This was a quick project..the stock alternator arm is tough to adjust because you have to get leverage on the alternator and undo two bolts at the base of the alternator.  Plus as the belt expands, you have to re-adjust so the belt doesnt howel.

This is the stock alternator adjuster arm.  It is dirty and it is tough to get leverage on the alternator to adjust it properly so the belt doesnt howel.

MSA had an aluminum alternator arm that is adjustable with a quick twist of the wrench.  Plus it's shiney!!!

Here is another quick project, but it isnt very sexy.  It was pointed out that my radiator appeared to be leaking.  So I got a new one from MSA and it fit perfectly.  No more dripping antifreeze!

 It had been a couple of years sine I installed new spark plugs (time flys...) and I wanted to take a stab at the new distributor cap and rotor before I tried it in my truck.  So I ordered new NGK plugs, a distributor cap, and a rotor from MSA.

OK, lets get started with the NGK spark plugs, a spark plug socket, an 8-inch extension, a spark plug gap, di-electric grease, and antisieze for the spark plug threads.

The old plug is on the left and the new plug is on the right.  In the back of the Haynes Manual it shows a picture of a perfectly worn plug and this could be one.  I was very releived to see these in such good shape.

Going to change the distributor cap and rotor so I wanted to label everything with painters tape first.

These are Taylor 8.5-mm plug wires that I bought from MSA and the connectors came right off in my hand for most of these.  When changing plug wires and distributor cap on my truck, the wires did not do this.

Here is the distributor cap after I removed it and wiped it off.  Check out the big crack, apparently, I had a wire (probably one that came off) arc and ruin the cap...the rotor looks OK.

And the rotor, cap, plugs, and plug wires all back together correctly.  I bundled the plug wires the way I did because they were draped over the fuel rail, and some injector hoses.  They were starting to show signs of wear and I also wanted them bundled because they seemed less likely to pull out and arc again.  Plus, the Z is not a high HP application so I think they will be OK like this.

Just to be picky, i was tired of looking at rusted/faded heat sheilds for the intake and the master cylinder, so I removed them, wire-brushed them, cleanerd them with brake cleaner, primed and painted them.

 I also did some electrical testing.  All this took was a $3 multi-meter from Harbour Freight.  I followed the directions in my Factory Service Manual.  I also took the opportunity to clean the electrical connections with the proper kind of fluid.  The testing revield that the ECU was not recognizing my TPS after the 60-mm swap.  This is probably the reason I was running so lean at the recent January 2009 dyno I did.  Oh well, its always fun to throw parts at the problem first.

Here we go with the TPS electical testing.  The problem appeared to be a bad TPS connector that did not work due to corrosion.  So I pried off the cover and did somemore testing and the TPS switch seemed to be working.

Here is the TPS that came with the 60-mm TB, I am assuming it is from a 240sx.  Notice that it is a 2-point switch...on and off.  With this connected and during electrical testing at pis 2-18 and 3-18 (WOT) I was not getting the continuity checks that I needed.  Upon further research, the stock TPS from the 40-mm unit is a 3-point swith...off, idle, and WOT.  So out it came.  Aafter knowing this and working through the problem using Blues Tech tips and the FSM, I have no idea how others have gotten this mod to work.

 Here is my long-awaited solution.  I took the stock TPS off the 40-mm TB and took the cover off.  Then I drilled holes in the metal mounting plate and bolted it to the 60-mm TB.  I adjusted it so the continuity checks in the FSM worked as written.  On my test drive the Z idled great, had balls on accelleration and there was no stumbling.

The last step will be to use my grinder and make a notch where this bolt is and then use silicone to seal the cover back on to protect from corrosion.

Speaking about throwing parts at the problem...I figured that my low fuel pressure was partially due to a bad fuel damper or bad fuel pump.  So I ordered a new MSD 2225 fuel pump from Summit Racing, put the Z on jackstands, rolled up my sleeves, and got to work.

 First I put the Z on jackstands, note the two stands under the rear frame rails, the wooden blocks under the diffy mount, the jack under the rear cross member, the wood blocks under the drivers side and the wheel under the passengers side.  I would HATE to be crushed by my Z.

While I was working on the fuel system, I also replaced the engine compartment fuel filter and the small vacuum hose that connects the gas tank vent to the carbon canister.  I also changed out my Wix filter that I placed between the tank and the fuel pump.

The fuel pump (reportedly replaced by the original owner before he sold the Z in 2002 or 2003) and the fuel damper sitting above it.  They are both mounted on a steel plate that is bolted to the body with four 12-mm bolts.  Note that someone had the courtesy to label the positive and negative wiring to the pump...thanks!

 The old fuel pump removed next to the new MSD 225 fuel pump.  The picture of the fuel routing is from Blues tech tips (thanks Blue) which identified the fuel lines to route/reroute.

 Since the MSD 2225 fuel pump did not come with a bracket for my 280z application, I removed the factroy fuel pump and fuel damper from the mounting plate, hit it with a wire brush, brake cleaner, two coats of Rustoleum Primer and then a coat of Rustoleum enamel (black).  Then I lined the mounting points up and drilled some holes in the plate.  I used lots of red locktight on these wounts because they will probably be subjected to lots of vibration and I do not want my fuel pump dangling under my car during an autocross!

Here is the finished product.  You will notice that I deleted the fuel damper (a quick search on zcar.com indicated this was OK, plus I suspected it was adding to my fuel pressure problem).  Note that on the fuel line from the tank to the pump it is OK to use regular hose clamps, but from the pump to the fuel rail, use FI-rated hose clamps.  The fuel pump worked fine and fired right up.  Although it is louder (more of a buzzing sound) than the original, my fuel pressure guage indicated that I picked up an honest 3-psi of fuel pressure.

And now on to ride height.  Since I am not willing to spend over $500 on coil-overs right now, I wanted to still adjust the ride-height of my Z for several reasons: decrease center of gravity; increase negative camber of front (and especially rear) wheels; level my Z (which is riding higher in the front);and reduce the fender gap between the top of the tire and bottom lip of fender.  I accomplished this with the help of my little brother, beer, measuring carefully, working safely, and cutting coils off of my springs.

With my Tokico lowering springs and running 240Z strut mount insulators in the rear (which, by the way, are the same as the front 280Z strut mount insulators), I did some measuring, then cut coils while measuring, until I was happy with an even vehicle.

before/after front

before/after rear

And various veiws of the front and rear suspension with Rusty safely on jackstands, with the jack (thanks Abe!) still under the jacking point and the wheels beneath the frame rails.

And a shot of me and little Bro with the Z after completing the coil-cutting.  The biggest lesson learned would be that cutting springs will reduce suspension travel!  I lowered the front of the Z from cement to rockers from 6 3/8-inches to 5 1/2-inches; and the rear from about 6 1/4-inches to 5 5/8-inches.  I ended up cutting 1.5 coils off of the front and 1.25 coils off the rear springs.

And on to correcting the geometry of the steering rack because I lowered the ride-height of my Z over 2-inches.  I have had bump steer spaceres from MSA for a while, which corrects the geometry of the steering rod and the tc rod relative to the lower control arm.

And a picture again, looking down the tc rod at the installed spacer (the shiney black part between the bottom of the strut assembly and the top of the steering knuckle).  Note that this does not change ride height because it is not affecting the spring perch.  MSA sells them specific to wheel-size because it looks like the sterring knuckle will just clear my 15-inch rewinds...