beermanpete

The concept seems sound. The plastic tool might not be robust enough for frequent use. Get the metal one if you will use it a lot. Also, this system appears to use the bleeder valves for the fluid hose connection. Since the bleeders don't have any seals they leak fluid when open for bleeding so it will likely leak brake fluid while in use.

The half-shaft is the upper control arm and this is actually the reason it does not need the sliding joint. The reason the Z set up has the sliding joint is because the half-shat is NOT a control arm. In the Corvette suspension the upper arm (half-shaft) moves the top of the wheel around as the suspension moves. The lower arm does the same so the wheel stays more or less vertical but the track changes with suspension motion. The sliding joint is not necessary because the wheel moves laterally (track changes) instead. In the Z there is some track change as well but the half-shafts are not geometrically designed to swing on the exact same arc at wheels. This means the drive shaft length needs to change to accommodate the track changes and prevent unnecessary side loading of the bearings and suspension joints.

It means your alternator is not working. Check the charging system for proper operation by following the diagnostic procedure in the factory service manual.

The type of suspension in the C4 really does not matter. If you use the C4 differential in a Z you can have suitable half-shafts made that have the sliding joints.

Having an open valve is normal. There are always a few open valves, each at a different lift depending on where the engine happens to stop. Removing broken taps is difficult. I have heard (never tried it) that the tap can be fractured by hitting it with a punch and hammer. There are tools designed for removing taps. Look here: http://www.waltontools.com/products/extractr.htm There are companies that specialize in removing broken screws and taps. Check with machine shops and auto mechanics in your area for leads.

Why not just use a timing cover from an early model?

You know you own a Datsun when you are correcting people who call it a Nissan.

Very cool. Good job.

Perhaps the oil pump drive gear is off a tooth. This would cause the problem you describe. What work did you do to the engine? If you had the oil pump out then you might have put it back in one tooth off.

You have the firing order and the cylinder numbering in the opposite places. The cylinders are number sequentialy 1 through 6 starting in the front of the engine. The wires at the distributor are in the order of the firing order: 1-5-3-6-2-4. Yes. This is a coarse adjustment. You only change this if the other runs out of adjustment range.

A regular vacuum gauge is ok. It is just slow since you have to keep moving it around. If you hvae not already done so, add a restricter the vacuum hose to dampen the needle bounce. Setting the vavles first is a good idea. Any changes to the valve setting will affect the air flow and therefor the carb sync. Besides, it is an important tune-up proceedure. Tight valves cause a rough idle and might cause them to burn out. It sounds like you might have some issue with the throttle linkage if you cannot get the idle lower than 1300 RPM. When the idle screw is backed out all the way is there any play in the linkages to each carb? Are there throttle stop screws on each carb? If so, how are they set? Also, make sure the ignition timing is not too far advanced at idle, this can cause the idle to be too fast.

If you want to get everything "perfect" you should sync the carbs last. Set the valves, then sync the carbs, then set the idle mix., then sync again. How much the idle mixture setting will have on the plug readings is dependant upon how you drive the car. At large throttle openings the idle circuit does not contribute much, if anything, to the air/fuel charge. Make sure the float level is the same on all 3 carbs. Make sure the air filtes are all clean and do not have differnt flow restrictions. If your engine is tired and pulling oil on a few cykiders it could be interfering with your plug readings. How are you setting the carb sync? Unisyn? Mercury column? Since you found different size main jets have you verified the air correction jets and emulsion tubes are all the same?

Exactly. The oil pump is a positive displacement pump with a 150 (or more) horsepower behind it. The oil filter bypass is not the issue. The oil pressure builds up in the oil system after the filter due to the bearing clearances and such. When the pump output volume exceeds the leak rate and raises the pressure to 60 PSI or so the (pump) bypass opens to allow some of the oil to bleed off before the oil system. If the bypass is stuck closed the pressure can easily be several hundred PSI. Something will fail at this high pressure. A case in point: My father's Alfa Romeo packed a rod bearing and overheated the oil (or perhaps the other way 'round). When the mechanic put it all back together he neglected to check the oil pump (lame). At start-up they got 4 quarts of oil on the ground because the oil filter seal blew out. The mechanical oil pressure gauge was also damaged due to being over-ranged (100 PSI gauge). After some head scratching they checked the pump and found the bypass valve was stuck closed, presumably due having been overheated. A new pump solved the problem.

The only time I have ever seen the oil filter seal get blown out is from a bad oil pressure bypass in the oil pump. If this sticks closed the oil pressure will go way to high, at least when the oil is cold. Check your oil pressure.

Using an adjustable proportioning valve should solve your problem. This will allow to adjust from no rear brake pressure reduction to about 50% reduction. If you still cannot get the bias you want you will need to rethink the brake system design.

It sounds like the idle is way too lean. A hanging idle is a symptom if a lean idle mixture. You probably need larger idle jets, or perhaps smaller idle air bleeds.

The "L" terminal needs to go to a key-on voltage source to energize the alternator. It sounds like you have this already so you should be fine. The only thing I suggest is to verify the connection is not through a low resistance path. It seems to need a resistive path to limit the current (the lamp does this in the ZX). A low resistance connection could allow the loads in the car (headlights, etc.) to drag down the voltage needed for the field winding, causing low alternator output and possibly damaging the diode-trio for the field winding. If there is no resistance you should consider adding a small resistor or a warning light to the circuit. The "S" terminal is suppose to be direct so that is ok. Your comment about the voltmeter reading increasing when turning on the headlights indicates the voltmeter is measuring the voltage closer to the alternator than the "S" terminal does. It probably does not matter, especially since you indicated the car is working fine and has done so for a long time. It is possible this is typical behavior for the 280Z or the 280ZX. I do not know, perhaps others who are familiar with this will comment. The "solution", should you want to bother, would be to rewire the charging system and voltmeter to sense and measure the voltage in the same place.

Possible? Yes, but it would be a lot of work to modify the internals correctly. There is no obvious advantage for this mod. It is more likely that the internal regulator is still in place and functioning. Whoever installed the newer alternator probably modified the external wiring to make it work and simply did not bother to remove the original regulator which is now not doing anything.

It sounds like your battery has a bad connection internally. Check the voltage at the battery while the lights and such will not work. Make sure to probe for voltage "inside" the connectors, (touch the probe to the battery post centers). If the voltage is low the battery is bad. If the voltage is 12 V you have a problem outside the battery somewhere.

Use fogging oil. http://www.eastwood.com/crc-engine-stor-fogging-oil-aerosol-13-oz.html?utm_content=12466%20Z&utm_campaign=GoogleSean02&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Merchant-Centre&SRCCODE=1SE0756&gclid=COD1tOm_76wCFQNchwod5D4yfQ

Did you clean all the paint and dirt off at the points where you are connecting the grounds to the body? Any paint or dirt will act as an insulator and restrict the current flow. Check for voltage drop across the ground path with your voltmeter. Connect the meter from the battery negative terminal to the starter motor/engine block. Set the meter voltage range to 15 or 20 volts (or whatever you normally use to measure the battery voltage). Crank the engine and read the meter while cranking. A voltage drop of more that about 0.2 volts is a problem. You can use a more sensitive range on the meter if necessary to get a good reading but start on the 15 to 20 volt range to protect the meter.

The slave cylinder is on the bell housing, below the starter motor. The clutch master cylinder is separate from the brake master cylinder. It is located on the firewall next to the brake master and booster.

1) Companion Flange 2) Side Flange 3) Typically at a bolted connection between 2 shaft with flexible joints such as a propellor shaft or drive shaft 4) Rear Axle Shaft (from FSM), more commonly: Stub Axle

Way to "one size fits none" for me.

There are machine marks on the spots so it is clearly intentional. Balancing artifact would my guess.