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Connor280ZX

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Posts posted by Connor280ZX

  1. If I am not mistaken, I seem to remember the fan pulley and fan being attached to the waterpump. If it wobbles and overheats I would check my waterpump also. There should be a hole in the waterpump that will release water if the pump is broken/worn.

    Has it lost any water?

    Loosing coolant, yes it was. However, my bottom radiator hose was not tightened down competley, so there was a small trickle coming out. Other than that, i'm really not sure. Next time i drive it, i'll check the level before and after the drive to see if its still loosing coolant.

     

     

     Regarding the fan clutch, it's typically not an obvious failure. With the engine running, you'll see the fan spinning away and think that everything is fine with it. But it will actually be moving very little air. With the engine off, rotate the fan by hand. It should feel quite stiff. If it's easy to turn, replace the clutch.

     

    Nigel

    Yes, its very easy to turn when the engine is off. If i can get it to spin with my hand almost freely actually.

     

     

    Where you have it set would be retarded. The 5 degree spec is an advanced or BTDC (Before Top Dead Center) measurement. Setting the base timing to 0 degrees is 5 degrees retarded from the spec.Also when you set it, did you disconnect the vacuum advance, if you did not then the actual base timing is even more retarded than that.

    I did disconnect the vac advance. Timing the ignition for me seemed a little tricky since those groves in the crank pully arent highlighted. The little arrow was pointing slighty above the bottom groove on the pulley.

  2. Is that the correct ignition timing for the L24?  I thought the initial timing was more like 10-15 degrees.  Retarded initial timing could cause the symptoms you describe...

    The user's manual says 5 Deg, but i have advanced the timing as far as the distributor will turn.

     

    Sounds like a fan clutch problem . Normally , you don't need the fan above 25 mph . Look at your fan at idle with high engine temp. and should feel heat coming through .

    That could be the problem. I guess the fan should spin faster at low RPM, but i'll have to check to see how it is working the next time it overheats. Honestly, i fear blowing something if i get it hot again... The fan pulley does wobble for some reason though. Not sure if that has to do with anything.

  3. Welp, here's the deal. Bought my 240Z with 6 holes in the original radiator, and replaced it with a two row aluminum radiator that i bought off of Ebay new after i got the car running.

     

    First, here's the description of the engine:

    -L24/E31

    -3 screw S.U carbs

    -Unknown cam (P.O says it's a Crane Cam, but he's not sure)

    -Header-back twice pipes

    -180F Thermostat (Here in Norcal, climate is humid, 50-75F normally)

    -Roughly 25/75 Antifreeze/Coolant mix.

     

    With that stated, I've started driving the car now and basically it does what i've stated in the title. Get up to cruising speed, the needle stays around the middle mark.

    When i slow down (Lets say under 20MPH) the needle starts to creep up quickly, and rest around 220-230F. If i stop, the needle pegs at the redline on the temp gauge, very scary. I get going again slowly, being very gentle with the throttle since i don't want to blow the head gasket, and the temp will slowly lower back to normal.

     

    One day when the temp gauge wasnt working, i got caught in heavy traffic... I'm sure the engine got very hot because even after getting up to speed for a few minutes, i pulled into my garage and steam started spewing from the overflow line... I checked the oil, and luckily it was clean. No water in the oil. Phew...

     

    A few things to note: Heater lines are blocked off. Manifold coolant lines are disconnected.

    Ignition timing is at 0 BTDC. Coolant level is about 1.5 inches from the cap.

     

    Oh, and the P.O Ran straight water in the system... Had to replace the water pump inlet because it dissolved due to this.

     

    I'm thinking it could be the fan clutch, but not sure.

  4. Today, it got hot inside the car when i went to start it. When i did start it, the tach slowly started to climb and stopped at 4400 RPM though the engine was idling... When i turned the key off it stuck exactly there and didnt came back down for an hour or so. Now im starting to think its an internal problem.

  5. How it starts off it basically when the engine is revved, the needle will not keep up quick enough with the engine speed, and when let down to an idle, the needle wont drop below 1400-1600 Rpm. I know it's not just idling high, becuase i can hear the cam loping. When i turn the key off, the needle sticks. It sometimes will fall down slowly though. When it does stick, i can tap on the cover and it will start to fall down to zero...

     

    Could the internals just need a bit of oiling? And yes, this is the original tach with the original ignition system.

  6. The line with the bolt in it ISN"T the overflow line...it's ported vacuum. Usually used for distributor vacuum advance, but only if the distributor is set up for it! some distributors use it, others do not.

    Are you sure that's a vac advance line? Because my vac advance is already hooked up to the intake manifold...
  7. *Typo in title, its actually a '71.*

    If i give the car more than a touch of gas while driving at low RPM (1000-2000) The engine stumbles and the carbs backfire repediately. I have to slip the clutch higher to get going off of a stop in order to prevent this. It seems to run fine at higher RPM's. Does this when its cold, and when it's warmed up. I don't think its running lean because the plugs are nice and brown.
     
    Description of engine:
    L24/E31 (PO says he installed a Crane Cam years ago, not sure what stage)
    Twin 3 screw SU Carbs
     
    I've just done a small tune-up:
     
    -New NGK plugs (.035) Gap
    -New Dist. Cap and rotor
    -New fuel filter
     
    There is some oil in the carbs, but i'm not sure how to measure how much.
     
    There are some strange mickey moused vacuum lines here and there.

     

    Let me know what you guys think.

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  8. Look one post below yours.

    Yes, i did look at that post but he is using the latest MS3 with a turbo setup... So i assume the installation process will differ quite a bit from mine.

     

     

    You should read the Megamanual 15 times, then go back and read it again 5 times. It is your bible and your friend. You also have to decide quite a few things.

    Are you putting the unit together yourself or are you buying an assembled unit??.. you should get a stim unit to check your progress as you go along, if your soldering it up yourself. You have to decide how you want the unit to provide spark. You have to decide what component you want to use, like the bip, then what system are you going to use. Turbo dist, or Coil on plug or Wasted spark. Are you doing fuel only or ignition and fuel??.

     

    You can use high impedence injectors or low impedence injectors with megasquirt, but you have to decide which ones to use and set the unit settings for either ones. To me its easier to set the unit up for high impedence injectors, less you have to do if you ever go turbo and have to go with higher cc injectors.

    Buy some quick disconnect connectors for your injectors and temp sensor. The factory ones are most likely broken or corroded. To use zx injectors you need dropping resisters for the injectors.

     

    Megasquirt only uses electrical signals, Egr or fuel rail are not affected. You don't need the Afm anymore. Most of this info is in the Megamanual or DIY

    I will for sure be buying a pre-assembled unit. I'm not the best electrician, haha. I want to control fuel and ignition. I am going to stick with my trusty Ignition coil. I've heard it's reccomended to use a Turbo ZX dizzy, or an 82-83 dizzy, but would one from a Turbo give me better results? The car is a 1981 btw. I would prefer to use my stock injectors if possible. All connectors will be replaced. Dropping resistors... Each injector will need an individual one? I assume i could tap them in to the injector harness.

  9. Alright, i'm on a budget which is why i'm deciding on MS1, and this car is also N/A, so i don't think ill need all of the optional whistles and bells in MS.

    Here's my understanding of what i'll need:

     

    -MS1 ECU PCB 3.57 (Of course)

     

    -240SX TPS

     

    -IAT

     

    -8ft Harness

     

    Am i missing anything?

     

    Will i be able to use my factory engine hardware with MS? (Injectors, fuel rail, EGR vavle etc.)

  10. I'm driving along this morning and my dash lights start to flicker. Then they stay on. I look over to the volt meter, and the needle is in the red zone with the warning light on. I push the clutch in to let the engine idle and the voltage goes back to normal. I try coasting the car to work as much as I can to avoid blowing up the battery. If the engine speed is raised above 2000 Rpm, the gauge pins itself. Alternator was replaced 4 months ago. Battery connections are very tight.

     

    I've had a problem like this before, but the voltage would drop. Replaced the alternator and it stopped. Now there's this. What do you guys think?

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  11. So your taking about that low grating sound right? the squeaking is normal. 

     

    The low grumble almost sounds like a metal on metal, but honestly I've never heard anything that sounds like it. It could be from the exhaust rubbing on the axles, or something from the angles that the axles are at. 

     

    Have you considered a diff swap? 

    Yes, that grating/groaning sound. It definatlely sounds like a sticky sort of rubbing sound. Thats exactly what i thought, but i checked in all of those areas, and i cant find any fresh wear near that area. The exhaust, axle, huband caliper all look untouched. Of course, i only hear it over bumps now but i can't figure out where its coming from. What about a seizing wheel bearing? Could that be a posibility?

     

    Oh man, diff swaps, haha. It currently has a 3.90 R200, but the only reason why i would swap it would be due to a failure. If i were too, i'd try to get my hands on an R200 VLSD.

  12. Have you had your rear wheel bearings checked recently? Almost sounds like wheel bearings, or a loose caliper bolt or something.

     

    To check the bearings yourself, bust jack up the rear of the car so the rear wheels are completely off the ground, grab the top and bottom of the tires firmly, and try and wiggle it loose. If there is any play at the rim (not talking about tire flex) then id take it to a shop for a final opinion

    Just double checked the rears, they are very tight. The rear left has some rotational play, but thats probably just the differential. My differential mount looks a bit worn, but i doublt that would be causing the problem.

  13. When you hear the noise, does it sound like it's a rotational noise? Is there a rhythm that it knocks to and does it increase or decrease depending on speed of vehicle? Or does it knock at a random, unpredictable frequency only under the conditions you describe?

    It starts off with a few inconsistent knocks, then becomes consistent and to where it is rythimical. The speed of the car does not affect how fast or slow it knocks. Sometimes, a bump triggers it. Now that I think of it, sometimes on cold mornings there's a quiet rotational groaning noise that comes from the rear left, but when it's heard it's usually for a few moments only at low speeds (20 and below).

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