NewZed

You can probably find some wiring diagrams here - http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/ You might just take a timing light to the engine before worrying about the distributor shaft. It runs, it can't be too far off.

The only "o-ring" that matters is the one that seats in the manifold. And it seals "vacuum" or intake leaks, not fuel. The big ring at the top is just a locating and isolating mounting piece. You said you thought you had a timing issue. Did you measure it, even at 1500 RPM? That would tell something. What is it? You saw a small flame at the injector seal area. Was their popping back through the intake when you saw it? If you're running lean and/or your timing is off you can get popping back through the intake. Otherwise, there shouldn't be any flames in the intake manifold. What is your fuel pressure while this was happening? If you can get it running steady at a fairly low RPM, you should measure timing and fuel pressure, and check for intake leaks with carb spray or starting fluid sprayed around the usual leak areas. Determine if it's running rich or lean while it's idling (move the AFM vane). Take some notes on what happens when you give it throttle. That will give you some numbers that you can use and a "state-of-the-system" to work against for future changes. Right now you have a random list of numbers and events but not much connection between them.

Where did you get 3/4"?

Isn't the truck transmission shorter? Maybe the 200SX also. Might be good to measure. I've seen those synchro differences and I was under the impression that it's just a different design for the same function. The critical dimensions are probably the same, just some teeth missing on one. Edit - actually they might be shorter than the 240SX 71C, but similar or the same as the 280Z 71B.

Here's an odd possibility, if you assume the hydraulics are right - the bearing wasn't seated fully in the throwout collar. After using it a few times it dropped down and now it's too short. Just another thing to think about. I would be surpried though if that was the problem. Interesting thoughts on the WOT test he did, but I've always thought that once a clutch starts slipping it keeps slipping unless there's more pressure put on the disc. Where does the change in pressure come from to cause it to grab again? Anyway, have fun. You might measure the slave cylinder travel first and compare it to what it should be before tearing things apart. If it's got full travel, changing the MC won't help. The number is out there somewhere.

Sounds like either your master or slave cylinder are leaking. The column of hydraulic fluid is shortened when the leakage occurs. The leak is slow, that's why you get a moment where it works, then it leaks down to where it doesn't. I forgot to say in Post #4 that the slave cylinder that leaked was new. And the replacement I got, under warranty, had leftover grit from the honing operation inside. The clylinders weren't cleaned before they were packed and shipped so the first one failed early. Just poor manufacturing procedures.

This says that you have all of the right parts, but one or more of them failed. You're searching in the light, when the source of the problem is in the dark (my new catch phrase).

Heat makes a huge difference. It doesn't have to be about- to-warp-red-hot. I used a vice, some sockets or pipe fittings and a MAPP gas torch. Tightened up the vice and it wouldn't budge until I got it warm. It would stop moving as it cooled. Heat will make the hammer method easier also.

Have you checked the slave cyinder for leakage? I had one that leaked fluid/pressure in the middle of its stroke. It held pressure at the end and moved the entire time but didn't travel the full distance. The rubber dust boot was ful of fluid.

It could be something as simple as a bent anti-squeal shim, acting as a flat spring, or a pad hanging up on its mounting pin. Maybe even silicone or adhesive between the pad and piston. Still seems like an air bubble is more likely though, due to the volume. Good luck.

Maybe you're just ignoring my suggestions (maybe I should use more emoticons), but have you watched the pistons and calipers for "springing"? If the MC pistons are doing their jobs and applying hydraulic pressure through the metal brake lines, and have enough stroke, then the fact that you have to pump the pedal means that something is elastic in the system, resetting the starting point when you release the brake pedal. Basically, every time you use the brakes they are out of adjustment, and you have to refill the lines to get the pads to make contact. If there is no air (which would give a compressible bubble), then it has to be mechanical. I fought my front brakes for quite while until I realized the bleeders were on the bottom. I have a little empathy... Edit - Just remembered also that if the brake warning switch is working correctly, your brake warning light will light up if there's a pressure imbalance front-to-back. That might be the switch that Xnke referred to, although it's only an indicator and should reset automatically when the pressure imbalance is fixed. Unless it's clogged or leaking (it has rubber seals inside and could leak internally I believe). It's the one with the wire coming out of the top, below and forward of the MC, bolted to the frame rail.

"This video is private". See if the AFM vane is moving. Watch the counterwieght or hold it open a little bit while starting. Sounds like it's starting on "Start enrichment" but not getting enough AFM signal to keep going. Did you block the PCV line so that you can run with the rocker cover off? Might be easier to just put the cover on and connect the lines. Vacuum lekas are a killer.

Just to add a little more as to "why" that would cause this. Are you guys saying that he's bottoming out the MC piston because the MC cylinder portion designed for the low volume rears is working on the high volume fronts? It would be odd to get the lines switched if he's using a stock MC. 77 isn't in the middle of a design switch period. He could still eye-ball the line from the big reservoir down to the front calipers. Pretty easy to confirm.

The pistons in the calipers are supposed to stay essentially where they end up after the last time the pedal was pushed. The dust seal draws them back a hair so that they don't rub the disc. As I understand things. If I was in your predicamnet I would try to get a good look at the pistons while applying the pedal and see what they do. You might have a retainer or some odd thing acting as a spring and pushing or pulling the pads back, pushing the pistons in to the bore. If there's no air on the inside then the problem must be external.

It will probably make a difference. The voltage from the pickup coil will be rising instead of falling at the proper point in rotation. You'll still get spark but the timing will be retarded and jumpy. If so, just swap them. That's how the GM module works anyway, from the same basic principles. Have you checked resistance of the pickup coil. The ZX magnet is fragile and tends to break. The test procedure inthe FSM is pretty well-detailed, if you haven't been there yet. Air gap adjustment and other tests described.

It's either the regulator or the check valve in the fuel pump, if holding pressure is the issue. See if fuel pressure drops to zero after the engine is shut off.

You should add some piss and just use that blend instead of coolant. Should be good for some horsepower if the old saying runs true...

Break the system down in to pieces. You can make the coil produce a spark by attaching a jumper wire to the negative coil and tapping it to ground with the key on if there's power to + post. Connect a voltmeter or test light to Pin 5 and see if the ECU is producing the +/- voltage signal to the HEI module W pin. Confirm good gorund from the wide mounting grommet on the module. Confirm the the wires to the module have power at B and C when the key is on. Somewhere out there is a way to check that the CAS is producing the signal to the ECU, find that and check the CAS signal. Some are easy to confirm, some take a little ingenuity. Follow the path and confirm as much as you can - CAS signal > ECU > ECU voltage pulse to Pin 5 > Pin 5 to HEI module > HEI module triggers coil > etc. One or more of these things must not be happening. If you're lucky, it will be an easy one to remedy.

The switch (better word than sensor) will close/open at the same temperature, wet or dry. Buried in the metal of the head, it will still reach head temperature. The only effect you might see would be in response time, but probably not significant. If it was a sensor, being used by an EFI system, the delay might make a difference. Thermal paste couldn't hurt, but thread contact will transfer plenty of energy to the body of the switch. They're small. You'll want to verify that the switch closes at the right time anyway, in use, so testing will show what's what. These are just opinions, I'm not an engineer.

You might have a dash cap. It's difficult, but not impossible with some tricks, to get the tach and speedo out through the front with a dash cap.

loy makes a point, indirectly. You can look at the position of the wire in the connector plug to convert your colors to the diagram colors. There's a drawing of the plug in the 1982 FSM, Electrical chapter, EL-32.

You're not the first to get caught, if that's the issue. If you're only changing the collar, you won't have to slide the transmission out from underneath, only drop it down in the tunnel and swap collars while under the car. I ran a new/old transmission for about ten days once, watching a 3-4 drops of fluid drip on to the garage floor every day after driving (from the fork pivot pin threads), before swapping it for a different new/old unit. The good thing is that the procedure is fresh in mind, and you know where all of the tools are.

The collar needs to match the pressure plate. May be that you should have used the one from the old 240Z transmission. The 260Z collar might be too tall. See if the old 240Z collar is a short one. That's one possibility. Did you try installing the old slave cylinder to confirm it's not a cylinder problem? That would narrow things down.

Which throwout bearing collar did you use?

Dirty battery connections. Clean and retry.