datsunlover

Not a Z, but beeing a Nissan, I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me with this.. My bush/winter beater isn't running well, and I have to get it to pas an emisions test soon.. Anyone know if the Pathfinder (89' 3.0L V6) has a 'limp' or 'failsafe' mode in the ecu? Heres what it's doing; Starts up ok, but idles high (about 1200 rpm) and has a miss/pop every few seconds.. Also, it wont rev past 3000 rpm.. hence the limp mode question. My 75 Z had this, and wouldnt go past about 2500, so I suspect it is a similar issue. Now, I should state that it needs an oil change, probly plugs/wires, and an O2 sensor. (there isn't one in there at all right now.. stupid previous owners..) Thing is.. the check engine light isn't on, and aside from dying at 3K rpm, it drives pretty good.. Im thinking maybe it's just bacause of the lack of an O2 sensor the ecu is confused? Really.. I think it should make the check engine light come on though.. any thoughts?

I have an old Haynes manual somewhere for the 280zx (I've had 3 of them over the years so far!) I'll see if I can find it and scan something for ya.... there are quuite a few pages of wiring diagrams though.. anything in particular you're looking for?

I thought all the 280s had a diffrent tank.. as 75 was the year they introduced FI and had to make provisions/changes to the tank..

I'm puzzled as to how thw Maxima Alt pulley is held on the shaft (from spining).. there's no keyway in there (as far as I can see..) so is it just a nut and lock washer? or is there a set screw in there? Also, the maxima pully looks to have a smaller inside diameter than the older Z pulley.. (maybe just the pic though?) hmm.. maybe the shaft from the Z alternator is interchangable with the Maxima Alt? From those pics thats all I could really think of.. As for boring out some of the pully, it could be done.. but that keyway in the Z pulley is gona be hell on the cutting tool..(intermitent cut.. 'bang' 'bang' ect) it might get expensive!

The 'clips' you refer too may just be wear indicators. As the pad wears down to a ceartain point, thay contact the rotor and make a squeal/scraping noise telling you the pads are low.

You are SURE the #6 plug is getting GOOD spark? That car uses coil packs for the ignition right? (little package of coils, one for each plug, mounted on the firewall or somewhere close in there..maybe on the engine..) I've seen a few of these cars (pretty comon actually.. olds 88, buick lesabre, pontiac.. bonnevile? its all the same) with simmilar problems and it turned out that the coil pack, or one coil.. was dead, causing a weak/no spark issue. Would be a simple swap in to find out.. As for the O2 code.. my guess is that because #6 isn't firing, it sences too MUCH fuel, and causes the ecu to back off on the injectors.. causing it to go lean. I might be way off on that though.. Also, as far as I know, if the compresion in within 8psi across the board, its fine...(I think 10 is acceptable) a bit low maybe, but its more important that all the cylinders are even so I wouldn't be woried too much about that.. Hope this helps.

HOLY MONKEY!! Hmm... I just might have to bid on that seeing as I live in Ontario!! I'm gona find out where it is.. maybe take a drive down there and see if he'll end the auction..

Probly a trany issue.. if the clutch was the problem, you'd have trouble in evry gear. I'd guess the shift fork (is that the part's name?) for 5th/rev might be bent.. or possibly you've just lost 5th and reverse gears..

wow.. thats an OOPS!!! Doesnt look like it actually fliped over though.. I bet the rear end of that car is FUBAR now! And yes.. the girl reminds me of my girlfriend.. I was doing a little burnout and spin-around in a parking lot and she FREAKED bad.. tossed coffee evrywhere, flopped around like a rag doll.. heh heh.. oh well!

Actually, a general machine shop.. but I've been messing with automotive things for years, and so has my boss.. between us there seems to be enough knowlege and tools/shop space to get things like this done fairly cheep... It still burns me though how this went down.. really, I didnt have much of a choice on anything.. just lucked out and it'll probly be ok...

A member here may be able to help you.. User name is 'dot' I'm pretty sure he's using camaro disks in front of his V12 powered Z.. He'd be the guy to ask.

Well, I got two Pathfinders on friday for $1000, to build one for a winter beater. On the way home from picking up those, I came across ANOTHER pathfinder (yah yah, this is snowballing..) for $500.. Front drivers side is creamed bad, but the rest is good.. and identical to my two (89 2 door, v6/5 speed) with all the good parts I need! So I called the lady, she says she has to get it gone from where it's parked, and she'll take $200 for it! Im screwed thogh, cause I dont have $200 at the moment.. so that night, by chance I meet up with my boss at a coffee shop, and start telling him about all this.. I should point out that he already LENT me $400 last week to get the first two trucks, which I had agreed to pay back in instalments over the next two weeks. (He signs my paycheques, so he knows I'll have the $$!) Anyway, he says he's looking for something like that now too, as his 88 V8 suburban is killing him on fuel, and he also want 4X4 for the winter.. Dum dum dum... Today I go out to the shop to start tearing into my 2 trucks, and my boss shows up... Turns out he looked at that other truck this morning, and BOUGHT IT! Yup.. right out from under me. What was I gona say though right? (Hmmm.. well I owe him $400 and he employs me, so I can't be a dink to him.. crap..) I'm pissed, but after talking for a bit, things start looking better.... He looks at MY parts truck, and we do a deal... I take the parts off I need (hatch, mirors, tail light, windshield) and he'll buy the rest for $400 to fix the one he just got...cause it's gona need a whole drivers side front clip/rad/ect. AAAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!! SURE!!! heh heh.. AND; he's gona end up paying me to fix HIS pathy when the shop slows down in a few weeks! I guess he felt bad for me.. doing this deal 'out from under me' but it worked out better for me now.. Life is funny...

I thought just the 'outer skin' was riveted on planes? As in, the framework was welded/bolted together, and then alum. steel 'pop'ed' over the skeleton.. and wouldn't all those rivets (inplace of a bead of weld..) add up to more weight in the end (assuming you do a LOT of it.. like I had to on my Z.. although I welded..?

Uh.. wow.. where was that from man? As in.. what country?!? Awsome driving.. a bit scary though how close to trucks/other cars that guy was willing to get to keep up with the other car! A wreck at those speeds would be horrific..

Heh.. thats funny.. tonite actually, I went out for a spin.. on startup, it did the same old 'blah blu.. bla blu..' ect... So I pop the hood and start messing with the choke mechanism (where the cables get attached) and HEY! It smothed right out when I opened the rear choke more! Hmm.. well, I just left it for now (the air cleaner is on and blocking the way to unscrew the lock bolt) but I think I solved the cold start burble.. and also found that the front carb choke sticks down a bit after I turn it off in the car. A little 'pop' up and it's fine.. oh well.. I'll live with it like I said, as the car is getting 'overhauled' in a month or so anyway!

Yah.. uh.. I had a jeep, have friends with Jeeps.. hmm.. in my price range, they're REALLY rough, and just not relaiable.. it would also be way worse on fuel/repair costs. A good friend of mine has a Jeep and swears that it stands for; Just Empty Each Pocket. Im sure I could search out a good deal.. but I just tend to lean more towards the Nissan, just because I 'know' them, and have had good luck with ALL my nissans over the years.. Same reason some people are 'chev' guys, and 'ford' guys. you know? Really, I think for $1000, two 89's are a good deal.. and if things break down the road (like things always do!) I'll have a parts vehicle to pull from... Really, I wasnt trying to ask Nissan Vs. XXX.. just looking for opinions on Pathies in general.. and if the $$$ sonds good for these two trucks.. I was talking to the seller tonite, and he figures the one that doesnt run is actually in better shape.. (aside from the body) so I'll have to see when I get into it.. (spring perches good.. motor bad.. oh boy..) Anyway, I told him Im gona take them. I'll be picking them up on friday or saturday, so I'll see what happens! Thanks for the input guys.

Weeeeeell.. the thing is, the kind of things I do for work and recreation kind of require a 'truck' of some sort.. it's a pain hauling guitars/equipment around in a small car.. if I grab some large parts at a wrecking yard (seats, transmisions, body panels, ect).. am I gona put them in the trunk/back seat?!? Got to haul a trailer or something? My point is, having now owned a truck for a few years, I can't see myself being without really.. and aside from the roof being there, (ok, cant carry tall stuff..meh.. tow it!) there is quite a bit of room in a Pathie with the seats folded down. And as for front wheel drive's.. meh.. personally, I've had better luck in a rear drive car through the winter.. FWD ALWAYS gets some torque steer trying to take off, the back end can whip around suddenly without warning and then of course, you have to put power down 'pull out' or transfer weight back to the rear, which can mean loosing front traction, and once those FRONT wheels loose traction (like turning through an intersection.. rounding a highway corner..) wow.. it's a b!tch to get back! For all the headaches my previous 4X4's have caused me, I've found them the best for winter driving/control ablitly... and I need a truck so...

Well, I just got off the phone with the guy: Hes taking the 31" tires off (half baked anyway) and puting on a set of winter 'Blizak' tires that were on it last year when he got the truck. (heh heh.. bonus for me! ) And the perches that are breaking off are off the frame.. not much to weld back on I don't think. The thing is, it's TWO trucks.. and I talked him down to an even $1000. Really, Im just gona 'cheeze' it up and do a quick fix on the body/floor. I'll lay the ruberized undercoating on thick, and just drive it. If I smack it up a bit in the winter, so what.. you know? I plan on just using it for getting to work/back through the winter, and maybe some off roading fun in the summer.. but I figure, for a grand, plus a few hundred more (fix up cash), I get a 4X4... and something I 'know'. I have ALWAYS had good luck with Nissans.. so Im sticking with the brand. I've looked at a few Chevys, Fords, and I've had Jeeps, toyotas, an Audi, ect.. all of it was crap.. (in the price rang Im looking in) They broke constantly, left me stranded, cost outragueous amounts of money, ect...but even the crapiest Nissan I had ($500 200sx) NEVER left me stranded, and started all the time.. and it was cheep to run! Casae in point, the 'good' truck of these two I'm considering has been sitting for 2 months. I droped a battery in, and it fired up BETTER than my 93 King Cab daily driver! (quite loud with no exhast, but sounded fine otherwise.) only has 220 on the spedo (less than my truck) and really just needs cosmetic stuf, aside from the exhast and spring perches. Really, the only outlay of cash is to buy the trucks, and a few parts (exhast, sheet metal, ect) and my time.. well, I need something to do after work anyway.. I figure I could get this thing in shape for the road again in about 2 weeks with the help of my buddy, and some beer.

Ok heres the deal; I have been wanting a 4x4 for a few years now (my 2 wheel drive V6 slushbox king cab is AWEFULL in the snow) and have come across a 'deal' (yah, a fixer) ; For $1500 obo; TWO 89 Nissan Pathfinders. Both 5 speed 2 door V6, both have light hit on pass. side front (yah.. weird..) but its not major, just a fender and light. Anyway, the one 'better' one runs and drives. 4X4 works, clutch and brakes feel great, body's not too bad (will need some fiberglass slaped in a few places, no big deal) and needs a tail light, hatch (rotten) front windshield, door handel, marker light, and exhast. Pretty much ALL of that I could pull from the OTHER truck (which doesnt run due to a lack of fuel pump, and is REALLY rotten, has 300K on it, ect) but heres the 'big' problem.. The rear spring perches (on the 'better truck') are ripped off the frame in the back. I guess anyone that knows Pathies will know what I'm talking about.. basically, I'd have to get some triangular pieces of plate (Im thinking 1/8 at least) and weld them to the perches, then weld back to the frame.. I think it'd be fixable (I work in a machine shop, can weld and fab) and the rest of the 'stuff' it needs I could do easily. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would get throug the winter.. What do you guys think? Good deal? Bad Idea?

This might help; I am using a 280zx dizzy (with the black box on the side of it) and SU carbs in my 75 280z. I just took out that TIU box, and pluged the zx dizzy into the coil.. just like I would with an MSD box if I put that it (I have one on a shelf, but the zx dizzy is working for now.. so why mess with it right?!) Nothing else is affected by removing this box.. as far as I know, its just hooked up to the computer harness.. and you wont be using the Z ECU anymore if you have a carb'd 350!

I'd say it'd be fine, seeing as that pipe shouldnt get too hot.. and having the wire pulled like you do would probly cause damage after a while (like you said) ..it could crack/wear the wire and THEN you'd have some probs with spark jumping!

Ahh.. that would by why you didn't respond to my PM I sent you on wednesday! (dashboard swap thing) Drop me a PM or e-mail man. PS; sorry for hijaking the thread..

ahhhg.. I should have thoght of that tony.. Yah man, the 280z uses a TVS (Throttle Valve SWITCH) not a TPS (throttle position SENSOR) I think the 240sx tps swap applys mainly to 280ZX engines, as they went to a TPS.. Think of it as the diffrence between; a switch that says 'low power' / 'high power' or a volume type knob that can be turned to any position between low/high.. see the diffrence? I think the 77 280Z ecu will just get messed up because the signal it gets wouldn't be right from the 240sx tps.. it needs to know the throttle is in one of TWO places (as given by the switch) to run the engine properly.. Oh yah, you might try checking the AFM.. could be a bad /weak spring inside.

This might sound stupid.. but does the car have some sort of 'daytime runing' light system? My 93 king cab has some sort of setup like this, and it just drops voltage to thelights to make them come on dim.. Other than that, I'd think there is a short/bad wire somewhere in your harness.. or maybe the headlight switch assy?

Guess I'll clarify some things here.. Im running stock 14" Datsun 6 spokes (14X6.. right?) so I assume wheel offset can't be an issue.. and the rear tires were larger than what I HAD, but actually they're closer to the proper size required/instaled originally from the factory. I'll check the alignment by eye tomorrow I guess.. See, I have a friend who owes me some $$$, and if he gets it to me this weekend, I'll go and get 4 matching tires put on first.. If it improves it to the point where I can tolerate it again, I'll just run the rest of the summer 'as is'.. like I said, evrything is gettng replaced this winter anyway.. I just hate to get 4 14" tires when I may have a set of 15" swastikas WITH rubber comming soon.. I just don't know when that's gona work out..