Zed Head

I was going to paste a link to a thread at Hybridz that would help you out but see that you are already there. Did you read Post #17? The amps only matter if you add new loads to the harness. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/96568-alternator-question/ I hope that you're using one of these. If that's the stock 73 alternator (I can't tell) then you'll have an external voltage regulator to deal with. Do that, then just add a wire to a junction point for the charge wire to connect to and wire all of your new loads to that. Edit #2 - this is listed for the 60 amp upgrade but it will probably handle your 105 amp alt. Zsondabrain would know for sure. Either way, the 105 amp alt. is not a drop-in swap. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/12-4068 The ammeter vs. voltmeter issues discussed in the Hybridz thread are a whole different problem. edit - Dang, FW and cozye are fast. FW, the above was written as you posted...

It means that your coil is probably good, and if the engine turns over, it should supply a spark, if the module lets it. The ignition module is looking more suspect. The pickup coil is easy to check though, I would do that next. ~720 ohms across the red and green wires to the distributor, disconnected at the junction. If the pickup coil checks out, and it worked before and you're sure that all of the wires are connected the same as before, then signs are pointing to a bad module as jm suggested. The modules are kind of sensitive and can just die, especially after 33 years. No offense, but the Chrysler or GM HEI module swap might be difficult for you, they are easy to destroy if you make a mistake in wiring. There are several tests that you can do at the ignition module, on the wiring harness, to check your wiring and components at the same time. It's all described in the Engine Electrical section of the FSM. 75, 76 and 77 modules are similar and you could probably wire one of those in without too much trouble, just match wire colors (you'll have extra terminals on the 76). A 78 would work but you'll need to splice in to the plug, they went from screws to plug-in. Match wire colors again. Ignition problems are tough...

Put the positive probe of the multimeter on the + terminal of the coil,and the negative probe of the multimeter to ground (the engine block or manifold). If you get about 12 volts that means you have power to the coil and a charged battery. Then put the positive probe on the - terminal of the coil and the negative probe to ground. You should get ~ 12 volts. This means that your coil is probably okay. Then you'll know that you have power to the coil and through the coil. If so, you can move on to figuring out why it doesn't fire. jmortensen has a good observation about the module. Personally, I have only had two go bad, one just died completely while driving down the road (1972 Dodge Dart Sport - after a bad voltage regulator did damage) and the other started cutting out at high rpm (1976 280Z after a bad internally regulated alternator voltage regulator did damage). Have you had voltage regulator problems lately, or has your voltmeter been sitting at the high end of the gauge?

Maybe he was doing the SNL "Reaaalllyy" thing... Could have waited at least an hour though. If you have 12 at both sides of the coil, you need to make sure that you have 12 to the module and that you have a good connection from the coil negative to the module (runs all the way back through the harness to the passenger side of the cabin), and that the module ground is good, and that the pickup coil works correctly. The module just sits there waiting for the pickup coil to send a voltage pulse (simplified) then it breaks the circuit. In the meantime, it is supplying the ground that lets current flow through the coil. You might have to take a look at the wiring diagram to get the colors for the wires at the module, so you can test power, ground, coil negative and distributor. Those wires run out to the distributor and coil. When you say new module, you mean new 77 module, not new MSD module, right?

The coil needs 12 volts at each terminal when the key is on. When the pick up coil triggers the ignition module,the module breaks the circuit, releasing the spark. So you must be missing one of those key items - 12 volts through the coil, distributor pick up coil sending trigger voltage to module, or module breaking the circuit. Edit - the coil needs 12 volts at Start also, There typically is a bypass circuit that avoids accessories when Starting. Hook up your test light or volt-meter to the coil terminals and turn the key to On and Start. If you get 12 volts you can move on to the circuit-breaking step. You list the cars below in your profile. Is it one of those? There are a variety of triggering mechanisms for a variety of ignition modules out there. Some can be tested. 1990 Nissan 300zx 1984 Olds Cutlass Supreme 307 V8 Vin Y Looking for another 300ZX Looking for Datsun Z Looking for 350Z Wrecked

You might have a short on the negative side of the coil. Current runs through the primary windings of the coil to charge up the secondary windings. The MSD breaks the circuit to the primary to fire the secondary, creating spark. Not technically rigorous but essentially what happens. If your coil is getting hot it's because there is too much current flowing through the primary windings, all the time. It could be shorting through the MSD unit or a crusty wire or a dirty terminal or through anything else you have connected to the negative terminal (aftermarket tach? or whatever). This would make your coil hot but not give spark since the MSD can't break the circuit. Forgot to say if you're measuring 10 volts this could also be signs of a short. Full disclosure - This not an area of expertise for me...

You know, it's possible that your motor runs perfectly by 1978 standards. We might all just be spoiled by today's numbingly smooth modern machines. Or fuel quality has changed and your motor really is running lean. They say that today's E10 and E15 is not "noticed" by today's engines but they all have O2 and knock sensors feeding smart computers to keep the ratios correct. The E85 guys all run a whole extra set of injectors or really big ones to make their engines work, so it's just a question of how much leaner is E10 or E15, and the effect on your idle. Maybe it's not capacitor drift but fuel composition drift. The topic has been well-worn re gas mileage but I haven't seen much on little things like idle quality, etc. Nothing wrong with some new technology to get things back in sync.

You said you get a firm pedal but this might still be worth checking. It happens occasionally and is easy to do. Is the bleed screw on the top of the caliper? On some (many) model years, 76 for sure, the calipers will bolt up perfectly on the wrong sides, putting the bleed screw at the bottom. This leaves an air pocket above the bleed screw which is impossible to remove completely. Brakleen is a strong solvent and will swell rubber, I believe. Maybe you gummed up the caliper seals or the master, if they were exposed to it? Hopefully you had everything disconnected when you were flushing the lines.

Actually, it's two replays in one housing. The fuel pump relay and the fuel injection relay. You should have power from the ignition switch to that relay when you turn the key to On. Then the relay will allow power to go to the fuel pump when the AFM contact is closed. It might be worth your time to take the hose off of the front of the AFM, turn the key to On and open the AFM flap. If you have power to the relay, the fuel pump will turn on. If it does, then you'll know you have at least one correct fuel pump circuit.

The unconnected dangling white wires by the ECU (computer) are common. They don't need to connect to anything,they are probably for diagnostics or quality assurance at the factory. I don't know for sure, I have not seen a solid explanation. But I have them and so do others. Don't worry about them. In the FSM, most or all of the wiring diagrams have the wires labeled with a letter. The colors that go with the letters are generally shown down at the lower right hand corner of the diagram. G = green, L = blue, WR = white with red stripe, etc. The connectors are also shown and they are color-coded also. So you can follow the wire color to the proper color connector shown in the diagram and you'll know where that wire should go. There are too many wires and connections to try and figure out your problem here. The circuit from your ignition switch to the fuel pump relay is not too complicated. I would start there and at the steering column and the combination switch and ignition switch wiring. The relay is right above the handle to open the hood. It has two connectors attached to it.

KAL7467, I don't want to put a downer on your project but there appears to be some truth to all of the internet chatter about the poor quality of the typical auto store reman'ed alternator. I just replaced a bad O'Reilly alternator with a Datsun OEM alternator from a car that had sat for 10 years. It looked like it had some good usage on it before it sat also, but I had it so I put it on. The O'Reilly Autolite (one of their old brands before they got bought) had always put out low voltage since I bought it, at idle if I had the lights and fan on. The wipers would barely work at idle, I usually turned them off at the stop lights. The ten year old Datsun alternator now runs everything at charging voltage, 14.8, at idle. The wipers scream across the windshield now. They're both 60 amp alternators but the Datsun OEM puts out more amps at idle. I had upgraded from an old worn out alternator so had never actually seen a good one in my car. I'm actually glad that my O'Reilly Autolite died, even though it took out my ignition module in the process. To O'Reilly's credit, they did give me another reman, Ultima brand this time. It's sitting in the garage so I have no idea how it compares. Just something to be aware of.

I have a 5 speed from a 78 in my 76. I had a grind like you describe, a few teeth worth, when shifting quickly from 2nd to 3rd at high rpm (freeway on-ramp stuff). Different from yours, but the few teeth description is right. It was very consistent, and my clutch worked perfectly. I thought I had a bad synchro also (maybe I do), but decided to try the Redlline MT-90 fluid to see if their "balanced slipperiness" claim had merit. The stuff really worked. I was surprised because I'm cynical by nature, especially when it comes to old well-known products like oil. I was using Valvoline 75-90W before. For about $25 it might be worth a look. I only bought two quarts and used the 75-90w to make up the difference, They will blend. Turned out that not all of the 75-90W drained out anyway so two quarts of MT-90 got me a full fill. It's been in there for about 5,000 miles and I don't even think about the transmission anymore. It's not "notchy" in cold weather like the 75-90W was either. http://www.jegs.com/i/Red+Line+Oil/816/50304/10002/-1

That's good news. Thanks for the info. The Rebello people probably know the flange will flex. Hard to imagine they wouldn't, or would put out a product with a critical area out of spec., with all of their experience. I guess it could happen though. Now you have to make one of those videos. No flip-flops, wear some good shoes, with socks.

Did you buy them new so you can get a replacement or did you buy second-hand? If second-hand and you have to make it work, the easiest, first thing to do might be to clamp the flange to a flat surface and get an idea of how much force it will take to flatten out the sealing surface, and see if it flattens or just bends in a new place. I would guess that the hardness/stiffness of the flange might be affected by whether or not the manufacturer quenched or annealed the welds, and how hot they got when welding. I'm just guessing, I am no expert. Also, there's nothing wrong with telling the brand so that future header buyers can be aware of, or avoid the problem. I might have headers in my future and wouldn't mind knowing where these came from.

If the wipers don't work, but the fuel pump does when you turn on the wiper switch, then you might have a wire crossed or incorrectly connected in the ignition switch area. You have power up to that area, because the wiper switch is letting power flow to the fuel pump relay (under the dash above the hood release handle) or the pump itself, when you turn the wiper switch. I would focus on all of the wires to the ignition switch and the headlight/wiper stalk, and make sure that they all go to where they are supposed to go. A member of this forum, Saridout, completed a really nice color wiring diagram for the 1976 year. It is really easy to trace the circuits with the color added, plus you can zoom in on the areas you're interested in with Adobe Acrobat. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36494&highlight=1976+diagram

Your 71 probably has the same floating single-piston cylinder that my 76 did. The cylinder itself slides back and forth (floats) in a slot in the backing plate to self-center as the shoes wear. Maybe the cylinder is stuck in its slot or jammed, or even one of the clips has come loose, allowing the cylinder to jam. They are only held in place with two bump style detents, under the rubber boot. There's a good drawing in the 1972 FSM. The backing plate tends to rust under the cylinder, and get road grime, gumming things up. You should be able to slide it back and forth by hand with the drum off, against the pressure of the brake springs trying to hold the shoes in place. Or you can take the shoes off and it will slide easier. They went to dual pistons in 77 or 78, allowing the pistons to extend to whatever distance needed to keep the shoes centered.

I think he's running points, if he has an unmodified L24. So ncolz might be on the right track. If dustbag can't measure dwell, he should at least check point quality (pitting, burnt, etc.) and make sure the gap is set right. Then re-time the engine. To your first item though FW, if it is an old distributor, he should check the advance mechanism as you suggest. I just recently have taken two distributors apart, a 76 and a 78, and they both had gummed up bearings, with broken bearing holders. The breaker plates would move but I'm sure they weren't moving the proper distance. dustbag, you should probably just pop your distributor out and give it a good examination, and some maintenance. You can clean it up, make sure everything works right, and replace/reset the points with it off the engine. Then pop it back in, set your timing and know that it's right.

Don't know if they were commercial before but they're organic now - org http://www.hybridz.org/

Here, six pictures down, is a shot of what might be your problem (as blue 72 implies). It is for 77 to ZX but atlanticz suggests that the 240 swap is the same. http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/distributor/index.html

Hope I'm not butting in but I had a couple of suggestions. Using a torch on the aluminum thermostat housing will help a lot in removing the stuck bolt. Aluminum expands quite a bit with heat. I just took a bunch of spare parts off a spare engine and several bolts would not budge until I hit them with a torch. Of course, you'll have to avoid burning wires, but even a short time heating will make a difference. The other thing I see is that, even though early indications with the AFM flap are that you might be running lean, your fuel pressure reading is too high. If the regulator is working correctly it should never go over 36.3, and on a running engine,with the vacuum hose connected to the regulator, pressure should be at 30 psi or lower, depending on manifold vacuum. Maybe your vacuum hose to the regulator is split or disconnected? The 36.3 psi number in the FSM is for a non-running engine, fuel pressure with no vacuum in the manifold, or with the vacuum hose disconnected. You can test the pump and regulator alone, engine not running, by removing the small wire from your starter and turning the key to Start. This will run the pump without cranking the engine. Just one more perspective...

I am pretty sure that there is a drawing in the Body section of the FSM, of each area of the body with parts called out by name.

MSA sells the 73-83 version for $22.95. 70-72 is $39.95. Or NAPA sells a 1973 version for $12.95. You could just use the boot and keep the cylinder for emergency, or paperweight.

He should connect with those Storm Chaser guys. No tornado's going to get enough air under there to lift it. It just looks like a nice car with broken air shocks. If I saw it beside the road somewhere I would stop and offer help.

The fusible link wire colors on the NARVA site you linked to don't translate to Datsun's data in size, from the FSM's. And they don't translate to Atlanticz's estimates of amp ratings. You could probably find comparable gauge but the continuous amp ratings don't match what others are using to determine size (max amps, I assume). Courtesy Nissan has an assortment of fusible links, in standard Nissan colors - http://www.courtesyparts.com/kb_search_result.php?chassis_id=0&keywords=fusible+link&Submit_Button=Go&cat=1

My 1976 model did not need the diode when I converted the internally regulated alternator. I think that the diode is needed only for the 240s and maybe the 260. The changeover might be when they went to voltmeters, from ammeters. Ammeters pass current, voltmeters don't (at least not in significant amount, by design)(as I understand things, from my limited electrical knowledge). The advice from MSD does not sound right. You can get the 1982 manual here, if you want to dig in to the wiring - http://www.xenons130.com/reference.html