New year new problems. Was going to take the z out this morning on a drive and I hear this loud clicking from the front. Opted not to drive it, but really want to figure out what this issue is.

I tightened the alternator belt, but it did not change. The timing chain on the exhaust/intake side of the engine looks super loose, it looks like it’s slapping around on the rail.

the only other thing I can thing of is the water pump bearing starting to make sounds.

It normal for half of the chain not to have tension on it? The bright chain link lines up with the marking on the cam sprocket, so it would appear that it has not jumped a tooth or anything like that. 

 

I have a remote starter spinning the motor without plugs installed, should I see oil coming from the oil spray bar?

Edited January 1, 20214 yr by heyitsrama

If your oil pressure gauge shows oil pressure, you should see oil coming from the spray bar.

You could have a lash pad that fell off. Happens more than you'd think and makes a helluva ticking noise. Easy to put back on too.

 

@Mark Maras had to start the motor to get the oil to come up and out.
 

I’ll double check for the lash pad, I also found that the harmonic balancer separated. Can these be rebuilt? Or better off getting a new one? I like having 2 pulley options, finally got the heater sorted, wanted the AC fixed next ha.

Heard good things about damperdoctor.com doing great rebuilds. 

1 hour ago, heyitsrama said:

@Mark Maras had to start the motor to get the oil to come up and out.

 

 If the oil tube joints have not separated and the oil tube holes are clean, (common problems) oil should squirt out the holes as soon as you see oil pressure. That includes, spark plugs out and spinning the engine with the starter.

51 minutes ago, Mark Maras said:

 If the oil tube joints have not separated and the oil tube holes are clean, (common problems) oil should squirt out the holes as soon as you see oil pressure. That includes, spark plugs out and spinning the engine with the starter.

@Mark Maras
I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned the inside of the oil spray tube, might be worthwhile to do as I have to take off the cover again to replace the gasket. I was a bit scared of it separating on me so I opted not to clean it out.

Is there a easy way to clean it out? Perhaps some solvent and letting it sit? I was thinking purple power in a bucket? Then just shooting some water through?

I’ve put a lot of hard miles on the car, not to mention some track time. I would think that the oil has “flushed itself” of deposits, but I could be wrong.

 

on a side note:
I was thinking of inspecting the fan clutch while I have everything apart, it seems to resist being spun by hand when it’s on the car. I thought it was supposed to free spin a bit more... 

the car can take several minutes to warm up, maybe it’s cooling too much, seems to never go past 1/2 on the gauge, sometimes never makes it there either. 

I used a piece of PVC tube with lacquer thinner. Worked good after soaking a couple off days. Then blew it out with my air compressor.

If you ever have to paint a bunch of staircase balusters this the way to go, BTW.

Edited January 2, 20214 yr by siteunseen

An easier way would be use a piece of pvc with rubber caps on each end. I had a bunch of thinner so I used what I has handy.

 

4 hours ago, heyitsrama said:

@Mark Maras had to start the motor to get the oil to come up and out.
 

I’ll double check for the lash pad, I also found that the harmonic balancer separated. Can these be rebuilt? Or better off getting a new one? I like having 2 pulley options, finally got the heater sorted, wanted the AC fixed next ha.

Looks like you found the clicking noise. And yes, dampers can be rebuilt. There is a guy in Snohomish, WA that used to be the local Z guy. He has a bunch of L series dampers that he had rebuilt, and he sells them with exchange of your old damper.

https://zspecialties.com/?swoof=1&pa_years=1973&pa_car-model=240z&product_cat=engine

 

I notice you don't have a mechanical fuel pump. You know that the eccentric on the camshaft can be removed too, right? One less bit of rotating mass spinning away.

 

9 minutes ago, Racer X said:

There is a guy in Snohomish, WA

Oliver finally updated his website haha.  Man that place is like Disneyland for Z enthusiasts.  It is truly unbelievable the the stuff he has out there.  He moved from "downtown" Snohomish out into the country a few miles.  I've gotten some things from him, good guy, and very knowledgeable.

2 hours ago, siteunseen said:

I used a piece of PVC tube with lacquer thinner. Worked good after soaking a couple off days. Then blew it out with my air compressor.

If you ever have to paint a bunch of staircase balusters this the way to go, BTW.

I cleaned mine with lacquer thinner too but when I installed it I noticed that all oil holes were not squirting oil equally. I used a torch tip file to clean the holes. All was well after that.