sblake01

One of the plastic levers in your control panel has come unhooked from the cable or broken more likely. I went through this on my 78 a couple of years ago. You'll have to replace that whole panel. It's easier than replacing the broken part. I got mine at the junkyard. There are two different ones. One for AC and one for non AC.

Doesn't he kind of sound like Doc Brown from Back To The Future?

Like I said in my earlier post, I was just playing with you guys. The ain't nothing better than a clean early 240. I've owned two of them in the past. But, I'm retired now. I don't want to work that hard anymore.

I've seen some nice ones. I'll bet that kid over in Australia that used to ride the moped does a nice job on his. He left the site for a while a finished school as a mechanic, I believe, but he was a regular here a while back learning all he could about Z's so he'd be ready when he got one.

According to Dave Norris, my former next door neighbor when I lived in Upland, and a 24 year expericenced HVAC tech, the man who taught me all I know about air conditioning and encouraged me to get my MVAC certificate, there is a reason,......politics! They have used it in ever kind of machine you could imagine with no problems or change in performance, actually better preformance than R12. I have used it in my formerly R12 cooled vehicles for 2 1/2 years with no problems. The only drawback is that you have to be a do it yourselfer because most automotive shops won't touch a car that has anything other than R12, R134A, or in some cases Freeze12 or ES-12 or whatever it's called. I was unimpressed with ES-12. It didn't cool as well as R134A. I have put R414B in cars that had R134A systems. Again, no problems, as long as the correct procedures are followed.

Haven't you ever seen a fully optioned, automatic trans, 280Z or ZX 2+2?

He's 12! And his writing skills are better that a lot of us old farts! In time his automotive skills will catch up.

Why not here? Enough of their parts wind up in the S30's anyway.

Well, I hate to admit it but the first part of that statement is true. Does '240Z.org' ring a bell. But as far as being along for the ride, mabye those of you who really feel that way should have your own site. The 20 or so of you would have a great time discussing cloth braided radiator hoses, mirrors with the sun and star, and all that interesting stuff. But seriously, a lot of the 'purists' have left. Where's 2manyZs, or Zvoiture, or Frank13, or any of those 'Z-holier than thou' types. Good riddance! I really don't care what's discussed, with the possible exception of stuff like sound powered turbochargers with cold air boost or whatever that was but I have been made to feel, at times, like I don't belong here since I'd rather drive the version of the car that was the most advanced of the series rather that sinking my life savings into one that was the least advanced. (I don't really feel that way, I love all S30 as well as many other Datsuns, but that ought to bring things to a boil!)

My thoughts exactly! This thinking is way, way, way outside the box. Did you catch his response in the 'Engine missing above 5k' thread?

Two things. The Sankyo/Sanden systems use expansion valves not orifice tubes (which you called valves). They use barrier type hoses since they are basically universal fit aftermarket systems. R12 can look cloudy or milky since that's dependant on receiver/drier configuration. The system in my 78 is an ARA Sankyo/Sanden type add on system and it cools just fine with the stock blower. (34.8 degrees at the center vent) It is true that the factory systems with the evap built into the hvac system are more efficient in that they do move more air but my car is comfortable even in 100+ degree Southern California summers. I do use R414B, however, not R12 or R134A and that may account for the effectiveness. (I guess that was more than two things) :classic:

Like 240ZX said, just change your oil and filter and you should be okay unless the car has been in and off-road race.

Yeah, they're usually pretty brittle after 20+ years. When I looked for one in the junkyard, I was only able to find one good one out of the 6 or 7 I looked at. It was probably a replacement so it wasn't as old as the others. That was 5 years ago. Bet you can't find them in the junkyard now.

I'm no 'real mechanic' by any means. Just an automotive hobbyist. Whatever that is. The M30 looked like this. They were only here for 3 years 1990-1992 IIRC. Ours was a 1991. Had a lot of problems and we traded it for the J30. This is not a picture of the one we had but it is on with the exact same appearance.

Not bad at all. Since the front bumper has been converted to the earlier style, are you going to convert the rear? Looks kind of strange with one of each. I would opt for puting the original 77-78 type front bumper back on it but that's just my opinion.

Oil pressure, no, vacuum, yes. Remember, this is a 280.

I'm not sure if the 78Z had that same setup from the factory. Mine has aftermarket air conditioning so it doesn't have the FICD. What I was describing is on my 79 810 which is similar to config 1 but not exactly the same. The 810 stumbles badly when you remove the oil cap but runs fine when it's on. My Z drops rpm when you remove the cap but continues to run at that lower rpm. I wish I could be of more help here but I've never experienced the problem you're having with either of my cars.

Well, to comment on Enrique's post, the whole California smog thing is a racket. I've been to very few shops that have any idea what is supposed to be on a 280Z. My car has never failed a smog test. I have passed with failing efi components. I have passed with a homemade cold air intake on my car. All they really want is your money. BuDavid, I think you mean BCDD. Does your car have factory air conditioning? I noticed that on my 810, that hose under the one that goes to the valve cover connects to the FICD for the a/c system. When I pull the oil cap off of that car, there is a lot more vaccum at the opening than there is on my Z. That's probably because that connection is pulling vaccum directly from the intake manifold as it appears in config 1 and 2. Since my Z is config 3 it doesn't have that connection.

That does look like an L6 version of the Infiniti M30. Ours all had an electric sunroof and automatic trans with a VG30E or it might have been a VG30DE. Weren't they known as the Nissan Leopard in some parts of the world? I can only answer #4. The turbo gearbox (BW T5) had different ratios than the na trans. You can check all of the diferents transmission ratios here: http://www.geocities.com/z_design_studio/transmission.html

Sorry but I have config 3 so my car doesn't have that junction. I have a slight vaccum at the oil cap and when I remove the oil cap, the idle drops about 75-100 rpm.

I know, Bill. I don't have the screw for it though.

On my car, which is picture #3, it connects to the fitting on the throttle body, just to the right of the idle adjustment screw, as viewed from the front of the car. It also connects there in picture #1. Picture #2 has it ending at the rubber boot between the AFM and the throttle body.

I'm not sure that I understand the question, but if you are saying that there was no oil cap on the car when you got it and you're wondering if dirt and dust can get into the opening the answer is yes. And the oil will spray on to the hood from that opening. Remove the valve cover and see how things look inside. By all means, get a cap.

My extra inspection light isn't in very good condition. You could probably find a better one. The choke lever is yours if you want it. Looks like everyone else has got you covered on the rest of the stuff.

Don't want much do you? I don't have many 240 parts but I have a choke lever and maybe a underhood light if the later 280 one is the same.