nuteman

mlc240z, They failed me for: 1. Bad wiper blades - new blades were $18 2. Horn not loud enough - I put in a new horn - $13 3. Excessive body rust - I sanded and painted some of the rust spots. I covered the spots with holes with Bondo. The bottom of the car has a ton of rust they didn't see. 4. Exhaust leak - My emmissions were fine but my original pipe/muffler had two leaks. Even after putting on my new Monza center pipe and muffler (which made the car run quieter and smoother) I failed again because of a very tiny leak at the point where the muffler slips onto the center pipe. I sealed this up with RTV and then I passed. I did ALL the work myself with the exception of the installation of the Monza center pipe and muffler (Meineke did that for $65) - I took off the old pipe and muffler. There were many, many little things in addition to those I mentioned. An example: My left headlight was not as bright as the right headlight. It turned out that replacing the half-working fuse solved that, but it sure took a lot of troubleshooting time to figure it out (I verified that the headlight itself was not the culprit by running a connection directly to the battery). Another example of barking up the wrong tree for a long time was this: The car would act like it was vapor locking even in relatively cool weather. It turned out that the original electrical fuel pump (which was installed on 73 models) was barely working. So, I installed a new pump and in-line fuel filter (between the tank and the pump) and the car ran great for about two weeks and then started acting like it was vapor locking again. It turned out that the in-line filter was clogged with sludge from the tank. So, now I change the filter every three weeks - it's really easy to get at and only takes five minutes. The filter is only three bucks. I'd rather do that until all the sludge is sucked out of the tank than drop the tank and have to find someone who will clean it properly without busting it. My experience has been that I'd rather (when possible) spend the money on tools (and do the job right myself) than pay exorbitant labor fees to a mechanic who will do a half-baked job that I'll end up having to re-do myself anyway. I learned this the hard way when I gave my motocycle to a shop many years ago. I've done a lot of motorcycle work since then (about 12 years ago), but this 240Z is the first car project I've undertaken. The guys on this site have all the answers and with a good manual you'll be able to do the vast majority of the work yourself (assuming that you can spare several hours a week).

BunkyScott, I live in Hightstown, NJ (20 minutes southeast of Princeton). I'm sure your car is much prettier than mine. Mine has some serious rust, several dings and a worn out interior (though my dash is not cracked, surprisingly). TomoHawk, I did a lot of things, but here's some of it: Items I've replaced/added: Battery Electric fuel pump and its in-line fuel filter - I have to change the filter every few weeks because of all the crap in the tank - they're only about $3. Fuel filter near mechanical fuel pump (in engine compartment) Various hoses in the engine compartment Speedometer cable Inner shift boot (rubber) - fumes and heat were getting in here Two electric cooling fans mounted in front of radiator activated by switch under dashboard - this was absolutely essential in 90+ heat. I also removed the thermostat because I wanted the coolant to flow as freely as possible. Monza center pipe and muffler (still has original header pipe) - I took off the old one (it was totally shot) and Meineke put the new one on for only $65 in labor - I got the parts on eBay. Items I've repaired: Cleaned carbs Lubricated stuck choke cables Lubricated throttle linkages Hooked up switch under dashboard for headlights (regualr switch was not working) Freed up stuck wiper motor/assembly arms Sealed up holes in the firewall that were letting fumes in. Various fasteners in the interior

Hi All, It's been several months since I got my non-running 240Z. I've been fixing it up mechanically (with advice from you guys) and trying to pass NJ state inspection. Well, today I finally passed (my third attempt). I've put in a lot of hours and several hundred dollars, but it was gratifying and enjoyable most of the time. Now I've got some minor mechanical issues left and major cosmetic issues. The most pressing issue is rust, rust, rust - everywhere! Well, I still get compliments and I love driving it (and I can actually do so without suffocating from fumes - yay!). Thanks to all of you for your great advice (in many cases I didn't post a question - I just searched here for my problem and found an answer).

Hi All, I just got a new Pacesetter exhaust pipe and muffler. I got the old pipe off OK. The original header remains. And the new pipe is made for the original header. I widened the mouth of the the new pipe a bit and it will go on to the header only about an eigth of an inch. I struggled with it for four hours. I used grease to try to amke it slip on easier. It still won't go on any more than an eigth of an inch. My arms and back are sore. Any ideas? Thanks

Hi All, My 1973 240Z steering wheel shakes considerably between 45 and 65 MPH. It smooths out at speeds greater than 65 MPH. Is this a wheel balancing and/or wheel alignment issue? I guess I'm perplexed by the fact that the shaking lessens at higher speeds - If it was balance or alignment wouldn't it get worse at higher speeds? Thanks in advance for any info/advice.

Hey Escanlon, You were right on the money! I just sprayed the whole throttle shaft and linkages with lots of WD-40 and my RPM returns to idle when I take my foot off the gas pedal slowly or quickly. Thanks very much. Now I've got to replace my busted speedometer cable. It looks like I'll have to take apart the wole dashboard to do this. I hope I'm wrong. Then, I need to fix a couple of exhaust leaks and minor electrical problems. Then I'll try to pass NJ inspection - Wish me luck!

Hi All, I thought I didn't have an electrical fuel pump because I couldn't hear it. Well, I did have one, but it turns out it was crippled. It was pumping so badly that it was actually impeding the flow of fuel. I replaced it with a universal in-line electrical fuel pump and now the car has good power at all RPM ranges even after driving for a while. By the way, the coolant to the carbs was blocked already, so I knew my problem had to be something else. Now, I've got another problem I'd like to run by you all. When I'm crusing at 3000 RPM and I just put the car into neutral, the RPM will hold at about 2800 RPM and stay there even though my foot is off the gas pedal. If I quickly depress and release the gas pedal in a swift motion then the RPM comes down to normal idle (between 800 and 1000). Is this the way the car is supposed to behave? When I brake (while in gear) I feel like the car is fighting me (because it wants to stay at high RPM). Thanks in advance for any help.

Before I try to block water to the carbs (which I'm not quite sure how to do, even after reading the other posts), I'd like to check for vacuum leaks. I know how to do this on my motorcycle - just spray carb cleaner everywhere (with the exception of the air cleaner mouth) and see if the RPM changes. Is it the same procedure for my 240Z?

I've got the flat-top carbs. I'll look into the water control valve that 2ManyZs mentioned, but I'm not sure I understand: If the valve is stuck open, then there would be coolant flowing to the carbs which should be cooling the carbs, right? Or maybe the "coolant" is so hot from the engine that it actually heats the carbs? I'll also search other posts for the water control valve issue.

Hi All, I know about the vapor lock problem my 1973 240Z is prone to, but should I be losing power (and sometimes stalling) after only 15 minutes of driving in 65 degree weather? When I experience the power loss my temperature guage is well below max (about halfway of the range of the arc). I only have the mechanical fuel pump which is relatively new. I also have a brand new fuel filter. The car will accelerate well and drive great for the first 12 to 15 minutes. When I touch the rubber fuel line leading to the fuel filter, it is only moderately warm so I don't see how the fuel would be boiling to cause a vapor lock. I do smell some vapors coming from the engine compartment but it's hard to tell if it's gas or just the fumes from the EGR system. Thanks in advance for your advice.

Hi All, I've recently acquired a barely running 1973 240Z. It's been sitting for several years. With some new gas, and some starter fluid it will start when boosted (battery is dead). Both the clutch and brake pedals have almost no resistance at all (though they do spring back). The resvoirs for both seem to be within spec. With the engine running I can't get the car into any gear. I've restored several motorcycles, but none had a hydraulic clutch. One of them did have a hydraulic front brake, but looks significantly less complex than the hydraulic brakes of the 240Z. Will I need to replace all master and slave cylinders for both clutch and brake? Is it possible that a disassembly and cleaning of the master and slave cylinders will do the trick? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks