I use a remote starter for this. I can't remember where I bought mine but here's a link to a similar product:

http://www.iequus.com/item.asp?cid=40&pid=3630

If you ahve an electric pump all you have to do is turn on the key. Didn't you say you added one? If so, no need to crank. Also, have you tried replacing the gasket on the float bowl?

Adam

Fuel pump is mechanical, I did relace the gaskets.

BUT some good luck tonight. I got a remote starter and sure enoguh on closer examination it was gas leaking from around the bolt that was the culprit. After a few trials of putting the little gaskets on different ways (they have a flat and slightly curved face), and then finally pulling the fuel inlet part with the bolt and screen off of an old SU, I was able to stop the leak.

I tried the various combinations while blowing through the inlet with the needle valve closed. You could just barely detect it was leaking air.

OK so now no leak, but also no start yet.

Remember last night I did get it to run for a few seconds. So I'm guessing she's either set too rich or too lean, or maybe as cj71 said still filled up with crud?

Is the choke setup and operating properly? With the choke lever pulled all the way back the fuel nozzles (located at the bottom of the carb - follow the rubber hose from the bottom of the float bowl) should be pulled down and out of the bottom of the carbs by about 1/4". Also, the throttle valve should be opened slightly, I'd have to check the FSM for the measurement... but it should at least be opened a crack. You'll have to pull the carbs off to measure & adjust the amount the throttle is opened by the choke.

The site was down the last few times I tried to get on and update my situation.

I did get the leak situation fixed, it was definately the little gaskets on the fuel inlet bolt.

Also, I had fried the points by leaving the key in the on position. I put new points in and gapped em. Checked and confirmed I have spark.

BUT, while I can get her to run for a second or two, it's still a no start situation.

Recall that I know a guy who runs a car shop, who has owned a few 240-Z's.

He came out to my place on his own time and kinda looked over the carbs. He pulled the domes off and the pistons and the carefully measured the distance between the nozzle tops and the brass (?) deal it sits in. He said there was a specific measurement that is where the nozzles should sit, regardless of the two and half turns we've all heard about. Anyway he said they should be set up ok, and we tried to start it. He did not want to use the chokes at all. I thought that was kinda weird , but regardless we got no start.

He also claims i should be able to start my Z anytiome without the chokes, by pumping the gas while cranking.

I didnt really like the sound of that concept, in part because the owners manual says specifically not to pump while cranking.

Anyway he figured we had soaked the spark plugs with gas and so he had me pull em out and dry em, and then try again the next day with some starting fluid.

I still had no luck, although I did use the chokes.I noticed one of the chokes would not come on when I pulled the lever, so I manually pulled the nozzle down.

OK, this guy has not charged me for any work. He has given some advice on what to look for. He believes she has lost compression since the gas flsuhed all oil of the cylinders.

He says he will try to come out this week, and PULL THE CAR to get the engine to kick over and then we'll get compression again.

Does this sound like a reasonable idea? Or someone who is grasping at straws? he seems real confident it will work. I thought maybe we should just shoot some oil down the spark plug holes and try that.

I'm not so sure of some of his statements.

On a regular 2 or 4 barrel carb, when you mash the pedal when trying to start a car you are activating the accellerator pump to force gas into the engine. The SU's don't have an accelerator pump so mashing the pedal should have little if any effect.

Also, if compression is bad "since the gas flsuhed all oil of the cylinders", why not just squirt a little oil into each spark plug hole and manually rotate the crankshaft a few times (or disconnect the coil and rotate it on the starter) to distribute oil onto the cylinder walls? I can't imagine why you'd have to pull the car to accomplish this.

Of course, he is working on your car for free, and if you ride herd on him well he probably won't mess up the car.

Yeah I came to the same conclusion about the oil down the cylinders, I will mention that to him today, and see what he says. I will also ask him about the lack of acelerator pump on the arbs as far as a chokeless start up goes. He does seem like a good guy, and obviously he hasnt charged me anything to come out to my place, I live about 12 miles outside of town.

Thanks to all who would still be following my saga.

Today I pulled and cleaned the plugs, and put about a tablespoon of oil in each plug hole.

Hit the carbs with a bit of starting fluid, set the chokes and ...she started ! and ran for about two minutes. I had the high idle screw tunred up to keep her idling but then she started to lose revs and died. I confirmed she was still getting fuel, I could see it coming up into the filter.

I pulled the plugs again, they did appear wet, but I figured it was from the oil??

I cleaned em off again and she ran about thirty seconds and died.

I would like to be able to check carb balance, timing and dwell, but can't do so till I get her to run a little longer. Anyway I guess my mechanic idea of lack of compression was correct.

OK well any ideas what I chould check for now?

lean out the mixture at the carbs and try again with clean plugs. See what happens, how the symptoms change. (note you don't want the car to run long with the mixture too lean, but if you make changes in small increments you should be OK.) I'm thinking that your carbs could be providing an over-rich mixture at present.

JMO