Zed Head

I found that Redline MT90 was better than Valvoline for a 3rd gear high PRM grind, and 75/25 blind of Swepco 201/AT fluid was better than MT90 for a 2nd and 3rd gear grind. Both old worn transmissions. Forgot to say that this topic has been discussed in to minutiae in other threads and could easily add a few pages to this Porsche style synchro thread.

Don't know if this will help or not -

I don't know what manual you found but the best one is the factory's. In your video you were way off on how to open it up. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/280z/

That would be a 72 then, I think. And your colors don't seem to match the 1972 diagram. I would check the colors from the plug, not at the speedometer. They change color sometimes at the connectors. Really though, easiest is to plug the harness in and fiddle with the switches. Not only do you figure out what's what but you can verify that the bulbs actually work and have good contact. Blue bulbs might not give much illumination. The clear ones are pretty dim as-is.

You could power up and see which ones light when. Or you could check the wiring diagram. The symbology is fairly easy to figure out. What year car?

I mentioned loose engine and transmission mounts. One of the obvious signs there is if the gear shift lever is moving. If it's solid, the problem's probably in the back.

Get everything that you can, even the odd stuff. See this thread about disappearing parts -

I have a set of 280ZX CV axles in the garage and have thought about making an adapter to try them. But these days, it doesn't seem worth it. I'd hate to have a ZX, with no source for half-shafts. They might be converting back to 280Z u-joints soon. Here's Autozone's supply.

Reman CV's aren't known for their quality. There may also be new aftermarket CV's that would work although the aftermarket apparently gets their lengths confused. People have received 300ZX axles instead of 280ZX. I have a collection of used original 280Z u-joint half-shafts. The u-joints have Zerk holes, so I just grease them up and use them as needed. I've only had two bad shafts, one was on my car when I got it, with a dry rusty u-joint, the other came on a parts car that had been hit in the back. It must have "Brinelled" the lengthwise race in the shaft itself because it bound up eventually. The best u-joints are the Nissan factory ones that come with variable thickness clips to get the play set just right. The $20 parts store joints tend to be loose. It's a dilemma.

I think also, that there are two lengths, even for the 280ZX axles. The thing is though, that the reman stock may be disappearing. So, you can run one set then be looking for used parts. We'll be using either u-joint half shafts or 930 CV axles eventually.

The adapters in your picture are for Porsche 930 design CV ends, not 280ZX or 300ZX. You can tell by the bolt pattern. Six evenly spaced holes is 930, three sets of two is 280ZX, and four is 300ZX turbo. The axle length depends on how much travel there is for the CV joints on the shaft ends. No vendors seem to make just an adapter for an existing Nissan axle, although people (cygnusx1) have made their own for the 280ZX CV axles. The aftermarket guys all make hub axle and companion flange sets, which is somewhat overkill. There are plans for the adapters that will let you use stock 280ZX axles, on the Hybridz site. http://forums.hybridz.org/files/file/3-cv-adapter-print/

A post that was transformed into Europeaness. Original post and how it looked on the 24 hour page.

1983 is still ~33 years ago. You were right, time to get that thing tuned and drive it.

The 280Z ECUs are all the same, essentially. I'm pretty sure that even the automatic ECU will work in a manual car. The FSM wiring diagrams are all the same, so any differences would be small. 1975 is missing the altitude switch but that's a California thing.

Oops. just saw the date on the build sheet. 1974. Wow. That was just a couple of years after BRE disbanded if I read my internet right. To be clear though - is that "Production date" for the factory engine or the Link-built engine?

Does for me also.

Is "Steve" Steve from here? Maybe we can get an ECU to him somehow for a test.

If you have access to a wrecking yard I've found that mid to late 90's Honda Passports and Isuzu Rodeos have a valve on a metal T on the front of the engine. They can be removed with some side-cutters, then cleaned up with a tubing cutter. Cheap and solid. I have one permanently mounted on my engine and a couple in the garage for whenever.

The last thing on most of the troubleshooting guides is "replace control unit". You're at that point, I think. It's relatively easy to do, for a flexible person with a Phillips head screwdriver, and almost impossible to break something while trying it. It's a no-brainer if you have one available.

It's the style of valve that's used for wheels/tires. They make them for fuel systems too. And rerigeration, AC systems. Seals one way, with a little pin inside to open the valve to allow flow or release pressure.

No Schrader valve. The hose is 5/16". Get high pressure EFI hose, although plain old hose would probably work for the short time you'll be testing. Take some extra hose clamps. If the guy doesn't mind, it's actually easiest to just cut the hose between the filter and the fuel rail and slip the pressure gauge T-fitting in there. You'll have a heck of time trying to get the old hose off of the metal tube ends. Probably bend and maybe break things. Test the AFM switch first thing though. EuroDat's method, or mine, with the key On, will tell you if the switch is dirty or not. Then, if the switch works, do the same while starting the engine to see if there's enough air flow to keep the switch closed. Sometimes the idle speed will be so low or there's an air leak, and the switch will open and kill power to the pump. Air has to flow through the AFM to keep the switch closed.

Can't remember, but has the ECU been replaced? Pretty sure we've talked about it but don't know if it got swapped. Your problem still sounds lot like a bad ECU that I had, and has symptoms like others have described. Running rich, and dying suddenly. The oil usage seems high also. Oil fouled cylinders tend to stay fouled though, so if it was burning so much oil it caused the engine to die, doesn't seem like it would fix itself.

Sounds a lot like the AFM fuel pump relay contact switch. You can jump the switch under the AFM black cover with an alligator clip or just holding it closed with your finger. Clean it first with a match book striker or similar. I'd try that first, just to make sure the pump is staying running. It's the easiest. Posted a link with a picture. I wouldn't do the other stuff it shows at this time. http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/afm/index.html

I just use the factory labels. Pictures from 1971, 1973, and 1978.

Just learned something about Floyd Link - http://www.stevelinkracing.com/#!parts/c1k7w http://www.datsun.org/fairlady/BRECrew.htm