grantf

I got my some of my old parts back (well actually just the bumper end). It turns out the used one they installed was missing a bonded stud so they cannibalized the one from my old bumper end :mad: So I had to cut it back out of the POS they put on my car, and glue it back on. In addition the right hand bumper strut was bent in a little from the damage and I managed to tweak it back a little. here are pics of the end after my fix and after the professional job .

Oh almost forgot, My dash cap is labled PALCO 303. no D

Ok just for fun I temporarily installed my dash cover, I used no glue just slipped it on and screwed down the defroster cover. I think I will leave it on for a while and let the sun and hot interior help it to conform to shape. glove box is a little sticky and I see some misalignment here were the two knobs are. Is this close to what you are experiencing? I could slip the trip reset knob on but it is rubbing. I did notice there is some room to adjust the knobs and I think before I permently install the cover I may heat some areas up and conform them a little closer to were they need to rest. Overall not a bad fit but not perfect.

If you read the OP you will see he knows this. Just be nice to see the cap on without the knobs so we can see how for off. I purchased a full dash cap from MSA and have yet to install mine, it would be nice to see his before I find out the same problem.

No I have not performed an accurate reading with my meter yet (need another body, longer leg, or third hand). And I understand that the in dash gauge is inaccurate. I have compared the 78 and 77 wiring diagram and it does look like the correct wires have been jumped only that there is an open blue and an open black. The black does not concern me as it was for grounding the old regulator but the blue has me wondering. Yes I do have a little bit of a low idle speed, but with the lights on I only get enough amps at around 1500 rpm. hmmm I am going through cleaning connections but no real change yet. I hope I do not have to make another alternator swap.

Having some volt/ amp issues with my car. It runs and starts great but at night with the lights on the volts drop to around 11, during the day when driving around 3000 rpms the volt gauge climbs to around 15.5. I am thinking this is a regulator issue. sometime before I bought the car it had been converted to an internally regulated alternator, which I have since replaced. Wondering if the conversion was done correctly. Note only two sets of wires are jumped and the color match up looks odd.

I am not sure I see the problem, can't see till you remove the knobs and push it in all the way.

is there any perticular reason or advantage?

Silly me, I did not push the coil wire firmly into the distributor. :stupid: It runs now. On a side note, I replaced the dizzy cap today, it turns out I have a zx dizzy, is this common? Thanks for the quick reply fastwoman, I have got a ton of info from you're posts.

Man to bad it's the drivers side, after my misshap I ended up with a spare passenger side compleat assembly. I got mine from evilbay for about 35 buckazoids. sorry this is no help to you at all.

My 77 280z has run pretty good for a year now, ran great today till I decided it was time to do some maintenance. I parked the car at about 5:00 pm, popped the hood and inspected the distributor cap , has worn contacts, put it back on, looked at the ignition cable contacts and found bright blue residue on one, cleaned it and reinstalled, tried to start the car at 6:00 pm and it ran then died after 2 seconds, now it does not fire, I checked for spark, good, checked fuel pressure good, near around 40 psi, then a return line hose split and burst fuel, I will fix this in the morning, but I do not see why suddenly my car would not start, I cannot find anything that changed other than me looking at it. So got fuel, got spark, now what? oh and I listened for injectors firing with a screwdriver pressed to my ear and thought I heard a very quiet tic tic tic but I am uncertain if what I am hearing is the injector or something else. Help:disappoin

When you say soft spot is it popping in and out, like a pop can? if you are going to do body work anyhow try to heat shrink the metal. Get it hot with a torch then quench it with a rag and cold water, not red hot just enough to make steam. Does this help?

never heard of a 240zx.

Wow! and I thought my $300 z had rust, bad wiring and a ripped up interior!!

Cool!

Man that's a lot of pictures. Very awesome! I have a 77 (well it's registered as a 78 for some reason) and the next big thing is a brake overhaul. Thanks.

So I called the shop. I am in luck they have not tossed the old parts yet. I will be picking them up tomorrow and have a word about what is not acceptable. But at this stage I believe that the car is in better hands with me. So to start I will remove the bumper and do some careful measurements to determine why the bumper is not aligned. My plan is bolt a long piece of uni strut to the right hand bumper strut flange, heat it with a torch and bend it back close to alignment. Does this sound correct?

speaking of hatch weather strip. I just tried to install the center outer peice I recieved from BD last december. It does not fit at all, wrong profile, wrong length a total p.o.s. and a waist of time. I am hoping the one I ordered from MSA looks like the one you have pictured above.

cygnusx1, that acually is a replacement, the damaged one from the accedent was in better shape. The plug is not shown because I removed it to see if I could tweek it back strait. The shop I took it to had a really good word of mouth following. I just think that they rushed my car through.

Darrel, the other end is strait, But there is an indication that the bumper is shifted a little to the left. But it also looks to have a slight twist, like the right bumper strut is bent up and in (makes sense looking at the original damage). Any how I am pretty sure I could get things lined up with time but I am am supper busy at work and I would like to start fixing some other non mechanical issues with the car. Take it back in or fix myself??? other side...

Arne, That's what every one is telling me. I will visit the shop tomorrow. What kills me is that the work I did is better than what the shop did. I am an amature working from a dirt driveway learning as I go. 4 weeks and 3k for this is sort of nuts.

I Know I want the old one damaged from the accident back! I am thinking that the right rear strut may be tweaked up and in from the collision. Wonder if I should bring it back or fix myself.

Ok, So I got my car back. I have mixed feelings. On the plus side the work was done and paid for by the other guys insurance $3000. My car was not totaled and I got a brand new bumper but some of the replacement parts were in worse shape than the originals and the ones I got that the body shop did not want to use. there paint job on the finisher was worse than my at home do it yourself. body work was ok. but what really bugs me is the right bumper end is not strait. It really bugs me. :tapemouth So now I am in a dilemma fix it myself or bring it back. they already had my car for 4 weeks. ARRG.

FSM = Factory Service Manual Download from http://www.xenons30.com/

5 is vacum for the heat ac controls