Zs-ondabrain

That's great and all but what she fails to put into the equation is that your Z is older than hers and may have many more electrical issues than her later Z, that had a lot of the bugs worked out by then. The 240Z's were more of a Test unit. The electrical engineers needed to be taken out back and be smacked around. Their lack of of use of relays and better gauge wiring is and has been the downfall of way too many 240Z's. If you really care about your Z, do the whole voltage drop reading to comfirm what everyone else has already told you, that being to Upgrade your electrical. Your fusebox is melting, Just like I said, because of bad wiring, connections, old parts and just under 40 years of wear and tear. My Parking light upgrade harness will put the voltage back to your circuit and relieve the Combo switch, fusebox, wiring and connections BEFORE the actual ciruit, of all the amperage that has destroyed everything in the first place. The relay that is used in the PLH is acticated by only 0.30 amps, Not the 15 that the circuit normally sees. It's time to update your Z. A new alternator that will quickly recharge the system, the upgrades that I offer will put relays into the headlight and parking light circuit, and cleaning all of your grounds and updating your power wires is Exactly what your Z needs now. In 6 years of doing this, not one single customer has EVER told me anything other than "Thanks Dave, this is one of the best things I've ever done to my 240Z" And of over a thousand units sold, I've only had to replace 1, for free, because of a bad choice of wiring on my part. Keep in mind that I also rebuild combo and Turn Signal switches for only $60 a pair. I can also Build you a completely rebuilt, like almost new, switch if yours needs to be replaced, for only $100 per switch. NOT $175 to $300 for a non rebuilt or NOS unit like you see on Ebay and other places. So while you do your testing, clean every connection that you come across. There are products out there that clean corrosion off and make the connection as close to new as possible. FWIW, Dave

Typically, it would be a combonation of possible bad rings and definately bad valve guides/seals. Oil drips down the valves after the engine has been shut off, and the cam leaves the valves open for the oil to slide on to the pistons. Hense the wet look piston tops. Resolved by rebuilding the head with the valve seats reground and new guides. Maybe it's also time to have the block refreshed by rehoning the cylinders and installing new ring sets, and the usual rebuild with new gaskets, rod and crank bearings and the usual assortment of goodies. DAve

If you're getting my headlight upgrade harness, you can run up to or over 100 watt bulbs and never worry about it. Dave

I use the 3 in 1 household oil. good dampening and quick responce.

That is incredible!!! How's Jim feel about losing his spot in the "Earliest Z car" list??? Once again, Carl's in the mix of things. I know who I wanna be just like when I grow up....

I totally agree with Peterc. Upgrades are great for bringing the car up to date, But believe it or not I'm more interested in Resolving the issue at hand before someone installs one of my upgrades. Write-up upon write-up has been done on updating, cleaning, improving and resolving electrical issues in the S30's. The Key points are always this......... Good battery and clean battery posts. Battery Corrosion is typically the cause of resistance and bad power flow (drawing more than the bad connections can handle.) New or Larger battery cables. Clean connections on both ends (Battery post clamps and ring terminals) Fireman don't bring a garden hose to the fire, they bring a FIRE hose. Power transfer is essential in ANY vehicle. If the vehicles body is one larger ground plain, shouldn't the battery have a better connection to the body then the stock, wimpy 6 gauge. I always suggest a 4 gauge upgrade but I personally use 2 gauge power wire. A 60 amp alternator will increase the battery refresh rate when coupled with better power wires connected to a good battery. Most people who do the ZX alternator upgrade, claim better headlights at an idle, brighter lights all around the car, faster wipers, better idle do to better power to the ignition system (points, coil, key, etc) The headlight upgrade harness will add relays to the headlight circuit. Thus reducing general power flow thru the fusebox, combo switch, and all other wiring associated with the headlights. The power to the headlights is now going straight from the battery, to the realys, to the headlights in a much shorter run, and the headlight circuit now only controls the relays. The parking light upgrade harness works on the same principle. It adds a relay after the combo switch, which puts a true 12 volts back into the system, bypassing the fusebox and combo switch as high current units. The result is brighter exterior lights and dash lights, and no more melted fusebox and failing combo switch. GROUND, GROUNDS, GROUNDS!!! Make sure all of your grounds are up to date. Unscrew them, clean them, clean the surface they are connected to and rebolt them, tightly. The HLH comes with new ground wires and the surface should be ground to the bare metal, attach the ground wire to the inner frame using the inner lower valance bolts, then coat with dielectric grease over the exposed metal to prevent rust or moisture from interupting that good ground. Hopefully this will get you started to an all around better electrical system. Dave

Hey Eric, I totally feel for ya. I'm fighting the same Uphill battle myself. Check this out.... There's 8 pages so far and a long way to go. You might even see something worthwhile in there...... http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3195135 Dave

None of the things you described sounds like symptoms, they sound perfectly normal. Headlights always brighten when you accelerate, unless the electrical system had been updated. Turn signals make the gauge flicker on almost any Z, as the power is coming from the fusebox. Very typical. I don't see a problem other than the car is old and it may be time to upgrade your alternator to an internal regulated one from an 81' to 83' 280ZX, with my alternator upgrade adaptor. I also make a Headlight and a Parking light upgrade harness to improve the lighting and help save your fusebox and combo switch. IM me if you're interested. Dave They are also available at MSA ( www.zcarparts.com in the stock area, under "New technologies".

That should look nice on a Z. I'll be here, just let me know, Dave

See, I told ya someone had one. And now you're set. Dave

That would all depend on the shape and wear of the bearings. It's never a bad idea to replace them and the bearing races and repack the whole thing with new Hi temp bearing grease. (I think it's the red grease.) Wipe out as much of the old grease as possible, don't want any bearing flakes or shrapnol in your new bearings. And remember to only tighten them a little more than finger tight while you spin the rotor. Then lock it down with a new cotter pin. and cap it off. Dave

did'nt read Gary's post, did ya? Email me at wolfin32z and I'll sell you a Headlight upgrade harness, which is a Relay upgrade for your headlights. Or buy one from Motorsport Auto at www.zcarparts.com go to the stock parts area and look in the "New Technologies" area. Think hard about the Parking light upgrade harness as well. And I'm the guy that sells the upgrades and rebuilds the switches. Dave

Here ya go.... #1 Loosen counter-clockwise. The is a fast idle screw, used for ballancing the carbs at 3000 rpm with a flow meter. Never used unless ballancing the carbs, loosen till it don't touch the plate. #2 carb linkage ballance screw, loosen counter-clockwise. This screw helps make sure that the linkage hits both carbs at the same time. Eyeball this one to see that the carbs both move at the same time when you throttle up. #3 rear carb idle screw. loosen until the rear carb linkage no longer moves, then turn in (clockwise) about 1 turn, do the same for the same style and positioned screw on the front carb. #4 is no longer needed, as it's part of your old, non used, choke system.? I think. Either way, turn is out and use a zip-tie to lock that bracket to the throttle linkage arm that it's near. Also, Make sure your return springs are good and attached on both sides. Dave The attached picture is Your picture, but with numbered arrows

Or the firewall bracket from the 240Z. They're almost the same on the 240Z's. The 260Z had the "Sliding Shaft" style that won't work on the 240Z linkage, which you already found out. Ask around, you might find one here or there for cheap.

Got an LSD in there somewhere??

Yup, and we might also have... Dylan (21st B-day on sat (280Z) if he can get his car out of Z-Specialties shop?? Rick (60) (280ZX) and maybe his wife?? Michael O'Conner 40? (240Z) Austalian Bloke but great guy. IBZNYA (Kirk, 41) 260Z Crazy guy who drove to Seattle from Montana for his Daughter. Me 38, (240Z) whacko host who hopes everyone will enjoy themselves. AND............ ?????? Anyone else wanna come?

I gotta agree with Arne. The top 3 he mentioned are great. But if you feel a real need for an H4 bulb, like I use in my Z, I prefer the Euro look as apposed the Diamond cut. The Euro H4's are similar to the sealed beam bulbs. They are a round inner with the vertical and Horizontal lines that you're used to. The front glass is flat, as aposed to the round sealed beam, but they almost look the same. But the difference is I have 90/100 H4's in mine and they have the blue tint to them. The reason companys tint them in blue is that blue is easier on the eyes, as studies have shown. Where as pure white is harder on the eyes, especially at night. Halo's are just a style, so if you like 'em, get 'em. But don't upgrade your headlights without upgrading your headlight cicuit (upgrade harness) Dave

It's getting real close folks. Anyone here showing up for the Cruise and BBQ at my place on Sat?? Just a simple cruise and back to my place for a BBQ with good people. Anyone? Dave

So is anyone else showing up at my place for the Cruise and BBQ on Sat?? Just a simple get-together and small cruise, followed by a BBQ with friends. Anyone? Dave