Zed Head

There are many ways to get a title for a vehicle, that might not be the original for the bulk of the car. It's surprising what you can do. Here's a sampling from Oregon. The link and a snippet. The thing about the Z's is that their VIN format doesn't match the common databases that DMV's use. So computer records are scarce, probably for showing that a car was stolen also. 87mj could probably file for a lost title and get it with the firewall VIN number, then change the other tags to match. Question - does the engine code match the engine bay tag? Might be a clue about where things came from. Pretty common to combine cars to make one good one. http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/docs/trassembled.pdf

Maybe it was a secret storage spot. Was that broken piece of rotor in there or did you break it off?

That's the funny thing about "the states". We're actually more like 66 tiny nations. They all have their own laws, and like it that way. There is no federal VIN law. Ownership is determined by the laws of the state. So you're probably fine within certain geographical regions, but might have problems if you want to sell it.

Save you some time -

Connecting the battery backward can cause problems. Short circuit somewhere in the wiring maybe. Good find. Bad news. I just noticed what you said earlier about trying a 1978 ECU. 1982 is completely different. Nissan actually wrote some notes when they changed the ECU's saying "Do not try early ECU's on these cars!!!!" So that was a bad idea. Anyway, you need an ECU that's right for the car. Here's a link to a guide with ECU numbers. Maybe yours is not even right for the car. Post up the number.

A thought on being sure the distance piece is correct for the hub. Stick the piece in without the axle. It should be flush with the outer race seat on the other side, within a few thousandths. It's kind of a goofy spec. because the ranges overlap. They seem to want the distance piece to be smaller than the hub but the overlap and wide range makes the opposite possible. "Blueprinted", the distance piece would be about .0012" smaller than the hub. Without the perfect tools, a flush feel by finger is probably good.

Is the topic still "what happened" or "how to put it back together"? The numbers say "B" hub to me. Is there a B? The extended race is described in the part description, if it helps. It would be on the outside, so the inside portion of the inner and out races would be flush when assembled.

Forgot to say also, check the ground circuit for the ECU and EFI system. There is a separate ground for the connector, you can see it at 19, 20 and 22. People often get so focused on the power that they forget about the ground. Edit - the tests I described are all written up in the pages following the EFEC-80 diagram. Your fuel pump power test above, usng Pin 13, kind of indicates that you're not going through the tests in the FSM. There's a simpler fuel pump power test on page EFEC-94, using the starter solenoid wire. The test we often recommend. Sometimes, as you're learning these new things, it's a good idea to go back and re-run a series of tests. They make more sense the 2nd and 3rd time around.

A test that might show you something would be to run a hot wire from the battery to the coil's positive terminal. If it stays running when you use a hot wire then you can focus on losing the ignition system power. You might also check for power on Pin 27 with the key on. That's the power from the EFI relay to the ECU. If you have power there you'll know the EFI relay is working. You mentioned the click, and the injectors opening but if you look at the diagram is shows that the injector power doesn't come through the relay, it has its own fusible link. And the relay can click but still not pass power. I'm not sure that the diagram is correct but it's worth a check of Pin 27. The ECU needs power too. Study the diagram and you'll find many small tests you can run for power and ground. Once you don't find the big easy source of the problem you almost always have to work through the tedious small tests. But when you find the one thing that's wrong it will be worth it.

I get it now. That's some good deep-diving. Here's another short summary - redfogo's inserts are definitely installed backward. It might be that they will still work this way (and might be why Nissan never became aware enough to correct the manual) but it looks like there is damage being caused. Red has to decide if he wants to disassemble the transmission far enough to fix them or just run it that way. Any comments on how far he'd have to go to get to them, to replace and/or reverse?

The factory seals combine a dust seal with the oil seal. They are better, they'll probably last another 150,000 miles, but the replacement seals will keep the oil where it belongs. Just wear out faster.

Here's a Rockauto National diff seal, and a Nissan link. Aftermarket is usually different. Take the two critical measurements to be sure that it will work. http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=253610&cc=1209260&jsn=362 https://www.courtesyparts.com/oem-parts/nissan-seal-38342n3100

Seems like the only way to get it improper would be if the hub was not pressed on completely. Maybe that would show at the nut, if not threads are showing. Other measurements too, of course. Maybe the nut is coming loose.

That's a good one. Jimmyb's noid light could be used to check for power at the coil with the key on. That would answer that question. Check for power at the coil with the key at Run/On, and at Start. Edit (reread previous posts) - Not sure why the noid light was needed to check for injector power. Just measure voltage with the meter. Anyway, check the fusible links that supply power to the EFI system. I don't see any actual voltage measurements in your testing. The ignition system is on a completely separate circuit than the EFI system. You can have spark and run it on ether, with no power to the EFI system.

Boiled down the essential elements - it works right when it's fully assembled. But it's worn. Isn't that about the state of the situation? Dave, is that a busted oil gutter in your picture? Or is it something else? Doesn't really look like the factory jobby. Don't overlook your oil gutter, redfogo.

I saw this over on Hybridz. There are a lot more links on Google so I'm pasting it instead. It's a 1975 280Z 2+2. Still haven't seen what's underneath but it doesn't look too bad. The youtube links seem to show some good coupe sidebar stuff also. It's gonna be on the TV, apparently. https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=dqsPWoPXH8HwjwOtqZ_IBA&q=gas+monkey+garage+280z&oq=gas+monkey+garage+280z&gs_l=psy-ab.3...1750.7711.0.7920.22.22.0.0.0.0.81.1225.22.22.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.20.1119...0j0i131k1j0i10k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1.0.KNxr6glMcHY Edit - if the software is going to switch words for me maybe it could keep the capitalization? That would be thoughtful.

Really, the longest post in this whole thread should be sweatybetty's first one. The ideal ending would be a quiet resolution, with sweatybetty coming back later to acknowledge it, of his own accord. It's just a bent header flange. Sorry James, we were writing and posting at the same time. Carry on...

Haranguing somebody publicly on the forum, to give the impression that you're trying to "resolve this" isn't really right. Doesn't help anybody. The real problem is the bad phone interaction at the beginning. If James is the guy from the phone call, putting him in charge of fixing things isn't going to make things better. Should have just stopped with the message from Tuesday, with the contact information (unless James is the guy. If James is the phone guy then a different contact person would be better). If sweatybetty wants to be compensated, the opportunity is there in the message. If he really is done with MSA then best to just leave it at that. The damage is done. That's the internet. It lives forever. Unless it's Photobucket.

The tachometer is a real issue that I've verified on two different EFI cars, a 76 and a 78. So few people try to stat their engines with the tachometer out though, that nobody believes it and they all discount it, because, apparently, they don't understand why it would happen. No offense to the non-believers, but it's true, it really is, you have to believe me... (read this in a pleading whiny voice) . If you have a factory stock EFI car go remove the inline resistor and try to start the engine if you want to know, or generate some real knowledge refuting my claim. Again, no offense, it is what it is. Even worse, it only happens when everything is factory stock. I have a GM HEI ignition module now and it starts fine with the tachometer disconnected. BUT, JimmyB, you are way way ahead of thinking about things like that. You haven't even done the most basic, usually the first, test of the EFI system - Confirm that Pin 18 (for the 280ZX's) of the ECU connector is electrically connected to the negative post of the coil. That's what the ECU sees to know to open the injectors. You're at the point where you need a multimeter or test light and need to go through the tests we always recommend in either the FSM. It's possible that the ECU is bad but it's a lot easier to run a few simple tests first. Go to the "Electrical System Inspection" section of the Engine Fuel and Emissions chapter of the FSM. Ignore all of the ECCS and Analyzer test material, the simple tests are at the back of the chapter. Sorry, but you're at that point. The 280ZX wiring is different than the 280Z wiring but the basic functions are the same. Page 80 is the first page. See how they made a special place for the negative pin of the coil? It's very important.

I think that you have to upload to something like youtube then link to your post. If you're smelling fuel but not getting a start it might be over-fueling (flooding), because your coolant temperature circuit is open. Or it might be that you have bad spark and you're not firing the CSV fuel. Verify spark, I'd say, to start. Try starting fluid if you have it.

We don't know what "tried to crank it no luck" means. Didn't crank? Cranked but didn't start? Cranked and started but you didn't get lucky? Who knows... Not clear if there was a click or a grind or a whiirwhiirrwhirrrr. Wouldn't you expect no gasoline smell if your injectors were clogged? Per standard response - more details needed. Describe turning the key to a certain spot, and what happens then. Videos are fun too.

I think that you can tell if 5th gear is right by the position of the coupler on the gear teeth. In your video you can see that they all line up. Once those drive teeth are engaged the gear is "in play". If 5th is right, hard to see how reverse could be wrong. Reverse is kind of crude anyway. I'm not even sure that the teeth are fully engaged when it's in use, are they? Not really meant to transmit a lot of power. Wouldn't be surprised if the front cover actually does come into play for reverse, because it's probably not worth extensive engineering. The adapter plate balls and grooves could be worn too as you said, allowing just enough extra travel to cause problems, without the help of the cover.

You should list in Oz, since it's spring down there. You're kind of late in the season for selling here in the states. Los Angeles, maybe.

Probably not, I'd guess. (Answering my own question). There are two different 5th gear types, if I recall right. Different hubs and synchro rings. Brass versus "carbon" is the usual discussion point. Maybe there are more differences. Might be comparing apples and pears.

Could the OD synchronizer hub be installed backward? That's the splined piece on the inside that the dogs sit in. The dog house. It's asymmetrical for OD/5th.