The Lime Green Machine Restoration Thread - 1972 240Z

[CW240Z]

Hey Chase. I bought my tie rod ends from Rock Auto. They were the Moog brand and from what I can tell they went on just fine and should function like the originals. What kind of issues did you run in to on the ones that did not work for you?

I purchased the Moog ones from RockAuto as well. The threads were not the same and I am in the process of returning them. I could of bought ones for a 280z, but they all ring up with the same part number through them. I had to get a set of MasterPros from O'reillys.

Chase

[zhead240]

are you going to get rid of the passenger mirror and replace the driver mirror with the chrome original?

[Hardway]

are you going to get rid of the passenger mirror and replace the driver mirror with the chrome original?

Yes, I plan to eventually ditch the black mirrors that are on it but prices for an original style mirror are pretty steep. I have a pair of new chrome mirrors for a '69 Camaro and may put those on but have no plans to mess with the mirrors anytime soon.

[Hardway]

I made some progress this past weekend on the Z. The diff had been leaking for sometime as evidence by the black sludge at the bottom of the diff cover. Got the diff drained, cleaned up, and painted with a fresh coat of satin black paint. I had considered ordering new diff cover bolts as some new yellow zinc plated bolts would have set everything off quite nicely. However I decided that waiting on some to get here along with the costs did not add much value since most of the diff cover is hidden once it is installed. So I used my wire wheel bench grinder to clean everything up. While I had the cover off I inspected the gears and found no signs of abuse or damage what so ever. I cleaned the cover, laid down 3 light coats of aluminum silver paint, sealed it up with a new Fel-pro gasket and a thin layer of black RTV on each side. Everyone has their own method of sealing diffs and this is mine and it has never failed me. I still need to fill it up with new fluid and will do so once it is installed. Not too bad for a few hours worth of work.

[rcb280z]

Looking good. I remember when I did mine. I polished the cover. It still looks good. I'm guessing you replaced the seals while it was out.

[EuroDat]

The diff looks good once its cleaned up. It looked in good condition before you cleaned it up. I would change the axle seals, they are easy and the stub axles just pop out with a quick jerk. The pinion seal is a completly different story. I wo

Uld leave it alone if its not leaking.

PS Your project is coming along nicly.

[jonathanrussell]

The pinion seal is a completly different story. I would leave it alone if its not leaking.

PS Your project is coming along nicly.

I have read similar warnings from others but have never inquired as to why. I am curious what the reason is. And, if one does need to change the pinion seal, what is involved? I am about to do the same project as the OP, fyi.

Thanks...

[Hardway]

If the stub axles come out that easy then I go ahead and change the seals. I had read about leaving the pinion seal along as well as it takes a skilled mechanic/expert to know how to set it correctly and reassemble it. I could tell mine has leaked just a TINY little bit so I am leaving it alone.

[EuroDat]

The problem is often caused by setting the preload to factory specs. This can change the position of the pinion depth and change the patern on the crown. It is only a small amount, but is it enough to cause noise. The extra pressure on the used bearings surfaces can also contribute noise. If you dont get it right it will make noise.

IMO If the seal is leaking and you need to change it. Try to remove the original nut without damaging it so you can reuse it or use it to determine to torque required for the new nut.

New nut: Note where the old nut position is before you start. After replacing seal, tighten the old nut to the original position and check the tension with a tension wrench. Use that tension on new nut. It will be a little less than factory spec. Factory spec is 137 - 159ft/lb.

I have done this and the diff still runs fine with 28k km and no noise.

Here is a link to someone who is having exactly this problem.

Chas

R200 problems after replacing pinion seal - Drivetrain - HybridZ

[Hardway]

My apologies for the delay in an update on this thread. After the differential was done I turned my attention to pressing the spindle pins out. Due to the issues I ran in to I started another thread which can be seen here -> http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/suspension-steering-s30/48583-spindle-pin-woes.html

As I was taking a break from my frustration with the pins I did manage to clean up one of the control arms that I freed from the hub assembly. Like everything else on the car it was just really dirty. Thankfully it was all dry dirt and not oil caked sludge. My variable speed Makita rotary tool with a 4” wire wheel on it made pretty short work of knocking the dirt and revealing a great looking part. I still need to get a small wire brush to get in to the hard to reach spots.

In the picture above I am wearing a pair of Dewalt brand safety goggles. They are $10 on Amazon and by far the best you can buy. They have soft seal around them which provide the best protection when doing work like this. They are supposed to be anti-fog but after 20 minutes or so they do have to wiped out, a small cost in my opinion for how good they perform. Remember, you only get 2 eyes in this life time, better take care of them!

About 30 more minutes of clean up is needed and it will be ready for paint.

That is all for now.

[e-tek]

Nice weather there - bastard!!

Great job freshening it up. Cleaning, painting and rebuilding parts has always been my reward for rust work. Looks like you're having fun!

[grannyknot]

Hardway, I lost track of this thread for a while, good to see the work progressing so well.

The Makita rotary tool you are using, I've never seen one like that before. The long neck looks perfect for getting into places that an angle grinder type tool couldn't. Would mind posting the model number?

Thanks,

Chris