NewZed

Is that clear filter rated for 36 psi? Someone on this forum just reported on a car fire but didn't really say how it happened. Looks like you have an L28 in a 240Z so you probably have the "on when the key's On" fuel pump wiring. Smokey Bear

Get the wheel off the ground (jack stands) and spin it by hand to see if you can locate the source. Check that the drum is not rubbing on the backing plate (brake disc in FSM lingo).

Here's a thread from last year on the subject, if you're up paying for shipping, or a road-trip. At the least, you can tell the local drive line shops that it is possible. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/topic/93688-280z-datsun-nissan-non-replaceable-ujoint-replacement-where-to-go-to-fix-for-just-103-in-30-minuets/page__pid__883219#entry883219

This guy does - http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?42803-Exhaust-gasses-coming-OUT-of-valve-cover Go to Post #14. I can't verify character but he seems like a good guy on the forum.

When the engine is running and the alternator turning, the battery is just another load on the alternator. I don't know enough to say what would be drawing all of those amps, enough to pull the battery down, but I think that you should be focused on supplying the loads directly from the alternator, not the battery. The battery circuit can just be a branch circuit off the main line from the alternator, along with fuel pumps, relays, etc. When lines are run from the battery positive terminal, the power is just passing by the battery through the positive terminal and all of its junctions. Many people install a terminal block, fed by the main wire from the alternator, and run their loads from that. Some also run another block for grounds. You should make sure that your alternator is well-grounded also. Just some thoughts. The main reason I'm reading this is I'm browsing dyno graphs to see where the stock 280's power typically drops off.

I had thought of this as a possibility but had not heard of it happening until just now - http://www.zcar.com/70-83_tech_discussion_forum/disintegrated_throwout_bearing_899546.0.html It's a possibility for you, but not a good one.

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/forum/83-drivetrain/ Topics 2, 5, and 13 are your best starting places. Hopefully, you've looked around and found these already. There's also a search option in the upper right corner of the page.

I've seen batteries boil when the voltage regulator has gone bad,letting high voltage through. A short will overheat a battery also. How long did it take before the battery started steaming? If you were working on it for a while, while it was running, then noticed the smoking, it's probably the voltage regulator in the alternator. If it started smoking right away, that's more likely a short somewhere.

Are you saying that the engine will run now, as long as you don't turn on the headlights? You can start the engine and drive around as long as the headlights are off? Or the engine ran, until the headlights were turned on, now everything is dead? One is a reproducible problem, the other is more random. Reproducible problems are easier to troubleshoot.

Post a good description of what you measured and how, with numbers. And what does a "burned/overleaded" battery look like and how do you tell? Just trying to help, there's not much to work with in your post.

It's possible that your fuel injectors are leaking. The gas pools in the intake and has to get burned off. You could install a pressure gauge and monitor fuel pressure, before you replace expensive injectors. If it happens whenever fuel pressure drops, that would be a fairly good clue, assuming that the FPR and the check valve are in good shape.

A 1979 ZX shouldn't need a longer push rod, if all of the other components are stock and unbroken. If the fluid is coming out of the slave cylinder, then the rod has to be moving, if it's seated on the piston like it should be. It's just moving too far, which it shouldn't do. Why did you put a new slave cylinder on? You might have a problem inside the bellhousing. I have read that the clutch forks do break and bend occasionally. Can you tell if yours is intact and not bent?

You might need a longer pushrod, so that the piston in the slave cylinder starts deeper in the bore when the clutch pedal is up. Your piston is starting its stroke too close to the open end of the bore, pushing all the way out of the bore, and getting stuck, it sounds like. The early 240Zs had adjustable rods. What year car are you working with?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e2b_1308793004

The FSM will tell you what the stock setup was. In the PD section. If the differential is out you can turn the input shaft until the two drive axles make one revolution. Mark all three with white out or similar. As long as both outputs turn at the same rate, it's pretty accurate. The input shaft will either end up at 1/2, 3/4, or almost one full turn from where it started after one full turn of the drive axles, and 3 plus turns of the driveshaft.

The hose looks like it's split, or about too. If you plan to run a functioning PCV system you'll need to replace it, otherwise you'll have a vacuum leak that will be very hard to find once things are put back together.

The point was "don't criticize the forum you're asking help from", made in an indirect way. No need for cursing either, I will assume that "ass" is the same in the Canadian and American languages. Good luck with your swap.

It might be you - http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/forum/92-turbosupercharger/ By the way, it's bad form to misspell when criticizing.

The 280Zs have an ECU controlled fuel enrichment when starting, described in the FSM. I assume that it adds injector open duration. Maybe the 300ZXs have the same feature.

I have a 280Z that was externally regulated so can't speak directly to a 260Z. But you now have two regulators in your charging circuit, the internal and the external. I'm not sure what happens when you do that. Have you checked voltage at the battery with the engine running? The easiest way for you (wiring challenged) might be the MSA adapter in the link I sent. It just plugs in to the plug that connects to the external regulator. All of the "re-wiring" is internal to the plug and the diode is inside. I sent you the wrong link, this one has just the adapter - http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/SRC19/12-4067 Or you could get the right alternator for an external regulator (but check your regulator also). Here is a link that has the 240Z alternator swap described, with the diode part number. It's not too complicated if you want to save a few dollars or don't want to wait for the MSA adapter. The alternator swap is about halfway down the page, Part 7 - http://datsunzgarage.com/engine/

Maybe you read about the MSA conversion kit - http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/12-4068 Did the engine run on before? And did you just swap an internally regulated alternator for an external, without rewiring? I'm not even sure what would happen if that was attempted. What year car and how did you get in to this situation?

Here's the page from the 1987 FSM, it says the 1987 Turbo cars had 3.54 gears. I've heard that there are some errors in the FSMs. Can you tell where you got your information from?

You can hear them when the engine is turning over when you try to start it? They only cycle once per each engine revolution when the engine is turning over and the coil is firing. You might be hearing rocker/valve noise, it would be hard to distinguish injectors from all of the other noise with the starter engaged. Try grounding the coil (-) with the key On. The only noise then will be the snap of the spark when you tap to ground and the injectors all energizing every third tap. Or the screwdriver from injector to ear method while cranking the engine.

The injectors are opened by the ECU grounding the circuit to energize the injector solenoids. The injectors will always have power when the key is at On or Start. If you have power at the injectors then you need to look at the grounding circuit. The ECU gets it signal from a wire that runs from coil (-), through the tachometer and to Pin 1 at the ECU. Check continuity from coil (-) to Pin 1 at the ECU plug. The tachometer needs to be installed for your car to run.

The Auxiliary Air Regulator mounts on the two threaded holes of the aluminum piece. It will be a convenient thing to have working in Illinois. The valve with the hose at the end of it is the EGR piece.