SteveJ

As I mentioned in another thread, Rockauto even has replacement headlight combo switches that work for 260Zs. Those switches should work for some late 73 240Zs and 75 280Zs.

That site is what I used nine years ago as a starting point for integrating relays into a 240Z. My description is hosted by Carl Beck over at www.zhome.com.

Mike, Search this site, and you'll find links to where my relay modification resides. Given the choice, I would do an install like Dave's (Zs-ondabrain). His is plug and play. Yes, it costs more, but you have less risk of messing up something.

Well, I would say that somehow you got the wires crossed between the low beam and high beam circuits on the passenger side. Take another look at the wires coming off the relays and going out to the passenger side.

Well, we tracked down the problem with the car. The ammeter had given up the ghost. I put in a shunt for a temporary fix. The car won't be on the road anytime soon, so the ammeter can be replaced in the future.

Tumblers aren't that bad in price. I can do all my small parts in this. I didn't think it was that bad. If you have all of your parts stripped off, though, I think going through Zeddsavers is smarter.

Thanks, Dave. I'm going to take a closer look tomorrow to see which wires were the ones overheating. I wonder if the combo switch I bought will work in a 73 then. Can someone look at the parts CD for a cross reference to see if the 73 & 74 use the same switch?

Believe it or not, there is a source for new (or a very well refurbished) headlight switch. Rockauto has it for $199. Yes, that's more than what Dave charges, but I decided to take a chance on what Rockauto was selling. It was a perfect fit, too. The switch is listed as STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS Part #HLS1026. I'm glad I went this route. I happened to notice during the removal of the old switch that there were signs of wires overheating at the connector. Dave, if you read this, does your parking light relay work with a 260Z? Steve

I second what Jim says. I have a bunch of connectors from them sitting in my garage.

Have you tried Roger at ZBarn? You could probably get a complete dash harness for a reasonable price.

Jeff, If you REALLY want help, you'll need to say more than "The engind does not want to start." The more details you can give, the better the advice you will receive. As for the clutch, replace the Master & Slave cylinders. Use fresh fluid and bleed. Bleeding a clutch is not like bleeding brakes. Search online for the proper procedure. Download the factory service manual. You can find one on the XenonS30 link in my signature. READ IT! Also, search on here for advice on prepping an engine that has been sitting for a while. As for the fenders and seats...Inexpensive fenders usually mean rusty fenders. You don't state what you think is inexpensive, so no one can truly give you a good ballpark. You have a 38 year old car that needs work. Do your research, develop a gameplan, and get a budget together. Randomly attacking an old car with parts usually gets you an empty wallet and a poorly running car.

Thanks, I'll pick some up. Steve

I'm going to use brake cleaner on the greasy ones and then put the hardware in a rock tumbler I just bought.

I'm planning on taking pictures. Can you support video on here, too, or are we limited to YouTube embedded files? Also, I need some info on where I can find a good video compression program. My MP4 files are pretty huge from my camera.

Phil, Is there something else wrong besides the lack of voltage? We'll probably get that fixed on Sunday. Steve

I'll just have to fly into Buffalo on my next trip up here so I can buy a supply of Diet Dew to take across the border. The trick will be to convince customs that 3 cases is a personal supply for a couple of weeks.

Grounding issues are common. So are worn/dirty contacts on the switch. Don't forget to check the integrity of your fuse. Pull it and check it with a meter. Fuses can look good and still be bad.

Ron, I lucked out. I thought I had updated this thread, too. I found the larger plugs for sale by Year One. Ironically, they are about 30-40 minutes from me. I bought the plugs, but I haven't installed them, yet. I appreciate you remembering to look. By the way, why hasn't Canada realized that having Diet Mountain Dew is a key to great life? Heck, it seems like almost every other US product is available up here. Steve

Peter, there have been many posts in the past about problems with parking lights/running lights. Please search for those terms to get some ideas of what to test. The parking lights and the flashers are different circuits. You don't state the year of your 260Z, and I'm not sure if Nissan wired Austrailian market cars differently from US cars or if 260Zs later than 74 are wired like US 260Zs or 280Zs.

Well, even though the wiring in my 73 has held up 9 years since I first did it, I don't recommend doing the cutting and splicing trick for the headlight relays. On the other hand, you're already cutting into your wires... This is how I did it back then. It hasn't given me any problems over the last 9 years. Steve

Mike will take a check, Andrew. I've donated that way before.

It's only two more weeks. I'm going to be working fast and furious all of the week before to get my cars ready. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you there. Just be on the lookout for an okay looking 260Z & an ugly 73 240Z parked near each other near the Suzuki Bridge.

Considering the amount of information I get from here, it's about time I chipped in again.

Hmm, if I find a pool and a REALLY big battery, maybe I could get rid of the rust on the whole car all at once... I could be technical since I'm an engineer (and engineers can be real a-holes in that way) and mention that you ARE using several chemicals... Any decent electrolyte would work. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly, preferably with de-ionized water to remove any electrolyte caught in the nooks & crannies & folds.

Suggestion #1 - Learn how to read current with a meter. Always start with the highest scale on your meter and work your way down. Otherwise, you'll at least blow the fuse if not the circuit board. If you don't want to break circuits to put in an ammeter (or multimeter with an ammeter function), consider a clamp-on ammeter (higher cost meter). I have used one for work since I'm measuring 40A DC circuits at times and most meters only go up to 10 Amps. I have also used it on a friend's car to diagnose circuits that might be draining the battery. Clamp-on meters help you work faster on circuits since you don't have to disconnect anything, but you give up some on accuracy. Be aware that most clamp-on meters measure AC only, so don't buy one of those expecting it to work on your car's DC circuits.