Carl Beck

Hi louisf: Yes, it is more than likely that there is a formula to follow - I don't know what it is. So the process is always a trail and error procedure, unless you are installing all new OEM Parts (like a 280ZX Clutch Assembly, Throw-out Bearing Collar and Throw-out Bearing). There are actually three or four different lengths of the Throw-out Bearing Collars, so if you are using used parts... mixed/matched of unknown origin.. you are back to trail and error... Just to add a bit of trivia: Nissan mechanics actually had a special tool - a base plate to which the Clutch Assembly was bolted, then it was possible to get an accurate measurement of the installed Pressure Plate height... and from that one could derive the correct Throw-out Bearing Collar length. As I recall one could also measure the pressure it took to compress the clutch fingers, to see if the Pressure Plate was within spec.'s If you are going to pull the tranny again - be sure to check the clutch assembly itself. We are all guessing it's the Throw-out Bearing Collar length, based on your initial description of the process, the parts involved and the symptoms..... but it is still possible your clutch just went out - or you have a rear main seal leaking oil on the clutch disc etc... good luck, Carl B.

Hi Jack: Dogma240- aka Dave wrote a good article about how to eliminate the evaporative emissions controls. In the menu at the left - hit the hyper-link that says "Fourms" THEN: -Publication Forums - - Technical Articles - - - Articles From Our Members - - - - Treating inside/outside of gas tank with POR-15 and removing evaporation tank Or the direct URL.... <a href=http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19034 TARGET=NEW> Dave's Article </a> The information you want is somewhat intermixed with the entire fuel tank refresh.. but pay close attention to Post #14.... that 180 degree turn, held open with rigid tubing is very important....{1/4" copper elbows fit just fine inside the 5/8's fuel line)...If you use just fuel line, it will kink and shut off the vent... At Post #11 Dave used a threaded nut to cap off one of the vents... I used a 1/4" copper pipe cap and JB Weld... worked great.. hope that helps, Carl B.

Can the old Profile System be put back on-line? The new and improved system contains even less data...and it isn't looking like EVERYONE is going to re-enter the most basic information for themselves. Carl B.

Thanks.... every data point helps... Carl B.

Anyone in North America have a 260Z built between 11 / 73 and 01 / 74? If so, I would appreciate knowing the VIN and Date Of Manufacture. Trying to get a statistical sample, or find the Highest VIN RLS30 with a 12/73 build date - either of which could be indicative of the number of RLS30's built in Calendar Year 1973 thanks, Carl B.

Hi Louisf: You can try that if you have an old/extra slave rod... but it may not work. You can only pull the clutch fork back so far... and if the Throw-out Bearing Collar in there is too long - the throw-out bearing still won't completely release from the pressure plate fingers... good luck, Carl B.

Hi louisf: You have several things out of wack in your thinking ... which may be leading to your confusion. 1. Eric, on the site you reference - states that the data isn't 100% reliable... that is true. So there is no reason to believe that the 4 speed and 5 speed use different throw-out bearing collar lengths. The truth is - all the transmissions that I have measured - Type A, Type B, Four Speed or Five Speed have the same transmission input shaft length. So you have a fixed amount of space for any combination of Clutch Disc, Pressure Plate, Throw-out Bearing, Throw-out Bearing Collar - to fit onto. 2. The 280Z Clutch Assemblies as well as the later 280ZX Clutch Assemblies are NOT the "same". Just because you can use a newer design part (Clutch Assembly) to replace an older and no longer available part - it doesn't follow that they are the "same". It only means that the newer part can preform the same function, fit in the same manor and have somewhat the same form. So don't think of them as being "the same" - think of one as being a "replacement" for the other. 3. The height {distance measured from the flywheel to the top of the Pressure Plate Fingers} or call it the thickness of the various Pressure Plates used - determines the length of the Throw-out Bearing Collar that has to be used. The thickness or height of the Pressure Plate depends on when it was originally produced, who produced it and to which specification (240Z, 260Z, 280Z or 280ZX) it was produced. Because the 280ZX Clutch Assembly will fit, preform the same function and attaches in the same manor as the original 240. 260 or 280Z units, the 280ZX Assembly is considered "a replacement" for all of them. If you order three Pressure Plates, from three different sources - but all for a 280Z - you have a good chance of winding up with two or all three being different thicknesses. - you have about the same chance of them all being the same, yet different than your OEM Pressure Plate. For a time - some manufacturers offered two different "thicknesses" of Pressure Plates... and it was up to you as to which one you wanted to order; but for the most part that is a thing of the past now. In effect - the original 240-Z Pressure Plates were the thickest... and require the shortest Throw-out Bearing Collar, they also had the lowest clamping force. The newest 280ZX Pressure Plates were the thinnest and require the longest Throw-out Bearing Collars. Over the years, all the manufacturers consolidated the various Pressure Plates into one spec.. to be used as a "replacement part" for all the others. The real kick in the butt is the fact that different manufactures used different spec.'s... some used the 280ZX spec. and some seem to have stuck with the 280Z spec. The two are very close, but not identical. 4. If the throw-out bearing collar is slightly too long - it will retain light pressure on the Pressure Plate Fingers (via the throw-out bearing) .. and wear the clutch out pre-maturely. If the throw-out bearing collar is longer still - it will not allow the clutch to fully engage. On the other hand - if the throw-out bearing collar is too short - the clutch will not disengage completely and you can't shift gears with the engine running. Looking at your description - my guess would be that you need to next shorter Throw-Out Bearing Collar. Which is more than likely the 280ZX Throw-out Bearing Collar. Unless you are the original owner of the car - and you have done all the clutch replacements in the past you really have no idea of which clutch assembly was in the car, nor which Throw-out Bearing Collar was used... When swapping only the transmissions - a good rule of thumb is to use the Throw-out Bearing Collar that was used with the CLUTCH in the car (not the one that came with the new transmission). If you change both the transmissions and the Clutch Assemblies at the same time - - - you have to pay very close attention to the height of the old clutch vs. the height of the new replacement. Then you have to use a Throw-Out Bearing Collar that matches the needs of the new Clutch Assembly. Hope I phrased all that correctly..... FWIW, Carl B.

Have you been under the car, and inspected the entire exhaust system for leaks? That should be done carefully every year at least. FWIW, Carl B.

HLS30 141309 would be 240Z built 01/73 nice job...

On 26-07-05, the Z Car Club of England you wrote: Hi Alan: In an attempt to arrive at the number of JDM Nissan Fairlady 240-Z's produced and sold in Japan, I subtracted the beginning of each range, from the end of each range, for each calendar year for the JDM. 1971 10436 - 10001 =435 1972 012045 - 010437 = 1608 and 100800-100001= 788 1973 101537-100801 = 736 103263-102001 = 1261 Total = 4828 units produced, if all assigned VIN's from each block of reported numbers were used. I was originally under the impression that you were saying all of the above units were the JDM Nissan Fairlady 240-Z's, and thus 4828 of them were sold in Japan. However checking the VIN's from Australia and GB I see cars with VIN's in the above ranges. So the above ranges must represent something other than, or more inclusive than. just the JDM HS units, yet the ranges are not nearly broad enough to cover the HS Export units. Have you found any farther information related to the production numbers or VIN's related to the JDM HS series cars 71-73? Or was I misunderstanding what you were trying to indicate with the VIN ranges you quoted? thanks, Carl

I didn't see it mentioned... but installing new hatch seals won't necessarily result in a seal being formed between the hatch lid and the body of the car. You have to assure that the hatch is properly adjusted so that it does in fact compress the rubber seals on all surfaces. I usually put a dollar bill between the hatch seals and the hatch lid ... close the hatch lid - then pull on the dollar bill to see if it's held firmly in place, or if it isn't. If it isn't, you can still get exhaust gases sucked in through the gap... even if it is water tight... FWIW, Carl B.

The last one I ordered from Courtesy Nissan - they had in stock and I had it in a couple days.. <a href=http://courtesyparts.com/ TARGET=NEW> Courtesy Parts Dept.</a> They may still have one... FWIW, Carl B.

Speaking of "green"...I ordered a new hard line for the clutch hydralic system for my 73 240-Z. The Nissan replacement part was coated with a green coating of some kind. Not the usually Yellow Cad plating... I checked with another owner of a 73 and he said he got the same part... with the same green a year or two earlier... Just though it was odd... anyone else have any experiences like that with any other parts? Carl B.

Yes Alan, but a few of the Nissans were not Datsuns...

Flat... hummm Well actually it is not flat... it curves over the body line of the Z - righ tto left. Front to Rear of course it follows the body line, so it sits at the angle it's supposed to. There are too flat spots if you will, in which studs are mounted - these go though the deck lid - and are secured by nuts from the underside. Nonetheless - it's fiberglass - and you can easily cut/mold it any way you want... FWIW, Carl B.

I can see how that statement might be misleading to someone... To the best of my knowledge no NISSAN 240Z'S {aka Nissan Fairlady 240Z} were restored/refreshed/remanufactured etc - there were about 38 DATSUN 240-Z's completed under the Vintage Z Program however. Carl B.

Hi DaveN: An additional data point or two... Did you know George Panko II and/or Rick Morgan? Rick is said to have purchased #13 out of South Carolina in 76.. But have never been able to track him down.. FWIW, Carl B.

HI Dave: Welcome to the group. Would you happen to have any pictures of the VIN on the Dash, or the Door Jam data plate, or the Engine compartment Data Plate showing s/n 00013? A copy of the original title...maybe? The name of the collector that purchased it maybe? If it was rescued from a Salvage Yard in NJ - did it have to be retitled with a NJ Salvage Title? Hope you will forgive me, but so far I've heard from at least three different people who claim to have had HLS30 00013, but so far nothing but stories. I don't doubt anyone's word - just their memories. A couple times we tracked the cars down to find HLS30 10013 and HLS30 1000013. I'd really be interested in finding some verfication that the car was actually sold to the public. At present the lowest VIN sold to the public here in North America has been HLS30 00016 located in Lutz, Florida. Any input appreciated. Carl B.

Ah... time for my Firestone Forever Battery story.... Back in 1975 I was working for a Firestone Dealer (another long story)... and I needed a new battery for the Z. So I bought a Firestone Forever... the best they offered at the time... My employee price was around $24.00 then...(for a 69.97 battery). Since that time, Firestone had replaced that battery free of charge about every 4 years....As I added more cars to the collection I tired of finding them with dead batteries every time I decided to drive one.. so around 1995, I bought several Battery Minder's.... smart trickle chargers... and hooked them all up when the cars were parked in the garage.. When kept on the Battery Minders... the Firestone Forever's lasted an average of 6.5 years... as are most of the batteries in the other cars now.. I had to have the Firestone Forever replaced a couple years ago.... So I took the battery into the local Firestone Store, the counterman looked up the new replacement battery, then went and got one out of stock. Sitting it on the counter, he said "that will be $79.95 plus $5.59 sales tax and $5.00 Battery disposal fee - $90.54." I said, "no, that is a Forever Replacement and it is free". I then dug out my paperwork to show him the words "Forever" on the invoices and guarantee. The counterman said he had never seen anything like that... so he went to get the Store Manager. The Store Manager knew what it was - but said he hadn't see one in years... So he started looking through the computer screens, to see if he could find the proper codes to charge the battery out of stock to... Finally he found them.. still on-line, still being honored... I wonder what will happen the next time I have to replace it... At any rate, if your car sits for prolonged periods I'd highly recommend hooking the battery up to a good smart trickle charger... the car will start when you are ready and the battery will last for many additional years... There are many others and you can shop the web for the best pricing, but I've been very happy with <a href=http://www.thebatteryminder.com/ TARGET=NEW> the BatteryMINDer </a> Check Standard Battery Chargers - 12V-1.33A BatteryMINDer They do more than just trickle charge.. and won't overcharge. No need to remove the battery if the car is garage kept, just plug in the trickle charger. Of course none of this negates the requirement for clean, tight battery terminals... I switched to Gold Plated terminals years ago - and have not had a problem since... FWIW, Carl B.

Looking at the junk that gone though E-Bay lately, and seeing the prices they bring... this one is at least $3K to $4K underpriced.... may scare potential buyers away, because they will wonder why it's so cheap... Good Paint Job.... $5K Interior Parts..... $1K Ext. Badges .5K New Seals........... .5K D-Hubcaps .5K Struts/springs .5K Bumpers....... 1K sub-tot = $9K And I'd bet he has more than $14K in it not counting the car.. Which means your paying about $2,500.00 for a solid 71 240-Z.... and doing NONE of the work FWIW, Carl B.

They look to be about 14 or 15... otherwise they would be driving not walking... Can you make it to the Ferrari Factory? FWIW, Carl B.

The L24, L26 and L28 are all the same size. The L26 has a longer stroke, that yields about 200 additional cc's in total displacement. The L24 and L26 block were the same when new, with the exception that the L26 had reliefs cut in the tops of the cylinder walls to allow larger diameter valves to be used with the same bore as the L24. The L28 has a larger bore, in addition to the longer stroke of the L26. The larger bore yields about 200 additional cc's in total displacement over the L26. FWIW, Carl B.

Yes- the N42 head breaths better than the stock E88 on the L26, additionally the N42 has a far better combustion chamber design for performance. Add a few hundred extra cc's and the L28 will have significantly more torque and power. That depends to a great extent on what you plan to use the car for - and how much money you want to spend, both in terms of the costs of modifications and in terms of the costs of depriciated market value when/if you ever try to resell the 260-Z. You can expect a significant boost in torque and hp... {if both engines are factory stock to begin with, and the L28 is a good running engine to begin with} FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Nissanman: That's funny - I sold about 10 Datsun 510's brand new in Jan. of 71! I sure wish I had kept one for myself. Love what you've done with yours. I just bought a 72 PL510 Station Wagon... pretty clean for it's age and still stock. I may leave it that way for a while and just enjoy driving it for a while. It could use a bit more horsepower and the suspension would benefit from a slight upgrade.... maybe later..... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gary: Thanks for the travel log - take plenty of pictures.. It would be surprising to see many Datsuns or Older Nissans in Europe from the 60's, 70's 80's or even 90's. Europe's EEU and GB, just finally dropped their protective trade tariffs carried over from WW-II around 2002. Nissan Motors had built some production plants there in an effort to gain entry into those markets and the tie up with Renault now should result far greater European market sales in the coming years. {at least Carlos is counting on that}. FWIW, Carl B.