2ManyZs

That is almost an impossible question to answer. There are just too many brands and tread patterns to say that one is better than the other. And if you stay with the 14 inch rims the choices are somewhat limited in that a lot of the better tires are no longer avavilable in 14 inch sizes. Check out the Tire Rack web-site at www.tirerack.com They will have quite a few choices and they have users ratings on each tire, then the tread pattern and price will be your deciding factors. They have a very in-depth comparison of tread wear, traction rating, etc. so the choice will be up to you depending on your needs and budget. Good luck. Even with a lot of manufacturers no longer offering some of their tires in 14 inch sizes there are still a lot of choices on the market.

Any electric pump should work, however you may have to do a little work to mount it since it may not just bolt up to the stock mount. Just make sure to put a pressure regulator in the line and make sure it has the right inlet/outlet line size. I guess the only thing to consider is how much you want to spend. You might call MSA and ask them if the 60 dollar pump they have will work without the manual pump and go from there.

It is possible the later 280 tank may work with the correct straps, I haven't tried it so I can't confirm. BTW, all Z tanks have a return line, so that should not be an issue.

Well, IMO the best spring for what you want would be the Eibach progressive rate springs. I believe they only lower the car about an inch and the highway ride should be close to stock. The rates rise on the springs the more they are compressed so unless you are cornering hard they should ride as well as the stock springs. Stock springs that are cut will give you the same ride but when you do that you lose too much suspension travel and IMO that isn't acceptable in that a Z suspension doesn't have too much travel to begin with. The progressive springs cost quite a bit more than a single rate lowering spring but if highway ride is the most important quality then the extra price will be worth it. The single rate lowering springs usually cause a bit harsher ride in daily driving. Struts are a matter of preference and budget. I have used KYB gas struts and have no problem with using them again. The Tokico's and Koni's might be better but you will pay a bit more for them. Adjustables really aren't necessary on a street car unless you plan on autocrossing it or just want the adjustability.

The clicking sounds like the pins that turn off the turn signals when the wheel is turned past a certain point. They could also be part of the horn problem if they are pulled out too far and touching the horn ring or possibly the wire that goes to the ring. As far as how it is set properly, I can't say for sure since it has been years since I messed with a stock wheel. I do know I have had the same problem in the past, and it just too a little tinkering with it to get it right. Try pulling the wheel and pushing the 2 pins back in just a little, it sounds like they are pulled out too far. This may cure the horn problem and it may not. The spring is somewhat self centering, in that I don't remember there being a certain point that it sets into the hub. You could also check that the plug where the horn wire plugs onto isn't bent out too far.

Run it through a strainer of some kind and use it in the lawnmower. Might want to mix it with some fresh gas if it is really old.

I have a K&N filter that fits in the original air cleaner but I don't know what the part number is. I'll have to look around and see if I can find the box it came in. It may take a day or two to find it in my "little shop of horrors".

I think I posted a reply to someones question about how much suspension improvements can be done to a Z. I touched on the point that most people overlook the brakes even though they are right there in front of them. It doesn't make sense to make a car go fast and handle really well if you can't stop it. At the very least, a decent set of pads and shoes, a good bleeding of the whole system and a set of stainless steel brake hoses is the very least a person should do. While we are on the subject, a lot of people may overlook the vacuum hoses from the intake to the mastervac and the check valve. If they don't look too good, replace them. They are cheap insurance that you will not lose the brake boost. If you have ever tried to stop a Z from high speed without the vacuum assist you will know it is a hair-raising experience, ask me, I know. Yes, the rear brake cylinders can be a PITA to replace, but once you do it, it will be much easier the next time around. The front calipers are simple to re-build and they are not that expensive if you just want a set of reman calipers.

I didn't know there was such a thing as a non-interference engine. I've seen timing chains break on everything from four cylinders to V-8's and they will all slap a valve if it breaks. I've seen some Chevy V-8's bend every one of the exhaust valves at the same exact angle when the timing chain let go.

I'm quite sure the tanks will interchange up to 74. The later 280 tanks will not, I think it has to do with the fact that the 280 tank was amost a gallon larger.

The main reason the electric pumps were first put on the 73 and later carburated cars was to help cure the vapor lock problems they were having. You can use either/or when it comes to pumps. My advise would be to use a good electric pump (doesn't have to be the most expensive) with a pressure regulator and do away with the mechanical pump. Just get a block off plate and take the mechanical off completely. It is a bit redundant to use both IMO. I'm not positive about this but I think you should run somewhere between 7-9 psi fuel pressure, but you might want to check with someone on that. I think you may have float problems if you run with too much fuel pressure.

Well, it is quite possible you have just forgotten how hard they steer at low speeds. I did after not having a street car for about 6 years. Like EScanlon said, check your tire pressures first. Try about 30 to 32 psi and see if that makes any difference. You could have other mechanical problems. One thing could be the steering rack. It could be binding due to wear or it may be that it needs to be greased. There are two small pugs on the front ot the rack that can be taken out and 1/8 inch grease fittings put in. Try that, put a couple shots of grease in and see if that helps. It could be that the upper bearings in the strut are bad too. They are located between the strut mounting plate and the upper spring perch ( I recently took the struts apart in my 71 and the bearings were full of rust and grime). Take the bearings out and clean them thoroughly and pack a little wheel bearing grease in them. While you are checking things out it probably wouldn't hurt to check the lower ball joints, tie rod ends and rack bushings, a combination of these worn parts could contribute to the hard steering.

Try this link. wwwmalvernracing.com I think they still carry Mikuni/Solex carbs for Z's. Won't be cheap though...........

Sounds like it may be out of time. Either the timing itself is out or maybe the distributor is out of time. Sounds like it tried to fire when the intake valve was open, that may be why it forced fuel out of the carb. Try re-setting the timing, or it may be just as well to re-set the distributor and go from there. It may be 180 degrees out. Bring it up on TDC on the compression stroke and take off the distibutor. Look at the drive gear. It should be just a little past lining up with the bolt holes(about 10 o'clock) with the larger side of the drive gear up. The drive gear keys into the distibutor one way. The tab that goes into the slot in the distributor is off center. When you pull it off you'll see what I mean, it's kinda hard to explain if you can't think of the proper terms. BTW, there should be a picture showing the proper alignment in the service manual. Haynes, or factory either one.

Cars in that condition are difficult to find anywhere and they won't be low priced either. For the kind of money you are looking to spend you will probably end up doing a little work yourself to make it right. Not that you can't find a good car for under 5k, but it will not be perfect, so the idea will be to find the best one for the price you are willing to pay. I thought the 71 I bought was in the condition you described until I started sanding the undercarriage, thats when I noticed one place that someone had filled with bondo before they repainted the car. Gotta hand it to them, I had to look pretty close but it was still there. And no, mine isn't for sale.

Well, sounds like this could be more trouble than just a coat of primer/sealer and body color. Maybe I'll save this for the real "rust buckets" in the yard and not put any on the 71. I guess under the battery tray wouldn't be a bad idea, but as far as trying to spray or brush it on the whole undercarriage, I think I'll pass on the clean-up.

Motorsport Auto and Victoria British can both be found in the web-links section here. You can request a catalog on their web-sites. Neither have on-line ordering yet. You could also look in there and take a look at strictlyz and zparts.com You may be able to find what you need there. There are quite a few suppliers to choose from when searching for Z parts, new or used, so take a look around, you can find most anything you might need.

Well, it seems that I am right about the choke cables on the early cars, but not on the 73 and later cars. I guess it has been a while since I have been under the hood of a 73, about 18 years in fact. It seems I have played an April Fools joke on myself.

Well, I guess it is possible someone may have "boogered up" the hole in the firewall. But IMO you should try to use this as you need to have the cables as straight and parallel as possible. You should just be able to unhook the cables at the carbs and feed them back through the firewall and then back out to the carbs. You have two cables of unequal length, so it's possible one cable is binding up and not going thru it's whole range of motion compared to the other one. That's why they should be straight and parallel. This might be why one choke is not opening or closing properly.

Well, I hate to disagree with you guys, but the choke cables come out on the drivers side of the engine compartment. The hole is just below the throttle linkage. I believe it is a little to the left of the throttle linkage, not directly below it. It should follow a straight path from the console thru the firewall and out to the intake. For confirmation, look in the Photo Galleries. Mike has posted a picture of the engine compartment from a new car brochure of the 240Z. And if I'm not mistaken there is no real return spring on the choke cables, since the cables are solidly mounted to the bracket on the carbs I don't think there is a real reason for one. And with new cables I think there is a little bit, maybe an inch, that will be excess when the cable is adjusted properly that will be through the lever assembly for the choke. Easiest way to find out if the choke is opening all the way or not is to take off the air cleaner and have someone operate the choke lever and watch the butterfly.

Well, if you want new reproductions Motorsport Auto has the emblems. They have new fan shrouds too if you can't find a good used one, there should be something in the For Sale forums that is being stripped that might have a shroud. Victoria British may also have everything you need, but since I deal with MSA I know that most everything you will need is available from them.

There is a hole in the firewall just for the choke cables. It is just to the right and a little below the hood latch frame. It is right in line with the backside of the carbs, it should come straight out of the firewall and go straight towards the metal fuel rail before it turns towards the carbs. As far as the return springs, I'll have to get out in the garage and see exactly where they should be, my mental picture is a little clouded due to lack of sleep. :sleep:

I bought the Pacesetter header from Impact Parts in Glen Wild,NY. It has been "ported" to a degree, which is to say nearly all the welding slag is ground off before the header was coated. It was in excess of 300 bucks back then, which was a year or so before MSA and some of the other suppliers started offering headers with the Jet-Hot coating. Their info line number is 1-914-434-3338. I bought this a couple years ago, so you may want to check and see if it is still available. I don't think they have a web-site, or at least they didn't last time I checked. BTW dhayes5, I posted a new thread under Technical articles about the gear ratios for the transmissions if you haven't seen it already.

Where is the water leaking out of the pump? Is it coming from around the shaft behind the pulley? If it is you need a new pump. If it is coming from around the gasket you could try to re-mount it with another gasket. Can't tell you much without knowing where the water is leaking from. The missing belt shouldn't have any effect on the water pump.

If it is just one bent valve you can replace just the one that is bad, but, ( don't ya hate when someone says that) you really need to thoroughly check for any other damage. Then try to figure out why this valve bent. Usually there is only one reason, like a piston slapping a valve. There has to be a reason why this happened, like did the keepers come off? Or did something else weird happen. Before you pull the head do a compression check to be sure, it's not hard to do and it may save you some time and aggravation. If the compression is still good pull the valve cover and inspect the valvetrain, it could be something as simple as a lash pad retainer spring has broken and the lash pad is loose. Sorry, but it could be a whole lot worse, you could be having these problems with a brand new car with alarge payment book attached. This is what we go through to have our "old cars".