Champions pose EVERY problem. Whoever designed them was either drunk or never heard of a Z. They are notorious for poor performance, short life, and high sensitivity to atmospheric changes. When it rains overnight, many Z owners (L-series) can't get their Z to start in the morning with Champs. I've had slightly fewer problems with AutoLite.

NGK is best. Nippon Densu and Bosh are very close seconds. NGK BP5(or6)ES lasts longer than the other two.

Anything is better than Champions. Pretty confident the previous owner knew that, and wouldn't have sent the car your way with Champs in it.

Champs work fine in US cars, but for some reason they just don't speak Japanese.

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1970 240Z

Frank that's good to know. I've heard good things about NGK but didn't know about champs. will check soon what I have there currently. In fact I've planned to check my plugs already several weeks but have been just too busy.

I love being on this forum because every time I learn more and people are always so nice. why can't it be like this on every forum on the internet? And I regret I haven't been around much recently but I'm sure once my move is over I'll be back more frequently.

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http://kingofapes.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the kind words, King. Many people make similar comments, and ask why the CT Z Car Club is.....the way it is. I think part of it is that we don't tolerate any nasty language or fighting on our Club website. We are also a real Club ~ we know each other and meet as frequently as possible, with many fun, respect-building experiences among us.

But the main philosophy of friendship seems to flow from our Fearless Leader Ross, to every member of the CTZCC. We all feel equal and friendly, and we share the love of the Z cars as our common bond. We share what we know and what we have.

I always learn something new about the carz on here. It's fun to exchange experiences and mistakes, and help each other keep these great cars on the road. Sometimes simple encouragement is what keeps us going most of all.

I hope your move goes well. When you're relocated, please remember to push the Big Red Button on the website Homepage and update your address info. If we send you a box of Z partz for your birthday, you'll want it sent to the correct address!

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1970 240Z

that reminds me Frank. i gotta update my info too.

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

that's an important reminder! I'm sure I wouldn't have thought of doing that without you saying so

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http://kingofapes.blogspot.com/

my current plugs are AC R44xls. (AC Delco I guess..)

I've pretty much known I'm running a bit rich and this was indicated by the plugs too. 1,2,3,6 had some dry black deposit mainly on the ground electrodes, but not horribly bad. All those ceramic parts were generally tan. I think 4 & 5 may have been very slightly ash fouled but it may just be that they were less carbon fouled than the others.. they had this a little thicker, crusty tan colored deposit on the ground electrode that chipped off when gently scratched with a screw driver. It didn't seem serious tbh, I'm not worried. I will tune the carb and change plugs just because I want to put the NGKs in and to see how new ones will react.

a side note, the car never smokes at all but under a hard acceleration there is this little smell of burned oil. Is this normal or might this indicate that perhaps the cylinders 4&5 are a bit worn or the piston rings are worn, or could it indicate valves need to be adjusted? or something else?

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http://kingofapes.blogspot.com/

In Bryans website blog about his new DCOE40s (very interesting read) it talks about the mysterious 4th progression port.

I have DCOE40-151 with 3 holes and a spare "hole" at throttle tip-in and light cruise I have never been able to fill. The butterfly sitting too far towards the engine to allow good progression at part throttle.

My experience mimics yours nearly identically with the butterfly placement, but I don't have a WB O2 sensor in yet on this car.

Before "drill baby drill" to make the 4th hole (like a DCOE45 152G carb got) I figured I would freshen the motor and now slapping together an F54 / N42 with some cam to be determined.

Question is: Any body on your side of the country actually drill this hole and have feedback?

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240z DCOE40 / F54 / N42 / L490 Isky
Thank you Total Seal!
Not a DD

Bryans text on the dcoe's is great! I can't wait to get my triples installed. I'm actually tempted to start doing that now but as I'm moving I don't want to mess around in a hurry - assuming that I'll face difficulties with linkage, getting advance right, calibration, mixture, jets..

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http://kingofapes.blogspot.com/

by the way, my carbs say tipo 40dcoe 149 No 4N do you guys know what era these are from? the floats are plastic..

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http://kingofapes.blogspot.com/

Linkage was the biggest hurdle for me initially.

They need a strong spring to pull them definitively to idle.

The throttle pedal should not impinge on the shaft linkage at idle.

You need a big long bolt as a throttle stop in the car so that when you cram the pedal through floor you stop the butterflies when the pedal hits the bolt, not when the butterflies' idle arm hits its stop - that doesn't work.

That german snail gauge is critical for adjusting the linkage which seems to require frequent tweaking.

TO me it is a labor of love and I enjoy the challenge.

But this off-idle stumble haunts me and I think drilling the 4th hole is my next job once I get the new motor in and dialed in and then can identify exactly where to locate the hole. If they get F'd up I can always JBWeld it closed.

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240z DCOE40 / F54 / N42 / L490 Isky
Thank you Total Seal!
Not a DD

Despite the internet comments on the 3-hole style, I had a hard time believing that Weber would intentionally create a bad model without realizing it...only to fix it a decade later by going to 4 holes. I was able to lose my 1800rpm stumble by using 50F9 idles and fiddling with the progression hole adjustment...so I'm not in a rush to start drilling.

I think having the distributor recurved and converted to full mechanical had a big effect in smoothness and driveability. The dyno on June 4th will tell for sure.

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Bryan Little
Datsunzgarage.com

1970 240Z - enhanced F54 L28 w/P90, Weber DCOEs, 4:11 R200, Nissan T5 5-speed

Agreed.
Thats why I am rebuilding the engine before I drill the carbs.

Who did your Dizzy mod? I should do that too.
If you have contact information for them. Maybe I can do it here.

Why am I building an entire car around 3 carberators?

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240z DCOE40 / F54 / N42 / L490 Isky
Thank you Total Seal!
Not a DD

'...Why am I building an entire car around 3 carburators?"

Because it's the right thing to do, heh.


Advanced Distributors is the place to use. Jeff the owner really understands "vintage" engines and can give you the correct setup if you supply him with your engine specs.

I had him do a vacuum advance dist a couple of years ago and was impressed. This Fall when I asked questions about converting my current dist to full mechanical and how it would work with Webers he sounded like could do it in his sleep. Check out his photo gallery on the website...btw he beadblasts them, that's not silver paint...

http://www.advanceddistributors.com/

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Bryan Little
Datsunzgarage.com

1970 240Z - enhanced F54 L28 w/P90, Weber DCOEs, 4:11 R200, Nissan T5 5-speed

Wait ~ I'm not familiar with a German Snail Gauge. Are German snails different than American snails?

Anybody got a picture of one?

Frank

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1970 240Z

Maybe there is a US equivilant.
But this little German dude is great.

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240z DCOE40 / F54 / N42 / L490 Isky
Thank you Total Seal!
Not a DD