NewZed

Weird. I said the same thing, with an easier path to the information. Too many words in my posts, I guess. We're both repeating things that have been said 100's of time though. The internet's a strange pace.

You have an interesting problem, from a couple of views. One is that the regulator is not Nissan, therefore wire colors are probably irrelevant. I would use wire position in the plug. Another is that the form of the regulator indicates that it's probably one of the solid sate, or electronic, replacement parts. From what I've read, they're fragile and fail often. If i was looking at those parts, trying to decide if I should put the time in to making them work, I'd probably decide to just wire up an internally regulated alternator. You said it's bare-bones, so all you need is S, L, charge, and ground for an internal alternator. Or I'd figure out how to make the parts work, but not put the time in to actually doing it. But if you do decide to hook it up, and it's the right replacement part for your year and model of car (Google the number), wire position in the plug is the way to go.

Can't figure out what, exactly, you're looking for.

Probably here somewhere. I'd try a file with the word Electrical in the name. http://www.nicoclub.com/datsun-service-manuals

How much thread sticks through? You could put the nut on, then put two thin jam nuts on top. Jam them to hold the shaft while you torque the lower nut. You'll have to torque by feel though. You could also grind two flats on the top of the shaft and use a thin open end to hold the shaft while you tighten the nut.

Interesting. I would think that the 80's Maxima would use something like the 80's ZX's. I thought that it would look like this F54 manifold (right), compared to a 280Z N42 manifold. Good to know.

If you're new to the old Z EFI system, the fastest way to get them running well, ironically, is to spend the time to go through all of the tests in the Engine Fuel chapter, or the Fuel Injection Guidebook, and give it a Tuneup to spec., before playing with anything. The playing usually just screws things up. The hunt and peck method never works. All of the components and their connections need to be in proper working order. Once you have fixed them all and know they're right, then you can make the minor tweaks to compensate for old parts, or modern fuel.

Read it through twice and it looks like you missed the opportunity to correct the initial simple communication error, and confirmed that you wanted a barbed rail.. Then Pallnet bent over backwards to be a nice guy, paid for your communication mistake (which is clear in the Feb. 5 & 6 e-mails), and gave you the money to start over. You have to pay the time for your error. It says "barb" three times in the list of options that you confirmed, and in your Paypal message. You should have corrected the mistake before you sent the Paypal money.

So you're really asking how much advance the ECCS adds, for 82 vs. 83. I've wondered myself about the timing curves with the computer controlled cars. The descriptions in the FSM are vague, even for later model Nissans. No numbers provided.

Implies that there are short struts with 280Z bearings and axles. Interesting. Found a reference - http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/49194-differential-cv-lsd-hp-torque-r160-r180-r200-r230-diff-mount/ "240s have the weakest stub axles with a smaller diameter 25 spline shaft. 260s got the 240 stubs for the first part of production, then later got the 280s 27 spline shafts. T" Also found this - "280 stub axles can be installed in 240 struts with no modifications and the wheel bearings and seals are the same in both cases. This upgrades the inner part of the shaft from 25 to 27 spline." but I thought that the outer race dimension was different. Now I'm confused. Must be the inner flange that's different and not interchangeable. Looks like you're covered, good luck.

Isn't early 260Z like 240Z? 25 spline? I assume that the hub changed with the strut assembly, which was the short style in the early model S30's. The bearings used are different size, from early to late. Don't know, just asking... The ZX axle will work in the early hubs if the dust shield is modified. It's a way to use CV axles on 240Z's. It's documented out there somewhere. Not a straight bolt-in though.

Forget about the locksmith then. You're still not being very descriptive, you didn't answer the important questions. So I'll just give a suggestion - it's not uncommon for dirty battery terminal connections to allow the lights and everything else to work but not the starter. The starter draws a lot of current and the heat will open a dirty connection.

Are you changing anything else, or did you toast the R180? Not much benefit to the R200. That's why they put the R180 in there instead.

When you turn the key to what position? The beep is Run or On, right? And when you say "nothing" do you mean stuff that was there, lights, disappear? Or they stay on but nothing happens? Big difference and it matters. Are you saying that you don't even get the beep now? The locksmith won't help the electrical switch. You can connect that up and turn it with a screwdriver. That's all the key part does. Turn the electrical switch (the back part) with a screwdriver and describe what happens.

It's a flyer, but that is somewhat symptomatic of a bad ECU or bad ECU connector. The door slam = die also fits. People have had the "blue smoke" problem while the engine is running and fixed it by pounding on the side of the ECU, or wiggling the cable. Not kidding. Others have found that the solder joints at the ECU cable connection are cracked, causing the blue smoke problem. They reflowed the solder joints. I had an ECU that would just die out of nowhere, then restart a minute later. I knew my problem was the ECU because I had just installed it to make sure it was good. Unfortunately, the tests won't pick up a bad ECU. Mine was a bad transistor, the others were bad solder joints. So you can either beat on the side of the ECU, or wiggle the cable or borrow an ECU and try it. One case where swapping parts makes sense. Even at the end of all of the FSM testing, if you don't find the problem it usually says "replace ECU".

Looks like a part added to improve durability. Thrust block. http://xenonzcar.com/z31/differentialinfo.html

You need to lurk harder. I've never had one but have read often about the spacer on the end of the crankshaft used for the automatic transmission flex plate. Pretty sure I can see the separation line in your pictures. Pry or pull it off and you should be where you need to be.

List the numbers that you got from the "bible" tests. Coolant temperature resistance versus temperature (measured at the ECU), fuel pressure with and without the vacuum hose connected, ignition timing, etc. Describe what parts are on the engine now, AFM (is it the right part number), distributor, ignition module (is it the stock 1977 unit?), PCV system (all of those hoses on top and under the intake manifold) complete and properly connected, etc. Then describe n detail, with numbers like seconds or minutes, what the problem is. "It dies then takes 30 seconds of cranking with the fuel pump off to start" or similar, whatever describes the situation. Engine dies, won't start is too vague. The EFI system has a lot of parts and they are all connected, and need to be working right. Any one of the things I mentioned above could screw up the way your engine runs.

They all do. It's normal.

This is completely wrong. Seems like you've got the skill with hand tools but you don't understand how electronic fuel injection works. No offense, but that's what you're showing. It's important to know at least the lowest basics to make these things run right. The Engine Fuel chapter of the FSM does an excellent job of explaining how the system works. You gotta read it. The fuel pump is on all of the time that the engine is running. If you take an 8 hour drive, the fuel pump had power and pumped fuel for a solid 8 hours.

Slapping is generally a bad idea. A loose distributor shaft won't cause your tach to "go nuts". EFI with a return line on the fuel supply doesn't vapor lock. Fishing around isn't necessary when the full FSM is available through the internet with detailed diagnostic procedures. You need to find a full size screen so you can do some study. Get a meter and open the FSM and generate some numbers that tell you something.

Many old L28 EFI systems are lean. For whatever reason, old electronics, or today's fuel, adding resistance to the coolant temperature circuit can fix the problem. Actually, it seems that Nissan might have set the EFI tune on the edge initially, especially for the ZX's, for mileage or emissions reasons maybe and now it's too lean. It's not uncommon to find a resistor in the coolant circuit wiring on an old ZX. Many people add a potentiometer to tune on the fly. Search for BRAAP's EFI tips in the L Series FAQ's and you'll see it described.

Signs do point to the ignition module (stravi's power transistor, there's one in the module). "my tach would go ape-shit". The noise from the fuel pump relay is what happens when the engine is about to die. No air through the AMF to keep the pump contacts closed. You've done so much work on it that it's hard to tell where to focus, but, if you're desperate, wire in a GM HEI module, for ~$20, disconnect your stock module by the fuse box (insulate the wire ends so you don't get a short), and see what happens. It's a fairly common problem, the tach behavior and the fact that it revives after cooling down are signs. But, search around on HEI module swap for 280Z's first and see what you think.

The Service Manual is full of drawings, very well-done. The internet is full of pictures. Even a car with intact original parts is a complicated project. More help - Body Electrical chapter for the links and those parts.

Bear. Should have joined about $1000 ago. You've described the past, but there's not much about the present. What is today's problem? All I can get is sometimes the engine dies when you shut the door.