Zed Head

Is the engine complete except for carbs and plugs, or is it a long-block and a head, or was it running before someone took the carbs? Why do you think 9.4 - 10.5 CR? Just wondering. There's not really much informative in your description. Street cam, other head work, steel guides (probably meant steel seats). Did you talk to the builder? Or buy it from the builder? E88 head on an L28 block is a little bit restrictive unless the builder installed bigger valves. Get a specific list from the engine builder if you can.

Here's one fairly spendy solution - Z Specialties Online Store - If we don't have it in stock, we can get it! Maxima 90 amp alternators will bolt in but require a pulley change, re-wiring of the plug and possibly some grinding of the housing for pulley clearance. The CS130D seems to be a popular GM alt. swap also but takes some mounting bracket work, and wiring. But you can also gain an amp or two at idle by cleaning all of your connections and grounds, and putting a few things on relays, like headlights and running lights. Any old, resistive connection will waste some amperage creating heat. Edit - Forgot to say that your wiring will be damaged by the load that's on the other end, combined with the current that's available. Your battery has much more amperage available than any alternator you'll ever install. A dead short on battery alone will fry any wire in the car, even with no alternator installed.

If you go a parts store and ask for a 280ZXT alternator you'll get a 60 amp NA alternator. They're stocked under the same part number. You only get the higher amperage at higher RPM anyway so if you don't have a problem at idle a higher rating won't change anything. There are many other options out there, some expensive, some cheap but requiring some extra work. How much do you want to spend, time and/or money? By the way, you said the amp died. Did you mean alternator?

I just fixed some very light seepage around my thermostat by re-tightening the bolts. I replaced my thermostat a few months ago and I guess the new gaskets compressed after some heat-cycling, or I was just afraid to over-tighten the soft aluminum in the first place. Same scenario, it only leaked when hot, closed up when cold. Might be worth a try. I have EFI and can reach all of the bolt heads without removing anything, with some long extensions and contortions (for the ones in to the head). Mine was a tiny leak though, only identified by smell and wetness, no actual dripping.

Just a few things to think about. Find out how long it's been sitting first. Some parts, like the clutch and brake hydraulics, are almost certain to go bad after sitting a long time. Other parts, like injectors, can last a long time if the FPR and pump keep the system sealed.

Never mind, I see that you replaced both flashers. Did you check the troubleshooting chart on BE-28?

Just saw this over on Hybridz. Don't know if it's free or not. Eastern Washington is dry country. 2/70 240Z found in field - S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z - HybridZ Here's the text, Phantom is the guy. VIN on this car ends in 1749 and data plate says mfg in 2/70. Has a valve cover that says "Datsun 2400 OHC" and an intact pointy top radio antenna. Some rust in rear fenders and along bottom of hatch opening. Doors good. Interior a mess but mostly there. Minor body dings. Bumpers are straight. This car is going to a crusher unless someone wants. PM me if interested.

Yes, that's the one. Virto's picture might be of an earlier link, the white piece is actually just a plastic support piece, the wire itself has green insulation. They went to two wires in 77 or 78. It's shown on page BE-6 of the FSM, although the picture's not great.

They're available from most of the usual Z car parts places. Educated guesses around the internet put them at about 40 amps. Here's one possibility. Z Specialties

The links melt from excess heat. The extra heat conducted down the wire was probably enough to push it over. No reason for excess current to flow through the ECU though so you should be okay. If blown links is the problem. zKars is right about the location, although the tabs tend to break off and they end up hanging.

There should be a thick white wire attached directly to the positive post, with a white connector to two green fusible links. Just look at all of the wires connected to the positive post. The wire supplies power to the ECU and the injectors, so if those two links go you'll get no injection.

Take a good look at the ring gear on the flywheel. It might be worn or have moved. A small mirror through the starter hole might be needed to get a good look.

Did you put the five speed in or did you buy it that way? If it was previously an automatic, it might still have the spacer behind the flywheel. That would hold the flywheel away from the starter.

One more angle to think about that might help - the pistons are pulling against the throttle blade. If the throttle was completely closed, no air would flow through the AFM, each stroke would produce a vacuum, except for any remaining exhaust gases. The more closed the throttle, the less "charge" (oxygen/fuel blend ready to burn) there is for each combustion event, because the air that entered is at lower pressure (fewer gas molecules). Opening the throttle increases intake manifold pressure, more molecules flowing through the AFM. I've always thought of the EGR as a way to produce an effectively smaller engine also. The gas that's added to the intake system is essentially inert, it's oxygen has been burned. So the more EGR gas that's pulled in, the smaller the "charge" is, just like in a smaller engine, or like at low intake pressures (high vacuum/closed throttle). The fuel/oxygen ratio is still correct though, so proper combustion can still occur. Beer.

Some devil's advocate stuff, and channeling your own intuition. Oil pressure results from lack of flow, the pump pushing against obstruction. You noted very good oil pressure in the first post, but are seeing 51 camshaft turns (102 crankshaft) before oil flows, plus your observation that flow seemed low, just by eye. Seems like you might have some obstruction in the channel to the head. It's small already and wouldn't take much to block it. Some people open it up to get more flow, especially if they're running a spray bar and an internally oiled cam. That another thing that's common to both camshafts, besides the springs.

You know those are for Z's not ZX's right? Pretty sure they're different. Maybe you picked up a Z recently, thought you had a ZX. Aside - checked Courtesy Parts and they show the original non-adjustable compression rods as available. Only $156.37.

Maybe your subconscious added emphasis when you wrote, but the thing that jumps out is the spring pressure. My understanding is that the spring rate, spring height and the distance between seat and retainer (giving preload) will determine initial (base circle) pressure. Maybe one of those three things is off.

Open the link labeled Blaster 2 Coil w/Ballast..., then click on the tab that says Instructions, to see the drawing of wire connections. It's a PDF file. Of course, you're probably on a phone with a tiny screen so won't be able to open or see the file. If so, you'll have to borrow a computer with a big screen.

This topic has come up before. I replied in the thread below, but I think that my understanding was off. With the Blaster 2 and points you're supposed to install an extra 0.8 resistor. Which would drop the primary resistance to 1.5 ohms, the original value. That might be your solution. Might also be what Nigel was referring to in your Hybridz thread. And, it's in the MSD instructions. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/electrical-s30/44994-msd-blaster-2-installed-onto-72-240z-idling-become-unstable.html Instructions: Blaster 2 Coil w/Ballast & Hardware - 8203

The Blaster 2 coil has 0.7 ohms primary resistance and the stock 73 240Z has 1.5 to 1.7. It's not the right coil for the 240Z ignition system, despite what MSD's sales literature implies. Could be why the tach doesn't work, you're passing too much current through the tach. Good luck with the problem and the attitude.

You never answered the question about what you're trying to do over on Hybridz. And the last reply on that thread was three days ago, not weeks or months. Put the stock coil back on if you want the tach to work.

Here's a guy selling a couple of ECU's - Ecu - Nissan : Datsun ZCar forum :Nissan Z Forum: 240Z to 370Z The fuel pump relay and EFI relay are combined in to one, up to some time in 78, when I think that they might have split them up. It's a 1x1x2" silver box mounted above the hood latch handle. I had a 78 with the same relay as my 76.

As Wade says, and you suspected. Not enough cranking amperage left to keep the voltage up. Batteries wear out eventually after so many charge-discharge cycles. Any good auto parts store can test it for you to be sure. And there are no factory issue starter relays. The power to the starter solenoid comes directly through the ignition switch. There are other relays but they aren't for the starter. There are other things on the solenoid power wire that could be causing a drawdown. If your battery tests okay, you might get the wiring diagram out and find those other things, like the seat belt buzzer timer, for example.

It's the mount, not the bar, if I read it right. If it was my car, I might just take the mount (off of the bar) and the car to a "muffler" shop and ask if they can weld it back on. The old marks are still on the car and exhaust-building pros are used to welding thin metal. Might be less than $50, I would guess. Clean up the mount and the spot on the car first and it will be even cheaper. Worst case, they'll just give some advice on why it won't work, and the right way to do it.

I've read that the 260Z's tend to have a problem passing enough current through to the solenoid to get it to do its job. The fix is to install a relay to drive the starter solenoid. If your remote starter does the job, but the regular starting circuit doesn't, you might have that problem. Search around the internet for "260Z starter relay" and you'll find more information.