Mark Maras
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Everything posted by Mark Maras
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Thanks for doing the research. I really like the BikeAlert products. The license frame light would make this project an easy & effective install. I didn't go into the Wa & Ca regs in depth yet but I think the license location will work for either state. Oregon, it appears, has no regulations on deceleration lamps.
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Engine only runs with starter fluid
Mark Maras replied to hatepotholez's topic in Carburetor Central
IMO The easiest way to set the needle height is; Turn the mixture screws all the way up, keeping track of the number of turns. Remove the piston, loosen the needle set screw, pull the needle out about an 1/8", tighten the set screw just until the needle won't fall out. Install the piston & chamber, using a pencil or other soft item push the piston down using the oil access hole on top. The piston should move down about 1/8". This will bottom out the needle against the nozzle, which is the proper height. Remove the piston tighten the needle & reassemble. -
I like the way this idea is going. Now I'm thinking that an amber deceleration flasher & a red brake flasher would offer the best protection. I think using the cars hazard lamps(too large) would irritate anyone sitting behind you in traffic. The question is how large can you go to get attention but not wizz people off.
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Wow, who would have guessed that part was avail. Makes me wonder what else they still have that we don't know about. I think I'd invite the Nissan parts guy out for a few beers and pump him for info. That looks like a great pattern piece to me. Before you frame it, some detailed measurements could be useful in the future.
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OOOOH, I like that. A smart light for dummies. I too am surprised that the idea didn't catch on yet. I can definitely understand motorcycles wanting them. Here in Portland I wish our local bike riders would use them too.
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Nice work Jim. I would think in Arkansas everyone would have hog-rings.
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I've found when dealing with a bureaucracy (DMV) tell them what they want to hear. Everything works out just fine when you don't make their day difficult with details.
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I've used the methylene chloride strippers in the past. They do work well but the fumes are tough to deal with. On this Z & a few home projects dealing with multiple layers of 70 year old paint, I've been using Citristrip. No fumes. No burned skin. It does take a little longer to work. I generally leave it on for 24 hours and it seems to work as well as the other nasty strippers.
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Strobe lights are also used to attempt to trigger a seizure during an EEG test and flickering TVs have been know to trigger seizures too in those people afflicted with static in the attic.
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Thanks, that sounds great. I really didn't think the over-lap method was the best option. Guess I wanted to hear it from some one that had been down this road before. Harbor Freight sells sheet metal welding clamps (8 pack) that I will use for aligning the edges. They worked great for aligning the footwell insert that I welded in. That one I carefully cut & fit. It turned out good but it took a lot longer than I estimated. Doesn't everything? I wasn't looking forward to precisely fitting the floor pan prior to welding. There had to be a better way. I'm working on the right side only at this time. When it's done, I'll take a look at the left. It has to be better than the right. No battery. I didn't want to be overwhelmed at the size of the project. Kind of like eating an elephant-you can only do it one bite at a time.
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Engine only runs with starter fluid
Mark Maras replied to hatepotholez's topic in Carburetor Central
IMO No need to remove the carbs. The problem is in the floats & valves as Patcon said. Properly operating f. valves should be able to handle 4 psi. Remove the float covers & dash pot domes. Don't bend the needles. Clean everything up, fix the float & valve problem, check mixture needle height, operate the choke & ensure the nozzles are moving down & up, set the mixture screws (nozzle height) 2 1/2 turns down & do a drop test on the pistons (dash pots). It should run at this point in time. -
Interesting, I hadn't thought about all the options available today. A gadget guru could take this idea to another level. Originally, all I was going to build was a deceleration light & mount it in the third brake light position.
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A quick question about floor pan installation. On the tunnel & rear side of the floor pan, what does everyone do, butt-weld or over-lap the welded seams? If they are over-lapped, I think it would be a good idea to weld the out-side solid to prevent rust. Thoughts?
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They weren't a total waste. I'm sure that they have prevented many accidents. I like the idea of LED brake lights. Maybe a LED reader board. One could post messages(imagination time) to the car following you. Or even line drawings such as Blue's opening remark about F.B. and another plus, you could out-run them, if you had to, in a good Z.
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Yeah, maybe the amber would be better. Instead of wizzed off they would just be curious. And then there is the other thought, I don't care how wizzed off they are as long as they don't plow into me. If one continues this line of thought, green, yellow & red is the next step. Years ago I dug through the US Patents on this idea & as I recall Porsche had already explored the green yellow, red idea. Looking back, this idea came to me after Congress mandated the third b.light. At the time I wondered why, if they were going to add the third light, they didn't make it do something different rather than just more of the same. My 260 project will have one when it is back on the road. Been waiting to try this for years.
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Let me share an idea that has been kicking around in my head for a while. This is based on reaction time. In the old days of drag racing they used a "christmas tree". The lights were spaced 1/2 second apart. It didn't take long to figure out the reaction time plus mechanical slippage took 1/2 second to move the car. Ergo, if you reacted when the last yellow light came on, you could hole-shot most people. With that in mind, if I was going to put a third brake light on the car, The color could be red or amber(red would be my choice) but I would have it activated by the throttle. Anytime the throttle is in the closed position, the light is on. This could possibly give the driver behind more braking time. even if it didn't fail to stop an accident it likely would cut down on the damage.
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The pump from my 71 has no hole in the front cover.
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Could be worse. Or is it worse & we haven't seen the other likely places?
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Cylinder head flatness - is milling really necessary
Mark Maras replied to Zed Head's topic in Engine & Drivetrain
Just watched a guy on UTube straighten a warped six cyl. head. .007 brass shims under the ends, baked it 5-6 hours at 500` and let it cool in the oven. He baked it twice until the cam towers were aligned then sent it out to be surface milled. -
Cylinder head flatness - is milling really necessary
Mark Maras replied to Zed Head's topic in Engine & Drivetrain
OK. Now that we're finally coming around to your solution, did you ever try it? I remember the talk about it but I think everyone was concentrated on milling & the unintended consequences at the time. Rolling the idea around in my head, oven size came to mind. I know my oven isn't large enough to slow bake a six cyl. head & if it was I would have to send my wife out of town. But any powder coating business has an oven that could. Temp 400 - 450. Sound OK? -
Engine only runs with starter fluid
Mark Maras replied to hatepotholez's topic in Carburetor Central
Nope The float chamber is alongside the carb body. The fuel enters into the top of the float bowl. 3 or 4 screws & probably a new gasket. -
Good call Steve. The battery tray and fender well below it should show signs of repair too. They usually go hand in hand.
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How can you possibly sell the Z when you still have plans on changing it? (Blue's bumpers) I like to wear my Datsun cap It starts a lot of conversations. Hundreds by now. EVERYONE that I've talked with, regretted selling their Datsun. Not too hard to figure out, they were almost all 510s & Zs. I think I would move it to a friend's garage and see how much I would miss it before selling it. No driving it, no admiring it, no working on it, no contact. It would drive me nuts. IMHO, If you can afford to keep it, do so. You can always sell it later when you're sure. The fact that you asked the question tells me that you should keep it.
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I think I'd crawl underneath and start looking for any welded repairs. Should you find major repairs,and they are well done, the car may be better than an original. My point is, I bought my first Z (used) in 73. Over the years I came to the conclusion that the car had, in fact, been previously totaled. Clues such as Bondo in the top, a dent in the drive shaft, a mysterious dent in the exhaust header pipe at frame level. I drove the car daily for 23 years & it was by far the BEST car of any kind I have ever owned & driven.
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What a beautiful Z. Color, stance, wheels, Perfect.
