BillD

This seems like a real winner. Can these be obtained in the states? Chloe??

I second the comment from 2manyZs. I bought a new Holley for the 289 V8 in my Healey and it was just about perfectly set up right from the box. I can't see how those setting could possibly be anything but super-rich for a six. Keep the faith. At some point it will work, and if it works like my 240z four barrel set-up you'll be very happy.

I finished my 240z thermostat project this afternoon. Everything now works fine. After about three miles, the needle passes 120F and after about five miles it has reached the center of the dial (about 190) and stays there. Before, it was still not past the 120F point after about 20 miles on a cool day. The strange thing is that the old thermostat looks like it was shut and when I tested it in a pot of hot water, it opened at 180F just like it was supposed to. So I fixed the problem, but I'm not sure why it was a problem. Maybe the old thermostat was stuck open and I scared it shut when I took it out. I didn't use any sort of gasket sealer and I can find no leaks, so that looks good. The only strange part about the gasket was that the replacement gasket had two holes (like the picture in the Chilton Manual) but the actual gasket and thermostat housing had three bolts. I was able to modify the gasket to fit, but I'll have to remember this in the future. Thanks for the help and advice.

What product did you use? Did you go through any special preperation? I haven't done the job yet, but am encouraged by your experience.

Thanks for the advice. Any recommendations for gasket sealant?

During the summer Atlanta heat, my 240z ran beautifully, never going over about 180F. Now that the temperatures have gotten a little cooler, (40-50F), it is taking close to 10-20 miles to show any movement at all on the temperature gauge. Even then it stays very low. I've taken readings from the radiator with a non-contact thermometer and they read less than 120F when the needle hasn't moved. It still runs beautifully other than than those readings. (Of course, the heater blows cold air during this time!) Am I correct in assuming that the thermostat is either faulty or removed. I plan on changing it. I've done this on other cars, but is there anything I should look out for on the 240z. (It has a 2.8L engine transplanted.) Thanks in advance.

Jeff, You've sent me a couple of PMs about my Edelbrock setup, but you haven't read my responses. Basically, the previous owner set up the four barrel system and it is working beautifully. I have pictures of the engine compartment in my gallery that show the air filter (that just manages to clear the hood). He did change the fuel pump from the stock z unit to an electric Edelbrock E80125 with a 5.5-9psi output. He said that the z unit was putting out too much pressure. Don't know if this helps, but it might be food for thought for the group. BILL DELAUNE

This may not help you, but I'm running that intake with an Edelbrock with a pancake filter (FRAM CA353) and the wingnut just barely rubs the hood when it is closed. :classic:

The Edelbrock specific information came from this URL: http://www.gsdi.org:8088/Text/pcvhose.txt The carb has a 3/8" fitting coming out of the front that has a powerful vacuum. It had an easily removed rubber vacuum cap. I got an in-line PCV valve from my local car shop (E-Tron ComponentFV181/187) that had a 3/8" fitting on the carb side and I made an easy connect with an 18" length of 3/8" oil resistant hose. The crankcase side of the PCV valve was about a sixteenth of an inch smaller than the inside diameter of the crankcase vent tube (which was stopped with an easily removed rubber cap). The PCV valve had a lip on it that didn't allow it to go all the way into the tube. I made a collar out of gasket material (with a "safety lip" so it couldn't fall in the crankcase) and was able to press fit the PCV valve into the tube. I may replace this with an o-ring kludge eventually, but for now everything appears to be solid and air tight. I had a chromed air filter on the valve cover vent tube already. I changed the oil and filter and put about 150 miles on the car using this system and everything is holding up fine. No smells, fires, or dying trees. If anything the car appears to run a little stronger. I love this car.

I did some research and found that the Edelbrock has a PCV ready port right in the front. That knowledge, some 3/8" oil resistant tubing, an in-line PCV valve and some minor plumbing to connect it to the crank case vent tube and my car is now a non-polluting, sludge-free runner. Thanks for the help and advice.

In theory I guess I should run a hose from the crankcase vent tube to the air cleaner with a pcv valve in series, but there is no place on the very simple "pancake" air cleaner to receive such a hose. (I might be able to fabricate such a port on the bottom of the air cleaner with a short length of tubing and some JB Weld.) There are small vacuum access ports on the carb itself that might be used for such a purpose. Any guidance would be appreciated. I wonder if just putting a filter on the crankcase vent tube and letting the by-products vent into the air would work. This seems to be the old fashioned way to do it. I'm not smelling any fuel in the cockpit from the valve cover filter so it might be a viable option.

I have an L28 with the MSA intake mainfold for an Eidlebrock carburetor. All of the pollution controls have been removed. The car runs great, but the crankcase ventilation pipe worries me. It has been capped. It seems to me that I should be getting rid of all of those noxious blow-by products in the crankcase so that they don't gunk up my oil. Any thoughts on this? (I'm using a air filter on the valve cover breather). Thanks in advance,

I am very satisfied with the performance of my z, but would like to improve the sound. I have always been in love with the big Healey exhaust note. Are there systems/mufflers that get that sort of sound out of the z-straight six?

The thread "Fuel tank hose leaks" in the "Help Me" forum helped me to solve my problem. The link to http://www.jrdemers.com/280ZX/tankvents/tankvents.html was also a great tutorial on an alternative repair strategy.

Has anyone tried to dye a dark (brown) component a lighter color (tan) to match the interior? If so, how did it work. I have to decide on a potentially useful used part in the very near future. Thanks, BILL D.

Will a dye cover a darker color with a lighter one? I need to convert some salvaged dark brown arm rests to tan in order to use them. Is this practical? Thanks, BILL D.

I was able to pull the heater panel out enough to get my hand inside. The original hesitance to move was caused by an aftermarket CD player. With the player removed, the next level of resistance was from the heater cables. The "Hot-Cold" cable was the tightest so I tried to free it from the heater box control. The cable itself was pretty easy, but the sheath attachment was amazingly tight. Still, I could now stick my hand in and feel the clock from the opening left by the partially removed panel. I examined the glove box to see if entry from that route was viable and immediately broke off a small piece from the top when I pushed to check points of attachment. Seeing that the support was from the sides and bottom, I "nibbled" away at the cardboard and made an opening in the top that allowed me access to the clock (and other gauges). Not much room but it didn't show at all and did give me bassic access. I was able to awkwardly get a short phillips screwdriver to the screw but it wouldn't budge. Having secondary access through the heater panel helped with applying pressure, but I still wasn't able to free the clock. I put some liquid wrench on the screw and decided to use my "accurate two times a day" clock as is for a while. Access through the top of the glove box will now make it relatively easy to try again. Thanks for all of the advice.

I finally had time to check this out. To review, I think there are three routes to the clock. 1. Chilton's recommends removing the instrument panel finishing panel, loosening the hex-head screws on the back of the clock, pull the clock out, unfasten the electrical connections, and install the new unit by reversing the steps. The finishing panel came off easily, but I could see no way to access the clock so I put it back on. 2. Pull the central dash panel and access it from the bottom. I took off the four screws on the panel and it became loose but wouldn't remove. I didn't want to force it, so I just put everything back together. 3. Remove the glove box and vent hoses and access it through there. I have the old cardboard box and it looks like it is in almost perfect shape. I'm more than a little frightened of this option. I think that I am close in any (or all) of these methods, but am not seeing a crucial step. :stupid: Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. I figured that this would be the case, but just wanted to check.

This is the sort of option I was hoping for. How did you go through the glove box and did you learn anything from the experience that you'd like to share?

I know this is pretty basic, but is there a way of checking the function of the door drains without opening up the interior panels?

I've read through the Haynes account of dashboard removal and am hoping that there is an easier way to get to the clock. I've gotten a replacement for my non-functioning time piece and would like to change it out. This will be in a '73 240z. Thanks in advance.

I finally bought a new horn pad from MSA. When I saw it, I realized that the plastic ring that everyone talks about was on the steering wheel hub in pieces. I dug all of the old pieces out (along with the tar-like material that was holding the mess together) and put the new one on. I really didn't think it would work because I couldn't figure how the circuit would be completed with the new horn pad. As I pressed it on the horn came alive and works fine. I'm happy with the repair, but would love to know how the circuit works in there. I can short it into working by connecting two metal rings that fit under the plastic ring. I can't see how the little metal "tail" coming out of the center of the horn button would complete anything or that pressure would bring those rings together. This isn't earth shattering, but I'd just like to know how this works. Thanks in advance,