fiveleaf

I'm a little confused over ignition, spent a few hours looking online, and learned that buying new can look pretty expensive. Just found a pretty good deal on a new PS92(coil) with HI-6(ignition), so the old PS92 is now replaced. Unfortunatly, the PS92 is only CD ignition, so I either need to ignore the HI-6, or look for a PS91. All crane arms. I also have the XR700 fireball ignition (crane arms) that was [used with PS92 after old HI-6 failed?]. I'm not sure about this. It's bolted under the PS92, and was used with it... but disconnected when swapping the old (mechanical only) distrubutor out. Too bad, because the crane arms tach adapter would work if I bought a PS91 and used it with the HI-6. Just not sure what to do with the XR700 ignition. Anyways, to the vaccum advance. It's the cannon intake manifold. Two possible locations to take vaccum from; one is used for the brakes and the other is undrilled, and past the first putterfly nut on the webers. I'd rather change the dizzy now than drill into the manifold (because if I ever change it in the future...) So I guess I'm going to look for a new dist.; does anyone have somthing cheaper than the Unilite in mind? Or maybe comments if I were to look for a used unilite? Thanks so much so far guys!

I made it to Kingston! or... Limped into Kingston. Recently drove my dad's old project z across Canada -- Whistler, BC to Kingston, ON. I use this as a daily driver in the summer, and walking to work/school is over an hour... She has troubles: A) -Keeping a steady Idle -Delivering power to the wheels at any RPM -Will not coast in any gear before trying to cough and lug (1st is especially bad for this) -Will cough/lug in any gear at low RPM even if throttle is given gently mid RPM -Climbing hills in low-ish RPM (even 3rd) C) -Will backfire from exhaust many times if full throttle is given from pedal, especially at high RPM D) -Will clunk/shudder from below me (mid/rear), especially at low rpm when trying to give power to wheels. It sounds much worse than a miss, and is separate from the lugging. She has no problem: -Downshifting -Revving in Neutral -Coasting down a hill -Cornering without applying power I believe I have a few problems, which is why I've laid out the symptoms A-D. My thinking/solutions: A) New Distributor Cap for 280zx distributor. Plugs/Wires/Distributor is new. Coil appears to be giving good spark, but only if the main male terminal is held about 1/8 to 1/4" away from the female socket. When it is held like this, 1. you can see/hear every spark perfectly jump, 2. idle immediately rises by about 300rpm and is steady 3. the distributor cap was replaced last summer 4. No water/condensation/rust inside the distributor or cap, all looks good 5. Having spark issues driving here, all terminals to cap are coated in dielectrical grease. It seemed to improve spark, as I had the same "hold the plug wire away from the cap" problem coming across the prairies. Does this then point to the coil? I hope to god that this is solved with my solution to problem A, as it must be linked to problem B. I know, it sounds like a miss or a fuel delivery problem. But so much has been done to clean up fuel delivery recently C) Triple webers running too rich. I'm really out of my league when it comes to finding the correct jet's for my webers. They are apart and on my living room floor for a cleaning (I thought they might be dirty or something may be inside them.) They are not dirty at all. Plugs come out coated in carbon. Inside of tailpipe is coated in soot. Exhaust is sometimes black with carbon. Exhaust line is not cracked, broken, or loose. D) Diff/loose nut somewhere? I believe this is a 3.54 R180 or R200, and will put the car up on a hoist and just look for any nut I can find to tighten, anywhere near the diff/mustache bar/U-joints? I need to research this subject more. Weird, because there is less than 10,000mi on this diff. ------------------------- Car "went like stink" many times for 2hrs Whistler - Vancouver, with an altitude change from sea level to the mountains. I don't think the change in location messed with the carbs, and I don't know why they are running so rich now, and not earlier. L28 (slight bore) with triple webers, Webers are currently apart in my living room. New Noisier Carter electric fuel pump to replace the old Carter 4070. Regulated to 3.5 PSI Fram HPG-1 Fuel filter, just replaced the cartridge. Supposed to be very good for these webers. PS92 Ignition, 79-80' 280zx Distributor, all new wires and plugs. New 10w30 full synthetic. Not overheating, and only other problems are random electrical issues. I noticed that the distributor from the 280zx has a vacuum advance on it; should I attempt to hook this up? There is a possible location on the cannon manifold to accommodate this, but it would need to be drilled. The Ignition Coil has printed on it "For Use With CD Ignition ONLY" Guess I can look at the fuel strainers immediately before each carb... "Banjo" is what I believe they are called. Thank you all so much; any input is appreciated.

Thank's Zak; I won't leave without fixing this. A Question: No parts store wants to open a bunch of random dist. cap boxes to find those that look the same as a 280zx, though it seems like this may be a more genaric part to me -- Does anyone know offhand which dist. cap's may fit a 280zx distriburor?

I am driving from BC to Ontario in a 240z with 10,000miles on a rebuilt L28 triple webers. 280zx distributor. Fuel pressure is 3.5 psi. It ran fine for 12 hours to Calgary, in heavy rain, and for most of the way accross the prarries. Currently in Thunder Bay. Fixed many problems related to this in Calgary with zKars, as well as many other unrelated issues along the way. She still luggs when trying to give power to the wheels, especially under low RPM. Checked spark plug wires again, 3 and 4 are intermittent. Switched all wires (plugs are 2 days old, new distributor with old cap) Gives spark perfectly when holding the plug wire about 1/4 to 1/8 inch away from the female connector on the dist. cap; gives little/intermittent spark when pushed into position. Cleaned dist. cap, cleaned terminal ends, cleaned plugs, cleaned roater, same problem. Everything is new except for the cap! Looks clean! I'll replace the cap (anyone in Thunder Bay have one?), but what else could this be? Fuel filter just cleaned. 91 octane used with the occasional octane booster (likes 92). No backfires, except on occasional downshift decel. Any ideas appreciated, orginal thread is below: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35493

She runs the best I've ever seen it! Full power through full range of 1-4; I'm sure 5th is fine. I no longer get the finger 5 times while going through Calgary rush hour, as she doesn't need to be revved to stay alive I'll continue across the parries tomorrow (Monday) morning. I'll stop in Edmonton and Thunder Bay before Toronto/Kingston, just in case. Both have zcar clubs. ZKars, you are truly amazing. Everything you have thought of has been bang on. Thanks as well to all who posted. Tommy Jr Jr. PS: Dad was impressed with the amount of rust of the Arizona/Vancouver 240z, and has decided to take it. Mom doesn't sound entirely impressed, but as Jim said, "some people just have the bug". He's been without ours in the driveway for five days.

Tank has been full of 94 Octane. Any comments on Octane booster for where I can't find 92+? I bought a couple, but am skeptical due to it's flashy advertising.

So... How bad is it to keep driving like this? Anyone in Calgray (preferably) or east of Calgray that wants to play with triple webers? Anyone have the equipment to sync them properly after I possibly attempt a clean and change of the jets? Linkage is slightly loose, but I don't believe this is the main problem. Any help appreciated. Ty. Tommy.

Tommy here! I first have to thank Jim (ZKars) for the amazing help... Four z's at the same house after I pulled up! An entire chest for all original z nuts/bolts, a garage with every tool you can ask for for working on a car, an ally filled with about 20 large containers of parts, really everything you can think of! Amazing. Dad's dream garage. And backyard. Spare maybe working on the triple webers... but that later. So the pressure was really low, new (noisy) fuel pump installed (can't hear it idle while in traffic). Problem update: In the last two days, in chrono order: Kamloops Alternator replaced. (needed, was dead) Water pump replaced. (needed, was leaking) Calgary Air filters cleaned. (Filthy, now looks new and rust-free) >>nothing gritty in visible carb area, only some grime<< Spark plugs cleaned and new distributor cap plugs installed. Timing gun bought, timing played with. Synthetic oil added Fan clutch replaced. (needed) Rad overflow installed (Why is this chrome? Don't ask me.) Timing played with Leaking gas tank fixed. -- w/ zkars Burnt headlight fixed. -- w/ zkars Fuel pump replaced with 280z fuel sensor and new pressure gadge.-- w/ zkars Webers toyed with -- w/ zkars Fuel pressure now at about 3psi (idle liked it more than 3.5psi) Timing played with (now back up to 20* below TDC) Webers toyed with (higher idle) Problem: It still luggs under load. At least I now know it's not fuel pressure. Will lug even at high RPM if torque is applied. (I had not tried to accelerate hard in high rev third gear until today.) Is running very rich. Could be the altitude change? Backfires from carbs while trying to make it idle. Backfires from exhaust while under load, very frequently, esp. at high rpm. Hard to start. Will die if left at idle. Problem get's worse as temp. increases. Diagnostic: I still think this is a carb problem. Whistler, BC --> Calgary, AB is possibly enough of an altitude change to mess with the webers? I'm going to keep going lower as I continue my journey to 400ft above sea, in Kingston ON. I noticed it when I was first driving city Calgary at 3am (could I have descended too much from Baniff?) Should I attempt to take the webers apart? I've never seen them inside out; only in diagrams... they look a little complicated and almost too precise to mess with. Jet's should be changed so it run's more lean, but where to buy/swap them? Again I need to thank zkars for your amazing help and pricing. $100 is not even fair to cover parts, let alone labor -- I would have paid you more had either you asked or I afford it! To anyone working on anything near the gas tank: TAKE THE TIRE OFF for side access.