Art@NissanSport

Sounds like float issues. I just went through all this. The ZTherapy videos are good but do not explain the updated way to adjust the floats. I had Steve talk me through it and it made all the difference in the world.

I like the "Lambo" glass on the pass side. Come on now, thats funny isn't it? Working long hours on the mag makes me this way. $300.00 is a no brainer. There is easily $1K+ worth of resaleable parts.

I bought it when it was a piece of crap, now its a notch above a dried out turd and soon to be a budding flower. Ok, maybe thats a little to high of a goal for now. . Anyone who gets the mag has seen my Z. But you know what? IT RUNS and that makes me smile.

I changed the dual point distributor to a single point distributor (dizzy)

Final update: The 73 is up and running fine. I put one of my extra dizzys on it, adjusted the valves(8 of the 12 were tight) and replaced the aftermarket cam sprocket with a stock version (the aftermarket sprocket did not have notches). I adjusted the sprocket having to use the third hole to get the notch to line up left of the groove. The timing mark no longer jumps all over the place (probably due to the new(old) dizzy . Also kind of odd was the fact that the cam spray bar was falling apart. I replaced it with another one that I had off a parts car. For a freshly rebuilt motor I'm surprised that it wasn't replaced and I'm also surprised at the timing chain needing so much adjustment. Add to this readjusting the air/fuel mixture on the carbs since there is now a return line and I had leaned it out to compensate for it and it runs great. No backfiring through the carbs or exhaust.

Interesting to see rust holes on the top of the pass side quarter panel. Can only imagine what brown will do for you underneath. But all-in-all someone should buy it since the guy says its the first year of the 280Z. As zbane mentioned, the wheels are nice.

Darrel, I won't be heading up to Denver. Production of the magazine is keeping me home and Samantha's school felt that it would be better for her to be in school. Art

I replaced the carbs with a tuned set of SU's, so I know that the floats are fine. I will try another distributor, although I tried it before and it didn't make a difference. Since the owner wants to put a chrome valve cover on it, I'll check the valves and timing chain at that time. it can't hurt. The cam is not stock and the idle is a little loppy(sp?) so maybe that is why the mark jumps.

Ok, maybe this will help. the car was bought from this site. It is the sixth car down on page 2 of the US cars for sale section. Titled: "1973 Datsun 240z RUSTFREE from Chicagoland". Maybe some of you know this car and might have a better understanding of its inner workings. And never believe the words "RUSTFREE" unless the car comes from my neck of the woods. There is no major rust problems, but there is rust.

Update time. I worked on the 240Z all day today. To try and eliminate possible problems I decided to put on a perfectly tuned set of SU's. I also ran a new return fuel line (temporary for now). The car does not backfire out of the carbs anymore but does backfire out the exhaust. In trying to reset the timing I noticed that the timing mark is jumping all over the place (timing chain stretch?) The motor I was told was recently rebuilt (could mean a year or two, I have no idea). With that being the case, wouldn't you think that the PO would have put a new timing chain on. The next thing on my list is to pull the valve cover, adjust the valves and check the timing chain. I would have to figure that if I can get enough adjustment out of it, that it could fix all the problems. I just took my project 240Z for a test drive (I had all the same issues as my friends 240Z-minus the return line problem) and it purrs like a kitten. Proper float adjustment was one of my problems but is not an issue on my friends. Now to start on the suspension, man is it shot. But I don't care, I'm thrilled that the engine runs so smooth. I can rest my hand on the valve cover and it barely moves. I won't be able to work on my friends Z for at least a week (Nissan Sport goes into production and it takes all my time) so I'll let you know how it turns out in early September. PS: for anyone that wants to know, I think the return line is needed. Once I hooked it up again you could see/hear a noticable difference. Before I hooked up the line to the tank I ran a hose to a gas can and watched fuel pump out. So with fuel pumping like that, it wants to go somewhere and since it had no where to go except back to the carbs my guess is I would never have been able to tune them properly (remember, the vent line had been removed as well). Just my 2 cents.

With todays gas prices, its so much cheaper to take the bus.

The car supposedly ran fine until about 150 miles from Albuquerque. They got gas at a station and it ran bad from that point on. We drained the tank and put new fuel filter and gas in. It still runs rough. There is no way this car could have been driven 1000+ miles in this condition. I think the floats need adjusting since it is coughing out of the carbs and could have something to do with the return lines (who knows). The gas tank is brand new, the carbs are newly rebuilt. If the car was running fine for the first 1000 miles, I don't think it is a timing issue. The car starts and runs but it is rough at low idle. It smooths out as the rpm's increase. I have a very good set of SU's that I know are perfectly tuned and plan to swap them with the ones currently on the car. That should go a long way in helping me find an answer to our little delemma. Now maybe because the car came from the Chicago area and the air is thicker, and because it is now a mile high and the air is much thinner, seems that there is way to much fuel being feed to the carbs. But leaning them out has not made it any better. I hope to have this figured out later this week. My wife thinks I'm having an affair since I'm spending so much time trying to help a friend.

Yes, three screw SU's.

A friend just bought a 73 240Z. It has no return fuel line. It is blocked off (the hard line has been removed). I have never seen this before. Is this considered normal anywhere in the world? The PO said that it has always driven fine. The car came from back east. Once it got into New Mexico it started running like cr@p. The PO also said that he uses a 9 volt battery to jump the electric fuel pump to prime the line. This doesn't make sense to me either. Although I can understand not running the e-pump continuously with no place for the fuel to return. I want to help get this guys Z up and running properly but in its current state nothing makes sense. Any comments, suggestions or answers would be of great help. Thanks

Go240Zags, try this one.

Arne,there really isn't much of an issue with the centercaps. All I had to do was tap the hub centercap in a little. I've also been told that Nissan made two different size caps; one shorter and one taller. Who needs a taller cap anyways since all it does is collect more dust and dirt. The shorter one needs no tapping to make the caps fit. Here is my wheels with the cap in place. I also prefer the Konigs mainly because of price and the fact that I'm not building a full blown racecar that would need really wide tires.

Stop yelling at me. My plans are set. Beachfront property here I come.

I've worked on the oil trying different types and I don't think it is the problem. I was on the phone with Steve Epperly for quite a while today and he told/showed me a better way to adjust the floats. Combined with the fuel adjustment it seems to be running a lot better. Still a little rough but without the cough from the front carb. I also have to work out some timing issues. might be a tooth out of wack on the distributor and will probably pull the oil pump to make the adjustment. Not looking forward to it but such is life. Seems that the car runs best at about 17 degrees. If I go any lower, like 10 degrees the car wants to stall. Doesn't seem right when the dizzy is turned all the way to one side when it should be more in the middle. I've tried two different dizzys with the same results so I don't think it's a vacuum problem. Although I will test for leaks around the manifold and carbs tomorrow. Yes, I will be in Daytona. I'm trying to see if I can get to Jim Fredericks house to see his stable of Z's. I fly in on Saturday, so maybe Sunday. I'll see.

Bruce no matter what direction (up or down) I go it still backfires if I rev it fast. A slow rev seems to be ok and then once I get to a higher rmp slowly I can rev it fast and it works much better. At one point I had it completely closed and it didn't backfire, it idled slower and I'm sure that is not where the setting should be. The more I opened it up the more it backfired. I have no idea how it will react under load.

I have adjusted the valves, adjusted for timing chain stretch. Car seems to run fine when stationary. I have balanced the carbs and I'm now trying to adjust the fuel mixture. I have started at 2 1/2 turns out. My problem is that if I rev the engine slow to medium it seems to rev up fine. If I rev it fast from idle it backfires out of the front SU. If it does in the back SU, it is hardly noticable. I've tried adjusting by turning quarter turns in one direction and if it didn't work I went the other way. I can't seem to find a happy medium. My question is: What am I missing. I have the ZTherapy video but it doesn't really disscuss troubleshooting.

I'll be wearing a Nissan Sport ball cap. Darrel, I will also talk to David Maramoto and see if he and his wife can make it.

Are people bringing their families? My wife and daughter will be coming along. As of right now Wednesday seems fine.

Got your pm. I will check into it and get back to you

Darrel, keep me posted as well. I will be in Denver from August 25 to September 2. Heading up for a week of vacation. Doing the Six-Flag, Zoo stuff as well.

Hsl30.com, Nissan has always paid for the banquet at the national conventions. Somewhere around $25,000 (I would guess the money is used for other things as well). I know that has been the case in the past, so I can't say for sure that it is going to happen this year. And if its not true then people have been feeding me a load of bull for a long time. Doesn't the ZCCA control those funds so that deposits can be made for the different venues that need to be paid way in advance. I also remember Nissan giving $2k for an event held in Florida a few years back. I think they also helped sponsor the ZDayZ event. Again I could be wrong, but thats what I thought I heard.