Gilli

Thanks for your replies. Helped a ton. Tomorrow I will remove the master vac and hopefully will find my problem. I'll let you know how it goes. Jayson

Car: 1978 Datsun 280z Problem: When the brakes are slightly applied, they do not engage. After continual pushing it finally catches and nearly locks up the brakes. (Catches about half way from the floor from the original brake pedal position.) After telling my shop teacher my problem, he immediately said it was the proportioning valve that needed to be replaced; and never told me why even after I asked him. Why would this be the proportioning valves problem? It feels as if it's the front brakes that are doing this because after the brakes actually engage, the front of the car violently dips. I have inspected and cleaned the rear drum assembly and all seems to be well in it's place. When it comes to the front left caliper assembly, I took a look at the drum and it seems as the right side of the drum was in brand new condition. I'm guessing the piston isn't functioning. I doubt that would be the reason to my problem though. Other than removing and spraying lots of brake cleaner all of the brake assemblies, I haven't flushed the brakes or done any other work to it. Can anyone diagnose my problem? :stupid: Jayson

Fixed. Battery was at 2v :tapemouth

The first picture says starting from the far right: Unknown wires. The big white piece: plugs into the back of the ignition The black wire with the male end is what the black piece female end goes onto.

I am a brand new 1978 Datsun 280z owner and the car needs work. When I bought the car the owner said that i had to jiggle the key to get it out and it comes out finally. Later that day .. I snap the key in the trunk lock. -.- So, i bought a new cylinder for the ignition so I could actually start the car right? Wrong. I swap out the cylinders and then hook back up the ignition and nothing. No clicks, no trace of anything happening. I then take the ignition to a locksmith and I had put the cylinder in there wrong; I was 180 degrees off. So he flips it around and puts a new pin in to secure the cylinder. I now take it back home and what do you know.. absolutely nothing. There was a little piece that I broke off; its a black thing that slides into the front of the ignition for some reason. I have no idea what its for. Could this be the reason why it's not starting??