SilentNight1647

I think I figured it out the afm is causing the problem I unhooked it from the intake and stuck a screwdriver in the door and now the motor idles at 14.9 afr.

No dice. 40psi using an Inline gauge.

I knew I was forgetting something I'll check the fuel pressure next.

I just got back from Japan last week and I decided it was a good time to get my 280 out of the weeds. I bought the car a few years ago and drove it for about a year with no major issues. Well now it has major issues. It wont idle it wont rev and it damn sure wont move under it's own power. I thought it might be a vacuum leak and it did indeed have a few of those but upon plugging the last hole the motor died. I thought it was kind of random and tried to start it again, no dice. At this point I decide the electronics might be the problem as they have always been interesting in this car to say the least. Well after some digging I find that the ECU in the car is actually an N/A ECU and harness despite the really big chunk of cast iron hanging of the exhaust manifold. I knew that it had issues but now I don't even know where to begin, I didn't even think it would run with that ECU let alone drive for as long as it did. I have checked the ignition input to the ECU, the power at the relays, the injectors, cleaned the AFM, and checked the distributor and all appear good. At this point I don't know what else to check, if anybody has any ideas I'd appreciate some help if this continues I'm putting a small block in it and saying screw it.

Sounds like you sold it under the best possible circumstances. I don't believe I've ever posted in you threads but your car was always drool worthy so I'm sorry to hear you got rid of it. But there is something magic about a Z, once you've had one you really can't ever get away from them. Good luck with the Porsche.

Damn, sorry man, I'd like to help you out but I think that is a little too far out. Sorry to get your hopes up I was hoping it was in on the western side of the state.

Refresh my memory where Manchester is in relation to Sioux City. I'm from the area and if it's not too far I'll have my brother go check it out.

Fuel injection is really cool and the tuneability is really amazing even using a stock GM ECU but not every motor needs to be injected. A properly tuned carb is just as good as a properly tuned injection setup. Carbs are cheaper and the tuning one is a really simple matter if you can turn a screwdriver. Fuel injection is also easy to tune provided you have the right mindset it has the disadvantage of being more expensive and electrically complex. Too say one is better than the other is foolish, however neither one has anything to do with the durability of the motor. You are trying to make it seem like a carb dumps grotesque amount of fuel every time you open the throttle. It just isn't the case, granted you have to pump it once to set the choke. Big deal, look at the cranking PW of an injector and see how much longer it is than at idle.

You make it sound like a carb is the devil. There is no difference between the fuel injected small block and carbed one. Plus carbs are cheaper and they wont make your "short block decay at an accelerated rate". Yeah if your a retard and use don't tune it it will make the thing run pig rich but a little know how will make a huge difference. 400 horse for a grand is not outside the realm of possibilities if you spend your money wisely. A good carb, intake, ported heads, cam, and headers will make 400 pretty easy. All of that can be had for less than a grand if you know to where to look.

Looks like I am going to pick up an 86 I appreciate all the suggestions and insight. I'm still thoroughly pissed about my MR2 but life goes on we will see if the hachi is great as they claim.

I find myself in somewhat of a unique situation I have to sell my '91 MR2 I love the car but the Navy wont ship it back with no motor in it. Spun a rod bearing three weeks ago and I figure it is time to get something new. So here I sit I want to bring the car back with me which means pre-87 model year (I transfer in August 2011). I have looked at all the common somewhat performance oriented cars but I can't seem to find anything that quite fits the bill. I'm looking to spend around 6.5k so most Z's are out of the picture (you would not believe what they go for here). I've looked into an 86 Corolla but I don't really know enough about them to make an educated descion. Any one got a suggestion for something I could pick up while I'm here?

It's not the JCI or road tax that kills you it's just the price of the car and the shaken if you are a JN, I bought my '91 MR2 for 1500 and they told me it would cost me 3k to register it because it is was almost an antique. Luckily US Forces Japan don't pay that crap but it still cost me 500. JCI is about 200 for two years and road tax is fifty bucks a year. The Japanese DMV ain't no joke, you have to have everyone and there monkey look at the damn car and pay them to do it. I seriously had to talk to five guys to get the name changed on my title and it cost me almost 200.

I recently bought a '92 Skyline and I need to replace the clutch. Unfortunately parts are spendy even in Japan for GT-Rs, I have heard the NA Z32 clutch is the same but can't find any confirmation. Does anyone have any info on this?

Reminds me of the tow tractor drags we had a while back, all good fun until we got caught.

The time has come to paint my car, not only are the rock chips really annoying but the two small rust bubbles on the hood have finally come through, not to mention I'm tired of driving a blue car during the day and a purple one at night. So I need ideas, I'm thinking white with black racing stripes or maybe a scallop or maybe yellow with a black stripe down the side like Rally Novas had with 280ZX written in it. I also want to get rid of the spoiler and the rubber trim on the door, I wouldn't mind having a spoiler on the car I just don't like the 3-piece one thats on it. Also I have a set of the early smooth tailights I may use as the drivers side ribbed one is craked on the top. And lastly I need to repaint all the chrome trim and make it stick this time. Right now I'm just in the planning stages but I could really use some input, I really want the car to look nice when I'm done. While I'm at it I may swap the interior out and put in the rollbar, I have a very nice set out of a parts car minus seats which isn't a big deal, I've got a set of Jeg's buckets for it. I would like to put the rollbar in but since the car is my DD when I'm home I don't know how practical it would be, does anyone have a picture or any experience with just a hoop, rear stringers, and door bars in a ZX? I am very curious as to how practical it would be or if it is even feasible in a DD. Anyway here are some pictures of the car as it sits now, I would greatly appreciate any input this car is near an dear to me and I would really like it to be something special when it's done.