NewZed

Gapping plugs wider won't affect the popping. L6's used the small gap up until 1978. You might be too focused on the small stuff. How does the engine run when you're driving the car? The idle air screw really only affects idle mixture. Popping at idle could be cross-fire between bad plug wires, an imbalance between injector flows, bad valve settings, etc. You can try to isolate it to one cylinder by removing the injector connectors one at a time. You didn't say if the popping is at idle only or when revving or when driving. Intake popping could be an overall lean mixture or a cylinder with bad valve action, either a worn exhaust lobe or bad lash setting. Intake popping when driving is a common sign of an AFM with lean spots. Just some random thoughts...

How do the plugs look? Did you pull one when you tested spark? The "cammy" sound is what they do when they're running rich. You might just be flooded. The ECU's and their connections flood the engine sometimes when they fail. But, you need to get an actual number for fuel pressure if you do find flooding. Flow doesn't tell pressure. " Only getting fuel pressure when motor is trying to crank over... I removed outlet line from filter and observed fuel flowing when cranking but not in "on" position." The troubleshooting methods in the FSM and the EFI Guidebooks will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Are the injectors firing? The fuel,pump is not supposed to run when the key is ''On". Some cars have a 5 second prime, but it often doesn't work right. But otherwise the pump only runs when the engine does. Yellow-orange sounds like a weak spark. A squirt of starting fluid will tell you if the ignition system is working correctly. If it runs then dies, you have a fuel problem. If it keeps running, but only re-starts with starting fluid, you might have a weak spark problem. If it won't start with starting fluid, you might have a timing problem. Many possibilities but the fluid will help you break the problem down.

Hard to tell what you're dealing with. There is no "alternator voltage relay", for example. You should really only have to deal with the EFI harness and ignition system. As far as research, somebody wrote up a decent procedure for what you're doing. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/38461-240z-260z-280z-turbo-swap-guide/

You're talking about spending $5,000 and you're not even sure what you're working with. Not good.

A higher numerical rear drive ratio will make the gears feel closer, and shorten the top end. You could probably get what you want with a different gear set in the back. You'll have to figure out what you have now first though. The ZX trans has closer low gears but a taller 5th. So you'd still need new gears in the back for the last shift. How do you get 357 HP, 300 ft-lbs torque, out of a non-turbo L28? That's some kind of "built".

Are they stock or "upgraded"? If you pump the pedal do they start to work? Air in the system. Does the check brakes light come on? Imbalance between front and back pressures. Watch the reservoirs when someone presses the pedal, or use a mirror. If large quantities of fluid leave and come back there is air in the system. Bleed screws must be at the top of the calipers. Adjust the play in the mechanical parts. Try to be more descriptive than "don't work".

There's a switch in the AFM for 75 and 76 that can be used to switch a relay. Just like the factory did it. They drew pictures of what they did and wrote up how it worked in a book that they used to give to the mechanics. The alternator wan't used to switch a relay until 1978.

There's not much to the hatch lock. I think it just rotates a metal piece over that blocks the plunger from moving. Could be that someone swapped hatches or locks in the past. You probably have the wrong key.

There are some pictures and test descriptions here - http://www.nicoclub.com/nissan-service-manuals and here - http://www.nicoclub.com/datsun-service-manuals depending on what car and alternator you're working with. You can even check that you don't have S and L reversed. And no need to hack-job it with stray bulbs and resistors. Your car probably has a charge lamp circuit that will do the job.

This might be true for 280Z's. 240Z's don't seem to have as much space between the flanges. They bind u-joint half-shafts when R200's are installed. (No actual experience, just repeating internet info from reliable sources). I'm surprised that this hasn't been proposed before. If there's enough spline on the inboard side, you should be able to recreate the custom shafts' dimensions, as seems to have been done here.

Bummer. You never said what engine you were dealing with.

The first problem could be either poor driving technique or a lean mixture. Some old AFM's run lean. You can fix them with a potentiometer on the cooling sensor circuit. Or you're just putting around at 1000 RPM. Second problem could be a bad check valve or bad FPR, leaking down. Check pressure before you do anything in the morning. Leave the gauge on. Third problem could be a dirty throttle body or weak/broken throttle return spring. Check your linkage. Also make sure that you don't just have big feet stuck on the pedal. You might be wasting money on u-joints since you don't know that they're really bad.

"240z small block radiator hoses" on Google brought up some stuff. Here's one of several - http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/73%20Datsun%20Z%20-%20Small%20Block%20Chevy.html

Seems like it might work. Good idea. There are members though, that have pulled their axles out of the diff because they weren't long enough (it was a while ago and I can't remember the details. Edit - actually I think that he ended up grinding some grooves like you did.). You would just need to confirm that you have the travel to cover the range, shortest to longest. Here's the thread. He actually did a couple of things. Others chimed in with examples too. Just a consideration, you might be fine. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/110723-q45-vlsd-tearing-up-cages/

you cant have efi without wiring.

Both of those options still use wires that need to be connected. You only save like four or five injectors worth of wire. Why don't you just go mechanical? http://www.arizonazcar.com/manifold.html

I almost mentioned weight as a good piece of information. The thread in general though illustrates how easy it is to get unfocused. The OP only started it because "when i picked up one of the calipers. WOW are they light. all aluminum four piston fixed caliper and they're cheap at 35 a piece. so i was wondering if this would be another budget upgrade option." Budget "upgrade" and racing applications are two different worlds. I was just trying to redirect back to the basics of brakes. Edit - not that I'm an expert. I've been surprised though that nobody mentions one benefit of switching to disc in the back - no more up and down brake pedal adjustment with the parking brake handle. Waiting for the star wheel to hit the next notch.

Since 77 is the last year of Z that came with the 4 speed as the stock setup, and 5 speed as option, you're probably okay. It's the early 4 speeds that had the reverse switch in a different spot. And, of the two write-ups out there that describe the front case/bellhousing swap, at least one, maybe both, has pictures of the early and late 4 speed reverse switches. Find those write-ups and look at the pictures if you want to be positive. For future searches, the 240SX 5 speed is also known as the 71C transmission. You could also measure the distance from the parting line (adapter plate) to the switch on both and see if they're the same or not. http://www.motortopia.com/cars/1973-datsun-240z-11118/car-pictures/240sx-transmission-swap-14041/DSC04293JPG_Thumbnail1.jpg-266482 http://home.comcast.net/~zheimsothtn/transmission.htm

All that matters is how you plan to use the brakes. Tying brakes to horsepower is based on an assumption that the horsepower will be used to go faster. But stopping a 120 HP car from 100 mph requires dissipating the same amount of energy as stopping a 1,000 HP car from 100 mph. Assuming the same weight. It's just bad logic to tie them together. A lot of these threads get side-tracked from illogical thinking.

Horsepower is for accelerating, brakes are for decelerating. There is no horsepower rating for a brake system, it makes no sense.

Some thought on PCV's - sometimes fresh air flows in to the valve covers to purge gases from the block vent, sometimes excess combustion gases are flowing out of the valve cover when the block vent is overwhelmed. At least on the L6 system, according to their diagram. GM might have changed things around on the LS. So if you have a drain back or oil mist carrying problem from the heads because of too much blowby at high RPM, it may be that the block vent needs to be enlarged, not the drain back ports, or the valve cover vents. The combustion gases start their travels from the piston skirt area, which is in the crankcase. Even if you run open breathers from the valve covers, all of those gases are hindering drain back or picking up valve train mist/droplets on their way up and out. You're actually just allowing more gases up into the valve covers. Seems like you'd want to find a quiet spot in the crankcase and put your extra vents their, leaving the valve area alone. Less convenient and more work, but it might be a better solution. Just a perspective from a guy with a stock EFI L6. The GM LSX system might be totally different.

The topic seems to have changed to PCV. On that, and its effect on performance, it doesn't get mentioned often that the gases carrying the oil in to the intake system are combustion gases. Depleted of oxygen, so reducing power output. Somebody out there has probably done the math or measurements on how much. An HP or two from an externally vented crankcase might be worth the effort. On the original topic of monitoring vitals, since low oil pressure has immediate effects, an audible warning based on pressure at the pump outlet would seem worthwhile. Kill the engine or let off the gas when the alarm goes off to save cash. Who can monitor all of their gauges second-by-second?

Banging through the gears has broken some stuff. You probably had a few bolts get loose then left them loose while doing more banging, causing breaking. Since a shop is doing the work it will probably be expensive.

On the off-topic problem of oily PCV air in the intake system - wouldn't an air-oil separator, in addition to, or replacing, the catch can, do the job? http://www.grimmspeed.com/air-oil-separator-wrx-sti-lgt-fxt/ http://www.dana.com/wps/wcm/connect/897e0128-2bb5-4371-b991-1c6678c06c25/DEXT2-Publ-MTZ__Oil_separation_e.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=897e0128-2bb5-4371-b991-1c6678c06c25 For the budget-minded - http://www.amazon.com/JEGS-Performance-Products-52205-Separator/dp/B007WWW6DI Edit 2 - I guess my direct point would be that if you run a catch-can and still get oil in the intake, you might just need a better design of catch-can.