hogie

I have finally got the wiring sorted out well enough to get the engine to crank over and fire through the ignition switch, however I have a couple of questions concerning oiling before I really try to get the engine up and running. I can't locate my oil sender wire, so to see if I was getting any pressure I pulled the sender out and didnt get any oil pouring out as I cranked the engine. I probaly cranked it 7 or 8 seconds a couple of times in a row. How long should it take to get anything? Other than gutting a distributor and using the shaft on a drill is there a good way to prime it? I have several pumps laying around and may replace this one just to see if that will fix anything. Does the engine really have to be at tdc? I know that really isn't hard to do, but I wouldnt think it would be necesary if everything will just line up anyways. Thanks again

While I am waiting on some help welding up my frame I am tackling my wiring issues. I am not sure what these parts are for, could you please help me ID them? Pic 1 is attached to a blue wire, but the round end has broken off. Can I simply solder this back together? Can I/should I order a new one? Pic 2 was in the car's spare parts pile, but I cannot find anything while digging through the FSM. Courtesy Nissan and a google search show it as a repair assembly? What for Pic 3. I dont see my yellow black oil pressure sender wire anywhere. Also, I can't figure out what the little rubber cap is for. It has to Red/blue wires. Thanks

Neat, but with the kits being 799 and 999 I don't see the savings potential.

Holy crap, that is expensive. For that price I would want a single piece rear and no rubber bits at all. I guess it wouldn't look factory then, but stainless wouldn't really in the first place.

That is extremely clear compared to the online manual...thanks

Would you define Southern Indiana as a hot weather area? I think I would... Well I guess I will have to screw at least one together. I got the inside of it, nicely polished the other the outside will have to do for now.

How important is that center post on the outside to really holding it together? I was unfortunate enough to break both of mine off. Surely the adhesive is enough to hold it altogether. It took alot of prying to get it off the first time

A bunch of time and a good bit of money...too bad mine isn't even up and running to really say for sure.

The foam does suck.....it seems like break parts cleaner softens it a bit though. I have already spent 3 months screwing with the rest of the car, what is some more time?

Yes, you do see a bit of distortion in the angle iron at the jack stands. I have since moved them to just behind the tension rod brackets and they are a bit more straight now. Does anyone have a proper method of locating exactly where the crossmember mounting holes should be in relation to the front of the frame? Since they half arsed this part, I doubt they properly positioned it. Knowing my friends it will end up with square tubing as opposed to sheet metal. We will see how much worse it is when I get that angle Iron out.

Well, I guess it is time to get the engine back out of it then. Though, I guess technically I didnt have it out the first time, but I did get everything hooked back up! It may be possible to weld this up without pulling the engine. i am sure that will be harder though. The panels actually fit quite well for now, but the previous owner got those set-up.

I figure the strut towers would carry alot of the load. However I would think that cross member mount would have to handle cornering forces and at least a bit of twist from the engine. Either way I am a bit less worrried now.The other thing Is would it be wrong to assume the front end is square still? The front radiator support is solid. Does anyone have the frame dimensions for our cars? I found the one in the FSM and it is essentially unreadable. THanks

The frame rail is compromised, but not to the extent that the inner fender is. It suprsises me that this area isnt built any better. I have tried to add a 3d's outline of where the damage is. The green line represents the lower outside edge (inner fender bottom). Red = damage....on the passenger side it only creeps up half way. On the inner fender edge it climps ot the top of where the frame rail welds on per carl's diagram. I need to pull off the angle iron to be sure though.

I have a new plan....I fill it back full of foam cover it with a small riveted in plate and sell it as proffessionally rust repaired! Ok, my ethics would prevent that... I really dont think it would be too hard to open up what is left and fill it with a 2x3 box tubing. Though it will be far from factory looking.

Every one seems to be quite the pessimist on here and at Hybridz! Here is why I am not so worried about it. I started at the back of the car and worked forward.....yes it was the wrong direction, but it is what it is. 1. Rear frame and floor boards are solid (I already fixed the half arsed floor pans and rails) 2. Really nice dash and corbeau seats, all new carpet 3. pretty nice paint, shaved rails, emblems, and door handles 4. And the motor is solid as far as I can tell. 5. The other side of the frame is in better condition. All I have left to do on the car is fix these rails and screw around with the wiring. The expensive stuff is done. At this point in the process it doesnt make any sense to throw in the towel. I have some friends that are extremely good welders so I am sure we can come up with something that will work if not be overkill. I can weld, and have the tools to do it I was just looking to see if anyone thought my initial plan was workable. Here is some proof of what we are capable of. Though I am sure it is not your thing, the president of my car club and I used to build competition hydraulic dancers. This is his truck and it holds up to some major abuse. Yes, i know it has a full frame as opposed to a unibody, but he is a darn good welder. I am not planning on paying anyone to fix it so the cost will just be in time spent and metal. Southern Showdown 2008

IF that goes for 5k, I should be able to list mine in just as ridiculous of a manner and sell it for 10k even with crapped out frame rails

Other than this section, the car is in quite good shape...if I was going to unload it, I am sure I would be better off trading it in on a cash for clunkers deal if that ever passes. Parting it out is unlikely, though I do have a 280z shell that is in good shape, just no title. <a href="http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z82/wangchung_01/240z/?action=view&current=DSCF3661-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z82/wangchung_01/240z/DSCF3661-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Perhaps I am looking in the wrong places, but it looks like your repairs were more over the tension rod mount/doubler. This is directly over the main crossmember mount. What thickness of sheet metal did you use?

I checked out the Zeddfindings frame rails and it looks like they only fix half of my problem. Unless I am looking at this wrong, they look like the should be dome welding on my inside the engine bay. My damage is worse on the wheel well side. Also, it doesn't look like this has the mounting points for the main cross member. I really don't have any intention of doing too shoddy of a repair...I am too far into this turd to half arss something. I am not afraid of welding it, but I am sure it will not be pretty either way. If I move the jackstands back to the area behind the tension rods will it still be safe? I know the rails there are still sound. http://www.datsunzparts.com/images/Floors/Front%20Frame%20Rails/Fr%20Frame%20Rail%20RS%20Inside.JPG

This was supposedly done professionally. I finally got around to checking out the undercoating on the front frame rails. After I dug around a bit I found some pop riveted plates. After popping those off I found they filled the holes with great stuff. On the inside edge of the frame rails is a big peice of angle iron bolted through at the engine cradle, sway bars, and at the back edge. After pulling out the foam it looks like the inside edge of the frame is relatively sound. Also, ahead of and behind the hole feels quite solid. If I can weld the inside frame rails to the angle iron and the plate the outside with 1/8 inch steal would this be an acceptable fix? I am not looking the replace these rails unless I have too. I have heard that bigdog has front frame rails, but all I have seen is the under floor and rear sections. Please check out these pics and let me know what you think. This is the angle iron reinforcing the rails.

Arne, you hit the nail on the head. Whoever painted/powdercoated that put it on extremely heavy. After about 4 soakings in paint remover the driveshaft slides right in. It looks like the collar on the shaft slides into the collar at the end of the transmission. Is it possible to put the drive shaft in too far? I know on my old hardbody that could cause problems. THanks

I tried the shaft on the 4 transmissions I have and it will only go in an inch at furthest. It is engaging the splines, but only just. I will try to strip the paint off tommorow. Brake parts cleaner should do the job nicely. I will try to get the end of the tranny a bit cleaner, but the ones out of the car are in better shape already and it wont work with them.

Please let me know if anything looks out of place in these pics. The splines on the shaft look like they are in good shape, but don't fully engage. Even after a good greasing. I am quite sure the diff is mounted properly as well as the engine. The fan is darn near touching the radiator so there is no way for it to move any further forward. I thought I read that there was supposed to be a tiny F on the diff mount, but I dont see that either. Also, I called MSA today and the drive shaft they sell is 30 inches long. Thanks

Yes, power to relay, switch to relay, and relay to starter...I dont remember the posts exactly, but it was easy and much better than running a starter button (previous owners solution).

I made a relay kit for my 87 toyota truck using a later model starter relay and it made a tremendous difference in starting it. The ignition switch on the truck was run directly to the solenoid from the factory and couldn't carry enough current to do the job after 200k miles. If I remember right our zcar set-up is similar, I am sure it couldn't hurt.