SteveJ

Steve, that's what I originally used to guide me, but the tricky part for the novice is that the Z supplies a constant 12VDC+ and switches the ground.

It's not a plug & play on the 260Z & 280Z because of different connectors, but you can make it work.

When you say none of the lights, does that include the headlights? The running lights and gauges are on the same circuit. Download the factory service manual (FSM). Start reading, especially the EF & BE sections. After you have looked through them, start formulating questions. Go to my blog and Blue's Tech Tips to learn more about the electrical system. Good luck. By the way, the more you show an effort that you tried to do it yourself, the more people will bend over backwards to help you. The S30 is a good model car to start learning about how to work on cars.

I bought the Black Dragon kit and didn't like it much. The relays are not standard. If one fails, you will be hard-pressed to find a replacement. The wiring is on the short side, too. In all of the years Dave Irwin has made his relays, you can count the complaints on the fingers of one hand. He will stand behind his work, too. Buy the MSA kit.

What have you tested? What were the results?

Go back to what Pete suggested. Check out the filters AT the carburetors.

Pete Thomas also identified another electronic flasher unit in the "Sold on LEDs" thread.

True, I forgot about those.

I believe the ground will be found under the carpet in the back near the right taillight in the 73. However, my memory is fuzzy and is the carpet.

Corrosion in the box could cause hot spots.

The four most likely things I can think of (off the top of my head) 1. Air leaking into the line. 2. The pump is weak. 3. The diaphragm on the pump is damaged. (You would have seen fuel coming out if it's leaking.) 4. You have a blockage upstream. You may want to ensure the lines are clear with some compressed air. Once you verify the lines are clear, you may want to install a fuel pressure gauge near the carburetors to see if you have fuel pressure.

Look upstream of the pump for something that may cause air to get into the line.

You can easily test the mechanical pump off of the car. Remove it. Put fuel lines on it, and actuate the lever arm repeatedly to see if it can transfer fuel from one container to another.

It would be quicker than to find a working 260Z box. That's not the way I understand it. The 260Z distributor is similar to the 280Z distributor in that it has the reluctor and pickup. Some of the old writeups on 280Zs and 240Zs do not always accurately capture what aspects of the 260Z are similar to which car. I selected the 280Z links on purpose. The HEI is a cheaper route than the 280ZX distributor. For the ZX conversion, you need the distributor and the mount. For this one, I believe you only need the HEI. Even if you do need the 280Z distributor, you could swap that in and not have to change the mount.

The HEI would replace the transistor box. You would wire it near the distributor, going to the pickup at the reluctor and to the coil. It's at least an order of magnitude cheaper than the transistor box, too. You would use a writeup for a 280Z, like this one: hei. Here's another one: GM HEI retrofit Here's another: Turbo Ignitor Swap / Upgrade - Chevy HEI - ZDriver.com. Log in at ZDriver.com to see the pictures.

But who wants 60 pound headlights?

Are you certain about that?

By the way, I found the old thread I was referring to: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/electrical-s30/42398-ultimate-headlight-upgrade-dot-legal-led-headlamps.html

As long as your relays switch the positive and not the negative, you wouldn't need to change that. Give the choice between adding relays or re-wiring, I would choose relays.

I have been very pleased with H4 lights and relays, and I will stay very pleased until the price comes down a lot on LED headlights. Note: To use LEDs in the S30 you WILL need to use relays or do extensive re-wiring. A couple of years ago, someone started a thread on installing LED headlights. He could not understand why they did not work. The LED headlights expect the 12VDC positive to come from the high/low beam switch with a common ground. In the Z, the headlight circuit is wired to provide a common 12VDC positive to the headlight and switches the ground between the high and low beams. Since the D in LED stands for diode, it means that current can only flow in one direction.

This should help you research compatible front pads: S30 Toyota Brake Upgrades | Driven Daily

If it's on its way out, I think you might be able to use an HEI as a replacement.

Seals dry out, especially if they don't have the proper fluid around them. Z Therapy (Welcome to ZTherapy.com) can help you. Send a PM to Bruce Palmer. Meanwhile, where in Atlanta are you residing? Find the Georgia Z Club on FB. You can find out about local events and meet some fellow Z people. There is a car show in Marietta on Saturday that I plan on attending as are some others.

Something is causing a dead short on that circuit. As for dirty wires, Simple Green, Purple Power, etc., work great to remove 40 year old dirt to reveal wire colors. If you have trouble discerning colors, get a friend to help you.

1. Disconnect all the dash harness connections. 2. Use the factory service manual (FSM) to help you match up the connectors. Hint: The wire colors should match on each side of the connectors. 3. As you make each connection, use an ohmmeter to check resistance to ground at the fuseholder. When the resistance drops, you know you found the circuit with your problem. 4. If you don't see an obvious issue, note the wire colors on each side of the connectors that caused the problem and let us know, along with the number of wires and shape of the connectors. (Pictures help!)