beermanpete

It sounds subtle in the video. Unless it is much more significant than it seems in the video it is likely not a problem.

It sounds like you might have a mismatch between the pressure plate and throw-out bearing collar. The earlier cars have tall pressure plate and a short collar. The later cars have a short pressure plate and a long collar. If you have an late (short) pressure plate and an early (short) collar the clutch won't fully release. Have an assistant press the clutch pedal down while you look at the position of the slave cylinder piston (lift the dust boot and look in the cylinder bore). If the piston is out past the end of the cylinder you have both short parts.

The ammeter or the wires going to and from it might be damaged. The brake lights and hazards are the only circuit that don't go through the ammeter.

Using the drain plug for the fuel line pick-up would place the fuel line in a location that is too vulnerable to damage by road debris, curbs, and such. Take the tank out and have it professionally cleaned. Radiator shops can usually clean fuel tanks. If necessary they can cut it open to clean it and then weld it back together.

If the wiring is correct the tach has failed. If you remove the tach and car runs the wiring is wrong. If you remove the tach and the car does not run the tach is bad. There are 2 black/white wires in the wire loom going to the coil and ballast. If they get mixed and installed incorrectly the car will run but the tach won't work. One of the black/white wires should have power when the key is on. This goes to one side of the ballast resistor. The green/white goes from the ballast to the tach. The other black/white wire comes from the tach to the positive side of the coil. Basically, the power goes from the ignition switch, to the ballast, to the tach, and then to the coil. Connect the red (Pertronix) wire to the + terminal on the coil. Connect the black (Pertronix) wire to the - terminal on the coil.

Check the throttle linkage for sticking and binding. Check the throttle opener operation (if the 71 has it). If the idle air/fuel mixture is too rich a vacuum leak can cause high idle due to adding air and "improving" the mixture.

I agree with Carl, the nut on the main shaft might be loose. We have opened a couple of 4-speeds and the nut was loose on both. Loose drive shafts, worn u-joints, or brake problems won't force the transmission out of gear.

Try Coker Tire http://www.cokertire.com/catalogsearch/result/?year=1972&make=NISSAN&model=240Z&q=175HR14

If you mean this: http://www.irwin.com/tools/locking-tools/the-original-locking-wrenches , then, yes, it should not damage the nut. Regular Vise-Grip pliers will round the hex if it slips. Since this usually a last resort it does not matter too much. I don't use Vise-Grips until I have already ruined the nut with regular wrenches. With the brake line nuts you have to be careful not to collapse the nut since it is hollow, especially if you hope to reuse it. One thing you might try is use the flare-nut wrench and place the Vise-Grip over the wrench to keep if from expanding while turning the nut. This might help prevent rounding off the corners.

One of the black/white wires should have power when the key is on. This goes to one side of the ballast resistor. The green/white goes from the ballast to the tach. The other black/white wire comes from the tach to the positive side of the coil. The black/yellow wire is for the throttle opener (I think). To make the tach work you will need to move the black/white wire that is currently on the tach to the ballast and put the other black/white wire on the coil +. Put the green/white wire on the other side of the ballast. If you are not using the ballast then connect the green/white to the black/white (that is currently going to the coil).

You might have got the trottle linkage set up wrong and one of both carbs in not going to idle. Make sure both carbs can close fully when to let off the throttle. Also, vacuum leaks can cause high idle if the idle mixure is very rich for some reason.

Cool. Intermittent problems can be difficult to find.

The power for the brake lights flows from a 20A fuse in the fuse box to the hazard switch, then to the stop light switch, then to the turn signal switch, then to the bulbs at the rear of the car. The brake light contacts in the hazard switch are not used for the hazard function so they could be bad and the hazards will still work. The contact in the brake light switch is used only for the brake lights. The contacts in the turn signal switch are not used for the turn signal function so it could be bad and the turn signal will still work. A connection could seem ok with no load but fail when a load is applied (the brake lights) due to high resistance from dirt, corrosion, wear, etc. In some cases a voltmeter does not draw enough power to identify a marginal connection. You need to monitor the voltage with the load applied (step on the brakes) and make sure the voltage is present while pressing brake pedal. Start by monitoring the voltage at the 2 green/yellow wires at the hazard switch. One comes from the fuse and should be +12 at all times. The other comes out of the switch through a normally closed contact and should be +12 at all times unless you operating the hazards. When operating the hazards the circuit opens and the voltage should pulse with the flashing of the lights. Next, move to the brake light switch. There are 2 green/yellow wires connected with a normally open contact. The wire coming from the hazard switch should be +12 at all times (except when operating the hazards). The other should be 0 until you step on the brakes and go to +12 when you step on the brakes. Next, move to the turn signal switch. There is a green/yellow wire, a white/red wire, and a white/black wire. These are connected with 2 sets of normally closed contacts. Each contact opening in only one turning direction. The green/yellow wire coming from the brake light switch should be +12 when you step on the brakes. The white/red wire is the left brake light. The white/black is the right brake light. When the turn signal switch is in the off position both should be +12 when you step on the brakes. When you select the left turn signal the white/red is disconnected from the brake light switch and connected to the flasher and the voltage will pulse with the flashing. The white/black wire remains connected to the brake light switch and should be +12 when you press on the brakes. When selecting the right turn signal the same conditions apply but the white/black wire will pulse and the white/red will be steady. By tracing the signal through the circuit in this way you should be able to determine where the voltage flow is interrupted. If you find voltage at one switch and it is not present at the next there is likely a bad connection in between or a bad wire. To find this you will need to trace the wires along their routing and look for connectors to inspect, cuts in the sires, etc.

Yes, check the turn-signal switch. The hazard switch feeds the brake/turn signal lights in parallel with the turn signal switch.

My experience is a good engine will have about 160 to 170 PSI on the compression test. The factory service manual says it should be 171 to 185 PSI, engine warm, all plugs out, throttle and vacuum pistons fully open.

The Alfa Romeo Owners of Southern California are holding a time trial and race at The Streets of Williow Springs on Saturday and Sunday, November 17 and 18. All makes and experience levels welcome. Event details are here: http://www.aroschpd.org/ Track detials are here: http://www.willowspringsraceway.com/index.php Come and have some funs with us. Regards, Peter

It sounds like the wire that connects to the sending unit has shorted to ground somewhere. Trace the wire back from the engine to the meter and look for a bare spot in the insulation (cut, slice, pinch, etc.). The holes where the wires pass through the firewall is a likely place for a problem if the grommets are rotted away.

The gasoline might be expanding after you fill up and causing an over-filled condition. Since the gas is stored underground it is typically cooler than the air temp on a hot day. Gas expands as it warms up. If you "top-off" the tank there is not much room for expansion and the tank becomes over filled.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=632386&group_ID=674912&store=&dir=catalog

No apology required. Frank didn't make up that line and I assumed you quoted Frank. Now it's off to Montana to be a dental floss tycoon for me. (The tweezers ae for plucking the dental floss.)

No, you are not missing anything. A bad attempt at humor on my part it seems. Great Googley Moogley was used in a Frank Zappa song. My reply was another Zappa line.

Do you adjust your carbs with a pair of heavy-duty zircon-encrusted tweezers?

He he he... Been there, done that. No reason to push or tow a car that is drivable.....

The sparking on your radio fuse might not be caused by key-off drain. It could be caused by a capacitor charging up when you install the fuse. To check for key-off drain you need an ammeter that has a full scale sensitivity of 200 or 300 milliamps. Connect the meter in series with the battery and measure the current draw. It should be no more that 20 or 30 milliamps. The components that will draw a little current when the car is off are: a modern radio with a clock and memory for preset stations the original clock an alarm The alternator will not draw any current unless it is bad. If the key-off drain is too high disconnect components one at a time while measuring the current drain to isolate the problem. Also, the battery could be the problem and you cannot measure its internal self-dischage. To test the battery unhook it for a few weeks and see if the voltage drops after sitting during that time. If the outside of the battery is very dirty it could cause a leakage path. Make sure the battery is clean.

Ball joint to the lower control arm bolts 36 to 45 ft/lb Ball joint castle nut 40 to 54 ft/lb Steering arm to strut screws 53 to 72 fl/lb Outer Tie-rod castle nut 40 to 55 ft/lb You can download a copy of the factory service manual for free from here: http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html