Waking the Sleeping Beast Part II - 50 years later !!

[Shawninvancouver]

I have now come across a 1971 240Z, early vin 26,000 - i think matching motor.

It has been sitting for at least 6 years and not on the road since 2007.  a work in progress.  we have not tried to start it yet.  I have read Waking the Sleeping Beast

post 

 

I now want to do a modern day follow up as this was from 2006  = now will be a 2021 version.  they car is NOW 50 + years old..

Below are some engine shots.  I will follow the original beast plan, but any new modern tips would be great.

will plan or running clean fuel from a Gerry can and not the gas tank..

DOES the tank DRAIN ?????? if so how??

Also - is it not best to run power straight to starter motor to see if it turns??

any other tips??

bring em on - if this 50 year beast starts it will be amazing.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2021 by Shawninvancouver

[SteveJ]

Turn by hand first. If you try with the starter, you could tear up the flywheel and/or starter. Why break more if you can avoid it?

There is a gas tank drain. I suggest you look under the tank. With the state of corrosion in the engine bay, I shiver at the thought of what the car may look like underneath.

Don't worry about a source for gas now. You need to do plenty before you get to that point. For instance, those carburetors need to be taken apart a cleaned thoroughly. Lord knows what condition the float bowls are in. Keep in mind that there is a return on the fuel rail, so you want to catch that gas. 

You may want to get a Haynes manual as a secondary source to the FSM. I found there are some photos in that manual that capture some things the factory manual doesn't.

How much experience do you have with working on cars?

[Zed Head]

Is it an automatic or manual?  You can check if the engine is locked up by putting it in gear and moving the car.  I'd pull the plugs first just to see how they look.  Squirt some oil in the plug holes.

Like SteveJ said you have a lot to do before trying to start it or drive it.  

Are you in Vancouver B.C. or Vancouver, WA?  Looks like the car sat by saltwater, maybe even under water.

[Shawninvancouver]

Its a 4 speed.. i have now verified matching engine and frame... does  that make it worth more?

we cleaned carbs, they slide and float good,

changed oil, changed plugs and new battery terminals..  took valve cover off.  oiled inside.  oil in plug holes.  choke moves,

throttle moves and YES put a socket on crankshaft bolt and YES YES it turned over by hand.. spun it a few times to loosen it up.. not sure how loose it should be.

will now clean engine and  go from there..

does it make most sense to take starter motor out and bench test it????

[Mark Maras]

 Remove the spark-plugs and valve cover. Then, have a friend turn the engine over with the starter and watch for oil pressure at the gauge while you watch the cam to be sure it's getting oil. When oil pressure and cam lubrication is assured, put it back together, grab a couple of beers and fire it up.

[Shawninvancouver]

OK.. will do.. but a question about the starter motor wires,,,  red wire goes from battery to starter motor and black goes from battery to where??  how does the car get its power? not from the battery or starter?? 

or to make it easy...  where do the black and red go from the battery? if he key is turned one click to accesory and no lights on dash, what do i look at???

 

[siteunseen]

On mine the ground, black, goes on the top starter mount bolt. Red to the solenoid.

[Mark Maras]

 Don't worry about dash lights yet. They're not needed to get the engine running.

[siteunseen]

I would replace all the glass fuses under the radio too. There's one I popped that shut my whole car down. Bad alternator was back feeding power. 

It's cheap to do.

[Shawninvancouver]

Nice stuff.. a few more questions...

1. does the alternator need to be working for the car to run?

2. are there any fuses or fusable links that will stop the car from starting?

3. if its power is working should a red light come on dash when key is turned to accesory?

4. are there any fuses hidden in the dash? that i cant see?

5. where does the car get its power from for the dash etc.. is that from the alternator??

 

I may try to start it tomorrow...  any other tips???

inside

[Zed Head]

1 hour ago, Shawninvancouver said:

 

or to make it easy...  where do the black and red go from the battery? if he key is turned one click to accesory and no lights on dash, what do i look at???

 

You need a meter or test light to see if the things that need power are getting it.  Like the coil.

[Zed Head]

Just now, Shawninvancouver said:

I may try to start it tomorrow...  any other tips???

Download the Owners Manual and look at the wiring diagram on the back pages.