Zed Head

I have a downloaded version too, but I found that the drop down menus at the upper right will get you there. There's a sub-topic called Other Guides under the Reference sub-topic. S30 > Reference > Other Guides, for example. Still weird though, the S30 and S130 links have different formats.

I was just on their site, looking for a guide and found that the site pages are full of bad links. So here's the home page link, and the best way to get to the good stuff is to use the drop down menus at the upper right. The links from the individual pages don't work. http://www.xenonzcar.com/

Ya know, we have't given blackpearls the boilerplate advice on the 280Z EFI. He'll probably have to dig in and learn some auto to get it fixed. It would have been nice to get a quick resolution but odds are it's time to go through the rigor of testing the system with a meter and gauges. There aren't many mechanics out there today who know how to work on these old cars. Say you were a mechanic who knew how 20 years ago, when these cars were 15 years old. 15 years is already old technology. Now, 20 years later, those guys have retired, replaced by code readers and sub-system replacers. It's just how the industry has gone. Anyway, the Engine Fuel, and Engine Electrical, chapters are the place to start. There's also the Fuel Injection Guide, very useful Many have started from this very point. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/280z/ http://www.xenonzcar.com/s130/other.php

Curious, what is the current shift lever not doing? Is it just an odd angle? Here's one thing that people do to the stock levers, apparently. Seems like a lot of money for a cut, a weld, and some grindng, but it's there. Not recommending, just showing. http://www.datsunstore.com/shifters-shortened-throw-p-1790.html

The propeller shafts aren't serviceable but the drive (half) shafts are. Actually, many of them come with a cap in the Zerk hole already, as you saw. Greased once, then capped. So, it shouldn't be a problem. If you decided to put a new Zerk fitting in, check that it's not too long. I think that Nissan used short ones. Long might break off again. You must have good eyes if you noticed a halfshaft Zerk while working on the tie rod ends.

You might send a message to borini63. He parts a lot of cars. Dangerdan88 (?) does also.

I had the stock 4 speed in my 76 when I got it, then installed a 78 5 speed, then an 83 5 speed, and finally an 80 5 speed, and I used the same shift lever in all of them. The 76 and 78 levers were the same shape and throw (length of the little knobbed arm at the bottom). If by "Maxima bushings" you mean the spring loaded contraption that allows the lever to move up and down, those were used on the 280ZX cars also. I think I posted something about the Maxima in the past, but most people know those from the ZX. It seems to change the throw during the shifting motion, but doesn't seem to be necessary. You should be able to install the simple 4 speed lever and be fine. Probably late 74 to 1978 would be like the stock 78 lever. Maybe 71 to 78. I don't know that Nissan would have needed to make any changes over the years, besides very minor ones, since the bodies are essentially the same shape. Edit - here's the page site was referring to (you'll have to blow it up. Tiny pictures). Looks like 72-78 are the years. http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/69-83TrannyShifterDrawing.jpg

I had a similar thought to Patcon's that's why I asked about a tuneup. You need coil discharge for the ECU to tell the injectors to spray fuel so I thought maybe you were losing spark somewhere between the coil and the plugs, but the coil was still discharging. Maybe a short from the main coil wire to ground. Could also be that the coil is bad and doing enough to trigger the ECU but not enough to spark the plugs. I hate to throw suggestions out though, because you can spend a lot of money replacing parts trying to find the right one. That's why we were suggesting the module cooling, it's a good test. So, it seems like you are losing spark, but maintaining fuel. That's the odd thing. You might just closely check all of the wiring at the coil, and the distributor cap, to make sure you don't have a wobbly wire. Don't let the wires lean on or touch anything, keep them well-separated. Pull the main wire out of the coil and cap and reseat it to make sure it has a good connection. They've been known to seat poorly, causing problems.

You'll probably feel like I'm overdoing this point, but "in the heat" is too vague. One person's heat is another person's fine day. You're also not telling us how hot the the engine is, is it fully warmed up, or is this right after starting out? It's the engine heat that matters, and how hot the other components are. Heat builds up everywhere as the engine runs. Fuel pumps can fail when they get warm, but you can also have crud in the tank clogging the pump inlet. Since your problem is repeatable and the car is driveable, it's a great candidate for installing a gauge and letting it hang out of the hood where you can see it. Looks bad but it will tell you a lot. The car might be taking off like a rocket because you're pressing the throttle hard to try and make it run. No offense, but people who aren't in tune with how engines work will do things like that. There are other simple tests that you can try but fuel pressure is very important and should be verified before looking elsewhere. You can get side-tracked.

That's a bummer. Does it pop back through the intake manifold (under the hood), or does the bang come from the exhaust pipe? It's really best to be methodical and meticulous when you get one of these types of problems. Lots of detail in descriptions, even on the small things. Even the stuff that seems completely unrelated like the tachometer needle behavior, noises from the radio, lights that flicker, the voltmeter needle, etc. Descriptions like "I have run a fuel pressure test on it and everything was alright." aren't enough. Numbers are best. Some people think that loosening a hose clamp and seeing fuel come out means pressure is okay. When was the last time it had a tune-up? Plugs, cap, wires, etc. Some of use have spent lots of time just find that the plugs were worn out.

We should really start a thread just on safety improvements on these generally old cars with old technology. Here's a fairly recent post describing a belt breaking during an accident, with pictures. If you have a wooden steering wheel, things could get pretty nasty. http://www.zcar.com/forum/13-car-talk-forum/362722-very-very-bad-day-me-my-z.html

Sometimes the money-time-knowledge calculations just point to replace and hope. I had meant to add a reply about the tachometers in these old cars commonly getting stuck high when they get hot. It's usually a smooth problem though. The jumpy needle from the module pumping out too many sparks is pretty dramatic though. It's scary.

Doesn't the internal relief valve determine maximum pressure? Both of yours are in the range. Flow rate at a set pressure might be a good measure of wear though.

The theory on blocking the return hole to the reservoir by overextending the rod is that heat causes the brake fluid to expand, creating pressure. Maybe you never got it warm enough. Glad I could at least point to something. I haven't been in to the brakes for so long that I lost track of the other rod. I think that the one from pedal needs to be adjusted correctly so that the booster doesn't kick in early (I don't have a firm grasp on the fine details of how the booster works), and the one from the booster so that the MC piston is ready to go, with no play. But they both are in series so maybe they both can cause the problem if mis-adjusted.

Your friend's suggestion was a good one. But you kind of have a mix of symptoms with "come to life after the backfire and take off. The only thing I have been able to tell is that it only happens when the temperature outside is hot because in the mornings when I go to work the car will drive perfectly. " Usually the modules stay screwed up until the engine is turned off for a short time. I had one that worked fine until I revved the engine over about 3000 RPM. Then it would run rough until I turned it off and restarted. One clue about the module is the tachometer needle. It won't read correctly, usually high, and the needle will jump around. One test of the module that apparently works well is to spray it with a cooling spray. You can buy them in various stores, I've heard. When things are bad, spray the module and see if it goes away. Here's an example, I don't really know where to get it. http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Freeze-Electronic-Component-FR-777-777/dp/B000Z99ZCA You can also wire in a GM HEI module, permanently or just for a test if you get frustrated. They're about $20, and actually perfrom just as well as the expensive Nissan replacements.

A thought - if you're sucking oil down the valve guides, the intake valves will be very oily. Should be visible through the intake ports. There's a lot of oil flowing over the valve train so that seems like a possibility. Torn seals are probably visible from the top also, maybe use a magnifying glass to get a good look. Pretty sure I've read some threads about making mistakes on new valve guides and burning lots of oil. I'll see if I can find them.

I kind of forgot about the booster, in between. The other way to check the rod is to loosen it until the clevis pin rattles. Forgot that method, if it's already together. Easier. Still wondering, what initiated the problem? You never said.

I know there's a procedure in the FSM, but the one essential thing to look for is that the MC rod does not have any tension on it with the pedal up. My method is to adjust the pedal to where to where I like it, then adjust the clevis on the rod to where the clevis pin will slide in easily without moving either the pedal or the MC rod. That will place the MC piston at its proper position in the MC and the pedal where you want it. You can fine tune from there to take up some small amount of play before the MC piston moves, but it won't take much before you're blocking that hole. You can adjust the clevis by turning the rod, inside the MC. It's not attached to anything, it will spin easily. So leave the clevis over the pedal hole, and turn the rod until the clevis pin slides in. Then maybe a bit more to take up any play. I use a pair of pliers, or long nose vice grips to turn the rod. It's cramped up there. You almost can't go wrong this way, I think. If your problem came from nowhere though you probably have something else going on. Did you change something recently?

Similar topic just came up. The MC rod is adjustable. What can happen if it's too long I described in Post #15. http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/51812-brake-booster-check-valve-question/

That's a lot of oil. One quart / 100 miles. The F54 flattop/N47 is a non-factory combination. Higher CR, but it also means the PO had the head off. Was it supposed to be a rebuild or just totally unknown? Cylinder pressure only shows sealing ring quality, not oil scrapers. Is the PCV system working? No chance that you have a blockage, allowing crankcase pressure to build up? You might check the cam chain for wear, and look for other signs, just to get an idea of if it's an old tired short-block, or a re-ring that might wear in (unlikely,but it's a hope.).

Thanks for the compliments, I didn't realize my imaginary internet persona creation was so strong. No though, unfortunately, I mis-wrote, and I was just referring to the thread. Not ready to destroy my illusion yet by becoming real! I'm in Oregon, thinking about replacing my rear main seal. My leak-free engine is slightly leaky. Looks like a big show this year, I don't remember seeing so much about it in the past. Don't over-do.

I was afraid to look. But everybody's here now so I had to take a chance.

Just realized this wasn't a singles dating thread... Thanks for those pictures on the fiddlingwithzcars site. Can't wait for the captions, all 168 of them (or more).

You've already done all of the hard work. Carve that torn section off and use it. If it starts to degrade you can pop the pin out, drop the casting, and insert a new one, probably without removing any brake lines or strut mount bolts.

My stock engine sounded cammy when it was running rich. Numbers-wise, the 280Z A grind, is the same as the early 240Z L24 grind. Made a picture of 72 and 76 numbers. And I don't know that I would worry about the marks on the cam. Looks like it may have had some rust on it that wore off, but hard to tell if it's going bad. Don't see anything significant. Cam changes can be a whole giant can of worms. The cam numbers are shown in site's atlanticz link also. I like to go to the source when I can.