TomoHawk

Sears sells a small combo kit of polish bars. Don't forget to use your mototool, to get the tight spots.

there should be a ground connection for each section; frontlights, engine, dash, interior, rear lights. One of my next things for my car is to add these. gema- I looked through my wiring Diagram ( pretty sure it's from Mitchels, got it in 1992, so I think it's correct) and everything electrical I've worked on so far is on there . And, on it, there is a BLACK wire going from the front to the back, with a spur for the engine & dash. Every ground wire from the gauges, lamps, etc. connects to it. After tracing for about an hour, I only found one (ring terminal symbol) between the starter symbol and the relays. This might not mean anything, but things on my wiring diagram are pretty much the same place on the car, front to back, left & right. Concerning your delemma, I suggest a test lamp, maybe a buzzer (radio Shack, 12V) and confirm the wires under the dash (brake light) first, then in the back. I did this when I spliced in a new lamp socket for the brake, to confirm wires were correctly marked and things worked as expected. Good luck if you chose to take on this mission. Secretary will disavow having any knowledge. This mess will self destruct...

I think that the original wiring system could be improved, but not by much. I have been looking for the grounding locations, but it seems that the only ground ( on my Miotchell's wiring diagram) is at or near the alternator. I believe this is why the wires all (corroded). No place for the oxidation charges to go to, easily. One the same note, the way the wiring goes from front to back, like for turn signals & parking lamps, makes debugging easier.

Those relays are so cheap and easy to replace, I would just put a spare in the box with the fuses. I think it's also possible to set up your system so there is a failsafe switch or a shunt you can use to get yourself home. That's assuming you don't make things with a single relay as complicated as with two. BTW, you'd need a SPDT relay with "center off." Is there such a thing? forgot to say that before.

Those relays are so cheap and easy to replace, I would just put a spare in the box with the fuses. I think it's also possible to set up your system so there is a failsafe switch or a shunt you can use to get yourself home. That's assuming you don't make things with a single relay as complicated as with two.

I keep thinking... Is there some reason you can't use just one relay for the lights? Why not a SPDT relay? Cuts the # of connections in half.

By alternative, I mean from another make/model car, so I could get some from the JY- cheap. That way I'd have a set to use until I get the $$$ to do the toyota calipers conversion with 300ZX vented rotors. No need for cross-drilled or slotted for street use.

78 280Z Is there an alternative source for 280Z brake rotors? I will be needing a new set eventually. thx.

Why noy just bypass the light connection totally with some toggle switches? You could even use lighted switches. I'm sure that way, they wouldn't get hot because they handle much more cirrent. You only need three wires, any way. I was considering doing this myself- moving them to the center somplace.

I would have called it a "brake pedal from an Auto trans-equipped" car. "Automatic brake pedal" sounds like what it does, not what it is...

That's what I meant. Oone wire on the warning light is hot, the other one goes to a (switch) inside the fuel level sender that completes the circuit to ground. I just need a confirmation, but that means the fuel level sender isn't working right. From some drawings I've seen, the fuel level sender actually has to parts (floats&arms), one for fuuel level, the other for the low warning. Just don't know how the low warning part works.

Can I get some enlightenment about how the fuel warning lamp operates? I did some stuff with test lamp during summer and found out that one of the wires at the dash light is always hot, so I think there's a switch inside the tank level sender? My warning lamp has never worked yet, even after a couple tank-fuls.I usually fill the tank half-way. Bad sender maybe? The gauge seems to read correctly. thx. happy holi-daze.

Check eBay. There is a cable on there almost every week.

Would you mind explaing what an "Automatic Brake Pedal" is or does? thx.

For street engines, we learned in tech school that you should avoid a constant RPM, so we drive around the neighborhood during off hours, accelerating moderately, then coasting to the next stop sign, etc. On longer roads, accelerate, coast, just no stopping. Driving at a constant RPM before a good break-in messes up the scratches from the cylinder honing and can mess up the seal of the rings. So I avoided highway driving in my new car ( when I got it) for 1000 miles or so. Sounds like a lot, but I drive city street to work any way, and I figured on the calculator go about 1,000 miles back and forth to work in about a month. After a good Break in, you drive any way you like.

I agree that NASCAR isn' t that exxciting. How many times can you spin around in a cxircle before you get DIZZY? Really, it doesn't seem to take a lot of talent to mash the pedal down and turn the wheel left. Rally racing means: YOU got out to look over the course and take notes. You find somebody wo doesn't get nauseous while reading in the car to call out notes. You practice driving like an idiot all over town & back roads. The rest is probably the same as circle-track stuff.

From what I've seen, if you wanted to make a wiring harness all you'd need is: sheet(s) of plywood for jigs a working harness for pattern You just lay the harness on the plywood, hammer (nails) in where the wires bend or end, draw lines for the direction and document the places where each wire start/stops, including pin#, color, & guage. I've seen it done on DIY car restoration shows and video of commercial companies. Even OEM companies do it, but use better jigs. I bet the Painless people do it too. You would start with just a small section to get the process figured out.

Coke also has phosphoric acid in it. Back in elem. school, one kid's dad was a dentist and We put a tooth in some coke. A week later it was partially dissolved! yeesh.

No problem. I just though a little stronger solution would work a little faster. Vinegar seems so weak that I think it would take forever to work. Of course, you use any chemical with caution.

We made vinegar in High school chem class once. It was like 1 drop acetic acid to a gallon of water. THAT'S weak. What I was referring to as weak acetic acid would be about 20 - 50 times stronger than vinegar.

I'm sure there is a contemporary equivalent of what the original connector is. I think the only difference is that they are using the barrel contacts now, instead of the blade contacts. Otherwise, a simple replacement seems to be in order. But, I think I will try to 'vinegarize' the connectors a little first. BTW, are you sure it's plain vinegar, or some kind of weak acetic acid solution? thx. This place is Kool.

I'm surprised you DIY guys don't know this already from the DIY home shows on TV: Hot vinegar is used to clean & brighten up your tarnished brass stuff. Tried it myself once. Hot Taco Bell "Hot Sauce" is supposed to work too (probably contains vinegar.) I better go to Taco Bell & stock up to cook my connectors cleaner! Too bad you can't suck the vinegar through the wiring & de-rust that, too!

Instead of 'guessing,' why couldn't somebody just contact Nissan directly and find out the specs for the required connectors? Plain and simple- just ask! Since it looks like standard AMP connectors, we just need to know which one(s). Why don't we just as Nissan if they would make up so many wiring harnessses, or just certain sections (engine, front, body, rear). They might be impressed enough with Hybridz.org, 240z.org, et al, they they might do something nice. Couldn't hurt to ask. Ask the right questions to the right people.

People say you should clean the connectors & ground to get more voltage to things like lights. How would you clean the connectors? wire brush? I used some de-rusting acid on corroded lightbulb bases once. Came out real shiny. I don't think you 'd want to soak your connectors in acid. Anybody try 'CLR' to de-rust? What works for you? thx. happy doli-daze.

Hi Alan, I accept your point of view, and I need to say that I don't really see any problems with the Zeds except for the lack of power steering. I've driven other cars (MG, small fords) and the steering felt much lighter. Maybe it was because I had 2 good arms back then. Yes, I remember 8-track. Zedrally's point seems to be a personal one, telling me to go spend anothe $5k - 10k for another car, when the one I have is fine for the purpose. If He was just being sarcastic, I wish he would've said so; it's impossible to see facial language through the text. I haven't had time to look, but I suspect that the 280Z had provisions for both right and left handed brake levers. I also know the lever axle goes straight to the other side and the arm pulling the cable is centered in the trans tunnel. That is why I had the idea of putting the alternative lever on there. Another reason would be to use an alternative console, which for me would be no problem, spacially. A reason against the whole idea, which I will porobably drop any way, is that the lever woiuld be in the way of the fire extinguisher! I would definitely like to see more debate/discussion on all things Zed, instead of somebody telling you that you bought the wrong car. Cheers