SteveJ

Jeff, get real. EVERYBODY knows that the US is the center of the known universe, and things don't actually happen until we see them in this country. That's why we KNOW people are lying about 76 260Zs, etc.

You MUST have bought those in Canadaland.

See, that's why we need Canadians participating in these forums to remind us Americans that the metric system exists.

Actually, that's a WHOLE LOT worse. Where are you getting this info from?

The valve clearances are in the FSM, and the numbers you posted aren't right. Kammy's Valve Adjustment Procedure is one of the more popular ways of checking your valves. (The FSM will also have all sorts of other specs such as spark plug gaps. Download a copy yesterday.) Also, have you checked your thermostat to make sure it is closed when the car is cold? A thermostat stuck open will cause poor running when the engine is cold.

What can I say? I'm an advocate of tough love.

Arne, Solano County is between SF and Sac. I forgot about getting the engine swap past the smog referees. The OP has his choice of Northern California Z specialists.

Okay, so you've thrown a lot of parts into the car with no results. My first suggestion is to hide your wallet from yourself. Second, forget who that mechanic is. Don't even drive on that street again. I don't care if you live on that street. Move if you have to. Third make friends with the membership of ZONC. Ask them who they take their Z cars to and trailer the car to a reputable Z car mechanic.

It's not REALLY BAD, but it would be a good idea to swap out the carb oil with 20 wt.

PM sent.

Just an FYI, I noticed from surfing the NAPA website that you might need the stock number, 7333, to find the correct plug.

1. Go with the base plug, BP6ES. 2. Your ignition seems to be getting most of the cylinders. The wires for 3 & 4 are next to each other. Is your distributor cap in good shape? Also, check the wires. Both are cheaper than replacing other ignition components.

[ Okay, I misunderstood what you said in the first post. My bad. When you say the plug is wet, does it smell like gas or could it be oil? Can you post pictures of your plugs? Also is the Z in question the 74, or is it another year Z car? Have you tried using NGK plugs? Do that, check your timing & plug wires, and then balance the carbs.

Is the setup a triple carb? I don't know why 3 & 4 would be shared otherwise. Of course, that could just be my own ignorance...

First, it sounds like there is a good chance you shorted out your battery. Second, check your fusible links. They could have fried. Third, you could have burned up wires that are taped together in the wiring harness. You may have to strip off the tape and check.

I believe that the interior is for the accessory relay. I think maybe someone is tapping off 12VDC to go between the ballast resistor and the accessory relay. I'm guessing someone was looking for switched power, and if I was a betting man, I would suspect a bad accessory relay precipitated that hack.

I bought a set of non-retracting belts from Courtesy Nissan a few years back. I think they are hiding in my garage. They were in my 73 for about a year or so in the garage. I didn't drive it much. Send me a PM if you are interested. We could probably work out a deal.

The belts are a bolt-in replacement. These are retractable belts. I purchased a set of belts for my 73 from WESCO before MSA offered them. They are the same design as what MSA sells, anchoring behind the seat. (I wouldn't be surprised if MSA didn't go through WESCO or WESCO's supplier for their belts.) It can be awkward to get the belt to extend with the MSA type, especially for us old farts who have less groping capacity than when we were young. For my 74, I purchased the "roadster" style. It mounts at the top anchor point and uses one of the bottom anchor points. It extends and retracts better than the set in my 73. These seatbelts don't look stock. They are not a restoration of your existing seatbelts. They are a great option for those of us not concerned with originality. If you want the MSA type, you can see pictures of my install in my gallery.

Yes. I posted on an installation a week ago.

Without pictures, your guess is better than mine.

John, Now you have polarity correct. I suggest you look at my link for a meter with a higher scale for current. If you don't want to do Amazon, I think you can find one at Wal-Mart. I think you're starting to see why I was telling you to look at Chapter 10 in the Haines manual. As for the voltage regulator, there was a reason I said, If the regulator is bad, your current will drop to zero. Been there. Done that. Regardless, you have a serious current draw on your battery, and that is exactly why the battery drains so quickly.

The old Z-Therapy SU video had all sorts of tips on it, including painting the console. It might be worth a look for you.

Here. I have to learn how to stop spoon feeding...

Maybe. You didn't post year and body style. Just a question...How much do you trust 30 year old seatbelts in protecting the life of your passenger anyway?