madkaw

Well I went out to the garage last night to curse my car and I stared at the linkage and thought of what Jon suggested. I just stared at the linkage as I flicked the throttle like a sad kid. I then noticed the rod movements and how they weren't working in sync-AT ALL. So how did I not see this. I then noticed that the ball was slopping around in one of the sockets-that ain't right. The ball end had gotten oversize through wear guess. The more I investigated the more I thought I had something-and I may, but I ran out of steam to finish up. It's obvious now that I had the main linkage/rod in a bind since the secondary adjustment rods were not right. At least I found something definitive and will roll with it if I have time today

Trying to picture how I twist the shaft-slamming the throttle hard? I have noticed a difference between two barrels, didn't think it was significant enough and thought I worked it out by synchronizing. Honestly didn't know to check for that-but I will. I need a better syncro tool. I have the ole thumbwheel and bubble. I have had these running very smooth before so I was doing something right-lol.

I about forget we have this forum which is most appropriate for what I'm going thru. It hasn't been a very good week and the Z doesn't want to run right. I have actually been able to find time to work on it, which usually is a problem. But after hours of troubleshooting and working on the car I seem no closer to an answer.It's one of those troubleshooting nightmares that has caused me to walk away before I do something stupid----like give up Z-ing. Symptoms are erratic and only sometimes can I duplicate. I am scratching my head and loosing heart and motivation. I love my Z, but it hasn't been fun lately just working on it while we have had the best weather all year. I will try and describe my issues-though it will sound vague; I have been around the world and back so my descriptions might seem lucid. The engine sounds like it has a miss and won't idle as smoothly as it used to. It feels down on power. Laboring might be a good description of the idle. At first-- cylinders 4-6 seemed to be the culprit. Plugs looked dark and #4 was the worse. But how does half a mikuni run rich? I also had number look dark, but for the most part, everytime I checked 1-3 looked lean or no color. Now most of this has been idle time in the garage, but those general plug reading were after a drive also. I have seen the plugs 4-6 look both clean and dark during all this troubleshooting, but #4 has been the most consistantly fouled. My AFR's bounce around quite a bit at first . I have dual exhausts so I only have the O2 sensor in one side or another. At first the sensor was in cylinders 1-3 and the reading were not bad, but erratic, not stable at idle. it would run at 14 and start a bouncing routine and then look lean. I switched the o2 sensor to the rear bank and it was pig rich-like 10.5-11 at idle-hence the dark plugs. I had to turn the pilot screws on 4,5,6, in a 1/2 turn just to get the AFR's to 13.5. Keep in mind that my jetting is at a known good setting that has worked great before. I've ran these pilots jets and screw settings with no issues before. I have checked floats and they are spot on. I have pulled the covers after running and they are all at the same level. All my pilot screws were replaced and all the tips are in excellent shape. I suspected ignition or my Megasquirt because of the randomness of the issue. But I replaced all components with a 280zx dizzy and wires and no change. Replaced the plugs too. Ignition timing checked with the dizzy and the megasquirt. I checked all valves and adjusted as necessary-nothing to crazy. Vacuum guage only show.ed 12HG at idle taken from a port on my vacuum log. I thought that a bit low. Sprayed everything down with started fluid and could find nothing. I removed the complete vacuum log assembly and capped off all port openings. So there is nothing hooked to the intake. Checked torque on intake bolts and noticed one exhaust flange nut very loose at the very end of the header. I hooked up a coolant pressure tester to see if pressure was building anywhere --- as in a bad HG. I set the tester at 13psi, the same as the cap and pressure rose slightly to 15psi and stayed. No bubbles in radiator and level seems to be the same. Nothing in the oil. Compression test done 1-205 2-205 3-205 4-215 5-205 6-210 Not sure what to make of those readings, but cylinder 4 jumps out at me a little. I'm pretty sure these are within percentage limits of each other. So I proceed to switching out carbs. I swap the 3&4 for 1&2. I run the car and bingo, #2 is now fouled-I found it. #2 would have been #4 cylinder so it must be one side of my carb. So I switch out pilots, and e-tube(which should have much to do with idle). Now #2 isn't fouling, but the engine still idle like sh!t. I should say that I checked all the O-rings when I had ALL the carbs off. This is what i meant about nothing being conclusive or concrete. I have run and cleaned plugs several times and nothing seems very consistant. I had to walk away after about 10-12 hours in the last two days. Not sure if a bad intake gasket would cause such issues, or a avccum leak in general. At first my gut said HG, and I'm not totally convinced it's not, but no definite eveidence to warrant pulling the head off. Valve timing? Well it's not so easy for me to determine this. I have an adjustable sprocket and I degreed this cam in many moons ago. I will have to really ponder on how I will check my valve timing. I have looked down in the hole to see if my chain adjuster popped out or something, but didn't see anything alarming. Could the chain jump a tooth? Unlikely if not impossible, but there is no quick way for me to determine this. My gut says HG or Valve timing(ignition is safely eliminated), but don't want to go on a gut feeling. Give me some ideas guys

The only other thing I haven't done to eliminate possibilities is swap carb positions around. I'm going to swap the middle carb with the front carb to see if the issue follows or stays. The starter circuit seems to be functioning normally, but not sure how to eliminate it unless I just tape over the holes after removing the 'lid' of the starter. The best I can tell they are very similiar Leon

Anyone explain to me how one half a carb will run rich? I about eliminated my MS as the problem. I ran the car with a dizzy and wires and 4,5 still look way rich. I would assume a bad float would effect both sides of the Mikuni-not just one side. What about fuel pressure? I noticed it was between 3.5 and 4 psi today-could that cause such an issue? I will back off the pressure to an even 3 tomorrow to see if that helps. I know there are many things that can cause a rich mixture, but it seems odd half a carb runs rich. Just trying to get an idea before I start ripping into these carbs again.

Car still no worky! Been on the MS forums and striking out so far. Still fouling plugs - mostly 4,5,6 Checked wiring, swapped around coils , changed plugs. Almost ready to pop on my dizzy- but have to repair it first.ARGH

Your plugs look okay?

You don't think you could fix an existing dash well enough for a master? You understand that our plan was to only duplicate the outer shell exactly and have a thin shell that is held to the frame using stand-offs. We weren't trying to duplicate the inner padding stuff. I thought maybe a spray in foam filler would be sufficient to fill the gaps. Not sure what else could work. Some of those areas are thick and would add a lot of weight using FG. As far as the flange stuff -he showed me the porsche dash plugs. The mold for that dash was several pieces bolted together. Only 5 or 6? I guess the size is the biggest factor? Seems to me it would be tougher then that but I don't know anything about FG.

I already got it guys -thanks

22163 is the part # on the link provided-just so we are all on the same page. My stator is broke right at the bushing. The dizzy itself has had a hard life. Almost all the hardware was stripped out.

I couldn't adjust my gap properly is how I discovered it.

Thanks for the link Zed

I have a ZX dizzy that the reluctor is cracked. The reluctor I am referring to is the stator part of the pick up that is held down by three screws. Maybe someone has a parts dizzy?

No sync loss and yes 35 is the long tooth.

So I counted the lines on the tooth logger inbetween the missing tooth lines and I only count 34. This is a 36-1 set up so I should count 35 inbetween the lines?

Okay, saw my tooth log live with car running. So I have to use MLV to show it to you guys? So do I register to use the MLV to try it out before buying. I have no issues paying for it , but don't want to confuse myself anymore then I have already.

Okay-I was trying to save some datalog to my laptop and look at that with MLV, but it wasn't happening. I need to retry some stuff I guess. The megamanual does show a diagnostics button on the tuner studio that can look at a tooth log.

http://www.synergycomposites.net/about.html He's really young but has done this for 8 years now. The custom Porsche dash was beautiful. He seems to work with good materials. So since you work with this stuff-how about a little insight from Z guy to another. On a scale of 1-10, how hard will this dash be to make?

At the present time the FG guy is just getting back his autoclave machine from repair which I guess is essential for FG work. We talked again and he felt confident he could pull this off, but it will be very involved. The level of detail he wants to incorporate takes time. The glove box door - for example- would be done in 2 pieces as the original and the emblem would be in the mold. It's also important for this to be an EXACT replica so it doesn't turn out to be a one off deal. Another challenging prospect is to get or have a really nice dash for the mold. The dash I took him was going to need a ton of work and I have to make sure it's straight.

Can tuner studio pull up or see a tooth logger with the diagnostics tab?

Good catch- I didn't watch the complete video at first. Operating the throttle while starter valves/chokes are open is a no-no. You don't ever touch the gas because you will flood your engine. They are just there to start the motor in cold conditions. On CZCC I have a triple thread there that shows the manual that you might want to read. Hook up a choke cable to the starters so you can turn them off and on from inside the car simultaneously

Yep- that's the first thing I thought of with that high idle. Have you done a vacuum reading?

Need a little help here. So Megalog viewer is a separate program that you purchase to view something like a tooth log? I need to get a larger SD card for datalogging, but when i do capture a datalog will I be able to see this with just TS? Can you see a tooth logger real time with MLV? Or I can post up a datalog and you guys that have MLV can see my tooth log? I'm starting to realize that I really need to do more studying

Now if you are looking for the bling factor!!

I should also add I checked grounds and everything seemed tight. Continuity between coil ground wires and block. 12v's at all the coils. Tomorrow I will will hook up switch to my datalogger and hopefully get that done.