MillerTime802

The good ol Z sold for $5,000. Thank you all for your most excellent help. Brad.

See my link above to find some new photos of the car itself. I added some photos of the car per my friend, siteunseen, comment. However, crown and coke helped this build go smoother. Now I can get back to my KTM. @ Leon and Zed: Before dis-assembly, I put the engine at 0/top dead center. On the cam, the lobes on cylinder #1 were in the horizontal but "upward position." When I re-installed the reconditioned head and re-assembled the cam gear to the cam, I had the cam lobes in piston #1 in the horizontal, but "downward" Position. Thus, indicating I needed to turn the cam 180 degrees to put it in the position it was in at dis-assembly. I think this is what Zed is referring to, and how I resolved the problem. @ Leon: I think I could have just as easily resolved the issue by re-positioning the spark plug wires, or maybe by rotating the distributor, but I'v never done this before. I felt safer just re-positioning the cam to its dis-assembly position. And yes, we're still putting it up for sale. My daughter needs transportation and not necessarily a project car, as these classics usually are......not to mention, I want my man cave back, ha. She has $4,200 in the car...we hope to get her money back...what do you think? Thank you for your comments, and there's always more than one way to "skin-a-cat."

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/members/millertime802-albums-daughters-1978-280zx-head-repair.html Link to a few photos. I'll post some more of the completed job.

@ Leon: Well, now that you posted your comment, I now know I had some easier options. Thus far, nothing went easy, so why not follow the hard road all the way home, haha. Actually, removing the cam chain sprocket and rotating the cam was very easy. Took about 15 minutes with some help.....and since I hadn't removed the distributer during the head repair, I was freaked about pulling it and repositioning it. Now the plug wire idea.....that's classic easy. Thank you for your review and comments.

On the lower photo, on my daughters 78 z, those wires go to fog lights and a switch that looks added to the dash. I'll look tomorrow and verify my post reply.

Works well for me. Especially the helpful advice I receive from Z car enthusiasts. But, your point is web site speed and performance. Hope the web masters get things to your liking.

Hey Guys: Update on the ol Z. I took a month off for a vacation, family death, my business, holiday with the family, and some repairs on my daughters other stinking car, ha. I installed the head and everything else, except the radiator, then went on a month sabbatical. Got back into the car this evening to start it. Didn't start, didn't hit a lick! Checked everything....wiring, timing, compression, spark, fuel, fuel pressure......no luck. Took the valve cover off to start checking things again. Put the engine at TDC to verify timing and general installations.......huh, the cam lobes on cylinder #1 look funny and out of place at TDC.....I think I installed the cam 180 degrees out. Checking info you guys sent me.....I discovered I had indeed installed the cam, relative to the cam chain and gear, 180 out. Removed the cam sprocket, turned the cam, reinstalled all.......and alas, she purrs like a kitten. Putting the radiator in tomorrow and will take her for a test spin. I'll report in this weekend after I get the whole thing back together and take her out for a test spin around the block. Thanks for all your most excellent help. I absolutely could not have done thus without your help. Thank you, thank you. Brad.

I used the P79 head with the "K" cam since I couldn't find the stock head, quickly. I used my micrometer to discover the K cam opens the valves about 0.008" less than the stock head, both intake and exhaust. Valve diameter for the "A" and "K" were the same, best I cold mic. I realize the compression ratio drops approx. .78:1 with the P79 head, but with this high mileage motor, perhaps the compression drop is better than compression increase???? Using an old trick to verify the valves will clear the piston top, I made a very thin "pancake" out of silly puddy, placed it on top of the piston (stock dished), installed the head (w/o the cam chain) and easily turned the cam to open and close both valves in piston #1 at top dead center. The valves made an impression in the silly puddy, but didn't penetrate it to the top of piston. So, I know the valves won't hit the pistons. Of course removing the head to check and remove the silly puddy. Screw drivers: Two of them, both very long, one thin to position the tensioner, the other thicker to push the shaft (and tension pad) back into the setting block's hole (thus compressing the spring). Once back in its operating position, he held it compressed or all the way in while I reinserted the spacer block of wood between the interior faces of the chain, as instructed in the FSM. OF particular note, I left the hood on and used a bungee cord to stretched between the chain and the hood latch above, to control a relatively loose chain so I could manipulate the tensioner. The bungee had a large plastic end (home depot) so I could turn the crank and/or cam to perfect alignment to TDC, and to align the cam sprocket with its setting pin. All this sounds good, but we'll see if all works when or if she fires up. I'll post the results in a couple of weeks. Thanks again.

Update; Sunday evening: Went to Church this morning, said a little prayer asking God to help me find the skills and inner being to get that darn tensioner back in place w/o disassembly of the front timing chain cover plate. Came back home, invented a few make shift tools to reach into the small place to reposition the tensioner. Almost got it in, but couldn't. Took a break and waited for one of my King if the Hill neighbors to come over. After a couple of beers, he got up and grabbed a couple of long screw drivers, and within 5 minutes, had the tensioner reinstalled in its operating position. With another screw driver and the wood tensioner block I made, I installed the spacer block, installed the cam sprocket, and installed the chain. I checked all my timing marks and the darn thing appears to be in the correct position. Holy Moly, thanks to the man above for not giving me the ability, but my neighbor. I can now leave for vacation feeling "relatively confident" that when I return, I can finish and start the motor. Yee hawwwww! Thank you all for supporting me with your most excellent knowledge and auto mechanics advice. Brad.

Awesome work, thanks.

Thanks Blue ans SiteUnseen. I'll take a quick look and get back with you. Unfortunately, for the next 2 weeks I have to take care of my business and can't work on it. I'll keep you guys updated on the progress. Appreciate the help Brad.

@ siteunseen: I assume I need to remove the front cover plate to reinstall the tensioner, correct? I need to find an exploded view of the parts components. Do you have any tips to share? Thanks, Brad.

Well, the rebuild was going very well. I, and a couple of my King if the Hill neighbors, figured out we could totally build the head, intake, and exhaust manifold and put the entire thing on at one time. Worked like a dream. All went perfect till the cam chain tension block was inadvertainly pulled out and the darn tensioner sprung out......el crappo. I'm now trying to figure out how to fix this darn issue. I thought is be finished tonight.

Craig: I'm no expert, but a backyard mechanic for some 40 years. I don't think the alignment collars are necessary, but I'd find one and use it if I were you. The head bolts and the head holes have a bit of side tolerance free play. I "think" the collars will keep the head and block in near perfect alignment until you get all bolts torqued. I'm currently putting a top end on now and did a test fit this evening. The alignment collars were most useful. I don't know where to find them, but I'd start with the machine shop that misplaced them. Most likely, they'll be able to replace the one theirs placed. Good luck, Brad.

Done for the evening. I have everything ready for re-assembly, except the correct head and cam. Hopefully, I'll find one soon....before I have a "senior moment" and forget where all those darn vacuum and water hoses go, ha.