Sunbaked '76 Cali 280z

Robotsan

Club Member
From memory the tank outlet to pump inlet hose is 3/8” (10mm) internal diameter. It’s typical that the suction side of most pump systems is larger than the delivery side. Fluid dynamics innit.

I’m sure the larger hose you‘ve circled is 5/8” (16mm) internal diameter. I’ll check this out and will confirm tomorrow. I also need to get some myself for this very job. I’ve got the tank waiting to go back in. I treated it with the POR-15 system in November 2021. I’m guessing it’s cured by now 😳

Thanks, much appreciated!

Is that on your 280 that you're changing it? Or is it the same on the Fairlady?

Haha yeah, maybe it's cured now.
 

Paul_S

Club Member
Question for you guys - I'm planning on dropping the fuel tank, changing the hoses, installing a new level sender and in-line filter.

Just to confirm, the in-line filter goes between the tank and the pump doesn't it?

I've used 8mm hose for the fuel hoses in the engine bay - can I use the same type for the smaller hoses around the fuel tank? They look very slightly smaller but could be the same internal diameter?

I found this US thread which suggests the hoses before the pump are 10mm which would be bigger though. Confusing.

Then does anyone know the hose size needed for the larger hose (shown below).

I guess I should just try and remove the tank and then work out the hoses needed from there..

View attachment 57011
I collated some information from around the web about US and European cars breather hoses. You might find this thread useful --> https://zclub.net/community/index.php?threads/240z-fuel-tank-breather-hoses.26191/
 

Robotsan

Club Member
I collated some information from around the web about US and European cars breather hoses. You might find this thread useful --> https://zclub.net/community/index.php?threads/240z-fuel-tank-breather-hoses.26191/

Thanks that's very interesting! I didn't realise the US 240s had all that stuff and the evap tank. Assumed it was all 280 stuff.

So this is what you were referring to @SacCyclone ?

@Paul_S I see at the end of your thread you ended up connecting those 2 breather outlets with the piece of tubing - what made you do that rather than capping them off instead, like you originally mentioned?
 

SacCyclone

Club Member
Yes, that is what I was referring to. No need to have the evap tank for emissions if you don't need it to pass a tech inspection etc.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Ok perfect thanks guys. This will make the job easier!

What are you painting the tanks with btw? I was going to use some of this:

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Robotsan

Club Member
Been a while since I did an update, but I've been tinkering away more now with the good weather.

Got the fuel tank out, and had a good look inside - unsurprisingly it's full of rust flakes! So I took that off to a radiator specialist in Manchester and they're doing the 'ReNU' method on it, where it will be chemically stripped and cleaned, then coated in a kind of rubbery epoxy skin on the inside and outside. Should take 3 weeks, so hopefully getting it back by the 5th May.

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Lorra lorra rust..

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And today I replaced all of the little hoses around the fuel pump, and took the pump apart to clean it.. which to my complete lack of surprise was also full of rust flakes - the little cone filter was anyway! Cleaned that out and the rest of the pump looked in good nic.

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One potential issue I noticed inside though was that the lower O-Ring (between the heavy circular metal disc and the pump body) was no longer a ring, and was snapped. I'm guessing it's meant to be whole, right?

I've put it back together for now but if I needs a new o-ring then I'll have to sort that.

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Next I'm going to fit an in-line filter between the tank and the pump. One question I have though, is which way round is the filter? I'm assuming it matters?

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Chuffed with my 2 hours' work today though - no more old fuel hoses left on the car.

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SacCyclone

Club Member
Does the fuel filter have a "in" and "out" marked on the end of the filter?
Sometimes the filter is marked with a direction arrow.
Great work so far and doing everything i would do.
Cheers
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Does the fuel filter have a "in" and "out" marked on the end of the filter?
Sometimes the filter is marked with a direction arrow.
Great work so far and doing everything i would do.
Cheers

Thanks Mike, that's good to know!

Can't see an in and out on the filter. However, I've been advised that these glass filters are not a good idea as they sometimes get broken by stones etc on the road, so I'm going to find a plastic filter instead.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
I've also completely rebuilt both rear brake drums and installed new cylinders and shoes.

The left side cylinder had sprung a leak so that drum was a mess inside..

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All cleaned up nicely with a wire brush though (making sure I wore a respirator to avoid that nasty brake dust!)..

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Added brake grease in the appropriate areas and got the new cylinders in and handbrake bracket in (very fiddly job!) and then the new shoes..

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And finally a lick of paint for these old drums..

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Robotsan

Club Member
While doing the brakes I noticed the handbrake cables had broken from their ancient hangers and were just laying on the knuckles of the half shafts! Couldn't find any recommended replacements so bought generic rubber exhaust hangers and just made the hole in the middle bigger so that the cable fitted through it and that's sorted.

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Excuse the mud - my car lived in the northern Californian hills and was clearly driven through a lot of mud before it was parked up in 1999! I think it has preserved it though, like when they find a woolly mammoth in ancient mud with all its fur on ..

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toopy

Club Member
Next I'm going to fit an in-line filter between the tank and the pump. One question I have though, is which way round is the filter? I'm assuming it matters?

View attachment 57330

You want it so the fuel coming in flows around the outside of the filter element, it will still work the 'wrong' way round but will block a lot quicker if fuel is loaded with crap from tank.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
You want it so the fuel coming in flows around the outside of the filter element, it will still work the 'wrong' way round but will block a lot quicker if fuel is loaded with crap from tank.

Thanks man that makes sense! Appreciated :)
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Finally took one of the seats apart today. Minging. 3 different types of spider escaped from it, including one I've never seen before so I'm hoping that's not a Californian import as well.

Few questions..

1. Some of the bolts that held the mechanism to the seat base were really stuck in. They came out ok but the weird spiky washers have got kind of stuck halfway along them. Can I buy new hardware anywhere to replace them?

PXL_20230501_170636932.jpg


2. I can't decide whether I should take the plunge and order the new seat foams or not.. it'd be about £400 to the UK I think.

@Kieronpollock I know you just added new foam to yours didn't you - what do you reckon to the base on mine? This is the passenger so driver's is likely to be worse..

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3. What's the best way to strip the seat base down? Looks too fiddly for a polydisc so I'm thinking slather it in paint stripper? Then rust converter?

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Kieronpollock

Club Member
Those pads will be fine, mine were worse along the side bolsters! I would also add a thin layers of foam on the seat base just for a little more comfort as the pads will have compressed over time. Enjoy fitting your new covers, a hairdryer and plastic cable ties will be your friends!
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Those pads will be fine, mine were worse along the side bolsters! I would also add a thin layers of foam on the seat base just for a little more comfort as the pads will have compressed over time. Enjoy fitting your new covers, a hairdryer and plastic cable ties will be your friends!

Nice one, ok I'll just try and add some foam then.

Thinking of ordering some 6mm and 12mm from that efoam website, as just checked a previous convo we had and you said you thought you'd used a few layers of 6mm.

Reckon this is enough for both seats?

Screenshot_20230501-212038.png
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Yep plenty
I also added some under the springs

Ok great. So did you add it in strips? Or did you cut out the basic shape of the main seat pad (excluding the bolsters) and just lay that down on the pad? Then the same for the side bolsters? Maybe more on the bolsters as they look a bit flatter than the new foams?

And did you use something like spray adhesive to glue the new foam to the old?
 
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