Weasel73240Z

Now its a little better, but not quite right. If I retard the dizzy as much as I can it'll run, but not like it should. I think, since I have to retard the dizzy all the way, maybe I went 1 tooth too far. Are you thinking I went too far the other way also?

Does this look better before I bolt it up?

Thanks alot Stephen. You were actually the guy I was hoping to hear from. I'm gonna pull the oil pump right now, I'll post another pic of it after I re-adjust and before I re-install the dizzy.

I think I found the problem..looks like I'm a tooth off on the drive gear. I'd love some input before I drop the oil pump, this is my first time with the Z, but that looks off doesn't it? Thanks for all the help. The other pic is the crank pulley, right at TDC.

Thanks Bruce, I'll do that.

Anyone know of a good Z guy, with SU experience, around Southeastern MA? I might want to have somebody take a look if I can't work out my carb/timing issues this weekend.

Checked, and got spark, at all 6 cylinders. How good the spark is I don't know, I don't have anything to compare it to, but the spark at the coil is much brighter and hotter since I changed to the Beck Arnley coil. And I get a pretty good white spark at all of the plugs. I'll reset everything to TDC, and post pics of the dizzy. But I triple checked today that I was at TDC on the comp. stroke, and the dizzy was pointing right at the #1. I'm almost 100% this is not timing or spark, I think its air/fuel. I think I'll adjust the float bowl level up tomorrow, and see what that does. Thanks for all the ideas, I don't know what I'd do without this site, .

I guess maybe I should adjust the float level up a little bit. I double-checked it after shipping, and it was right around where it should be (9/16") from cover. But I adjusted the mixing nut out to about 4 - 5 turns from (2 - 3 more than how it was shipped), with almost no change. Since the float level is the gross adjust, I think I need to bend the tab, and bring up my float level. Sound like the next best guess? Other than the "backfiring" through the carbs, the only other thing I can see is this fuel puking back through the carbs after I try starting.

Just confirmed timing. Rotor at the #1, crank indicator at the big notch, both valves fully closed at #1 (looking through the oil filler hole). Piston at TDC. Everything timing-wise looks right, but I can't keep it running long enough to use a timing light to dial it in. Still just misfiring, and "spitting" out of the intakes. I haven't richened the mix yet, I figured with them set at the baseline 2-1/2 from ZTherapy, they should at least run. If I do play with the mix, how much (or little) should I adjust each try? Just changed over to the new coil. Much hotter spark at all cylinders, still not running any better.

The carbs are set at 2-1/2 from ZTherapy. I haven't messed with the carbs, took them out of the box, bolted them on. I haven't checked each plug for spark, I only checked at the coil and the #1, but I'll check them all today. The plugs have come out a little fouled, but with the way its running(couch, couch, sputter, die), no surprise. But, the plugs, wires, rotor, cap and plugs are all new. Plugs are all gapped to about .034. The ignition is 100% original. Coil, dizzy, resistor, are all original. I pulled out the multimeter, and everything checked out to spec. New points. I have a new Beck Arnley coil, but haven't installed it yet. Once I verify TDC, I'll take some pics of where all the marks are. Thanks.

I just found this post by searching, and after posting my on problem this morning, I realize it is pretty much exactly whats going on here. I guess maybe by chiming in I can revive the thread. I know I need to 1st double check my timing, but I'm sure (sure, but maybe not 110% sure) that I was at TDC on the compression stroke when I set initial timing and re-installed my dizzy. The head was off for reconditioning, but I used my trusty wood wedge, made sure the crank never moved, and everything bolted back up with all the original timing indicators (1 hole on the cam gear, shiny link lined up with hole on the gear #1, etc). When I bring it up to TDC, the timing indicator on the crank pulley is right at the big notch (o degrees, right). The rotor is pointed at the #1 terminal (at about the :45 minutes (270 degrees) on the dizzy. Seems like everything is right, right? My symptoms are very similar, but I'm using 2 brand new ZTherapy SU round tops, so I'm certain that the carbs aren't the problem. Getting good fuel, getting what I think is good spark. I didn't do a compression test, but the car only has 26K on it, the head was magnufluxed, so theres no cracks. The car ran before tear down, so I have no reason to think theres a compression issue. The car backfires, will barely run once every few tries, and its expelling unburnt gas back out through the new carbs. When it does run, there no throttle there, and if I give it any gas, it'll stall. I think somehow I ended up at TDC on the exhaust stroke. I've found that even at 180 off, they'll still run. But thats based on my experience with American muscle cars, this is my first Z. Any other thoughts based on these symptoms? I finally have the car back together, and this is making me pull my hair out, I want to hear it run so bad. Help before I go bald!!!!

So I bolted up the new ZTherapy SU's, and barely got her to start. Very weak, no throttle response. As careful as I was, I'm thinking the most likely thing is that I'm 180 off with my distributor. Any other ideas?

If you want to learn to tune your SU's, get the "Just SU's" video from ZTherapy. It'll be well worth the $20. They even have it on DVD now.

There are some new pics in my profile. Just waiting on my ZTherapy carbs, and the 2008 phase of my project is done!!! Should be driving before May 1st!!!

I went to the warehouse this weekend (without permission ) and snooped around a little bit. I could see in the front of the building (an office), but the windows are all painted black in the actual warehouse portion (which makes me think it even more likely a true story). Problem is, the warehouse is right on a main road, and its marked with a bunch of No Tresspassing signs. I don't want the owner to catch me there, and blow my chance to actually buy one of them, but the curiosity just overtook me. I'll keep trying to get in to get a look. I'm sure there are tons of these "urban legends" like this out there, but the guy who told me about them said he knows the family, and personally looked at them, and he doesn't seem like a bullshitter to me. Now, whether or not they are actually "zero miles", never reqistered or not, I don't know, but I'll keep trying to get in to find out.

Sounds too good to be true......... When I picked up my car from paint, the guys at the shop told me he knows of a warehouse near my hometown where there are 4 or 5 "new" S30 Z's (2 - 240s, 2 - 260s and 1 - 280). The cars supposedly have NO mileage on them, have never been registered, and they've been up on blocks since new. It does make sense because there was a huge Datsun dealer in the next town over forever, and I hear the warehouse is owned by the same family that owned the dealership. Supposedly there were a total of about 40 cars in the warehouse, including the 5 Z's. Well, you know the story, the father died, left all the cars to the kids, and now the big sell-off has begun. If they are what he says they are, I can't afford them (at least not all 4 or 5, but I'm hoping to get 1). I've been trying to get in to see the cars for a few days now, no luck. If I ever do get in to see em, I'll report back.

I'm not sure if he factory-installed electric fuel pump is working correctly in my 73. I removed it and if I apply 12v, it pumps fine, I'm just not sure if the relay is working correctly, and haven't had the car running to find out if it kicks on when it should. So when exactly is the electric fuel pump supposed to come on? And.... If the electric pump is not working properly, does it restrict the flow of the gas from the mechanical pump, or will the mech. pump still work fine?

After trying to get those 35 yr. old. rounds to work right for a week, I finally ordered my new ZTherapy carbs last night! I sent Bruce an email, he called me back a couple hours later, and the whole deal took about 5 minutes. Bruce was great to work with, and I can't wait to get my new SU's. Thanks to everyone for their input, it made the decision to go with ZTherapy very easy.