SteveJ

Post an ad in the classifieds.

You might want to double check. There are two different part numbers for each supplier. One is for an automatice transmission. The other is for a manual transmission. However, they are for California cars (non-federal) as I mentioned before. Of course, are you sure your car didn't start out as a California car?

Here's a listing of EGR valves: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?PartType=282&PTSet=A&SearchFor=EGR%20Valve

EGR= exhaust gas recirculation valve Since you don't know what one is, there are two distinct possibilities. 1. You haven't inspected it. 2. You have a non-California Z that may not have an EGR. I believe that while you do have some electrical/corrosion issues, that is coincidental to your other problem. I'm not sure how I would nail it down unfortunately.

My first question is why do you think it's electrical? Similar stalling can be caused by a bad EGR. I experienced this on a manual transmission car, and replacing the EGR cleared it right up. While corrosion in the electrical system isn't good, the easy restart makes me think the source of the problem could lie elsewhere.

You can get a CD copy from Courtesy Nissan (http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CP&Product_Code=CDS3072). You might want to print it out and put it in page protectors. They also pop up in the classifieds every now again on this site & at http://www.zcar.com. You can also try eBay

Don't forget that a bad regulator can cause such a draw. I had that about 11 years ago.

Did you bleed the master & slave cylinder on the clutch? I can't remember where I saw a write-up on how bleeding them differs from bleeding brakes...Ah the joy of growing old.

Apparently, the shell had issues as well. Over at Zcar.com, someone posted that the passenger door could not be made to work, so it was welded on. As for the drivetrain issues, it seems more like they took some chances and wound up with a combination that was not optimized. My thoughts on the whole affair is that in the end Pinks, as with any other "reality" show (including TV news), is entertainment and not reality (and accuracy does not count, either). They tweak the rules and editing to get the most emotion going and showing. Unless you are good friends with the production staff, you take your chances on how they want to portray you. The HybridZ team was made to look out of their league, whether or not that was the true case. There is an old saying that people who love the law or sausage should not watch either being made. You could probably add "reality" TV to the list.

It's funny to me when you call Black Dragon an internet parts source. Until recently, they haven't had much of a presence on the web except for a phone number and address to ask for a catalog. Black Dragon can be good, but do not rely upon them for expertise/information. They know about as much about our cars as the local Autozone. Be careful, though, because sometimes you will get a wrong part. For instance, many years ago, I ordered a mechanical fuel pump and received one that was not right for my car, despite it being listed as the correct part in their catalog. They took it back. Motorsport Auto has much more expertise than Black Dragon. Most of the complaints I've heard about them center around poor customer service with regard to ordering parts out of stock or no longer available. They are working on some reproduction parts to help the enthusiast. Keep in mind that you're looking for parts for a 30 year old car that was produced in a lower volume than most of the popular American cars of the same vintage. American cars also tended to share parts, especially for the powertrain. That adds up to much lower prices for American car parts. Parts pricing for our Zs tend to be MUCH higher.

Unfortunately you don't provide any specific examples of price for comparison, so I cannot agree or disagree with your original premise. Parts for restoration are going up, so I could see how you could be wrong. On the other hand, from the timeframe you gave, there were possibly some Z cars restored under the Nissan program. The program could have possibly inflated prices for the short-term. In the end, I'm not planning on buying another hobby car (lack of space for as far out as I can plan), and I'm planning on holding on to my Z until circumstances prevent it. So, all I'm truly concerned with is the parts market.

It might be easier if you supply a few details. 1. What do you mean by a few years ago? 2. Have you looked at the physical condition of the cars back then vs now? 3. Are you going by the start of the auction or the end? 4. What year cars are you talking about?

If you go to to the links on this website or http://www.zcar.com, you can find many people who deal in used Z parts. You could contact them about wiring harnesses. Be sure to have the build date of your car.

Some do and some don't. The wiring is there for an electric fuel pump. Yes, you can use just an electrical pump, provided it is at the proper pressure.

Think about the electrical system as a series of pipes. The alternator is analgous to a pump. Corrosion is like putting big rocks inside the pipes. If your pump isn't working, you can't get the water to flow. If there is something blocking the pipe, you can't get the water to flow. So, you may need to clean connections even if you replace the alternator. As for cleaning connections, a lot of people swear by Craig Deoxit. You can find it online and at Radio Shack.

Boy, that's a D'oh moment for me. It's been WAY too long since my electrical engineering courses. Maybe I can come up with a better excuse for my brain fart later. Of course, if there is a diode in the charging circuit, I would expect that it would show up in the 260Z & 280Z wiring diagrams unless it's hidden in another component. I need to start tearing more stuff apart so I can remember how things work.

That's an issue of resistance probably from a build-up of corrosion. Clean your switch, connectors, and bulb sockets. Another solution might be to change out the flasher unit if you haven't done that.

As far as I know, it only truly matters if one is adding electical/electronic components.

You could also be right. I don't know what causes the issue. I don't think that it's because of the presence/absence of an electronic ignition. I have a Crane electronic ignition in my 240 and experienced the run-on. Anyway, the diode is cheap. It's handy to have in case run-on is an issue.

The alternator from the Z31, the 280ZX, and 78 280Z will work. HOWEVER, all alternators for Z cars 78 and later are internally regulated. That means you will need to bypass your external regulator or face some big-time issues with your charging system. You'll also need to install a diode on the alternator to prevent feedback issues that will cause run-on Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt.

Well, my thinking is that deer whistles are as effective at repelling deer as the magnets on the fuel line improve gas mileage. Google can be your friend, too: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=deer+whistle http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1677/eb1677.html http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/021118/02111812.htm http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/deerw.html http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01522.htm http://www.cnr.usu.edu/crossings/pubdetail.cfm?projname=&locstate=&Submit=Search&offset=51&pID=862 Need more? Just use that Google search. I didn't include the "pro" side because they fell into two categories: people selling the product or anecdotal accounts. Neither is enough to convince me, especially the testimonials. After all, I've been out on a golf course in a thunderstorm without getting hit by lightning. Does that mean it's a safe thing to do?

The difference between the 280Z and 280ZX is that they share nothing except powertrain components. In essesnce, it's about like asking what the difference is between a 78 Mustang II and a 79 Mustang.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22201

You'll find those bodies in California and Arizona.

The wiring diagram in the Haynes manual is pretty close. Also search/bookmark this site: http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips.