Brand new fuel pump, & have changed the fuel injection relay out

Any ideas? Not sure what to try next

Many thanks,

Mark

Works: All running lights (side markers, headlights, tail lights), map light, AC console backlighting, center console switch lights (including hazard switch light)

Does not work: All gauge lights (they already did not work), speedo brake light, turn signals (no flasher click or dash turn signal indicator either), hazards, windshield wipers and washer motor (might as well throw that in)

Anyone have any advice for me? I will attach a photo of BE-12 along with a connector I found that I cannot find where it plugs in. The connector has two wires, one green with a white stripe and one red with a green stripe. It has a T shaped connector. I don't see where it plugs in, but I don't think it's related to my turn signal issue because I don't see anything like it in BE-12. I think it may be part of the meter illumination light system. My current plan is to rip the center console out at least, possibly the dash and root around down there until I hopefully see a smoking gun. If there are any typical failure points I should check, let me know. Thanks for the help!

Also when I turn the key to off position it doesn’t turn off the car, nothing changes when I switch between off and run on the ignition switch, but as soon as I disconnect the ECU ignition wire from the cars ignition wire everything works normally.

also the temp gauge isn’t working on the dash anymore

if anyone can help with my issues I would greatly appreciate it

I have scoured forums, and have an original FSM.  Trying my best to search before reaching out, and doubly trying my best not to freak out and start replacing parts or tow to mechanic.

I have a 74 260Z.  Initially had some issues with starting and battery getting drained.  I replaced the alternator with a frontier alternator and bypassed the external regulator.  Things were looking great.  Weeks later, started to have some running issues, so I took it to mechanic. He installed a new coil, new point, and bypassed the ballast.  After getting the car back it was running fine for a few weeks, but started having some issues starting.

At some point the car was switched back to a single point dizzy, I bought a zcardepot electric dizzy and tried to swap it in.  The rotor was 180 degrees off, so went back to the original single point.  But when back on the old point dizzy, had significant running issues, would idle fine and run 2-10 minutes and just lose power.  Would not reliably restart, and would have to advance or retard the timing to get off the street.  In a likely dummy move, said to hell with it and went down the path of swapping to a pertronix electronic dizzy conversion and getting no results.  I think I am painting myself into a corner and want to move smartly back to normal operations.    

Problem 1: Swapped back to old points dizzy.  The car started and idled fine, I checked timing and it looked decent. But would loose power when driving.  In order to get off the street, would need to either retard or advance timing to get it started.  Moved the engine to close to TDC and adjusted from there.  Would again start and idle for a bit, but loose power.  Unless I have the engine at TDC, it wont start.  If at TDC it will start and run for a bit, but die and not turn over unless at TDC again.  Still have the ballast bypassed.  

Problem 2: Swapped the point to a Pertronix electric conversion.  Still Getting zero fire on that.  Tested spark to plug and nothing, test spark from coil to dizzy, nothing.  Checked if coil was getting power in the on position, ran a wire from neg side on coil and tapped valve cover and had spark.  The coil is 1.4ohm and running the ballast as bypassed still.  Even tried swapping dizzy wire around from + and -.

Fairly certain all wires are connected properly and nothing is hanging loose.

Not sure where I go from here, do I keep pursuing the pertronix route or go back to points?  If I go back to points, not sure why I am having new problems and where to look next, I am in self denial that another problem has arisen (ICM).  Any suggestions would be appreciated, the FSM is a bit short as I am now off the reservation.  

Please bear with me I am not and expert so I am trying to learn more about my set up and issues

I am having an air flow and fuel mix problems in my car. The motor and fuel injection systems have been modified. I am having  fluctuation with my idle, especially after the car warms up

Initially when it is cold  the idle is at about 800-1000 but revs increase when the  engine is hot up to about 2100

We have established there  are no vacuum leaks

The car has a modified fuel injection system and apparently a Megasquirt 2 setup?

I had the car checked by a mechanic from Nissan who has a 280 Z and here is his reports. I posted  his report on Zcarforum and got some more  offers of advice  ( see below)

 Verified concern idle hang when the car reaches operation temperature. Found that the car has an aftermarket intake system converting to individual throttle bodies. Concern is similar to symptoms shown from a failing boost-controlled cut device. Failed BCDD will cause the idle to hang, due to the diaphragm expanding to hold throttle plate open during decal for emissions purposes>BCDD is mounted to the throttle body which has been removed for ITB setup. The car is also running a stand-alone ECU which may have been having tuning issues causing idle hang

Responses

well looks like the BCDD which is known to cause problems as described is not the problem, since it was deleted. With aftermarket mods its going to be tough to give any answers. Only thing I can think of is a mechanical linkage issue unless you have some kind of vacuum leak going on. Could just be leaning out, could be an ign advancing, who knows.

You have a highly modified 280Z. You need to find someone who knows how to tune a Megasquirt system with individual throttle bodies (ITBs).

It sounds like you may need to start rooting around to learn about the parts you have in your car.
Two sources:
1. Megasquirt's website: MegaSquirt | Premier DIY EFI Controller
2. HybridZ.org (HybridZ) If someone has performed a unique modification to an S30, it's probably documented here. Do searching and reading before asking questions. These guys are self-taught and don't take kindly to people looking for hand-outs. You should might also want to search for ITB on that site to see if you can find what type ITBs you have. If you can find out more about the ITBs, that could give you a clue

Of course, I'm just focusing on the heart of the modification. Don't forget to check the linkages from the gas pedal to each throttle body. Look for slop or binding that could prevent the linkage at the throttle body from returning to idle position.

By the way, I did just notice something. There is not a heat shield between the intake and exhaust. That is definitely NOT going to help the performance of the engine.
I posted a photo of my engine bay. You can see how I crafted a heat shield to keep the heat from the headers from impacting the throttle bodies directly. 

If you look at the ITB offerings from Datsun Spirit and Godzilla Raceworks, you see they both include heat shields in their kits.
Individual Throttle Body Fuel Injection Kit For L6 | Datsun Spirit
L6 DCOE Individual Throttle Body Kit for Datsun 240z | 260z | 280z | 280zx | Fairlady Z — Godzilla Raceworks

Maybe someone e can help with advice and or  direct me to a mechanic in the Bay area  who knows these systems

Zcar garage in San Jose is not taking anymore customers

Thanks in advance PS its not clear how to attach Photos

Pieter

- Car wont hold charge.

- Same problem with old and new alternators

- Battery will take a charge, but it's older too.

- Wire connections at alternator appear to be okay.

- Belt seems newer, good tension, no visible issues.

EDIT: FIXED!!! The culprit, a bad Brake Warning Lamp Relay, located under the passenger seat. Replaced with a standard 4-pin relay and wired it up as follows...

86 - Green

85 - Light Blue

30 - Green w/Yellow Stripe

87 - Black

The alternator now charges the battery, the CHG light works again, and the brake warning light now works properly. The tachometer still does not work but that is a separate and unrelated problem. Hope this can help someone in the future!

I'm having what seems to be a common problem with the performance of my 1983 280zx Turbo. I 'm having cold start issue, where the car needs to warm up for about five minutes before I can drive it without it hesitating and bucking. After warm up, I'm having power/performance issue near the 3000rpm mark. 

I can't seem to pin point the problem.

After my local autocross club shut down because of COVID, I prepped the Z and took it to an HDPE at Sebring in April 2021, had an off-course excursion at the end of the last session, pulled into pit lane and to check the car out, shut it off, went to start it and it wouldn’t start. Walked back to my truck, loaded things up, pulled the ramps off the trailer, walked back to pit lane, got in the Z and it fired right back up. Parked it in my garage, fired it right up again in May 2021 and put it on jackstands to change a weeping head gasket and a leaking oil pump (that little car gave me everything it had at Sebring).

In June 2021 I pulled the head with the intake manifold and header. Cleaned the mating surfaces really well, replaced the head gasket, checked to make sure no rags/tools were left in work area, then put everything back together during a very busy summer. Tried to fire it up in October 2021 and here is what has consistently happened ever since:

Turn key to “on”:

all relays click

volts read normal (13 on the 12 to 16 scale)

fuel pump chirps on

Turn key to “start”:

engine fires up no problem and sounds ok (maybe a little weak)

fuel pump running (normal)

volts read normal (15 on the 12 to 16 scale)

vacuum at 18 (usually 22, this is not normal)

fuel pressure 40 psi at rail (normal, I run a nonraising rate FPR)

5 to 8 second later:

engine stumbles

volts start fall from 15 to 0

vacuum falls from 18 to 0

fuel pressure falls from 40 to 20 psi

engine dies slowly but if I hit the gas or feather the gas pedal it kills it

fuel pump keeps running until relay kicks it off

FSM tests all normal except I failed 2(2) Power Line Circuit; and 2(3) Injector 1 through 6 and resistor. I also have the EFI Bible and again, all tests passed, but failed the corresponding 2(2) and 2(3a through 3f).

So I went through the FSM EF and EE testing all (and I mean ALL) components with a multimeter and a 12 volt battery; and they all test fine (battery, relays, dropping resistor, transistor, injectors, AFM, TPS, coil, fusible links, wiring harness, and fuel pump). I double checked the connections under the dash and checking/cleaning grounds; then checked each component in the engine bay plus all the grounds (cleaning everything with fine grit sandpaper and brake cleaner). I even replaced a burnt out side-marker bulb I found. I checked for vacuum leaks at the distributor, manifold, PCV, and AFM. I pulled the valve cover and the distributor cap and checked the engine timing. I also used a grease pencil and checked to make sure I didn’t get the fuel lines connected incorrectly. Everything was fine, as it was before when I took it all apart.

Since I have been stalled on the engine running issue I have done some much needed maintenance to get the Z back to Sebring. I replaced my aging MSD225 fuel pump with a new one, MDS Blaster2 coil, distributor cap and rotor, plugs, oil pump/gasket, fuel filter, changed oil/filter, replaced my 10-gallon Summit fuel cell with a 15-gallon ATL fuel cell, replaced my Hawk pads with Porterfield pads, then bled clutch, and brake hydraulic system. These maintenance items have not affected how long the engine stays running or what happens when it starts to stumble.

I know this post is long, but thanks to all who read through it and have a suggestion or two for me.

To start off I have a 77 280z, f54 block, p90a head, totally stock. New ngk plugs and wires, gapped correctly, getting good strong spark. The fuseable links have been upgraded to maxifuses, the fuel pump is wired up to a kill switch. I have a fuel pressure tester T'ed between the fuel filter and the fuel rail to check pressure.

It ran strong and perfect for a few weeks after I bought it early last year and then I ran into some charging issues that were solved by cleaning grounds and connectors. But it sometimes would bog down while I was driving and chug until it died. I got it running for a few days by doing more cleaning, cleaning the afm and tips, making sure they were properly adjusted.

I wasn't able to get it started for a few months. I would turn the key and it would do nothing, I tracked it down to a bad battery and corroded starter solinoid, so I got new ones.

Now the problem was a strong crank but no start. I sprayed starting fluid into the throttle body and it would fire up for a few seconds and die, so obviously it was a fuel problem. So I started tracking more down. The dash was out at that point because I was doing repairs on it, and so I threw it back in, and as I was reconnecting connectors I found one that was on the passenger side that was disconnected yet didn't attach to the dash, I connected it, and without looking at my wiring diagram I'm pretty sure that it is one of the efi connectors, one that should probably have been plugged in.

Now that we have a backstory, about a week ago after installing the dash and reconnecting that connector me and my buddy Matt pushed her out of my garage and turned the ignition to on and turned on the fuel pump, the pressure gauge shows a strong 35ish psi as it should be, turned to start, and it cranked and fired right up!!

For about 2 seconds and then the rpm dropped down to nothing and it was dead. We tried again, this time with the throttle slightly depressed, it fired right up again, but this time, again the throttle about halfway depressed, it seemed to have an idle. However as soon as you let off the gas it dropped down in rpm all the way until it died. For the first couple startups if you revved it up it would respond and rev, however all the sudden, it would start with throttle depressed, but when you pumped the gas, nothing would happen, the rpm wouldn't move, as if you weren't doing anything, and as soon as you let off the gas it would die. Also, it was pouring out lots and lots of blackish smoke, which at first I assumed was just from accidentally over gassing the engine by turning on the fuel pump and cranking with no start. But it continued to put out lots of blackish smoke every time it ran. It also would backfire every once in a while, and a neighbor said it almost sounded as if it were only running off a few cylinders, however I've had no experience with that so I cannot know whether or not is is until I find a compression tester and do that.

For those that have read through and have any idea, it is extremely helpful. If you need I can give you more numbers and maybe even a video if I can get to it soon. I have the money to fix whatever I need and yet I cannot figure out what is going on. I know there is a wealth of knowledge flowing around in here, and I am ready to gain some of it.

I think it may be the ignition switch is not turning off the contacts it should. I bought a new ignition assembly but haven't installed it yet.  Could a simple adjustment cure the problem? There is another ignition switch component  that you can buy at a parts store that I read about in some posts but do not know where it is located. Ant suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

I think it may be the ignition switch is not turning off the contacts it should. I bought a new ignition assembly but haven't installed it yet.  Could a simple adjustment cure the problem? There is another ignition switch component  that you can buy at a parts store that I read about in some posts but do not know where it is located. Ant suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks