Daniel

Just a thought.You may wish to replace the radiator hoses while you have the car down replacing the thermostat.It has been my experence that once those old hoses balloon due to the pressure/heat they are on borrowed time.Use caution removing the hose from the rad.Don't try to twist it off with too much force or you'll snap off the rad. neck.If you get them off without cutting them put them under your spare tire and you'll always get home!!

Hey thats what this site is for!Next time you'll know a few more things to check!!

I like to slide a small needlenose plier between the metal and the plastic ball.That puts even pressure and snaps it right off.Wrap a piece of string around the channel that is going to seat in the firewall.Feed the string thru the firewall hole and start the rubber lip in the hole, have someone hold the boot in place.From inside the car when you pull the string it will pull the rubber into the car.Cool huh?

Check the passenger floorboard for wetness.The heater hose or valve could be leaking.Your rad cap could be bad.The thermo could be acting up to where it isn't always shut,just not functioning properly.The coolant just didn't evaporate.

I haven't ever had a pump fail that didn't leak first.Of course that doesn't rule that out.The thermostat could be stuck/hanging shut.Coolant could be worn out.Fan clutch not working correctly.Loose fan belt.My least favorite would be the sending unit went bad and your readings are false.

Most people just screw a plumbing pipe plug(hardware store) into it and eliminate the intake water supply.It's not required.If you want it plug it and keep looking.At least you can drive the car.Make sure its a plumbing plug.There are electrical types.The difference is all plumbing thread are tapered to seal.Others are just straight threads.Compare them and you'll see what I mean.

Learning to use a multi-meter is a good thing,but even if you had gotten the readings that the factory spec'd that doesn't prove absolute.You are testing using just barely enough voltage to run the meter.The actual voltage the coil produces is thousands of times more powerful.Think of it as trying to pressure test a firehose by pouring a cup of water thru it.The fact that the water pours out the other end means the path is there and thats all.

Did you adjust the new shoes to the max that would allow you to put the drum back on?If not you can either backup alot while tapping your brake or hold the button in on your emergency brake and pump it .You should hear the adjuster's in the drum's clicking.A trick is to put a board (2x4 or such) under the brake pedal before you start the bleeding.Remember the pedal hasn't been that far down in years.Rust and crapola will kill the master cylinder piston seals as it travels into this unsmooth area.

Bart sounds like a trip to a radio shack /napa etc. is in your future.They have a kit that have various type/sizes connectors and the tool to install them correctly.

Seems that lately we have had a few of those.Guys we damn sure know what makes ourZ's NOT run.A hidden switch is an excellent thing for all.Those of you that are rewiring your baby will never have a better chance to hide a wire in the new harness.Be creative! The only problem is you cant tell anyone how clever you were!

Im not the 280 man but,will it turn over?start?The real question is do you hear the common relay for those click when you switch the key on?The amp gauge is not relay powered.

The connector is called a barrel type.Radio shack has them.If you did have a wiring short ,it would show itself regardless if the wire was connected or not since all we want is ground.I would first check the new sending unit.Put a meter lead on the thermo housing and one on the sending unit connection.There should be some resistance but,not total continuity.That sending unit acts sorta like a light dimmer in your house.It varies the amount of ground to your gauge.Does the oil pres. part of the gauge work correctly?

That rough idle may be caused by a air leak at your turbo charger!!! ROFL ,

Afew choices.The plugs can be removed by driving a screwdriver thru it and pry it out.Kinda like the plug on a new can of brake fluid.Finding one that size may be an issue,I don't know.To replace use a socket that is the same inside diameter and tap it in.You could just by-pass that entire carb/water thing.It is to heat the intake during cold weather.Most do that.In your area it may be good to have.You could drain some coolant so the plug stays dry and apply some jb weld.Use the 24hr dry stuff not the jbquick.That would be the easy attempt. Also just an FYI ,the plugs are called freezeplugs by most people even the ones on your block.They do kinda serve that function but,its kinda by accident.The real reason for them is during the casting of the part they are an exit point for air and sand during manufacture.

Some info. I read stated that the plates inside the battery will scar (their term not mine)when it runs down.It will never charge back to full again.Each run down = more scars.A marine battery also known as a "deep cell" is made to run down without damage and will fully charge back up.As best as I can recall the heat is what deep cells die from and is the reason you don't have one in your car.

My shine program went like this.After hours on the wheel with the polish stuff my valve cover was still foggy.I went to the man that does my chrome and has the gorilla polisher.Can you beat this I asked.He smiled and said HELL YEAH!,hit his wheel for about 20 seconds.I found I had wasted ALOT of time.He charged 15 or 20 bucks.I did the intake and carbs.I filed the metal off from the seam on the side of the intake.I also took it to a friend/welder that filled the small little dimples on the intake near the engine that collect that little crap that only a Q-tip can get out.I used a dremmel to grind it smooth.You wouldn't know it ever happened.It stays clean now.Since I no longer use most of the crap on the balance tube between the carbs,rather than just plug them off,I had my friend fill all the holes and I sawed off,then ground smooth all the mounts.My balance tube only has the one brake booster connection.The great thing is once you get it slick you just wipe the motor clean!! I never could get my photos online but 2many Z's has the photos of my car that you would like to see. Perhaps he would be so kind if you ask.

I don't have my book but off the top of my head I would say chassis ground.There is also a frame ground.With all the rubber and moving parts between the two a few common connections are needed to keep the same electrical ground potential among all parts.Remember your lights that are on that fender need a good ground to burn.

If daily is to a work location and some running around sure.If you are a traveling salesman--no.I drove mine daily for a couple of decades.Just like any old car they do require attention at times.Since the ground up resto. on mine it is now a true daily driver.When I do drive it it's for the day!!

I have read that alot of those parts that do NOT have the grease fittings are that way to give a lifetime of service.Let me explain.If you add air to your tires each time you change the oil just because you felt they may need it ,they will wear due to over inflation.If you hit the grease fitting's in the same way you will blow out seals and cause early failure.Like you said all it took was two pumps.How long does that take to wear away?.Stick to the manufacture's rules.Those quick lube places are real bad about grease overload.Ujoints will die.

It's the first part to get the blame and the last part to really be the problem.I vote coil to be second normal wrong turn.

Notice your car does not have the slim "unleaded only" plug in the fuel filler ,it has no cat.conv.With the Z filler being that large is proof as it is obvious it wasn't torn out.Also your gauge doesn't read"unleaded only"

A few more places to check.The oil plugs gasket and the oil filter.I have seen an entire oil filter gasket stay stuck on the block also pieces.If someone isn't careful they will add another gasket with the new filter.(Toyota's are bad for this).A clean inspection is always best ,but a trick is to throw baby powder on the oil covered engine and go for a short ride.The oil will show up and your car will smell goodROFL

White smoke can mean a bad headgasket.Check your radiator for level and color.Also check your oil dip stick and make sure its not a greyish "wet clay" looking.

You said you replaced the coil but what about the coil and plug wires?Are BOTH chokes working correctly?Points and plugs new and set. Dist cap and rotor.Myself ,I would want the car running before making big changes.The pertronics would be fine since its like a point swap.My thinking is when the "new and improved" doesn't crank it ,now how many problems did you just add to the mix?

Just a couple of thoughts.If you have carbs,are the chokes fully off when you think they are?.Remember chokes love cool/hate heat.That my be your temp. problem.Also I would guess your rubber brake lines and wheel cylinders are in about the same status as your clutch parts were.Going is great,stopping is better!!