Yay! Another Datsun back on the road.

The switch arrived from a clearinghouse supplier on Saturday.... the number was recommended by both a Nissan parts guy locally, and also a Beck Arnley customer rep guy who said he was like me; older than dirt.... I had some time so I took it out and installed it.. finally, got it to work... A new unit was going to cost me $100 which would have been the OEM key tumbler unit including the switch... If I had it to do over, that would have been the route I would have taken... instead, I learned a little bit and know what I have anyway... and it cost me $34 including the return shipping of two wrong switches... That was the last major hurdle in the mechanical department.. Now, to adjust the carbs and check some fluids... before a run around the block. Thanks for everyone's two cents.....PS... paint process started two days ago...

I am beginning to think that this is a different ignition switch than stock, and I have now tracked it down with the help and information from our local Nissan dealer and also customer relations at Beck Arnley.... Nissan did confirm the number but said they no longer could get it, and Beck Arnley also confirmed the number, but said it was obsolete. From the information I provided, Beck said it was most likely from a small truck and that this number was also obsolete, no longer produced, and yet, he did have a cross referenced number that aftermarket clearinghouses might have.... as it turns out, the guy I do business with has that part, and sent it out... you don't know how much I hope this one is right..... otherwise, I am going to plan B and either buy the whole entire assembly or create my own ignition system which I have done in the past to a few project cars.... The good news is that this project is coming to a close now and is almost finished... thanks for everyone's input....

Per the USA Datsun parts catalog, all S30 models used the same ignition switch: 48750-E4700.

Large, 2-lug unit. Don't know how your Z got a different unit. Perhaps get the right steering lock unit at a wrecking yard? There are lots of Zs in wrecking yards on the west coast.

Good Morning: been out of town for a few days... got back... package with the switch from Rock Auto.. and it is wrong, so it will go back.. checked the forum to see if there was any more information and was pleasantly surprised to see this post.... 48750-E4700... I searched for this, and got some hits, mostly in bulk ordering info from China... I also contacted Beck Arnley, and asked them for more help and I am waiting for them... I am shocked to find only a few companies that will sell this item aftermarket especially, relative to how many apparently are produced... But I do have one lead.... and will follow it... problem is, I don't live near a Nissan dealer and am out in the sticks.... but I am getting closer to the answer... and I do appreciate the contacts.... and I will keep looking when I hear back from Beck Arnley customer support... for some reason, I tried to find them online and struck out too, and yet, this morning, there they were.... strange some times I guess.... 48750-E4700 This does appear to be the relevant part number.... and I would love to walk into a store, bring my bad one in and match it up... Thanks again...

Dennis

Aquick call to my local dealer comfirmed that part number 48750-E4700 is still a good number, they show a price of about $52.00 U.S. dollars. Hope this helps.

Glad to hear you found the replacement.

By the way, most likely is that someone replaced the 240Z steering lock with the pickup version(all S30 models used the same ignition switch).

Update: I just spent about an hour researching the new leads I got from you. What a memory you have. The number is indeed a Nissan (Datsun) number, but it yielded no websites with pictures. I then tried your suggested vehicle and the usual happened concerning parts stores such Oreillys, Advance, and NAPA in that they do not carry a line this old. However, I did hit a pretty good lead at Rock Auto, when I punched in the 1970 510 pickup you suggested and went to look at the "ignition switch"... and there it was. The picture only shows one side, with the spade terminals. So now, I have a couple of theories. First, this unit was used for only a couple years by Datsun, at the time.... OR a previous owner installed this keyed ignition replacing the original. I will never know that until I find an owner of an identical car. The switch is a BECK/ARNLEY Part # 2011413 and the picture confirms as much. It is a closeout which makes sense as well. When I pursued this number and the other parts numbers given, it was "superceded" by another number which gets you back to what I call the "two screw" switch that does NOT work for this keyed part. I have traveled a long path to get here, and as always, you have to find the right guy.. I thank you. I will now do some more research on this switch I found at Rock Auto to see if I can find more information on it (and pictures from all sides). Thanks so much for all your help!!!

Yes, I got to the part where the website showed the two switches, and saw that the smaller one had four terminals. I re-read that part several times trying to find any mention of the smaller switch with five terminals and as stated, it was not there and now I know why. The hot wiring procedure was used long after all the diagnostics had been run on the car to trace the problem and yes, as sometimes happens, we found the problem, by accident. I also suspected other problems and we tried different interventions to eliminate those possibilities. The seller did start the car to drive it on our car hauler when we picked it up so we knew it ran, but how did he start it? We did the usual protocols... checked for spark at the plugs (none) and then at the distributor..... and followed it back to the coil. We were betting on a bad ballast resistor and/or coil until they both checked out fine except for the 12 volt circuit. The test for that is a simple one; pull the column shrouds, and let the ignition switch hang down and use a test light on it (after memorizing what each spade terminal did) When I got to the point where I had the key turned to run (9 volt) those wires lit fine and so did my friends test light at the coil/ballast resistor... When I turned to start I got a momentary contact on my light as the starter turned, but as the key advanced further to "start" the light went out for that terminal... The same was true at the coil. No 12v current, no start... So we needed to get 12 volts to the coil, and therefore the hot wire, and there it was ..... started immediately, and of course, when the key moved back to "run" the other 9 volt circuit kicked back in, the hot wire removed, and therefore the switch contact was bad.... that is what led to this all..... When the key is turned to start, the initial contact does provide 12 volts... and you have to be careful to stop turning the key right there... and yes, we did subsequently start the car this way but this problem is not going to get better; only worse. It is our last issue concerning the motor although it will need some adjustments before we do more than take it around the block. Rambled enough.... and will take a look at some of the information provided and again... thanks so much for letting me intrude on your forum....

Thanks.... I'll try to do a little research on that number and other information you provided. I have been down the road with several companies on this problem and SMP (standard motor parts) was the company that was referred to by several parts companies and forums, so that is who I contacted. They got the same pictures and information and their customer rep said that it looked awfully close to their 116 or 119... He was right. I am 99% sure that Datsun did quite a generation switch over in September in all their models. When I researched all facets of this problem, the only hopeful site that seemed to address it was this forum and I was delighted to see the replies. I appreciate your help and find it incredible that someone may even remember a parts number from that era. I did contact Nissan about this, but was told by their rep (Krissie) that they would only provide customer support back to 1984. Again, thanks for the information. I am sending the incorrect large switch back to the seller, tomorrow, and he has agreed to send me a 116 to try.