Mark Maras
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Everything posted by Mark Maras
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Another thought on installation. You might try installing the clip on the handle as mentioned before and wrap the installed clip with electrical tape just tight enough to hold the clip in place but still allow it to expand. Leave a long end on the tape so it can easily be removed. Mark in Portland
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I've never tried the rag trick for installation. I think if you install the clip on the handle and hold it in place with a rag while you put the handle on, the rag may help hold the clip in place during installation. Let me know if it works, I'm always looking for new tricks. Mark in Portland
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I have always installed the clip on the handle first. Allign the splines and give it a rap with your hand. Most of the time it goes on the first try. If it doesn't, watch out for a flying clip. Try ,try again. Mark in Portland
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Zed Head Thanks for the correction about salt on the roads around Portland. I've lived here since 1970 and always "heard" that no salt is used. I guess they're splitting hairs and specifically talking about sodium chloride. Mark in Portland
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grannyknot, I got the timing tab. Thanks again for your help and generousity. One more thing I can cross off the evergrowing to-do list. The repairs are going slower, this winter, than originally planned but being from Toronto you don't want to hear my petty rant about occaisional snow in Portland. I do miss not driving a Z in the snow, It was so much fun and they don't use salt on the roads here. Next year I'll be enjoying the snow from the inside of my Z. Mark in Portland
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Typically if the ring gear is going bad, you'll hear a terrible noise. The fact that it occasionally works when you jump it tells me that there is an electrical problem in the car not the starter. Lack of full power to the solenoid on the starter could do it. I'd clean all elec. connections including grounds on that circuit and check for full voltage to the starter solenoid. Mark in Portland
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I've never tried anything aftermarket but the problem probably lies in the stiffness & possibly the diameter. The stiffness would likely bind up the nozzles when the choke is used and cause them to stick and eventually wear. My only source for them has been Ztherapy. Go for the good ones. One less thing to worry about. Mark in Portland
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I've never tried anything aftermarket but the problem probably lies in the stiffness & possibly the diameter. The stiffness would likely bind up the nozzles when the choke is used and cause them to stick and eventually wear. My only source for them has been Ztherapy. Go for the good ones. One less thing to worry about. Mark in Portland
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timsz I have a Series 1. I'll take a look when I get home tonight and let you know. Mark in Portland
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madkaw, Right you are, but why is the compression OK? I don't know how far a valve would have to be open to have a no-fire condition but surely you'd hear it in the intake or exhaust. No mention of that in the history. If it was barely open wouldn't it be the same symptom as a burned valve? Poor combustion & loss of power? Mark in Portland Stanley, I know little about pertronix, Why just two no-fire plugs?
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It worked on Iwo Jima, shoot it again.
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Tell us what color the spark was & could you hear it. It should be blue, loud [for a spark] & and jump about a 1/2" to ground. If it's lazy and yellow, it won't jump a 1/4". Does the spark look the same on 3 and 5 as the others ? If you have an ohm meter, check the resistance in the wires and cap assembled. They should all be relatively equal. To get it running well, I think you'll have to take a look at both carbs & elec. again but I think this specific problem is electrical, based on the info. Invest in Ztherapy's DVD on SUs[it's worth it & they're in Salem]. Plugs-NGK BP6ES. There has been some nice Z days this winter, at least here in the Pac.NW & you've got fantastic roads close to your home. Keep us posted, we want to see you on the road again too. Mark in Portland
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I'm envious. I'd love to have a 510 in the snow. High speed manuevers at slow speeds, What a blast. Enjoy it for the rest of us. Mark in Portland
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Yeah, I was wondering what they reminded me of. I wish they would have done a restyle of the 510 instead of a Celica. Mark in Portland
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I believe they are the new "510s" Mark in Portland
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Wow, This one is going to a be more difficult diagnosis than the average repair. I'm going to have to dwell on this for a while. Anyone out there got any ideas to throw at the wall and see if they stick? I'm baffled. Although, you might try switching sparkplugs to different cylinders and see if the problem is the plugs. Mark in Portland
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car sounds like an unbalanced washing machine
Mark Maras replied to derbyD's topic in Engine & Drivetrain
derbyD It should be easy now to determine the cause. Even a tiny amount of movement in the front u-joint will sound terrible. djwarner has made a good point. Anything wrong in the tail-shaft housing will give you the same symptoms. Have you determined which it is. Is it possible the mech. did the same dumb thing as me and used an old retainer clip allowing a tiny bit of movement? Mark in Portland -
car sounds like an unbalanced washing machine
Mark Maras replied to derbyD's topic in Engine & Drivetrain
After making sure the car is safely supported, with trans. in neutral & the hand brake off, crawl under the car and grab the drive line just behind the front yoke and push & pull on it in all directions, rotate it & do it again. If you see ANY movement other than rotational you're looking at the problem. Example. Changing u-joints, a while back, I lost one of the new c-clips so I used one of the old ones not noticing that it was a bit thinner than the new one.It allowed the u-joint to shift sideways with a barely perceptable movement. I didn't discover this until I took the car for a trial run to admire my expertise. The car felt and sounded like there was an 800 lb. bumblebee in the car. I think that your movement will be more obvious. As far as the mechanic causing it? You know what he worked on. Mark in Portland -
Thanks, hr369, I'm going to follow your advise. It makes perfect sense. I'm still in the triage stage with this Z. "So far", I haven't found any body damage, just two rust sections. The back of the right front fender well under the battery & the rear deck sill panel, The fire wall & both frame rails look good, at least on the outside and the other three fender wells look good too. Structurally, I think it's pretty solid and hopefully I'll find that it's also square. Mark in Portland
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Yes, It definitely has given "Spike" a whole new meaning, Before he was named, it was an object to be worked on. Now I find that some of the up-coming projects that I was kind of dreading [replacing rusted out panels] I'm now looking forward to. I'm betting every Z out there has a name. An interesting idea for a new thread might be what is your Zs name and why did you select that name. Thanks for your continuing support. Mark in Portland
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My right rear drum is stuck (a.k.a. I hate drum brakes)
Mark Maras replied to BoldUlysses's topic in Wheels & Brakes
I doubt that you'll have to resort to this. After breaking the drums loose from the flanges with lots of penetrant and levers, I found the shoes bonded to the drums on the bottom. I released the two springs that hold the shoes to the backing plate from the back. Then I had to remove the wheel studs. After a few good pushes and pulls the shoes and two springs came off with the drum. I didn't see any damage to the adjusters or anything else. Mark in Portland -
The tale gets even more warm and fuZZy, I came home early from work that day. We found out that my dad had passed on. 92 years old, What a life. I was sitting around feeling bummed and Alex, my son, insisted we go out and finish trying to get the Z started. An hours worth of tinkering and it was running perfect. Our moods did a 180' as we stood there grinning at each other. At that time I decided the cars name will be Spike. My dads' nickname. Kind of fitting that the day I lost him the Z came back to life. He liked my first Z. Mark in Portland
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Hopefully you watched the DVD that Ztherapy offers. There are two different drop tests for the pistons. Both are important. I would pull both tops and pistons and try swapping pistons, On mine, I found they had a much closer fall rate than before. A little buffing on the slow one and they were identical. Screw the nozzles up til snug, Install the pistons springs and tops. When doing the drop test, listen, they should sound exactly the same. Lower the nozzles 2 1/2 turns,fill the carbs with oil and give it another try. Mark in Portland
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A few questions; Are mounting points right? Is it at least as thick as your old one? Does it completely cover the opening it is bolted to? and will your fan shroud work? If so, go for it. Keep us posted. Mark in Portland
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My son, 23, is a great partner to work with. He currently loves driving his 1981 RX7 but I recognize the look in his eyes when he sits in the 260. He knows that we have a lot of work to do and keeps me on track. I suspect we will be doing all this again after we are done with this one. I've driven both cars and much prefer the Z and I think when he drives this one, he'll be hooked. Like father like son. Mark in Portland