cygnusx1

Pulled the intercooler, the radiator, the cam. Installed a new cam, new rockers, and prepped the new aluminum radiator and e-fan for assembly tomorrow. Checked head torque. That's it for today #my back speaking.

I would put the keeper and lash pad back in, and try to move the valve up and down by hand (piston not at TDC of course). If it moves freely, and you have compression...you got lucky and you can move on to buying a lotto ticket instead of searching for a shop.

Don't get robbed. A FULL rebuild kit for these costs $150. You can get used ones, as you know, for $100-$200 all day long. It takes little time to swap one out. You are better off taking a chance. Follow the advice above, shift it, spin the input shaft in all the gears and listen for grinding sounds. Check the drain plug magnet for chunks. Metal "fuzz" is normal on the magnet, metal chunks is a bad sign. Change the oil seals and the two speedometer pinion seals.

Maybe I am wrong but that valve looks bent. Car sat for a year, so either the valve stuck open and kissed the piston when you restarted it, or critters stuffed some foreign object in your intake.

You should give it to me....or you can put a little work into it and enjoy it, almost the way it is. It is one of my favorite factory color combinations. I started with a car in similar condition, and it was a joy, and a great reward, to bring back to life. I did it during a single Winter with some help from my dad. If you want some specific pointers, just ask. When you love a car, it's not work, it's bonding.

First thing to check is the fast idle control device. It's right on top of the intake manifold and looks like a little sideways UFO. Car must be fully warmed up to do this. With the engine idling, tap it with the handle of a screwdriver and see if the idle changes. It may be hanging up. Pinch off the hose connected to it (on either side) using a channel lock. If the idle drops, that's your problem. Car must be fully warmed up to do this. As a second possibility, the BCDD is adjustable, FYI... Fast Idle Device: http://media.photobucket.com/image/datsun%20fast%20idle%20device/datzenmike/L%2520Z%2520Heads%2520and%2520Motors/200sxcoldstsrtvalve002Large.jpg Cracks in the rubber boots are also a major culprit, but you already ruled those out.

My mistake, my prior trans was a 1980 with the taller 5th gearing, good for building boost. That must be why it had the lockout; not the same as the S30 units. Apparently the 77-79 had none, and are the same transmissions. 80 is a unique tall 5th gear ratio with a lock-out, and 81-83 are different ratio with slightly shorter 5th gear, and the lock-out for reverse. So I can stop wondering why the reverse lockout doesn't work in my 77-78 trans...

Interesting. I could have sworn that my '79 had the lock-out. I am certain that the early 80's 200SX trans that I used to have had one.

The thin wire is already covered in black braid, and I bundled it with the wire for the rear defrost. The I tucked the wire inside the roof trim and the rear quarter trim all the way to the brake bulb in the tail panel. You hardly see it at all. I gently spliced it into the brake bulb wires. It's just temp rigged in the photo, so you can see the wire still. http://www.logisyscomputer.com/products.asp?PID=STRIP&DID=LED they don't show the 12" strip but here is the link I figures out by part number: http://www.logisyscomputer.com/viewsku.asp?SKUID=LDS12RD&DID=LED By the way, you can cut these to length if you get a longer one! They are peel and stick, but I "helped" mine with a spot of crazy glue at each end. or here: http://www.axiontech.com/prdt_link.php?item=94434&PRICECOMPARISONSID=ubhgjkpp

I just replaced a '79 5-speed with a '77 or '78, 5-speed, and this one allows the shifter to go from 5th directly into reverse. All of my previous transmissions, all later models, do not allow this motion.

I use the LED self stick string for a 3rd light. It's totally non intrusive when it's off. Stuck to the hatch glass rubber surround.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/2920072614.html Clean indeed but watch the rust on the drivers side rear rocker panel. FYI.

I have a steep driveway so I usually park it nose up, with the cap off after I fill it up. A proper overflow system should keep the air out, and keep it topped off all the time anyhow.

I hope it's normal. I will have the car back together this week so I'll pick up a radiator tester loaner from local auto parts. I haven't seen oil and water mixing anywhere, which is a good sign.

I have about 3000 miles on this engine that I rebuilt, after a catastrophic failure at the race track. The head was not rebuilt and has about 10,000 miles on it since the rebuild. I noticed my radiator was swollen last week, and that it was wet around the top tank seam. Now, looking at photos from when I blew the engine, I see that the swelling actually happened when I blew the engine last year. It was a major head gasket failure and three shattered pistons from detonation. So we know the radiator took a beating when the engine blew. It is getting replaced next week. However, I am thinking that I still may have a head gasket leak, or a crack in a cooling jacket of the head because... I started my Z from cold, with the radiator cap off, and the water level rose steadily and overflowed the neck in about 2 minutes of idling. Is that a normal expansion rate or does that seem too quick? I saw no bubbles, just rising coolant. I am going to try to get a cooling system pressure tester this week. I want this sorted before I install the new radiator of course. Opinions?

I have seen weak spark from two things in my experience. If the 12volt power wire to the coil (or to the ballast in this case) has some resistance in it, it will choke down voltage when the demand for spark rises with RPM. I had this recently in a turbo car I built. When I ran a temporary wire directly from the battery, the spark got much stronger. Another reason I have seen is that plug wires with too much resistance were used. They are great for radio noise reduction but they can quench the spark at the plugs. I am not sure about the mix and matching of resistor wires with non-resistor plugs or vice versa. Maybe someone else can chime in on this subject. Those are directly from my experiences. I am sure there could be more reasons. Good luck. http://www.auroraelectronics.com/Understanding%20Spark%20Plug%20Wires.htm

I like the light blue idea. Bugatti is probably the "father" of the color. Alfa, BMW, Toyota, Porsche...and of course the 370Z all come in a nice light blue non-metallic. I think the Z looks great in that color.

The Alfa, looks like my dad's Duetto that he brought over from Italy, when he moved here. I wonder. It's the car I spent the first three years of my life commuting in. I had a wooden box behind the two seats that formed my crib (coffin). I think it explains a lot of the rest of my life...leaden exhaust fumes, 100db wind noise, and raspy exhaust notes, in high doses for my first three years. Your Z looks majestic amongst the others.

How much of Japanese automobile revenue comes from their exports of Automobiles, versus their internal figures? I don't know. Also, how much did the Japanese classics, sold outside of Japan, kick start their automobile economy? How do you think this effects their place in the concours world and how does this affect the concours judges?

Success, as in, acceptance, sales, racing, some domination of the national marque, in the country where the Concours event in question is hosted.

A couple of years ago I put my second Z together. With 31 years of experience with my 76, I decided to apply the knowledge to a new project. Here is my story (see attached). CLICK TO READ MY STORY 240Z.pdf

Welcome. The front bumper/grill indicates 1977 or 1978 model, but the non-vented hood is consistent with 1976 and older. Maybe it was titled wrong, or parts have been swapped around. Not that it really matters. Any Datsun 5-speed from 1977(?) to 1983 280Z or 280ZX will bolt right in with zero modifications to the car. The 5-speed transmission from the 280ZX Turbo models, offered from 1981-1983 will not fit, without a custom drive shaft made.

Thanks to the few of us unfortunate Z owners that have had to file claims with Hagerty....

Japanese cars have had an identity crisis. Think about it. The majority of the success of Japanese cars comes from sales of the cars in adopted markets. They are at best, seen as the successful stepchildren in the American market. They are not first borns here in Concours country. Then there is the prejudice against foreign cars, which we can't deny, still exists in many places. We can pretend it doesn't exist, but unfortunately, it still does. Eventually, new generations, IMHO, will overlook the country-flags of automobiles, and judge without prejudice. However, it's a race against the dying hobby of cars.

I tend to agree with MotoManMike, but keep in mind that it would be entirely plausible for these new "budget" cars to have performance which exceeds the original Z cars'... not that I care one way or the other.