IdahoKidd

Bought a brand new bosch O2 sensor and now (usually) get a solid green light when accelerating. Once the engine levels back off at idle, I get all kinds of light signals. Sometimes a rythmical pulse, sometimes a series of long and short pulses and none of them seem to repeat. It runs really rich with the O2 sensor hooked up and has sluggish acceleration. However, when I unhook the chts, I get good throttle response but no lights at the ecu. Hooking the chts back up, I get a momentary increase in rpms, then back to sluggish and rich. Changed out 3 chts', two used and one new with same end result. Why is the chts causing the grief? Also changed out to a different ecu. Same result.

Again, this is 83 zx turbo Hey thanks, I found a green light with the key on and engine off. No light at all when running. Can someone tell me where I can find more info on the lights, what they mean, etc. Telling me fsm doesn't tell me much(I'll look, tell me where) I've read and read and don't find any mention. Also, on the bottom of the ecm is an adjustment type screw. Where can I find info on this as well. The car starts and has good throttle response for about 10-15 seconds and then has really poor throttle response. I can manually open the flap in the afm and get it to match the throttle and rpms come right up, but it won't gather rpms on its own worth a damn. Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Searches (most) tell me that the green light should be flashing when car is running indicating o2 sensor is working. No flashing green light, so how do I test sensor?

I need to find a cas from a z31 to complete my swap on the turbo s130 ecu's. Also would like to find the maf plug with wires. I already have the ecu and the maf, but nothing else. Thanks, Leonard

Just drove 120 miles one way to pick up a 300zx turbo. Get there, beautiful car but had been hit in the rear, which was stated. Unfortunately, it was NOT a turbo car. What a bummer. There was really nothing I could justify buying it for. Damn!

Thanks. ECU's are out, can't find any lights at all. I know i am going deaf, but blind too....................

I can buy a running 86 300zx turbo, auto, running but smokes, body damage to the rear, for $300. I have a 77 280 with the 83zxt engine in it. Is there anything from this 300zx worth the purchase price for me to put into my zt or to sell outright? I already have computer and maf for same car but not the dizzy parts nor the wire harness pieces. Seems a shame to cut those out but maybe not?

When hooking up the tach in my 280 after installing the 83zxt harness, do I just use the resistor from the zxt harness and do away with the resistor already in place for the 280? use them both? can I leave the zxt resistor out and hook up to the existing tach wire at the coil? And; does the tach have to be hooked up and working for the car to run properly or can I leave the tach completely unhooked for now? Thanks, Leonard

I am working with a collection of many parts converting my 77 280 into a turbo car with 83 engine and wiring. First question: I have two ecu's, one from an 82 zxt with auto and one from an 83 zxt with auto. (checked numbers on Jim Wolf page) Are there issues with either of these in a stick shift car? IE, do I NEED to get the ecu from a manual car? Second: neither of these have a green led light on them anywhere that I can find. Am I looking in the wrong place or do they not have them, or? Thanks, Leonard

601 if it has the altitude switch. Yours does. But you already know all of this.

Man I hear you! I am going through the swap right now but at least I had the 83 donar car sitting here too. The info here on the swap is dreadfully innaccurate to say the least. At least 4 different posts have the same wires going different places (hot, ground, not used, pigtailed to another). The color wire diagram has colored wires to plugs that aren't correct, so then do you go by pin locaton or by wire color?? UGH! I got ignition and it actually started and ran, but severly overfuel and now only marginally stumbles. I am out of time soon due to scheduled surgery so won't get back to it for a month. Plus, I have read about the green LED for the 83 zx. I still haven't figured that out. I am assuming LED is a light? No such thing on this car. And, by the way, both the fuel injection relay and the fuel pump relay are the same color with many of the same wires. What a struggle to figure out that from the posts........ Good luck. I hope you have better luck getting help than I have had.

I suppose that is possible. The 280 has a fuel return line and am I am currently using the original pump and compete setup. The car (zx) sat for an unknown amount of time before I got it (police auction). Is it possible for the injectors to be stuck open? I'm going to do the things I did find in the searches, such as cleaning temp switch, etc. One post discusses afm adj and another throttle position switch. If this were a carb'd engine, I'd say the choke is stuck closed.

I've been installing the turbo motor and wiring from an 83zxt into my 77. To the best of my knowledge, I have everything hooked up and it actually started right up with a turn of the key. Almost immediately it started running really rich, to the point it doesn't even pretend to idle and now is so rich it won't barely run at all. Struggles along at near wide open throttle but dies as soon as you let up. I am sure it is something simple but man I can't find it. Can anyone offer up some advice or thoughts? Thanks

Hey dagold, I guess you found out this is a tough audience. Sad to know that even if someone does know the answer they aren't about to tell you. As for the brass cylinder, is the plug in a V shape? I just pulled the entire harness out of a 77 this morning and I recall exactly what you are talking about. I believe it is the altitude compensation switch for CA model cars. It should be "open" at altitudes below 3500 feet or so, therefore, unhooked it should run fine. It is for emissions. By changing the harness, I am assuming you are talking only the fuel injection harness? If so, it should be a piece of cake. I am not sure where the extra pins are that you are talking about however. Only one plug goes into the ecu. There is more information about non altered cars at zclassics.com Leonard

Good enough! Thanks guys.

While swapping the l28et from an 83 zx into my 77 280, can I install the cruise control as well or does that get too complicated? It would be nice to have the cruise.... Thanks, Leonard

Hey Jasper, I have had the car about 18 months. It has never come up to temp in the summer and only this year did I drive it in the winter. The car has a bone yard motor from PO that he never got started (passed away). It runs like a million bucks. The heater core was completely unhooked while trouble shooting. Took it to a semi retired datsun tech who admittedly hadn't worked on z's to any degree since late 70's. The only conclusion, and it isn't practical and may not even be possible, is that there is a crack or a break in the water jacket behind the water pump. It is the only way we can come up with to get circulation past (around) the thermostat. The plan now is to drive it till it breaks. If it does.

I took this all out of an 83zxt turbo and thought I'd put it in the 77 on the next day. That was 6 weeks ago. I've gone back through various threads but can't find the answer I am looking for. Near the ecu there is a plug with two wires in it; where does it go on the 77? Further down, there are two plugs that would be inside the firewall. Where do they go on the 77? http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy56/57Volvo444/turboecuwires1.jpg Lastly, on the 77 harnes that came out, there are three plugs that aren't on the turbo harness. What do I do with the ends that are still in the 77? http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy56/57Volvo444/zwiresecu2.jpg Thanks, and please be patient with me, I am down to just the last of the wiring on a bone stock transplant. I took the harness out of the zx attached to the motor hoping it would be easier. Still some questions about the other end, but all things in time. Leonard

The heater is completely unhooked. There was no water coming from the back of the block. I high pressure back flush apparently dislodged something as it now has water circulaton through the heater (which gives me some heat). The existing problem still remains; the entire coolant system (all water in radiator) heats at the same time and never exceeds 160 (within a degree or two). It takes 40 minutes to get that warm. I can not stress enough it is not the thermostat. I can take the upper hose (thermostat to radiator) completely off. At least I can get the frost off the windows for now. I'll keep driving it until I can figure it out. Thanks and if something strikes you, PLEASE let me know. Leonard

I guess I'll save a few bucks then and go with the non ac blower. It isn't going to matter much though if I can't get water to the heater core (circulation post). Argh!

It isn't the water pump. Took it off this morning and it looked like brand new. Put on a new one anyway. With the motor running and the temp gauge midway, water moving across the top of the radiator at 160, I took the both hoses off the heater core at the same time. No water in either one. So where do I look now? I am certain that this isn't correct.

I have been chasing a poor/no heat issue in my 77 stock 280 for some time now. The engine temp has never come up even near mid point on the gauge all summer and now with winter, it is becoming an issue. Regardless of thermostat (180, 190,200), the water temp comes up to 160 ish as measured with a laser digital thermometer. With the upper radiator hose removed, there is a small trickle returning to radiator (engine running) There is no circulation from the block to the heater core other than gravity. It won't push it up a hose to a container, lower the hose and it will drain the radiator. Same for return line from heater core. Heater core is not blocked. I can blow through it easily. Looking into the radiator through the hole for the cap, there is water movement. Temp is reasonably steady at 160. Front of radiator is 100% blocked with cardboard. Car is in heated shop after being driven reasonably hard. Clutch fan seems to work (disengaged) I've been wrenching for some 30 years and can't figure it out. Water is getting around the thermostat and back to the radiator without going through the heater core. Something in a water jacket must be broken? or something in the head? or in the water pump? Seems to me a bad pump would let the engine get too hot though. Anyone ever experience something like this? Thanks! Leonard

Actually working on three Z's at the same time. One is a 72 240, one is a bone stock 77 280, the other a 77 280 undergoing the et swap from 83 zx turbo. I have an issue of some sort with the heater control valve in the stock 77 and have most of the heater pieces out and thought now would be the time to put in a better fan. From the existing posts, I can't tell if people are using the ac fan or non ac fan from the civic. I don't have one to look at side by side or I could figure it out. Thanks for the tip on the maxima fan, my 77 soon to be driving turbo is factory AC, which currently has a 4 sp fan. I have not used the fan as of yet. Is it a better fan than the 3 speed fan from the non ac cars or just more control settings?

I've read a dozen posts about putting in the 91 civic fan into my Z. None of them mention whether they use the one from an ac donor or non ac donor. There is a $60 price difference, but is there any physical (mounting) differences or specific one I should use? One guy also mentions using one from a 92, but parts guy says they are different. He wasn't able to specify why. Thanks!

You'll need pedals, clutch master, clutch slave, flywheel and clutch too.

Having been raced, there may be a lot of things that have been altered. Without knowing what all has been done, you might be in for a lot more than you bargained for. On the other hand, it might have some pretty trick stuff on it. Be sure it has a clean title or it is worth a few bucks as parts. As described, I wouldn't go over $500 if you REALLY wanted it and be prepared to put another 5 grand into it. Much cheaper to go buy a runner and go from there. My nickles worth of free advice............