Pinbill

View Advert Wanted: Slot Mag Center Cap for Early 240Z Hello, I lost a center cap the other day. It was pretty beat up by the time I found it. Please help me. The caps are 3 1/8" inches and have an "A" or an "A/P" emblem on them. The caps on my car are not perfect. I would like to find one that is comparable. Thank you, Bill Advertiser Pinbill Date 03/10/2023 Price Category Parts Wanted Year 1971 Model 240z

Right on, thank you. I am headed out to start buttoning things up. Things are pretty clean under the dash now. Heater box is rebuilt, heater core is flushed, new hoses, new coolant valve, upgraded relay harnesses, new Zclock, new dash. Here is a little car porn.

I am ok with the combo and blinker switch and the wiring in the tunnel area is ok too. I started the car and tested everything. It all works. I had a little scare with some gauge light bulbs that had a weak ground. Everything works. This is the flasher relay I am talking about. I didn't see it when the dash came up. It unplugged itself and I lost the wiring orientation. Bill

You nailed it, the white wire is covered with black sheathing. I feel comfortable with all the connections in the climate control area. I need to dig for the wires that connect the dome light to the door switch and figure out the flasher on the steering column. I am ready to start it up though and do some testing. If anyone knows about the orientation of the wires on the steering column flasher please let me know. I might just try it and see what happens. Thanks again for the help, Bill

Thanks for getting back to me. I didn't see a black and white wire. I will dig around for it. The wiring in the car is very original except for a dealer installed AC unit. The white wire coming off the fuse box, what color wire does that usually connect to? Bill

Fuse box wiring question. It seems like there is only one way for the fuse box wires to go. I just want to be safe before I connect the battery. My plan is to attach the blue/white wire to the b/w wire on the cigar lighter and the black male bullet connector on the left to the other cigar lighter connection. Then white male connection goes to the female black on the right. Does that sound right? Car is a 1971 240z with an 8/71 build date and a short wire fuse box. Thank you for the help, Bill

Hey Everyone, I have my new dash in and its time to connect the wires. The wires to the relay on the steering column next to the buzzer came off with the dash. I wasn't able to mark the connections. Are they directional or can I put them either way? I need to say that connecting the door buzzer was pretty difficult. Thanks for the help, Bill

Have the LEDs held up OK? The price is pretty cheap. I am nervous that a bulb will go out shortly after I install the dash LOL.

My new dash is attached to a junk frame for long term storage. I can see where all the screws are so it seems like its pretty straight forward. How was your experience installing the vintage dash? Is there anything I should look out for when I do mine? I want to replace the dash bulbs while I am in there. MSA doesn't stock a quality replacement. I don't want to replace my bulbs with garbage ones. Did you replace the dash bulbs? If so, where did you source them? Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. Bill

Yes, it is a 1971 240z with a 8/71 build date. Thanks for the replies. These cars are so easy to work on. I still can't believe it. Dash is out. The clock is headed out to Z clocks next week. I am hoping to keep the dash bulbs non LED but change them out. MSA doesn't stock dash bulbs. They said they can't find a bulb worth selling. I don't want to put crap bulbs all the way under the dash. Does anyone have lead on quality replacement dash bulbs for a 1971 240z. Thanks for your help, Bill

Hey Everybody, The Vintage Dash is going in. I wanted to wait till this winter to do it, but I started having some electrical troubles. It seems better to do everything at once and be done with it. My right front blinker is out, so the switches on the stalk are getting rebuilt. My fuse box got hot on the parking circuit. I got an MSA fusebox and updated parking and headlight harnesses. I am going to clean and inspect all the wiring and clean the light connections. First I need to get the dash out. I am everything under the dash disconnected. It is ready to except..... the glove box liner. This is my first Z. I was surprised to see how cheap it was. The glove box liner is original and in good shape. I feel like I should keep it in good condition. I removed the glove box door and trim. Then I tried to get the liner out, but stopped before I damaged it. The Climate Control cables and the wiring on the far right side are disconnected. Can I get the dash out without pulling the liner from the glove box? Bill

Thanks man, my son and I went for a ride up to evergreen last night. The car rode so nice. I can't believe how good it sounds. It is like a sowing machine. It always had a pop on decel a clacking clackity from the top end. It is real smooth now and the exhaust is very strong and steady at idle. I am glad the distributor took a dump. It was worth it to have Jeff at Winter Racing/ Rallye Sport tune it. I want to give one more plug for the guy because he has helped me a bunch getting the car sorted. He is a very helpful, old school guy who has a small shop and is really good with Datsun motors. I hope to drive it without incident while stockpiling parts for a glass out repaint, dash swap, clock repair, and gauge refurb. So far I have a windshield, heater core, replacement temp/ oil gauge, and am on the list at vintage dashes. Thanks again for the help. I will be back in touch when I repaint and redo the dash. Bill

Got the car back from Jeff at Rallye Sport in Westminster. It was the wiring in the distributor. While it was there he adjusted the valves, timing, dwell, ect.. It is running much better that I could have adjusted it. It was the way to go bringing it to a guy who has the touch. He has been working on these motors for a 45 years and it is running super smooth. He is a very good guy. I am very happy. Thanks again for helping me with the information. Bill

Got the car back from Jeff at Rallye Sport in Westminster. It was the wiring in the distributor. While it was there he adjusted the valves, timing, dwell, ect.. It is running much better that I could have adjusted it. It was the way to go bringing it to a guy who has the touch. He has been working on these motors for a 45 years and it is running super smooth. He is a very good guy. I am very happy. Thanks again for helping me with the information. Bill

Wow. Thanks for the detailed schematic. It is a skill trying to communicate technical information typing through a forum. I really appreciate you taking the time to provide detailed information. I can't measure the coil with it running. My meter has an auto range for continuity. I ordered a new coil and ballast resistor today and threw in a coolant overflow bottle while I was at it. I don't mind replacing 50yr old parts even if the don't fix it. LOL. Bill

Ok, got it, thanks. Any ideas on the voltages?

Ok, got it, thanks. Is 10.9v from the ignition switch to the ballast ok? The ballast is putting out 5.1v. Is that ok? I just checked the resistance on the ballast again and it is ranging 1.6-1.9 ohms. Spec is 1.6 ohms.

Should I be getting 12v from the tach to the ballast resistor or is 10.9v ok?

Hey Steve, Thanks for the response. My car will idle, but it runs rough. I hit the throttle and it won't rev. It just bogs. I have been through the carb and vacuum system. Hoping to do some tests before I throw parts at the ignition system. On the coil I got a resistance value of 8.95 from the contact to the distributor to the positive and 8.95 ohms from the contact to the distributor to the negative leads. Judging by the specs it looks like my coil is out of whack. Bill

Hello, I would like make sure I am getting the proper voltage to my ignition system. I have the stock set up with the two post ballast resistor. Here are my measurements: Ballast Resistor: 1.6 ohms Ballast Resistor: 10.9v going in an 5.1v going out Coil: Primary 1.7 ohms Secondary 8.95 ohms Coil (Car Running): 7.6v on the positive tab and 3.8v on the negative. Can someone confirm what voltage/ resistance I should be getting to the resistor, from the resistor, to the coil, and from the coil? Thanks for the help, Bill

Does anyone know what voltage I should be getting at the resistor and coil?

Ok, I did the rear bowl and the car ran better for about 15 seconds. I shut it off and checked the front bowl. The front bowl was good. I started it and it is back to running like garbage. I ran the car with the sight line attached to both bowls and the level didn't drop at all while idling. It seems like it getting enough fuel.

Ok, I just did the rear bowl. The car ran. I feel like when I do the front bowl it will be good. I will post back up with an update in a little bit. Bill

I didn't hold the throttle open. I didn't use oil either on the compression test. I will do it again after I set the float bowl. Found a 8mm x 1 threaded banjo bolt that I used once to set the transmission on my old w123 mercedes. That's why I don't listen to anyone who tells me to throw stuff away. LOL. The reading is 26.5 mm from the top of the fuel bowl. I am 3.5mm too low in the fuel bowl. I will straighten it out to 23mm below the fuel bowl and report back.

Hey guys, I was out in the garage this morning. I did a compression test without oil in the cylinders, the carb bodies closed, and the motor cold. I got 137 / 141 / 141 / 135 / 132 / 135. I tried putting oil in the cylinders but the numbers were all over the place and I didn't want to put too much in and bend a rod. I suspect the numbers will be better if I do it again with the domes off and the slides off. The odometer is at 99k. I ran two hoses into a container to test the fuel pump. Its getting plenty of clean fuel out of the fuel pump to the carbs. I am assuming the thimble fuel filter would be in the banjo bolt on the fuel bowl lid. The banjo bolt was too stuck and I didn't want to break anything. I did back flush the fuel bowl lid with carb cleaner and compressed air. I blew it into a paper towel to check for debris. I didn't see any debris or anything come out. If there is a filter in the fuel bowl lid it is clean. I blocked off all the vacuum connections to the smog pump. The two smaller gaskets on that same rail are new and tight. I checked the tightness of my carb blocks and gaskets. My intake and exhaust manifold gasket is new and tight. All my vacuum hoses from the vacuum booster (the expensive ones) are new. I sucked in on the distributor vacuum line. The distributor is holding vacuum. I was very thorough when I had the intake manifolds off. I tested the vacuum again when the car was "idling" and I got 10-12#. Does the brake vacuum booster ever leak? I am headed to the hardware store right now to get a nipple for the fuel bowl drain to do the clear line test. Bill