NewZed

You could put a six tooth reluctor ring on your damper and get the stability of a crank trigger.

Looking for memories from your past... Unlike many here, I am still working with the 30+ year old mechanical distributor. I have a couple of distributors that have numbers on the advance mechanisms that don't match the specs. from the FSM. Am I correct in reading the numbers on these two distributors as 11 and 9.5 degrees of centrifugal advance at the distributor shaft? Which should translate to 22 and 19 degrees at the crankshaft? If so, they must be modified from stock, or there were more varieties from the factory than listed. They are a D6F4-01 (should be 10 [20] degrees, from FSM) from a 1976 280Z and a D6F5-02 from a 1978 (should be 9 [18] from FSM). Both manual transmission. Pictures are attached. Thanks for any insights. Edit - What I'm really wondering is how a 9.5 and an 11 got in to two different 280Z distributors. But any comments about the changes in distributors from year to year would be appreciated.

Look down at the bottom of this link - http://www.datsunstore.com/index.php/cPath/7_634/sort/2a/page/2 They're cheaper than the early models but still spendy. Not terrible though. You should check the specs. though on the 83 vacuum canister and see if that's what you really want. 83 had knock sensors and extra gizmos, valves, etc. on the engine so that they could run lots of vac. advance at certain conditions. I asked ZMan what the specs. were on their replacement canisters (in the link above) but he couldn't say. Stock 83 had up to 30 degrees crankshaft vacuum advance possible (according to the FSM, I'mnot really sure whn it comes in to play though), which is a ton. Were it me, I would try to find a 79 canister, which would be very close to the 75 specs., although there are still many possibilities. They had 5 different distributors for 79, with from 10 to 18 degrees vac. advance possible. The canisters look like they should interchange from at least 74 through 83, but I heard that they won't. Probably worth checking though.

Heat, via flame, on the strut housing works wonders. The cast iron will take a lot with no damage. If you're not replacing the bushings though, be careful not to damage the bushing rubber. If you are replacing the bushings, you can heat it hot enough to soften the rubber, and the center metal and rubber of the bushing might come out with the pin.

The stock tach counts the breaks from the negative terminal of the stock coil. A wire runs from the negative terminal, through a resistor and to the tach. Probably not what you were looking for but might get you started. EDIS will most likely have a different output or outputs for you to use.

The cheapest, simplest, kit-based V-8 Z is probably one with a carbureted Generation I or II small-block chevy engine. JTR has kits and an instruction manual and it has been done many times. http://www.jagsthatrun.com/ The LS series engine swap will be more expensive, especially if you go with fuel injection, although you can get them carbureted also. Engine control for a fuel-injected engine swap will cost more over the carbureted engine. Quite a bit more, if you go for one of the high end EMS's. Plus tuning, etc. By the way, 350 and 400 are common Gen I/II displacements. The LS's are designated in liters, generally, and are also known as Gen III engines. Just an observation from another low-budget guy...

I put some misinformation out here and don't want to steer anyone the wrong way. With the above setup, I did get light pinging at ~2000 rpm, low-load (high vacuum). The combination probably has timing up in the low 40s at those conditions (17 static + 18 vac. + mechanical = too much). I went back to a 1976 vacuum canister (15 degrees of vac advance) and it's still there. I dropped two degrees of static advance and all seems good now. 15 static, 1978 mechanical advance (17 total) specs., 1976 vacuum advance (15 total) specs. Putting this out there for anyone watching, that might still be messing with distributors. I'm stating to see why programmable EMS are so popular now.

The "lttle valve" is a Zerk fitting. It's made to fit the nozzle of a grease gun. Grease guns and Zerk fittings used to be everywhere back before today's age of the sealed bearing. Greasing things used to be part of regular maintenance. If you examine your tie rod ends and ball joints on the front of your car, you will probably find more Zerk fittings under the grease and grime. http://fittingsandadapters.com/greaszerfit.html http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?viewType=gal&psid=21x65099&viewItems=24&keyword=grease+gun&i_cntr=1292367568232&sid=ISx20070515x00001a

Pretty typical of a dirty/corroded high beam/low beam switch. At the base of the turn signal stalk. I have had luck, twice, with spraying Deoxit DN5 in to the switch itself and working it around. Or you can take it apart and clean it. I have also found the contacts in the headlight switch, on top of the steering column, corroded and loose. It is easier to clean than the high/low switch since it is accessible. You can unbend the metal tabs and pop it apart to get to the contacts. Recrimp the metal tabs down tight to get good pressure on the contacts. Your "no low beams" problem suggests the high/low switch is the issue.

The GM HEI transistor ignition module (look for 1977 Camaro ignition module at the parts stores) is cheaper ($20 +/- range) than the MSD unit or the Crane, but it takes more work to get it installed right. The links describing the connections for a 280Z, and a 240Z with a later electronic ignition are below. Basically, one side of the module hooks up to the pickup coil in the distributor, and the other side connects to the positive and negative terminals of the coil. Grounding is through the mounting hole on the module. One option if you're on a low budget, or your current setup is all buggered up. I installed one on a 76 280Z, using the stock coil and resistor and leaving the wire from the coil resistor negative terminal (which came from the wiring harness) unmodified, to maintain the signal to tach and ECU. No wires cut or spliced, just two jumpers from the coil to the module, and the distributor wires moved over. The original ignition module is just unplugged (as described in a separate writeup from Atlanticz.ca about the E12-80 distributor swap - another option for you guys) and kept installed as a spare. It performs essentially the same as the original module, but it's about 34 years newer. Be careful that you know where all of your wires currently come from and go to as they might have been modified in the last 30+ years. The Zs that run carbs could be wired up completely independently of the wiring harness, for troubleshooting or just better functionality, except for one switched power source (which could even be a switched hot wire from the battery if you wanted to avoid the ignition switch). You would lose your tach signal though, but that could be wired in separately also, using the wiring diagram for your model. 280Z GM HEI - http://www.sonic.net/~kyle/hei.html 240Z GM HEI - http://www.sonic.net/~kyle/ztech.html Nissan E12-80- http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/distributor/index.html

You might have a bad damper or missing Woodruff key (the key that locks the damper to the crank, is it in there?). Apparently the rubber can go bad allowing the outer metal ring and pulley to slip. #2 looks right for cam and crank alignment, both valves closed, piston at TDC. But the notch should be at zero on the timing mark. You can look at the injector or intake runner to see which valves are intake. They are in line with the intake valve with the cam lobe directly above.

When?

My comment was really directed at anyone that discusses detonation, not your comment specifically. I agree completely, all RPM matter because that's what driveablity and overall performance is about. I think a lot of this discussion gets diverted by a focus on peak HP numbers. I've seen some good articles in the past on average power under the curve versus peak numbers, and how that is a more meaningful measure of engine performance, but the forum discussions on high CR always seem to drift back to peak HP. Flat torque curves, part-throttle driveablity, etc, get pushed aside. I think that one of your responses in the past was about increased power across the rpm range, improved driveability, etc. I was hoping to direct things back to that perspective. All I'm hoping for is more detail than "10:1 Cr, 32 total advance" gave X peak HP, or similar from anyone who has actual experience running high CR. More details on driveability, the pros and cons of high CR, did they run a "normal" timing curve or ignition map, and how they are making it work.

I was wondering when this topic would pop up again. One question I've been left with in these discussions is, what are the specifics of the timing and where in the rpm range does the rattling occur, when it does? Since Megasquirt seems to be very popular, maybe a timing v. pressure and rpm map would tell the story. Or the basic distributor specs. if one is used. I ask because I have been mucking around in the area of distributors and timing and ignition modules recently and have found a very large range of possibilities for variation in "stock" timing curves, mechanical and vacuum, from the variety of factory distributors used in the Zs over the years. So every time I see 28 degrees or 36 degrees total, I wonder "when"? When is the timing all in and when does the detonation happen? It seems like, especially with something like Megasquirt, that instead of reducing your total timing if you were on the edge, you could move the curve up the rpm range. Anyway, I think it would add some useful detail to this interesting and recurring topic, and maybe add some clarity too.

Start at about post #20 in this thread and things should make sense - http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/96568-alternator-question/page__pid__909445__st__20#entry909445

Here's an assortment. Maybe your year is in there... http://www.datsunstore.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=heater&osCsid=49f67b9492386999c5c38b5de2a1d552&x=0&y=0 Start here if the results page I linked to doesn't hold up - http://www.zspecialties.com/

There is an 81 Maxima with an apparently fully intact L24E in the Portland Oregon South Pick n Pull, Row 34. In case anyone is interested. I assume that it has the popular Maxima N47 head (forgot to confirm, what else could it be). The engine looks complete and stock with no hack work visible. The distributor stator magnet is broken, maybe that's why it was junked. It looks like it was running recently otherwise. Watch out for the mouse living in the hood lining.

You can't go wrong here - http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html The EE and ET chapters will tell you a lot about your timing. The TPS is covered in EF. Once you get these figured out, you'll probably have more problems to work out so it's best to have this on hand. Kind of surprising that you rebuilt the motor but you're new to ignition timing. Just saying, it's interesting. How did you rebuild the motor without the FSM?

A couple more options for stock parts - http://www.zspecialties.com/ http://www.courtesyparts.com/

Atlanticz's site has a few wiring diagrams. Looks like the 240s run positive to the coil through the tach. You might be able to jump across the tach plug to get power to the coil or run a temporary wire, if you really need to start it. Be careful. http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/electrical.htm

The guys on that madelectrical site cover what bjhines is saying (Edit - sort of, no offense), plus a little more, from a different starting point, and add some funky pictures. It's an interesting topic, especially with all of the old crimped splices buried under the typical Z's harness tape. These guys suggest a common central terminal to run all of your loads from, plus put your sense wire there. Seems to make sense, although I'm sure there's better looking hardware out there. If my stock 280 harness wasn't in good shape, with low voltage drops, I'd probably tear it out and go with the central distribution point. Second edit - This would allow the shortest, direct path to any new accessories, with dedicated fuses. http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/remotevoltagesensing.shtml

Thanks rayaapp, I appreciate it. I see that this one has the super high vacuum advance. Kind of scary. And the dual vacuum advance curves (dual vacuum ports from what I've gathered), which I assume are switched some how. Not really clear yet on how that works, I would guess rpm based (Edit - just found something similar in a ZX FSM. Apparently it's an emissions control thing, with a cold, warm, normal position - strange). Thanks again.

I need a spare distributor and have located one from a 1981 Maxima with L24E and automatic transmission. I have downloaded every manual from the Xenon site so can find curves for almost all of the Z engines, but can't find anything similar on the internet in the 810/Maxima world. Does anyone know where this information exists or does someone have the information for the 1981 year? I'm looking for mechanical and vacuum advance numbers and when they happen. Thanks for any help.

Ignition timing is one of those hard to understand areas that is made more difficult by the way the distributor data is reported. As I understand things, the distributor turns at half crankshaft speed because the spark is only needed on every other up stroke. But the distributor data is reported in distributor shaft revolutions, so must be adjusted to tell you what is happening relative to the crankshaft. Therefore, the rpm reported should be doubled, because the cranksaft is going twice as fast as the distributor. And the degrees reported must be doubled, because the crankshaft travels 2 degrees for every one that the distributor does. The vacuum level is the same. So your L24 D606-52 specs would be: Mechanical starts 900 rpms ends 2000 rpms with a total of 12° Vacuum starts 100mm Hg ends 245mm Hg with a total of 11° With static at 10, you should get 33 degrees advance above 2000 rpm with over 245mm Hg (high rpm cruising) and 22 total at WOT above 2000 rpm. Your data is close to that, with wear and gummed up weights as possibilities for the 2 extra degrees and the higher rpm. But it looks like you had vacuum activated for both data sets. This is my current understanding and I welcome any comments about whether it is right or wrong. It seems to work for me, I have a DCF5-02 in my car with 17 (8.5 reported at the dist.) mechanical at 2500 rpm and 18 (9 reported at dist.) vacuum at 11.61" (295 mm) Hg. I'm running 17 static, so I'm at 52 and 34 (Edit - SHOULD be at 52 and 34, I don't have the right timing light to confirm), cruise and WOT, above 2500 rpm. I've heard not a knock or ping with 89 octane, but it is kind of cold here. I worked my way up a few degrees at a time and the engine got more responsive every time. I have a stock 1976 with EFI, but using a 1978 distributor. I'm just throwing all of this out there for conversation, and might be repeating something already well-known, or maybe even wrong. It took me a while to figure out what was up with the various distributors and how the specs. were reported.

I'm just a rookie myself, and don't even have an AFR gauge. But 16.8:1 AFR looks like you're running out of fuel, in addition to timing issues, if that AFR is what you are seeing when you open the throttle. Edit - I don't have much experience with carbs either so can't offer any solutions, just an observation.