chaztg

Black RTV silicone...it's forgiving and doesn't chemically bond the plastic parts for eternity, because who knows...? Let it set for 24 hrs.

That's the attitude & that's what it takes. If it's a 240, then you'll probably want to pull the entire dash, track down every connector & plug and then redo it and when the dash is ready to go back in hopefully it mostly works. I doubt that it's primarily faulty gauges--it's bad connections I'll wager. Pulling the entire dash & motor harness isn't too tricky. I've found that a ground-up approach helps you find problems at their source. Clean all electrical connections, make sure they're not fried and when they're re-plugged, voila...it all works again! I love the Japanese engineers who built these cars, because for the most part, you can tell which plugs lead to the intended counterpart. However, if the wiring harness has been spaghettied and it looks like it's had some meltdowns, that's when you need replacement parts or maybe even professional help. But pros are expensive and if I were you, I'd tackle it myself.

Buy it first! F the manual...buy it buy it buy it! Did I say buy it?

Pics would be great...I love what you have down there in Oz

I'd opt for a strong chain (not a bicycle lock chain) mounted securely to bolts that are more or less driven all they way into threaded bosses on one or more places on the head or more preferable the block. Protect your rocker cover with rags or pieces of cardboard to prevent the chafing from the chain against finished surfaces. Make sure it's all relatively balanced, but with a slight nose-up attitude. If you have a leveler, use it, but will add more height to the final lift-out so it's a trade off, but extremely helpful when shoe horning the sucker back in, where it all comes down to the angle. Also, watch your head...I always have to clonk my noggin on the arm of the hoist at least once when I pull a motor.

Thanks for the welcome, thanks too for the interest. Yes running, no not driving to clarify for ThreehZ. I don't have a clutch yet or hydraulic fluid for that matter. It could be only the slave cylinder, I don't know....that would be one of those pleasant surprises in the form of "great, it's not going to be as much work as I thought!" I do love this 280, although my 240 colors run very deep. Best year made in my opinion and indeed a better driving vehicle than earlier Z cars. I bought it for the price mainly, and with no pre inspection, just from photos on eBay--that's a first for me. But the car turned out to be pretty solid and more or less original, other than the alloy wheels, radio & front spoiler. These are all going away anyway. I've already removed the bumpers to go to a more euro appearance and for weight-savings. I received new vinyl seat covers with the purchase. This car even had the original 4" square "pink-slip" style CA title. I'm really happy to have a car already equipped with EFI, that being said I opted to change it which was another big decision for me because I like stock original or at least original looking. It's still early on, but I think its clear enough for me to sing the praises of the aftermarket EFI I chose to replace the stock Bosch L-Jetronic, which is let's face it old technology. The system I bought is not Megasquirt or Haltech, it's an SDS EM4D (Simple Digital Systems is the manufacturer). It's programmable, but I haven't gotten to that step quite yet. The installation manual is expertly written and easy to understand; their phone & email tech support is awesome. I had some questions about the fuel injectors and throttle position sensor choice & installation and the guy who helped me was great. I bought the basic system (fuel control only); but the system can be upgraded and adapted for fuel, spark, boost retard (if you're running turbo), you can run it with an MSD...you just tell them what you have and they'll construct the system for you. All that's needed is to install it. There's minor customization required, like for the intake and for mounting sensors, running and connecting the wiring. But the payoff is no bulky air flap AFM and doing away with the usual troubles that come with the stock EFI, which I'm sure is wonderful when it works. From the outset, I couldn't get the vehicle to stay running with the stock EFI and it would have been $$$ to troubleshoot & throw parts at it, so I went aftermarket instead. I asked SDS to include a fan switch which automatically turns on an electric fan at a preset temp and a fuel pump relay which in my opinion is prudent for safety and is something that should be controlled by the ECU. This is going to be my wife's car. She loves my 240, but that car is an animal in lots of ways, so my whole intention for this 280Z is to make it into a refined, safe (as safe can be) & dependable daily driver. We'll paint it, replace all the seals and maybe in time even get the AC working again--oh yeah, the SDS EFI allows for running AC too with different settings in the programmer to compensate for the idle drop & so on. This is a fun & different project for me. Thanks again for the interest & I hope it helps some folks

http://s1094.photobucket.com/albums/i443/Z7375pb/1975%20280Z/ I love the "god-forsaken state" of California, as it's been referred to on this very website...but at times in its infinite possibilities bestows gifts like the one you can view via the link above: a one owner 280Z (1975 is a smog-test exempt model year, I'll smugly admit), which was sitting for an undertermined number of years. I bought it off eBay a few months back. Just got the chance to really work on it. I installed the new EFI fuel management and it works great--I haven't even fine tuned it yet! No rust, no patchwork repairs, no previous altering, cutting, chopping, modifying, bastardizing, trying-to-change-it-into-a-Corvette attempts done by dipshits...AN UNMOLESTED Z Car, and even though it's a 280Z, I still consider it a true representation of the classic vehicle. It just needs a clutch and some hydraulics bled. Too bad the AC doesn't work. I suppose one can't have it all.

That's Great information Chris! It's always good to know there's a back up source for hard to find and no longer available orignal parts when they break. I'm gonna store that factoid away next time I go junkyarding. Thanks

An exterior difference between the early Z and later ZX fives speed transmissions is the early box has no reverse lockout, which is that oval shaped plate on the side of the rear housing fastened with two 10mm bolts. All shifters should be interchangable 72 & up, except one type I think from later ZX's which has a straight rod and a different bushing design. There may be a thread on that shifter and converting one to the other or vice versa.

Yes indeed very interesting. But I'll wait for the $50 300Z diff to appear in the local pick&pull, long shot I know. Correct me if I'm wrong, to install the 3.7 CLSD R200 from a 300ZXt into an S30, not only do the side stubs needs to be swapped from a standard S30 R200, but also the front driveshaft flange/yoke...and if that front one is changed, doesn't the bearing crush for the pinion gear shaft have to be re-calibrated?

You have to first understand what kind of pistons you are looking for and to a certain extent, the type of rings also (cast iron vs. chromoly). Do you want to use only OEM parts, or are aftermarket parts acceptable? I installed non-OEM pistons in my rebuilt 2.4 for a few years now without any issues. I found them thru Car Quest at the time. I think they are now WorldWide Auto Parts. Since the car is older, it's important to choose the person behind the counter as much as the part. Find someone knowledgable and interested first and they will want to help you. I recommend Rising Sun Import Parts in San Diego CA. They are on El Cajon Blvd.

looks like I'll be scouting for 810s & Maximas...automatic trans cars preferably since the diff abuse would be less over time (that makes sense, right?). Thanks gang!

I have 16x7 Panasport wheels on my 240Z. The best tire size I've found is 225/45/16. I've used Sumitomo and Nexen ZR radials on the car since I've had the wheels and been very happy with the performance, look, stance, and ride quality. Just be prepared to wait a few days for your tire shop to order the tires because they are an uncommon size.

Does anyone know what Nissan-Datsun vehicles have this diff ratio? If I found an R-200 3.7 LSD I would use it, but those are rarer than rare...I want this particular final drive ratio, so I thought I'd ask the forum about locating a standard open diff version and if so, is it hard to find? Has anyone done it and what car did it come out of, Z or non-Z? Thanks for any clues

scary stuff....I'll confirm that 1975 and prior model years DO NOT require you to obtain a smog cert to register the vehicle. The 1975 I just bought last year confirms this--I have the new title in my name, no smog was needed to get it. The possibility of "roadside sniffers" is a real one though and there has been talk about these for a while now (more so around when about 1997-98 CA expempted everything 73 & earlier, which was great for me back then, because my 73 had been deemed a gross polluter due a dumb $^!# mechanic who didn't adjust the carbs before the smog test and I couldn't register or drive it). But then the expemption happened & I walked right in to DMV & got my stickers and have never needed a smog since. Neither my 73 or 75 would pass muster anyway, visually or otherwise...that's why I fear the "sniffers", but I don't think about it too much. My 73 has a cam (nuff said), and the 75 will be running non-OEM FI and they would never pass smog, even at the required levels for their repsective mfg dates. I think it's a Big-Brother government tactic on the face of it and wholly unnecessary when it comes to old cars. Most old cars will be off the roads very soon due to attrition. All the others, like my 2 cars & I'm sure a lot of my Z brethren here take really good care of their vehicles and they run as clean as, well...as they can make them! And I'm sure they're in better tune than most cars out there. Just don't be a jerk and drive your oil-burning & smoking ride down the freeway la-dee-da thinking "hey, I'm smog exempt! Who cares?" Because you'll ruin it for the rest of us. People can report an old car that is obviously an air quality hazard. The rule is: if you flaunt the law, you'll get caught and be called to the carpet. I think it's great to have this miraculous loophole in the vehicle code of a state that seems to hate anybody's right to own a cool old mechanical thing and not be hassled by the laws that apply to everything else--it's a rational way to handle the presence of old vehicles because the normal rules just don't apply. Who in their right mind anyway would think that the emissions control equipment would still be functioning on these vehicles to the point it would actually make a difference given the amount of mileage driven on them compared to all other modern vehicles? From an engineering standpoint, most of the vacuum gizmos, valves, switches, sensors were stop-gap remedies developed by the vehicle makers for CA models in their efforts to keep up with the ever-tightening restrictions...until electronic fuel injection became relatively standard in most vehicles, all else that came before fell short of living up to this "compliance utopia" that California seems to be aiming for. We can't be expected to have our old outmoded cars fit that requirement, it's not possible and not reasonable. Hopefully at the law enforcement, legislative and common-sense level, everybody will continue to realize that.

It looks like the responsibilities of running a business are too intense for Too Intense

FYI, unreasonable shipping cost on an eBay auction can be reported to them and they will contact the seller about the complaint. They claim that it's against their policy and they appear to follow through on enforcing it. If one auction is listed that way you can be sure the same seller does it on most if not all of their other auctions. Man, why do people always wanna pull a scam!!??

I've been prowling the self-serve junkyards down here in San Diego for years and although the "golden days" of Z cars upon Z cars in every row are long-gone, the yards have still yielded some good finds. I recently started fixing up a 75 I got on eBay and have been rewarded with a lot more 280s than I expected during recent forays. There were times when batches of the same model were really common to come through the yards. A few years back, there were 280ZXs EVERYWHERE! Shortly thereafter, tons of 300ZXs would be junked, and I still see quite a few of them. I never needed much from those cars though, being kind of a purist. 240s were always somewhat rare, but in retrospect, thinking of all the ones I've seen junked apparently for no good reason (low vin series 1 cars and rust-free clean complete & original cars of all model years) and also the really rare ones...these would include a RHD Fairlady 240Z, a 240 with a 700-something vin, a 240z custom convertible, V8 converted cars, cars with triple carburetors, turbo-swapped early Zs in all phases of condition, even a Japan home market RHD Nissan Gazelle with an FJ20 turbo (late eighties 200SX body style). Some really unique and trick vintage parts come through those pick n' pull yards, and I think they get the leftover scraps at the big auto auctions or just get lucky when they buy people's junk cars at random...so I assume that even better finds could have made their way elsewhere. I was such a junkyard "hound" at one point that when we ran across the 72 Fairlady Z, we were contemplating cutting it into pieces, buying the parts and then reassembling it, because once the cars get put out in the yard, they're gone for good; forever classified as junk and to my knowledge they can't be bought back. The advent of the internet and eBay really put a damper on the success of finding good stuff at the JY, because now I think there are full-time junkyard rats who search for rare parts from all cars and pretty much pick over everything before guys like me with only a couple hours to spare can get there for a brief weekend visit. For example, a pair of early SUs are like gold--they get picked so fast now and they used to be so common...those were the days!

In my 73, I'm using an RX7 fuel pump mounted in the rear in place of the stock auxillary pump (which to my knowledge) is a supplementary pump not rated for enough psi to supply the carbs alone and was only installed in the 73s & 74s to counter the vapor lock problems with the flattop carbs. I read earlier in the thread that the rear mounted electric fuel pump wiring will run only at 400 rpm & above...well, mine runs all the time and it's always been hooked up with the stock wiring (why not, it's already there right?). I'm sure you guys all know about the wiring pigtail with an inline fuse next to the radio, which curiously all 240Zs have the plug (taped to the harness in pre-73 Zs) along with the fuel pump wiring in the rear(...?) This I could never figure out. I guess my question is why do all 240s have the wiring, even though the early cars without the vapor lock issues should never have had a provision for a part that was an engineering solution for future cars only...puzzling.

I dunno if rejoicing is in order....$20 for shipping? I think the seller was hedging his bets on a low-priced sale. Still, cool period pieces for a daily driver, I'd use em!

I agree with hogie...are you sure that the sleeve moves on the slider shaft (as it would normally but just a little bit for clearance sake) and it's not the fork? The fork will have a little slop especially if it's moved the wrong way. If the sleeve is solid and stationary with the clutch pedal fully up then it is too tall and pressing on the pressure plate fingers.

I ask this from pure curiosity...how difficult were the flywheel bolts to remove?

Be cautious when using stock EFI with big displacement motors (3.0 litre+) You can select the correct injectors and may be able to get away with a higher lift camshaft and bigger ID throttle body but the increased demand from the motor will create problems when it comes to the stock air flow meter. If you have built a true 3.2 litre, it will exceed the capacity of the stock L28E setup, particularly the AFM. Maybe a larger 280ZX turbo unit would compensate, but the use of an MPS would be recommended, and therefore the use of an entirely different EFI management and/or air-fuel delivery system...or modification of the Nissan ECCS EFI air flow metering. You can substitute The ECU with a Jim Wolf Technology unit and a Mustang Cobra AFM, but that would be predicated upon already using the later 280ZXt fuel&ignition management.

So So Sorry! My worst nightmare. But based on where you parked it...(not the best area in SD), weren't you a little worried about it in retrospect? I'm even paranoid about parking mine on the street in front of my own house! Was it on the street or in a structure? I'm not sure about the Mexico theory, US Customs takes photos of every vehicle's license plate that crosses into Mexico. If you have comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance they can do a plate search. Most of the higher dollar cars get taken into Mexico once stolen--not to say your 280 isn't valuable, but I'd speculate it's local punks who are probably into these cars for racing & what not, because they are easy to steal if somone knows the cars and there aren't any theft-deterrent devices like clubs or kill switches. I really hope you find it. I'll be looking for it vigilantly!!

I sold a 1971 240Z to someone in Norway. I was dubious at first, but he sent me the money (I think with a cashier's check or a money order--I forget exactly which it was). As I said, I was skeptical all the way up until I actually confirmed that I had the dough including shipping cost, which he made the arrangements for. All I had to do was deliver the car to the shipping depot 100 miles away. Strange thing was I never heard from him again, no thank you message...nothing. His English was decent too, in emails of course, we never spoke over the phone. I've lost track of the car, but it would be fun to know what happened to it. Maybe it's registered on Carl Beck's site?