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Hello, I am a first time car builder, and I decided to get right into it with an RB25DET swapped 77 280z. I've been working on it for a little over a year and a half now, and although it still needs some work, it runs and drives now 🙂 . There's lots more pictures and videos on the cars instagram @louis_280z, and please don't hesitate to ask questions about how I completed this swap! There's lots of problems that you may not even be thinking of before getting into this job that you'll run into, and I'm more than happy to share my solutions!

First time in the sunshine! IMG_4047.MP4

Okay, so i figured out why the sync tool was shooting fuel: the carb tuning guide says to plug all vacuum lines which were attached to the air box. I removed the plugs which i had put on the carb fuel bowl vents and it doesn't shoot fuel anymore.

To close the loop on this, I got the new damper installed properly and all is good there! Thanks for all the tips/help. I ended up lightly sanding the inside of the new damper. It was still a very snug fit at the end, but I sanded it slightly more at the front to make sliding it over the crank key easier. I even put some red marker on the front of the key so I could definitely confirm it was still in place :) As someone noted, the new damper's belt groove is slightly smaller, so I went to AutoZone and got a new belt which fits better. I'm still having issues with my carbs, but that's a story for a different thread :) https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/64813-l28-w-su-carb-intake-manifold-vacuum-leak

Gorgeous! Well done - now get out and drive it 😀 I'm living vicariously through this moment...

I've never been too impressed by someone who shows up at a car show with a brand new car. Just doesn't seem to demonstrate any problem-solving abilities or particular skill set - aside from being able to make enough money to write a check, which is one skill I've never mastered, damn it! 😪

Try.. "we say overhere" ... is what the doggies do..!! 😉 You just repair that! Not trying.. just be confident and DO IT! You'll get there! We all know it's a lot of work but in the end you get it done.

So the car meet I attended was started by people who used to go to Caffeine and Octane in the Atlanta area. They got tired of how big C&O became. There are so many new Mustangs and Challengers at C&O that it looks more like a dealer lot than a car meet/show. In order to keep the meet smaller, they hold it at about the same time as C&O. There is usually a good variety of cars, too. The Z cars are definitely appreciated. Here's a video I shot of today's meet:

Oops.

You guys haven’t even mentioned the best head yet - MN -47 . Because it wasn’t in the Z , people forget about it . It has the best all around combination for a street motor . Maybe not the best race head , but best bolt on for power with the least amount of work . Small chamber - high quench , good casting .

Still needs a little work but it will be on the road this summer.

What an amazing journey. Can't wait to hear it...need audio of a few fly-bys!

Jim...Thanks for the response. I know the original (previous) owner. He told me that when the original antenna went bad, he replaced it with a manually operated unit that then was broken off and subsequently replaced with a coat hanger...which is the way I got the car from him. I hate to "go cheap" on this item, but the budget has already been blown 4 times my original notion. That being said, and knowing I will never turn the original radio on, I am up for anything respectable...Ryals

I also think the E88 efi (closed chamber) head should not be forgotten..

quite a lot I'd think, its a good start for a 300 bhp engine.

Re-shaping those bent sections back to the correct, radiused contour might be a challenge. I'm concerned that the metal won't move much in response to hammer-and-dolly treatment. @ConVerTT did some significant work on this area of his Z and would probably be well qualified to advise.

All I use is pin D for crank + That connects to the Haltech crank + wire. Then I use a sensor ground from the Haltech loom to the Haltech Crank ground. All done.

Your megasquirt may have igniters internally. I had heard that somewhere. Haltech doesn’t include them in the ECU because they are difficult to replace if they burn out, versus popping a new COP on the plug.

Can you confirmed there is no debris that is holding the float open? There are two in line filters within the banjo fittings on the float chamber. Mine were full of crud, kept causing overflows on the rear carb. I would check that. The pump you have seems to have an OK range of PSI for SUs. 2000 idle is a lot, shoot for 800-900. You modified cam might want to make it go a bit higher. get your floats adjusted correctly. One you have the floats set then you can use the guide, otherwise the guide won’t work!

Yes! welding and grinding by someone talented, not me 😊

I'll throw a wild guess out - check your grounds. Distributor to block, block to battery, etc. Might be that when people are messing around with the distributor that they disturb a bad ground and it gets better for a short while just from the movement. Good spark is all about a good circuit, good current flow, through the coil, and that goes through the ignition module or points. Since it ran well once, and the good stuff happens after somebody messes with the distributor, and others have focused on it, that seems possible. That's why Nissan adds a separate dedicated ground wire to the distributor body, even though it's already bolted to the block (actually the timing cover). Grounds are the secret cause of many problems.

Hey Cliff, the throttle stop is currently open to atmosphere. I think the picture was taken while I was trouble shooting. Good eye, though! Putting in another fuel filter is not a bad idea. I read somewhere on the forum there's also a screen type filter in the pump that should be checked. I've wondered about the internal condition of the tank. I'll revisit the coolant sensor as well. I replaced that and the thermotime in the Fall but I've questioned the wiring and connections. Thanks for the links. I'll check them out. Happy Easter, Craig

Yep, the bearings are cheap. I was hoping to avoid the removal and installation of the races, since it seems like one of the only steps I'm looking at that could end in disaster! Although popping the brake pistons out, even with a bike pump, was exciting. Good job I kept my fingers out of there!

Yeah, my thought was welded chambers and grind to shape

The races! Thats what have to be driven down and seated. Not the bearings. Sorry.

Wow. Not much posted here, yet. I went to a monthly car meet today. Easter/Spring Break kept attendance down, but there were 4 S30s (including mine), a Z32, and a Z33. One of my S30 friends, Edmond, mentioned that his hazard light switch was broken, and he lost his turn signals. After the meet, we tried to visit another friend, when I realized that Edmond didn't have brake lights. We then drove up to my house where I made a jumper to bypass the hazard switch in order for me to work on the hazard switch. The jumper fixed the turn signals, but the brake lights were still out. I took off the clam shell from the steering column to make sure there was voltage on the brake light circuit. I unplugged the connector, saw voltage, and plugged it back in. I checked for voltage at the switch body next. I noticed it was a little low with the brake pedal depressed, but it was higher when the turn signal was on (only one brake light lit). Edmond checked the brake lights with no turn signals on, and the brake lights were lit up. I guess it was the mechanical contact at the connector. Anyway, after we were done, my wife stuffed our bellies with Easter dinner. I'm still feeling drowsy from that. She friggin' spoils me. So here are some engine bay photos from the car meet to keep you interested.

No you do not. Zed Head helps so many people in different threads it gets confusing sometimes. I do it all the time.

Here are a few measurements from my '70. The area where the bumper mounting bracket mates, is vertical. Please note that the vertical steel section above the surface where the bracket mates, is parallel with an offset of about 2-3mm. The radius you wanted varies, I measured about 55mm in line with the back bracket hole and reduces to a radius of about 40mm at the leading edge. Hope this helps Mike

Are you sure the fuel is good? Your cold start valve should also be supplying fuel for starting. This won't solve any problems. Good luck.

It seems like there's three parts to this thread. 1. EFI troubleshooting 2. Change/upgrade certain fuel components. 3. R&R exhaust manifold for straightness/ fix mounting studs/and intake/exhaust manifold gasket. I don't want to complicate things by adding aftermarket EFI possibilities when your stock system can most likely be put into a good functioning condition. I would urge you to follow the troubleshooting steps put forth by others. Stock EFI works perfectly fine for a stock engine(stock cam/internals etc.) That being said, an aftermarket system will essentially replace the existing stock ECM/ECU. Any aftermarket EFI will require the use of a new harness(I'm about 95% sure) Again, it is my understanding that the stock ECU will not run the 14mm O-ring type Ford/GM injectors. But I've never tried it. As far as I know, the stock exhaust manifold will flow just fine with different injectors. You can install headers and run stock EFI, or aftermarket with no modifications/tuning required. I have these headers: https://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic19c/15-6004

Well since this is a phonetic alphabet there is no telling what it means. I bet it has something to do with the production process for some identification purpose and no actual meaning. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you were running Haltech I could answer your questions with some confidence. I know that in the end, I only needed one pin in e CAS from onesix in order to have full sequential spark and injection timing. The ground signal was sensor ground from the Haltech. The COPs you are describing are not self ignited, and need an ignitor in either the megasquirt or a standalone unit (as I understand), that’s why I choose the Honda Acura COPs with self igniters and ground reference firing signal. Full power all the time and a ground signal to fire.

Hi Scott, welcome to the clubhouse, and the Datsun world. If you have checked the manifold with a straight edge and it is out of spec, find a competent machinist who can true it up for you.

Cannot give you any measurements, but there is a few photos of the area in my build thread that might help.

Canada's version of that car wasn't called the Silvia, I think maybe the sx180 but for sure not very pleasing to look at.

That was a much better looking car then this ugly silvia! My first car was a datsun (sunny) 140Y coupe.. looks alot like your B210 coupe! 😉 That silvia.. what a design... i find it ugly .. seen from any angle..

More Datsuns. A 1978 Black Pearl, very shiny, with good bumper rubber. But, they forgot to ask for the 5 speed. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-datsun-280z-88/

Some pictures of my original paint #918. Single stage buffed down to the slick then waxed. It looks different in different light. Your paint lid looks like some touch up paint I bought of the www.com. They called it "Mexican orange". Too dark in my opinion. There's a jeep color a few years ago that's the closest I've seen. @Matthew Abate is a very detail specific guy and he went through this too. Maybe he'll see this and share his experience? Now I can show off my car. Inside the detailer's shop with fluorescent and some sunshine... In my garage under LED lights... outside, only the sunshine... outside at dusk, not very sunny... Outside, just the sun after washing...

Yep, that's what I did to bolt it back on. I follow a similar sort of pattern as head bolts, alternated back-and-forth, starting from center.

I can't tell from the photo if you have it bolted down yet but I have always heard to start in the middle and tighten them down. Working your way to the ends as you go. Maybe the others could correct me but that's what I've always done.

Yup. I've not messed with those specific COPs before, but that's what I figured. And thinking about the wiring connections a little more... If they're logic level triggered, then the other two connections have to be +12 and ground. So the three connections would be trigger, power, and ground, but not necessarily in that order. It's still unknown if the high voltage side shares the same ground connection or if it snags a separate ground through the mounting bolt. I did a little digging looking for a wiring diagram for how those COPs are connected in-situ (same part on Acura's and Hondas) and didn't turn up anything. And I would take that as good news... Seems reliable enough that not a lot of people are asking questions about the wiring diagram? Anyway, I'm clearly getting into the academic part of it that doesn't matter to the application. LOL.