Bambikiller240

Actually, I'm not attending this year. I've attended the last 3 in a row, but have decided to use the $ to get further towards making my Z worthy (in MY eyes) of taking down there. I've used rental cars for the trip so far. I've seen more than a few 240Z's down there that are worse off than mine, but I won't enter it in a show llike that until it meets my criteria for being worthy. Hopefully I'll be closer in 2004 (?) when they have the National Z Convention in LA. Maybe in conjuction with MSA's show? My car is a running daily driver, but has a front bumper shaped like a "W" and a ugly hood & headlight bucket. Seats need major work too. I'd like to take it down to the show after the front-end is fixed and a full repaint is done. Just need $4000 for the body shop. I have collected all of the parts except new bumper brackets to fix the front-end. Now comes the hard part ($$$$$)

I've tried the "Feedback" option. You get a nice little "Thank you for your interest" type of automated reply. Not much else. I haven't bothered to register as I get enough SPAM already, and I'm afraid that the NASCAR money machine will sell my address to every Tom, d***, and Harry that will pony up some cash. Just what I need..... more offers to buy Viagra, or to "grow inches", or God knows what else. Am I too cynical? :tapemouth

Yeah, wasn't it nice that they showed the SCCA Valvoline Run-Offs 2.5 months after they were in the history books?!

Hi again Steve: I'd sure vote for your idea. Two channels would be much better. I forgot to mention the good WRC shows that were shown earlier in the winter! I enjoy the "Inside Winston Cup" show on Monday evenings (NOT these re-runs, but the original showings) mostly due to Michael Waltrip and Kenny Shrader. Nice to see some racers having a little fun and clowning around like bench racers do. Two Guys Garage is just a paid advertisement for the SEMA industry. Their idea of car repair is just rip out the old parts and buy everything in sight. They don't "fix" anything. PARTS SWAPPERS! Oh, and also they tell you to buy every damn gizmo that is on the shelf while you're at the parts store. I'd need TWO GARAGES, one for all the crap they want you to buy, and the other to get something accomplished in!:stupid:

Steve: I bought my set of hardware on eBay for $10.00 (Girling manufactured) but it had the hardware for BOTH front wheels. I believe that the MSA set is also for both since the catalog just mentions "Front". Best to confirm with them when/if you order. No use getting two sets if you don't need them both. As 2ManyZs said, it could be the pad material causing it as well, but no shims, or lack of grease on the back of the pads will certainly cause the problem. So THAT was you squeeking through the MSA show entrance? If I'd have known I would have come up to say HI! :stupid: I was across the street in my rental car watching the parade! :classic:

Steve: Keep in mind that they (SPEEDTV) are only showing this good stuff while the Rednecks are on vacation! The F3000 races are from 2002, but their season ended long ago, similarly the British/German Touring car stuff. The Aussie V8 series may be newer, but still not shown live or anything like that. Also, SPEEDTV has not signed on for the 2003 F-1 season yet. For the 3rd year in a row, it looks like we will not know until the last second if the US is going to get F1 coverage on TV. I still believe that the 800 lb Gorilla (NASCAR) has plans to saturate the channel with as much Winston Cup, Busch, related programmig as the subscribers will stomach, even if that means not showing the other fine examples of racing available to them. I'm just surprised that they haven't decided to replay the entire Winston Cup season over the winter break. They must have gotten a real deal on the programming that they are showing!

If the need arises again to remove the Tar mat, use a hair dryer to heat it up a bit then you can use a putty knife to scrape it up very easily. There will still be a few tiny "bits" of it left, but I just wiped down the entire bare metal floorpan with a cloth soaked in acetone and they were instantly gone. Very easy and almost no clean up required as when using a wire brush or wheel to abrasively remove that crap. PS you don't need to buy the POR Solvent for clean-up as the acetone will work just fine for that too. If you need to THIN the POR15 for spraying instead of brushing it on, I WOULD buy their solvent.

In the picture that you uploaded, there are two rubber plugs visable, right? Those plugs are mounted in the metal floorpan. Do you see that "that area" is about 1/16" lower that the BLUE area of the rest of the floorpan? Also there are two more areas (Square in shape) toward the front of the floorpan that are similarly lower than the blue area of the floor pan. Those 4 small areas are the only places you are seeing the actual metal of the floorpan, and they look rusty to me All of that blue area is the tar mat. Scrape it with a screwdriver and you'll see that it isn't metal at all. It is a sound/vibration deadener used by the factory. It also holds water/moisture that condenses or otherwise collects for a long time, giving plenty of opportunity for CANCER to begin. For my time and $, I'd be treating BOTH inside and outside of the floorpan with POR15. In fact I did just that, but so far only on one side due to a lack of time. I have FIRM plans to do the other floorpan in the spring when I have the time to keep the car off the road for a week and do the work.

I'm not sure why they are different lengths. I've been told (not sure how true) that it had to do with the idea that the engine is not mounted exactly on centerline of car, and that the factory expectation was that the car would mostly be driven with just he driver inside and this different length spring set-up would keep the car level on the suspension. Sounds kind of strange to me, but that is what was mentioned on the IZCC list a while back (several years ago by now) Your Haynes manual will detail the differences in the springs!

I've also heard that Fel-Blow is not a good brand any longer. I have no reccomendation from experience except that I've always used a factory Nissan Headgasket when I needed one. I don't know if they are still available. Carl (bambikiller240)

Derk: Sorry to contradict you, but that floorpan IS NOT rust free. There is significant rust showing in the cut out areas of the tar mat. My car's floorpans looked exactly like that when I decided to POR15 them to keep the (what I THOUGHT was light surface) rust from getting worse. The problem lies in that the water/moisture that created the rust that you see, has most likely crept under the tar mat and it stays there a lot longer and eats the metal much more. When I removed the TarMat.........I found significant (MAJOR) rust and when doing the PreTreatment for the POR discovered that there were actually perforations all the way through the floor in several places! Thank God I didn't wait any longer to address the issue! Since you asked for advice..........If you plan to keep the car, and want it to not deteriorate any further....I'd remove the tarmat and treat everything with the full POR15 treatment. I'd be doing BOTH sides of the car too. Then as Michael said, you will not have to worry about the floors again. :classic: The POR15 treatment is time consuming and costs a bit of $, but is absolutely worth every minute and dollar you will spend on it. You will not regret doing it (after you've finished doing it!). Just my $.02 Carl

Just one suggestion...........Loctite (blue or red) that bolt and Torque to MAX spec when you install it!:classic: Carl

Hi Steve: Did you do the installation of the parts? Or if someone else did the work, do you KNOW for a fact that they installed new (or even used) Anti-Squeal Shims between the Caliper Pistons and the back of the Brake Pads? If not, did you/they at least apply a VERY thin coat of "Silicone Hi-Temp Brake Grease" to the backside of the Brake Pads? Failure to do one or the other of these things will certainly cause the symptoms you describe. Solving the Squeal should not be difficult, but will entail removing the pads from the calipers and adding the Anti-Squal shims of grease to the back of the pads. Most easily accomplished (for me!) by removing the caliper from the car and pulling the pads, reinstalling and bleeding the system.

On US spec 240Z's the two front springs are of different lengths. I don't have my books with me right now and can't remember (a senior moment!) which (R or L) is the longer. On the 260/280Z something was changed in the suspension (I don't know what), but the lengths of the two front springs was equalized to be the same on R and L sides of the car. I believe that the Strut inserts (shocks as you say)are also different from 240Z to 260/280 style of suspension.

So, WHO is "they"? and WHERE are "they"? Last question....WHY did "they" do this? just curious (very)

Bonniec75209: When the Ammeter reads below the mid point, it is indicating that the electrical system is using more electrical power than the Alternator is creating. Possibly a bad Alternator, or Voltage Regulator, however your issues with the dash lights and radio may indicate something is shorted out and causing a drain on the battery. Has any work been done to the car recently that may have damaged the wiring? Or when the new battery was installed did the installer short out the battery cables (cause a huge ARC or spark) that may have damaged the rectifying diodes in the alternator? If you have a Sears Auto Center near by, you could take the car to them and tell them you think you need a battery, explain ALL of your symptoms and ask them to check out your electrical system. The Sears around here in N. CA will check out the car for free if they think they may be able to sell you a battery. They should be able to comfirm if the battery, or Alternator, or Voltage regulator is/are defective. Once you know what they have found, then you can decide what you want to do further about it. Let them fix it, or take it elsewhere for repair , or home to fix yourself, or whatever. just an idea. Good Luck! Carl

US Spec 240Z's did not come with Anti-Roll Bars on the Rear suspension. So the bar on your 240Z suspension is an aftermarket item if the car is US spec. The Lower A-Arms did however have provision for the link bolts of a anti-roll bar to mount up. However, since you are talking about the mounting of the link bolts to the lower (A) control arm, and not the mounting of the bar itself to the car, I can't see that it would make any difference which bushings you use. so long as the bolt fits through them. There are differences in the hardness in the various bushings available on the market, so just be sure to use a matched set of all one type, or brand. "Energy Suspension" is good, so is "Suspension Techniques", also "Ground Control" is another quality brand. Different strokes for Different folks!

One of the more popluar Upgrades for 240Z's is to get the 4 piston brake calipers from mid 1980's Toyota 4X4 trucks and install them. It's a straight bolt on deal. You just have to trim the backing plate a bit for clearance to the caliper. You can also get a ZX Master Brake cylinder to move more fluid with the larger calipers. One of our members, Ross Corrigan ;has a business called Modern Motorsports ( at http://www.modern-motorsports.com/ ) and sells an upgrade kit for Z's that sounds interesting. He can hook you up with the stuff to do Disc Brakes on the Rear as well. Check him out.

Mandatory Z content: No Z's in this kind of racing, but............ Has anyone seen the Australian V8 Super Car, and British Touring Car racing on Speed TV this winter? Wow, I have seen some great racing in these two series in the past few weeks. I'm not sure how old the races are (2002 season for sure, but what month(s) they actually raced, I don't know) but they have some great close racing going on in these series. If you'all have a spare hour or so to kill what with NASCAR, CART, and IRL hibernating, do yourself a favor and check it out. Carl

Suddenly a Loud Clap of THUNDER, and a voice from above is heard to say............... Let There Be Steaks for All of My People!! :stupid: :stupid:

Hi Guys: One thing to keep in mind is that there are several places to buy many of these items. Nissan (if not NLA), MSA, and Victoria British to name a few. DO YOUR RESEARCH!! Especially on prices! I have bought some used items from Cybersanford (Bob Zola) and he's a nice guy to deal with, and seems honest enough, and I'd buy USED items from him again. But if you compare the prices for the rubber and other Z related nicknacks he puts up on eBay, well; the prices are higher that the same items at either MSA or Victoria British. The photo's of the items that he labels as "replacement" parts appear to be identical to what you get from Vic Brit. albeit at a higher price. This post SHOULD NOT be construed as a knock on Bob Zola! He is a businessman and like all businessmen, his job is to buy at one price and sell at a higher price. How else can one run a business? (US GOVERNMENT EXCEPTED! :disappoin :cross-eye ) So just be knowledgable about the options that you have to purchase these types of items from several different sources. Just an FYI

Check with : Scott Performance 2555 Lafayette St # 104, Santa Clara, CA 95050 Phone: (408) 988-2233 and see who they reccommend. Might also try to find a fellow named Potter (I think it's Dan Potter, but could be wrong) who is a famous Z guru from the South Bay area. He may do head work himself or can point you to the shop he uses. Sorry, but I've lost my contact info on him. Maybe someone else in the club keeps better records than I. Oh, and Dando's in Fleamont may be able to point you to someone also. www.dandos.com Good Luck

If you are going to do any repairing of the wiring, solder your connections! Do not, repeat DO NOT just use the crimp-on type things. Crimp them, then solder them so you have a perfect connection. Insulate well with shrink tube or good quality electrical tape if you can't get shrink tubing.

QUACK!!!!!!!!!:stupid:

On my car the flasher still "clicked" also, but the rear turn bulb, and later, the left front turn bulb did not respond to the "clicking" of the flasher. The switch is only available as a complete assembly which includes the lever, all of the mechanical gizmo's and the little switch box. The whole thing is mounted to the steering collumn with two screws which kind of clamp the headlight switch assembly on one side of the steering collumn, and the turn signal assembly to the other side. But, yes, that little "curved box" is where the switch contacts reside. That is what some people try to dis-assemble, clean, and re-assemble. I'm not familiar with alarm systems at all, so I can't help you there. I actually know very little about electric systems. Only what has been passed on to me in specific situations, and a little basic logic regarding troubleshooting. i.e. start and one end of a circuit and check each and every "thing" as you move through the circuit. Don't skip anything or you are wasting your time! You may want to join the IZCC mail list at www.zhome.com and post your symptoms there. Lots more brains to pick, just be sure to specify what year and model of Z you have, since they cover ALL Datsun/Nissan Z's from 1970 through 2003.