Richard McDonel

I recently purchased from a popular on-line Z-car supplier a rebuild kit for the rear brake proportioning valve on a '71 240. The problem is that rebuilding of the valve assembly appears all but impossible. Somehow a spring has to be compressed about half way into a cylinder and held in place while a spring clip is pinched, inserted and pressed against the top of the spring. I have read some comments on this forum that no, it is not possible to rebuild, but then why would a reputable supplier sell the kit? Is there a special tool to enable the job? Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

Thanks guys!

I am restoring a '71 Series 2. I have three sets of the dual fuel rails above the manifold. All three are grimy and rusty. Once they're cleaned up, what is the correct finish; plating, paint, or bare metal? Thanks

Well done! Thanks for sharing.

You've got a bit of work ahead of you. I've seen rust on fenders, rockers, doors, radiators, control arms, etc. but this is the first time I've seen rust on an oil filter. This tells us two things: 1. The oil filter seal is OK 2. We'd all like to see photos of the engine once you get it disassembled.

I have two worn, but complete, S30 factory service manuals for body and chassis. I keep them in three-ring binders. I would like to sell one ($50 fair?), or trade for either a complete engine manual, or a complete owner/operator manual. Richard McDonel

Grannyknot, As you predicted, zKars (Jim), who lives not far from me, understood the problem and had the part I needed (nice guy too). Thanks for the suggestion. Forums like this are a remarkable source of knowledge and wisdom. Cheers All,

Betty, Someone out there might know the answer to your question; but not me. What I have learned is that detail changes on the 240s did not often follow model-year designations. Mid-year changes do not appear to be uncommon. I guess it gives councours judges something to puzzle over. Cheers,

Betty, Someone out there might know the answer to your question; but not me. What I have learned is that detail changes on the 240s did not often follow model-year designations. Mid-year changes do not appear to be uncommon. I guess it gives councours judges something to puzzle over. Cheers,

Siteunseen, Thanks for bringing that up. On my filler hose, the #18 line you refer to has been shut off by someone at some time. The plastic fitting #14 appears to have been heated to the point of melting, then crimped shut. As between you and Dennis, this is becoming more interesting / confusing. If the reservoir is meant to catch fill-up overflow via Line 18, then I should make very sure the tank is sound. Or, if we ditch Line 18, as appears to have been done on my car, one would have to be very careful on refueling. Another thought with respect to the reservoir - if I patch-repair it as has been suggested, would the application of a fuel-tank slush compound (as I have already done on the fuel tank), ensure a good seal? And yes, I should track down the "young fella who lives just south" (about 1.5 hour drive). This is my first 240Z project, and it sounds like he has vast experience. This proving to be an interesting conversation.

I appreciate all this help folks. Question for "Granny." What is that small canister (?) towards the bottom centre of your sketch? Cheers, and Happy New Year.

Dennis, Thanks for writing. Yes it can, but I'm a bit uneasy about relying on a patch job on a plastic gasoline vessel. Am I being overly cautious? I see you are the original owner of the same year as mine. Still running the original tank?

Restoring 1971 (HLS30 28726). I have the believed-to-be original plastic fuel reservoir / vapour tank. It is however damaged, and I'm not comfortable with the idea of patching it. I also have the steel version that came off a later 1973. It is sound, but will take some metal bending and / or cutting to install. Does anyone know if original-dimension plastic units are available? Or alternatively, does anyone have any experience making the newer steel tank fit the earlier car? Many thanks,

Charlie, Thanks a bunch, Start in the middle rather than at one end makes sense. Also the part about enlisting the aid of one's wife! Cheers

In his book on restoring Z cars, Wick Humble makes installing the roof / ceiling liner sound tricky, but not all that hard. But as he warns, once you've stuck the first bit on, you can't go back. Now given that if you are just a few degrees out of perfect alignment when you start, you're likely going to be inches out when you get to the other end.. Does anyone have any tips for getting it right the first time, or alternatively any at-all-costs-avoid-this-mistake warnings? Many thanks.

Thanks everyone! Where the fender seals originated I don't know. They came, unpackaged, with a rusted-out parts car I bought. I'n OK for clips, they with the parts car too. Thanks for the weatherstrip tip. I'll see how the stock material works, and if I don't like it then switch. Best regards,

This has probably been asked before, but I've gone back to 2013 on this forum and haven't found it , so here goes. I'm trying to install the front-to-rear rubber seals that attach to the welded seam between the upper and lower front fenders of my '71 240Z. I'm told they go thick-side down, and curve outward . So far so good. What I'm unsure of is whether they attach on the inboard or outboard side of the welded seam. Also, the rubber seals (new) I have are a bit shorter than the length of welded seam available to them - do I set them to the front or the back of the seam? Or does it matter? Second question is with respect to the battery tie-down. The nearest thing in my pile of parts is an unusual three-sided plastic frame. Is that OE Datsun? If not, can someone describe what a 240 should have as a tie down? Many thanks

I apparently have some serious work to do on my brake hydraulics, and it would seem to involve the front proportioning valve warning switch, and/or the rear proportioning valve. The rear is discussed in the FSM, and I'm about to get to work on that. But as for the front warning switch unit, the manual is quite stern in demanding that you don't even try to fix it - just get a new one. Easy enough said, but unless I've been misled there aren't any new ones to be had. Any thoughts on safety concerns on a DIY rebuild? Thanks

Thanks guys, I take it that the consensus opinion is "forget about 'original' - save the car and run with the plastic fan." Plastic it is!

I am restoring HLS3028726, build date April 1971. Is the steel fan or the plastic correct for this car? Second question; what is the correct finish for unpainted bolts; cadmium, tin, nickle, or ??? Thanks, RDM

Thanks for this. I was not aware the manuals were posted. I'll run with the '70 for now. The '72 manual, for whatever reason, comes in at 282 mb - about 20 times the size of the others - which my computer will not open. I'm putting together a car (same colour as yours judging by the photo) I stripped down about a decade ago, and there are some bits and pieces for which I cannot remember location. This will be very helpful. Cheers, Richard McDonel 09 Ford Taurus; '78 Mercedes 450SEL; 71 Datsun 240Z; 64 Grant King sprint car

CantechZ 1971 (did the manual change much, year to year, for the 240?

Looking for a factory owners (not repair) manual

There is an oval-shaped cam-inspection plate on the front of the head. I have two of them; one cheapo plating, and the other painted to match the block. Can anyone tell what finish is correct for a '71 240Z. Thanks

Thanks for this. I just finished installing this part. Fortunately I had two in the shop, because after carefully cleaning and painting the first one, I discovered that the centre mounting hole was waaay to big. Someone, somewhere in the past 44 years, had apparently tightened the bolt too far, and punched out the hole. Cleaned up the second one and it seems OK.