What to attack 1st...

[Waz]

Hello -
I recently acquired a 1971 240Z that was in a 20 Year slumber - and with a mechanic, it's now ALIVE... that being said, I have noticed that it runs RICH - and seems to also be somewhat out of timing...and also runs HOT on the freeway. I have replaced the radiator with a 3-row, the water pump, hoses, and understand that the mechanic replaced the thermostat... knowing nothing about the SU carbs, trying to figure out what to focus on 1st - the timing - or the carburators?
Car is original, as far as I know - 41K - 3-speed AUTOMATIC - Hitachi SU carbs - AC not hooked up ...
The car runs OK when around town - no heat problems - but again, can see / smell some gas going out of the tailpipe (not noticing any water vapors going out of the tailpipe or radiator ... none in the water)
BTW - I am a newbie - not mechanically inclined - but willing to learn...
Thanks -

[SteveJ]

Ztherapy has the answer for you...http://ztherapy.com/products/videos/video.htm

Just be careful. Bruce might call late at night for your credit card info. Of course, it might not be that late since you're on the same coast as he is.

[Wade Nelson]

Don't trust the mechanic. Replace the thermostat AND the radiator cap with a new Stant. Then PRESSURE TEST the cooling system. A single drippy hose, perhaps under the dash and instead of 7psi, you're running 0 psi, and coolant is turning to steam in the head, and it's overheating.

Wheneer you put fresh, BARE metal into a cooling system, like a NEW radiator, you get a battery effect taht will plate metal from one place to another. Often the thermostat SHAFT is where it ends up, so the t-stat jams and quits working. I do NOT reccoment caustic cooling system flushes. Just let it settle down.

Try running for a day or so WITHOUT a thermostat and you'll get a better picture of what is going on, if the pressure test doesn't reveal anything.

[SteveJ]

I met a guy last month who said that his Z would heat up at speed. He had recently bought it, and it came with a box of spare parts. Within the box was the Woodruff key. Once that was in, the fan would turn at speed, and the car would cool.

[EScanlon]

My first question is: HOW or WHERE are you getting your information that you're running hot?

Have you taken a heat reading of the block, radiator, hoses? or
Simply looked at the temperature gauge and IT reads hot? Is your gauge accurate?

Start there before you start disassembling the engine or cooling system.

Additionally, with the car being an AT, and if it has the original distributor and it has dual points. If so, check the condition of the AT spark advance module and sensor.

FWIW
E

[71Nissan240Z]

I hate stant caps. You can get an OEM parts on ebay from Nissan of chesapeak. Rad cap is 17 dollars