Hardway

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I got up this morning and let the Z warm up, letting it idle around 2K rpm to keep the oil pressure up. Oil pressure was great, the temp went to the half way mark and then came down a little indicating the thermostat had opened. Everything looked good, no leaks, and throttle response was good. I let it go for a few more minutes before turning it off and quickly got the valve cover off. I went through the hot lash settings as indicated above, .010 for intake and .012 for exhaust. I had a few valves that needed just a little tweaking to get the right about of drag on the feeler gauge. I put everything back together, started her up, and the tapping is still there. It does seem to run a little smoother but that might be my imagination. I recorded the video below and I firmly believe the tapping is coming from the rear half of the engine. Using my mechanics stethoscope, with the car idling at 900 rpm, I was on the passenger side of the block placing the lead in between to humps on the head. At the front of the head the sound was pretty normal, just sounded like gears turning. When I moved to the rear of the head I could hear the same gear turning sound but additionally could hear the tapping. It sounded like tapping your finger nail on a glass. I think the next step is a call to the machine shop and get the guy’s opinion. Part of me is already bracing for the possibility of having to pull the head back off.

The machine shop has done many Datsun heads and is very familiar with all American, European, and Japanese engines. The head has new Manley 280z valves turned down to fit properly in my E31 head along with new valve guides, repaired water holes, and re-surfaced. It still retains the stock camshaft. My original problem was that my intake valve #4 had no lash. After investigating it the valve seat had been machined too far in to the head causing the valve to sit too high and the overall work by the previous machine shop was sub-par. At this point should I check my lashes again and if everything still checks out cold let it warm up and then do another adjustment? It has not dropped a valve or anything, I guess I was expecting it to be much quieter on my initial start up.

The spindle pin is the hinge/pivot point of the lower control arm and strut & hub assembly. It is where the two components pivot as the suspension goes up and down. You do not have to remove the spindle pins to change out the strut cartridges. But if you end up having to remove the whole assembly to get the strut cartridge out due to a stuck cartridge, you may want to think about doing the bushings and spindle pins since you are pretty much there. It is not uncommon for the strut cartridge to become stuck in their tube. This can be due to rust, fluid that has leaked out of the cartridge and turned to gel, or something else. I had to invest in a slide hammer to get one of my front cartridges out and subsequently used it to get one of the rears out as well.

With the wedge drama over everything else went back together at a good pace. I did an initial valve adjustment, .008 on the intake and .010 on the exhaust, got the valve cover back on, and proceeded to turn the key. The car started with almost no hesitation but I quickly noticed a problem, more like heard a problem. The valve train was tapping rather loud with no sign of going away. Doing a quick check to ensure nothing was leaking out I turned it off and called it a day. At this point I had about 6 hours in the garage, the humidity was at 95%, and I was done. I figured I either missed a valve or didn’t do something right from being fatigued. Fast forward to this morning and with a slightly lower temp and humidity from last weekend I planned to perform a more thorough valve adjustment. Before I got started I took 10 minutes to make some handles for my feeler gauges. I got tired of just using the gauges by themselves as I never fail to drop one during a valve adjustment or once they have some oil on them they stick to my fender mat. You can buy nicer handles for $10 - $20 online but using some scrap wood trim and hardware from my on hand inventory I might have $1 in both of these. They quickly proved to be TOTALLY WORTH IT and I high recommend everyone make themselves a pair. As I went through the valve adjustment sure enough, I missed one of the exhaust valves, it had no clearance at all. I easily got it in to spec and double checked all the others. With the valve cover back on everything buttoned up I turned the key. Just like last time it started with no hesitation but unfortunately the tapping persists. I started a separate thread below over in the Engine section and posted some videos. For now I am going to see what other owners say and will call my machinist on Monday to get his thoughts on it. http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/51743-240z-valve-train-tapping-after-head-work-videos-inside/

With a helping hand from my wife we got the head back on and I went through a torque sequence of 30-45-60. The turbo bolts indicate you can go to 65 but my machinist said there is no need to go beyond the factory 60 ft pounds. I waited 30 minutes in between torque sequences and spent the time mounting up the various components such as the exhaust manifold, cooling lines, etc. With everything going back together and the cam sprocket back on I was feeling good about my progress. Then as I tried to remove the wedge from in between the timing chain the reality started to sink in that it is not going to come out before the string breaks. It was at this time I walked away and took a break to re-evaluate my options. I knew I needed something more substantial to pull on and I just happen to have a scrap piece of red wire on my bench. Using near surgical precision and patience I got the wire threaded through the hole in the wedge. After a few brisk pulls it finally came out. Crisis averted, back to Defcon 5.

Last weekend I set about the task of getting the repaired cylinder head back on. Part of me had put this off for a week as I waited for a new manifold stud set from MSA. As I was chasing out the threads and installing the old studs I realized the ones that came out were not in best of shape and some were pretty galled from re-use. Needless to say the new stud set is worth every penny and the ease at which they went in to the head made the time chasing all the threads well worth it. Based on the advice from my machinist and others here are the forums I applied several thin coats of Copper Coat spray to the head gasket. The gasket is a regular Fel-Pro piece and is exactly what came off the car when I pulled the head. Since I had not experienced any issues with it and based on the copper residue from before I figured why not try for a repeat success.

You are welcome Jared. Sounds like you have quite a fleet there. Many others have documented the misery they went through with spindle pin removal and below is a link to my thread on it. They are not to be under estimated but you may get lucky like a few have and they could slide right out. Spindle Pins -> http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/45649-spindle-pin-woes/ On the rear struts you have to remove the entire rear hub assembly from the car, get the gland nut off (not always easy) and get the strut cartridge out (not always easy). I documented my front and rear suspension rebuilds in the thread for my '72 240z below. I must warn you, there are a lot of pictures and information but it should give you a good idea what you would be getting in to. Many other owners have build and repair threads as well and I highly recommend checking them out. http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/44963-the-lime-green-machine-restoration-thread-1972-240z/

Kudos for the making the drive out to see it. If the suspension has never been overhauled its definitely time. It can be done with hand tools and the front is pretty much a bolt off/bolt on affair. Getting the original strut cartridges out of the front may be a challenge but that's usually the extent of it. The rear you already know needs attention and will need the same overhaul work too. If you have not already, do a search for "spindle pins". They are the single biggest point of frustration and misery related to classic Z cars. To re-do the entire rear suspension they have to come out and usually get replaced since getting them out means cutting and pressing them out. One you have done the suspension, a tune up, and a few other odds and ends you would have a nice classic Z to drive every day and a bonus of one with cold AC. A few things to think about since you are looking to trade. What is your Impala worth? $2K, $3K, $4K, more? Since you are looking for a daily driver a 280z is probably one of the best "classic" daily drivers there is. However, if you have family would it make sense to get something more modern and have a classic Z, even that 280z as a second car? I am in no ways trying to talk you out of the 280z, just throwing it out there as something to keep in mind. Any 30 - 40 year old car, driven every day will need some attention every two to three weeks and have a habit of nickel and diming you to death. As a second car you could take on the repair projects and spend time doing them right as you will run in to unexpected challenges. I am sure others have experience with this and will chime in on the topic.

I got my repaired and re-worked E31 cylinder head back on. The work was done by a very reputable local machine shop and have full confidence everything was done to the highest quality spec. You can see what all was done here -> http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/49581-hardways-1971-240z-8011-build-and-repair-thread/page-6 With everything back together and the engine running I noticed I had a pretty loud tapping sound from the cylinder head. Before I ever started the car I did an initial valve job setting everything to factory spec, .008 for the intake and .010 for the exhaust. Once I heard the tapping sound last weekend I called it a day and came back this morning to do another valve job as I felt I might have missed one. Sure enough I did, an exhaust valve with no clearance at all. It easily went in to spec at .010, double checked all the other valves and everything was good. I put everything back together, started the car, and the tapping continues. It is hard to pinpoint the sound but it seems louder around cylinders 4 and 5. My original problem was with intake valve #4 so I am unsure if it is actually related or not. Based on the video clips below does it sound like it is a valve train issue or possibly something else? I do not believe the valve train should be this loud so I am posting it up here for any feedback or guidance you guys may have. Thank you in advance!

Thanks for all the info guys! Looks like mine was one of the last 2400 valve cover and non-heat riser cars before they switched over to the new pieces. The switch in my block was in there when I bought the car. My guess is that it was at one point an alternative location to a fan temp switch. I have left it there as I may use it in the future. You cannot see it once everything is back together so it is staying for now.

Thank you Namerow. My car has its original engine as well. Can you elabroate on the "spigot" you mentioned in your post? I know there should not be any type of flex hose going from the air cleaner to the exhaust manifold as there are no provisions for it. Below is a picture of my exhaust manifold with the carbs out of the way.

Hey Jared. I read through your post and believe I contributed to the questions around the 240z you were looking at. An automatic 280z still makes for a nice car. However, if you really want a 4-speed or 5-speed car, hold out for one, they are out there. If you want an automatic, that 280z looks nice. All Z cars continue to gain popularity with each passing year and I believe there is something to be said for a nice, all stock, well running car, regardless if its an auto or not. Yes, the auto hurts the value a little but given its so original I don't think its as big a ding as most people think. If it was a modified car or project car the auto would bring it down considerably. Again, search for and buy what you really want, be patient, the right car is out there. Out of curiosity, what is the seller asking for that 280z? Keep us posted once you know more about the condition, especially any rust.

When I bought my car it had the regular Nissan OHC valve cover and air cleaner with the Summer/Winter flap and port for a warm air tube on the bottom of the snorkel. Based on the "before" pictures the previous owner supplied the engine at one time had the "Nissan 2400 OHC" valve cover on it but the front snorkel of the air cleaner had been cut off. This leads me to believe my car truly should have the "2400" valve cover but I am not sure if I have the correct style air cleaner. I think I should have the non-S/W flap and no warm air tube. My car is a 08/1970 build. I cannot find the cut off months for when these two items were changed. Before I shell out big bucks for either item I want to make sure my car is actually supposed to have them. Thank you! A note on the valve cover, I asked about the "2400" valve cover in the pictures and the seller said he thought it was cracked or damaged when they got it so they bought another one. The whereabouts of the "2400" valve cover in the pictures are unknown.

Good choices and good stories guys. The NSX's are probably as close to exotic as I will ever get but I have never lusted for one. I hear ya DJ on finding a clean 510 2-door. They may not be "collectable" but a clean one is more rare than many other exotics and high optioned muscle cars. I think Datsun's were looked at as cheap cars for a long time and to this day nice ones are still "affordable" I know I never want anything that I cannot get basic mechanical parts for at the local auto parts store. Classic Z's and early 90's Cadillacs fit the requirement well for me. Porsche's, they are just expensive in every way imaginable. Yes I love the way they look and enjoy watching all the videos about then but again, never lusted for one. At the end of the day, I love window shopping. Craigslist is the best and worst thing that ever found its way in to my life. Thank you Internet!

One problem I am running into after installing the Kia seal is my tail light cover trim piece does not wan to go back on. The seal is thicker around the pinch grip and will not allow the trim panel holes to line up. I would either need to lengthen/oval the holes in the panel or install a customer speaker box or something if I did not want to alter the original panel. Right now I have the panel wedged in to place but it is not a permanent solution. Did anyone else run in to this after installing their Kia hatch seal?

Nice list Chuck! I dig the Pantera and would love the opportunity to drive one some day. I have never seen any that were affordable given my financial state but given an influx of cash it would certainly be on my "to-have" list.

I love the quote Dennis!

Not sure if this has been posted or not. For someone wanting an early Z car project this may be for them. It basically needs everything and would surely need to be inspected in person. However, with a $1,500 starting bid it might be worth it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Z-Series-240Z-/261933281029?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3cfc70af05&item=261933281029

Congrats Blue! I always thought the Insight was interesting and big Kudos to Honda for making it and keeping it around for so long. Years ago I had a roommate that had one and he loved it. I drove it a few times and you are right, its pretty gutless but the MPG's do make up for it. And we all know gas will eventually go back up.

As much as I love my 240z my yearning to drive and own other cars never rests. There are many dream cars on my list such as a Lamboghini Countach, Mirua, Ferrari Testarossa, and more. However, there are plenty of "normal" and affordable cars I would like to own as well. Which brings me to my question for all of you, what normal car would you own if you did not have your Z? Why do you want the car or what is special about it to you? For me the next car on my list is a complete departure from the lightweight sportiness of the Z car. For the last several months I have come very close to buying a 1990 - 1992 Cadillac Brougham with the D' Elegance package, 350 V8, with '92 being the preferred year. Call me crazy (my wife does all the time) but I think they are some of the best looking and elegant cars made. There is an sentimental attachment as some family friends had a pair of big body Cadillacs and one being a pearl white 91 or 92 BDE. I always loved seeing it and have a few fond memories of riding in it to get Braum's Ice Cream. I am well aware of the short comings they offer compared to more modern cars but I am still awe struck every time I see a clean one which is very rare these days. Luckily they can still be found for reasonable prices but values are ticking up a little each year so maybe I will have one sooner than later. Below is a picture of a beautiful BDE from the Matt Garrett GM collection. That is my story, what is yours?

If you go to look at it ask if you can take the valve cover off and look at the valve train. At the very least pop the distributor cap off and see if the points internals are there, smell the oil, try to turn the engine over by hand. Then pop the gas cap off and smell. Siteunseen is right, most people lie, forget, or just don't know why a car does not run. If it just needed a fuel pump, on a difficulty scale of 1-10, it ranks around a 2. Easy for you but also easy for the owner, why haven't they already replaced it? The Datsun I-6 is a very durable engine with many documented cases of successfully waking them up after many years of non-use. With that in mind, check out the thread link on waking up an old Z car. On classic Z's the mechanicals are fairly easily to deal with and reasonably priced. Rust and missing odds and ends will eat you alive. If the car is in good shape body wise, interior is good minus the missing shift knob, and the engine appears sound, then make an offer. $2K - $3K is not unreasonable or insulting. Solid running early 240z's in good but not perfect condition start at $7K and quickly go up with an average $12K - $18K so you could end up with a heck of a deal. If you do get the car you are looking at be prepared to be patient and diligent in going through all the systems to make it run again. Keep up posted and give us some pictures! Good luck. http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/21063-waking-the-sleeping-beast/

Are you talking about the thin rubber strips that go on the line metal above the weather strip? If so I do not know. My car never had it since I owned it and I never drive in the rain (or at least not on purpose). On fully restored cars it is present but I think other owners have questioned if it really offers the function it was designed to. Maybe others can chime in.

If that Airtex pump is truly 5psi at the low end then it will probably be too much without a regulator of some sort. The Carter P60504 puts out more than 3psi, I know, I have one and it is connected to a regulator and gauge. It can easily go to 5psi if you crank it up but the spec sheet says 4psi max. Patcon is right, SU's like around 3.5psi which where I keep mine. If you are getting less than 3psi make sure your fuel lines are clean, no rubber hoses are kinked, and your fuel filter is clean. If all of that is up to snuff check your voltage at your pump, you may not be getting a full 12v. If that looks good then you can try the Airtex pump but be prepared to see fuel pouring out of the front of the carb.

Great work Charlie! I love your DIY blast cabinet made from the Rubbermaid tote. On your question about the rear hubs, if the bearings are quiet and feel good and no grease is seeping out of the seals I would say leave them be. You can clean up everything pretty good with a wire rotary brush. If you do have to take the hubs apart its best to use a press as to not damage anything. Others have done the job without one but since they are off the car and if they really need attention then do it now and do it right. Check out the link to the resto thread of my '72 240z in my signature. I did this on my car and you can get an idea of what is involved along with checking out search results on the topic.