Home Built Z 'full Video Build'

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

49 minutes ago, gav240z said:

@HomeBuiltByJeff I may have a spare fuel hose/inlet piece for you to use? They are made of tough plastic, not sure how your 1 cracked?

 

Mine is completely perished. The whole thing is crumbling. I would love to take you up on that.

[gav240z]

2 minutes ago, HomeBuiltByJeff said:

Mine is completely perished. The whole thing is crumbling. I would love to take you up on that.

Ok, let me grab a photo of it tonight. It came with a spare fuel filler section cut out I imported from the US as a patch / section for my 240z. Only problem is separating it from the filler neck section, think I'm gonna need a lot of vaseline and a hairdryer...

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

1 hour ago, gav240z said:

 think I'm gonna need a lot of vaseline and a hairdryer...

Sounds like you have a fun night ahead of you 

[CBR Jeff]

See how you go Gav. I must have an old one as i found a new one all wraped in plastic on the shelf last weekend. Like christmas was.

Jeff

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

 

In this episode I finish off painting the last of the bits of the 680g.

[gav240z]

On 3/14/2019 at 5:24 PM, HomeBuiltByJeff said:

Sounds like you have a fun night ahead of you 

Bit disappointed, didn't get to use the vaseline.. only required a couple of seconds of heat and out it slipped.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

1 hour ago, gav240z said:

Bit disappointed, didn't get to use the vaseline.. only required a couple of seconds of heat and out it slipped.

'There's always time for lubricant!'

[gav240z]

30 minutes ago, HomeBuiltByJeff said:

'There's always time for lubricant!'

LOL, I wasn't gonna go there...

Did you need it posted or did you want to collect? Send me a PM.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Ok. I have spent all afternoon chasing down some of my wiring gremlins. I have tracked back the lack of power to the + side of the coil to the tacho. I have continuity from the coil to the tacho, and I have power when the ignition is on to the tacho, but the output connection from the the tacho is not giving me any power? Does that mean that the tacho is fried? 

Another strange one that I traced, was there are 2 black white wires in the main harness coming through the fire wall. One of them being the wire from the coil to the tach. I thought I had found my issue initially where I found one of them had been cut with 2 unplugged connectors on them which I assumed was from an old immobiliser. But after tracing it I found that it is the wire from the ignition to the voltage regulator? Would that work as an immobiliser? Or is it more likely that someone stuffed up and tried to immobilise the wrong Black/white wire?

I hope this makes sense. Any help is appreciated.

Edited March 17, 2019 by HomeBuiltByJeff

[YosemiteZed]

Hi jeff

you mentioned that a 280zx dizzy has been installed

this is not a straight c/over

there is plenty of info on line and in posts on the forum for the configuration and modification required

Just lookup 280zx distributer upgrade to 240z

cheers

phil

 

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

37 minutes ago, YosemiteZed said:

Hi jeff

you mentioned that a 280zx dizzy has been installed

this is not a straight c/over

there is plenty of info on line and in posts on the forum for the configuration and modification required

Just lookup 280zx distributer upgrade to 240z

cheers

phil

 

I have changed all the wiring to suit the ZX dizzy. The issue now seems to be there is no output power from the tacho to the coil. 

[RLY240]

55 minutes ago, HomeBuiltByJeff said:

I have changed all the wiring to suit the ZX dizzy. The issue now seems to be there is no output power from the tacho to the coil. 

If it's a 240z tach then the power feed for the coil is actually looped trough an induction pickup externally on the tacho. The power feed still comes from an ignition switched source so if you're desperate to start it then you can power the coil from any ignition switched source.

[YosemiteZed]

Hi jeff

as stated in rly240 post

the series connection through the induction coil was the original method but if the tacho has had the 280zx mod then the internals of the tacho could have ad the extra mod by inserting a pc board which made the induction setup obsolete.

this mod allows better response and only requirers the pulse from the module

if that has been done cooections to the tacho is a positive ,negative and pulse with the series induction coil not connection and the wiring to it opened circuited therefore no return circuit to the dizzy was required

cheers

phil

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

2 minutes ago, YosemiteZed said:

Hi jeff

as stated in rly240 post

the series connection through the induction coil was the original method but if the tacho has had the 280zx mod then the internals of the tacho could have ad the extra mod by inserting a pc board which made the induction setup obsolete.

this mod allows better response and only requirers the pulse from the module

if that has been done cooections to the tacho is a positive ,negative and pulse with the series induction coil not connection and the wiring to it opened circuited therefore no return circuit to the dizzy was required

cheers

phil

The wiring to the coil has been changed over in the engine bay, but the dash is more than likely from another car so it is still standard 240z. Does that mean that the tacho needs to be modified to work with the electronic dizzy?

[YosemiteZed]

Hi  jeff 

this is necessary if you a running of an ecu and still want the original tacho 

but in your case it does not apply I have edited the post to include this above but some still do the tacho upgrade to suit the 280zx dizzy/240,260 tacho

that depends on how you want your dizzy to perform 

the extra pc board mod gives the tacho smooth signal and therefore the needle is responding better 

if you do not want this performance then you leave the series induction coil in circuit with an added 2.2kOhm/1watt resistor soldered into the circuit to protect the tacho and try to smooth the needle

what you have to do is look and see if the induction coil on the tacho is still being utilised using your meter on ohmns to check the circuit from the connections under the dash and back to the dizzy. 

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by YosemiteZed

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

I finally get it started!!! Wooo Hooo!. I had to cobble some bits together, but it starts and runs!

 

 

[gav240z]

I saw that evil look in your eye as you contemplated the fact that I said you may be able to run it briefly without the ballast resistor, pretty sure the ballast prevents the points from burning out. Hence why it's not needed when you go electronic.

I don't think the broken magnet will prevent the distributor from working, from memory mine is also broken (in my 72 240z), but the car runs ok. If there is no spark it's likely the electronic modules are stuffed (wiring polarity wrong can destroy them). Apparently you can wire in a GM unit to get around this.

http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/gmhei.html

However if you're desperate I have a couple of distributors you could try and borrow or replace the points with the petronix ignitor.

FYI: The E12-80 distributors were ok, but all the parts in them break over time (like the ball bearing cage) and the magnet / reluctor thingy. I found the Mitsubishi made distributors (refer to this thread: 

) were better. quality. However harder to find, I do see them on Yahoo! Auctions but they tend to get $300+ on average.

I actually think with modern tech now the tuneable distributors (ignition curve mapping), are probably not a bad investment.

https://www.123ignition.com.au/

See also Neuby's thread.

 

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

1 hour ago, gav240z said:

I actually think with modern tech now the tuneable distributors (ignition curve mapping), are probably not a bad investment.

https://www.123ignition.com.au/

 

You read my mind. I have already reached out to Leen at 123 and I have one on the way  

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

In this episode I make up a complete carpet kit for the 680g

 

 

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Ok, I have been pulling my hair out trying to sort out the nightmare that is the wiring on my car, and I have come to the conclusion that I need to get a 240z light/wiper/indicator cluster. I have been pulling my hair out trying to make one of the 2 260z ones I have here work, and it is not happening. Like every other thing on these cars, they are set up completely differently. If anyone has one or know where I could get one please let me know.

[gilltech]

The 260Z clusters should be able to work unless totally worn out. Unless they are from an early 260 you'll probably find the wiring plugs are different to a 240. Some clusters have a passing switch on the stalk and others not, so the numbers of wires can differ.

So depends what you've got. Suggest you disassemble and clean all the mechanical mechanisms first, check they are complete, operate smoothly, contacts are sound not worn excessively, and nothing broken internally, and that all soldered wire connections are sound. Then if grafting in a 260 cluster you'll have to match wire for wire.

These things are 40+ yrs old and they are usually pretty much worn out, hence why there are regular requests on this forum for replacements.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

1 hour ago, gilltech said:

The 260Z clusters should be able to work unless totally worn out. Unless they are from an early 260 you'll probably find the wiring plugs are different to a 240. Some clusters have a passing switch on the stalk and others not, so the numbers of wires can differ.

So depends what you've got. Suggest you disassemble and clean all the mechanical mechanisms first, check they are complete, operate smoothly, contacts are sound not worn excessively, and nothing broken internally, and that all soldered wire connections are sound. Then if grafting in a 260 cluster you'll have to match wire for wire.

These things are 40+ yrs old and they are usually pretty much worn out, hence why there are regular requests on this forum for replacements.

The issues are that the wiring is completely different. I have struggled for days trying to make heads or tails of what does what. I have 2 sets fro a 260 and they both work the same. As it stands as soon as I connect the high and low beam wires from the 240 loom to the 260 cluster the lights are on. I can switch between high and low beam, but I can't switch them off. 

It is also interesting to note, that both 260 clusters have been modified to have separate high/low beam switch (although both have been done in a slightly different way) which makes me think this must be a common mod?

Maybe I need to sit back and look at it again, but it appears to me that the switches don't even operate in the same way between the 2.

[RLY240]

Hi Jeff, has the headlight loom been modified to use relays?  The stock system (at least on the 240) switches the positive through the stalk so all the current goes through the main switch.  When installing relays to reduce the current at the switch it’s common to swap over to a switched earth as this is more common on relays.

It’s possible the loom has been modified which won’t be helping.  

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

2 hours ago, RLY240 said:

Hi Jeff, has the headlight loom been modified to use relays?  The stock system (at least on the 240) switches the positive through the stalk so all the current goes through the main switch.  When installing relays to reduce the current at the switch it’s common to swap over to a switched earth as this is more common on relays.

It’s possible the loom has been modified which won’t be helping.  

That is definitely what is happening. I have relays and it is a switched earth. Do you by any chance have guide to rewiring for a switched earth? From looking at what I had, I couldn't work out what was happening. If I can make what I have work, that would be great.

[JDM-TOY]

@HomeBuiltByJeff if your having trouble with wiring other than the cluster, contact Justin from ProWire he will sort you out. Possibly feature him on the build, give him some publicity he might help you out. He does heaps of work around Sydney and im sure he would like to help and IMO he is the best. If you like I can PM you his number....