wa5ngp

FWIW. I'm the guy with the blown sciatic nerves (pain all the time) who still wants to drive his 73 240. The old Sears Steadiriders were shot so I had to fix it or get rid of the car. I took a chance and ordered the KYB's from Ebay and I am happy with the results. The ride is still firm but there is a certain edge that has been taken off the bumps in the road that really aggravated my back pain before. I think the improvement is due to the fact that the gas in the Kyb has lifted the car a bit and besides riding on the springs it also rides somewhat on the kyb gas. It definitely sits about an inch higher on the wheels. So bottom line. The 240 has become a daily driver again. I hope that gas lasts. Maybe this all the placebo affect. But for now I don't dread the pain of getting in the 240. Right now I've got some older Summitmoto 60 profile tires and I'm thinking of going for a set of stock Kumhos. I think a taller profile will give me a little more flex and softness. Then if I want to autocross I can put the 60 profiles back on. I've got all kinds of various Z and ZX wheels to choose from. Besides that I'm collecting new soft rubber from VBS that I'll be installing. I got some stuff that I'll be sending back. Just because the description says street use doens't mean its soft oem style rubber. Getting old is a pain but I suppose it beats the alternative. Hope you enjoy your ride. Don

As I recall the power to these gauges is regulated by a rather crude voltage regulator that essentially works by turning the voltage on and off peridically, essentially a crude form of pulse width modulation. You can observe this pulsing by putting a voltmeter on the temperature sender connector up near the thermostat. This pulsing/regulator is done by a little bimetal strip that heats up, breaks connection, and then makes again thus making these pulses. I'm gonna bet that this regulator of yours has a bad connection or is old, or about to break or something like that. Unfortunately, I don't really know where this regualtor is. I suspect somewhere near those gauges and a headache to get at. Probabably can get to it thru the glovebox. Measure that voltage first. I'm gonna bet you will see zero volts on the sensor when your gauge reads zero as well. Good luck Don

The timing chain crossed my mind. I wonder if there's some way to eliminate that possbility? That could be a biggie if that thing gives it up. Don

I've got a problem with my 81zx 275K miles with hopping timing. What happens is that everything runs fine but when I am about 2K rpm the tach shows a sudden jump to like 5K rpm and then jumps back and forth. Sometimes it will even stall. While this is happening I hear some pinging so I would assume that the ignition is doing a sudden advance. I've traded out the ignition module (I"ve got several) to no avail. When I look iniside the distributor and check for slop everything looks fine. I had an aha moment a while ago when I discovered that the magnet ring had broken into several pieces. I ordered a new one and I thought that fixed it but now its doing it again. I guess I'll take it appart and see if that magnet is broken again. Maybe theres enough slop in the shaft that the wobble breaks the ring. The rings do seem fragile. I thought I'd check here before launching into it again in case somehow I'm missing something obvious. If I can't sort it out I suppose I can just get a lifetime warranty rebuilt one from Autozone. I would be ahead by now if I'd done that to start with. tks Don

Wow, if had wanted to troll I couldn't have done a better job than I did with my question about a rear sway bar. At least now I know not to order the rubber parts for it when I get all the other stuff. If I get more serious about auto crossing again I'll probably add one to the rear. It does seem odd that the USA version would not include one since I would assume that a rear bar would not add to ride roughness. I suppose that Datsun just didn't think we cared with all the big wide highways etc. tks for all the comments. Don

I was crawling around under my '73 240 to see how difficult its going to be to replace all that rotten old suspension rubber. I had been looking in VBS so I kinda knew what to be looking for. To my surprise I could not find the rear sway bar on my car. :surprised I can see the brackets where one would go. I've had this car since '76. It hadn't been raced or modified before I got it. Very stock except the previous owner had put on the '72 carbs. Looks like somehow the factory just forgot to put one in there. Were they standard or maybe it was a European thing? I suppose this presents an opportunity for something better but I'm just going to do the front and the kyb's first. tks Don

Can someone remind me pls. The toe in adjustment holding nuts on the tie rod ends are threaded differently on each side, right? Which side has those left hand threads? Excuse my ignorance of the proper names please. Just got my KYB's today. Checking on my supply of bandaids before starting. 240KMAN, I assume you are saying that those gland nuts will work their way loose unless you really tighten them well. don

Where do these bump stops go? Just on top of the strut so the piston can't bottom out? don

tks guys. I was just frustrated that all I could find online were the urethane versions. I had some old VCB catalogs in the closet that I dug out and low and behold they are there. Interesting that the rubber ones are specified for the different sized sway bars. I suppose that there's enough softness there to make up for the different diameters. btw This is on a 73 240. I am about ready to change the shocks (again) so I'll change the other stuff that comes of easily in the process. Odd thing is that when I changed the shocks before I can't remember any shock stops on there and I don't see them on the VCB pix. Maybe its not required?

Can someone recommend a source for the softer rubber suspension parts rather than the racing urethane type? I'd like to minimize ride harshness even if means a bit more play. So far all I've found is the urethane type. I suppose there's always the dealer.:pirate: I know I've heard that stiffer urethane is not worse. If that were the case then why have any insulation at all. Just bolt it all up.:laugh: Don

I went to my local junk yard today and found one of these. I had mine from my 240 already out. I hooked them both up to a battery and to be honest the honda didn't seem to put out that much more air. current draw on the 240 was like 6.5 A and the hond like 8A so its doing more of something. Maybe I'm missing something but it just didn't seem worth it. Now the honda version I found didn't have that separate cooling air hose that is apparently used to cool the motor itself so maybe I need to look for one one those since it may be heavier duty. What does the correct one look like? Does it have that air port duct on it? Not sure where I'd put that little hose since I don't really want to drill a hole into the air box. Don

I should have said rewiring and fusing the headlamps separately helped the load on fuse panel.

I had similar problems after I went to quartz headlamps. Undoubtedly, more amps. I put in relays to control it so all that current didn't have to go thru the switch and it fixed it like a champ and the lights are now A LOT brighter. Its a bit of a chore but if you go quartz IMHO that you will eventually have to do this. Rewirng and fusing the headlamps also removes a big heat load from the fuse pannel. Don

I've had a couple of similar problems with my 81zx. Number 1 Failing fuel pressure regulator. Usually when I would stop after a hard run like just coming off a freeway it would die. The way I figured out it was fuel pressure reg is that when it was running fine the hose was very stiff to squeeze that goes to the rails. When it failed the hose was much softer. This must be a common problem as I've noticed during my recent junk yard divings that a lot of ZXs had shiny new fuel pressur regulators. 2. My timing would hop around and die. The problem was the magnet ring in the distributor. It seems to be made of fragile material and over time it cracks. Depending on where the cracks were things may stay put over a long time with no problems. With virbration they would move a bit and cause the timing to jump. I ordered a new one from a Colorado Z dealer. Everyone else wanted to sell me a new distributor. These 2 problems took a lot of patience to figure out and if you start easter egging you are going to replace lots of parts before you find them. Good luck. Don

You are clever. I'll have to take a look at mine. Another target for something like this would be the steering rack mounts. Mine developed slop a long time ago and I simply shimmed it up with strips of aluminum. With all the pieces of hose laying around here I'm sure that I can make something better. I don't know why I didn't think of this. tks Don

I've got a 81 zx as well. Its a LOT different. Much bigger diameter coils. And the back is not mcpherson so its about like wanting to put Buick (since everybody likes Buicks) springs on a 240. Carls recommendation is good. I'll probably go just the shock and bushings first. Probably shortsighted but there's a chance I'll have to punt and sell the whole thing due to my nasty L5S1 problems. As a matter of fact I can't tolerate a new 350 either, again like Carl mentioned life's wear and tear and mistakes with surgeons knives just add up. Don

Before you start grinding make double certain that you have not got the front and rear shocks mixed up. There is a difference. Don

I am in the market for some new shocks for my 240z in hopes of making it ride like a Buick. Actually I'd settle for a ride like my 280zx. Anyway, softer ride is more important since its a daily driver not a racer at least no more than once a year on a local autocross. so.........I noticed on ebay that you can get some kybs for ~120 or Tokikcos for about ~200. Anybody with experiences with both? I'd like to do it only once for a long time. Its not a fun job fooling around with those springs. tks don

I've been using only the electric fuel pump on my 73 240 for like 20 years. This helped eliminate vapor locking too as I could hear fuel boiling in that mech fuel pump whenever I shut things off. Have fun with it! don

I've got seats from a Mitsubishi Ecclipse and they have lots of nice foam, bolster support and all that. They are probalby the best thing there was about the Mitsubishi. Odd how something like a steel spring would go bad over time. I guess with heat and whatever the temper of it changes. My buick is my Suburban. 280zx as everyone knows is lots softer and is tolerable on a bad pain day actually. Probably for ride the oem stuff is the best to go with since I'm not wanting to race it, at most only autocross. tks

Thanks Bryan. I was thinking that this might be an alternative. What is the deal with the original springs? Do they go bad after time, lose their temper? They do seem to be VERY stiff. I'm not wanting my 240 to ride like a Buick but if it rode more like an 81zx that would be perfect. Although I understand that's unlikely. I haven't done much to this car in 30 years and my wife and I took it on a cross country run to Grand Canyon etc so I can't believe I was that more tolerant of rough ride in my crazy youth. OTOH maybe thats why I have nerve damage now. Hope not. I'm willing to blaim it on tennis. and running for now. A progressive spring that's not lowered would be even better. tks Don

Ok, tks. I do have better seats. Got them from Mitsubishi eclipse kind thing. They are made of total foam rubber and they are really good. Actually, much better than the Eclipse is/was. On the sciatica. :dead: I could start my own forum. I've had lost track of the surgergies. Been going on for 10years so there's no hope there. The absolute best thing to drive is my Suburban that sits straight upright and provides great low back and back of thigh support. The ZX wasnt' great but it was tolerable. Toyotas, have good seat materials but structurally they are awful. They have like a "V" setup in the seat that pinches you down. I can get by on that one by stuffing a pillow in there. Besides the shocks I need to look at the rubber bushings. Its always gonna ride like a buckboard but if I fix the bushings here and there it will all add up. Obviusly, I'm not gonna be buying race car hard urethane stuff. tks Don

I've got a 73 240 that I bought in 76 and have kept it all these years. Everything is pretty much stock except for the radiator, ignition, and ac compressor. Problem is that the 240 is in better shape than I am. I've got a bad case of sciatica (low back pain). I'd really like to drive the 240 a lot more but as you might guess the rough ride is really hell on the sciatica. I know it needs new shocks so I am hoping that I can find some shocks that would soften it up. Any recommendations? I drove a 280zx for years but its got such a bad case of nippon skin cancer that it would be hopeless to fix up altho I may do that even though it looks like the devil since its ride is so much smoother even with bad shocks. I thought about the springs. Its a little hard to believe that these progressive racing springs that lower it would ride any smoother but I'll listen. I'm not too crazy about lowering. It seems like the rock hauling trucks are always dropping thier load around here which is not good for low clearance vehicles. My first visit and post to the classiczcar forum here. It seems like a nice group of folks. But then Z car guys always are. Tks Don