San Maru Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 I need to find 71/72 type dash harness and the engine bay harness, and bits. I think that same guy did the wiring on my 71, then his brother removed some of it at random. The rats added the final touches to the wiring. But that wasnt good enough! It turns out the horn button is fun to chew on too. The foam and fibers from the seat bottom make a cozy nest material that also doubles as a final resting place behind the passenger seat. Im sure the best is yet to come. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 so, wow... its been three months since i put anything on here... holidays, work, and being broke... not much has been done. i had a fuel pump go out on my Z. so it sat in the garage for the most of it. i don't like driving it through the "winter" months anyways. i can add to the shit list my heater core on multiple levels. when i turn on the heater it steams up my window.. and somehow the inside of my gauges. the cables that control the different heater modes or perhaps the mechanisms themselves have seized. i ended up unhooking them and adjusting it to defrost mode with a pair of vice grips and some good hard yanking (giggity). i replaced the fuel pump with auto zone's best aftermarket model rated 7-14 psi. i was hoping this wouldn't over pressure my SUs.. and so far it doesn't seem to dump fuel into the air cleaner and drives alright. the valve lash on the top end needs to be adjusted. it has started rattling and has been getting slowly worse. as has the exhaust leak off the #1 cyl. hopefully this weekend ill get out there and adjust the valve lash and if i am feeling froggy fix the exhaust leak with some headers. i managed to score an entire suspension from a 280Z a few weeks ago. it originally belonged to my dad some 20 years ago. he sold the car to a friend who had it rear ended really hard. he scrapped the car but for some reason kept the entire suspension... towers, driveline and all as well as the front suspension with a really nice feeling rack and pinion. when the car was wrecked it had 70k miles on it and the suspension has been sitting on a trailer since 1996 in the orchards outside of hood river oregon. the car was a 5 speed so I'm pretty sure its the R200 rear end i need for my car. so in the back of the truck it went. i haven't had time or money to fuck with any Datsun stuff lately so i haven't gone out there to pull the numbers off of it to make sure. I'm going to be researching the rear end swap today after work. i recall reading something about some differences between what i have in there and the R200, either way, i need to go through that rear end to make sure its still good. it has after all been sitting on a trailer for 17 years. i guess by the meriam websters definition of hybrid.... my truck qualifies. its a hybrid of at least a dozen other trucks parts Quote Link to comment
72240z Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Why do you need a r200? Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted February 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Why do you need a r200? well, at the risk of making an uninformed ass of myself again... i want a more torque on the low end of the spectrum. with the xmsn i have in there now.. 60 is too low for 5th gear. in 5th i zip along at 80 mph barely touching 3000 rpm. this car was born with an automatic. now it has a 5 speed manual with an automatic r180 rear end. great for the interstate, not so much fun everywhere else i was looking long and hard yesterday at the mounting studs for the headers.. i think every one of them will snap if i try to remove the exhaust manifold. think im gonna hold back on that project till i can get either some cash to have it done at a shop or i have more time than i currently do to dig rusted in place snapped off studs out of the block. there is more electrical hell lurking in that car. when i turn on the key and the electric fuel pump is running without the engine running... its drawing too much current and blowing fuses. i think im going to either put a switch on it or move it to its own circuit. i HATE electrical problems. last night on my way home from a job interview my car wouldnt start. i click over to the starter and nada. ended up rolling it down a hill backwards and popping the clutch... which popped the fuel pump fuse again... dammit. after that it fired up with the starter no prob. Quote Link to comment
72240z Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Looking good.You dont need to go up to a r200 to change the ratio. A r180 is way more then enough for a na and even mildly turbo L6. The r200 is 12 lbs more for no reason if you dont really need it.I had a 3.54 r180 in my 73 when I got it. With a 5 speed it was ridiculous like 2.5k rpm at 75mph lol. I swapped to a 4.11 r180 out of a 200sx for 150 bucks. Whole different ballgame. No added weight. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Decided to adjust my valve lash this weekend. For them all dialed back to spec. Decided to dress up the valve cover while it was apart. I'm NOT happy with how it turned out. The masking tape left goo all over and let the paint bleed. Looks like shit. If I had more time this weekend I would strip it and do it again. Maybe next weekend. Quote Link to comment
72240z Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 With detail tape work its a good idea to use adhesion promoter and be sure to press down everywhere. That will stop the bleeding. It doesnt look bad in the pic. I think its a better idea to just get another valve cover to 10 bucks or w/e and do it again then to spend the hours stripping it down. There was a time I was giving those valve covers away lol. Whats your time worth? Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 I blame the dollar store blue masking tape. I shoulda used some 3M green. As for stripping it, just a quick rinse with methylene chloride should do the trick, the paint will just slide right off. On the upside my valve train is much quieter, with the exception of now it has one pronounced knock instead of a clatter of 12 smaller knocks. I hope it's gonna be alright for the week till I can break it down and chase it out next weekend. Not having my truck running is a major PITA. I'm considering a "name your price" option for anyone who can chase the gremlins out if it. PM me for more info 1 Quote Link to comment
72240z Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 3m tape def helps but bleed through still happens. Its because the metal is porous especially when its wire wheeled or sanded. Tapes cant fill in those low spots and paint can get through. It should all be primed and sanded 1st to fill that stuff in and provide a proper base for the paint because enamel paint right over metal is not the right way to go about having a nice long lasting paint job. Especially when exposed to constant hot, cold, wet, dry, chemical etc... conditions. The valves should actually tick when adjusted per the fsm. Old timers always say that a quiet L is one out of spec lol. I go slightly tight on the adjustments, they still tick but not as loud. Good enough for me. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2013 just drug home a L26 built by the guy whom i bought my Z cars from. its got less than 30k on it, hot cam, port and polish, balanced crank and 13lb flywheel. imma be cleaning it up and hopefully have it running by this weekend. we shall see... pics to follow soon Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 flywheel, freshly surfaced new motor hood off ready to pull jr mechanic 1st class mike going for a ride ready for a bit of scrubbing Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Cleaned, de greased, and almost ready for paint Engine bay all scrubbed up and de greased. Almost ready for paint Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 So what in theeee hell are you driving then?? And i have not been offering any help at all lately because Donovan and his little brother are running land clearing equipment for my dad on weekends,, and i need to make sure the supervisory position is amply filled...........by yours truely.. :lol: .. Once it`s summer we don`t have much to do because of the blooms and such. Well except this next weekend because we are going to pizza pizza pizza party at freaky510s .. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 well, if i can get the z done by then i might wander that way. im gonna wanna put some miles on it to settle things in Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 It`s only in two days , :lol: , you should terrorize Yelm for awhile working the bugs before taking it that far.. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I plan to! Quote Link to comment
Interrobang Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Tin foil masking? Might have to steal that idea... Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Work great. Faster than tape and paper. But I still tape the very ends. That's how we paint aircraft interior structure and not paint up the wire harnesses and hydraulics. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 primer all painted up starting to build it up thats where i left off last night, too much vodka and orange juice last night has me moving slow to get back into the garage today... Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 its in!! Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 litsten to that monster growl. first time firing it up. Quote Link to comment
cdub42 Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 engine in, not all the way tuned up yet, on the way to the exhaust shop Quote Link to comment
Armycmbtengr Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Wow that's a lot of work in a short time. Sounds like a strong motor, great work! Quote Link to comment
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