NewZed

If the camshaft and crankshaft are oriented correctly, you can't have a jumped tooth. You might be getting ahead of yourself.

Pull the rubber boot off of the salve cylinder and look for fluid. It may be that the slave cylinder leaks more when it gets warm.

You have a boost control problem but did not say much about your boost controller. Some information on the "turbo upgrade" might also help.

I believe that the VLSD from the later 300ZX is a short nose diff, so you'll need something like the Modern Motorsports setup. You'll need a custom front mount and a few other not common parts. These two links describe what you're looking at - http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/49194-differential-cv-lsd-hp-torque-r160-r180-r200-r230-diff-mount/ http://www.modern-motorsports.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=74 The first link also describes the 300ZX CLSD, which is a long nose R200 and may be what you're looking for, but still is not a straight bolt-in. Apparently it only came in late 1987 to 1989 300ZXs. Not really sure where the transverse link comes in to the picture either, but I'm not an expert.

Give more details on what you're using and how it's wired, especially the distributor and HEI module. A pish-posh bunch of turbo parts could mean many things.

Your post could use some more details. "Tested everything" - how and what, and what were the results? "Hot wired" - how, what wires went where? Can you hot wire it and get it to start and run consistently? If so, you just need to focus on getting power to the starter and ignition circuit. Can't do much about the backfire until it runs again.

This probably won't help with your overall problem, but NPN and PNP are types of transistors. The switch would have something to do with the expected input and output on that circuit. Transistors are used to fire your injectors and ignition coil by controlling current flow, so the switch setting would be important. Here's a Wikipedia link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_junction_transistor Search NPN, PNP and transistor on Google if you want to dig in to it further. Good luck, the details are over my head...

Is it possible to log and view the actual injector open duration? This would show you how MS is controlling fuel. And is there a minimum duration for Megasquirt? With big injectors and high pressure, maybe you're at the minimum duration. Just guessing, I know a little data acquisition and control but don't have Megasquirt.

You can't post on a Tool Shed thread. But I do appreciate this shedding effort. Much better than words - http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/100294-best-rear-end-for-lt1-t56-combo/page__pid__940347 Thanks Ron.

It's probably possible to turn the engine over by hand, while holding the chain in place (get a helper), to bring the #1 piston to the top. If your timing mark is at zero and the rotor is pointing at the number one plug terminal in the cap then the block's #1 piston is at TDC, ready for ignition. Then turn the camshaft so that the #1 cylinder valves are both closed, put the head on and make the fine adjustment to the camshaft to line up the marks properly. The hardest part would be turning the engine over by hand while holding the chain on.

At 6,0000 rpm, even ~1200 rpm, you should see around 14.8 volts at the battery. The older external regulators will even let up to ~15.5 through. Either your alternator or regulator is bad, or you have some wiring issues. Your assumption that the alt and battery were working correctly, back in Post #6 might be wrong. You might take the alt in to a parts store or auto shop to have it tested. If you had a bad battery, you might have damaged the alternator.

If your car wiring has been modified to use an internally regulated alternator (which might be why you can't find the regulator, because the PO did take it out) then the "upgraded" alternator that MSA offers my not be the right replacement, if you bought the upgraded alt for a '72 240Z. You might have created a short when you re-installed a non-regulated alternator, draining your battery. Either way, you should confirm that you have the right mix of parts. The wiring changes will be back where the voltage regulator should/would be, not at the alternator.

I didn't mean to contradict your post, it's vague grammar on my part. I was just showing the R180 possibility for 3.36 gears. They might be easier to find. Apparently the FSMs don't document everything that was possible on these cars.

Here's a print from the 1973 FSM, Propeller Shaft and Differential Carrier chapter. I think that the R200 was introduced with the 280Z in 1975, so the 260Z has the 3.36 R180 also. This is for the cars with manual transmissions, automatics got 3.54 (as shown in the attached). I'm no expert, I just read a lot...

Some of the 1979 280Zx's came with a 3.36 R180 or R200, according to the FSM. The 240Z's came with 3.36 R180s.

You might be losing fuel pressure through either a leaking check valve in the fuel pump or a leaking fuel pressure regulator (or an aftermarket regulator like Aeromotive's, which all leak down from the factory). If you have a gauge, leave it hooked up overnight or monitor it and see if your fuel pressure is dropping.

ZX's don't use a mustache bar. They have a different mounting system. Take a look under the ZX and you'll see, or take a browse through a ZX FSM. You probably need the back mount from a ZX with an R180.

cygnusx1's design looks very good (link from JSM above) - http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/34969-cv-adapter-print/page__p__452891__hl__%2Badapter+%2Bdrawing__fromsearch__1#entry452891 and the threaded holes with studs or properly sized bolts looks like the easy way to lock the pieces together. Weld the adapter to the 280Z flange and you have essentially the MM adapter, in function. Would anyone with machine shop experience like to venture a guess on the least expensive way to get there - machining from steel stock (cygnusx1 design) or welding cut and machined factory pieces (original topic of this thread)? Thanks.

What I'm trying to do is more along the lines of cygnus1 and alteredz, just using factory parts to save some time and money. Just a single piece with two parallel flanges, no splines. One flange with four holes to bolt to the 280Z axle side companion flange and the other flange will have six holes to bolt to the CV shaft flange. I won't even take the 280Z companion flange off of the car, just pop the diff side stub shafts out, insert the CV shafts, insert the adapter and bolt it all together. That's the concept. If you look at the picture in Post #3 you can see the four hole flange on the left (cut down from the u-joint yoke) and the six hole CV flange on the right (with the splined section cut off). Those two parts will be welded together. Thanks for the feedback and the other links. This is just one more way to get some flexibility in parts selection for the future.

I guess I'll take some more precise measurements, grab my parts and visit some local shops just to see how feasible it is. The machining of the u-joint yoke might cost more than just starting from flat plate. The CV companion flange looks like it might be a good starting point though.

No, sorry, I missed that one. I had already been thinking about it when I started searching so didn't look through all of the results. Thanks for the link. It looks similar to the alteredz website drawing, but with studs instead of through holes. That's similar to what I want, just without the machining costs. A guess on cost to have cygnus1's design made??? Maybe I'm wasting my time. It seems a like a fairly simple adapter to make if you have the equipment, that a lot of people might use if it was available for purchase. The alteredz site referred to the bolt length problem also and recommends cutting them down a small amount. As long as the threads get full purchase on the nut, ~3/4 bolt lengths should work [Edit - actually ~1 inch, I left the length of the nut out - would be very tight], I assume (2 x 1/4" flange thickness, + 1/4" bolt head thickness), but it would be tight. The other option is to put the bolts in from the outside and nuts inside, but that's probably 20 individual aggravations to get them installed. Thanks again for the link. I think that a good lathe and a welder might get the job done, but can't say for sure.

I should have put more work in to my pictures. Here's an edited picture, showing what I was thinking they might look like after cutting/machining (set side by side). The CV companion flange should be easily cut on a lathe (I think), the four bolt 280Z axle side might take more work, to cut the u-joint straps off and grind it to thickness. Welding the two together gives an adapter that connects the four bolt axle flange to the six bolt CV shaft. I'm guessing that they are both forged steel, so if the bolt holes are accessible after welding, maybe with a couple of small gussets or filler for strength, it might work. I'm looking it as I have two parts with 80% of the machining done, with the locating ring on the four bolt side in place and the recess for the CV side built in. Can I finish it and make it work is the question and will it hold up. The car is just a stock 1976 280Z.

I have some spare parts to work with and wondered about making an "inexpensive" (maybe) adapter for using 1983 280ZXT CV shafts on a 1976 280Z. Rather than cutting steel and precision machining 20 or more holes to make an adapter, could I cut and weld existing pieces to get the same result. I have the companion flanges from the 83 ZXT and the u-joint yokes from the 76. Could I cut and weld these two pieces together to achieve the same result as described here - http://alteredz.com/280ZCVHalfshaftConversion.htm I've attached a picture with the two pieces aligned to show the two mating surfaces at the approximate distance apart they would be after cutting and welding. I've taken some rough measurements of CV and U-joint shafts and the flanges and it looks like this would work if the adapter is under 1 3/8" thick. The picture is taken with the critical surfaces ~1 3/*" apart. I have little experience welding and don't know what materials these two pieces are made from. I'm looking for insights anyone can offer on the feasibility of cutting and welding these two pieces, plus the effort required to align the four hole side with the six hole side, on center. Thanks.

The 1972 FSM will probably get you close - http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html I believe that there is no relay, headlight power runs through the combination switch and the dimmer switch which is part of the turn signal stalk. Most headlight problems are from dirty contacts in the dimmer switch.

Maybe the Z31 guys are just low on oxygen - http://www.somender-singh.com/ Groovy, baby!!!!