Daniel

I too crack'em loose with the vise grip,then switch to line wrench.

I used to run a 180 degree thermostat in the summer and 190 winter.I found that my car loves the 190 all year.The normal reading on my guage is the needle just covers theright side of the"M" on the word TEMP. Daniel

I'm not aware of a favored brand.I have used napa with no problem.A couple of tips are,remember when you pull the driveshaft from the trans. it will pour trans fluid. an oilchange type pan is great.Its a great time to swap that seal on the trans and polish that end of the shaft that the seal mates with.I read somewhere once that the driveshaft was balanced between the trans. and rearend at the factory and should kept at those locations.True?I don't know.But just to be safe I blast a little paint on each end before removal.Thats my replacement marks. Have fun!! Daniel

I also vote for -do it yourself.A buddy of mine is a mechanic.When the new cars come out the factory shows how much time is paid for whatever job.He said the first couple you lose money while learning.Then you make money by completing the task in less time.If you pay to have the job done you are no better prepared for the future.Take your time.Take photos,draw pictures whatever it takes to put humpty dumpty back together.I also agree with the one at a time.That way you do have a correct one to compare and you don't mix up parts.Then in the future you won't need that mechanic.You won't be afraid to dig in should the need arise.Myself I would go as close to factory parts as I could get.The last ones lasted 30+ years.Thats cheap! Have fun!! Daniel

Pricey?? $330.00 will bring home alot of new/reman 240z brake parts within a 10 mile radius of ones house. I wonder how many 240 front end body parts would follow you home?Truth is I'm lazy.Quality brake parts are here now.Body parts would take a whole lot more effort to acquire! Have fun!! Daniel

Boy! that seems to be the most popular"new to Z question" and there is nothing wrong with that.Please allow me to present a question that is seldomed ask but very important.How do I make it STOP!! Those that have been restoring cars awhile know the true meaning to that question.The excitement of a new cool car is quite a pump!Please remember, these brake systems are OLD!Hoses rot,lines clog,of course Z rear wheel cylinders leak etc.,somewhere a guy turned those rotors just one time to many. Wanna swap/rebuild a motor,cool,wanna risk your family,yourself and of course last, your money and efforts by thinking,rebuild a brake system that seems to be fine or those carbs and that header???Hmmmmm???Remember once upon a time passenger side airbag was optional.Imagine today telling your wife "Honey,If we don't get the airbag for your side,we can get the cassette player!!!!Be safe. Daniel

Glad to help.Your last post concluded with what I think you mean but,lets put this to bed.My thoughts are for some reason the points and the dist.condensor had a fight.They both died.You changed the coil with no help.Replaced the point witha new soldier and set the gap.That made it run but poorly.You redid/cleaned the important connections.No improvement(although you know by now how I feel about that).Then you added the COIL condensor to the NEG.post on the coil .Results were positive.The factory/correct location for the COIL condensor is the POS. post on the COIL.Like I said before that was an effort to reduce AM radio static.Anyway,I think the now added to the wrong post (NEG) COIL condensor now did the job of the failed dist. condensor that was located at the other end of the coil NEG wire.The points are now somewhat happy and the car runs.So the moral to the story is put a new/correct condensor on the DIST.Move the COIL condensor to the POS. COIL post.Enjoy the fact you can now install points in any old car .Sell a good but slightly used coil on Ebay!!! Have fun!!! Daniel

Was the builder doing the entire job?How must effort will you provide?Whats your time frame?Where are you doing this ?Why are you doing this?Boy! Such simple questions remind you of why you parked it huh?But,they do matter.

As always 2mz's has good info.The Nada book comes in two forms.If you go to a bookstore you will buy the "consumer version"The one that the dealer use the blue book as it is called is only available to those in the business.The easiest way around that is go to your bank and ask to see theirs.It is the current and correct version.It shows the loan value,wholesale value ,trade in value and more.It has adders and detractors for things like options in the car as well as deducts for mileage,lack of options etc.Believe me that guy that bought that car at auction was using that same book as a reference.I am sure they will help you as they smell --loan!!I've never had a problem using theirs,but if they are not willing to share,I would find a new bank.Credit unions have these also. Have fun!! Daniel

Ball park figure?------HOMERUN!!!!

Marty,You may wish to try cleaning the connections at the fuel tank sender before going to dashville.There are clips that attach there.I would hate for you to be working on the wrong end.Also I am somewhat sure the sender was calibrated based on the gauge.A test I suggest would be to make sure of the current reading say 1/2 tank with old gauge(when it works on a good day) and compare with new gauge. Let me know how it works out. Have fun Daniel oh yeah,Clean the oxidation from the nuts , washers and connectors that attach to your amp guage.I know.I'm anal:stupid:

You'll never get a better chance to swap the gauge bulbs while you're there.You know I like to do it right and move on to something else!Have fun!! Daniel

MY Z is definetly female.It doesn't want to go out in bad weather.It won't sleep outside,only in the house(attached garage)under a nice warm blanket.Loves for me to spend money on her.Must have a bath at the slightest sign of dirt.It has a very good way of testing that fine line between love and hate.All my male friends wish they could have their way with her for a few hours! Daniel

Sean I'm glad its running again.Glad you redid all the connectors.Like I said yesterday You can't look at those things and say yes their good.Age does funny things.I have one more thought for you to ponder.Yesterday you replaced the point but not the condensor .When you put the coil condensor on the neg it ran.The question now is ,there was already a condensor on the coil neg.It lived on the dist at the other end of your coil neg wire.The factory location for that coil condensor is the POS side.Does that mean your coil neg condensor just took the place of your failed dist condensor and your misplacement error found the fix???I still believe replacing the worn connectors was not in vain.If it wasn't related to yesterdays problem it would have been tomorrows. Have fun Daniel

Sorry marty,I think your float is caused by the small contact in the gauge becoming old and worn.They look like a set of ignition points.I soldiered across mine and it works fine.Sometimes you can use a burnishing tool which is a very fine emory board and scrub the contacts to give a fresh surface.You will need one of those very small jeweler type screwdriver sets to remove the gauge face.You take the face out and then attach it to a 12v source(Iuse a 120v/12v transformer from a toy) and watch that contact you'll see little arcs between the contacts as it floats.If history repeats itself next will be your oil pressure and temp seem to float in tandem as they share the same contact.I don't know why but you can clean those as I mentioned but,you can't soldier them as they go to max when you switch the key on.Believe me I have spent days and many experiments trying to resolve that puzzle.Even something as simple as a non conduction clip that held the contacts tightly together but NOOOO!!Remove your glove box door,dash liner,then your clock,Then the wires from the amp gauge.Those small ignition wrench set from sears will get that. The test pointsyou ask for from previous text are at the fuel tank under the car behind the right rear tire Tank removal is not needed(I know you're glad about that!).I hope thats where your problem lies. Have fun!!! Daniel

No the coil is just transformer.A couple of coils of wire. The fact you get a reading across both leads just means the wires between primary and secondary windings are good.When the points are closed it allows current flow thru the coil.when the points break the path of least resistance becomes the spark plugs and the coil" transforms"low voltage high ampre to high voltage low ampre the path of least resistance becomes the spark plugs.The rotor position in the dist. determines the cylinder that will become that path.The fact your car started and since it is new I thinkyour coil is good.You seem to have a poor ground path from you dist. to the battery.That path is dist.,block, to the location on the starter where your neg battery terminal attaches then battery.I hope this helps.The fix will be simple we just have to find it.Let me know if you give up.I don't want you to do so but,I'll stay online until then. Daniel

OK new game.It seems that when you replaced the point it ran.Thats good.It makes me think that moving/rescrewing that ground that looks good (NOT the worn wire the other one)had an effect.If you have scraped and cleaned both ends of that and still need the coil attached to get a ground path the only thing left is the battery neg.If you go from battery neg to the location it attaches to the starter do you get any voltage?If you do that needs cleaning at the starter end most likely but,both ends is a good thing.Usually The starter will be slow or not work at all when that happens.We need fresh clean connections.You can't look at them and say they look good.Those are the locations that hardly ever get touched.I wish it was here and we could work on it together.Don't get angry at the car.It's old .This is part of the game .You must be patient and learn the tricks.Feel good that you have help.When I walked in your shoes this was not available.It'll work out. Daniel

Ok I'm better now I checked on a dist spare I had and did not get cont. with the point open.That makes sense..It seems in the car it get a ground path that tricked me.I still think you lack a good ground in your dist as the coil connection has no effect on my readings.

First I stand corrected.I get full continuity 0ohms across everything in my dist. points open or closed.Unplugging my coil neg though hasNO EFFECT!!Still o ohms.That makes me wonder about the "good" ground wire in your dist.Since you just rescrewed one end when you replaced the points.Lets try this.Unscrew the other end and scrape the connector and where it seats.also while it is undone check cont. thru it.No need for the key on.It will shock you if you get between the points and the switch is on.

That worn wire is inside the dist right?The photo looks like it was perhaps smashed between the cap and dist..Probably just the photo.

At least it makes noise now!!Alway replace the condensor with the points.They don't normally go bad but when they do the points will suffer rapidly.Also make sure that wire with the bad insulation is not shorting out inside the dist.There should be no continuity between the dist base and that wirewith the points open.Thats why it attaches to that plastic insulator on the dist and the point.If it shorts the points are not even used as the ground path just runs through the dist. plate.Bad points could cause your plugs to foul over time as they do work together.tey to get the correct gap.Remember you're closer than you were!!!!Not to mention alittle wiser!! Have fun!! Daniel OH yeah make sure the plug wires are seated in the dist.cap when you replace it sometime the work loose during cap removal.Also the datsun book says a 60% power loss and poor running if the coil is wired backwards.Make sure the neg is going to the dist.

Just a guess but the power to your test lite may just be the dist.condensor discharging through your lite.If you don't have a feeler gauge the old shade way was to used a match book or business card to gap the point as a rough guess.Of course this is a temp measure.We want nothing less than correct.

From you photo it looks like the fiber piece that rides on the dist cam is worndown.Most of the ones I have used appear to have more meat on them but its hard to say.I would start by trying to adjust the point you have to correct gap and see if it starts.At least then you know your OK.Also another reason I remove the dist is to clean out all that dirt like you have.I would still remove and clean those grounds as I described.My guess is it was last done was sometime in the 70's huh?What about the age/status of your coil/plug wires?

O.K. the black coil wire is coil neg.It goes to the dist.The black/white is positive.The condensor on the coil is an effort to stop radio static noise,it has nothing to do with any function of the vehicle.As far as the point install,myself I remove the dist.(old worn out back, I don't bend like I used too.)On one side of the dist is the timing marks and pointer.NOTE THESE.On the other side is a single screw in a slot.Remove the screw and wiggle the dist up.These cars are great.An american car you must line up the timing gear.Not these.The dist bottom has a V shape and will only go back in the correct easy to do way.Remove the two point holding screws and replace.Turn the dist bottom until the cam in the center is at the high side of the lobe.Use the little slot with the screw in it and adjust the gap.0.45mm to 0.5mm.Tighten the holding screws and recheck gap.While your in there I like to use small wire brush or a razor blade and scrape those ground connectors and their mating surfaces.That way I know I have nice fresh surfaces.The condensor on the dist. is used to absorb some of the current that is looking for a place to go when the points seperate.When they go bad it causes the points to burnout and pit/weld.Of course as point wear they do pit as normal .When reinstalling put the rotor on and wiggle it to set the dist.Be very careful when removing that dist screw.These are notorious for breaking.I first tighten it A LITTLE!! then loosen a little then run it back down alittle.This in and out motion clears the threads and will save you alot of grief.Set the timing back to where it was and reconnect stuff.If you don't feel good about dist.removal you can get the points on the lobe by putting the car in 4th gear and rocking it back and forth.

check your points.If they are burnt or worn out /bad gap/stuck closed etc.Then your coil cannot saturate.As for the ballast resistor you can wire across it as a test.When you turn the key to the start position it sends 12v to the coil.When released and in the run position it uses another wire that runs through the ballast resistor to drop the voltage and save the life of the coil.A short test won't hurt it.All that resistor is is a strip of stainless steel.Also check the small ground wire inside the dist.You'll see it when you look at the points.Its about an inch+/- long.Make sure it has good clean no oxidized connection.NO !!THE POSITIVE IS THE TWO WIRE(now you know why) Have fun!!! Daniel