Zed Head

I was only reminded because I've drenched a rain coat in 90 weight waaaay back when I was helping a friend replace the clutch in his Firebird. We had the front end lifted and it started pouring out as soon as I pulled the driveshaft. He decided that I might not know what I was doing, which was partially true, and took it home after I put it back together. Good times man, good times...

savasjn got a nice deal. Signed up on BAT just to get the 280Z. Went with bolder bids than usual. 400, 200, 150, 300. Well done.

No reserve running project 1978 280Z in Orlando FL. Looks like it came from an inheritance. Hopefully not a member here. Looks in great shape. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-datsun-280z-196/

No clues there. Maybe the plugging in of the parts causes some internal connections that shouldn't be there. I'm not actually clear on where that new connector goes. I've only worked on 76 and newer Z's. Edit - I guess it's at the old VR. I'd check that connector for problems. A dirty/corroded connection or bad wire terminals could cause heat. There are old stories out there about overheating adapters though. I'd probably plug it all back together, turn the key on and see if it gets hot. That will separate starting activity from simple key On activity. Break the problem down in to pieces. Starting draws a lot of amps and sometimes a poor connection on the starter cables will cause excess current on other circuits. That's why the battery cables are so big. They're really just for the starter. https://www.thezstore.com/product/178/alternator-upgrade-adaptor-70-72-240z

On the alternator measure resistance to ground on both pins. You might have a short circuit in the alternator. New does not guarantee good. One pin goes through the windings and the other measures output from the alternator. Both should have some resistance. I think that S should probably have infinite resistance. Not sure, but it should definitely not be low resistance to ground since it's connected directly to the battery. I would also measure resistance between BAT and E. I would also turn the key on and see if the new white connector gets hot when it's disconnected. There could be a short inside the connector. ZX alternator pinout.

Don't overlook sealing the hole at the back of the transmission before tilting the assembly for reinstallation. Avoid oil wastage. I'm sure you had it covered, but just in case.

Is there a problem or are you just looking for a reason to work on the Z?

The opening to the reservoir is open when the clutch pedal is up. So you don't want to press the pedal if you're trying to pull fluid through from the slave cylinder bleed screw.

It is interesting though that the images are different. Is there another company out there doing sheet metal? Or is somebody just creating new images? https://zcardepot.com/collections/sheet-metal/products/tail-light-panel-sheet-metal-rear-240z https://www.carbody.com/product/datsun-240z-parts/replacement-tail-panel-for-nissan-datsun-240z.html

It's odd how much hype is out there about what they're doing but very little about actual part quality. They seem to be making a ton of parts but not much out there from anybody actually using them. Where are they all going? Actually, I just remembered that they're probably going to places like Resurrected Classics. So, there has been some commentary about part quality there. They do have some parts that are more functional, where fitment and durability will be more critical. Stainless steel? https://www.carbody.com/product/datsun-240z-parts/replacement-front-door-hinge-down-19691973-for-nissan-datsun-240z-stainless-steel-11535.html

I wonder what type of metal and metal treatment is used. Will these last one year in the rust belt? Will they flex, warp, and fatigue? Could be one of those phenomena that lasts a few years until the reality reviews start rolling in.

It might be that the air (or fuel vapor) that's in the cold start valve line doesn't get fully purged. The best setup for cold starts is Nissan's original design.

I don't have the car anymore. No pictures. I thought that this whole thread was about finding that there is a problem with the pump's check valve. Do you think that the problem is the check valve in the pump or the leaking hose? Most intact systems will hold 10 - 20 psi overnight or longer. Your earlier description of air leaking in would have to happen after enough liquid fuel leaks out to relieve all internal pressure. That would be a lot of fuel, especially with fact that the wrong hose probably expands like a ballon. All of that volume has to leak out. I would fix as much as you can then see where you're at. Your car is a danger to you and the public around you at this point. I remember fixing a coworker's car well enough once long ago to get him home so he could fix the problem correctly. He had overfilled it with oil and the PCV system sucked it up and clogged his air filter. He didn't fix it, just kept driving it and beating on it. One night, about a week later, he parked it in front of the place he was renting after a night out and it caught on fire and burned. The oil had leaked on to the hot exhaust manifold after a night of beating. Luckily the car was parked far enough away that his landlord's family's house didn't catch on fire. He was renting a room. I think it was a Yugo with a manual transmission. He drove it like an F1 car.

Considering everything, I would remove the pump, get the proper hose barb for the inlet, take the banjo fitting off of the outlet and see if you can identify the check valve, and try to fix it. It might just be a piece of rust or debris in the check valve seat. You need to fix that zip tie mount anyway. If that breaks, the hose ends up on the spinning halfshaft and you could easily end up spraying fuel and creating vapor back by the muffler. A fire/explosion waiting to happen.

That barb image is from the link you gave for your pump. I'm pretty sure that most aftermarket pump setups have some sort of cobbled together fixturing. I used some of the metal tubing from the original setup and some creative hose routing. I put a loop in the hose to make the sharp bend that is a typical problem back there, from the pump the damper. It can be a difficult puzzle.