doradox

The front bearings should not be "tight". Use the method in the FSM if you are inclined, or the general method I describe below. They are pretty much the same thing. Take the cotter pin out, tighten the spindle nut a little more than snug while spinning the wheel. (this seats and aligns the bearing) Back off the spindle nut and re-tighten until JUST snug. Then back off, if necessary, the nut just enough to align the cotter pin. Tapered bearings aren't designed to run with any substantial amount of preload. It's very easy to get them too tight which will eventually burn them up. It's better to be too loose than too tight in this case. You'll note the '73 FSM says to loosen the nut up to 15 degrees more to align the cotter pin. If, after adjusting the bearing, you still have substantial play you could have a worn spindle or worn inner bearing races. Steve

The torque on the drivetrain causes misalignment in the failing joint that is relieved when the clutch is depressed. Steve

One of the reasons the later cars could tolerate the high spark advance is EGR. EGR goes a long way towards reducing spark knock as it is used to reduce combustion temperatures below the level that oxygen and nitrogen combine into NOX. EGR is often demonized as just another evil emissions device that robs power and mileage. It allowed more advance under light load conditions so fuel economy could be improved over other methods, low compression and rich mixtures being two, that could be used to reduce chamber temps. Steve

Correct. Also that work is limited by the tire with the least traction. That's why when you break one tire loose with an open diff you pretty much kill your acceleration. Steve

I've been meaning to get hooked up with the Indy club but life always seems to get in the way. I lived in Lebanon for 8 years before moving out to the sticks about 3 years ago. I'm surprised I never saw your Z. Steve

Actually it's the other way around. Unless you are in reverse of course. Steve

Good Stuff! Steve

Still Colfax, although I just listed Indiana until recently. Not actually in town though. Very far from Colfax? Lebanon? My son has seen a Z matching your avatar a couple time there. BTW your pin on the map is in Bowling Green KY. Steve

One nice thing you get for your $400, other than a brand new distributor, is the ability to recurve the mechanical advance using Advance Curve Change Kit, Part No. 29014. Steve

Awesome info, thanks. Only an engineer would have done the min, max, and median. Steve

Since an 11/16 in bore slave will stroke roughly 1.2 times the distance of a 3/4 in bore for the same master it could be related to differences in clutch release fork geometry, pressure plate design, or merely to reduce the pedal stroke required to release the clutch. Steve

Since they made a few changes to make it look more like a 240 it's a little better. Still too slumpy in the back, like a dog running with it's tail between it's legs, and those flat fender lips that look bad on any car I've ever seen them on. Great performer though, especially for the price. Steve

That's pretty cool. I used to race 12th scale electrics and easily had $500 in my car. 25 years ago. Steve

Sounds good. Just make sure you still have some pedal free play. If the throwout bearing is in constant contact with the pressure plate it will prematurely wear the bearing out. Steve

Since you are not grinding into reverse your clutch is not dragging so the whole collar issue should be moot. If you are sure the lever is allowing full engagement into 5th then it sounds like an internal trans problem. Once FULLY engaged it should not pop out. Steve

It sounds like Marty is on the right track. The collar and bearing are pressed together so unless you took the bearing off the 240 collar and pressed it onto the ZX collar you are, as Marty said, using the wrong collar. When you say it's hard to get into reverse do you mean it grinds or is the shift lever hard to move? If you are grinding then your clutch is dragging, possibly due to the wrong collar. Grinding in 5th could be a weak synchro combined with a dragging clutch, or just a bad synchro. Is the lever free to fully engage 5th gear? Are you sure nothing is blocking it's movement? If the lever can't completely engage 5th that can cause a grind too. Steve

I actually meant you removed it, say to replace the u-joints over the winter, and forgot. I was just joking, although stranger things have happened. Steve

That sounds like you are stuck in neutral. Possible broken shift linkage. Car rolls so it can't be stuck in two gears. Slight rpm drop is the drag from the trans oil as the clutch engages and begins to turn the input shaft. Either that or you took out the drive shaft and forgot about it. Steve

Sounds like the linkage is broken. Steve

It's good, your description was more complete and spot on. Steve

Timing won't directly cause dieseling. Once you turn the key off, no spark=no timing. However, retarded timing will require a larger (relatively) throttle opening to maintain idle speed. Larger throttle openings increase the risk of dieseling. Lots of cars used to have a solenoid which opened the throttle enough for idle when the key was on and then closed when the key was turned off to reduce dieseling. You would actually adjust the idle by adjusting the soleniod bracket. Some had a similar setup on the idle fuel circuit to shut off fuel and eliminate dieseling. Steve

Not even close. In gear, at a standstill, the transmission isn't moving at all. Nothing is turning. The engine is turning but the input shaft is not. That's why the clutch must be pushed in in order to idle at a stop. At a standstill shifting into any gear stops all movement in the transmission. Any gear is fine. It just has to stop the gears from turning. There's no reason first is "better" than any other. They all stop the gears from turning so there's no "matching" going on. If the clutch is dragging and you slowly shift from a forward gear to reverse the input shaft may begin to spin again and grinding will result. If the clutch isn't dragging then feel free to take your time. Steve

Shifting into a forward gear before quickly shifting into reverse is a common trick to stop grinding. It was used much more back in the day when we had transmissions that weren't synchronized in first gear in addition to reverse. You'd push in the clutch, hit second, then into first. I still often do it out of habit. Steve

A slight clutch drag will cause grinding going into reverse but the synchronizers will overcome the drag and forward gears won't be a problem. That's what synchos do. Slow down or speed up the input shaft so gears can be shifted without grinding. Something has to cause the input shaft to be turning in order for reverse to grind. A worn out transmission can't do that. Transmissions don't turn themselves. A dragging pilot bearing will do it or a dragging clutch. If he's whipping it into reverse too quickly before the input shaft can stop then that's driver error not the fault of the transmission. Walter, I assume you cleaned the input shaft when you installed the transmission. You may have been dragging the pilot bearing or the disc couldn't move on the splines and stayed in contact slightly with the flywheel when the pressure plate released with the old trans. Cleaned up, those things would be less likely to happen. Sam, try these things: Try shifting into a forward gear before quickly shifting into reverse. As Carl said be at a full stop. Wait a moment with the clutch pedal depressed before whipping it into reverse. If it still grinds your clutch is dragging.

Pilot bearing? Has this problem existed the entire time you have owned the car? Was some work done and then this problem appeared or did it just happen one day? Steve