Phantom

So you found the "lumps" in the insulation, peeled it away, and cleaned the connectors? THat's great. NOw you need to pull the plugs and clean them.

Does this not seem a bit strange? I think this is probably the result of a punctuation error but that leads me to wonder about the accuracy of the rest of the information. 1) The car started no problem when you drove it to a friends house. Was that the only time it started since you've had it or did it start ok before then? 2) When did the battery die? With the previous owner - or at your friends house -or both? Who left the lights on? 3) You're not pressing on the gas when you try to start it, are you? You keep your foot off the gas when starting an FI engine. 4) How long is too long? 3 seconds, 30 seconds, 3 minutes? Need to eliminate the subjective terms and use quantifiable ones. 5) By "trying to start" do you mean just that the starter is turning the engine over or that that it will fire intermittantly? 6) Pull a spark plug and look at the electrode and tell us what color (white, grey, brown, black) it is and if it is dry or wet looking.

My thoughts exactly!

You're thinking about installing a Megasquirt fuel injection controller on a carburated 400 sbc engine? At the risk of once again getting blasted for this - you need to do some more reading and searching on this site - and you need to develop a plan for what you want to do with this car because your posts indicate that you are just shooting from the hip.

And what are you running for a transmission and tires? You need to provide all the information. GIGO Let's see if you're serious enough to provide complete information on your set-up in order to get an even remotely correct answer.

Roll the window all the way down and look at it from the inside. I think there are a couple small screws that are acessible from the inside that hold it on. It's been a couple years since I replaced mine.

When you checked the TPS connector did you carefully blow it out or just look at it? Trust me - it takes literally just a microscopic amount of moisture to cause the problem you're having with the 2400 RPM stuttering. The other symptoms you're describing are another problem. If you can get your engine to run by itself I'd let it idle for about 30 minutes after coming to tmeperature and then shut it down and try it 6-8 hours later after it's had time to thoroughly dry itself out. Hve you checked the SECRET aluminum bullet connectors about 18" into your wiring harness from the engine temp and thermotine sensors on your thermostat housing? Those can also cause a very rich running conditon as they are wrapped in the wiring insulation and corrode over time.

Larry, You been thinking about your move the last couple days? It started raining here! Love it. We actually had a day where the high was less than 100°F!! Bill

Contact Standard Transmission and Gear in Fort Worth, TX. They can get you what you need or you can send them the differential and they'll do it for you.

If all else fails you can get it from either your local Nissan dealership or an Autoglass repair shop.

Let's see. I grew up in Idaho & I was probably born before you were so that gives me room to really beat on you? Naa - why bother. My LS1 convedrsion uses the stock Z28 wiring harness. The exttra wires were stripped out and a few others from the Datsun were added in to allow using the stock gauges. The ECM will need to be reprogrammed because of obvious differences in the requirements of the vehicles. Mine was done by www.ChipsbyAl.com. Difficulty is dependent on your electrical ability and hving the wiring diagrams for the GTO and your Z. If you happen to live in Boise there is a hotrod shop out on Fairview that could probably do it for you.

There is a accel switch on the drivers side of the engine - about midway down the engine - you got it wet. Disconnect it , dry it out, put some dielectric grease in it and put it back together. Engine should run fine until you get it wet again. This is a VERY typical problem with the L28. Or - if you wait until tomorrow the problem will probably magically go away.

Search under LT1 or 280ZX in the Chevy V8 board. YOu should find information. The LT1 has been done as well as the carburated V8. I think Johns Cars, www.brokenkitty.com has had a kit for the sbc in the 280Zx for about 15 years now.

There is a product on the market called "Goo Gone" that is designed specifically to remove adhesive residue. Very effective. I never used tdental floss on mine. I'd jus protect with a rag and sip the tip of a screw driver under one edge - VERY carefully - and then slowly pry the insiginia off. That way there was no abrasion to worry about. Not a good process on a poor paint job, though, as the paint could delaminate if you get too aggressive. Patience will win out.

I was running Porterfield R4S pads the day I ran the Roval at Texas Motor Speedway. I had them on a set of Toyota 4x4 calipers with solid disks up front. 20 minutes into the first 30 minute session they were smoking badly and I pitted. They were new two weeks before and by the end of four 30 minute sessions they were 50% gone. The lack of survivability was as much to my drivng technique - or lack thereof - as the course - but they still took it in the shorts pretty badly. I now have the Willwood Superlights on the front on vented rotors. The original stock brakes in good shape are sufficient for daily driving and the occaisional panic stop on the interstate. Mine worked fine for that purpose for about 10 years. By the time I got the V8 in and porked the car up to 3,000 lbs with all the interior and audio work they just didn't cut it in "spirited' driving so the upgrades came into play.

Thanks David!!

Grumpy, I soooooo support your point. I've owned my Z for over 14 years now. I had it for 5 years before I did anything other than maintain it and then I did a body aero kit and paint job. I then lurked on this site and mulled for another 5 years before I opted for the LS1 conversion - and that was for a totally stock, non-built, motor because my goal was an everyday driver that would be OEM stock reliable but still have more that 250 HP at the rear wheels. I have never regretted that decsion. As I approach my 3rd 5-year point I've been thinking about potential upgrades that have been indicated by the past years of driving. Those don't include just the motor though. I'm coming up on a need for a repaint (It's 9 years old now) that will include fully bonding in the ground effects and a little custom work, suspension upgrades that will include coil-overs and possible some the Arizona Z components, CV joints for the half-shafts, and then some minimal work on the engine that would include ARP bolts in the lower end, head work, and a more aggressive cam that will still be "daily driver friendly". I've found I can't just look at one component of the car but have to consider every aspect of it and the impact an "upgrade" in one area will have on another.

Unless the car has an after market ignition system or is somehow very different from my 83 NA you loosen the nut that holds the distributor in place and rotate the distributor to advance or retard the timing. You'll need a timing light and to find the timing mark and scale by the crank pulley on the front of the engine, drivers side.

Phyte, Good to see you are still kicking! Always a controversy on the R180 vs the R200. Bottom line iw that the R200 is heavier and it will carry more horsepower & torque - same thing to be said about the R230. It's pretty much a function of use as to whether you need something more than the R180 - then again - I've always liked the idea of killing flys with planets.

David, Which pin number would that be? Would it vary from model year to model year of the LS1? Would you be able to post up photos of the actual tie in at the ECM? Bill

Evidently I am of no reputaion whatsoever.

If you have actual quotes on the components then you have a real "cost'. If they are guesstimates then get real pricing. Pop N Wood hit it right on the nose - the cost of any conversion is totally subject to the specific conversion and abilities of the individual. If you want an inexpensive conversion do it yourself with salvage yard components. Just be prepared to do it over again since you'll have equipment with unknown history. Look at what Norm the SU Dude has done with JY parts. Do your homework carefully. Decide exactly what you want to do with the car, determine the most reasonalble order to do it in, and then get exact costs for each component/activity. Then double it and you'll be close.

My 390 flywheel HP LS1 flexes the windshield frame on my '77 280Z enough that I can't keep it sealed. No big deal on a track-only car but a royal PITA for a daily driver - especially if you live somewhere it rains more than occaisionally. The R200 should hold up fine up through 450 ft-lbs of torque but I'd start to worry about the half-shafts and their universals. Under good conditions they'll hold up OK but the Z is prone to severe wheel hop when digging off the line and that will break them. I know.

Good name for the team!