you solve a lot of issues down the road. It's time consuming but well worth it in the long run IMO. Edit to say that previous owners have often hacked the wiring. Those are always fun to discover and correct?

I used Rustoleum metallic silver for my transmission. I didn't use any clear though. If you drive your car, the trans will get dirty again eventually. If you don't want to paint it, a wire and mag wheel cleaner like AIM or similar will do a pretty good job of cleaning aluminum. As far as getting color code 240 in a rattle can, just go to an automotive paint store, give them the paint code and year, have them mix it and put it in a spray can. They can do it in enamel or 2 stage. Should cost about $15 a can. That's how I did my engine bay. You can also order it custom mixed online if you do a google search for about the same price. If you decide to put a clear on the engine bay paint, be sure to match it for the type of paint you choose. It will bubble the paint if you don't.

From some of the stories I've heard, you broke that mold. Happy Birthday!

Wow, I know you've put in more than a ton blood sweat and tears into that car, but the kids are more important and I'm glad they're OK. After owning a car that a lot of folks would have passed by (and did) I believe that anything is repairable. It just depends how much money, time and effort one can find to put into it. I hope your Z is fixable at some level for you. Long live the Green Z's!

I had a rad shop "boil" a tank twice with no success. They didn't want to try anything else other than their vat. I used Muriatic acid and it did the trick but it tends to start rusting again really fast unless you neutralize it quickly. If the feed and return lines are clogged, paint thinner works well also.

Sad to say I can't make Zcon this year. Too may big ticket items have worked their way to the front of my list this year. Hope everyone has a great time and be sure to make lots of pictures!

Before you start searching eBay for a replacement, you probably should inspect the one you have to see if it is the hose or possibly a seam around the fitting on the tank. You might even consider dropping the tank just to inspect the whole thing, inside and out.

Cleaning and sealing the tank would be a good move. I've done a few and had good results. On the filler hose in your picture, is that moisture on the end by the clamp? If it's an old hose could it be you just need to replace it? They do tend to get hard with age and crack on the ends.

I like Turtles......

I believe this is what you are looking for. http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978

A little cake, a little carburetor , what else can a man ask for? Hope it was a good one @Zup!

Congrats on the milestone! Your Z disease is now irreversible and it shows. ?

Any chance of removing the wheel and taking another picture of your completed/ installed strut assembly? I know you posted one before but it's kinda shaky a little. That would help us inspect for any obvious stuff.

Rotated for you CO.

No power steering might be a game changer for Ms Jeff taking the keys. It's not a problem when driving but turning from a full stop requires some upper body strength. Combine that with a hot day and no A/C and you've got a free gym membership. It always surprises people. ??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hom0fYd5uX4