cothran

No one has a recently rebuilt engine they want to sell? Seems like I saw them in the FS section all the time until I needed one...

If you've got an extra one lying around, let me know. -Tim

I'm open to a few different engine combos. I'm planning on going carbureted, so I'm looking for either a rebuilt L28 or and L24 longblock, if carbs are included that's a bonus. If it has triple carbs you might have yourself a deal. However I would also be open to an L28ET provided it's a complete swap (i.e. everything I would need to drop it in to my 280). It's proving almost impossible to find someone in Minnesota to rebuild my current engine, so I've resorted to looking for one that's already rebuilt. I would even take a short block that's been rebuilt since I already have a full gasket set and timing kit and I can source the head from someone else. Just let me know what you've got. I'm located in the Twin Cities (MN) and will pay shipping if you're not local. I would also be willing to drive as far as Chicago and parts in between to pick something up though. In fact, if you have a complete swap, and I do mean complete, I would also be open to an SR/KA/RB swap if you have one. -Tim

Sounds awesome. Paypal? PM me your email address unless you want payment a different way.

I'm looking to upgrade my 280z master cylinder to the larger zx master since doing the Toyota caliper upgrade. Anyone have a decent used one available? Needs to be the dual reservoir version, not the single. Ship to Minnesota.

Nope, that was someone else. So draining the fuel is the first thing everyone would do huh? I was hoping I could get around that as that's probably the most involved of all the solutions I came up with. I kind of figured if it was really gunk in the fuel lines that it would eventually clog the line and/or filter enough that it wouldn't run, but it keeps starting up. Seems like the real problem lies somewhere else, but correct me if I'm wrong. If you think that would solve the whole problem I'll spend the time on it.

78 280z

I want to get some opinions before I start throwing money at this. Let me give you the rundown of exactly what happened; sorry in advance if this is long. Last Wednesday I pulled out of my parking garage and turned onto the main street. I pulled up behind another car and I *think* I stalled it. This is the only part I can't remember accurately, whether I stalled it or it shut off itself. Anyhow, I had to crank it for like 10 seconds before it started again, and after it started I noticed that the exhaust wasn't nearly as loud as it was before – usually there's a drone between 1500 and 2200 rpms. That was the first clue that something was weird. It seemed to be running fine though. So I got on the freeway and in third gear I tried to accelerate to get in the next lane but the engine suddenly cut out. I was able to restart it right away, but it cut out again about a minute later and again I was able to start it while driving. Finally about a mile later it shut off and I coasted to the shoulder where it refused to start. One of the accident avoidance trucks with the arrows pulled up about 20 minutes later and tried to help me get it started. During this time the starter would spin but nothing would happen. My flywheel normally grinds every now and then, but this whole time it didn't grind at all, which again was weird. I thought maybe the starter or flywheel teeth were completely gone, causing the engine to not turn over, but the dude said the crank was turning over. He pulled a sparkplug and inserted a srewdriver to make sure it was getting spark. This time it started up and stayed running until I shut it off. He thought maybe my fuel gauge was wrong and I just needed gas. I knew my gauge worked though - it said I had 1/2 a tank. He put a gallon in anyway and it started again but died. I tried once more though and it started and stayed running. I was able to drive up to the next exit and find a gas station. Shut the car off, filled up, she started right up again and I was able to drive it 10 miles to my brother-in-law's house. I didn't want to try to make it all the way home by myself, but unfortunately he wasn't home. So back out to the car, it starts right up again and I decide it must be fine now and I try to drive it the remaining 15 miles home. About 1/2 mile down the road it dies. Won't restart. Btw, it was only about 60 degrees out. The highway guy mentioned vapor lock, but I've driven it on 90 degree days and it's been fine. So I was able to get it started again by just waiting a few minutes and cranking it for a while. It went about 2 blocks and died again, not to be restarted. I tried for 20 minutes to get it going, but in the end hiked back up to my bro-in-law's house to call a tow truck. He showed up shortly and we called the tow and went down to wait for it. I tried to start it and, of course, it started. But I didn't want to take any chances, so I had it towed back to his place. Once it came off the truck it started up again and I was able to drive it up his driveway and into the garage where it now sits. At the start of this whole thing I thought it might be sediment in the fuel lines. I had it up on jack stands for about 4 days while I upgraded to the Toyota 4x4 calipers, and I thought maybe being at an incline for 4 days caused some sediment to settle in the fuel pickup or something, and that by adding new fuel it stirred up the sediment enough to allow fuel through. I replaced the fuel filter when I bought the car just as a precaution (not because anything was wrong) and right after I replaced it the rubber fuel lines exploded. The filter must have been clogged quite a bit and when the new filter was put on the old lines couldn't handle the normal pressure again, so I'm sure there's probably some stuff in the tank. My only other thoughts are bad plug wires (but it would still stay running unless they ALL cut out, right?) So then I'm thinking bad coil - that would cause total power loss. The only other thing that was suggested to me is a bad ignition module that acts like the key is being turned off – my boss said he had a problem like that with a tractor. All I know is before this brake upgrade it ran perfectly fine. Let me know where you guys would start. I just discovered that this car is burning though about 4 quarts of oil every 2 months, so I'm not inclined to put too much money/effort into getting this engine in shape - I'd rather spend that time/money putting an L28ET or something else in, but if this is an easy fix I'll continue to drive it until the engine goes on its own.

Looking to do a full turbo swap into my 78 280z. I'm located in The Twin cities area (MN). Would be interested in a full donor car, or engine/transmission/wiring harness combo. How much does shipping usually run for an engine, btw? May be able to pick up depending on location (Mn, Wi, IL, etc.) Let me know a price, too. -Tim

Thanks guys - all good advice. I hope I didn't waste anyone's time with this post. As usual though it looks like it's my fault. I re-checked the battery cables and the battery wire was loose in the aftermarket terminal I used. So I just need to find an allen wrench and tighten it back up. I think it was jerked out by the bucking action. So that question still remains - what would cause the bucking/erratic tach I experienced? Fusible links look good though.

Absolutely nothing. Same as if the battery was completely dead.

I also have an issue that doesn't seem to be normal that may "possibly" be related. When I put the clutch in, the tach will jump up to 2k RPM until I slow down to about 5MPH, then it will drop down to 1k RPM. It seems to be based on the physical speed of the car, because if I'm at the top of a hill, and I put it in neutral, the tach will remain at 1k until I reach 5mph, then it will jump up to 2k without me touching the accelerator at all. Is that maybe the AFM sensor being too loose? BCDD valve? I have no idea, but it's another tach related issue.

I've had my '78 280z for about 3 weeks now. So far it's been driving fine - I've been driving it to work every day (60 mile roundtrip) with no problems. This morning I got to a stop sign right by the parking garage, put it in first gear and let off the gas (kind of abruptly) to let the engine compression slow me down, and it started bucking/jerking a lot, and the tachometer was just moving erratically. So I put it in neutral and coasted up to the card reader, but the tach was still behaving the same. I put it in first, jerked down the ramp and finally got it in second and it started driving fine. Drove all the way around the level, put it in neutral (tach was fine now) and parked. Shut it off and then thought..."maybe I should make sure it still starts." Nope. Not even the headlights will come on now. WTH is going on here? I checked the battery, cables are all fine. Sparkplug wires are all fine, coil wire seems fine. I kept thinking something came loose while it was bucking. I should at least have battery power though right? Is the alternator fried, or maybe lost the wire? I didn't check that. Only tools I have are one wrench and a couple screwdrivers. Any advice would be appreciated. Since I got it I've changed the oil/filter, fuel filter, spark plugs and put in a stereo a couple days ago. I've probably been through 3 tanks of gas so far. On the second day I had it, the car was parked on a very slight incline in my driveway and would start and then die after a few seconds. So I rolled it to a level surface and it started right up - this is what prompted me to change the fuel filter. In fact, after I put the new filter on, I instantly blew a hole in the old rubber line, I'm assuming because the pressure was so much greater with the new filter and the old hose was 11 years old. I have a new hose on there now and it's been driving fine for over a week. Just letting you know in case this has any bearing on what is going on right now. ( video of the car here if you're interested: ) -Tim