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We're having a "pollen blizzard" around here so I abhor nature at the moment. If only I had a Kirby salesman to vacuum this crap out of my life...

Nature abhors you all....

Finally got some fun time ... So I decided to clean up the driver’s side and make it match the passenger’s side with some fresh metal ... Cleaned up nice...added a coat of Por15 ... Fitting and shaping ... Just need to weld her up tomorrow. Getting closer to a viable engine bay ....

Since the car has been sitting, plugs out, for some years and you've used Acetone to break it loose, it would be a good idea to squirt a little Marvel Mystery Oil (or equivalent) into the cylinders, turn the engine over using the starter (plugs out and valve cover off) until you verify good oil pressure and the cam is being oiled.

I am no expert on the space saver spare except to test mine with an air pump. If I had to guess, it may be a unique setup where the tire is not intended to be removable. In CO's case, since he usually leaves no stone unturned, there must be a reason preventing him from using the original nissan wheel. .

Trust me, Nature isn't the only one. ? Dennis

that's a weak battery, get a good healthy new one, make sure you have good quality cables (not the kind that clamp on the wire) Make sure the ground connection from the batter cable to the chassis is good. Little things like this can add up and make chasing odd problems an issue. I was able to find a nice positive lead with TWO extra aux leads all molded into the cable at a local car parts store. One problem at a time. you clearly have a weak battery, so the engine off voltage will drop even more with the load of the pump. Next when the alt is working (engine on) the voltage jumps up and the pump will have power running thru it, increasing the fuel pressure. This is why its important not to jump ahead like I already did. get one thing resolved at a time. 1st now is it get a proper working voltage out of the battery. a fully charged battery should be something like 12.8 min (no load), is does not sound like a lot but 12.13 is not healthy. It will be interesting to see the voltages pump on engine off and pump on engine on. Ultimately you need to get the system working as described 36 psi engine off pump on, 30psi engine on. If that is not happening its pointless to move on to other test. the efi is a open loop system with no ability to compensate for out of spec conditions. the pressure must be correct, the sensors must be correct for the entire system to work (think ZH has already mentioned this). Modern cars with O2 sensors and real computers and adapt and keep a car running with all kinds of system failures (but then you get that dreaded "check engine"). You can still check the return line while working the battery issue out, it only takes a min to disconnect the line in the engine bay, remove the fuel tank filler cap, and make sure you can blow air back thru it. Worst case the line is blocked, not easy to fix. If its ok and the battery supply is ok, then the FPR maybe not regulating properly. this would require more test with a controlled vacuum source to make sure the problem is with the FPR. again no point in any other test till you get the 36/30 engine off/engine on with the pump running. 38PSI at idle is more fuel pressure than with the engine at wide open was designed for. no wonder the plugs foul.

Tom Monroe's "How to rebuild your L series motor". I'd never built a car motor, read that book about 4 times and now have a great running healthy 2.8 in my '77 280Z. Easy to understand and everything is explained in simple terms which was great for me. https://www.amazon.com/Rebuild-Your-Nissan-Datsun-Engine-ebook/dp/B006VUICHG

Get new Nissan head bolts (turbo if you find them), OEM for front & rear seals, ITM pistons have a good reputation for your application, new water pump, & liberal use of assembly lube. Zcar Depot is a good source for many of the needed parts. Japan parts are always best vs china. Since you are in Canada, one of the northern experienced guys might be able to point you in the right direction for sourcing parts. Nice looking 280 ....

Mr Roomba? that sucks… ? sorry ...

I'm hoping to be Mr. Roomba. Just charge me up and let me go! Dennis

I sold Kirby's for 1.5days.... a very low point in my life.

Meh. I'm just too tired to dig through the FSM tonight.

And there you have the difference between the man of few words... And me.

you would be alarmed at how often we have gotten post about reading that suddenly are completely different when done again. Just want to make sure. Do exactly has ZH has described. The hardest part of remote diagnostics is generally some minor overlooked observation (wrong line connected, battery cable corroded, volt meter not read properly). trying to avoid rabbit holes is paramount. hence the need for doing exactly the procedure as asked. Hang in there you will get it worked out, and it will be sweet when you do!

Sometimes I yell at my television set...

If the vacuum line to the FPR is connected to the carbon canister that might be part of your problem. It should be connected directly to the intake manifold. So, yes disconnect the other end. But make sure that it is actually the hose that connects to the FPR. Then if you want to have some fun, blow and suck on the end of the hsoe and watch the gauge. You should see a response. But get that baseline no vacuum number first.

Disconnect the hose to the FPR with the engine running and read the pressure on the gauge. That's the test.

That tire is too large to fit into the reduced size spare tire well added on the 77/78 cars unfortunately. I guess that's the price we pay for a marginally bigger gas tank ?

He must be a little horse at the moment making that hotels.com money?

Here’s a post on the topic from hybridz. https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/70335-n47-head-on-a-flat-top-l28/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well there was about 5 hours of power sanding last night... Sandblasting removed all the rust but the pitting was everywhere. A sanding disc on the grinder removed a layer of the pan just deep enough to remove the pitting. The main thing was that the pan was dent free and straight!

The ignition system can be used on anything. It's the EFI system that will give problems. You might be fine with your power increases, or you might find that it runs a little rich at the low end, or it pings at the high end. Or it won't pass emissions. The adjustable FPR is a crude way to add fuel at the higher RPM so that the cam has what it needs to make power. But then you'll have to make adjustments to other parts at low RPM or you'll have a gassy smelling car. That's the basic dilemma. The EFI system has no O2 sensors so does not self-correct anything at all. It's designed to produce a certain amount of power at each RPM range. But it actually runs pretty rich at WOT, 27% extra fuel, so there's a little room there without doing too much.

Ok. This is wayyyy better! Thanks Jim!

This process still mesmerizes me...!

I’m looking forward to this thread. I’m about to do a full L-28 engine rebuild (my first ), so I’m interested in the same considerations. I’ve done some preliminary research and have read the first book “How To Rebuild Your Datsun Nissan OHC Engine”. Just bought the other book, “How to Modify Your Nissan Datsun OHC Engine”. My thoughts here...BTW I’m no expert. Why waste time doing a leak down test before teardown. Compression test makes some sense but your be pulling the head anyway and you’ll find out quickly if you had a bad valve or leaking head gasket. Leak down would be if you hadn’t decided you were going to or needed a rebuild. Sounds like your moving forward regardless. So my thoughts what’s the best bang for the buck after deciding what is the “End State”. You said a good street driver. With that in mind why would your replace the pistons to forged? That’s not going to make a performance difference unless you plan on boosting or really trying to make the engine high performance. Cams while able to increase power, reduce daily drivability and will require a change to the EFI to compensate. From what I’ve read on the interweb here are some good options. 1. increase displacement. If you’re set on getting new pistons then bore out the cylinders. I’ve decided not to go this route. A good honing is my plan. 2. Porting the intake and head to smooth out airflow. 3. Header and exhaust. (You’ve done that) 4. Upgraded ignition. Basics should do: -rings, bearings, valves, all seals and gaskets, timing chain kit, new hardware. (Head bolts etc..). -Good idea with turbo oil pump Shaving the head to increase compression is good option but like any mod like that needs to be done with care. If you overdo the CR upwards to 10:1 your begin to experience possible pre-ignition which will not be healthy for your engine. Unless you live near an airport and want to use 100LL aviation gas. Be prepared to pay ~$8 a gallon. For a basic rebuild, I priced all the parts and it was around $730. This included all the items I put above in “basics should do” to include new freeze plugs, complete new engine hardware, and water pump. I look forward to people who have more expertise to chime in and you’re in luck because this is where the L28 experts live. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have made a new wheel in my 240z. took an old one. Took the old fake wood of and made new mahogany around it.. took me 38 hours work incl. 8! layers of paint.. I'm shure when you sanded the old wheel and put blank paint on it (6-10 layers of boat lacquer) it will be brighter, like in the brochures. Lot's af polishing also needed..

http://www.the370z.com/exterior-interior/30682-stitch-dye-anyone-brave-enough-try-10.html#post962488 Found my old thread on the370z.com

There is no new replacement for that 1st generation space saver tire. However, Capt Obvious found a solution with a modern donut tire that works for him. The thread is in the archives, perhaps Bruce will comment on the details. @Captain Obvious

You may want to consider eliminating the manifold heater if the parts are unobtainium. The earlier 240s didn't have it and I drove a 71 daily, summer and winter, for a couple of decades, I doubt that you need it. Many later 240 owners have eliminated it on the theory that it may add to fuel percolation, heat soak or vapor lock problem.

Spring in Alberta is the same. Cops can tell the drunk drivers because they’re the ones driving straight. Sober people weave through the potholes....

Painting starting to go down. Should be painting the body Friday or Saturday. Hopefully weather permitting start the reassembly process next week.