Rob72

Yes, that is what I did, after alot of research. I found an '81 5 speed at the boneyard. I took my chances, and did not have it checked out by a tranny shop after I bought it. At the junkyard, remove the drain plug - it's okay, the fluid will drain out and you'll be left with a magnetized drain plug. The telltale sign of a worn tranny is lots of pieces and small irregular chunks of metal attached to that drain plug. If you're lucky, like me, you'll find only fine metal filings. With that info, I decided to forgo the checkout and just installed it. Not very scientific but I just played the odds. Nissan trannies don't generally go bad. I heard about notching the tranny tunnel and went ahead and did it - then I started reading about 1.) bending the shifter after applying heat 2.) use a 76-78 shifter, which has the bend in it (haven't checked that one out though). I found someone who had a bent shifter, so I installed it with my notched tunnel anyway. Maybe you've already finished your project but if you haven't, post back any questions you have. Good Luck Rob72 240/5spd/4.11/SU's

Thanks for the ideas Gary. I haven't made much progress yet as it was back stuttering again the next day. I believe the carbs are the same no matter which tranny you have. There IS a difference in the distributors, the auto's have a dual point system, with one set acting to 'retard' the timing. I just need to get through emissions with it as is. Then the plan is to switch over the electronic ingnition and drop the points. I've thought about it some, and I think now that I have a Gunson Colortune, (see-thru sparkplug), I'll be able to get the mixture spot on, and I'm going to check my choke cables and make sure they're retracting after the car is warmed up. Could be contributing the seemingly rich conditions. I'm also quite sure the vacuum advance on the distributor is not working properly, but that shouldn't make it bog down. I'll post back with results. Thanks... ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

Well, after sitting idle for 10 months, I've completed my install of 4.11 diff and a 82 5-speed into my otherwise stock 72. After some encouragement, the motor fired up and I setup to set timing, carbs, etc. Now, I've never really felt I had the car tuned up as it should be. I have no Colortune, and no Uni-syn. Well I bought the Unisyn and figured I could play with mixture by using the info from the various well-known articles. The results were less than stellar. I got the air-flow balanced pretty good, but the mixture nuts aren't doing their job. That's probably related to the overall condition of the carbs (never re-built). Timing seemed the best at 12 degrees. HERE'S THE INTERESTING PART: I re-tuned and test-drove 3 or 4 times, never really feeling I was getting any kind of acceleration or improvement. This is a 4.11 ratio in the rear-end, after all! This thing should be impressive to say the least, and thrilling at the most! Anyway, during my test drive last night, the usual bog was there, and almost no power (or rpm's) above about 3000. I pulled up at idle, pulled a u-turn, and suddenly noticed the idle speed was 500-600 rpm's higher than it had been set at (900-1000). I thought screws were loose, etc. I let the clutch out and the engine willingly accelerated, I mean easily up to 4000 rpm's (no higher due to clutch break-in time). But the little Z pushed my little butt back into the seat as we zipped down the road. It did seem to be a little rough, almost like a miss, but the bog was gone, and the engine easily revved up. Now what little gremlin was twiddling with my motor while I'm driving? Can this be attributed to some increase in valve performance; maybe stuck or restricted? or carbon buildup on the plugs that finally got burned off? Fuel filter? I'm talking about a car that had an entirely different personality here! It'll be interesting to see what happens tonight. I'm praying for no more bog. What do you think? ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

Mike, Have you got a 280a or 280b 5 speed going into your 240? That's the only reason I can think of why you need a non-original shifter. If you're staying stock (240), the original should do. And what's holding up more of those gorgeous yellow pictures of the 'project'!!!

Fans of the ZX 5-speed conversions into 240Z's, (replacing a manual or an automatic, like mine), always run into the same problem: The shifter will not clear the tunnel opening and bangs against the plastic console in 1/3/5 gears. In my situation, I learned too late that it is not necessary to cut the tunnel and modify the console, as some have suggested. My understanding (not proven yet), is that using the shifter from a 78 5 speed, has a s-turn type of bend in it, which effectively moves the vertical shaft rearward two inches. This would solve at least the banging of the console, probably the tunnel cutout problem, and as a bonus, places the vertical shaft in the center of the tunnel/console opening, instead of up near the fuse box. I don't like that part, especially; it looks like a hack job. Like I said, this is unproven, but I will look for this shifter at the boneyard, and let you know how it works out. And yes, I know you can also heat up the ZX shifter and bend it, but I tried it and MAPP gas wasn't enough. Anyway, it seems like it still won't move back far enough to look 'normal', i.e., center of the console opening. More to come! ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

For everyone's info: The length for a manual tranny is 60mm in length & 10 x 1.50

I've pulled my auto tranny, and have my 5spd ready to install. I noticed (and think I've heard this before), that the four bolts that hold the bellhousing to the block are shorter for the auto, and won't make it all the way to the block when the manual tranny is installed. The flange on the manual tranny is 1.5 inches, the auto is 5/8. So does anyone know if I can just estimate the length, or do you know the exact dimension? Thanks! ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

Two more benefits, in my view: 1. A forum format is much more 'readable' than the mailing list. Also, it's annoying to see all those inbox messages from majordomo on Monday morning. 2. Archives = less repetition of the same ol' questions (exhaust, hp, fumes, etc.).

You're lucky. As the torque converter fluid leaked out all over my new jack, I said, "manual trannies forever!".

I found the nut at the end of the horizontal linkage could be removed and the vertical linkage was withdrawn up through the console. Rob72

Heh, yup...mine has a new diff in it with 9 months of the 12 month warranty already gone. I've never had it out of the garage.

Whoopie...this should do it then. 3rd message! I also tried to go see progress on the yellow beast, but peak.org never responded. Do you have any updates? ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

Hey !!! Junior Member ? Whatsup with that? hehe ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

I really like these improvements, Mike. I'm sure alot of work went into this, and I and many others really appreciate such a site, dedicated to the 240 (and 260 too!). So many questions, so few who really know. ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's

Getting ready to drop my automatic out, and need to get the shifter out. I removed the console, and the four bolts holding the brass plate down, with the shifter down in the valley. Of course it won't drop out, I think there maybe a horizontal bolt/pin of some type that might be accessbile from underneath, but I couldn't reach it. Am I on the right road here? If it is a bolt head (covered in hard to access grease/grime), does this thread out? Thanks... ------------------ Rob72 5-spd/4.11/SU's