Rocket88

We just did the clutch and flywheel in our 74. I had the flywheel resurfaced from shop A. Went to shop B, close to my work for some dowel pins and had them press the new throw out bearing on e collar. The old fella that owns the shop asked if he could look at the flywheel, I asked why and he said a lot of shops don't machine them correctly. He says, I'll check it out on my machine to make sure it's ok. No charge if it is, $35 if I have to machine it. I came back the next day and sure enough, he had to machine it. He explained to me that it was not machined square to the crank. Shop A just laid it on it's back and machined it, his machine mounts to the cranks surface. He had his shop guy show me a video he took with his phone while maching. Instead of seeing a constant shower of sparks, it sparked then didn't and so on as the flywheel turned. He had to take quite a bit off to fix the problem, he said if we didn't the clutch chatter would have been severe.

Great thread! We installed an MSA 6 into one header and flanged exhaust kit on the kid's 260 in the spring. (with the ugly Dynomax) I read about the droning and resonance issues. I also installed a 2-1/2" hi flow cat, as we have to pass an annual emissions test here in Vancouver. I also figured it could help with the sound issues, it didn't. The car sounds great but a little loud for my liking, it also develops a loud resonance around 44 mph to the point where you put your boot into it so that it will go away. I'm curious how the Dynomax sounds compared to the Magnaflow. I wonder if a small resonater behind the cat would help.

Bruce, if that was coming from anyone else but you, I'd call balogny. Is the inner thread size metric? The standard plugs I bought won't thread in. P.S. nice work on your carbs, my neighbor has a set, they work and look awesome.

Thanks guys. I bought some plugs and went to put them in last night but the inners don't fit, I think thay might be a metirc size.

We've taken off the hot water heat for the intake manifold. Do I need to plug the old holes where the water tubes were in the manifold? I'm thinking I don't but I could use some re-assurance!

Great stuff, thanks! I only wish the engine was on the stand. It's still in the car with the oil pan on it.

The kid and I started out to replace the weeping head gasket. When we got it apart I found the chain was stretched and already on position #3. We've got a new timing set complete with slides and tensioner, new gaskets and are ready to put it back together. Are there any tricks, tips or pitfalls I need to be aware of on the re-assembly?

...fuming gun The hatch seal seems good, I've been taking a sheet of paper and closing the hatch on it. Went all around the hatch like that and it is very difficult to slide the paper out so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We've got the fual tank out as well. The evap tank is going and we are sealing up all the holes left over as well as replacing all the grommets in the back of the car.

We recently bought a Pace Setter ceramic coated 3x2 header for the 260. The car has an E88 head, correct me if I'm wrong but that is a square port head. The header we bought (Ebay) said it fit a 70-76, a brand new Pace Setter part #70-1037. Turns out it is a pround port header....:mad: I know, buyer beware. When it came up on Ebay I did some research, the picture matched exacly what was in the latest Black Dragon Catalogue as fitting a 70-76, no mention of square or round port head (didn't know there was a difference, I'm a newb) So Ok, I screwed up, time to move ahead, then I find this on Ebay today. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PACESETTER-1970-1976-DATSUN-Nissan-Z-Exhaust-Headers-/390277959379?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5ade610ed3 It's Pace Setter selling a headerfor a Z, part number 70-1037 saying it's for a square port head??? The pic sure looks like a round port header to me. I sent them a message asking specifically if it will fit my E88 head. I am waiting for their reply. Sorry for the rant, but seeing that Ebay listing really agitated me. Any one want to buy a round port ceramic coated header.......

My son and I started working on the back of his Z. We took the tail lights out of the car, I thought maybe the seals were dried up and no good. To my surprise I found the driver's side reverse light wire looped between the seal and the body. The backside of the tail light housing was all black, you could see exactly where exhaust was being sucked in. It was litteraly the smoking gun! We also found a small rust hole where the drain plug is on the antenna side. The seals are good, so a little rust repair and careful re-installation of the tail lights, fingers crossed most of the fumes should be gone.

I hate the retractable belts in our 74. If you don't get the pull right the first time you have to start all over again. I usually end up doing up the wife's belt after the fifth try.

Great post. We just got plates on the kid's Z and are having fume issues. At first i thought it was the evap tank, but after reading this it's got to be exhaust. The car is fine with the windows rolled up, soon as you roll them down, she starts to get stinky!

Thanks for the replies guys. We were able to find a hatch and tail lights just 5 minutes down the road! The chrome shop says they can fix the bumper, so the front one came off as well, no sense in only having one shiny new bumper.

Hey all, I thought I'd post this here instead of the classifieds. My neighbor's 73 240Z got rear ended by a dump truck, he's ok but the car sustained some damage. The insurance company is going to fix the car but it's better if he supplies the parts. We need a rear hatch (with or with out glass) Rear taillights and related plastic across the back. And a rear bumper. We're in Vancouver B.C. and road trips down the I-5 are always an adventure. Thanks for looking.

Oz, you hit the nail on the head with that statement! A new head gasket it is, can you guys guess what my next post will be? ... Again, thanks for all the tips and advice!

We've had the car for a few weeks now. My son does not have his licsense yet so I've only driven it on the weekend we picked it up, but we put about 450 miles on it!! It ran fine, no over heating, the temp stayed in the middle of the gauge. There are receipts in the glove box for a new rad, water pump and hoses. As for the weeping it seems to be more prominent at the front between the #1 and #2 spark plugs. Here is where it gets tough, the antifreeze forms a line all along where the block and head meet. A small pool the size of a penny formed on the passenger back corner of the block. After the car is up to temp, the coolant evaporates, except for some slight dampness between #1 and 2. Is it leaking all the way along, or just at the front and "wicking" down to the other end of the engine, I'm not sure. I am going to have the kid fire it up today and watch the leak develop, to try tell how much it is leaking or wicking, I'll report back later! Great discussion guys, lots of good info and many different points to consider.

My son's 74 260Z has a bit of a coolant leak between the head and block on the passenger's side. It is worst when you first fire it up and stops once the engine is up to temperature. The engine is original with 92,000 miles, runs strong. No white smoke coming out the exhaust, so I don't think I'm burning any coolant. Can I try re-torquing the head, or should I just bite the bullet and do the head gasket?

..yeah the car has a couple electrical gremlins, sometimes it won't start when you hit the key (but the solenoid clicks) the PO had the stick to push the big bundle of wires to the left of the fuse panel, then the car will start. I think it's an early anti theft device. I found a pile of invoices in the glove box. It's got Eibach springs, new Pirelli tires, new brakes, rad, alterantor, starter etc. It's had the passenger side floor pan under the seat replaced. A bit of rust is starting on the DS rear quarter under the bumper and a bit is showing on the bottoms of the front fenders. We were doing some more cleaning last night, the spare tire has been replaced but the rim itself has never been on the car.

Hello all, Jeff is my name. I've been lurking for the last few weeks, waiting until we picked up our new Z before posting. Well, first off your probably looking at my log in name and scratching your head. I'm in the process of building a 49 Oldsmobile fastback, it's the name I'm used to using on any forum I belong too. My almost 16 year old son and I were offered a 1974 260Z, that we just couldn't pass up! My boy, Eric has been looking for the last 2 years for a car. He told me he wanted a car that doesn't look like every other car on the road. My neighbor across the road has a 73 240Z, that Eric has been helping with and going for rides in. Then out of the blue this clean 260 fell into our laps and we couldn't say no. It's only got 92,000 miles and we are the third owners. It's mostly original and unmolested with only 1 repaint. It runs strong and drives great! It needs some work like any 36 year old car would, this forum looks like a great place to learn and share ideas with, hopefully I don't ask too many newby questions. Sorry for rambling on but I think I'm more excited then the kid is! Here's a few pics.