New to the forum - Hello!

Seikoking

Well-Known Forum User
I have been lurking for a little while on this forum, so I thought it was about time I introduced myself!

I have been searching for a Z for a while and have finally bitten the bullet and I am proud to say Iam now the owner of a U.K. 260Z from 1977. Along the way, I have met a few really decent guys from the Z community already and I have received nothing other than great advice a friendly approach...

I am quite fresh into the world of classic motors and I know I have a lot a learn! Fortunately my car has been restored already so no major jobs to undertake (I hope), just the little bits that'll no doubt crop up! I'm not naive enough to think it'll be completely trouble free .

The first little things I need to address to address are a non functioning tacho, a small fuel leak, noisy fuel pump and a major valet / detail session! I am looking forward to scouring these pages for some advice and guidance.

I will learn how to post some pics and will get them up soon. I suspect the car might be known some here already and being non standard it might split some opinions .

Anyway, intro over, hello everyone!
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
Welcome. Your non working tacho could be a miswired coil or electronic ignition upgrade. There have been a number of recent threads on correct wiring to coil. I'll find one....
 

uk66fastback

Club Member
Welcome - looking forward to seeing some pics. You'll get sound advice from the knowledgeable guys on here ...
 
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Russell

Club Member
I am probably your man for the non-working tacho. There is a thread I made to allow a coil driven tacho to be driven by a tach signal. The same circuit can be driven by a coil still which would get it back up and running if the actual tach is dead.

Get some pics and information on the setup and we will be able to point you in the right direction.

Fuel leak needs sorting immediately or you risk not having a Z anymore. Likely a perished rubber pipe somewhere or worst case the tank rotten. In fact it may be related to the noisy fuel pump - Tank rusting away and the debris getting smashed around in the pump.
 

Seikoking

Well-Known Forum User
Thanks for the warm welcome guys

Russell, I’ve read through your thread on the conversion and I agree, you certainly appear to be the man for that! It’s a bit beyond my abilities I fear to undertake myself.

I do have a spare tacho though (along with a host of other spares that came with the car) that I could send to you if youre able to assist? I’m happy to cover your time and costs etc. If and when restalled and working you’re welcome to the spare as well.

Having looked into the leaking tank, it appears to be a hairline split in the tank itself, it’ll patch for now I think but needs furthe investigations as the extent of the damage. I’ll start looking for replacement options I guess!

Once again thanks guys.
 

Russell

Club Member
Thanks for the warm welcome guys

Russell, I’ve read through your thread on the conversion and I agree, you certainly appear to be the man for that! It’s a bit beyond my abilities I fear to undertake myself.

I do have a spare tacho though (along with a host of other spares that came with the car) that I could send to you if youre able to assist? I’m happy to cover your time and costs etc. If and when restalled and working you’re welcome to the spare as well.

Having looked into the leaking tank, it appears to be a hairline split in the tank itself, it’ll patch for now I think but needs furthe investigations as the extent of the damage. I’ll start looking for replacement options I guess!

Once again thanks guys.

I am happy help with that for you. I just need to make sure I know everything about how the ignition system on your car is setup. It may well be a very simple fix before you go intro drastically rebuilding the tach itself.
 

Seikoking

Well-Known Forum User
I have attached a picture (only one I have at the moment) to give an idea. Please let me know what other info is required

BFB0643C-332E-4710-8008-B0E869E2E7B7.jpeg
 

Farmer42

Club Member
I have attached a picture (only one I have at the moment) to give an idea. Please let me know what other info is required

View attachment 30379

I think the best place to start is to know what type of dizzy you have. Does yours have points?. If not does it have a black 'matchbox' on the side. If yes, you are probably running an electronic dizzy from a 280zx which is a common conversion and an easy wiring fix to get your tach working. Otherwise you will need to find out the type of electronic ignition module ( Lumenition etc.). I am with Russell in advising to hold fire dismantling the tach until the basics have been ascertained.
 

Seikoking

Well-Known Forum User
I think the best place to start is to know what type of dizzy you have. Does yours have points?. If not does it have a black 'matchbox' on the side. If yes, you are probably running an electronic dizzy from a 280zx which is a common conversion and an easy wiring fix to get your tach working. Otherwise you will need to find out the type of electronic ignition module ( Lumenition etc.). I am with Russell in advising to hold fire dismantling the tach until the basics have been ascertained.

I’m such a dullard with these things, but eager to learn!!

The dizzy certainly sounds like the 280zx described above. I have taken a better picture this morning...
75354D16-2878-4F09-B28A-AA2F59C892EC.jpeg
069FC1F5-754F-49A5-956F-7CE3CF99930B.jpeg

I couldn’t see any other markings on the unit to indicate a particular brand. Is anyone able to confirm what this is and maybe the next steps?

Thanks in advance
 
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jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
Yes that's a 280zx distributor. I think it's most likely that the wiring to it and the coil is bypassing the tacho, per the thread I linked to higher up in this thread.
 

Farmer42

Club Member
I’m such a dullard with these things, but eager to learn!!

The dizzy certainly sounds like the 280zx described above. I have taken a better picture this morning...
View attachment 30384
View attachment 30385

I couldn’t see any other markings on the unit to indicate a particular brand. Is anyone able to confirm what this is and maybe the next steps?

Thanks in advance


That doesn't look like a normal E12-80 280zx dizzy although it has a similar ignition module on the side. It may therefore take a similar wiring method to the 280zx dizzy. There is a thread somewhere on the forum that gives a wiring diagram or I think there is one in the Haynes manual for the 240/ 260z. Basically there are 2 black/white wires from the ignition switch that need to be joined. I'm on hols at the moment so can't point you in the right direction until I get home. Perhaps someone else may point you to the diagram in the meantime.
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
I think it's an aftermarket replacement matchbox module. It looks familiar. Maybe same as mine [emoji102]
 

Seikoking

Well-Known Forum User
Update. I have checked the wiring following the guidance from here and some other threads. I believe it’s all correct and is wired as per the diagram below
9C535EA6-3119-4D80-9446-1253D9B0C21F.jpeg
However, still no tach! Nothing.

I experimented by swapping the wires from the ignition box to the coil over as I had read somewhere if there were the wrong way round the tach wouldn’t work. When I did this it was interesting because the needle on the tach twitched when turning the key, but the engine wouldn’t start.

Can anyone offer any thoughts?
 
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