Miles

Many of these Toyota/280ZX or Toyota/240SX or Toyota/Maxima installations have been done with no after market PV and the stock PV gutted out and still experienced front brake bias (typically .60 front - .40 rear or worse). The bias issue derives from unbalanced front-rear brake torque. If you search the brake forum there will be many people who tried mixing front - rear brake pads to achieve better front - rear bias with marginal results (some of the racers do report using aggressive pads on the rear plus PV adjustments worked ok). Read all of the brake FAQs and spend some time in the Brake forum looking at these so called brake upgrades.

Note brake bias problems here: http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/113398-toyota-truck-calipers-ventilated-brake-rotors-mm-rear-disc-brakes/

I have had exhaust header leaks that sound just like that. But then I have also had a wrist pin pull out of the piston and make the same sound. Hope it is just the former.

Recommend that you buy this book: Basic Auto Electricity by StreetWorks Rod and Custom Products http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/basic-auto-electricity-book http://www.aplusrodandkustom.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=1913/category_id=117/mode=prod/prd1913.htm You can buy it on-line or at your local speed shop.

Best advice at this point is that you will need to gather together schematics and the Factory Service Manuals for the 280ZX and your 280Z and start from scratch. Study the documents until you understand the function of each wire. Make a wire list showing color and function and check it against what you have installed on your car. Most likely you are within a wire or two in making the swap work. Even with the best intentions, the authors of these on-line "How to Swap" tutorials often leave out details or make mistakes that prove frustrating to people following the instructions given. Trust but verify. There are many other Z car websites besides HybridZ that detail this swap. Check those out too.

Have you emailed Bumble Zee who wrote the swap guide?

You do realize that with automotive wiring the entire car is the ground (neg). So if you put the red (+) meter probe on the plus battery terminal and touch any metal surface on the car with the black (-) probe the meter will show 12v. With a few exceptions each device on the car such as lights or the starter motor have one power wire which when energized electrons pass through the device to ground because the device is bolted to the body (-) thereby completing the circuit. Checking voltage from the battery to various parts of the engine doesn't tell you anything. Body/Chassis Ground: Run a black battery cable from the battery to a substantial bolt on the engine and from that same bolt run another black battery cable to the frame/body of the car and bolt it to the frame/body. This will give a ground path from the battery to the engine to the frame/body. Now when you touch the plus terminal on the battery with the red (+) meter probe and the black (-) probe to any spot on the body you will get 12v. NOTE: all ground cables must be the same gauge (diameter) as the red battery cable that connects the battery to the starter. An undersized cable will melt.

Check the throttle shafts for leaks with the carb cleaner. The shafts become worn allowing air to enter the carb. If the throttle shafts are sucking air you will never be able to correct the lean condition that causes the coughing and spitting in the carbs. Yes you plugged the big leak, but air will find a way in from some other point. It is still sucking air. Did you check the connections/hose to the brake booster that come off of the intake manifold? Chasing air leaks is kind of like playing wack-a-mole. Make a list of every connection and joint on the intake system and rule each one out. Actually there is a procedure for diagnosing engine problems. For example, before checking the intake/carbs etc you should check and set your ignition system so you know if there are problems and have the timing/dwell/plugs etc mostly dialed in. After you correct the carb/intake problems go back and recheck the timing/dwell etc. Otherwise you are trying to diagnose a problem while dealing with too many variables. When checking for leaks with carb cleaner, did you lower the idle speed to better hear the RPMs pick up as you spray the joints, hoses, throttle shafts etc?

Fusible Links: You have wired in a dead short. Stop and recheck your wiring. Did you install a ground cable from the engine to the chassis? Otherwise electricity will use things like fuel lines or shifter cables to complete the ground path. Use the same size cable as for the battery for engine to chassis ground. Might want to consider getting some help. Nothing worse than burning up an electrical harness.

Here is picture of what you are trying to achieve when adjusting the float level. A float set too high will run rich etc. See the red line in the picture just under the carb? What you are trying to achieve is a puddle of fuel right at that red line. High velocity air passing over that puddle is how fuel mixes with the air in the correct ratio and gets sucked into the intake. The other thing that can happen is that the needle can get stuck and not open. I seem to recall removing the top of the float bowel and flipping the top upside down and blowing in the inlet. No air should leak past the needle valve. Flip the top of the float bowel over right side up and blow through the inlet. Air should pass freely. As per the video air leaking around the throttle shafts can cause a lean condition that prevents ever getting the mixture set right. The SU carb system is simple, but you have to be methodical and pay attention to the details. Have you confirmed that there are no air leaks? Did you check the ignition system?

"But I set my float levels with where the float rested naturally" The video gives the procedure for setting the float. They also sell a good quality rebuild kit. There is a member here who invented and sells a sight device for setting the correct full level, but the Z Thereapy procedure works. Google "how to check for intake air leaks"

I was just researching this. There may be an answer here: https://www.google.com/search?q=convert+280z+fuel+injection+to+SU+carbs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Back fire through carb = too lean Too lean = lean mixture adjustment or air leak or both. Resolve all air leaks and reset mixture per the video

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/68608-windshield-install/

How to videos. Note he installs the center trim before installing the windshield.

Buy this book: How to Restore Your Datsun Z Car by Wick Humble. It tells you how to take apart, restore and re-assmble your Z car with lots of pictures. It will save you many many hours searching for "how to" information! The book is available several places such as: https://www.amazon.c...ur z car humble You should download the Factory Service Manual (FSM) for your 240Z. There are links to the FSM here on HybridZ. This is the manual the Datsun dealerships used to maintain 240Zs. For now, perhaps this picture will provide some insight into what that line is for.

So yes, in California the cut off is still1975 and older. But it is not a show stopper. As long as the engine swap meets the emission requirements for the chosen car and the engine you can get a smog sticker from the state that makes the car legal. Much discussion in the various forums and you can Google for the detailed rules.

forgot the X. Here is the corrected Google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=300zx+engine+in+a+280zx&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Re California SMOG Law Change California Legislation S.B. 1239 came up for vote in June 2016, but did not get enough votes to pass.

Been done many many times. Look in the "Other Engines Forum" for details. Google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=300zx+engine+in+a+280zx&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Use the rope trick to reinstall. Tip: install the center stainless trim before working widow into place.

Most likely the MC push rod is adjusted too far out which will block the return port in the MC. With the return port blocked pressure will build up with each application of the brakes until they drag/lockup. Test: Open the bleeder ports on the MC when the brakes drag. This will release the pressure and unlock the brakes demonstrating that the push rod is adjusted too long. You can adjust the push rod without removing the MC. Remove the retaining nuts on the MC and push it aside to access the push rod. Make small incremental adjustments followed by road test each time. Carry a wrench that fits the bleeders on each road test in case you lockup the brakes. If you back off the push rod too far your brake pedal travel will be long and grab. All you need is about 1mm clearance between the push rod and the MC piston. Research the brake section as this problem has been discussed many many times.

MSA/JTR not cheap. http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_DATZ_Wat-Temp-Send.html

You may be able to get a new sending unit from an auto parts store and the adapter from Lowes etc. That is how I did mine. Wrapped the threads with teflon tape. No leaks in 10 years. Black Dragon is going out of business, but they may have the sending unit if your local auto parts store doesn't have one.

MSA sells the sensor and fitting. This is what the fitting looks like: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/10-1878