Jeff Berk

The second picture shows a 3-contact connector with only the top and bottom connectors used, both wires are green. If so, that might be the map light above the vents. For the other connector in the 2nd picture, how many contact positions, how many are actually used, and what are the wire colors?

In the first picture, that looks like a green/white and red/blue into a T 2 conductor connector female for the heater control's light. I also have a similar connector but with green/white and red that is not plugged in right now.

I just pulled out my spare from the garage. Mine only had one screw. Getting it out is not half as fun as getting it back in.

ZH, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the relay panel can be unbolted. This might make it easier to get to the relay. Remember these relays are old so they can wear out. Once you figure out the terminals, (i.e. which one does what) you can substitute a modern relay.

I’d expect this from Captain Obvious.

I think it is solid.

Look for the fuse values on page BE-5 figure BE-7. I'm assuming you don't have the fuse box cover or its labels are worn off. If you start subbing 10 AMP's for 20's, you better have a lot of spare fuses. Good luck. The wiring can be very challenging. At least it's inexpensive to fix usually. Wait until you get to the mechanical issues.

As for the fuses, some will have power all the time, others, only when the ignition is on. Focus on one circuit at a time Grasshopper.

Was the ground wire grounded?

Sometimes it's best to start at a connector and work your way through the wiring harness. In the case of the ground you circled in red, unplug the front combination connection and probe the ground to see if it is a ground. Check for continuity between connectors along a wire's path. At some point there will be no continuity and you'll know at least what wire segment is at fault. You might find that some of your grounds are not grounded due to rust. I ended up having numerous corroded connectors (get some terminal cleaner), melted wires, wire splices from some long forgotten accessory a PO had installed/removed. In the end, I think I've removed and rewrapped every wiring harness except for those in the engine compartment. I also have a spare dash and cabin harness hanging in my garage that I sometimes use to trace wires. If it hasn't been done already on your car, you might want to upgrade the headlight circuit (http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/HeadlightRelays/JudkinsRelay.htm)

I just checked, CarFax is 1981 and newer. You'll have to go to your friend.

You should check with the Erie agent. You might get lucky. So if you do get the VIN, are you going to try and do a CarFax to trace the owner?

ZH: I'll check it again in Fall and see what it looks like. Thanks for the help (once again).

Jeff G, what does it mean to chuck a rocker. The lash pads look ok to my untrained eye. I'll clean the rocker in an ultrasonic cleaner, stain it with ink, and see if the apparent cracks are still there. ZH, There's 395 miles on it. I'm assuming the chip on the lobe occurred during the machining as it's not very noticeable. I'm not familiar with (or know) the machine shop and relied on the mechanic to select one he was familiar with. What I think might be happening is the lobe got chipped possibly due to a defect during machining. The rocker was chattering due to the uneven surface and created the cracks. Possible solution? I was thinking that I'd replace the rocker (they are inexpensive) and grind away just enough on the trailing edge to miss the chipped area of the lobe. Then I'd protect the area around the cam shaft with rags and smooth out the lobe chip with a small grinder to lessen the potential for propagation of the damage. I'm waiting for the mechanic to get back to me with his suggestion(s). This is my third shaft in 2 years. Jeff

Jeff G 78, I looked at the Aug 2020 receipt and the rockers were shown as being replaced. That was 400 miles ago. (I need to get this out on the road more) The fractures on the "S" side of the rocker running parallel with the face don't bother you? Jeff

I pulled the valve cover off this morning to get a closer look at the rocker arm. I see something that worries me but what do I know. Keep in mind that the chip in the lobe is to the rear of the car when inspecting the photos. That would be the side marked "S" on the rocker.

Here's a closer look at the chip from a different angle. Yes, it is on the lobe.

I just sealed the valve cover back up so I can't check if it is contacting the wiper. Yes, there are spray holes, they just don't show up due to the position of the lobes. Yes, it was a new cam shaft (last year). The mechanic has been non-responsive lately as he's working as a crew on a Miata racing team and doesn't have much time for his shop. I think I'm going to treat this as a mole on my skin. I'll just keep an eye on it and check to see if there are changes.

It's been a year and I just completed a valve lash adjustment. It looks like the mechanic did not reinstall the spray bars and only went with the internally oiled cam shaft. One issue I notices was that there was a little damage to the cam on cylinder 5. I'm assuming that since the chip is off to the side, it will not impact anything.

Chrome has a really bad reputation for durability but it really looks great on the few cars I've seen it on. Everyone wants to touch it and unless there is no dust or dirt on their finger or the car, it will leave behind scratches. I have a little chrome wrap at home to experiment with and it IS IMPRESSIVE.

FYI, The wrap I ended up using was manufactured by Vivid. My son and I wrapped a second car afterwards with Avery material which we liked better due to it's stretch. We made several mistakes with the 260Z and had to go with matching paint on the headlight buckets. Now that we have a little more experience, I think will rewrap the car next year in metal flake red and include the headlight buckets by using knifeless-cut tape. The advantages of a wrap for us is that we can change the color, we can do it ourselves, the color options and special affect vinyl are numerous. Note that the black stripe on my Z was done because I wasn't able to smooth the vinyl out without a wrinkle on the hood. I'm attributing this to Vivid's rigidity and hope to do the hood in one sheet when I go with Avery. Note that the air dam on the car was paint as was the headlight buckets. It is definitely a two person job. Avery offers group classes in car wrapping for around $900. At the end of the class, you get a $900 credit for their wrapping material. I might take their class next year so I can get some training beyond You Tube.

Maybe I'm pessimistic, but unless the car left Pennsylvania for a dryer, snow-free climate, it is likely a basket case by now.

The electric fuel pump helps, some cars more than others. Without it, my 260Z periodically just stops running so I have to use it. My replacement pump and filter came from Rock Auto. The two relays are under the dash on the far right side attached to a metal panel packed with other relays. You can use the wire colors to pick out which two they are. I was never able to get mine running with the relay setup so I bypassed them and ran power to the pump from a circuit that energized when the car is on. For safety, I installed a kill switch that activates if it senses a significant physical impact. As for how to tell if the electric fuel pump is running, you can hear the whine from inside the cabin. If not, start the car and crawl under the right rear and put your hand on the pump. You should feel the pump vibrating or hear the pump.

just took it out for a test drive. The 4-speed worked great. Thanks all for the help.

EuroDat is great at spotting fine details in photographs. He spotted an extra C-clip crammed between a couple of gears for me not too long ago.