Captain Obvious

It's not SFE because those are variable length depending on the amperage rating. And the AGX doesn't seem to have all the values we need. I thought I used the ubiquitous AGC style. Those are the ones that you're finding are too long?

Glad to help guys. Here's some more pics showing some different ways to make the water connections to the Escort core. Only drawback is that all of these methods require moving the water control valve out into the engine compartment. Not a problem for me as I had done that long before I switched over to the Escort core, but those of you using the stock water control valves under the dash are left a little "out in the cold". (See what I did there?) Anyway, here's one way to make the water connections. This method utilizes the original feed through assembly to get through the firewall bulkhead: And here's another method that eliminates the (probably rusty anyway) bulkhead feed through. Two generic 90 degree bend tubes feeding through the firewall: I made the holes a little bigger and used some rubber grommets to protect the tubes. Here's the tubes up in the engine compartment before I put my water control valve back in: When I get another couple minutes, I'll upload some more pics of another option.

Here's a summary with some reloaded pics. Heater core for a 91-02 Ford Escort SOHC (not the ZX2). The heater core is aluminum, and the one I got was Spectra Premium P/N 94741. I decided on the Escort core because it was the thinnest, smallest, most generic, cheap core that I could find with tubes that stuck straight out on the same side. No long funky bent tubes. No weird mounting flanges. Generic, small, thin, and cheap because it's from a ubiquitous car and not from a low volume hard to find Ferrari. Here's a pic of the Escort core next to the original 280 core: Escort core with a layer of foam around the outside for a snug fit inside the air box: Build a little shelf for the Escort core to sit on. Since the Escort core is a little thinner, it allowed me to move the core up a little so it doesn't interfere with the floor duct control linkages at the bottom of the heater box (like the stock one does). Aluminum angle material screwed into place as a lower support shelf: Escort core in place before putting on the access panel cover. Can't see it in the pic, but it's resting on the new aluminum shelf on the far side: Cut some new holes in the access cover for the inlet and outlet tubes and put the cover in place. Tape over the original holes so air doesn't come out where it's not supposed to. I put a support shelf on the back side of the cover for that end of the core as well, but after doing that, I'm not sure it's really necessary. If I were doing it again, I would probably skip that second shelf and just use the inlet and outlet tubes poking through the cover as the supports on that end. But if you look carefully, you can see the heads of screws that hold the shelf in place: When I get a couple more minutes, I'll post some pics on how to make water connection to the core.

Mike, Thanks for the help. I'm not looking to have upload the photos to your server. They are already hosted elsewhere and I just want to link to them and have them show up embedded. Done it thousands of times before, but it wouldn't work this morning. However... I don't know what happened, but it's working fine now. I'm assuming some sort of user error.

My pleasure. Did you verify that the plumbing connection taper threads are the same? Most, if not all, of the plumbing on the Z is BSP, while the Fiero should be NPT. If you're just looking to jamb it in there once and have it not leak, you'll probably be OK with some schmutz and/or Teflon tape, but if you're a purist, you might not like mixing the threads.

Two weak pumps is unlikely, but certainly possible. For me, it's more about doing anything else I can think of before I would go through the PITA of dropping the tank. Maybe it's just dealing with the rock hard petrified filler tube and vent hoses, but I would do a lot of other things before I would finally concede to go through that again.

@Mike, can you please take a look at this and let me know why my links won't embed as pics like they used to? Am I doing something wrong, or did something on your end change? For example: http://www.240260280.com/co/au57-v/theduke.jpg I get this error message whenever I try to post a pic: Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead The link could not be embedded because of an unexpected error: Forbidden: "Something went wrong. Please try again.".

That's true love, right there! You're a lucky man.

Well that's some progress, huh? I still think you've got a fuel delivery issue upstream, and I wonder if the pump just isn't up to the task. If you're thinking you've got a blockage issue at the tank itself, you could test that theory by running from a fuel can in the hatch area feeding the input to the pump. In other words, same pump but different (temporary) tank. If the problem goes away, you drop the tank. But if not, try different pump?

The "BRAKE" warning lamp should light if that wire is connected to ground. That's what happens if you lose one half the brake system (like the rear axle) and the brake warning switch shuttle inside gets pushed all the way to one end or the other. That's also what happens when you pull the parking brake handle, it shorts that same connection to ground.

Hi Jim, I do have the pics and will try to reload them for you tomorrow. As an aside, I'm very happy with my Escort core. The difficulty for you would be the temp control valve stuff under the dash. Are you still running all the stock valves and hoses?

Yes, both sender analog, and an on-off for the fuel pump. I didn't look anything up in any manuals, but anecdotal data says the switch should close over 4 psi. Here's a page with some info about the sender units. Note that 87 and earlier is different than 88, but I think it's mechanical differences only. Electrical they are the same 84-88. http://web.archive.org/web/20151002182213/http://home.comcast.net/~fierocave/oilsender.htm

Do you think the plastic would hold up to powder coat temps? @wheee! had some pretty impressive results with the chrome powder coat. https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/50908-1976-280z-restoration-project/?page=66&tab=comments#comment-535792 And for the outer black portion... I was messing with one of them today as well. Not as impressed with the results as I had hoped, but I have two more things to try tomorrow. If I'm lucky, I may have a good option for you then?

Wait... I got an idea. How about we get a monkey to sit in the driver's seat of one of those driverless cars? That would work, right? Can monkeys use smart phones?

Actual testing would be awesome. I'm just operating off anecdotal and uncontrolled data. When I get a chance, I'll try to whip up a sketch or two showing why I contend the CV carbs would be less finicky than other designs.

That part of the HVAC system was evolving and changing a lot through those years. I think factory installed A/C started in 74 with the 260, and in that year they had the fresh air floor vent pull knobs on both sides. They pulled the air in at the front of the fender frame channels through those plastic ducts on both sides. Sounds like 75 and early 76 had the accordion vent and fresh air floor vent on just the passenger side. They still pulled air in through the right side frame channel, but only the right side. For 77, they had redesigned much of the sheet metal, including the frame channels and the cowl area where the windshield wiper motor lives. So for 77, they went back to fresh air pull knobbies on both sides, but they pulled the air from inside the cowl area instead of through the frame channels. Just another reason why the 77 is the best year.

LOL! You guys are the best!

Sounds like my Sunday... Or was that Monday? Probably both! You ever seen the problem solving flow-chart? Good luck with the project. I don't remember... Do the stud holes go all the way through to the underside, or are they blind in from the top? If they're all the way through, you could potentially get some penetrant onto the threads from the underside.

The Webers aren't constant velocity.. The venturi vacuum is all over the place with those depending on throttle position and air flow. With the SU carbs, you have constant-ish, predictable venturi vacuum, even at idle.

That pic threw me at first as well. But if you blow it up to full size and look carefully just to the right of injector connector #3, you can see the cut ends of the wires from the rear bank of three. The way they are laying in the pic makes it look like it's a full harness of six (as it was intended), but it's actually two smaller harnesses of three injectors each. And as for the AAR, that's probably red 5/8 heater hose. The original hose turned to rock and crumbled to dust, so they replaced it with some heater hose of similar size. Not that I've ever done such a thing....

This thread seems to indicate that it wasn't just the 77 and 78 cars that had that snorkel:: https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/60231-76-280z-complete-fuel-injection-sys-more/

I'm no carb expert, but that is my contention. I do not believe the absolute fuel level is as critical as many people believe it to be It is my contention that the majority of the pressure drop occurs at the needle restriction, and not much caused by the different height of the fuel. What is the psi reading at the bottom of a 2 mm tall column of fuel?

I've got one just like that. 2.0 stamped on the side, and the Hitachi logo. Just one in a box of assorted round top parts. I've got way more flat top parts than I do round top. Surprised?

LOL! I go off-line for a couple days and come back to this? I appreciate the accolades, but I fear you guys give me waaaaay too much credit! Blind squirrel and all that...

That doesn't look like it got wet to me. Just looks like old non-sealed electronics IMHO. And if it's dead, I wouldn't bother trying to troubleshoot. They're easy enough to find used still working, and failing that, there are aftermarket options. How's this for a litmus test... Even I wouldn't spend a lot of time trying to fix one of those. And the reason your wipers work slow is probably a completely mechanical issue. Crud and rust in the linkage, especially where the wiper stalks poke out of the cowl area up to the glass.