SteveJ

Did you touch your voltage regulator? It could be out of adjustment or just plain bad. If your battery goes dead, I would lean toward a bad regulator. The FSM & Haynes manual have instructions on adjusting the regulator.

Go to this page http://www.geocities.com/zgarage2001/z.html and look at the "Z problems". The fusebox is a common site for corrosion. I had one fuse box melt down on me. My experience was this: I would notice the lights being out. I checked the fuse visually, and it looked fine. I pulled it and checked continuity which failed. I replaced the fuse a couple of more times. One time while the lights were still working, I lifted the cover to see the fuse glowing orange, not the best thing to see in your fusebox. Eventually, the fuse heated up enough to melt the plastic. I replaced the fusebox and haven't had a problem since.

I'm just trying to figure out why a chemistry teacher would give you extra credit for a physics problem.

That's a VERY open-ended question. How much money do you want to spend?

Try traderonline and ebay to do some pricing research.

The gauge in our 240Zs is an AMP gauge(current). Think about current like the flow of water. As the engine turns the alternator faster, the alternator is able to pump out more current. That's why the gauge goes to the plus side. As it returns to idle, the alternator isn't pumping out as much current. As long as you're not on the negative side, you're in good shape.

Okay, here's a new opinion. Just upgrade the headlight circuit to use relays. Try that with some new regular headlights. It will work great and be cheaper.

I'm thinking that you're going off half-cocked. You haven't looked at the hood. You haven't talked to MSA. Have you seen the invoice to verify what was ordered? Why does the shop think you have a used hood? Does MSA even deal in used parts? I know some parts are rebuilt/refurbished, but I don't recall ever seeing a section for ordering used parts.

Saro, Thanks for giving us the update. Be sure to check the voltage at the battery with the car running. You'll want to make sure the voltage regulator is adjusted properly. By the way, Harbor Freight has the voltage meters on sale for $3.99. I was there yesterday. The closest one to you is probably in Pasadena.

Michael, I hope the second opinion is correct. I definitely still want the parts I requested. Steve

I sent you a private message about some of the parts.

Saro, can you list the fuses you replaced? That could give us a clue. Also, what aftermarket equipment has been installed on the car?

Okay, so I have checked in the FSM. It says that the alternator is good if the voltage is 12.5 volts or more at 1100 RPM.

HOLD THE PHONE! You ADDED fuses? Fuses are devices designed to protect electrical devices on a circuit. So, did you add circuits and electrical devices, did you split existing circuits, or did you have some circuits that didn't have fuses in them? If you added electrical devices (new amplifier/stereo, car alarm, cappucino machine, etc.), you could be drawing more current than the stock alternator can supply. As for a multimeter, Harbor Freight frequently has them on sale for $3.99. I picked up one to throw in my trunk. Do you have a factory service manual or at least a Haynes manual? It is easy to check the alternator and the regulator without going to a mechanic as long as you follow the directions and have a multimeter. It took me all of 5 minutes to diagnose a bad voltage regulator in my Z. I'm not a big fan of "pulling off the battery cable while the car is running." It does not differentiate between a bad alternator and a mis-adjusted voltage regulator.

As I get older, my memory grows weaker. The voltage should probably be closer to 14 volts at idle without the headlights on. I'll edit my post if I can remember to look up the numbers when I get home. Also, Saro, don't forget to check the tension on your alternator belt. If it stretches, that can affect the alternator's ability to provide power.

Why did you have to change your fuses? Why do you think that could be a contributing factor? Having asked those questions, it's time to do a proper diagnosis. Use a voltage meter to read the voltage at the battery with the car running. It should be somewhere around 14.5. (I don't have my FSM handy.) Next, use the FSM or Haynes manual to diagnose the voltage regulator. Let us know what you find out.

Yes, you still need a coil when using the Crane XR-700. I installed my Crane EI about 7 or 8 years ago, and I love it. However, you can shop around and find a Pertronix set-up for your Z that will cost less than the Crane set-up. The Pertronix part number is 1761. Victoria British offers the Pertronix for $89.95. Another site (http://www.carshopinc.com/index.php/cPath/21_24_22) offers it for $63.95. Here's a search to help you find vendors: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Pertronix+ignitor+1761

Well, I can draw some conclusions from those charts, and I stated at the beginning of my post I was commenting on the CURB WEIGHT of the 280ZX as compared to the 280Z. The data clearly shows the weight was going up from the 240Z to the 280Z. To make it easier for you to read, I eliminated the modified cars and any review that wasn't from Car & Driver, Road & Track, or Motor Trend. I also elimnated the automatic transmission & 2+2 cars to make it more of an apples to apples comparison. The curb weight of the 280Z varied between 2780 lbs and 2875 lbs. The curb weight of the 280ZX varied between 2825 and 2970 lbs. The last weight was well above the other 4 normally aspirated cars, too. So, did the weight go up from the 280Z to the ZX? The data doesn't support a significant weight gain. I would be willing to review any dataset of curb weights that contradicts my assertion. That would be much more convincing than your strawman argument of attacking the data. So, do you have anything to support your point other than "everybody knows the ZX was heavier"? ------------------------- Curb Source Datsun 240Z Wght (date) ------------------------- 70 Z 2355 RT 4/70 70 Z 2330 CD 6/70 -------------------------- Curb Source Datsun 260Z Wght (date) -------------------------- 74 Z 2665 RT 2/74 74 Z 2660 CD 4/74 -------------------------- Curb Source Datsun 280Z Wght (date) -------------------------- 75 Z 2870 CD 6/75 75 Z 2875 RT 6/75 75 Z 2830 MT 11/75 78 Z (5 spd) 2780 CD 7/78 -------------------------- Curb Source Datsun 280ZX Wght (date) -------------------------- 79 ZX 2825 RT 11/78 79 ZX 2900 CD 1/78 79 ZX 2850 CD 4/79 79 ZX 2970 CD 4/80 81 ZXT 2960 CD 12/81 82 ZX 2825 RT 82 82 ZXT 2990 RT 12/82

Actually, depending upon your reference, the ZX weighed about the same as the 280Z. If you look at http://zhome.com/History/zcarperf.html, you will see a lot of variation in the curb weight. My dad's friend gave me a chance to drive his 280ZX turbo back in 1988. (I was checking out his new toy and noticed a tire was low on air. I brought it to his attention, and he tossed me the keys to take care of it.) There was a nice 90 degree turn and a wonderful chicane (now gone) on the road to the gas station. That ZX handled fairly well. What the ZX lacks in simplicity, it makes up for in different ways. I wouldn't trade my 73 for a ZX, but I would certainly be willing to add a ZX to my stable.

Nissan did a program in the United States where the company purchased many 70-72 240Zs and turned them over to a couple of the best Datsun people in California to refresh/restore them. The cars were sold at 10 selected Nissan dealerships complete with a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty. The asking price was approximately $30,000. To actually produce a completely brand new S30 would be difficult to impossible. The tooling is long gone and many parts are no longer available.

Nissan did bring back the S30. Not many people wanted them. The refreshed 240Zs just did not sell. If you are talking about "re-inventing" the 240Z, you need to qualify that statement. Are you referring to a car that does 0-60 in about 8 seconds? Are you referring to a car that does not come with air conditioning? Are you referring to a car that does not have much insulation and allows road noise to come in? I don't think Nissan built the current Z for many of the S30 owners. They built it for the current market. Frankly, I love my noisy, not-so-fast car that bakes in the summer sun. However, I don't think I would have a good home life if I tried to convince the wife we should plunk down $25K or so on a new car just like it. Take a shot. Describe what you would expect a modern S30 to be like. (Don't forget to account for the rules put in place by the US Federal alphabet soup bureaucracy.)

It would be nice if they included an example of what was too far gone for them to work on. This phrase "We do however reserve the right to refuse restoration of any unit considered by our company to be unfit for restoration," makes me wonder.

I did my MBA online. I prefered coming home to do schoolwork rather than fall asleep in class. No matter how you get your degree, it eats into car time. It was nice to have little projects on the car to do during class breaks. I don't have any pictures of my Supra handy. It's a turbo with a 5 speed and a targa top. It's starting to show its age, especially having to sit outside while the Z enjoys the tranquility of the garage.

Gee, I'm gonna blush. Someday I will clean up the write-up and ask Carl to re-post. I am tempted to look into the pre-fab wiring harness for a cleaner look. Darn, two more things to add to the to-do list.