1977 280Z In The House

[Dave WM]

I have used the nut on the end of the camshaft sprocket to turn the camshaft for checking lash. Taking the plugs out will make it easier.

[Zed Head]

A cylinder pressure check (aka compression check) will give a good idea of if the valve is bent.  After you get the lash pad reinstalled.

I wonder if a PO didn't notice that the pad was missing and just readjusted lash to make it work.  Better check lash even if you don't adjust it.  Cold measurements are still informative.

[rcb280z]

Wonder what else is wrong. Just proceed with caution. Check EVERYTHING.

[mentalite]

On 12/23/2016 at 10:06 AM, rcb280z said:

Take lots of pics and post them as you go. Especially of the valve train when pull the valve cover.

Well I forgot to take your advice, but there was nothing very interesting to see anyway.  The good news is that I got the new lash pad installed, the valves adjusted, and the tick is gone!  Now I can move on to other issues.

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice.

[Zed Head]

How far off was the lash on the valve that lost its pad?  Curious if the PO adjusted it to run without the pad, or if the pad just fell off and he/she kept running it with no adjustment.

[mentalite]

8 hours ago, Zed Head said:

How far off was the lash on the valve that lost its pad?  Curious if the PO adjusted it to run without the pad, or if the pad just fell off and he/she kept running it with no adjustment.

I couldn't say, Zed.  I had to turn the adjuster in all the way to provide the necessary space to get the pad in place.  I have to imagine the PO just left it alone.  I can't understand running with that loud tick on purpose.  Heck the lash pad only cost me about $7.

There certainly couldn't have been much valve lift in #6.

[Zed Head]

There's a technique involving a long screwdriver on the valve spring retainer with the camshaft as a fulcrum that you could have used.  To remove the rocker arm, then set the pad in place. For future reference.  

They seem to pop out on older, probably gummed up, engines when people rev them up after getting the going again.  Not uncommon.  Hopefully you're good to go for a while.

[mentalite]

More good info, Zed.  Thanks.

[mentalite]

I took a few pictures this evening after taking the console out to repair shift linkage.  The PO had said that the car was coated by Ziebart in 1980 (there was a sheet in the glovebox presumably from the second owner stating it was done then).  He showed me the little holes drilled into the door jambs with little plugs but I was skeptical.  I no longer am after the photos.  The coating is visible through the holes in the inner rockers and I suppose this could be the reason the car is rust free in the critical areas. I like the look of the floor pans, that's for sure.

Are these rubber plugs easy to get back in if I take them out?  You'll see slight surface rust around it that I want to investigate.

The cigarette ashes under the console were no extra charge.

[siteunseen]

If you take the ones in the floorboards out you'll see the ground on a 240, I've not taken the ones out of my 280.  You can pop them out from the underside and putting them back is easy, if they're not too dry and brittle.

[charliekwin]

Like siteunseen said, the plugs pop right out.  If the rubber's broken down with age, you can replace them with 1 7/8" plugs for old Fords; they cost about $2 or $3 each.

[siteunseen]

23 hours ago, charliekwin said:

Like siteunseen said, the plugs pop right out.  If the rubber's broken down with age, you can replace them with 1 7/8" plugs for old Fords; they cost about $2 or $3 each.

Thank you for that info.

I have a piece of Gorilla tape over the passenger's side in my 240, luckily the carpet hides it but I'd like another plug and haven't been able to find one yet.

Any ideas for the two on the hatch bottom?  Thanks!

Edited January 6, 2017 by siteunseen