Pop's Z

Hi Samantha, FWIW, when I first got my '73 it, too, ground going into reverse. The original owner said he couldn't figure it out. What I did was to make sure the clutch pedal distance from the floor was up to spec (there is no adjustment on the slave cylinder on later models). It was not and after I adjusted it to spec (in the service manual) using the adjuster that attaches to the pedal up by the firewall the problem went away never to return. Good luck, it requires some serious contortion of the body to do. Cheers, Mike

Hi Christopher, Welcome to the BEST Zcar site. If you need someone to look at cars in Colorado let me know. Cheers, Mike

Hi, I put them on my '73. They make the bleeding a bit easier as they don't suck air when you let up on the pedal. If you get the bag that comes as a kit it is no mess, also. Fronts and rears are different part #s and the clutch is the same as one of them, but it's been so long I don't remember which. The bottom line is that they work great so far. Cheers, Mike

Adam, I feel your pain, man. I got to ride to the ER in an ambulance twice in December with a herniated disc at L-4, L-5. No operation, but I've been doing big time physical therapy and have recently transferred to gym work with a trainer for core work. Rest, relax and NO Z work for at least a month. Go to the show as an observer and pencil in next year for the car to the show. That's what I'm doing. Next year I'll drive out there and be in the show. Don't try to hurry the process or you will get discouraging set-backs (ask me how I know this). I am in the process of installing a Hot Rod Air hvac system in my '73 and have been putting off the install until I'm sure I can do it pain-free. I'm also going to take my time with it. I hope to see you next year at the show...2 brown cars at one time...woo hoo. Cheers, Mike

Paul, FWIW I'm running the same set-up on my '73 and tried both places. I really didn't notice any real differences, but ended up using the port on the front carb. Cheers, Mike

I'm installing a Hot Rod Air hvac system on my '73. They have a bracket that bolts up to the driver's side for a Sanden 508 compressor. Call 1-888-357-0040 and ask for Wayne Potter. I'm sure he would be glad to sell you one. I don't know the cost as it was part of my package. The mount can even incorporate the stock air pump. HRA are good people to deal with. Cheers, Mike

It might have been a good idea to have one of us Colorado guys help you with this. There are a few of us who have a ton of experience with these cars and would be happy to help. If you are anywhere near northern Colorado send me a pm and I'll help out. Cheers, Mike

You should be very nice to your wife...almost NINE pounds! Whew! Congratulations. May he live long and prosper. Cheers, Mike

Jack, Try MSA. (www.zcarparts.com) That's where I got mine and they are stock Datsun/Nissan part # B889A-45100NW. Cheers, Mike

FWIW, I did this on my 4:11/5spd swap. I was able to get a red speedo cog for a 4:11 from Oliver the Zman of Washington (www.zspecialties.com). I just cut a new slot w/ my Dremel. I put 2 or 3 cutting blades together and it cut the slot in minutes. Be careful and take your time. Later on I got a pinion holder from a ZX and used it. Either method works just fine. Cheers, Mike

Weasel, If your car is a '73 you can just use your old lever from the 4spd. That will actually make it a "shorter shifter". This is what I did and it works perfectly. I would get some new shifter bushings and you would be good to go. You can get a 22 tooth speedo cog from Zman of Washington www.zspecialties.com. Oliver is a good guy to work with and honest as the day is long. Cheers, Mike

Hi all, This is a shout out to Bruce Palmer for his help with a carb problem. Somehow or other after installing a Carter electric fuel pump on my ZX engine swap, my front carb started spewing gas from the float bowl. It was not coming out the vent pipe. I traced it to a bad float bowl gasket. I have since added a fuel pressure regulator. Bruce went out of his way to help diagnose the problem and to send me new gaskets and the little barrel-type filters which I received in short order. He told me to send him a check for what "I thought it was worth". The carb is repaired and all is well in Z-land for me. If you are even thinking about ZTherapy carbs you should do it. Not only are they great carbs, but the after service is above and beyond. Bruce and Steve are honest gentlemen and their business is run that way, plus, Bruce has a very funny sense of humor. Once again, thanks Bruce and Steve. Cheers, Mike Gard

Having recently installed an KR180 from a 200SX with a 4:11 gear ratio, I can tell you it's not quite a bolt-in, but fairly easy none the less. The beauty of it is you don't need a 280 mustache bar, it's just a bolt-in, and you can use your own halfshafts. Our own jmortenson has a how-to for this over on hybridz, but here's the gist:To replace the R180 in the 70-73 you must first get the thread-in "buttons out of the old one in your car. To do this you should remove the diffy from the car leaving the halfshafts hooked up to the outer mounts, remove the ring gear-carrier gear set from the diffy. Then put it in a vise and remove the ring gear. Then drive out the small pin securing the big pin holding the spider gears in place. Then knock out the threaded "buttons" from each side gear. Then on the "new" R180-4:11 you must do the same removal of the ring gear-carrier gear set and ring gear to remove the lock-rings and an extra piece that's not needed (you'll know it when you see it...the "old" diffy doesn't have one). Then put the threaded "buttons into the side spider gears. You have to press them in place...I used the vise with wood blocks to protect the gears. Then put the "new" R180-4:11 back together, bolt in the carriers for the halfshafts, bolt the "new" R180-4:11 into the car, bolt up the halfshafts, use RedLine gearlube, get a red speedo cog for your tranny (Z Specialties in Washington has these) and enjoy the acceleration. It has transformed my car. I just got done putting an '83 ZX motor and 5-spd. in and it is a hoot to drive. Warning...watch out or you will spend a lot of time and money on this addiction. I know I have, but what fun! Cheers, Mike

Just had to respond on the Z Therapy jets and needles. When I got my carbs "Z Therapy-ed" the sheet they sent back said I had .100 nozzles and N27 needles. I told Bruce that I lived at 5000 feet and that most of my driving was at even higher elevations. I have a ZX dizzy and a Crane PS20 coil. I eliminated the ballast resistor from the system. I gapped the plugs (NGK BP6ES) at .043. I consistantly have a nice light brown residue on the plugs and the engine (a stock 2.4L) runs very well. That being said, I'm about to install an '82 280 ZX motor with 132,000 miles on it. I'll transfer the carbs and dizzy and see what happens. Cheers, Mike

FWIW, I haven't found any of the rollers on several 280Zs in the various JYs that I have been to. I always pull the chrome "wipe" strip to see and the rollers don't appear to have ever been installed. Perhaps they weren't used on the later models. SBlake, you are definitely the 280Z guru...what say you? Cheers, Mike

Stephen, Remove the diffy via #3. I did this a week ago w/o any problems. It's much easier to deal with that way. Don't forget that when you put it back together you need to pre-load the suspension before tightening those four bolts and the big mothers that hold the bushings.As far as the u-joints go...If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Cheers, Mike

Hi Mike, I have a great body and paint guy in Fort Collins: Gerrard Kloppe, Kustom Paint and Trim, 1417 Webster Ave., 970-498-9755. He did a terrific job on my car for a reasonable price. Check out my gallery. Now, granted I had NO rust issues and for those you will pay many $$$. Cheers, Mike

But if you do be sure to pull out the 4" tubes that go into your head from under the rail. Cheers, Mike

Worthwhile projects and worthwhile cars require the occasional blood sacrifice. At least I have given blood to all of mine. Cheers, Mike

Arne the speedo pinion is on back order. Courtesy says 1 week to 1 month...we'll see. Cheers, Mike

Arne, I ordered a 20 tooth ( theoretically for a 4:11) speedo cog (they call it a speedometer pinion) part # 32703-78104 $13.48 from Courtesy Nissan. If you go to their website there is a small link to their Nismo catalog. Now, it's not in my hand yet so I don't know if it really exists...we'll see. Cheers, Mike

Hi Arne I paid $72 for a KR180 4:11 out of an 86 200 SX at the local p-n-p. I pulled the half-shafts off as they won't fit on our cars and also didn't have to pay for them. I will use my threaded buttons from my stock R180 3:36 gear carrier and put them in the KR180. That way I can use my own half-shaft stubs and half-shafts. This was covered in a differential sticky on hybridz by our own jmortenson. The only trouble I'm having is trying to obtain a 4:11 speedo cog to fit into our speedo cog holder. The cog from the 200SX was gray and had 21 teeth which is supposed to be for a 4:39. The stamp on the ring gear of the KR180 is 37.9 which is a 4:11. I got a cog drive from a 240 SX (red-20 teeth), but it is electric and the shaft won't work on out speed cog housings. I hope this helps. Cheers, Mike

Hi all, I have an interesting question for the experts on this site especially jmortenson. I found an 86 200SX 4 cyl N/A at the JY and removed the KR180 diify. Upon removing the rear cover I found the numbers 37.9 stamped on the ring gear. This indicates that it is a 4:11 which is what I want to put in my car, a '73 with an 81-83 5-spd. I will take the buttons from the spider gears from my R180 3:36 and put them into the 4:11 thereby utilizing my half-shafts and stubs. Thank you, jmortenson for the diffy sticky on hybridz. Now here is the intersting part. I also removed the speedo cog (which was in an aluminum housing) from the 5-spd in the 200SX and here is what I found: It has 21 teeth and is tan/gray in color. On Dave Little's Datsun Z Garage he states that the 4:11 gear is red, somewhat larger, and has 20 teeth and the 4:39 gear is purple and has 21 teeth. I also removed a speedo cog (electric) from a 240SX and it was red, 20 teeth, and larger than the cogs I've been dealing with. So does anyone know what I have here, and will my speedometer reading be way off if I use it? Could I use the red cog even though it's larger? It seems to just slip into the tranny with no problem. The 200SX appeared to be a standard plain old car with no modifications that I could spot. I hope this is understandable. Any and all advice will be welcomed. Cheers all, Mike

Darrel, You are a naughty, naughty man. Mike

Darbji, I know it may be really obvious, but be sure to drain the transmission lube if you are going to pull the speedo gear out. If you haven't moved the cable it shouldn't have pulled out of the cog at the trans end, however that being said it could have been put back wrong and not been seated in the trans speedo cog correctly when the clutch was re-done. There is a little protrusion on the cable that fits into a slot in the cog. You have to rotate the cable little by little to get it to fit in that slot. Try re-doing the cable into the trans first(fix the easiest thing). If that doesn't do it I would suspect a broken cable. I don't think the cog would be the problem. FWIW when I switched out my 4-spd for a 5-spd the speedo cog in the trans had to be rotated 180 degrees and a new retaining slot cut into it for the retaining thingum and the speedo to work, but I don't see how that would be the problem for you though. Good luck. Mike