SteveJ

Scott, if Dave Irwin will build you a relay harness for your 280Z, I would go that way.

You might want to email Mike. I'm sure he has used these on some of his restoration work.

If you have any questions or want to bounce ideas off of me, let me know. I use a lot of control relays in the designs I do at work, so I've built up a pretty good knowledge of them.

That means a 6 mm body.

1. The wire colors are listed on the FSM and in the diagram that Zed Head linked to. For the fuel pump and relay, I just found the fuel pump on the diagram (It's on the left of the diagram about 2/3rds of the way down.) and traced the positive wire back through the diagram. (Black is almost always ground unless it is a black wire with a colored stripe.) 2. Asking about a bunch of different wire colors/sizes isn't probably going to get you far. We don't have them memorized except for the odd color here and there. There are just too many wires to know them all. Also, we don't know if a previous owner hacked into the wire harness. If that is the case, we won't know what color wires were used. If you look at/print out the BE section of the FSM, you'll have pictures to match up to the components in your electrical system. That is one way to figure out what you have.

Sure it's okay, but if you have a typical S30, the issue isn't so much what type headlights you're using but how much voltage you're getting to your lights. You may want to consider installing relays into your headlight circuit. You may see people posting about the relay kit that Dave, aka Zs-ondabrain, sells through Motorsport Auto. IIRC, it wasn't designed to fit into a 280Z. Blackdragon also sells a generic kit. I purchased one for my 260z, but I'm not installing it until after I replace the relays with standard automotive relays and weatherproof the connections. Converting to relays will increase the voltage at the headlights and greatly improve the light output.

Has anybody run across good reproductions for the 260Z/280Z crowd?

That's what I was thinking, Sarah. However, that is a worst case scenario. I mentioned it to Eddie Radatz, and he said it could also just be a loud altenator or a water pump going out.

That last one is a mental image that I just didn't need. :sick:

Are you sure you didn't put too much torque on it with the broomstick when you were adjusting the tension?

Mike, Banzaii's owner, is a great Z man. I've had the opportunity to tour his shop, and it's incredible. IMHO, there isn't any need to hesitate about buying from him.

I bet your confidence is building, Jamie.

Yeah, white butcher paper can be your friend when you're taking apart switches. The springs and other small things can show up nicely on that.

Check the condition of the bulb sockets for the turn signals going to the tach housing. You make it sound like that is where the circuits are crossing. Until you diagnose what is up there, leave that unplugged, and examine the other points I listed earlier. While it's great to have the turn signal light indicators on the dash, it's not crucial in tracking down the other problems. If you have damaged connectors, you can find replacements at Vintage Connections.

I'm glad that fixed it for you. Did you use one of the diodes listed in the article I linked? If so, thank Carl Beck & son for hosting that article.

Beautiful car. Sorry I don't have a source for the FSM, but I just had to comment.

I was tempted to say that the PO may have used the wiper to carry power to the fuel pump because he couldn't figure out how to fix it properly, so he just found an ignition-switched source that he could easily turn off in an emergency. Addendum: I looked at the color 76 diagram and traced the fuel pump wiring. I am even more convinced that the PO couldn't figure out the fuel pump relay so he took 12VDC from wherever he could find it.

1. No, there aren't relays for the wiring unless a previous owner installed them, except I believe the fuel pump and the accessory relay. 2. You'll need to inspect connectors for damage. That means digging into the wiring in the steering column and dash. Also look for damaged wires, splices or wiring color changes. 3. Download a copy of the FSM so you can see the wiring drawings. There are several circuits you're trying to diagnose. Do you have the cover to your fuse box? If so that identifies the circuit. If not, look at the FSM. Then tell us what you have on each circuit. Please note the position of the ignition key (Off, Accessory, On) so we can tell whether or not the circuit should be energized. Once you look at the FSM, decide which circuit you want to tackle first and go one by one from one end to the other. If you don't have a multimeter, you should get one. You can't always tell the condition of a fuse via visual inspection. Being able to detect continuity can help you find shorts and breaks in the circuit, too.

Okay, I'll look at the wiring diagram again when I get home tonight.

Yes, you could have a bad connector. First, please clarify something for me. When you say you have continuity between GR & GB, is that with both ends of that section of harness disconnected? If so, anticipate having to replace connectors. Can you post pictures of the harness, especially around the connectors?

What is your end goal for a 240Z. Have you read up on them? I know there are plenty of books in English that cover the early Z cars, but I don't know if they were translated into Italian. If you have an end goal and a budget, people might be able to help guide you in the right direction. Frank280ZX, a member of the ZCar.com board, got to be friends with another member in the California who helped him with scouting and shipping. You could try to contact him and see what information he might be able to give you.

I think the 73 uses a different wheel cylinder. Rockauto had a 71 wheel cylinder for $61.79 + S&H

This car is currently in the northern part of the US. The seller did not post any pictures underneath the car. Is that because he didn't know to do it, or could it be that their is significant rust underneath? (Note: there is rust on the air cleaner, rear panel and rear bumper. The shiny metal plates on the bottom of the front fenders would make me worry about rust, too.) The car in the auction has been subjected to a V-8 conversion. Maybe the person who did it knew what he was doing, and maybe he didn't. It's a greater risk than a stock 240Z. Also, the engine currently in the car is a 305. People who have done V-8 swaps will tell you to stay away from the 305. The seller offers to swap for a 350, but I'm sure that will be at additional cost. That's a red flag. Also note that the front bumper appears to be misaligned. Was this car in an accident? Finally, the seller has zero feedback as a seller. That will cause some people to be cautious. You should probably give this one a pass.

Welcome. Be sure to use the search feature here. There is a lot of great information available if you just look for it, including many threads on rehabilitating fuel systems and engines that have sat for a long time.

Considering I had a similar problem on the right rear of my 74, I vote #2. At least that's what Eddie Radatz suggested. He replaced the wheel cylinders for me, and I don't feel the brakes dragging any more.