Pharaohabq

There's a lot of reasons it may not be starting. but yes, a little more information might help us give you suggestions without too much sarcasm. As NewZ said, when was the last time it ran? By not turning over I assume you mean it won't start, not that it won't crank over. That alone tells us it's probably not the starter or frozen engine. So the more info you can give us the better. Pull the plugs and see if they're wet or dry. (I'd bet wet) so try pulling the plug off the thermotyme/cold start injector and see if it'll catch. If that doesn't work, pull off the hose from the air cleaner, and see if you can push the flapper on the AFM, it might be stuck. Try starting again. Let us know what you find out. Also, how about some pictures? I need stimulation, I'm falling asleep over here. (Yay me! this is my 1400'th post!)

nice! pull off that shift ball before install or you'll scuff it up like I did mine...

Oh Man, that bites. I hope that lady is going to pay for your damage. It's completely her fault as she was entering YOUR traffic lane. Anyway, Do you have any pictures? maybe we can give you pointers on what the best direction to go for repair is. There's a lot of spart parts out there too so we can get you parts that you'll need. Remember your car is a high dollar classic when dealing with insurance. We can provide plenty of examples of comparibles, don't let them go off "book" value, since likely they wrote the book.

if that FPR was all clogged up, you might also check the hose leading to it. It may be all clogged up too. I was thinking your dizzy might be off still, since it's possible that the oil pump may be off a tooth, if it is it could cause a lot of issues, though you said when you lowered the fuel pressure that it ran pretty decent, so maybe that's pretty far off the mark. Still, you might try adjusting +/- 5 deg on your dizzy and just see what it does before you start adusting the rest of the engine out of spec. These cars are older than a lot of us, so there's not much chance of knowing what a previous owner may have done. All your picts of the timing marks looked correct. Let us know what you find if you get this sorted out. How did swapping your thermotyme/temp sensor go?

Hey Docaam, no update yet on AC. We know that the steering can be routed around the pump by using two U joints (I'm using spares from the 350Z donor column.) but I haven't worked out the AC system integration with the Stock S30 AC system. from what I understand, it's supposed to be doable, but the entire stock system has to be completely drained and cleared out before changing refridgerant. There's a lt to it, but I expect that when I get there it should be doable with the new pump. The other way I've been thinking about doing it is mounting the pump where the 350Z PS pump was mounted on a custom bracket, but I'm not sure the spacing will fit. Swapping the Fuel rails 180 deg has allowed for rear entrance of the fuel line to the rails across the top of the engine, but it keeps the fuel lines out of the way, so that shouldn't affect placement of the pump. Getting the Belt to work in that position may be fun. I need to get the engine put back in mine to be able to try these things out, though that'll be after paint.

Hey Zero, Your Gas tank looks like it turned out really good. I don't think you lost that much volume over stock either. I might have to weld in a flange for mine. I'm really liking it. All it needs now is paint Yeah I've heard the 350z Radiator won't fit. but I've never seen anyone try it, so I'm looking forward to your experience with it. It'll be nice to have the stock fans. As for the crossmember you shouldn't have much trouble. the harder part is figuring how you're going to handle locking your hood without the latch. Austin used those pin clamps. As for the AC. I was planning on building a bracket that would mount where the PS pump was and trying to fit the AC pump there, but I'm not sure now much room there will be, or if it'll need much support on the back end of the pump. it's just ideas. I want AC tho, it's hot in NM. the other idea is to leave the pump in it's stock location and extend the steering linkage with extra U joint. I'm using the ones off a 350z steering column.

I just wrapped the rails in the engine bay. You'll also need to build the mount for the steering mod. Mine is not using the McKinney mount, though I wish they'd had it availible when I started. I might swap to it if I have any issues. one thing about the McKinney kit is that it really makes moving the engine back and forth easy! Mine, I didn't have the sliders so I had to pull weld cut reposition, weld, etc my mounts which was a headache and a half.

Remind me never to piss you off Tony...

You can also buy sets of replacement EFI plugs on Ebay cheap. Be sure to take a firm plastic brush to the contacts of the injectors to clean off the corrosion before plugging back on the new connectors. I've heard dielectric grease is also a good idea to keep moisture out. Don't forget the rubber boots.

I've got # 5362.. 11/70, it's in rough shape, Rust, Quarters need replaced, pin holed floor pans. it was sanded and abandoned. but I bought it for $400, mainly because it came with tons of spare parts that I can part out if I never get to the 70'. The thing is, I will NEVER NEVER get anything more than I've put into the car. Even if I fix the rust and paint it it's still not going to be worth all that much because there's a lot of other cars in better shape. The reason I wanted this car is A> It's a Series 1, and B> It's the same age as I am. It's cool TO ME for that fact alone. if it was a VIN Sub <1000 it might be worth more based on that fact alone. Problem is that 90% of the buyers out there don't care about it's lower Vin, they're looking for something to mod or something to part on Ebay. So unless you're very lucky to find someone who understands the value of a restored early Z, you won't get what you're hoping for the VIN. There's another thread on low vins here you might find interresting: http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/106048-low-vin-number-value/?hl=low+vin Phar

Pretty nifty, I've often thought about this very swap since my wife's 97' eclipse GST runs so well. Your engine looks like it's mounted pretty low in the bay? it's probably just the pictures. The 4G63 isn't that tall. There's SO much more room to work on it in the Z than in the Eclipse. This should be a fun car! Can't wait to see more pictures.

Wow, That's a great start! I can only wish my Z started off looking so pretty.

Now, I'm not sure about that 7K price either. But you can tell they've done some work. I would really be weary about the car though. I agree with Tony-D's answer. It is most likely a 280z being represented as a 240Z. But a little work on panels and such is a scary thought. Get a magnet and do the magnet test on the panels, especially the rear quarters. We've seen a lot of cars with .5" or more of bondo to cover bad spots, rust or whatnot. The antenna has been deleted along with the rear shave so you know some work has been done. Ask if he has any pictures of the build. Looking at that hood badge pict makes me think the paint doesn't look very well done. No color sand, no clear. looks to me like a quick job. 240Z's had that diamond pattern vinyl on the strut tower, and over the trans tunnel. The Taillights are 280Z type. The wooden steering wheel and mirrors is about the only 240z thing I see. Really getting to see picts of the build prior to pain would be about the only way I'd buy it. You don't want to buy womething that will crack and bubble away in a vew months. As was said previously, If you are going for a build up driver yourself, then maybe start with something you won't be duplicating work on. Get it up on a rack and look underneath. Most paint/polish quick jobs completely ignore the underbody. A good build will usually have at least an underbody recoat, especially if there's been underbody rust repair. Also check for rust in the well behind the front tires. that's a big clue area. others are Tirewell, rear deck, inside rear tirewell lips. Battery tray. Search Rust on here. there's a lot of information. That being said, I'd probably pass unless he's got picts and the car is solid. I understand your not wanting to travel, but there's a lot of near rust free Z's in the south western states. Many can be had cheap, shipping in the US is roughly $800 bucks insured. so Consider widening your search, but becareful and know what you're buying.

Nifty, I wonder if I could 3d print one... And that's another project to make a 3d cad file of.

We've said it many many times, Learn where the rust happens, then go look at the cars. if it's out of town then ask for pictures of said areas. If the seller is on the level there should be no problem getting pictures sent in this day and age. Once you're satisfied that you know what you're getting, then buy the car and maybe have it shipped. There's a LOT of these cars Here in the SW, in NM, in TX, in AZ, In SoCal. Yes they're getting more rare, so prices are going up, the good stock ones are getting much fewer and far between. There's still a few under $1000 if you look around. Contact local Z clubs and ask. Do your Homework, know what you're buying, You'll get a fair deal. One BIG BIG thing I would highly recommend if you buy a Southwestern car and ship it to the East/Rustbelt or coastal region, WAX THE F#!K out of it AND UNDERCOAT it. Most of these southern cars have been sitting in the desert, dry and non-rusted for decades, the paint is full of micro scratches. If you just bring it to the east, it's going to rust almost as quickly as bare metal. Once you get rust under the paint, you've got a much bigger issue. So Protect your investment that you looked so hard to find. It will save you a lot in the long run. On the otherhand, expect that most of the rubber is dryrotted from the heat and expect to replace it. it's still a lot cheaper than fixing rust.

for the link to the EFI theory and troubleshooting guide. I hadn't seen that, its a very good overview of the L series EFI. I am really glad to have read it. If I'd had that back in 88' I wouldn't have been stranded at my girlfriend's house so often when it got cold!

As for those bolts. Since they're rusted and you're not going to use them, just cut the heads off. I'm not sure if you can fit an angle grinder in there with the gas tank in the way, but you may be able to dremel them out or dremel them into something you can put a wrench on. I've never seen a 280Z stock bumper used with the 240Z front lower lights. I like the 240z version. You'll need to get the 240Z version of the airdam with those lights anyway. Why not just remove the 280 bumper and go bumperless until you get the 240z bumper some time in the future. (you may have DOT regulations requiring a bumper. ) Oh don't forget to treat the rusted areas you clean up with a rust inhibitor. (even if it's nothing more that using vinegar and water.) then put on your primer. It's better to have primer on there than bare metal if you're having to leave your car out in the weather.

I didn't know scrap was worth so much. I should check out the local prices. If they're high enough I can grab the trailer and drive around picking up dead cars cheap. not necessarilly Z's of course. Really tho, in this specific case, I agree parting it is probably going to be his highest profit option. I see tons of parts on Ebay that if we didn't have someone local I can buy from, then I'd be bidding for them. There's a lot of profit to be made if you have the room to dismantle. That's not really the issue here tho, it's time, How much is your time worth. How much did you buy the car for again? Well it's worth about "That much". The point is that something is worth what you can get someone to pay for it. You can spend your time making it more marketable by putting an engine in etc etc, but likely the cost will be more than you will get even for going back to stock. The other downside to putting the engine in and all is that you have to make it relatively safe to drive which means fixing brakes and signals etc. it's a can of worms. ("Can you hear the can opener" is what my wife always asks!) But ask yourself this: "Will I make more $ working at mickey D's for the same hours it will take to fix this car?" if the answer is yes, then Sell it as a shell, if it's no, and you're 100% certain, then fix it. I would bank the answer is yes...

I seem to remember the Rear rotors were supposed to be 280ZX rotors and the 84' ZX rotors were supposed to be used with the Toyota S8 calipers for the front. I'm planning on the silvermine kit. It's tested and true. The Ebrake doesn't take finagleing either. Also If I remember, the rear Maxima brackets were supposed to be used with S13 calipers. You should probably search in the Brake forum. I'm certain there's a sticky on this.

Wow, Ouch that was thick. the repair isn't pretty but it's much better than what was there. The best part is that you know what was there, rather than wondering. Yeah I understand about shop area in the garage. It'sno fun having to work then stop for the week, but at least you have access. that's really a big deal. When you get you parents garage, make sure you keep a schedule up, it's easy to get out of sight out of mind. Also try not to stockpile too many parts "for future projects" until you've got your base all sorted and working. You don't want to eat up too much space around the car and not get to drive it when you're able. Your project is awesome, Keep up with the pictures, we love seeing what you're doing and of course are always happy to offer constructive advice. It's your car, you always have the final say.. Since you have access to the lift I'd still reccommend you buy a couple cans of undercoating and at least touch up the underbody. it can't really hurt, compared to doing nothing. There's a lot of salt on the NH roads this time of year as you know. Did you say you found an Airdam already?

Awesome, It's always fun to see a thread with lots of great picts. It looks like you're mostly just bondo'in things to fix your body panels. I would liek to see what the underbody looks like especially the floorpans out there in NH, you'd be lucky if they're still in decent shape. Reason I ask is that if they're okay, They undercoating likely is not for the age of the car. Not to mention the Ferris Bueler you pulled with it. If the floor pans are intact, then you can just scrub the underbody down, let it dry then get some cans of undercoating and rubber it up. That'll put off the rust a while hopefully. Next it'd be a good idea to pull off the front grate just below the windshield, and seal up the seams in there. That prevents moisture from seeming down the firewall and soaking your carpets. You can lube your wiper arms at the same time. An idea for that shop. You could stack the firewood by the wall and put your car in the "storage" bay. It's awesome you have such a great place to get to work on it. I only wish I had access to a lift like that. not to mention tools and sandblasting etc etc etc...

Have you changed your bushings to Poly already? If you have they require regular lubrication, or they start creaking a lot. Especially in humid climates. If you haven't made that mod, the creaks could be coming from the old rubber bushings that are 35+ years old. It's kind of a damned if you do or damned if you don't situation. If you find all NOS or repro Rubber bushings, likely they'd be good for a while with minimum lubrication.

Wow, that guy is hooking you up with parts. That's really lucky. Yeah there will be a bit that you can trim out of the Dash harness. that's going to be a pain, but The Dash harness also runs the fuses and a lot of other devices. The lines to the fuel pump run from Body#1 through Body#2 back to the pump, but you can just splice that run from the plug. It's good to know about the tank height and the pump height. I really like the idea of dropping the pump inside a couple to allow channelling on the top of the tank. It's going to be a bit of modification to do that though. I am keeping my Fuel system on a deadhead, but I'm swapping the fuel rails 180 deg so the inlet will be at the rear. Your mounts came out looking pretty sweet. Did you have them plasma or laser cut? What'd that run you if you don't mind my asking. The Crossmember mods: There's a lot that has to be cut out of it. Austin's and Myron's builds show it pretty well. The HR I'm doing has a different cut out required since the bottom pan is different, not to mention the oil filter is much more forward. That's one good thing about the DE engine. though that Plenum at the top is a pain. Have you given any thought to the Exhaust?

good job Philly. Glad you found it. Nrgaltime, You may be able to replace that L part at the plumbing aisle. There's a lot of used parts out there. I already posted a guy I'm sure has one. I'm not sure what that valve does, I would guess that it allows circulation when the heater is turned off. If yours is that badly crusted over, I'd bet that your heater core is in pretty bad shape. That's an interresting Question: Has anyone done anything to clean the crusties out of a 40+year old cooling system? Perhaps a few gallons of vinegar poured in for a week or two then a good flush? We've got pretty hard water here in NM, and I know the inside of my radiator has some nice crust built up of 40 years of people adding water.

nice, I hope that the height won't be a problem. I was thinking a mounting ring from the plumbing aisle at lowes might work to reenforce the tank where the pump will mount. I think the diameter is about 5"... Yeah you'll need a BCU, but from what I understand any BCU from the same year will work.