Da Flash

So If I'm understanding you correctly, with the key in the run position, the (+) side of the coil should show ~12V and the (-) side should show 0V or continuity with ground along with the "C" connection on the module? Dude I wish I had 1/4th of the stuff I've lost on them there 'putersLOL!!

When you say ground to the distributor are you talking about the distributor being ground to the bracket which is inturn grounded to the unibody? If so, I have wire brushed the coil body, inside the bracket and the spots in the engine bay that the 2 screws mount to. Tomorrow I'll have to attach a ground wire directly from the coil body to a known good ground. Thanks for the advice!

Well I did some more testing and still haven't figured this out. I get ~11.7V at the (+), (-), and center output of the coil with the key in run. I also get ~11.7V at the connections C and B. The wires that go between the the coil and the module both read 0.03 Ohms when read with my multimeter. I even checked the BW/GW wires that I tied together to bypass the BR. I tried a known good module. Everything check out fine buuuuuuut, I still get no spark!! I know that there are quite a few things that will stop spark from getting to the plugs but, I thought that there would only be a couple that would stop spark from coming out of the coil:mad: Thanks for everyones imput!!

I do have a couple of simple/silly questions; 1. When checking for spark, do you hold the metal part of the spark plug against a good ground or do you hold the tip of the plug ~1/4" away from a good ground? 2. When checking for spark from the coil, do you hold the end of the coil lead ~1/4" away from a ground or do you use a spark plug held against a ground? Just trying to cover everything

sorry for not clarifying which model I have, it's a '71 240z. I tried another e12-80 module that I had laying around with the same results. I'll have to check the B/W wire coming from the tach in the morning. Would a bad module stop the coil from firing? Tomorrow I'm going to go over the wiring and connections one more time. This can be very frustrating:mad: Thanks for your time.

My car won't start, It was running "kinda OK" (was going to look at it this weekend!)just the night before when I parked it. After some tinkering, I've found out that I don't have spark at the plugs or coming out of the coil. I've tried 3 different coils, same results, crank crank crank but no spark. I've tried running a wire from the (+) side of the battery to the (+) side of the coil, I hear a clicking coming from the passenger side inside the car but same result. When I put the key in the run position and use my multimeter on the connection at the coil, I get ~12V at the (+), (-), and center output of the coil. I have the ZX distributor so I checked the resistance in the wires that go to the 12-80 module. There is one that goes to the vertical of the "T" connection on the module that goes to the (+) side of the coil that checks out fine. The top or horizontal of the "T" doesn't show any resistance (I'm not quite sure where the other end goes) when measured against the (+) side of the coil. Needless to say, I've searched and tried everything that I could come up with and cannot figure this out. Does anyone see something that I'm missing or have any advice?? Thanks in advance!!

If you are looking for a 4.11 rear (r180)for a 240z in the states, I found one in a 240sx, I think it was a 85. You could always check out the Z garage, lot-o-useful info http://www.geocities.com/zgarage2001/z.html . If you plan on using a readend from a 240sx, you'll have to change/mod the stubs on the side of the diff. Look in the tech section the write up is pretty simple to follow and dead on!! So you want 4.11's? You better have a 5-speed and like to shift!!

I switch the cam (externally oiled w/spraybar) on my N42 head to an internally/drilled cam, I've seen conflicting views on whether to run the spraybar. Some say it's fine as long as you run a high volume oil pump with it (I am) and some differ on that opinion, Could I run without the spraybar by just blocking off the spraybar holes or, do I have to use the cam towers from an internally oiled cam?? Any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Well I guess this was one of those things that others don't run into very often. Thankfully some lengthy investigation revealed the problem as being that the new and improved insulation between the straps and tank, (well I guess it wasn't improved!) wasn't wide enough to keep the straps from contacting the tank. Apparently if the straps come in contact with the tank, there is some type of short that causes the fuel sending unit to malfunction. After some wider rubber strips the problem was solved:) !! Now to tweak the arm of the sending unit to read a little more accurately:laugh: !!

I recently dropped my fuel tank on my '71 240z to get it acid washed and applied the Por-15 tank sealer kit to it and Por-15 the outside, while I was at it I decided to install a new sending unit and O-ring so that I wouldn't have to mess around with the tank for years to come!! All seemed to go well but after about a week my fuel gauge reads either very full or about 7/8th of a tank. I decided to remove the sending unit to see if it would read correctly outside of the tank, I first checked the connections, all seemed well and there were no loose fittings nor any change to the gauge when I jiggled/tweaked them. After I removed the unit the gauge would respond to moving the arm up and down but as soon as I reinstall it the gauge would return to it's incorrect reading!!! I noticed that some of the sealer was on the securing ring, so I sanded it off thinking maybe if the ring didn't have a good contact with the unit, that it would give incorrect reading but, it still reads wrong! Is there something that I'm doing wrong? Is the O-ring supposed to keep the unit from coming in contact with the tank, thereby not creating this grounding problem that I'm experiencing?? Any and all suggestion will be greatly appreciated!!

Boy am I glad to hear that! I thought for sure that I screwed something up. I did notice that before I did the swap/mod that the 3.36 diff spun opposite and that the R200/3.90 diff that I have laying around spins opposite too. After further investigation, if I spin one shaft one way, someone can turn the other shaft the other way. Thanks for your imput!!!

I am in the middle of swapping my stock '71 240z 3.36 R180diff with one from a 85 N/A 200sx 4.11 R180. I followed the instructions thats are in the articles section which basically state that you have to install the threaded inserts into the side gears of the 4.11 diff. All seemed to go well but, I've noticed that when I spin half shaft, the other half shaft spins in the same direction (like a LSD diff)!!! Now I know that that could be desirable for some but, I don't know what I could've done to accomplish this. The only thing that went differently than planned was that I couldn't reinstall the little block that goes on the big pin(in between the side and spider gears) that runs through the 200sx diff, with the addition of the threaded inserts it wouldn't fit anymore but, I figured (I know, that's when things usually go wrong:stupid: !!) since the 3.36 diff didn't have this part, that it wouldn't be neccesary in the newer diff. Can anyone out there who has done this swap tell me is it normal to have the half shafts spin in the same direction?? What do you think I couldv'e done to get these results For what it's worth the diff spins pretty easily by hand and I can't detect any binding or other unusual symptons!!

I went down to MSA in Orange Co. and got both sets of rack bushings (70-74 and 75-78) they are made by G-machine. The 70-74 were obviously thicker than the Energy suspension bushing and made a world of difference, the rack housing is nice and secure.......now! The 75-78 are even thicker and don't appear to fit. Thanks guys for all the info and help. Kenz240z, that's just cruel showing me what a VERY NICE freshly painted engine bay looks like, I can still dream though........j/k !!

Well I tightened the snot out of those clamps (yes there was some more to go) but, the rack housing is still moving (about 1/16" side to side). I see where VB sells a bushing for a 240 and one for 260-280) I'll order both and try them out. Other than that, does anyone know how to ID which rack housing is which?? It might save me $10!!

Good points guys, especially dogma (isn't it amazing how uncomon common sense is??) I got all wrapped up in the family, work, sleep, thing and will re-recheck it in the next few days and let you guys know. Thanks!!

Ok, I'll have to look at VB catalog and see what I can figure out. Man and I thought I was done with this rack (at least for the time being!!)

It's the rack (the tube that is mounted to the crossmember byway of the bushings). I figure that maybe a PO changed out the original rack for a later model but, from a few searches, it semms that all 70-78 racks are interchangable. My car s a '71.

I recently changed the steering rack bushings on car (old rubber to energy suspension urethane) and got some new tires. The tire shop said that they couldn't align it because of play in the rack bushing so, I took it home to see if he was right. With the front end jacked up I can move the brake rotor whiches causes the rack to move side to side. Is this normal and if not what would be the solution? I've already double checked the tightness of the bolts that clamp the bushings. Oh, for what it's worth, the old bushings had thin metal strips wrapped aruond them, kinda like shims. Are these neccesary?

Thanks for the info, it was just what I was looking for! I thought that a zerk fitting might be my best option, now I just have to figure out which size fitting to use. Off the top of your head, do you know what size hole that is??

I was in the middle of removing my rack and pinion for a little refreshing of my steering rack (fresh grease, new seal, new boots, new tierod ends) when I found out why it is suggested that you remove or lift the engine up a couple of inches to remove the rack and pinion. While pulling the assembly out, that dirty, greasy knob thing broke off!! I've checked VB and MSA's catalogs and they don't carry this piece. Should I replace it with OEM (don't you just hate going to the Nissan dealers??) or is there some way to eliminate the reservoir altogether? (i.e. remove and plug hole or maybe install zerk fitting into hole to grease that end of the tube??) If the OEM reservoir is the best solution, who other than Nissan would carry one? Kinda looking for suggestions from anyone who has done this before.

Thanks for the information guys!! As for how much pressure it took to get the molded ball off well.... you'd be surprised how easy it was once I apllied myself !! I'll chock this one up to learning experience. For what it's worth the JB weld seems to be holding up nicely but, I'll give ZTherapy a call for a permenant replacement. Once again thanks!!

I had thought that too but, the shaft doesn't have any threads, notches or anything. The shaft just slips into the ball (about 1/4-3/8") I wonder how they were attached in the factory??

I was in the process of renewing my throttle linkage grommet that goes into the firewall when I pulled the nylon ball off to get the grommet on (somehow I don't think I shoulda done this) now I can't get the nylon ball back on to the shaft that runs through the fire to stay. I tried hot glue (held for 2 minutes :mad: ) tried super glue (held for 5 minutes ). Is there something else that you guys use to PERMANTLY attach the ball to the shaft?? Normally this wouldn't be so bad except doing it in a monsoon (It never rains in So.Cal....yeah right!) is kinda gettin' old!

So the mustache bar out of a 78 280 will bolt up to the ZX diff no problem? It looks like that without the mustache bar on the ZX that they extended the 2 studs to fit that ZX rear mount.

I believe this to be a typical r180 to r200 swap with all the other things included ( r200, r200 half shafts, the lower rear "curved" bar, and flipping my r180 mustache bar or getting one from a 280) my question is that while lurking through the boneyard I noticed that 280ZX's don't have mustache bars, can the diff still be used with the typical mustache set-up or is there some moddin' involved?