NewZed

Well, it's more clear now. If you were telling them "hey, the dust shield is interfering with the casting and needs to be of smaller diameter and lower thickness" that's a lot different than just telling them "it's binding". The first gives them specific direction, the second is a riddle that they have to solve. My basic point is that clear communications will help them help you. Plus it helps people out here understand what the problem really is. You made it sound like they were completely incompetent, and made a part that wasn't even close to functional. A guy with a file could relieve that dust cap problem, if he really needed to. I could. How important is the race?

Thanks for clarifying. Although, that issue can be easily confirmed with a simple measurement before assembly, from the seat surface to the flange. If the outside flange is contacting then you could add shims to the inner race seat. If you wanted to save the bad axles. Good luck. Here's an image from Whitehead showing the seat surface that would need to be shimmed. https://whiteheadperformance.com/product/whp-billet-chromoly-stub-axles-27-spline-datsun-240z-260z-280z/

Of course, the guy at DSS should have realized this also and discussed it with you.

You didn't understand what I was saying. The axle does not "fit" the strut casting. It "fits" inside the inner race of the bearings. The bearings "fit" the casting. The distance piece determines the position of the inner races of the bearings, determining their lateral position on the axle. When you say the axle binds in the casting, it doesn't make sense, unless you mean that the axle won't spin after you torque the nut. Bind isn't really descriptive enough. Yesterday I thought you meant that it wouldn't even fit in the casting, but now I think that you mean it won't spin after assembly. If you mean that the axle won't turn when you reassemble everything, it's probably because the distance piece is too short, causing the inner races to be pulled in too far, binding the bearings in their races. Did you remember to install the distance piece? And make sure that it matches the casting, as described in the FSM? The inner race bearing seat on the wheel side of the axle is the only dimension that might affect binding and only if it is so far offset that it allows one of the flanges to contact the casting. Otherwise it's the distance piece and the bearings, and only after torquing the nut.

It seems that what you're saying is that DSS could not copy the dimensions of a stock axle correctly. Not really clear what the problem is on the fit though, since the axle just has to fit inside the bearings and have a proper seat on the flange side. Binding would most likely be between the bearing inner race and the shaft. Not a huge deal, you could have sent them bearings also, so they could check fit. Seems like there might be poor communication. On November 19 you had something that was about ready to go back together. Then Lee offered to make it better, apparently by making a brand new part, that they do not currently offer. Somehow, something came back wrong, but you haven't really described what. Is it possible that DSS is not 100% responsible for these problems? It's their first time making a full 240Z axle, if I read your posts right. Looks like they're in that classic old situation of getting hammered for being too helpful.

Curious what you mean by the axles are binding in the housing. Only the bearings should actually touch the housing. Maybe I missed where you determined exactly where the binding was. Might help DSS get it right.

That area is where the water drains down if it gets through the windshield, and the car is angled a certain way. The car has water marks under the passenger seat from the puddle that sat there for while. Only the Accessory relay didn't work though. The PO had a jumper wire ran up to the ignition switch for that.

Could be worse. Here's the one that came out of my car, a 1976 model. The one in front of me now is actually my EFI relay, I was mixed up on my last post. Thanks for the tip on the wiring diagram.

That is some nice detective work, and solution. Do you have the info on the replacement relay? They don't last forever, I have a dead one sitting in front of me right now. Luckily, my car came with a spare.

There's made to order - https://www.mcmaster.com/#spacers/=1b3phas You could probably run without them if you spin the ring gear in its loaded direction. Reverse and engine braking won't matter much. In principle, the clamping force of the bolts is supposed to be enough.

Do you mean that the brakes don't slow the car? Or that the brakes are difficult to control? The rock-hard pedal is typical of a missing reaction disc in the booster. Measure vacuum at the end of the booster supply hose. Maybe you have the check valve installed backward. The MC cylinder size won't affect pedal feel as much as pedal travel.

Do the basics with a meter. Turn the key on and check for power at the coil and at the injectors. Check for coil power when you turn the key to Start. Check your fuses and fusible links and grounds. Could be a simple loose connection or something like a bad ignition relay. Once you know what's getting power when it should and what's not you'll have a clearer idea of what might be wrong.

It did this?

Make sure that you don't have some sort of current draw that is draining your battery. Are you jump-starting the car to get it going? It is very very very common for reman alternators to fail. Many people get bad reman alternators directly from the parts stores. The parts store should not give you too much trouble. Their supplier is used to get a high percentage of the product back under warranty. It's also very very common for the parts stores' test machines to show that they're not bad. You have to be forceful. They're used to it. Search "reman alternator failed" on Google and you'll find stories that cover every brand of car.

The 81 280ZX alternator is essentially the same alternator as the 1978, it's a direct bolt-in. They're both 60 amp, it's not an upgrade. You're right, there is no swap to worry about, no wires. The L wire is there to charge the windings, 11.8 volts is fine. The auto parts stores are well-known for giving misleading test results. Just convince the guys at the store that it has a bad bearing, because of the noise, and get one of the free life-time replacements. That's why they have the replacement policy, because so many of them go bad.

The 78 ignition system doesn't use the ballast resistor. It has a more powerful spark. The distributors themselves can be swapped easily by disconnecting the red and green wires. Leave the 78 ignition module in place, it's better. Use the distributor with the best breaker plate. Check the bearings and lube them up. The get rusty. If you want to dig deeper, take the breaker plate out and check the centrifugal weight numbers to see how much advance you'll be getting. Make sure the springs are good and the slots aren't worn out. You won't have to worry about the drive gear unless you remove the oil pump on the new engine. The 78 distributor will drop right in once you get the tang aligned with the slot. If the 76 engine was correct, you'll be fine on timing. It's a straight drop-in swap.

Not Tim, but...your video looks right, with the light coming on with the key (current passing from the battery through the charge/warning lamp to the alternator windings) and turning off when the engine starts (current generated by the alternator stopping flow from battery). But, you should rev the engine to 2000 - 2500 RPM too be sure that the regulator is limiting current. Z's are notorious for having low output at idle RPM, and it's possible that over-voltage could happen with more RPM. It should stick at 14.7, your idle voltage by your meter, as you rev the engine. Up to 15 or so would be okay also. 16's, not so good. Assuming that the regulator is regulating though, everything looks right. Nice result after a lot of work.

I don't know that system exactly but I've worked brakes in general. It looks right to me. Just make sure that the passage from the bleed screw to the caliper piston cylinder hits the cylinder at at the top. You can see the casting marks from the outside. The calipers are designed for a certain orientation and the bleed screw is positioned for convenience. The screw might might be right, but the passage might enter low. Think about air bubbles.

People don't seem to be reading each other's posts. My images were from what is supposed to be a 1975 FSM. I've seen discussions about whether it actually is in the cars. It might be that Nissan used old images but never put the light in the early Z's. Even the 1972 FSM shows a Charge lamp, and it has an ammeter. I suggested that the Charge lamp might be burned out also. Maybe Charge lamp and Warning lamp are not the same. Who knows. In the 1972 image they call it a Warning lamp, see below, in 1975 they call it a Charge lamp, see my previous post. Your image is from the models with a "starter interlock", and they've cut out a portion of the diagram. The arrow starts from nowhere. The ones I inserted show the circuit back to the ignition switch. They all go to "L" on the voltage regulator though. "S" is typically connected directly to the battery positive, at the starter lug, where the positive cable attaches. If you attach L to S there will be a constant draw on the battery, through the windings. That will probably drain the battery. Whatever you decide to do, use your meter to confirm that you have power on the wire.

There are workarounds. https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=Lr5FWvq0CIbmjwO3rr6wCQ&q=photobucket+fix&oq=photobucket+fix&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l10.2378.8124.0.8334.15.9.0.6.6.0.126.597.8j1.9.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.15.658...46j0i131k1j0i46k1j0i10k1.0.opuekT9VkiA

As ben a implies, apparently the L circuit of the GM alternators is sensitive to current. So, a resistor or a light needs to be in the circuit. Your test was probably okay on it, but if you ran it that way it might be damaged by heat build up. You should be able to figure out why the wire in your harness does not have voltage. That wire should have the right resistance since it has a charge lamp in the circuit. I have heard of the charge lamp burning out. It's not common but it might explain why you don't have power on the wire. I don't know exactly where it is in the 75. In the ammeter most likely. My 76 has a voltmeter, as does 77. Your 75 does not have the wiring of a 77. Here's a 75 diagram. I think that I got it from the atlanticz web site. Also, the charging circuit from the 75 FSM, showing the charge lamp. Also got that from atlanticz. 75_280z_wiring.pdf

It's "scrimp", not skrimp.

If you had waited nine days you could have claimed a clean ten year necropost award. 2008 to 2018. Is your statement actually a question?

A simple test of the alternator's function, which would also tell something about the charge lamp wire from the harness would be to run a jumper from the L terminal to the S terminal, right at the alternator. That will power the L terminal, assuming that S has power. The alternator should start charging then if it is on proper working order. If it works then you can go back and figure out what's wrong with your harness, with a little more hope. Posting now even though TimZ has replied...

Just curious - how can you sell a car that does not belong to you, at least in the eyes of the law? No title. Do you have any documentation showing paperwork back to the last owner of record? Otherwise, how does a person know it's not stolen? Did you get paperwork when you bought it, or did you just give somebody some money and tow the car away?