gbabcock

Okay - sorry to keep bringing this tread up to the top again... but just wanted to through a couple more things out there. Doing some searches, seems as though a bad ballast resistor might be the cause, although I've still been unable to track down the ignition relay and try that. Unfortunately, I have not idea what the ballast resistor looks like or where it's located, other than between the dizzy and coil. Can anyone offer a bit of help? Also, I've had a Crane XR700 electric setup setting on the self for a while, waiting to be installed. Would that be a possible cure for the problem, or just a way to dig myself deeper into the hole? Is there a tread somewhere on installation? Thanks -

Okay - tested for power at the distributor and I don't seem to be getting anything. Swapped in a new coil, still nothing. I'm think the relay? Does anyone know where its located?

Okay - checked for spark and there's nothing. Changed cap and rotor, still nothing. What next? Wires? (also did plugs while I was at it).

First off, thanks for all the replies. The color isn't stock - it's 'electric blue' - I like it quite a bit. Also, I've already swapped out the 73 flat tops for and earlier set of 72s - world of difference. And, I have been choking it :stupid: I'll check the above mentioned suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes. Best -

Don't think it's gas - tried adding a bit already.

Searched the treads and didn't come up with anything too promising, so I hope I'm not asking something that's been covered a lot. Anyhow, parked my fairly stock '73 in the garage about 3 months ago - it had been running fine. Like an idiot, I was didn't disconnect the battery cables and the battery went dead. Went to get her running and charged up the battery plenty, but she just cranks; doesn't try to start at all. I'm thinking maybe the ignition coil is shot? Does anyone have any suggestions of what else I might consider, particularly things that would be a no-brainer? Thanks -

How do you bleed the cooling system?

radiator is relatively new as well. I'll try flushing the system, but it would make sense that something is off with the guage, I'll check with my mech and see if he can test the temp for me next time I'm in. Thanks -

Think I might have found the culprit - I started running higher octane and now the hesitation problem seems to be gone, runs fine even if a bit hot. The temp is isn't right though. There's no fan clutch as I've got an electric fan, I suppose the next thing to check would be blockages, huh? I don't really know what else it could be - runs a steddy temp on days below 65 and only heats up during idle, though once its heated up, it stays there.

I've been driving my 260 more or less everyday for the last 2 months with no problems and today, first hot day of the season, it started running strangely: Drives fine until warm, then temp starts to creep up and holds a bit below 3/4 of the gauge (I replaced thermo, temp sending unit and water pump recently). Then it starts hesitating, sort of, pulls fine, then lets back a bit for a sec, pulls fine again, let back and so on. If I turn it off and she cools down, runs fine til warm again. Lastly, all of this got me looking at my gauges and I noticed my oil pressure is fairly low in low gears, say 15-25 and 5 at idle and at highway speeds pressure builds up to midway but it takes a while. Good pressure when she's cold. Oil level is fine, coolant level fine - any ideas? Thanks

Alright - I've done some research on swapping z calipers with toyota truck calipers and it seems like a pretty easy worth while swap, particularly as my 93' toyota 4x4 truck just blow a head gasket, is too rusty to be worth fixing so I'm going to part it out and I just put new calipers on it about 6 months ago. My question is, from what I've read, people say to need calipers off eariler model trucks - does anyone know if this is true? From the pictures I've seen, the eariler calipers appear to be nearly the same as the later model ones. Suppose I could just try mounting them, be thought it couldn't hurt to ask and save myself the effort. Thanks -

After hearing a rather bad noise coming from somewhere more or else under me, I discovered that I was in need of new driveshaft u-joints. I ordered a couple of the spicer joints from MSA and went to put them on this morning, but I found that I don't have a wrench or vice grip that it large enough for the job. I brought the new joints to my locate autos parts place and they have ordered me the right tool for the job - but alas, being in Alaska, it will be a good two weeks until it comes in; so here's my question - what it the worst that can happen, if I keep driving with the rather shaky set of u-joint I have now until I'm able to change them? Or should I sacrifice a couple weeks of good fall driving time?

Thats more or less what I thought about the NGKs- though, I do have to say that I run champs in both my toyota trucks and they seem to have cured all their cold weather starting problems.

Forgive me if this has already been covered, (I didn't come up with anything after a quick search), but what type of spark plugs are most people running and how often do you change them? I've always used NGKs and I change them about every 10,000, but I curious to know what other people use.

Well, finally figured it out. After checking about everything possible without having any electrical testing tools, I brought it back to the auto parts place where I got it and agrued over the cause of my problems, they tested the battery to find it was defunked somehow!?!. Got a new battery, installed it and everything peachy-keen (which is a good thing, cause I was starting to feel a bit stupid, triple checking whether I had the cables hooked to the right places). Thanks all for the help -

I'm not quite sure what 'fusible links' are (forgive my ignorance).

That would make sense - here's a rough order of events: Car sat for about a month (on vacation - it doesn't get that kind of neglect when I'm around). Jumped it, ran it - everything appeared OK. A couple days later, I went to start it, but the battery was too weak to turn it over.Charged up the battery very well, drove around for about a hour. I let it sit over night, came out the next morning, tried to turn it over and got nothing - not even gauge lights. Assumed a new battery was in order. Picked up a new battery, put it in and tried to start it, and again nothing - not even gauge lights. Checked the stupid stuff - cables are going to the right places, starter is fairly new, cables are new, ignition fuse is OK. The only thing I can think of is my electric fan, which tends to run for a while after the car is shut off (particularly when hot - as it has been) - yet that wouldn't really explain why a new battery wouldn't work directly after being put in?

I think I didn't clarify something very well - the new battery - with a full charge, won't start the car or get the gauge lights on; this happened directly after putting the new battery in. I was thinking along the lines of the alternator as well, but when driving it, I never seemed to lack any elec. power (dim lights, etc.) at low rpms. The only other thing I can think of is that my electric fan is coming on too much, as it will turn on after the car is off and it has been hotter than normal - though that would not explain why the new a battery doesn't work? Thanks for all the replies.

I'm wondering what might be going on, as I have no clue. My Z had been sitting for about a month and over the pass week I had to jump it a couple times and it seemed as though the battery was not holding a good charge. Yesterday, just to make sure, I charged it up, drove the car for about an hour and this morning went out to start it and got no power - not ever guage lights. I then proceeded to go and get a new battery - but after putting the new battery in, the same thing happens. I've checked the most obvious things - the cables are connected to the right terminals ( and both cables are fairly new as well), the starter is also fairly new. Any ideas on where I should look? - thanks

I don't know the type offhand, but it is from motorsport. I've looked at most of the wiring and there is nothing that looks wrong, at least to my rather electrically novice eyes. Never thought of the other sensor though - maybe that is where the problem lies.

I was wondering if anyone knows how to get the electric fan to turn on.Mine will only turn on once I've turned the engine off, and then it runs for about 20 minutes. I have no idea where or how it senses the temp. The car tends to overheat in traffic-like conditions and most all of the cooling system is pretty much new at this point (waterpump, radiator, temostat, etc.). Thanks

I'm in the process of replacing the waterpump and I've heard that after you get the new pump on and fill the radiator, after the car runs for a bit you'll have to add more coolant - is this true? Basically - in the end, whats the capacity? Thanks -

I kinda figured that would be the consenses - suppose a couple more days won't hurt anything.

Having just starting driving my Z after a long winter, I nocticed my waterpump leaking a rather steady drip of coolant. Knowing that a new waterpump is in line, I ordered one from MSA and I'm now waiting - of course, waiting is the catch. I'm just itching to drive it with the first good weather of the season. Thus, my question - so long as I make sure I don't run too low on fluid, is it safe to drive it? While I'm worried that I might be risking the pump completely giving up, followed by overheating and damage to my new radiator/hoses, the temptation to drive is too much. Thanks -

I completely agree - saw it earlier on ebay and made me wonder what comes over a person to put that amount of effort into making a car look it came out of a hotwheels box?