240z--its been 12 years

[Billythefoo]

Hey,

I just purchased a 240z yesterday that has been sitting for 12 years. i was just wondering what should come first in trying to get this thing back on the road. the engine was rebuilt before they parked it. the interior is completely gutted except for dash and steering wheel (dash has no cracks). All the gauges and electrical seem to be hooked up properly except for the lighting. the brake pedal drops to the floor, throttle linkage is stuck, and clutch pedal is hard as a rock (doesnt budge at all). the tranny goes into all gears and the e-brake is working. windshield needs to be installed and so does the gas tank. which is full of rust, how do i get the rust out of it?

[COZY Z COLE]

so does the gas tank. which is full of rust, how do i get the rust out of it?

 

I'll give you a start on your project as my Christmas present to you... On any question you have on your car ,go to the proper forum annd use our search function... Here's an example on this problem.

Go to the Fuel delivery sub-forum, type in gas tank in the search box and presto.....http://forums.hybridz.org/search.php?searchid=1513569

 

Start reading the threads till you find your answer....

 

LARRY

[Billythefoo]

alright thanks.

[SmogSUX]

I'll give you a start on your project as my Christmas present to you... On any question you have on your car ,go to the proper forum annd use our search function... Here's an example on this problem.

Go to the Fuel delivery sub-forum, type in gas tank in the search box and presto.....http://forums.hybridz.org/search.php?searchid=1511541

 

Start reading the threads till you find your answer....

 

LARRY

@ your link

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

 

 

lol sorry I had to

[COZY Z COLE]

@ your link

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

 

 

lol sorry I had to

 

LOL....It wasn't the terms, go to the fuel delivery forum and type in gas tank in the "search this forum" box. If you link the search results there is a timing issue that will not take you to the results if you link it in another post.

 

 

LARRY

[Six_Shooter]

With any car that has been sitting you first have to evaluate what is NEEDED to be replaced or repaired and what can wait.

 

Firt you need to find everthing wrong with the car, and it sounds like you are off to a good start with that. This is where you really need to be thorugh, to find everything. This includes the body as well as all systems in the car.

Go over the body looking for rotten areas that need to be replaced, this is especially important on a unibody car, such as the S30, this is what holds the car together.

You have to find all systems that are not working, fuel, brakes, driveline, suspension, etc.

 

Once you've found everything that's not working or needs repair/replacement, you can start with the repairs. You'll probably also find a few more areas or parts that need replacing along the way that initially looked good, or because of the rusty bolts that break require replacment/drilling and tapping the bolt holes.

 

Things that I would just automatically do, especially since the car has been sitting so long are the following:

-Replace brake fluid with new. DOT 3 brake fluid (which it most likely has) absorbs water, this can get into the syetem through the reseviour (breather hole in cap), less than perfect seals, or simple condensation. It sounds like you have a brake problem anyway, possible rotted lines, or broken flex hoses, and if it's not so obvious pouring some brake fluid in will help find that possible leak. You should also replace the flex hoses, as dry rot will probably be an issue. You may actually have to attempt to bleed the brakes to get the fluid through to find any and all leaks.

Inspect all brake components, you will most likely need to replace the brake pads and shooes, due to sitting for so long and dry rot getting to them. Also cheap insurance. Check over the seals and function of the calipers and wheel cylinders, you will likely find that these parts need to be replaced or rebuilt with new seals.

-Fuel system. The carbs will most liekly need to be rebuilt. The old fuel becomes like varsol and usually eats the seals and gaskets, it can also become gummy and block some of the very small passages in the carbs.

Probably best to find a new tank or a better donor tank, than to try and get rid of the rust inside the original tank. Little pieces of rust can play havok with the fuel system pumps, and other parts, that could also block the fuel system rather easily and then it becomes a larger problem.

Drive train:

Engine: Drain oil and inspect. If the engine itself looks lok, fill with new and a new filter, even if after the next steps you find the engine to be in poor condition, this is an inexpensive step to ensure you don't damage it from using a broken down lubricant. Once you get it to turn over, make sure oil pressure is built before you go any farther. I'm not familar with the 240 engines, if they can be primed before turning over or not, by use of a drill and adaptor. If it is possible then I would recommend priming the engine this way to get the oil to everywhere it needs to be, bearings, lifters, etc. You should while priming turn the engine over by hand to make sure that all lifters get lubricated before you attempt to start.

You can also remove the valve cover and make sure that oil is getting to the top end, and that everything moves freely, when you turn it over. I'm pretty sure these cars (carbed at least) use a mechanical pump and you may need to replace this to get the car running. The diaphrams tend to dry out and split very easily after sitting for long periods of time.

clutch and tranny: You will have to determine why the clutch pedal wo't move, stuck pedal, rusty clutch cable/bad hydraulics (again I'm not entirely sure what these cars use in that department), or a frozen clutch fork, maybe even a bad pressure plate. Easiest way to determine this is to start lubricating everything and possible disassemble the clutch system to inspect each component for wear and/or breakage. Drain tranny fluid/oil and fill with new.

Diff, drain oil and fill with new. If you are really ambitious, you could pull the diff apart and inspect the gears, but I probaby wouldn't worry about that for now, they are usually not that bad of condition.

While you're change the diff oil, check over the CV axles, and joints.

You will likely find that all belts and hoses need to be replaced as well, these tend to break down over time and split/break at the most in opprotune times if they are not replaced from the get-go.

You will also want to inspect the cooling system and maybe even have the rad and heater core flushed to ensure they are clean and free from debris and leaks. Fill with new glycol/water mix.

Make sure all lights work, this seems to obvious but it's often over looked. Make sure the wipers work and replace the blades, this is another item I would just go ahaed and replace, without question.

 

That should get you started anyway. good luck with the build/rebuild.

[Billythefoo]

Well, since i last posted this: i inspected most everything in the engine compartment. found out that the engine was rebuilt right before it was parked. the oil in it looks brand new the carbs are crystal clean, everything inside looks pretty much spotless. the outside is basically just as good just a lil dirty. i installed new K&N filters and have fuel filters and everything. i know now that the clutch master cylinder is bad (i got the pedal to move) i also have the throttle linkage working flawlessly. bought a new ignition coil, and belt. so basically all i need to do is brakes, gas tank, radiator flush, and clutch master/slave and it should be in a good running condition. starter is good and motor turns. Also there is only rust in the drivers side floorpan (inch wide about 4-5 inches long) and under the passenger side along the frame rail (about a 2x4 inch spot)