justaZcarguy

I also live in Oregon, in a small cop happy town of Forest Grove, just a few miles from Beandip... Both of my Z's are daily drivers, My series 1 '71 sits in the garage for now and more than likely will for the winter. I am now driving the '74 and will enjoy it much more when Super dips below $2 a gallon and the Mikuni's are adjusted better... 1 wife (that's enough..) (Stephanie) 3 kids (Kodi, Jeff, Ashly) 1 German Shepard (Kesha) 1 Great Dane (Goliath) And I am 35 going on 26. Enjoy the highwayZ.... ~Brian

In short I think that I advanced the cam about a tooth or so... ~B

After inspecting the oblong groove and location notch, I have been putting the groove dead center in the notch in the cam, not to the left of the notch..... See the attached photo, I did get it to lline up like this, that would tell me that with the notch dead center of the groove would make it off about a tooth and the timing would be a mess cam wise... Agree? And is the photo correct with the notch to the left? Thanks! I think we are getting closer...

This is starting to sound like what the problem is, it is mostly efecting number two and four. I can remove the plug wires off of number two espically and see no difference in the engine. I don't believe that I have run it long enough to burn a valve... At least I hope not.... I think that it's time to take it to top dead center and see where the timing mark is....... how far off can it be on the mark? It seems that it was slightly off when I put it together but I figured that i could work it out with the timing, now I see that is not the case. But I so remember that it was close - real close... Thanks again! B

I think that you are right about that... And that has been on my mind... If it was one tooth off tho, wouldn't adjuting the distributor compensate for that? I tried to figure it out last night and still have a headache... What is the best way to line everything up? Thanks! B

Hey 2 many.... What is this Pertronix system that you are talking about? ~B

Yep, I agree, I had friend throw me an MSD discharge system that i am thinking about finding the skematic to and throwing it onto the system... I am planning on eliminating the "second set of points" and seeing if that changes matters... I think that the ZX conversion is the way to go, I can't see where this engine is going to suffer by removing the "hyped up" system and taking it back to the Z stock (or close to it with a ZX ign.) hmmmmmm....

Now, while we all scratch our heads on the '71 Braking issue, I thought that I would throw one more car into the mix for good measure... The victim in this case is my '74 260. This thing is built from hell and recently had an issue due to a cam gear bolt that worked it's way lose and slipped the cam gear on the end of the cam. By the way, check that bolt ladies and gentlemen, I have been told that this has been thedeath of many a valve... At any rate, Phrindley Phred was kind enough to redo the head and I threw it back on hoping for the best. Here's the issue: Car HAD unreal power previous to mishap. Now, the power is ok but after the inital acceleration it suddenly feel as if some on has attached a trailer to the Z. This has NEVER been a problem. The funny thing is, it gets this "feeling like it's missing a cylinder thing" going on. I bravley grab wires and unlatch them from the plugs and low and behold it seems like number 2 is non effective in the idle when connecte or no. So, thinking that the plug is bad (since I have white spark at the plug) I replace the plug. No change. So, thinking that I may have lost compression in number two for whatever reason I do a quick compression test with the engine warm and all the pluge removed, along with the throttle wide open upon the cranking of 5 revoltions... Compression is normal (for this build) at 240 lbs on the nose on EVERY cylinder... Remember this engine is running about 11:1 compression and the mallory dual point ign. with som kind of spark discharge by the name of a "Delta Mark Ten capactive discharge system" that is tied into the Mallory dual point. The distributor is self advancing, not vacumn driven. To me it feels as if the engine is 1: not advancing and 2: somewhat missing a cylinder that seems to be number 2 but the spark and compression are good. What the hell? This should be fun (and has been) juggling 2 threads and 2 cars with problems.... Lemme know, I need the imput... Have a great day! ~Brian

And I could use a drink too... You may want to see my current thread titled "Braking Issue..Help!!" It somehow is sickeningly lke your sitch, AND with a '71. Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I am starting to think something is in the wind here... If you want my home number, PM me and I will give it to you, maybe we can compare notes? Good luck... ~Brian

Ouch, our boneyard just shut down taking a bunch of cars with them... Ouch.. I guess that I will begin the search.... Anyone in the Portland area got one?????? And yes it's a series one Z (early 1971) thanks!!! Brian

Great Info... So, did you replace the booster or just fix? I looked into a replacement and they are pretty proud of that part... Let me know and Thanks! Brian

Been there done that, the cables are out of the car as we speak, the cables once it was out did seem sized and I have not put them back in due to the fact that I have been either working a bunch or just plain lazy... I do plan on checking the calipers... And you are right the cable was a PITA. Thanks again.. ~B

Thank you 2Many and nice to hear from you sir... The Parking brake Never worked in this car, I thought that it was sized cables, but now that you bring back memories, I am starting to think that the rear brakes are sized. The car did sit for a year or so before I got it.... I was under the impression that even IF the rear calipers are sized you will still get fluid to the bleeders. I have seen no "arrow" on the check valve, but I will look again, I just followed the vacumn flow I figured if I could get air thru it with suction that was the side that went towards the booster, it would draw vacumn and the check valve would allow no "bleed back" of air. Thanks all you have been a great help... Soon to come - the mystery miss with the '74 - stay tuned It's driving me crazy.... Opps I mean cra Z. ~B

If the wheel cylinders were froze, I would still be getting fluid to the rear at the bleeders, right? Thanks ~Brian

I must have pissed off the Z Godz this week, between my '74 and my series 1 '71 I am going thru the ringer here!! Anyway, the brakes in the series 1 '71 have allways been crappy with only the front brakes working and nuthin' to the rear. Figuring that it was the master cylinder I replaced that and fixed nothing. Matter of fact, things are worse. (how nice) In reviewing past posts, I decided to check the check valve on the firewall, it seemed preety sticky so I replaced it with one that was in my '73 parts Z. Now I've gone from brakes going to the floor to brakes being stiff as a rock and having to lay into 'em hard to even think about stopping the car. And still, no fluid travel to the rear brakes even with the bleeder all the way out / removed completely. And yes, I've bled the Master Cylinder several times... I thought that I maybe put the check valve in backwards and turned it around to wich the brakes have zero pressure but oddly enough seem to stop the car a bit better but also kinda sporaticlly. Right now the "bevel" in the check valve is towards the booster. This is driving me craZy not to mention dangerous. Suggestions??? Thanks all!

Hey Gav - Morning all, I have no idea aout the quality of header - this engine was built by some guy in Texas for a friend of mine that I bought the car from... According to the previous owner, he dumped a ton of $ into it, and it would be weird to do all the high dollor stuff to this engine that has been done and then put cheap headers on it, but these things can happen. However, the glow is gone, I adjusted the pilot screws on the Mikunis and this helped. It's the only screw that i have been afraid to mess with in the past. Trying to find d tuning guisde on these Mikunis is like trying to find a needle in a haystack... I ahev noticed that after they sit for a bit (over three months) with out being ran, they get a bit pissy and need to be tweaked here and there. So, after the "adjusting" which was mostly guesswork :stupid: , which consisted of adjusting the pilot screw a few turns, the glowing disappeared with the exception of number 6, and looking at the brake booster vac line I found a hole, after patching it, number 6 cooled down also. Vacumn leaks make it run lean Brian, duh. So the good event to all of this is that I learned a bit more about the Mikunis. Too bad it still runs like crap about 3k plus under demand... I'm sure that's a pilot screw / timing / pump nozzle issue... That's next, but first I gotta clean the garage...yuk! If anybody out there needs the specs of the Mikunis (44 PHH), lemme know, I did find some info on them if it can help anyone out... Have a great Sunday! ~Brian

And here's the engine...

Morning. FINALLY have redone the '74. Was tuning 'er in the d-way last night and at a 2k sustained rev the headers will begin to glow red. Get out the wenie sticks people, the bar-b-q is ready. No. Granted, the spark is "hopped up" and hotter. I figured she was "a bit" advanced in the timing and retarded the timing. If the timing gets any more retarded it's gonna be on the short bus and no change in the glow. I had a friend tell me that this may be expected due to the triple mikuni / hot spark / thin header (compared to stock) combo.... Hmmm as I watch the dandruff fall as I scratch me head.:stupid: I am not sure about that opinion. They do not glow at idle, just at rev. By the way - motor is holding steady at 190 degrees. Does not seem to be running lean as I know that this would be a key factor... Below is a crappy pic of the headers.... Suggestions? ~Brian

I would take the car in to the air and see if you get any side-to-side movement from the shaft. I had a friend that was experiencing the same thing that you are and there was nothing left of the u-joint and it still held. It was noisy but it still held... Have a great Sunday, gotta go work on the '74... ~Brian

I stopped by yesterday and picked up all the sheetmetal that I need to repair the '71...

Howdy all.... I am finally putting the '74 together this weekend.... Has anyone had luck using other than stock head gaskets? Everyone tells me that stock is the way to go but I've also heard that some of the after market work also..?..? Thanks all... Have a great weekend! ~Brian:classic:

I am talking about a spiced up 240 with a say N/A L28, N42 head, ported and polished, bored with I dunno, say triple michunis and 3.90 gearing... And not top speed here, just say the zero to eighty.... Sorry to be so vague earlier, I was just trying to start the discussion... Have a great Sunday, and HAPPY FATHERS DAY!! B

Who out there has had any battles with a porsche and how was the outcome? The reason that I am asking this is, I am having the age-old argument with a bunch of buddies that a porsche will CONSTANTLY waste a Z. I personally have a problem with this since I have met and contested many Porsches. I need to get some feedback on this, these guys are SOOOOOOO confident that we suk that I could use an airline barfbag. Bring it on... B

Suddenly I am very afraid. :nervous: Bri...