Zed Head

Here's some confusion, for me anyway. I had always assumed that the ballast resistor was used because the ignition model did not use current-limiting control. And without the ability to "fill" the coil the spark plug's gap was smaller. And that it was spec'ed larger in 1978 when the better ignition module was introduced. But, here is the actual specification from the actual 1977 Owners' Manual, with 1977 on the cover. I don't really know what to make of it. It seems to imply that plugs without resistors will fire across a larger gap. Also note that Nissan did not recommend the projected tip plugs although many of use use them. Nissan recommended the P tips, then they didn't then, they did again for the ZX engines.

The screw in the AFM is for idle air adjustment. It won't have much effect at higher RPM. Best not to mess with that, it's set at the factory.

I screwed up and left a zero out. 0.032" is correct.

Didn't you have a post about where to put the condenser wire? There was discussion about the ballast. I think that you have a ballast resistor, so you should use the smaller gap. 1977 is a "change" year, Nissan seems to have changed many different things all in the same model year instead of waiting for a new model year. And, even on this site, you'll find different versions of the 1977 FSM. Nissan didn't put the year of the FSM in the document, for some reason. Edit - actually it's only on the cover or the first few pages. But people often don't copy those . You just have to know. 1975 has a similar problem.

Edit - Left out some zeroes below. .032", .043" is correct. Those spark plugs are much dirtier than they should be. Looks like your EFI system is running rich, which is a very common problem with the 280Z's. Have you checked the gap on the spark plugs? It looks too big. 1977 still has the weaker electronic ignition system, gapped at ~0.32". If your engine has the ballast resistor then gap to 0.32". I haven't found an FSM that I'm sure is actually 1977, so there might be specs showing 0.43" gap. But I don't think that's right for a ballast resistor system. The firing order is for the electrical spark, not the injection. The injectors squirt half of the required fuel on every crankshaft revolution, all at the same time. Some cylinders have valves closed, some open. The fuel just hags around until the valve opens and it gets sucked in. But they squirt simultaneously.

CO said the injector wires, not spark plugs. You can just move one plug over to the injector next to it and swap them. They all fire at the same time. If it's the ECU then the clean plug will get dirty. Make sure you swap a clean cylinder injector plug with a dirty cylinder injector plug. Switch injector 3 with injector 4, for example. 4 should foul, if it's an electronics problem.

You can get get heat shrink tubing in pretty big sizes. Some JB Weld, a piece of heat shrink, and it might be serviceable. I fixed a scissor handle that way and it worked well. That kind of break is really hard to fix with adhesive only though. Probably never look the same.

If your oil pressure sensor/switch has two prongs it's probably a 78, as far as parts are concerned. Nissan changed the fuel cutoff system for 1978. 77 and earlier has a simple round terminal on the pressure sender. The relays will be different also, 78 has more of them under the hood, I believe. I think that the bumper rubber might be different also, not sure. And 78 does not use the ballast resistor in the ignition system, by the coil. That's another clue.

He never really said though, did he? He is still active on Hybridz.org, he might have followed up over there. John Coffey used to comment often that before headers, the exhaust system itself should be improved. Piping headers in to a restrictive exhaust system was a bad idea, obviously, and a stock Z's exhaust is fairly restrictive, apparently. Here is LeonV's most direct comment about headers.

Make sure that it has a thick flange that matches the intake manifold flange thickness. That seems to a major oversight among many manufacturers. A thin flange that requires special clamping yokes. From what I've read if you haven't done any porting work on the head, headers will have little effect on power. The power bottlenecks are elsewhere. They will increase the noise level though, so the perception of power will be greater. No offense intended. Some people go back to exhaust manifolds from headers just because of the extra noise. Not kidding. Something to consider.

If you can find a kit that comes with the throwout sleeve it might help avoid headaches afterward. Looks like some of the kits do, some don't. The high-performance kits seem to comes with all of the parts and there's some fancy looking discs. And don't forget the 225 vs 240 mm. If you have 220 HP then who knows what flywheel and clutch that you're using. You probably do. I assume your question was really just about this new brand name on the scene, Clutch Max. You might even want to get a new flywheel, you can still get the 240 mm flywheels. 225 is hard to find. Here's 1976's offerings, just for viewing pleasure. I bought a Perfection Zoom clutch from OReilly auto and didn't like it. It chattered when it got hot. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/nissan,1976,280z,2.8l+l6,1209226,transmission-manual,clutch+kit,1993 https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/nissan,1976,280z,2.8l+l6,1209226,transmission-manual,flywheel,5348

The only adjustment needed will be the timing after you drop it back in. Use a light to set it correctly if you didn't mark the position. There are two lines on the pedestal and the distributor that you can line up to get it close enough to start the engine. You can't install it 180 off, the end of the shaft only fits the drive spindle one way. Eyeball it and you'll see.

Oklahoma credit card. No offense to Oklahomans, that's just how I learned it. It's probably wrong...

Are you saying that the big nut and bolt that create the inner pivot for the "transverse link" was loose?

One-Eyed Jacks, Sturgis, Noon to 5:30 pm. You might have been exposed. https://news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?id=27179 Potential COVID-19 Exposure in Sturgis, SD PIERRE, S.D. – State Health officials announced Tuesday, August 18, that a patron of the One-Eyed Jack’s Saloon at 1304 Main St. in Sturgis, SD has tested positive for COVID-19. The individual visited the business while able to transmit the virus to others on these dates and times: August 11, from 12:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Due to the risk of exposure, individuals that visited the business during the specified dates and times should monitor for symptoms for 14 days after they visited.

I should also mention that the reason I was focused on my bearings is because they led to loose steering. So that's another sign. That wandering feeling in the front end when it should be tight. Getting pulled by freeway grooves, excessive tire wear, etc. I've worked on a variety of car brands bearings but the Z bearings were the most difficult to get right, for me. Not sure why.

On checking wheel bearing looseness - I dealt with loose bearings for a while and found that you can get a really good idea of looseness/tightness by grabbing the top of the tire and shaking back and forth, with the car on the ground. If there's any looseness, you'll hear it clunking. You just have to be careful not to confuse the noise with brake pads or caliper parts moving though. Pretty sure that I also found that the nut will only tighten so far, not always clamping the bearings in to the race like most cars. I could crank the nut down and the bearings would still be loose, if they were worn out.

It's a petri dish where-have-your-hands-been microbial culture.

Looks interesting. They use the typical "Stage" 1,2,3 labels, whatever that means. All the way up to Stage 6! (Should have gone to 11). They sell flywheels too, apparently. But their web page only goes back to 1981, oddly. And it doesn't work for finding a product. Some Ford Mustang stuff, but no other brands. I guess it's all eBay. The numbers seem right at the bottom of the eBay page. Surprising that it's so cheap. Too good to be true? Made in America and dirt cheap? https://clutchmax.net/pages/about-us

Maybe your battery is about to fall out? You never know. Assume the unassumable.

Here is what I remembered. It was Carl Beck. @Carl Beck

You know it's rural people, who probably don't know 90 from 180, in a warehouse in Asia. Certainly no robots.

College Greek life...how could they be so irresponsible?! Completely unexpected! Who could have foreseen this? (Irony). https://apnews.com/66745a09e003a27b6c13e4578636d300 Same topic. They tried to get past the cancellation deadline but didn't make it. Lock that money in. Also learned a new word - "de-densification". It is incumbent on all of to de-densify until the virus is controlled. https://indyweek.com/news/orange/unc-chapel-hill-calls-off-in-person-classes/ https://www.unc.edu/posts/2020/08/17/shift-to-remote-cm/?utm_campaign=081720+Message+from+University+leaders+on+changes+in+the+Fall+2020+Roadmap&utm_medium=bitly&utm_source=Twitter "Given the number of positive cases, we are making two important changes to de-densify our campus."

Not sure what you're showing. You showed a bare bulb, and the Charge warning light. The Fuel light is down lower. Here's 1976, they give more detail than 78 but it's in the same spot.

Interesting that Delphi and Spectra are out of stock. Sometimes that means discontinued.