240Z finally passed NJ inspection

[nuteman]

Hi All,

It's been several months since I got my non-running 240Z.

I've been fixing it up mechanically (with advice from you guys) and trying to pass NJ state inspection.

Well, today I finally passed (my third attempt).

I've put in a lot of hours and several hundred dollars, but it was gratifying and enjoyable most of the time.

Now I've got some minor mechanical issues left and major cosmetic issues.

The most pressing issue is rust, rust, rust - everywhere!

Well, I still get compliments and I love driving it (and I can actually do so without suffocating from fumes - yay!).

Thanks to all of you for your great advice (in many cases I didn't post a question - I just searched here for my problem and found an answer).

[TomoHawk]

Congratulations! And in winter, too

What wasn't working?

thx

[Fun_in_my_z]

Man im i glad Arkansas dont inspect anymore .

Congrats glad to hear that your car past.

[BunkyScott]

congratulations Nuteman! A great accomplishment!

Where are you in NJ? I'd love to compare cars. I've got a '72 240 with historic plates in NJ. Don't have to get it inspected, but can't drive it very far with the "classic car" insurance. ($130 per year)

[nuteman]

BunkyScott,

I live in Hightstown, NJ (20 minutes southeast of Princeton). I'm sure your car is much prettier than mine. Mine has some serious rust, several dings and a worn out interior (though my dash is not cracked, surprisingly).

TomoHawk,

I did a lot of things, but here's some of it:

Items I've replaced/added:

Battery

Electric fuel pump and its in-line fuel filter - I have to change the filter every few weeks because of all the crap in the tank - they're only about $3.

Fuel filter near mechanical fuel pump (in engine compartment)

Various hoses in the engine compartment

Speedometer cable

Inner shift boot (rubber) - fumes and heat were getting in here

Two electric cooling fans mounted in front of radiator activated by switch under dashboard - this was absolutely essential in 90+ heat. I also removed the thermostat because I wanted the coolant to flow as freely as possible.

Monza center pipe and muffler (still has original header pipe) - I took off the old one (it was totally shot) and Meineke put the new one on for only $65 in labor - I got the parts on eBay.

Items I've repaired:

Cleaned carbs

Lubricated stuck choke cables

Lubricated throttle linkages

Hooked up switch under dashboard for headlights (regualr switch was not working)

Freed up stuck wiper motor/assembly arms

Sealed up holes in the firewall that were letting fumes in.

Various fasteners in the interior

[mlc240z]

Hey Nuteman and Bunky Scott!

Nice to find some other NJ Z's.

What exactly were you failing on? I'll be going thru the same crap when I finally put mine on the road in the spring.

Did they give you a hard time on anything in particular (emissions etc.)?

Did you do the work yourself or have you found a good Z mechanic? I'm looking for Z experienced shops myself.

Thanks

[ChrisA]

Hooked up switch under dashboard for headlights (regualr switch was not working)

Hi nuteman, what year is your car? I have a complete headlight switch assembly out of a 71 if your interested.

Chris

[nuteman]

mlc240z,

They failed me for:

1. Bad wiper blades - new blades were $18

2. Horn not loud enough - I put in a new horn - $13

3. Excessive body rust - I sanded and painted some of the rust spots. I covered the spots with holes with Bondo. The bottom of the car has a ton of rust they didn't see.

4. Exhaust leak - My emmissions were fine but my original pipe/muffler had two leaks. Even after putting on my new Monza center pipe and muffler (which made the car run quieter and smoother) I failed again because of a very tiny leak at the point where the muffler slips onto the center pipe. I sealed this up with RTV and then I passed.

I did ALL the work myself with the exception of the installation of the Monza center pipe and muffler (Meineke did that for $65) - I took off the old pipe and muffler. There were many, many little things in addition to those I mentioned. An example: My left headlight was not as bright as the right headlight. It turned out that replacing the half-working fuse solved that, but it sure took a lot of troubleshooting time to figure it out (I verified that the headlight itself was not the culprit by running a connection directly to the battery).

Another example of barking up the wrong tree for a long time was this: The car would act like it was vapor locking even in relatively cool weather. It turned out that the original electrical fuel pump (which was installed on 73 models) was barely working. So, I installed a new pump and in-line fuel filter (between the tank and the pump) and the car ran great for about two weeks and then started acting like it was vapor locking again. It turned out that the in-line filter was clogged with sludge from the tank. So, now I change the filter every three weeks - it's really easy to get at and only takes five minutes. The filter is only three bucks. I'd rather do that until all the sludge is sucked out of the tank than drop the tank and have to find someone who will clean it properly without busting it.

My experience has been that I'd rather (when possible) spend the money on tools (and do the job right myself) than pay exorbitant labor fees to a mechanic who will do a half-baked job that I'll end up having to re-do myself anyway.

I learned this the hard way when I gave my motocycle to a shop many years ago. I've done a lot of motorcycle work since then (about 12 years ago), but this 240Z is the first car project I've undertaken.

The guys on this site have all the answers and with a good manual you'll be able to do the vast majority of the work yourself (assuming that you can spare several hours a week).

[mlc240z]

nuteman,

good to hear that they didn't hassle you over some 'odd' specs just because it's an older car. I wasn't sure if DMV has some special criteria for an older Z.

I'm going to add the headlight relays to be able to use halogen sealed beams without taxing the fusebox/wiring. The stock headlights leave alot to be desired on the brightness scale.

From what I've been reading, you're probably going to have to start saving up to boil out the gas tank. I got lucky since the PO had it done (hopefully good). But I know what you mean about finding a trustworthy mechanic, they're like gold.

That's one of the reasons I do most of my own work.

Many little things to fix on a 31 year old Z, NAAAAAHHH!!!!