SteveJ

You would think. On the other hand, I did see a spark from the coil wire to the shock tower when I pulled the coil wire, and I did see indication of spark with the timing light and inline-spark checker. So why would a spark not be a spark?

Even if the ECU isn't getting the trigger, the engine doesn't attempt to fire with starting fluid.

I checked compression. I have one low cylinder, but I didn't pull the valve cover to check the valves for that cylinder. I installed the NGK 7133 plugs (Those are the ones for the 280ZX, since I'm running the ZX distributor/ignition module) and tried to fire it up. It sounded like it was close. Tried again with starter fluid, but no change. I replaced the rotor, cap, and ignition module. Sprayed in starter fluid. No change.

The CTS has a good connection. I verified spark from the coil by placing the wire near the shock tower, and I saw a good spark. I took off the air filter and sprayed starting fluid down the throttle bodies, but it acts like no spark despite my other observations.

Background: 260Z with a 2.8L engine, Maxima 2.4L head, ZX ignition, GM TBI fuel injection with SU carburetors converted to throttle bodies The car ran fine last Saturday. I pulled it out of the garage and parked it back in the garage about an hour later. I don't recall anything strange happening. Yesterday, I took off the distributor cap to take some pictures of the coolant temperature sensor. I put the cap back on after I finished taking pictures. Today: I went to start the car. I primed the fuel pump (audible) and tried starting. When it didn't fire, I thought to check the coil wire to the cap. I tried again with the coil wire connected, but it still didn't start. I re-seated the cap, checked the coil wire again, and hooked up a meter to check voltage at the coil. I could smell some fuel coming out the exhaust, too. There was good voltage at the coil. I hooked up a battery charger and put it in Start mode to make sure the battery voltage wasn't dropping too much during cranking. I also tried starting fluid. Still nothing. Wondering if I fried the ignition module, I hooked up the timing light to cylinder #6 so I could look for spark while cranking. The light indicated spark while cranking. I left the car on the battery charger while I ran an errand. When I got back, I had the wife turn the key while monitoring the timing light on #1 against the timing mark. I also used starting fluid. Timing was right, but still no fire. Wondering if the plugs might be too fouled, I changed them out, putting NGK 7131s (not 7133). The old plugs were somewhat fouled, but I've seen worse. No fire with the new plugs. I also checked spark with the timing light on #1 and an inline spark checker on #2. The glow on #2 looked good, and the timing light still lit up. Still no fire. Bottom line: I have fuel, spark, and timing. I will verify compression, but I'm not sure how it would fail suddenly. What am I missing here? I will also try NGK 7133 plugs as soon as I can get them.

When you're looking at how to integrate the wiring, let me know. By the way, one challenge you will face is the placement of the air intake/air filter. The 280Z core support is different from the 260Z. The 260Z does not have the opening for air intake plumbing to pass through. A friend found this out during his conversion.

What kind of fuel injection are you thinking of using?

I also utilized a lot of the stock wiring to integrate my signals from the ECU and its relays for power to the ECU, power to the fuel pump, etc. For the check engine light, I repurposed the choke light.

I believe so. The line was removed, and the port in the t-stat housing was plugged prior to my purchase of the car. I did the Patton Machine fuel injection last year and found that port handy for coolant temperature sensor.

For my FI project, I used a 1/2 BSP to 3/8 NPT adapter on the thermostat housing.

Try Easydrive France instead. http://www.easydrivefrance.com/easydrivefrance_009.htm

I received a package from them just yesterday that was ordered earlier in the week, so I would say they are still in business. Send me a PM with your email address, and I'll send it to someone I know who works there.

Oh, I also found I had 2 sets of Nissan hoses...in addition to the set I just purchased...And I'm still trying to figure out why I took a camshaft someone offered me...at least I think it was given to me...I don't recall buying a camshaft...or that Helix fuel line (According to Amazon that was 3 years ago.)

So I went digging through my carburetor parts in my parts storage today. (Something I should have done months ago.) I found some black Helix Racing Products 3/16 ID x 5/16 OD fuel line. At 3/16 ID, it's a tight fit on the float bowls, but it should work. https://www.helixracingproducts.com/316x-3-fuel-line-black https://www.amazon.com/Helix-Racing-Fuel-Line-Black/dp/B000WK5J0Y It did not kink at a bend radius of less than an inch. It's stiffer than the Nissan hoses, so I will put it on a spare set of carburetors to see if it binds the nozzles. It is tolerant to 10% ethanol and is less than $10 for 3 feet.

From the 73 FSM - Dot 3

Meet or exceed the SAE spec. (from the FSM)

@Mark Maras, Pam at ZTherapy confirmed. part number ZT20 is for the float bowl hoses.

Hmm, I could get a cheap toaster oven from Wally-World.

Thanks. I'll make the inquiry. As far as the other types of hose I'm buying, I am planning on doing some trials on a spare set of carburetors I have to see if the different types have the necessary flexibility as the nozzle moves with the choke.

I measured the outlet of the jet to be about 5.5mm. I ordered a couple of types of 5.5 mm fuel hose from ebay to see if either might be viable. This includes the possibility of creating a jig to heat and mold the hose into shape.

Does ZTherapy hide this product on their site? I don't see it in their master price list or new products.

I ordered a set of those from Z Car Depot. As for what @texasz said, when I get my 73 back on the road, it will have almost exclusively ethanol free gas. I am luck to live near a recreational lake, and many gas stations around me have ethanol free in 87 and 90.

So if you are ever thinking about buying the hose that Z Car Depot (@zcardepot.com) lists as being an alternative to the float bowl hose, don't! (https://zcardepot.com/products/carburetor-su-float-bowl-fuel-line-hose-240z?_pos=2&_sid=6edb73ed7&_ss=r) I used some of that hose on someone's car, and I couldn't figure out why the car wouldn't take load. I went to check the float levels, and this is what I saw when I pulled off the air cleaner. Those hoses aren't going to flow much under load. And I did cut them to the same length as OEM hoses.

I did that on a fuel pump. I transferred the diaphragm from a Delphi pump into a stock housing. I can't give a full report because I have to change out a rotten fuel line at the tank.

I have been working on a 280Z recently whose owner had someone install a rising rate (normally aspirated version) adjustable fuel pressure regulator. The person who installed the FPR did not connect it to a vacuum source. The owner connected the FPR to a vacuum port but reported no improvement in performance. He brought the car to me, and I researched the FPR. It actually called for a stock FPR to be in the circuit with the adjustable FPR. After looking over the car and tweaking some things, I took it for a drive. There was a stumble at throttle tip-in, but eventually it came to life. The wideband AFR meter matched my butt dyno. I could see the car getting really lean on the AFR meter at tip-in. I actually talked with the engineer who designed the adjustable FPR (Corky Bell), and he confirmed that my research was correct. The owner needed a stock FPR added in. So even with the stock ECU, the AFR meter can give you some good data with regard to something like an adjustable FPR. Frankly, I'd like to see a fuel pressure gauge and AFR meter side-by-side.