One Way

Thanks for the info. Tomorrow is my day off from work-the paycheck kind-and am planning on tackling some yard work, blower fan housing, and whatever work-the no paycheck kind-that may come my way. I will keep you updated on any progress. Thanks, John.

EVAPO-RUST has been a great product in this project. In fact I just purchased a new gallon the other day as my old jug of magic seemed to be losing it's potency a bit after about 3 years of use. The gel dissolver seems to work well on bigger pieces that will not fit my varied size containers used to soak parts with the liquid EVAPO-RUST. Still trying to figure out how the door is attached to the hinge pin. I am sensing a tedious fabrication project or a search for a good used part for that section of the blower housing. Keep the helpful tips coming. Wish I had a whole tank load of EVAPO-RUST to fit the whole car into. Thanks, John-Lugoff, SC.

Continuing to rebuild the smaller components on the 78 resurrection project. There are a few small pin holes that can be easily repaired in the fan housing. Fan motor bench tests very nicely. Will be needing new foam seals throughout the assembly. My main concern is the housing section with the door that opens and closes. It is badly rusted and seized. I am soaking it in BLASTER over the weekend and hope to tackle this project on Monday. It is so badly rusted it is difficult to determine how the door is attached to the pivot shaft. My plan was to remove the shaft and fabricate a new door and seal material. It is very strange as we dig into this car and find so many pieces beautifully preserved at 40 years old and other parts right next to them are so badly deteriorated. So many of the other components in this heater system look like brand new with just a quick cleaning. Thanks for any helpful ideas, John-Lugoff, SC.

Progress continues SLOWLY on the resurrection project on the 78 280Z. Refurbishing the individual parts as we go along and want to do a nice job on the original fan shroud. I have new clips and hardware to put the 2 pieces together and would like to paint the shroud.. Any suggestions? I have used the Krylon plastic fusion paint on other home projects over the years and have been pleased with the results or would a specialty can of automotive bumper and trim paint work better? Satin or matte finish is an option on the TRANSTAR brand I am thinking about. Thanks for all the help, John-Lugoff, SC

Continuing to clean up and refurbish a lot of the smaller items on the resurrection project so when assembly time comes the components will be ready to install and work. The horns and brackets are quite rusty. Bench testing the horns with jumper wires -positive to spade terminal, negative to clean mounting post-produced no results. Took one of the horns apart and very surprised how clean everything looked inside except for the green corrosion on the two contact points. Cleaned and reassembled but no results. The contacts are both tight together on the spring arms. Any helpful tips? The tension adjusting screw did not want to move easily so I left it where it was. Thanks for any help-John-Lugoff ,SC. Aftermarket horns are not very expensive but thought it would be neat to get the originals working.

Thanks for that great source of info for the LED bulbs. Looks like I will be installing the colored bulbs. Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC

Thanks for the replies. Seems to be different opinions. It gets a bit expensive on the LED bulbs especially if you use the Sylvania ZEVO bulbs. Sticking with the clear bulbs simplifies the choice. I believe Z Car Depot had only the colored ones listed for the LED upgrade for turn signal, side marker, tail light,etc. The conversation will probably continue on. Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC.

My game plan is to replace all the bulbs with LED units on the 78Z resurrection project. I have never used any LED lights on any of our vehicles yet, but am impressed with the concept and performance on our LED lights we installed inside the house about 8 months ago. All the original bulbs are clear on the Z. Is it best to install LED bulbs of the same color as the lenses, or just replace the clear for the clear? Thanks for any input, John-Lugoff, SC.

Thanks for all the great input. The media blasting looks to do a beautiful job. I was planning on using some Dupli-Color engine paint-supposedly good to 500 degrees-never thought about the barbeque paint or maybe even some exhaust paint in satin black. Plenty of options. The clean up will obviously take a good bit of time. Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC

I am not sure about the temperature needed for powder coating but you probably are correct. Looked into some paint stripper at the auto parts store and the product was for flexible plastic only, and the other stripper was for metal surfaces. I guess some more research will be needed. Not sure why the directions read "not for use on rigid plastic". Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC. Will be looking for additional helpful posts.

Trying to refurbish the hood louvers. White ABS plastic ? showing through on about 60% of the surface. Also the original car color underneath some black. Assuming the louvers were originally the same color as the car and someone repainted them black? I did not find a whole lot of answers in the search mode here and basically I want to safely strip the louvers and then refinish them in a satin black finish. Looking for input on stripping and best refinishing process. Can those louvers be powdercoated? Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Resurrection process is slowly advancing. Really enjoying the process, John-Lugoff, SC.

Thanks for the replies. Definitely leaning toward home fabricated plug. Just very odd there does not seem to be any standard thread to fit, but it is what it is and will do some home brewed engineering. I guess that is what makes the old car hobby so challenging and enjoyable. Thanks again. John-Lugoff, SC.

The original fitting measures .842 diameter, the replacement plug sent measures .865 diameter. Nothing coming up on the BSP chart with close dimensions to those. I will continue to investigate the situation and may end up trying to get the tube out of the original fitting and then tapping it to thread in a plug as suggested . Any other input will be greatly appreciated. 22mm is equivalent to .866 so I am assuming the replacement plug is 22mm but the 1.50 thread pitch nut would not mate with the plug threads. Could it be M22x1.25 thread? Thanks, John-Lugoff, SC

I am not planning on using the EGR, I will double check the dimensions of the BSP threads, It is definitely not tapered but BSP does have a straight thread if my memory serves me correctly. I may end up using the old fitting and threading the inside of it and install a plug. Getting the leftover tube out of the fitting may be a project. Thanks for the suggestions. Any other definite answers will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, John-Lugoff, SC

Going back to the original question. Thread size on EGR tube in the exhaust manifold on 78 280z. I purchased the plug but it does not thread into the manifold. It is advertised as a 7/8" but but a 7/8-14 nut does not thread on. Using a micrometer shows the plug is a 22mm. A M22x1.5 nut does not thread on either. A call to the plug supplier tech department revealed there is a question on the actual thread dimensions. The original part still threads into the manifold but is in real bad shape and a bit deformed from the intense heat and torque that was needed to remove it. The end threads in the manifold are a bit damaged from age and was hoping to just run a tap down through to clean up the threads. I have found M22x1.25 taps but no success finding a nut to verify the thread pitch on the new plug. I hate to waste the cost of a tap that may still not be the correct one. The original EGR fitting is certainly tapered at the end and that makes it easier to thread into the manifold while the new plug has a blunt end that is not starting to thread into the slightly damaged end threads on the manifold. Any definite verification on the thread size will be greatly appreciated. Progress on the project is SLOW but very gratifying. Thanks for all the help-John-Lugoff, SC.

Is there enough stud to weld on a nut to the end? That may work but the oxy/acetylene option is usually the best approach to start with before snapping anything off. A few heat and cool cycles will usually be needed but it will work for getting those studs out. Good luck, John-Lugoff, SC.

Very pleased with the work at a local automotive machine shop-Rabons-Lugoff, SC. He removed the snapped off stud I was unable to remove from the cylinder head-rear exhaust-and installed the Heli-Coil insert. Looks very good and also had them bead blast the exhaust manifold. I am also very pleased with the VHT primer and paint I sprayed the exhaust with. No runs, no drips, no errors. Not my usual outcome with spray cans. Looks great and will be installing the new studs and EGR tube block plug in a few days after the paint cures. Will also be using the high temp never seize on all those threads. Now if only the rest of the project looked as nice as the exhaust manifold. Rabons will also be doing the rest of the needed machine work on the bottom end when I pull out the engine. Quality work at fair prices. Looking forward to resurrecting one piece at a time as time and money allow. The exhaust manifold is oddly the first piece completed in this long project. Thanks for all the help, John-Lugoff, SC.

Thanks so much! That is exactly what we need to finish off the exhaust manifold. I will be ordering that plug and new studs later tonight. Thanks, John-Lugoff, SC.

It definitely took several heating and cooling cycles with the oxy/acetylene torch for the EGR tube. Once it got started it came out quite nicely. A 2ft breaker bar and 6 point socket got it broke free and after that just a 1/2 drive ratchet. Still looking to get a thread size so I can plug it off neatly. I dropped off the manifold today to get it bead blasted and will be priming and painting it with the VHT products next week when I get a bit of time. Suggestions on the plug size and best material-steel, brass ? will be much appreciated. Thanks, John-Lugoff, SC.

I have removed the seized exhaust studs and broken EGR tube fitting on the exhaust manifold with a lot of patience and heat cycles with the oxy/acetylene torch. I will not be using the EGR valve and would like to thread a sealing plug into the manifold. The thread size on the fitting does not look like a common thread size. Any suggestions before sending the manifold to get bead blasted and then I will be priming and painting it with the VHT exhaust paint. EGR block off plates are easy to find but have not been able to locate any info on that tube thread size. Thanks in advance for any help. Resurrection project slowly progressing between work, family, and church . Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC.

Looks like the post triggered quite a few responses. The rebuild book has been ordered and should have it early next week. I am very old school when it comes to repair manuals. Give me a hands on book any day. I can turn pages more successfully than navigate with a computer. I am so old school, I still do not have a cell phone. I prefer having the head work done by a reputable small shop. Too many of the REMAN parts get less than top quality work at the big mass rebuild-reman facilities. It is mostly about volume and profit rather than quality craftsmanship. O'Reillys does seem to have more vintage car parts readily accessible than most of the other big chain auto parts stores.I just may order one of the Sealed Power #MR1895 valve lash pads and compare them to the originals. I will be keeping the stock cam and the valve seats actually look pretty good so the stock lash pads should be the correct size. I will definitely have the head tested for cracks and checked for flatness before proceeding further with the machine work. I still have to remove the freeze plug and the stubborn rear exhaust stud that was snapped off below the head surface when I bought the project. According to the seller the car was running when parked. I always have a hard time believing those stories. Thanks again for all the input. I will try to keep the project progress updated. John-Lugoff, SC.

Starting to do some investigating on machine shop services locally. I planned on installing all new parts on this head so I really did not label their positions except for the cam bearing towers. I work for O'Reilly Auto Parts and they give a very generous parts discount to their team members. A lot of the needed parts are available through them but some others will need to be sourced.Does anyone know the specs on Sealed Power # MR1895 rocker guides/ lash pads? They are readily available through O'Reillys but searching the manufacturer's website does not give the thickness. I noticed that MSA offers them in a variety of sizes and if my memory serves me right the .160 was the stock size. Any experienced input is much appreciated and even though this is a budget project, the cylinder head work is quite critical and cutting corners to save $ is not in the game plan. Do it right once and be done with it. Nothing high end performance just a fun driver some years down the road. Thanks again. I will be ordering that suggested engine book to assist in the project. John-Lugoff, SC.

Thanks for the response. I was beginning to think everyone thought the description given was a hopeless cylinder head, but I am slowly moving forward. The 3 exposed studs came out very nicely with a rethread of the slightly damaged ends, double nut the exposed ends, a bit of heat with the MAPP gas, and some good leverage with a long 13mm box wrench. I had no problems removing the oil plugs. Breaker bar and 10mm allen head socket did the trick rather easily. The plug in the front is quite large and I do not have the correct allen head socket size. I even removed the heater hose outlet elbow at the rear of the head but unfortunately damaged the barbed end a bit. It appears to be standard pipe thread but will have to investigate that further. #1 cam bearing finally broke loose with a small amount of heat and dead blow hammer persuasion. Contact surfaces cleaned up nicely with a little ScotchBrite pad. Rear exhaust stud snapped off beneath the head surface will be an ongoing project. Got it drilled starting with a 3/32 and advancing up by increments to 3/16. Easy out with slight heat has not worked yet. Soaking in BLASTER. Hole not exactly centered or perfectly perpendicular but hoping for the best. Unsure of how much heat can be applied to the aluminum head. Can the MAPP gas get it too hot? Thanks for the tip with the book. The Factory Repair Manual gets a bit difficult to follow at times. Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC

All the valves, springs, and seals removed. The inexpensive valve spring compressor from O'Reillys worked out just fine. Definitely in need of a valve job. Game plan is new valves, guides, and seals with appropriate machine work. Still have the unanswered questions from above post plus a couple more as I try to prep this head to be sent off for machine work. 2 locating dowels for the cam bearings are still stuck in the head. Do they need to be removed? Should the front galley plug behind the timing chain area be removed also? I removed the 4 plugs on the top of the head. What is the best sealer to be used on them? They appear to have had teflon tape sealer on them. Next chance I get we will tackle the broken studs and hopefully will get some responses from the experienced Z experts on this great website. Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC.

The resurrection project will need a complete engine rebuild. Slowly moving along with the work as time and money permits. Disassembly requires little money so I have the head removed and prepping it for machine work. Besides the 3 broken studs, the rear exhaust was snapped off beneath the head surface when I bought the car, the other 2 I snapped with the disassembly process. The front cam bearing is seized on a rusty camshaft. The rear 3 slid right off, the #2 bearing needed just a slight bit of persuasion after several days of spraying Blaster. #1 is still tight. Questions for getting head ready for machine work. Should the oil galley plugs be removed? Should the freeze plugs be removed? Do the rocker arm stud receivers need to be removed from the head? Any hope for a rusty camshaft ? I have already removed the rocker arms, studs, and springs and will be removing all the valves, springs and retainers next free chance I get. Any recommendations for a good automotive machine shop to do the guides, seats, milling for flatness? Thanks for everyones valuable input on this enjoyable project, John-Lugoff, SC.