Project1

I attached the diagram. If you search for two seconds you find 25 diagrams all saying the same thing. I even found a coloring book one . Well here is the diagram. When you do your tons of research try google, there's a lot to be found there.

When your alt is mounted in position, the post closest to the motor on the inside is the positive. The post on the outside closest to your fender is the negative. The harness clip is for the voltage regulator. I'm not sure about that because mine has an internal regulator/140 amp. I just did one Google search. The very first thing I clicked on told me the answer to all your questions and had pictures. There was a yellow wire and a black wire and it told how too hook up the FN. I just forgot already....wait ...where am I?

So I have been trying to understand setting up my ignition correctly. I think I have it figured out but it would be super appreciated if someone could check over this setup so I don't have to ruin the dinner of my local fire fighters. The car is a 75 280z NA 4speed. The motor is in the swapping process to what I believe to be an 83 280zx F54 block w/ the 83 dist. I also was attempting to use the msd box I have. First I was trying to hook up the 83 distributer correctly. Then install the msd. With out using the msd, if I understand correctly, I am going to connect the E12-80 to the coil. The "C" to the negative with the tach and the "B" to the positive with the condenser and ignition start. Then to restart with the MSD I would hook the heavy red and black to the battery. The orange and black to the coil. The 12v ignition start and the "B" right to the red on the mds. The "C" to the white on the msd. I am left with these questions: 1. If I understand correctly the tach can no longer be hooked to the msd coil. The msd has a tach wire, will that work for the 280z tach? 2. I do not need the stock blaster resistor. Do I still need to run the condenser to the positive on the coil? 3. Am I missing anything that I should have mentioned? Thanks again for all your help! It's more than greatly appreciated. I included two diagrams. One is setting up a ZX coil on a Z. The other is the standard points setup for a msd.

Getting closer. Still reading about using the 83 distributor on the 75, I also have the msd. Pallnet fuel rail in the mail, as well as a new radiator, and new pig tails for the stock injectors. I still need to make sure I have the vac system set up right so the ac and heat work, still trying to understand how everything works.

You can use a 2x4 butted to the spacer and hit it with a hammer and it will come off. If it's really frozen you can use a puller. You can usually rent them at your local part store for free (w/ deposit) if you didn't have one.

Here's where the mystery motor is as of now. Stoked for the planet fuel rail Also refinished an old nardi steering wheel today. Came out pretty good.

Left out the adhd light Oh, the anti stall dash pot was not ever hooked up either.... Humm..idk

When ADHD meets darkness. I think a plane was circling waiting for permission to land. I went through and cleaned/replaced all the grounds. I replaced a good bit of wires. I really can't wait to put in a MS. It probably would have been easier to just rip everything out and put the MS in. I have just been looking at the efi bible and reading stuff online trying to figure out the vacume, efi and fuel system. I pulled the fast idle and I think I'm going to take out the cold start. I was also thinking about pulling the air regulator. I have a pallnet fuel rail on the way just for the stock injectors. I will switch injectors down the road but I'm going to run this for now. I think I am going to rewire the injectors into one new wire harness as well, but all that stuff will probably get pulled out when the MS goes in. I'm still reading and don't fully understand the whole system yet. Any advice or good reading material is super appreciated. The vacuum switch valve was a riped out wire and was never hooked up, still trying to understand that? Well, making small progress things are just moving slow.

Worked on the mystery motor today. Getting close. One more day and I'll give it a start.

x2 post

Got to work on the datsun today. The mystery motor is almost ready to crank. I just have to replace some fuel line, put together the vacume system, and do the ignition. The N42 is 98% done. Came out pretty good. I would have like to do some head work and some flat tops, but since it's an extra motor it's really not worh it and I'll probably never get my money back so I'll leave it for the next guy. Here's some pics of the N24. I'll take some pics this week of the other motor. I'll see if I can do a video to hear how the abarth sounds. There really isn't too much online ... Although it's a 1.75 rusty @$$ pipe, so I wouldn't recommend it.

It could be used for so many things, it's very basic. My Howell did work well. For sure the msd won't be bad. It's too bad it's kinda a pain to get custom intake manifolds. The msd could be so much better with a better manifold.

I read a bit about the msd efi. I see it's value, however for the money you could build a ITB/MS set up that would be awesome. I ran a Howell efi that was TBI like the msd and it was ok, but it really wasn't that awesome. It was better than my carb though because I didn't have to tune it, I got better mpg and better power. But honestly it would not be my first choice at all, however I believe you will be successful and your motor should end up running well. Looking foward to reading your build , keep up the solid work - Luke

The pick up is very easy to put back in. There are two or three bolts on each side thar are at a tough angle. I used a magnetic ratchet with a long extension ans a angle joint on the end. Same old tricks like get it seated, thread it backwards very slowly until it clicks into the threading to help prevent cross threading, then screw it in. It takes a second to get the pan in and it rubs the gasket kinda close. I rtv'ed the gasket to the pan prior to putting the pan back in, it worked well. Honestly, I think the ZX pan is a better plan. It could be woth it to hit the JY or ebay and swap to a ZX pan.

I just couldn't help laugh when I read that ... Something too look foward too. I did patch a very small hole in the radiator as well. I have some unexpected financial obligations, so I am going to run them for a short bit, and as soon as I can the first thing on the list is a new header and radiator. ... ... ... $@%^ing hotsots. I'm cracking up and frowning at the same time.

Tony D, you give really good advice.

Man that just sucks so bad :-/. I was so pissed one time because someone towed my jeep from an apartment complex because the complex called and said it was illigal not to have doors. I did just get back from the millitary so I might have been a bit reactive, however I can only imagine how pissed that guy is. I wish him the best.

Seriously, that thing broke off so easy..... Aka "vintage". I could weld a patch over it, however it maybe difficult to get it to an actual clean surface. I might be better off just using some jb weld or something.

I took mine off a few times with out jacking up the motor, not that lifting the motor is really an issue. It was a squeze a bit but rotated in the right directions it comes off and goes on just fine.

Awesome, I did not know that. I was just going to plug the holes with a bolt and some hi heat rtv on the threads. I did remove it, just not intentionally ...it broke off and left that nice hole you can see in the pic. I am going to get some new headers for sure. I might run these just for a bit just for budget reasons. But I will probably put that extra motor n42 on craigslist with the header and exhaust and just sell everything for a fair price.

It's the same header, I just painted and wraped it. I thought thoes were something for emissions? I honestly have never heard of air injection into the exhaust (or is it to inject exhaust air into something like an erg?)

Right, :-/ ... I guess you win some/loose some. I do hope this motor runs ok, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I just got them painted, wraped up and a flange with a bung for a wide band too ..gezzz. I got them for $200 so I guess you get what you pay for sometimes. They had the emission ports, but I just pluged them with some copper blots... But ..well ..you see ..merrr.

Got to work on the Z this week, I made some progress but ended in a stand still. Note to self ... Don't order a abarth exhaust for a datsun. The motor went in well and things are looking ok. I did put a hole in the header. The "new" header I got of ebay was a rusted out pos. so I'm just going to order a msa one and go from there. I will weld this one up and just sell it to someone local for really cheap. So waiting on a new header.

If you read his build, which if you haven't you should, it's really nice. He used DSI pistons. They make really nice stuff. They are not cheap, but it's probably woth the money.

Well for sure I don't know anyone who was bummed that their motor sounded awesome. I actually really like the old ferrari sound. I just got an old abarth exhaust for my Z because on a good motor they sound awesome. I was kinda surprized when I got it but the pipe at its largest is 44mm or 1.8". It also has a lot of restrictions, like poor bends and serious stenoses in the resistors. I'm going to run it as is. If it sucks I'll just run a dual abarth, which will probably happen. I'll post a sound clip when it's running. I have been reading a lot about itb's. I think they sound awesom as well, I plan to run them when I get a MS working. I have been looking at building them vs buying them. You can get a good set up for around 1000-1500, maybe a litte less. I figure you can build a dcoe spaced one for about $500. It will be awesome to see your motor run. Thoes pistons are sweet. That company makes valves that sound pretty awesome too.