3 years of sitting... what to do first?

[EverRude]

Just bought a 240z that's been sitting outside for the last 3 years. Ran when parked but hasn't ran since.

I'm guessing changing oil. Pulling plugs and squirting oil in there. Best type to use for cylinder bores?

Think I'll drain the coolant and refill. Also the gas tank.

Car has 4 screw round top SU carbs ,as it should, so is there anything I should do to prepare them before even attempting to start the car?

What else should I do before I even turn her over for the first time?

Thanks

[Mike B]

Take a look at this old thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22619. Especially post #8.

-Mike

[EverRude]

Thanks for response. Must remember to make better use of search function

[spitz17]

Flush the tank!

[mayitin]

don't forget the brakes.

[psdenno]

Just bought a 240z that's been sitting outside for the last 3 years. <SNIP> What else should I do before I even turn her over for the first time?

Thanks

Check your bank balance

Dennis

[JohnnyO]

4 screw carbs? What's the VIN?

[EverRude]

HLS30-19889 Build Date 01/71

Ok I soaked piston bores in ATF over night. Changed oil this afternoon and drained gas tank. Man that stuff smelled funky. Replaced most fuel lines. It has a electric fuel pump hard wired to a switch on dash. Used it to flush the system. Changed fuel filter twice. Cleaned plugs and reinstalled. Drained coolant in rad and refilled. Will flush it again later.

Pulled valve cover and inspected. Looked fine to me but definitely dry. Poured fresh oil all over. Rear passenger side of valve cover was leaking. There was a wrong size screw in there. Wasn't even tight and way too short. For the time being I have a correct size bolt from Lowes to hold the cover down tight. Gasket looked great. Checked out timing chain as well. Looked good. Not obviously worn and maybe an 1/8" of slack when I pressed on it. Seems tight to me. Sound ok to y'all?

Flushed and bled the clutch hydraulics. Slave looks brand new but master is missing the proper cap. Looks like a cap from a bottle of antifreeze on there now. The clutch works again. Pedal just went to floor before. The brakes I bled at master but still need to do the wheels. Where are bleed ports on calipers exactly? Nevermind I'll figure it out The rear master cylinder resevoir was empty. Which does it supply? Front or rear brakes?

I had to connect the choke cables. The screws holding the cables at carbs were missing. Found right size screws at Lowes and used them. Chokes work now. Also despite a perfectly good stock air box there was no air filter installed. I need one of those. No local supply for them.

Few quirks I found that will need to be fixed. Fuel vent from tank to the bottle inside is disconnected and capped off. It's too short to reconnect. What does it do exactly?

The fuel pump I mentioned. It's a problem. He used a holley regulator (this one http://www.holley.com/12-804.asp ) and it's not regulating. Too much pressure to carbs and they over flow. There is a return line piped back to tank though. Guessing it's a early 280 tank? Tried to adjust it. That was mistake. Leaks like a seive and still just keeps pumping fuel at 9psi or so. Yeah they did put a fuel pressure guage on the fuel piping. Seems to work pretty well.

There is an electric radiator fan. It's hardwired to a switch at dash as well. Will get a real fan controller for that eventually but it'll suffice for now.

Driver's seat has no screws on the back side. Just the 2 front ones.

I cranked her this afternoon. She fired right up but the fuel issue prevent me from being able to run it.

I do have the original L24 engine with E88 head. The fuel pump mount has a cover. I'm assuming someone decided to switch to an electric pump. How much will I have to do to switch back to mechanical? Whole reason I wanted a 240 was less electrical crap to deal with and a hacked in fuel pump is not something I want to really deal with. So I'm guessing I need a new mechanical fuel pump. What about fuel lines at engine. Was there a hard line fuel rail removed or something? Is there a sourse for those?

Anyways thats the status so far. Any advice on what I've accomplished and discovered so far?

[Jennys280Z]

Check your bank balance

Dennis

agreed!

[conedodger]

While many of the suggestions are things you 'should do' I have found the Datsun Z to be so hardy and willing that all you 'have to do' is hook up jumper cables, turn the key and wait until she barks to life... Done it a few times. Don't try this with a Porsche. That is another story though...

[Travel'n Man]

I had to connect the choke cables. The screws holding the cables at carbs were missing. Found right size screws at Lowes and used them. Chokes work now. Also despite a perfectly good stock air box there was no air filter installed. I need one of those. No local supply for them.

The fuel pump I mentioned. It's a problem. He used a holley regulator (this one http://www.holley.com/12-804.asp ) and it's not regulating. Too much pressure to carbs and they over flow. There is a return line piped back to tank though. Guessing it's a early 280 tank? Tried to adjust it. That was mistake. Leaks like a seive and still just keeps pumping fuel at 9psi or so. Yeah they did put a fuel pressure guage on the fuel piping. Seems to work pretty well.

I would research the proper adjustment for those Choke cables - they are very sensitive to over adjustment and make you car run too rich - you need to make sure that you have enough slack and movement for them to work correctly

If I remember correctly a 240 only needs 4psi for fuel pressure. I would have to guess you need to purchase a new correct fuel pump to get the correct psi to the carbs - there are many sponsors of this site that carry them - very easy correction.....but be sure to research first.

I would recommend you to research all you can on 4 screw carbs to get the correct float setting - psi reading - rebuild and so forth. A great investment is the CD's that you can buy from here - this is a great starting place along with your own research:

http://www.ztherapy.com/

[EverRude]

Going to buy a universal pump from O'reilly's this morning when they finally open. (this one: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/BTF0/BE8016S.oap?pt=C0401&ppt=C0025 )

This should allow me to have fuel pressure where I need it and replace the faulty holley regulator with a tee connector. Probably have the tee have different size ports for the fuel lines to build in a pressure to carb with a free flow back to tank return. Like (rough numbers here just for illustration) 5/16 intlet to tee from pump, 5/16 outlet to carbs and a 1/4 outlet to return. Hoping that will cause a natural unretricted flow to carbs for when they need the fuel. When they don't need all that fuel the pressure and extra fuel will bleed back to the tank. Sound plausable? Sound ok in my head but so have many past utterly braindead ideas I've had

Once the car will run well enough to drive and I know there's nothing that will require all my cash to do. I am considering ordering the whole ztherapy carb setup. Expensive but I have no clue what the condition of the carbs are and what has been done to them over the years. Found 2 receipts in the stack of paperwork I was given that simply stated "Carb tuning $50." Did it work? Were any parts replaced? And the most recent one was like 8 years ago. Which means someone undoubtly has messed with them atleast alittle since then.

Getting the Ztherapy setup will allow me to remove carbs almost entirely from the long list of trouble shotting steps I will undoubtedly be trying over the next for weeks to "tune" this car.

But ofcourse if I drive her and realize there are other issues that will require money and immediate attention I will settle for a rebuild kit and dvd. But ztherapy is already on my list of people to call soon.