Marrow's '79 280zx

Restores, Revamps and Repairs
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waidez
Z Club Member
Posts: 93
Location: Auckland

Post by waidez » Fri Oct 10, 2014 7:11 pm

Sweet as. Might be a bit busy tomorrow. Have sold my 280zx, sniff, sniff. But pick up my new car tomorrow- watch this space!!

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Sat Oct 11, 2014 12:19 am

Excited to see what you're getting next.

I'm surprised/amazed, but I actually managed to get it out, and put the new one in, replace the dash and pedals, and drive into the city. Musta taken me about 3 days, but I'm a slow learner.
Downside is now I've got one or two electrics that don't seem to be working, oh well, another day another issue.

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Thu Oct 23, 2014 10:31 am

1) Progress update: Auto transmission out, fresh parts ready to go in, just had to borrow a torque wrench from work.

2) Advice needed: I had to sand my spigot bush down a little with 80-grit to make it fit, now it slides into the crankshaft pretty smoothly. Is not being 100% factory round/smooth going to cause any serious problems?

Also, I know a guy selling tein S13 coilovers (rear) for pretty cheap, are these the best option to go down for replacing my stock suspension? I've heard that's usually what people use for the zx

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djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Thu Oct 23, 2014 3:10 pm

Err when you say the spigot bush slides into the crankshaft you mean it's still press fit? If not you are going to need a new spigot bush.

Coilovers will need certification, you will need to either redrill the shock towers as the Silvias are two bolt where the Z is three or fit other strut tops.
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Thu Oct 23, 2014 6:30 pm

stock spigot bushings are slightly too large apparently, have sanded it down, and use a bit of loctite to secure it

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djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Thu Oct 23, 2014 6:43 pm

Not sure where you heard that but doesn't sound right, I've never had a problem with them and you'd think after 45 years of making them if there was an issue they'd do something about it. They are supposed to be a press fit into the back of the crank.
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:11 pm

That might have something to do with it. I was just trying to push it in. how are you meant to do it without a press? ah well, a lot of people seem to have done similar

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:56 pm

I should probably update this more.

Help needed here D:
Ok, so I'm (pretty much) finished the conversion. But testing that everything still works, she won't start. Lights come on, but engine doesn't turn over.. I'm thinking either the starter motor, or the two wires that I need to join together to make it think it's always in neutral (inhibitor switch). Any hints/tips to troubleshoot this?

Also pretty keen for new carpet while everything is gutted like this. Black/red/other?

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HasMilk
Posts: 171
Location: Wellington

Post by HasMilk » Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:12 pm

Hopefully you get those kinks sorted out :P I plan on swapping mine over sometime soon!

Try joining the wires that were on the auto box switches, I don't know but there's probably a Neutral/Reverse.
In a long distance relationship with my 260z

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Stumpy
Posts: 137

Post by Stumpy » Thu Oct 30, 2014 6:20 am

You need to join the neutral wires so It thinks it's in neutral all the time. Not the reverse ones..

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djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:05 am

Yup these guys are right. I think Nissan even made it easy and one wire has a male terminal and the other has a female so you can just plug them in to each other.
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

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djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:16 am

I had a quick look in the FSM and the wires are both yellow by the looks of it.
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:19 am

cheers.
Even plugging in the old selector-sensor from the auto didn't help, but then I pulled out one of those shiny square relays under the hood, and bridged two of the points with a blade fuse, and it seems to work.
Only problem now is I dont think my starter motor is lining up properly, so maybe I need to look at shimming it.. it's strange.

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:23 pm

Oh dear.. I think I might have worked out why the engine won't crank, and that sucks.

Why do none of the manual conversion guides mention there's a second spacer behind the flexplate?
i.e. Image
This would explain why I couldnt get the spigot bush in, and why I'm just getting a grinding noise when I turn the key perhaps (flywheel being too far out from the crankshaft?)

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djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:39 pm

Oh nos. Yup you definitely have to remove that.
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

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