PapaSmurf

it's a CHAIN jsm and everyone knows what I'm talking about so don't get your panties in a bunch

my l28 was very tired I was getting low compression on all cylinders and I was tired of puttin money into it. I decided for now I'd go out and buy another one that was running at least and was cheap. So I went out and bought an l26 with an e88 head for 100 bucks and installed it. I got it to start up and putter around the block but the timing was way off. I checked the belt and sure enough it was slightly stretched. I replaced the belt and it won't even start now. There's a valve noise sounds like it's knockin a bit while I try to turn it over. I know I got that belt on right, I even had a (professional) mechanic come and check my work. Could it be that having such bad timing for a long time screwed up the valves and they just need to be adjusted? My plug wires aren't in the best of shape, my Taylors (lousy investment) just died and I'm using the stock ones that could be part of the problem. I'm just hopin for some insight. thanks in advance

Found the trouble, stuck valves in the l26. I gave it a chance for the oil to sink in and checked a few things, and found that the timing belt is causing most of my trouble. The belt is very stretched and yay for me it's already on the third adjustment so I'm lookin for a good timing belt kit. However good news with some serious timing adjustments and a better distributer I managed to get her to drive to the gas station and back. And compression is back up to 120-150 psi on all cylinders. The ******* I bought the motor from told me it was running great when he pulled it. Now I can see rings corroding and going bad in a year or two of storage but I highly doubt that timing belt stretched itself while it was just sitting there. I wish sellers would just tell me what is wrong with the thing, it would have saved me so much trouble.

Next time I buy an engine I'm going to bring a battery, a starter, and the compression tester. I will test the compression of every cyl before any money changes hands.

I got the square port header finished. Today I hoisted the motor in and installed everything. I prayed. I pushed the ignition button... Nothin She turned over just fine, hell she turned over like crazy, too much. The compression was bad on cyl 3 and cyl 5 I was getting Zero PSI and on all the rest of the cylinders I got about 70. The dirty son of a bitch sold me a bad motor, not just a bad motor but a very bad motor. I don't know what the hell I'm going to do now.

the round port header does not cover the holes well enough even if it did it would create quite a problem with flow. We dont have a welder we're just trying to make that square port header work, we got most of the holes drilled out the trouble is trying to save the thread. That metal is really hard to drill but we're getting there slowly. I thought making it work would be impossible but its starting to just look like it's only a serious pain in the ass. We will probably have to pay to have the rest of the exhaust system matched up to the header as it's not the same bolt pattern and it's meant for headers that extend a bit further down and back. For now it's mostly under control thanks for the suggestions guys. It's always good to have someone to rant to. As a side note this steel is so hard to drill through probably due to the fact that it's been heated and cooled for 30 years and exposed to plenty of carbon. It's like high carbon tempered steel...

Yes I'm in portland oregon. It would take too long for shipment though I really appreciate the offer I'll probably walk around to some of the exhaust shops tomarrow with the header and see if I can't get a good deal I'm real low on cash but if they can prep the thing for me I'd be in a much better place. Still gotta find a way to make it bolt to the rest of the exhaust system though. I'm having a hell of a time drilling through these bolts, I tried heating it with a map torch and then with a really big one and no amount of heat made a differance so I sawed them off and tried drilling through them but I guess 30 years worth of heating and cooling has made this metal really hard to drill... I'm so screwed

I'll snap a pic and post it if we go that route For now though I'm just trying to concentrate on the immediate problem which is bolting on an exhaust, I can't very well take her through any town with that much noise. So anyone livin in the portland area with some old 240/260 headers or a round port head I'll buy them! or anyone with any ideas at all please put them forward I'm loosin my mind

Haha That has been discussed, it's our plan if the l26 doesn't run once we figure out the exhaust troubles

So the motor in my 280z wen't out, not completely but the engine siezed up and I decided it wasn't worth the hassle of rebuilding it. I'm currently stuck in portland because of this decision, I decided to replace it. I found a good little motor on craigs list in salem, drove all the way down paid the guy a hundred bucks for it and then I noticed the model number on the block, it said l26. The cunning bastard tried to scratch the 6 into an 8. But I was already out there and I figured I could live with an l26 for a while. I got the thing back tore off all the emissions crap from it intending to use the header from my l28. No go, of course I forgot the earlier heads don't use round ports they use rectangular ones. Anyways I'm stuck here till I figure out how to put a square peg in a round hole as the old addage goes or until I find another exhaust manifold/head Does anyone have any ideas on how to make this work? The head from my l28 is toast so I can't use it, the l26 headers have a million holes in them I need to plug from the emissions junk and the bolts that mount it into the rest of the exhaust system are broken inside the piece (another happy surprise from the seller) also the rest of the exhaust system won't match up with the l26 headers, it's a different shape and length. I am stranded a state away from home at a friends. any suggestions at all would help. Naturally this had to happen on memorial day weekend so no parts stores are open too.

great suggestions guys I'd have never thought of riveting and then welding I can probably weld it on my own if the rivets are in place, not very well mind you but it should hold the floor pan on long enough for me to sell it eh

I just purchased a Z car with a rusty floor panel on the drivers side. It definately needs replacement but I was wondering since I have no welding skills if there might be an easy way to do this. I have heard of people using fiberglass which I also have no experiance with. Perhaps I could sand the rust down and patch the holes with something. Just so long as it does not ruin the strength of the vehicle.

I've tested everything it must be that damned relay.. I think I may buy a new harness.. I hate having to worry about 30 year old electronics and wiring. mopar69 kelso is about 45 minutes north of portland on i5 quite a ways from spokane for my push button I have a switch that turns power on and a button that turns the starter over it's quite easy to do. I'd prefer a key start but those things are in short supply and this is easier/cheaper. I had the starter and battery tested today and they're fine I wish it was something simple, I cant find this relay in the yards may have to buy one online..

well I tried cleaning it out and I even tried putting the various wires together to try and get it started at least but to no avail.. any ideas on how to rewire this thing?

inside of the relay are two switches that seem to have electro magnets inside to switch them on and off I'm cleaning them out and trying again

I found it it's a bad relay it's bronze and it was mounted at the top of the relay bracket above all the others it has a 6 prong connector and says on the surface: 25230-89958 MR 3S-561 and on the top with the prongs it says jideco japan what is this for and can I find another or jery rig it?

Hello my poor z wont start again, every freaking week something new breaks.. ok I have a push button ignition, everytime I flip the switch for power in the past a click is audible under the passenger side dash, this time it's clicking like crazy and buzzing and I'm trying to locate the source of the problem. she wont start every time I flip the on switch the voltmeter goes to zero what is the culperit?

I acquired the replacement bolts just gotta put um in now, I'll prolly do it this weekend I gotta replace my rear struts/springs tomarrow. I'll let ya kno how the install goes and how they work, the kit looks pretty damn good I cant wait...

cant find anyone who carries the arms, they've got plenty o blades but no arms..

For all of you a little intimidated by the prospect of replacing your struts/springs let me tell you it's really not as hard as it seems. Lots of friends told me it was too hard to do myself and I'd have to take it in and pay some fool 600 bucks - well foo on them I win. Make sure you've got a pipe wrench and a cheater bar for that gland collar that was a pain in the ass, ya gotta go slow or you'll chew it up. Wow my springs were so dead and my struts simply did not work at all the illuminas and lowering springs are so nice, it's like a whole new car! Tomarrow I'm gonna tackle the rear and hopefully this week I'll work up the gumption to install my rear disk conversion. I'm so worn out tho time for a nap. I'll update on my progress and try to post pics within the next few days.

anyone have a solution? I need new wiper arms or I need to make these ones work somehow with the splines all stripped down. Any creative ideas?

Thanks for the input guys I've got another question: where can I find replacement bolts for holding the stub axle together? as I understand It I'll have to saw them up in order to remove them I havent taken a look at them yet no time but I suppose I'll do it the right way the wheel bearings could stand to be replaced anyhow.

fuk the drums theyre never going back on - so to be clear i dont have to remove the stub axles to install this? that is wonderful news

Is it absolutely nessecary to remove the stub axle for instalation of the brackets on a rear disc conversion? I purchased a kit on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8070877205 I've been doing some research and some people are saying that you only have to remove the stub axle in order to remove the back plate for the drums however some people are using a sawzall and grinder to accomplish this as well. Can I get away with that method? I dont have any air tools and I hear the stub axles are held on with a bolt torqued at 240 ft lbs I haven't the tools or the time to go through such a lengthly install and know of no shops around that would be willing to do the work I'm quite disheartened. Any suggestions would be wonderful...

150 with my old Z, 135 with my new one. I'll be pulling the 5 speed off the old one this next week or two though so I should be able to get back to 150 again...