beermanpete

I suspect the R160 will require some type of adapters, similar to the R180. If this is true you might as well use the R180 as it is likely easier to find and the necessary axles are in stock at Wolf Creek Racing: Tranny & Rear Diff Parts. With these axles the R180 is a bolt-in operation. Since you have a 280Z you should check to be sure it does not have a R200, some do. The R180 (and R160) will not simply bolt in as a substitute for the R200.

For a street car removing the engine driven cooling fan and installing an electric fan would likely be the best compromise. For racing I think a larger diameter pulley for the alternator would help some, say about twice the stock diameter. Using a smaller crank pulley will slow down the water pump would likey lead to over heating. Also, the belt itself works best in a certain range or feet-per-second and the factory crank pulley diameter combined with the RPM range pushes the limit for good reliability and belt life.

There is a bit of info here: What happened to the Mulholland "King of the Hill" RSR? - Pelican Parts Technical BBS about the street racing scene on Mulholland. I have not heard anything about "racing" there in a long time. The mystique associated with Mulholland seems to be more about the street racing scene that the road itself. Mulholland follows the ridge between Holloywood and the San Fernando Valley. There are numerous views of the city, primarily looking north into the San Fernando Valley. Driving can be fun, both for sightseeing and brisk speeds (traffic permitting) but is rather short.

I prefer to solder splices and use shrink tubing. Crimp connectors are fine when done properly but the $5 crimp tools must of us have don't make good crimps.

Check the other branches on this circuit. Turn signals (via the hazard switch, green in-out to flasher), charging system (black/white wire to regulator), choke lamp (red wire to switch on the choke control).

You said you are using the 2K range so .057 should be 57 ohms. With 12 volt the current draw would be about 0.2 amps. Not exactly what I reported it would be but not a fuse blowing short either. With this in mind it seems the meters are ok.

Ok, I get the feeling you are measuring the resistance of the wire, from the fuse to the meter, on the positive side of the circuit. If this is the case your readings are fine but you are not looking in the right place. Try measuring from the green wire at the fuse to ground, which is the black wires at the meters. This should measure higher, as Steve mentioned earlier. The meters normally only draw a few milliamps, perhaps about 1oo mA at full scale, so the circuit resistance will be in the 120 ohm range. If you are measuring from the green wire to the black wire and getting "001" you have a short somewhere. In this case it is likely in the wiring rather the meters themselves. To test the meters measure each from the Y/R to the black or the meter case. Test wiring with all the meters disconnected by measure from the green wire at the fuse to the black wire in the connector where the meters plug in. This should measure open (infinity).

I forgot you have the dash out but, yes, that is what I meant. Separate the various circuit branches and test each one separately.

The ground path is on the red/white wire and red/black wire. The original headlight circuit for the 240Z has contant +12 to the bulbs and selects hte high or low beam by grounding on or the other. With the relay circuit the ground for the relays is through the high/low beam switch which in not shown in the diagram you have.

The IGN fuse feeds the meters (R/Y), the charging system (B/W), the choke warning lamp ®, the turn signals (G) (through the hazard switch) , and the brake warning lamp (R/Y). Try disconnecting all of these and and test each for shorts/resistance as well as the wire from the fuse which should be an open circuit when all the loads are removed.

Have you put in new gasoline from the local area? Perhaps the fuel is a winter formula fora cold climate and it is vapor locking in the hot climate. Also, is the electric fuel pump in the front (engine compartment) or the rear near the fuel tank? Placing the fuel pump close to teh tank helps prevent vapor lock.

Look for a shop that will "boil it out". I found a radiator shop near me in Los Angeles that would do it a few years ago. The rocks will work as will nuts and bolts or other hard somewhat sharp-edged objects. If you use a flamable solvent during the "rolling" make sure to use non-sparking media (brass hardware for example). Whatever you do, don't use the sealant again. It is not necessary. Keeping the tank full and driving the car often is the best way to keep the tank from rusting.

That could be the wire to the dome light switch in the door jamb.

In the original set-up (260Z) the N terminal (yellow wire) goes from the alternator to the external regulator. The N terminal also connects to the stater interlock system. The F terminal (white/black wire) also goes from the alternator to the regulator. The IG terminal (white/blue wire) comes from the ignition to the regulator to turn the charging system on and off and provides the voltage signal. The L terminal (white/red) wire is for a charging lamp (idiot light) and connects to +12 through the ignition. The L terminal also connects to the starter interlock system. To make the ZX alternator work in the 260Z you need connect the S terminal directly to a constant +12 line and connect the L terminal through a charging lamp to an ignition controlled +12 line. The external regulator can be removed. If the starter interlock system is still operating as originally intended the car might not crank and you will need to modify the wiring for it accordingly.

15.08 is within spec on the ealrier models, to about '76. If you are using a lead-acid battery it is fine. Some of the newer battery designs don't like that much voltage. The original design of the car senses the system voltage in the main wiring harness under the dash, not at the battery. Any voltage difference between those two points is due to wiring resistance (unavoidable). As the cars age this resistacne increases and the battery voltage will rise with it. If you pull the sense signal from the battery then the system voltage will be low by the same difference (15.08 - 14.8 = 0.28 in your case) so the system voltage will be 14.52. Not really a problem in most cases. To sense voltage at the battery without creating key-off drain use a relay that is controlled by the ignition switch.

Yes, it could be the switch. That is a common problem. Exercising the switch. It may improve somewhat through use as this tends to wipe off dirt and oxidation that can build up on the switch contacts. Also, each headlight has its own fuse, so check those as well.

Since you still have points you can dead time it.

The brake lights get power before the ammeter. If the fusilble link is good check the ammeter, it could have been damaged.

While preparing to rebuild the 4-speed transmission for our Z I found a suggestion to use grease with a low melting point so the grease will dissolve into the gear oil easily. As a result I used an automatic transmission assembly lube that I bought from Summit. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-705050/overview/

You could use a blind bearing puller: OTC 4581 Slide Hammer And Blind Hole Bearing Puller Set : Amazon.com : Automotive

The tach going to redline all the time is due to bad parts in the tach, not from a missing ballast or the wrong coil. They can be repaired.

The "ported" vacuum signal is manifold vacuum but is sourced on the venturi side of the throttle valve. This allows the vacuum signal to be removed (or reduced) from the distributor at idle. At part-throttle the vacuum port is revealed to manifold vacuum by the movement of the throttle valve and the timing is advanced (assuming a light load and high manifold vacuum). At full-throttle it is equivalent to the vacuum signal available from the balance tube.

The bolts for the half-shaft to hub are available from Nissan at about $3 each.

Correct.

The tach is bad.