justaZcarguy

Well, since the untimely death of my satin gray car (ok, ok it's primer...) I have been shopping quickly for a replacement. I found one. Lemme know what you think. 1971 240 (birthdate 2/71) NO RUST, was a Southern Cally car until recently Eibach Springs and front bar. Suspension Tech rear bar. Fresh KYB struts cross drilled rotors poly steering coupler L28 Block N47 head Bored (a bit he thought) headers 2.5" exhaust Anza exhaust Fresh SU's Dash cap Velour interior Vertical Defog Hella H4's Front air dam (flexible) Borg 5 Speed tranny 3.90 Rear Chorme Valve cover Stock 5 hole wheels from '71. This was a one owner car. Guess the price... Ok, enough suspense, $1200 bucks. Lemme know what you think, I'll post more pics tomorrow, after 10 hours of cleaning mildew from the interior, which is now spotless by the way and buffing paint and making a few other changes, it's a totally different car now. But posted below is the pic when it arrived at the new home. Looking forward to info / reviews. Thanks, have a great Monday.... Brian

I don't know. I doubt it, when the tire took the impact, there was a bit of rot under the battery tray & frame rail. Now I see that there was undercoating covering up areas that were also affected. With the weak areas the TC rod shoved the frame back, wrinkling the unibody area behind the tire area. There's a painful pic below. I'm thinking that it may be donor car time and start over. You will most likely see a post for a request on leads for a donor car in the pacific northwest... I hate to say that. But I know how insurance companies work and they will just total it and I will need to but it back from them. Fu%!. Brian.

Now I am pissed. Forget all of the previous posts. I was just out taking the car on a short test run, I swerved to miss someone and before I knew what happened, I was into a tree. Pretty much wasted the car. I can't believe this. :disappoin B

It's the plastic type, and the engine in this car is stock. The distance with the car not running is almost an inch and a half. Also the only fan that has rubbed is the one with the break. At this point I'm thinking about going with electric. Thanks for the replies.... Brian

And I'm not talking the glee club.... Yesterday I was out driving on a killer sunny day here in Forest Grove, after travelling for a couple of hours and cornering a bit on the country roads I noticed water hitting the windshield and my temp shooting up fast... Not good. Car got hotter and hotter as I desperatley searched for a hose. Finally I reached a friends house just as the temp amost topped out.... Carefully topping it off with water to limp her home I noticed a circle in the radiator like the radiator had been laid up against the fan, funny the damn thing seems tight, what the hell...And, water shooting out of the seam where the fan had struck the top / side... Limped it home and upon closer inspection I found one of the blades had been rubbed and I noticed at the base there was a crack and if you flexed the blade it would hit the radiator. Crap. One wasted radiator and fan over a crack. The morale of the story is check the blades, at the base by the circle. Don't let happen to you what happend to me. By the way, has this happend to anyone else? Enjoy.... Brian

I think that we went from 350Z (which I STILL do not like the door handles) to a Miata. My 3 cents. Bri

Big Wheel rage don't ya know...:tapemouth

I'm thinking that we are all losing it!

I suppose we'll forgive ya this once....

I agree, I was wondering if anyone else had interest, I guess I'll pass up the car, it has a blown head gasket and who knows what else... Thanks all, Bri

Will the wheels from the '84 300 fit onto a '73 / '74 Z? I am concerned about the offset? Also, while I'm in the subject what else is useful off of that car? Thanks, Bri

Another thing that I did was put an in-line fuel filter that was glass so I could see the fuel supply going to the motor. That way when it dies next time you have a quick reference as to what the fuel is doing... ~Brian

check your fuel filters, and remember, there could be a hidden one along the frame rail... Let us know... ~Brian

When you say "third gear", is it because there is a load on the motor? Do us a favor, shift early, put a load on the motor, and tell us if you experience the same thing... Thanks, ~Bri

Hello Lady Z, i just went thru this, with the voltage regulator quest that I was on. Everything that you listed points to the fact that your alternator is not charging the system. With my problem, the voltage regulator was out and not telling the alternator to come alive and charge the system. The charging amount should be around 14.7 volts at the posts. In the event that your alternator is not charging the system has to rely on what is left in the battery. Simple test time. Start the Z, pull off the positive cable on the battery with the engine running. If the engine dies the alternator is NOT charging the system. Voltage regulator tells the alternator when to charge. I have a way for you to "field test " the alternator while the engine is running but you will need to contact me to go thru this, I do not have the skematic in front of me, and the Z is in the garage, I have not found a way to get it into the living room... But I'm trying. I can guide you or the boyfriend thru it, it's not hard, you will need a voltage meter tho... Feel free to contact me at 503.357.9776. This is a good test, I have put alternators out of the box on the car that were no good. Your symptoms represent a no charge on the system tho.... Good luck, ~Brian

Yes sir I did, i am questioning the make of the valves, I want to match the stock part otherwise I am asking for premature wear.... Thanks for the info, they are the cheapest I have found so far, that's what worries me... Also, I need to make sure that the valves are gonna match up. B

Thanks Phred for the correction, I think that is what I meant,,:tapemouth ... I plan on using the existing head (N42), the car ran REALLY good with the existing setup so I do not want to change anything. The question is what valves I have in the N42. Thanks 2Many, I appreciate the information..... Brian

Well here we are.... Tore the head down today with Phred, by the way thanks Mr. Phred, I learned a bunch today, I wish I had 10% of your knowledge. So the plot thickens. Bent 4 exhausts and 1 intake. Ouch, but could have been MUCH worse, so if it had to happen, I'm thankful that it was minimal in comparison. The N42 had the bronze giudes replaced with steel, so that's good. But this makes me wonder if the valves are different from stock. They would most likely be different from the stock due to the guide upgrade?? (material wise...??) The dimensions are 1.385 on the exhaust head and 4.620 in lentgh, 1.740 on the intake valve head and 4.580 in length. Now, the N47 was a steel guide head, does anyone know the dimensions of the valves in the N47? I would be surprised if the valves were as big but I also don't know if they aren't. The reason is for this question, I have access to a N47 head from a 810 (around '80). I'm pulling the motor tomorow, but thought I'd run the question by the professionals...:classic: And, where can I get Nissan quality replacement valves to replace the ones that I bent? (Besides Nissan...) Thanks guys, have a great night!!!! ~Brian

Have you tried heater hose Zed? I cram a hard screw driver handle inbetween the chains and hope for the best, and the last time I did it, I was late on the push with the screw driver and have yet to figure out weather the spring is out or not. That's the current problem with the '74 and you have read the post on the charging problem with the '73.(if not save yourself, run!) Whoa is me, it's been a bad week for JustaZcarguy. But 'nuff 'bout me. Zedrally is right about making sure the tensioner does not slip or you will end up pulling of the front of the motor. (like I most likely will....) Good luck, at least better luck than I have had... Let us know sir.... Brian

I've tested the continunity and it checks out, it's not overcharging at this point, it's acting as if the alternator is not being activated at all... I'll double check the white but I'm sure that it's good....

Hey Livenbad.... Was it hard to install the other regulator? Wiring wise?? B

I have checked continuity with a tester, both inside the engine bay and the cabin (for lack of a better word...) This required acts of contorsionism that NO human should try, espically one with busted ribs.... When I disconnect the plug-in (yellow & white) from the back of the alternator and jump the f terminal to the A and start the engine, I am getting 14+ volts. Pull the negative side of the battery and the voltage jumps to 16+. Ouch, don't do that for long... This tells me that during that test I am eliminating the Voltage regulator. AND that the alternator is in operational order. ALSO the AMP gauge is reading high during this time. Makes sense, the voltage regulator is eliminated for now. Plug in the wires to the back of the alternator (yellow and white) and no charge. Wires between the regulator and the alternator are good by the way. What do you think? Try ANOTHER regulator?? I think I'm certifiable. B

Makes sense, when I test the alternator, on the car runing, I shows a charge of 14 volts plus. I guess I'll switch out the regulator (again). Daniel, did yousay that you went thru this with the regulator? was the replacement shorter than stock? And if so did you replace it with the taller adjustable one? Thanks - Bri

Well the car is ofically a mess, wires and brain matter from me is all over the place...:sick: I am starting to lean to the voltage regulator, i have found no hidden fuses, no bad wires. I'm testing the alternator today again to see if it's bad, I hope not this will be the third one in it. I wonder, if the regulator is bad will it take out the alternator? Thanks for the info, Brian

had you put in a new non-adjustable before you put in the adjustable? the only one that I have found has been the smaller "updated" version and I have always had a bad feeling about it. Thanks, Bri