Forces

*posted in V8 forum due to true dual exhaust being inapplicable in L6 forum* As I understand it, the purpose of a cross over pipe is to equalize the exhaust flow between 2 pipes in a dual exhaust system, attinuate residual exhaust decibles, and create a vacuum to help draw the exsaust from each header. Without a cross over, be-it X or H pipe, you will notice 'chugging' or surging in your exhaust, correct? Which is more effective in treating this flaw?

I'll be recieving the S&W 6 point cage in about a week, and I am not sure if I want to use the down bars in the back.... I was thinking of doing an "X" brace from the corners of the main hoop to the front of the rear strut towers and add a rear strut tower brace. I know the S&W cage isn't the best one out there, but local shops in my area are either too 'swamped' to make a cage in a timely manner, or "don't DO one time projects" .....a$$holes. I am looking for rigidity more than saftey in case of an actual roll. Would it make a more stable cage with an X brace in the rear?

Get a haynes manual. It has a pretty good diagram of the 280z's, if you've got a magnifying glass and patients. You'll want to double check this, but if I remember right, the... Black/ white is your ignition - KOEO Yellow/ black is temp sending unit Blue is ammeter gauge. (alough there are two blue wires in the same bundle that are similar, if not exactly the same in gauge size ammeter Black/ blue is oil sending unit. like I said, double check it.

I tried that, and it fired up a whole lot easier. 3 pumps w/ choke off. fired up with choke on. I advanced the timing to about 20, and that got rid of a lot of the backfiring...still doesn't run quite as smooth as I would like it to though. Just to see how the engine would respond, after it was at opperating temp, I put the choke on at idle, and it killed it. I am a little worried now, I heard something knocking. Sounded like the valves chattering a little. It wasn't very loud but enough to concern me. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to check 'em anyway.

Touché

I haven't adjusted the choke, it's hooked up, but set to what ever it is out of the box. It's a 750cfm Edlebrock manual choke. That could very well be PART of the problem. I know that the air fuel screws were turned ALL th WAY out from the box....it ran really bad then. I have the fuel pressure set to 6.5 PSI, per edlebrock's suggestion.

You could drop the pan and see if the rods are clearanced, I know mine are in my 383.

Tappet cam, hydrolic lifters, solid non-roller rockers. I don't HEAR any vacuum leaks, but that doesn't say much. What is a good place to set the timing at? I have it at 10 degrees advacnced now.

Sorry, didn't realize I forgot the basics... 383 small block chev. HEI ign w/ summit brand dist., Edlebrock 750 Manual choke spread bore carb. I fired it up again, same thing. Once it gets hot it runs smooth, but getting there is a battle. It won't idle under about 1300 RPM without shaking the car off it's wheels, but I figure that's just cause the rings aren't set. The engine literally has about 2 miles on it, if that. I'm gonna weld some O2 bungs in for a wide band, but I gotta DRIVE it to my buddy's house in order to do that, and the Z is in no condition to leave the garage, let alone the neighborhood.

When I starat my car cold, it will crank and crank and crank....then it'll fire a few cylindars....more cranking....engine starts finally and runs rough. I drove it around while it was still cold, had been running for about 5 minutes, and if I stab the thottle at all, it backfires through the carb and dies. Once I get it started and warmed up it seemes to run okay, good throttle response at least. I figure it's a/f ratrio is off, timing is off, or both. Any suggestions?

Are those mounts CNC'd? I'd doesn't seem like they would be, I wouldn't expect them to be very expensive to make, unless ofcourse they required CNC machining.

2 or 4 bolt mounts? Do you mean MAINS? If so (don't quote me hear) But I think I rememeber reading somewhere that on a 400 block you can tell if the mains are 4 bolt by the amount of freeze plugs on each side of the block. 2 freeze plugs = 2 bolt mains, 3 freeze plugs = 4 bolt mains. Or you could just take the oil pane off. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea anyway, just to check for any surprises you may not be aware of already, and new pan gaskets never hurt. Side note: It's no secret that SBC 400s are prone to over heateing, you might think about a nice electice water pump that pulls modre GPM that whats on the block now, assuing the w/p is stock. BTW, nice find, thats a killer deal, if it runs good and does burn oil.

Well, some poor sap didn't think so.

I bought My 76 280Z with a wiring harness that had been hacked all to hell. I got most of the interior dash lights, tail lights, gauge illumination working now, but the turn signals are not working. My guess is because the hazard switch is missing. I found the conector for it, all taped up in duct tape.....Yes, duct tape. I can't find a replacement switch anywhere. Wrecking yards, Dealer ships, local 'import' shops. I looked for over an hour on the internet and found nothing. Things like headlightd switches and comination switches are easy to come by, but no luck so far with the hazard switch. I tried to wire up a switch from a 240z, but the signals/ tail lights are not compatible. Any one know where I could find it, or know some one parting out a 280z?

Killer combo on the new build....It's is almsost Identical to my 383 ....really, identical. Car is lookin good.

Well, the Haynes book was wrong about the fuse box. The fuse location was supposed to be labeled 'Stop'. I traced all the wires back and found out their function, but I am still nowhere near knowing why they don't work. I have a Multimeter and test light, But wiring is still somewhat of a mystery to me. Any suggestions would be great. ***EDIT*** Brake lights work, running lights work. I had replaced the fusable links with inline blade fuses and blew one out. I didn't know that those thick White/Red wires were a 12v source to the fuse box.... still no turn signals though. This is the part where I get confused. When I turn the head lights on, the left turn indicator in the dash comes on, and stays on, regardless of the position of the switch. I can hear the flasher turning on and off about once every 10 seconds. None of the actual turn signals are working...So I am thining it's a bad switch and/ or a bad flasher.

My buddy switched oil pans to a 7 qt Mildon, I believe, which has that hole for the dipstick right in the pan. I think he used Belzona to plug the hole. It's kinda like JB weld, but 10 times better. I think the NAVY uses it to patch cracks in their ships. two compounds that, when mixed together, dry up hard as steel. Seann

I am trying to fix the wiring in my 76 280Z. These are the things that don't work.... Running lights. Blinkers. (front and rear) Brake lights. There are four bulbs on each side of the car (rear lights). 1. Reverse Light - just got 'em working, but didn't use stock wiring. 2. Single Filement Bulb w/ Green/White power conection.... running light? 3. Single Filement Bulb w/ Green/ Black power conection.... no idea? 4. Dual Filement Bulb w/ Green/White conection and Green Yellow connection....Brake/ Park/ Turn signal? The lights have never worked since I have owned the car, so I don't know what lights have what function. The wire coming from the brake switch is a Black/ Yellow. There are 2 black yellow wires coming from the fuse box (one on each side of the fuse) that my Haynes manual claims is a fuse to "FLOORTEMP"- What is that? Any suggestions on where to start to get these working?

Nice Work. I too took mine out today for it's first shot around the block.... it ran like sh!t . Good luck with the rest of the project. Seann

Thanks for the suggestions. I just ran it at idle for about 1/2 hour, and the leak just kinda when away, as far as I can tell. It didn't smell like buring coolant, and I couldn't hear it hitting the exhaust. I'll go get some dye tomarrow to be sure. Seann

I've got a coolant leak that is dripping one drop at a time onto the passenger header pipe. I can hear is sizzle as it hits the exhaust, about 2 per second. It seemed to be running down the bellhousing and collects in a very small pool on the tranny pan lip. I checked the heads, intake gasket and plugs, heater hoses, heater core, and nothing seems to be leaking. There is no water in the oil and vise-versa. I don't think it could be a freeze plug. I am obviously overlooking something, but I am just stumped.

Yeah, Once I flipped the flexplate around, it worked okay. Not the best though. I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone if you have the money to get something better. It still has it's moments that the teeth won't line up. I'd say it engages just fine about 90% of the time.

I've heard the same, that Non Dedetergent 30W oil is the best for the intial break in for a 1st gen. Thats what I've been doing. SEEMs just fine. Synthetic is supposed to the perverbial oil of oils, but I don't trust it. Seann

I think I paid about $200 for my hurst, which is more expensive than the B&M. IMO the B&M mega shifter is a better choice. It is easier to operate, and it is cheaper, But I wanted to try the hurst version out. read through this, might find some answers: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=115876