NewZed

You mean fuel pressure gauge, right? Your car has a regulator already (at least it came with one and should still be there), mounted on the fuel rail. The Airtex pump is commonly recommended as an after market replacement, I believe, because it will fit in the same spot as the old one, with some modifications and can handle the pressure and volume necessary for the engine. I have one on my 76 and it works fine. One downside though, based on how I understand things, is that the original pump had a pressure relief valve that relieved pressure at the pump if line pressure got over about 43 - 64 psi. I don't think the Airtex has that so it could feasibly pressurize your lines to 95 psi if the return line got clogged. It would be worth measuring fuel pressure with a gauge and checking your return line and regulator if it is very high. I would be interested to know if you get a very high pressure reading since I have the same pump and have wondered what would happen if the return line got pinched or clogged. There are also several other reasons for your car to run rich, too many to take a guess, many due to temperature sensors and corroded connections. You could probably learn a lot just by searching the word "rich". It's a fairly common problem.

Thanks for the input on the car in the video. The comments at the Liveleak video site ruined it for me though, so I edited the link out. Still looked like an interesting car though.

So he's using low gears to break the tires loose, then power-braking and beating on it to keep them spinning. I thought maybe it was typical of a turbo motor, perhaps. I don't know much about the various L-series Z flavors yet. The comments imply that it was happening in Saudi Arabia or Iran. Don't read them if you're easily offended. They do have that oil money to blow over there and they seem to have a fascination with drifting so maybe they build motors just for tire-spinning...

Seems to have some good power. My 76 Z won't do that. Edit - Decided to pull this video after thinking about the comments AT the video site (Liveleak), not here. Thanks for the input.

That drawing is from the Factory Service Manual. The one in the downloadable file from xenons30 looks a little bit more legible. Plus the tramming procedure is included. It's in the Body section. You can download it for free. http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html

It's a vacuum tank to accumulate vacuum (if that's even possible) for actuating the various valves, both water and air, for your heater and AC if you have it. Air Conditioning refers to both heating and cooling. Too much free time...

Shadesh's pictures are right. The bolts go in from the bottom. Here's an FSM picture. The transmission mount nut is the same. Take it to Ace Hardware or a similar store and ask them to match it. All you need is thread pitch and diameter, the outer dimensions can be different.

I don't think the key should stay in the Start position. It's spring loaded, so that's not right. If the key was on Start, even though it shouldn't be, and your starter didn't turn, that's not right either. Plus smoke from wiring is never good, it means you burned some insulation. Replacing burned wires is never fun, because the shorted wire, no matter what it runs, will usually take out several others, and melt the rest together. You're asking for more future smoke, and serious aggravation, if you don't dig a little deeper.

I put a new "stock" clutch and pressure plate behind a 76 motor with a 78 transmission, but did not have the flywheel refinished because it looked "okay" and I wanted to save a few dollars. I cleaned the metal surfaces with Brakleen before assembly. It works fine, but it chatters a little, sometimes (when it's cold), at low rpm engagement. I think this might be because the clutch disc is seeing two friction surfaces with different characteristics, a shiny smooth one and a freshly machined one. It's not a huge deal, but can be irritating. The T/C rod comment is about the tension/compression rod in your video (connects to the bottom of the transverse link aka control arm) with the red round bushing on the end. Poly in the back of the rod can (according to some, big discussion topic, search T/C rod poly bushings here and at classiczcar) cause the threaded rod end to fatigue over time and break off. Re your throwout bearing - I haven't tried it but you could probably eyeball the pressure plate spring - clutch fork contact point, after you install the transmission, before you fit the rubber dust boot on over the fork, using your eye or a mirror if you can't get your head up there. If the throwout bearing doesn't move when you wiggle the fork, it's jammed up against the springs. You could also measure distances from the back of the motor to the contact points while it's out. Pressure plate to back of motor vs. throwout surface of fork-mounted bearing to front of trans.

You should probably go to this web link first - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/vehicle/damage.shtml - and read all of it, then follow the link to "Reconstructed Vehicle Procedures.". Then look at the current title for the car, and look closely at the insurance company paperwork, and decide what you can do with it. If it fits the last description, "junked", you might never get it titled. I think that "salvage" might mean "junk" in Oregon. "Totaled" cars can be issued a "recontructed" title. If it is just totaled and needs a reconstructed title, it doesn't look too hard to do in Oregon. I have a parts car with an OR title that says Totaled and Reconstructed right on the title. Edit - follow the links and you'll find out how much it will cost also. And that looks like a 77 or later so it will have to pass DEQ before you can get a new title. Looks like some work.

The FSM, for 1976 anyway, says to support the engine at the oil pan when removing the transmission, using a block of wood to distribute the load. I did as directed when replacing my tranny and there were no signs of oil pan damage afterward - leakage, dents or other. On classiczcars.com I saw someone using a piece of 4x4 or 4x6 wedged between the valve cover and firewall to hold the back of the motor up. Have no idea if it will damage anything. It looked easy and convenient though.

The 78s have two in-line green fusible links mounted to the back of the metal housing that other fusible links are attached to the side of. Right in front of the battery. Looking down at the two fusible link housings from the passenger side, the other two EFI green fusible links should be just to your left. A large (4 or 6 gauge?) red wire comes out of the harness, splits in to the two green link wires at a snap-in connection mounted on the housing which then connects to two heavy gauge white wires that go directly to the battery positive. On my parts car, the two white wires recombine back to one white before the + terminal, but it looks like a PO may have done that. But the mounting position and wiring into the harness look original. I was going to take a picture but my camera battery is dead. Let me know if you don't find them and I will send a picture later. Fun, fun, fun...

You might already know this and it doesn't look like you have messed with the oil pressure sender, but the 78s used an oil pressure switch to power the fuel pump after the engine is started, not the AFM switch. No oil pressure, no fuel. I think the the AFMs might still have the switch but it is not used, they last used it in 77. According to the FSMs. The diagram is on page EF-7 in the 78 FSM. Also, I couldn't tell from your description if you had disconnected the starter and turned the key to Start to see if the fuel pump runs. I think that Start bypasses the oil pressure sender to allow the engine to start, then uses the oil pressure switch to keep it running on On. It's easier to hear the pump, check fuel pressure, etc. without the engine cranking.

The T/C rod nuts and bolts are much easier to get in (Post #11) with the car on the ground (laden suspension) also. They are easy to reach from the side with the wheel turned. I have done it both ways, on the ground is like buttah...

I have a 78 parts car in the garage. Not modified as far as I can tell, it's all original. It has AFM part#A31-604-000 and the motor runs fine. I also have a 76 driver, also original, that has AFM part#A31-060-001.

I had the same problem on my car when I got it. I hosed down the internals of the dimmer/turn signal switch with contact cleaner (Deoxit DN5) while I was trying to figure out how to get it apart and it started working. I never did take it apart and it's been working correctly since. That was 5 months ago.

I had a similar problem with my car. Here is a wordy description - That thing you're pointing at that "might need a vacuum line" is the dashpot. It does not need a vacuum line, it is just open to atmosphere. It is designed to hold the idle up when downshifting or lifting the throttle, for emissions purposes mainly, as described in the Emissions section of the FSM. The dashpot can get stuck or sticky. Mine needed adjustment due to wear (76 car). The plunger had dropped down and was hanging up below the pad it sits on, holding the throttle open and giving a high idle. It took a while to figure out. I had to lift it up to the limit of play in the mounting bracket to get the plunger back on the pad. Work the throttle from the engine bay with the engine off and you'll see how it works, and if it is close to hanging up or not. Some people just remove it but I have found that the car shifts smoother (for casual cruising) with it on and adjusted. I adjusted mine for driveability, not according to the FSM procedure. You may also have a light throttle spring, or one broken (as I did also), allowing the throttle to hang. There are two springs pulling the throttle closed, one around the throttle body shaft and one underneath it connected to the linkage. The one underneath on mine had rusted and broken. It is difficult to get to, and hard to see, so the previous owner had stuck one on the linkage on top, which did not work well. I put an Ace Hardware spring in the proper spot. You might have to try a few different strengths and lengths to get one you like. There are also lots of joints in the linkage that can dry up and stick.

Thanks rejracer. I probably should not have trashed the Precision brand. And this may not be the right forum for my comments/question anyway, since I was looking for smooth shifting and driving not high performance. I get the impression that Precisions are very tough, durable and asequate. Mine just had a lot of slack in them right out of the box. Tight tolerances are expensive, that's why the OEMs are more expensive, I assume, and that's why Nissan recommends shimming the U-joints to spec. with the installation clips. I think the Z drive train design is very sensitive to play in the components. I ended up using the old Nissan half-shafts from my parts car, probably original, but still tight. The car sat for ten years so that's ten extra years of use for me. Thanks for the suggestion.

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=114142&highlight=spindle+pin+rental Here is a puller that seems very popular. I have not seen the design but apparently it works. I think it has the typical gear puller concept behind it, but pushes the rod through the hole. Of course, it takes away the fun of digging through your stuff to make your own extracting device. A slide hammer puller might work if the threads would hold up. I forgot to mention that the first pin actually got stuck in the bushing. I had to heat up the LCA and burn the bushing out with the pin in it. So if you're pulling the pin to replace the bushings, you might as well apply heat to the LCA from the beginning. If you're working on the struts and want to save the bushings, a tight collar on the pin to hold the bushing in, while you pull or push, might be needed. I pounded the second one out while it was on the car. There is room to swing under there. One of those might work also - http://www.amazon.com/Desa-International-494C-Remington-Driver/dp/B000W80SZ2

Looks like you got it figured out. I wrote the below while you were writing above... "Those "bolts" are actually the threaded ends of the same long rod. Called a spindle pin. The AtlanticZ site shows the worst case, going ahead and destroying the pin by sawing it in to three pieces, then driving each piece out. I just destroyed one two days ago, unintentionally, trying to use the nut on the spindle pin threads to pull itself out by stacking washers. It came part way but then a problem arose. The pin material is weak, the threads stripped. Then the end snapped off on the second try with the remaining threads. But the second one came out after putting a lug nut on each side, (same thread size and more threads plus a cap to beat on), and beating it back and forth to loosen it up (described on atlanticz) and spraying with Liquidwrench down the lock pin hole and on the ends. Then using a long rod to drive it through. It took a very large amount of force, a three pound mallet at high velocity, and some time to get them out."

Fun, fun, fun. I think that I see bolt heads and nuts on your half-shaft (acck). Take a close look. Compare it to the drawing I sent. Try to fit the splines into the r200 hole. Take those nuts off and see if you are left with two parts, a half-shaft with a four-hole flanges on each end, and a spline shaft with a flange on it. My guess is that someone tried to lift your R200 by the half-shaft and the side flange popped out. I think you have a complete R200 there. As far as names, it looks like both sides, wheel and differential, can be called stub axle, depending on who is writing. They look similar. Search "stub axle" and you'll see people using the same name for both. Here is a link about broken stub axles, wheel side - http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=70261, and a discussion about stub axle diff side - http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=122412 Zboy are trying to fix an R180 in your 240 or swapping an R200 for a 180? It's not clear what you're trying to do. Here is some good reading too - http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=116207 Is this a Pacific Northwest only topic? Must be the rain...

Are you sure that the half-shaft does not still have the side flange bolted to it? The shaft might have been popped out with the half-shaft attached. You should post a picture of the "29 spline 280z halfshaft". I think that you'll need part or two more also for your swap. Here's a link to a thread from a guy who did something similar. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26067 Re my Edit comment above - I was just referring to the fact that I'm not really an expert. I only replied initially because I'm working on my 280Z diff right now so was interested. A 240 guy probably knows exactly what you need. Good luck.

Picture of the 280Z half-shafts. R180 has splines, R200 has two flanges. Hope this helps.

I think Nissan/Datsun called it the "companion flange", not adapter. Might help with your searching. They pop in and out, held in place with a circlip (I believe). Put "R-200 companion flange wanted" in Parts Wanted and you might get a hit.

A comment/recommendation and a question - Short- Precision brand u-joints seem to be of surprisingly low quality. Can anyone recommend a better u-joint brand than Precision, that’s not super-spendy? Not brute strength, but tight, high-quality and durable. I put four new u-joints in and two of them are loose already, after 5 days. The car is a stock 76 280Z manual and I don’t use it hard, although I do like to get to speed quickly. Long - In my efforts to reduce the clunk in my stock 1976 280Z with manual transmission, I found that I had a loose, dry u-joint bearing cup in a half-shaft. I replaced the half-shaft with one from a parts car and the clunk got quieter so I went down to O’Reilly’s and bought four of their Precision brand, Hecho en USA, Part #393 U-joints. List Price $33.88, Net Price $19.99. After the battle to get the old ones out, the new ones went in easily. Everything was clean, no dropped bearing cups, no loose grease or dust to dirty things up. Used a vice and shimmed the flange to get the cups parallel to avoid any binding. They slid right in. The Precision joints only come with one clip, so there is no fine-tuning axial play as with Nissan brand. They felt nice and tight, but moved smoothly, when I was done. So I pumped them full of U-joint approved lithium grease and installed the half-shafts. The clunk was dramatically diminished and the drive train felt tighter. Life is good. Five days later, after a few drives and a couple of hard runs through the gears (but no standing drag-style starts), I started to hear a little clanking from the back again. I crawled under the car to see if a nut had come loose or if some new part was wearing out and found that two of the four new u-joints were already loose. I can see play at the grease seal when twisting by hand. So it looks like Precision is either not very precise in their manufacturing or their materials are of low quality. Anyone planning u-joint replacement should avoid these u-joints. Back to my original question – can anyone recommend a brand of u-joint, better than Precision? And/or is anyone familiar with the McQay-Norris brand, they have what looks like a higher quality option for a few dollars more (as far as I can tell from O’Reilly’s web page) that I can get special-ordered through the same store. I was really surprised that the Precisions failed so quickly. All of the stores sell them and they are not the least expensive (cheapest) of the various brands available. I assume that some will think that I “must have†done something wrong. But I’m fairly certain that my installation was cleaner and easier than many I have seen described. Has anyone else recently had a Precision joint go bad? Or be bad from the start? I hate to trash a brand name but I spent some time and effort installing what appears to be a bad part. Thanks for any help.