71 240Z engine troubles..help please

[New_BE]

Hello,I am 16 and have just purchased my first car ever...a '71 240Z, very good condition, 1450$ for it cnd funds so i thought it was a good deal, turned it over adn voila it started after siting for 2-3 years... when it's running teh last three cylinders aren't getting a good spark...i say good cause when i use a timming light it shows no spark... When i romove the wire from the spark plug, and place a spark plug in the wire, and touch the plug wich is now connected with the wire to the valve cover, there is spark... not a strong spark, from what i have been told a blue spark is strong and a orange-ish colour is weaker. When i go to connect the wire back the the spark plug it starts to fire liek once or twice, if u hold it int eh right spot. I was wondering what is causing this, does anyone havce any idea? Also when u are driving it( just drove it downt the back lane to my place) it doesn't go very well when u start off but then it goes just fine when the rpm's get up there.. Also does anyone knwo the vavle adjustments for this car, it's completely stock teh engine... I was thinking that it could be the coil, the distributor cap, or wires? i am buying new wires on payday cause one is broken, and am thinking about a cap and rotor kit since it's only like 15 bucks, and a new coil is 35 bucks and wires 35 or sumthing liek that..anyways i'm really thankfull for your help on this, since i dot'n know too much about cars, thanks alot guys and gals.

[kmack]

Sounds like you have a problem in the plug wires.

I'd spend the money for:

new wires

new plugs

new cap

new rotor

new points

(maybe new coil, but I don't think it has anything wrong with it.)

Install these items, check the valves, timing, and the tune of the carbs, and you should be in business w/ a strong running engine. Just keep an eye on the oil consumption. With the engine sitting that long, the rings may be stuck. Might want to run a engine additive (like Marvel Mystery Oil) in it on the first oil change.

Good luck...

[EScanlon]

KMack has pointed out the perfect starting points. I would also add an oil change to this.

Before you get into a valve adjust, run the engine for a while. It may be premature to get into it to adjust stuff.

As far as the spark plug wires, buy those first, then I would address the dist. cap / rotor / points, and finally the spark plugs. Just my preference, but surely someone else may have a better reason. My reason is simple, the wires usually cannot be fixed, so replacement is the only option. The cap can be cleaned up, contact areas cleaned up and filed smooth, rotor and points as well, although that takes some care, but the spark plugs can usually be cleaned up, re-gapped and made to work a bit longer. So save your money and replace those items that NEED replacement first, and then get into the other stuff.

2¢

[New_BE]

Hello, thanks for your responses...i have just notice iw as out there lookin at the engine adn playin around, and the spark plugs are new, however they aren't the ag22 (i think) that are supposed to be in the car, i also had it running for a minute or so, then removed a spark plug, form the fourth cylinder and noticed a small amount of smoke coming out, since i have pretty much no knowledge of cars.

[Dave Sommers]

Hey Newbe - don't panic that's normal. If you pulled the plug right after running the engine it will smoke some out of a few of the plug holes. Depends which valves are open and the like. It is just exhaust gas or uncombusted fuel coming out the now open path to lower pressure.

You have been given good suggestions on which direction to go. I have one more. Go to your nearby used book store and look for a maintenance and repair manual for you Z car. You should be able to find one on the shelf there for about two to four $ (US that is). It will be some of the best $ you spend right now and give you alot of your own answers on how to do things right.

You picked a good car to start learning with as it is fairly easy to work on and a great runner once you get it right. Glad to have you on board.

[72zcar]

If possible take all the spark plugs out and do a compression test. I like to do this to a new car just to see the condition of the rings and valves. If one or more of the cylinders has low compression there is really no reason to put money into plugs, wires etc... time to find out why there is low compression instead. Just my opinion... Good luck:classic: and welome to z-land...it becomes a sickness:tapemouth

[New_BE]

Hey guys so i spent about 6 or so hours playing with the car after work today, anyways,.... I did a compresion test

Cylinder

1-120

2-115

3-125

4-90

5-105

6-90

cylinders 4,5,6 are the ones not running, but while i was palying around i pushed a bunch of connections so they'd be tighter and ****, then i started it up after the compresion test hooked a timming light to it again and i got spark that was goign through all the wires( i temporairly fixed one of them that was broken), it also seemed asthough one or so of the 3 that aren't firering were trying to start up...

I also firxed a bunch of wholes in the floor..it took most of that time, since i had to figure out what i was doing and ****....well jsut an update if anyone can help with this it would be greatly appreciated....thanks guys and gals....

[beandip]

I can remember getting my first car , that was 1955 . Any way all the best of luck with it , by the way where are you ? One thing when asking for info or help dont use code like btw , it some times is frustrating trying to figure out what is asked. As was said before replace the plug wires , and clean the plugs. replace the points if you see they are pitted or burned , that is if you know how to do the instelation. For the time being forget the compression . The engine will run fine with the compression that you stated , just not as smooth and the power will be less. Being that the car has been sitting that long with new oil the rings may loosen up if they are stuck and likewise the valves may have a little rust and will reseat and the compression may change. I would change the oil before driving or running the engine any more and add some Rislone , 1 qt , to the new oil either that or some Marvel Mistery oil the same ammount. This will help to clean and loosen things . Pull the pluggs and clean and gap them , look at the dist, cap and see if the contacts are burned or croaded scrape off the deposits if found and the same with the rotor. Replace them when you have the bucks . This should get you going . What about the gas ? Are you running the old gas that has been the tank all this time or did you drain the tank and put in fresh?? When you do get fresh gas and if you live in t he USA , the new fuel may loosen crud and plug the fuel filter , just be aware of this and replace it if nessary. Just ask and we will be here for you . Good luck!

[New_BE]

Hello yet again...anyways i was thinking maybe it's the carb. cause one is obviously working, and the other one controls the back three wich aren't running, i just hought maybe it coudl b esomething to do with the carbs any ideas?? I belive i need one of the unisyns or something liek that to adjust them?? any helf woudl be appreciated.

Timming light and timming...exactly what are they....i am really new to this car stuff but gotta learn so should jsut ask and learn. thanks alot

[Ed]

New-be, where are you? Maybe someone can give you a hand.

[New_BE]

I am in winnipeg, MB, canada. I am gonna get me some wires, cap&rotor, points, adjust the timming. My uncle is gonna help me with it.. He loves the car as much as ido i just need the xash to get the parts, he says 150$ cnd funds and i should be good to go, also is there anything else i should do/adjust to a car that has been sitting fro a few years...It was taken in just befroe i bought it to see if it would start, the guy who owned it obviously knew nothing about cars, it had an oil change and that was pretty much it and it started, so the guy was happy...anyways thnks

[New_BE]

hello again...i hope someone is still checkin this thread out..anyways I am not sure if i mentioned that when i drove it down the back lane, it kinda studdered so to say then it was pretty smooth, well for a car that sat for quite awhile. I am getting new points and condenser, gonna do the timming, and probrally get wires this weekend, just gonna clean up the cap and rotor for now. i am pretty sure the coil is still alright for another two weeks, till payday again... i think that due to the fact that the other plugs are still getting spark, anyways once again i am very thankfull for your help