NewZed

You should show a picture of your distributor, not pictures from the internet. There's something odd about what you're describing. It sounds like you haven't even pulled the distributor. If you have the pedestal mounting bolts out just pull up and the distributor will come out. It should not be complicated, at all. Most people call this the pedestal, not a "bracket".

Here's another showing the plane of separation between the part that turns and the part that doesn't.

You're trying to turn the wrong part. Loosen the single screw, Phillips head, holding the distributor plate to the pedestal. Then the distributor will turn. The two bolts hold the pedestal down. Those are often sealed with gasket sealer since they have oil underneath. It's not meant to turn. Here is one of your pictures with a circle showing where the screw is. It should be easy to see.

Thanks. Never heard of them. Actually I've heard of Datsunworks. Lost track of it though. http://datsunworks.com/ https://www.godzillaraceworks.com/ https://www.godzillaraceworks.com/drivetrain

Do you have a web site? Could put it in your sig. Don't know where to see your products.

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My post was actually directed at primaz. He never really defined what he wants a different transmission for. So really it's just about options. Best for what? Sounds like mostly long term usage and maintenance, planning ahead. Good idea. Why I had three spares of various forms in my garage. Once you get deeper in to it you have to worry about ratios also.

There used to be a rule on the site that there is no "best". Your choice depends on your plans. You haven't defined your plans, so really, your thread is just about what choices there are.

This is a good one, but I don't think you can get new 240SX 5 speeds anymore. Maybe you can if you find the right dealer. http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/240SX5spd/transmission.htm

Notice though, that the diagram says switch. I think that's a typo since the diagram is for the oil pressure gauge. The switch is described in the Engine Fuel section under fuel pump operation.

Looks like the one with the yellow wire with black stripe. The other prong is a switch for the fuel pump relay.

Not so sure that means your gauge is fine. Why would it slowly drop to zero? Kind of sounds like the bimetal strip heats up and causes the slowly drops to zero part. If I read the description right you should be able to connect an ohm-meter to the pressure sensor side and see resistance change when you start the engine. Not sure where it starts though. These old gauges have some odd operating features. Internal voltage regulator, for example. I think its purpose is to correct for voltage changes as the alternator kicks in and out. Maybe this will give you a clue. Here's a thought, that might tell you if it's the gauge. Disconnect the pressure sensor, open circuit. Turn the key on. If the needle does the rise and drop thing it almost certainly has to be the gauge, or the wires. Check your wires for short circuits to ground.

This looks like advice to me...

Taking the advice of someone who has found a way around the law, or thinks he has, doesn't seem like a good idea. Plus he has a 71 so he might think that he knows a guy, but his car gets a pass on most of the emissions rules. Your 78 does not. Better figure it out before you spend too much money. Plus - new administration in D.C. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/smog-inspections/ Your vehicle does not need a smog inspection if your: Gasoline-powered vehicle is a 1975 year model or older (This includes motorcycles and trailers.) Diesel-powered vehicle is a 1997 and older year model OR with a Gross Vehicle Weight of more than 14,000 pounds. Powered by natural gas and weighs more than 14,000 pounds. An electric vehicle. Gasoline-powered and less than four model years old

what year car

You can dead-head the line and should get at most about 60 psi. The Nissan pumps have an internal relief valve. If you want to test it just put a gauge at the end of the output line close to the pump, crank the hose clamps down and apply some power. It might be something as simple as a piece of old hose stuck in your new regulator. Best to check the pump alone before assuming too much. Forgot to say, the inlet needs to be unobstructed also. If you had the tank sealed it's not uncommon to end up blocking the inlet to the pump. And - gauge on the wrong line. The return line, maybe. It happens.

I used to think you needed the whole box, but apparently you just need the pedals and maybe the shaft or spacers/washers, etc that make them fit in the box. I think you need both pedals because the automatic brake pedal is wider than the manual brake pedal. There's an old Wheeler Dealer episode where they convert a 240Z to manual transmission. Worth watching if you can get the episode. Might be on youtube. They had to cut out the hole for the shift lever also. Showed the whole process. Looks like you can buy it, don't know how that works. Some of the streaming services have it.

Filter? Don't see it listed. You could bypass the damper before replacing it, if you think it's an obstruction. It's purpose is just to reduce pressure pulses, to make things last longer, and probably make things quieter. But the engine will run fine without it. But, really, even with an obstruction, your pump should build pressure, if you test it without the engine running. The FPR is just a pressure relief valve. It won't open until pressure is reached. Are you sure you got an EFI pump? Maybe you got a carb pump. Also - bad gauge.

Agreed, if you can't take a measurement just eyeball it in there and hope.

Just to give another perspective on what these various sites are saying about two planes...imagine that you're floating above your car and you can see the lines that run through the pinion shaft of the diff and the transmission's output shaft. They need to be parallel. Then imagine that you're laying on the ground beside the car looking through it and can see the same lines. They need to be parallel. That is one of the fundamentals of drivetrain alignment to avoid vibration. The size of the angle is separately important to avoid damaging the u-joint. Too little is bad and too much is bad. But the front and back angles need to be the same, regardless. That's all I'm saying. If you can get the lines parallel and the angle within the recommended range, then there's no need to move engine or diff. But, you have to take the angle measurements. 3/4 inch doesn't mean anything. Only the angles do.

I meant that the engine's crankshaft is most likely parallel to the body's centerline. Like the diff's probably is. Because they started that way. The up and down is where things change when you do swaps. The engine and diff can both be tilted up or down easily, and can therefore be not-quite-right. Anybody who get their engine or diff mounted crooked is going to have other issues besides drive-line vibration.

No offense intended to anyone but you do not have to move the engine unless the angle is too big. You just have to think in terms of two planes. I would guess that the side to side angles are already correct if the engine mounts are factory stock and the diff mount has the halfshafts pointed at the wheel centers. If the crankshaft and the pinion shaft are parallel with the cars body then you don't need to worry about alignment but you do need to make sure the angle is small enough. that's the critical one I think the size of the angle. Move it if the angle is too big but don't move it because it's not pointing directly at the diff. https://vibralign.com/shaft-alignment/understanding-offset-shaft-alignment/ "That is, the angle of the yokes on both ends of the shaft will be equal when the driven and driver are on parallel planes in the vertical and horizontal axes. https://www.markwilliams.com/driveshaft-measuring.html In a perfect world the centerline of the transmission output shaft would be exactly parallel to the pinion centerline on both vertical and horizontal planes (but not “pointed” at each other).

You still have to do up and down. Good luck. If you have vibrations you'll know where to start over at.

It's not really obvious. Everyone has to ponder it to make sense of it. I'd just find a procedure on a web site that you trust and follow it. People have made their own special tools with laser beams and stuff to get it done right. No Sea Bass though. Here's that Laine family link. I haven't read through it. https://www.lainefamily.com/240Z_V8_Conversion.htm

It's a 360 degree thing. Left right up down 45 45...full circle. But if you get left and right and up and down right, they 're all right.