SteveJ

I tend to fall in with everybody else. The signal to noise ratio is best for me here. I have looked for a couple of things over at Hybridz. I rarely post at zcar.com anymore. As the nefarious Tony D has pointed out, that site is flooded by immature types about any time there is a school break. They always ask the same questions, and they become incensed when anyone suggests that they could search for an answer.

Rumor has it that Carl has been around the scene SO LONG that he refers to Mr. K as "Son". Indri, if you go around Hybridz, do a lot of searching and reading before posing questions. They aren't fond of re-hashing old topics. (Frankly I like that attitude.)

What kind of "respect" are you looking for? The 280ZX was derivative in styling. Other than the 10th Anniversary & ZXR editions, there isn't much interest from collectors. Many (or most, I'm not sure) came with the 85 MPH speedometer, undercutting the image of a sports car. As for this board, I'm not sure what you're expecting. ClassicZCars started out as pretty much 240Z only, allowing 260Zs primarily due to those cars having carburetors. It was eventually expanded to cover 280Zs. The 280ZX section came later for the S130 types who wandered by. Many in the Z community tend to view the 280ZX and Z31 300ZX more as commodity cars, whether or not it's deserved. They weren't the first, and both were surpassed performance-wise. They are the "middle children" of the Z community. I wouldn't look to give up one of my S30s for a S130, even a turbo. I just don't believe I would be gaining much in the swap. Steve

Koalia, If you just CAN'T make the seatbelts work for you, I recommend going with the WESCO roadster belts that I described here. The retractor is up at the shoulder mounting point. I have installed both types of aftermarket belts, and I much prefer the roadster style. They are easier to use, and there is one less bolt to mount. Steve

As happens so often, Dave beat me to the answer. I was going to propose something similar. I was looking at the wiring diagram this morning, but I didn't have a chance to write something up before I had to leave to catch a plane. Actually, that gets me thinking that I could do something like that with the connectors I purchased from Vintage Connections. Thanks for the inspiration, Mike.

I suggest separate wires. That way you won't have a splice to split the power.

I hope you're considering separate fuses for the two headlights. That way, if you lose low beams, you may still have the high beams.

Used wiring harness - Z Barn (Be patient with Roger. He doesn't rush, but he'll get back to you.) Gas tank cleaning - Siphon out any fuel you can. After that, raise the back end and put a container under the tank. You'll find a drainplug on the bottom of the tank. Loosen the holding straps on the tank. Remove filler hose, vent hoses, and fuel lines. Drop the tank and take it to a radiator shop. Take compressed air and blow out the fuel lines from the engine side back toward the tank. Above all, get a copy of the FSM.

I've been in Brampton the past couple of weeks on business. Are you SURE Canada has a summer? You'd be hard pressed to convince me right now.

If you call Eddie, I think he knows of another Z specialty shop on the East side of town. Eddie is over in Marietta. As for knowing your adjustment specs, I suggest you check the factory service manual (FSM). It has the info in it.

You could try calling Eddie Radatz at 770-926-6609. He probably knows of a shop that could do it, at least if you're in the Atlanta area. After all, Georgia is a tad larger than Rhode Island.

I'm glad you found the solution. I work with controls wiring, and I can tell you that I have seen plenty of instances of equipment that tested just fine even though there was a wiring error. Of course, the wiring errors ALWAYS make themselves known when you're starting up the equipment.

I think you need to do some research. Why should someone sponsor you? Are you competitive regionally with SCCA or NASA? http://www.zcar.com/forums/863687/sponsors http://www.zcar.com/forums/776639/gettin-sponsor http://www.zcar.com/forums/682595/sponsors

Sam, Dave will probably come through with pictures before I can. I have a 260Z combo switch sitting in my garage. Unfortunately, I'll be a few hundred miles from my garage for the next couple of weeks. (Does anybody know when it's supposed to get warm in Canada?) One bit of good news is that RockAuto has a replacement switch that looks like NOS for only $200. I put one in my 260Z. Also, VintageConnections has 9 wire connectors that will work with the headlight switch in case you want to replace the connectors.

Are you sure you don't have any broken studs on the exhaust manifold? That could cause a problem to start, and it only gets worse over time. When you go to replace the exhaust gasket, be sure to true the mating surfaces. The manifold can warp, and that would just cause the problem to come back later. As far as an easy way, I won't hazard a guess. Wiring is more up my alley. If the clutch starts acting funny again, just go ahead and replace the slave & master cylinders and the rubber hose. Brake fluid is mean to those parts. That's experience talking. As a matter of fact, I have two master cylinders, two hydraulic hoses, and one slave cylinder waiting for me when I get back to the states. (Canada is EVIL. I know this because they don't believe in Diet Mountain Dew. I had to sneak it across the border from Buffalo.)

Apparently it was an epidemic. I was fighting with both cars all weekend. Sunday morning, I dropped an order for a few hundred in parts to cure some of what ails my cars.

Mike, would you stop killing off EVERY half-decent idea I come up with? About all I have left is to get a cable tracker, detach the wire from the starter, and trace where it runs to. (I've had to do this at work to trace miswired equipment.)

Mike, What's the build date on your 73? I'm wondering if it didn't get some of the 260Z wiring changes.

It's true. I'm only as rude as you want me to be. It's actually only matter of fact. Case in point, another user on this forum posed a vague description of an electrical problem. It turned out that he lives near me, so I went over to his place. With a lot of patience, we were able to track down the problem. It wasn't even close to what people (including myself) were guessing. However, the owner didn't know how to describe the problem. I told him in person pretty much everything I typed to you. Also, developing good searching techniques helps a lot with getting better answers quicker. I had a problem last week, and I found the answer on here much quicker by searching than starting a new thread. There is a goldmine of information online, especially at the links in my signature.

You might want to consult a 75 280Z FSM with that late build date. What are the first 3 letters in the VIN?

Did you verify the plug order? (1-5-3-6-2-4 counterclockwise) Did you verify the fuel with a pressure gauge? If yes, what was the pressure? If not, how do you know you have fuel? What are your compression numbers? Dry? Wet? Have you consulted the Fuel Injection Bible? (I think Blue's tech tips has a copy and possibly XenonS30 as well.) What do your plugs look like? What type plugs are you using? I know...all questions & no answers. However, you'll get better suggestions by answering those questions.

Mike, The previous owner may not have used the factory wiring. The 240Zs had wiring for electric fuel pumps even though they used mechanical pumps. The dealers used this wiring for fuel pumps for the service bulletin on the 73s and 74s with the flat top Hitachi carburetors (see Wick Humble's book). Steve

I'm back from the final day of The Mitty. It was nice meeting Vince, Ron & Carl. I'm glad you guys came out and showed off your cars. I put a bunch of parts on order this morning because trying to get my cars ready for The Mitty made me realize how much deferred maintenance has caught up to my cars. At least the 260Z kept running today. If any of you come up to Road Atlanta, please send me a PM. I live only half an hour away. (I really lucked out with where the house is located that my wife liked. )

You can figure out your build date by 1. Looking at the plate inside the driver's side door frame. 2. (if your door plate is missing) Posting your VIN and asking people for an idea of the build date. I agree with what OldHemi wrote. Please also post the wire colors. That can help with tracking down the function.

If you don't want to do a search, purchase or download a repair manual or FSM. All I needed to know to do the job was in there. Don't forget your flair nut wrenches.