Mycarispurty

I didn't install the FPR that's on the car. It came on it. Even if it was one for carbs, and it actually IS running only 4psi (don't know how the car would even run like that) there wouldn't be much pressure at all, and I wouldn't imagine the car would run as rich as it is with that low of a fuel pressure reading.

I know a FI Z should read 36psi. So in order to try and fix my rich running problem, I get a fuel pressure gauge (0-100psi) from Summit Racing, along with the tee fitting and barbed fittings to fit in it so I can verify correct pressure. I hook it up between the filter and the metal fuel line on the engine and fire the car up. It's only reading 4 psi. That's exactly 9 times less fuel pressure than the car needs to run. Anyone want to shed any light on this?

Well I called them and they said they needed some #s off the old one to match it up. They look the same, but one of them has a longer curved outlet. I wouldn't imagine it makes much difference since they both were designed for the Bosch L-Jetronic system.

So I'm looking at Auto Zone's webpage here for a fuel pressure regulator, and it says there are 2 listings for my 77 280Z. Anyone have an idea if there is a specific part # for the 77 280Z that I can use to order the part?

Will you still get accurate readings right there Noodle? Since it's like an auxiliary part of the fuel system? I'll probably still tap in right before it goes into the main metal fuel line, but I will check for the adapters like you used, all I've found are 3/8ths and would rather have 5/16ths like I'm supposed to. I'll check out the company you bought yours from. Also, is teflon tape safe for gasoline?

I'll see what I can find at the local parts store. I'm assuming they're all going to be AN fittings, maybe I can figure out how to route one of those in the line. With the money I'm spending and the work I'm doing, it better be a damn fuel pressure problem

I have yet to check that. The p/o told me he posted on here asking about it and people suggested to check that, but never did. I guess I can just go to the parts store and get any fuel pressure gauge and hook it inline. Is there any specific place I need to hook it? Also, what pressure range am I looking to be in?

So I've got this 280Z, rebuilt head, really good compression, etc that runs rich. I was going to pull the engine and just v8 it but I figured I'd just try and fix the rich running problem and drive it now and then until I figure it out. Well here's what I did: Today I took the TPS apart. It was still sealed with some goop but I got it open, the contacts inside look and function as if it were new, but I soaked them with contact cleaner anyway. I put it back on, adjusted it to where with the engine at rest, the contact was pressing against the idle contact, then tightened it down. Fired it up, still runs rich. Then I disconnected the coolant temp sensor and fired it up, still pulsing out smoke and really fires it out when I rev it up real high. After that I disconnected the thermotime sensor AND the cold start valve at the same time, still fires up fine but still does the smoking thing. I'm running out of ideas as to what could be causing it. It did have a really high idle when I first got it, but replaced the AFM with one that a guy had that he tested and it was within spec, and it brought the idle down to normal, but still smokes. I was talking to the previous owner just now, and he said while it's running, if you cut off power to the fuel pump (for some reason there's a switch in the cab that you have to turn on to get juice to the pump) it stops smoking immediately and will run for a little while before it dies, naturally you can't rev it when you do that, but it will idle without smoking. I haven't checked yet to see if it has an aftermarket fuel pump that pumps out more fuel with higher pressure or not, but could a bad FPR or maybe just a pump pushing too much fuel cause that? Excess fuel being dumped into the cylinders that is?

There's a local guy selling a very clean looking F54 flattop engine from an 82 I think it was, however it has the P79 head, not an N42 or P90. I already have the turbo exhaust manifold and I can get a turbo oil pan but I was just curious if anyone had bolted a turbo system onto a head with the exhaust liners. I have many options, but this one is clean and complete as far as the long block so I thought I'd ask. The reason I like that option is it has the flattops in the bottom end, where as the engine in my car, which runs great and has awesome compression has dished. I have a rebuilt N47 on my car, which has exhaust liners as well. If the exhaust liner heads blow rod for this purpose, I'll have to pass and just bolt an N42 or P90 head to my current bottom end.

Looks really nice, I dig the color. I have a panel somewhat like yours on my car with round taillights. I can't wait to get paint on mine though. I think fresh paint and badass wheels will make the glassed in fender flares, pantera hatch, and taillight/taillight panel really pop.

I was going to replace all the hoses and gaskets that I could easily get to. I have noticed that on the very back of the intake manifold, the EGR valve is gone. The holes in the mount are exposed but upon glancing, I don't recall seeing any air ways leading into the manifold that could cause a leak but I'll check again.

Not that I know of, but I can check it. Also the previous owner said the problem seems to get worse when the engine warms up. Don't know if he meant rich mixture or idle though.

Ok so I got this 280Z the other day, and it idles at about 1500 RPM and chugs some black smoke out of the tail pipe and a quick puff on revving it. I know the AFM is probably the main suspect here, another big clue is the electrical cover is removed. Well I did my best to clean the carbon trace, the contacts and measure ohm markings according to Blue's tech tips, and none of the numbers really reached what his page said they should. Well I figure maybe a bad cold start valve or air regulator could be helping the problem. So I figured I'd just unplug the connector to the cold start valve and fire it up. Still idled high and puffed out black smoke, so I unplugged the air regulator. Both times, nothing changed. Well I figured I'd monkey with the wiper arm on the AFM and as I opened the flap more, the idle went way down. Of course I'm not omni present so I couldn't jump in the cab to see what the tach was saying but I did hear the engine rev much slower. The further I swept it the lower the idle went to where it almost bogged out and stalled a couple times. After a few sweeps, I figure that is the main culprit in at least the high idle and the air regulator probably has nothing to do with it. I've been reading the EFI Bible religiously (no pun intended) trying to get some clues as to what to check. I'm definitely getting an AFM from a guy on here who has a tester and says they test w/i spec so that should get that covered. Anyone have some insite? I suppose I'm on the right track, and worst case scenario is I throw enough money at it and replace all the EFI sensors (AFM, cold start valve, head temp sensor, thermotime, water temp, etc) and then replace all the vacuum lines then it should work like new, considering all the parts are new.

Ok wasn't sure if the Caddy LT1 was grouped in with like the Caprice and all that had the iron heads. And who needs a/c in a hot rod I knew the JTR manual told you how to use stock guages but wasn't sure it'd work with a newer LT1. I would probably have known that if they had ever sent me my book when I ordered it. Maybe I can try ordering another one.

I did as much searching as my tired eyes would allow last night on LT1 conversions and am curious about something. I'm interested in a local 280Z and one 240Z. With past Zs, I've always tossed around the idea of installing a turbo Z engine over the stock n/a one. Here in lies my question. Since you have to install a new ECU and a different fuel injection wiring harness to get a L28ET in there and fired up, isn't that just about as much work wiring wise as installing an LT1 (after the JTR mounts are used) since you have to install it's PCM and correct fuel injection harness to get it to fire up? I was talking to an LT1 swapper in PMs and he said basically, to at least get the engine to start, it's essentially plug and play. Get power to the ECU, hook up the sensors on the engine into the PCM, and give it some juice. If I used mechanical oil pressure and water tempterature guages to at least get that part of the engine running health covered and monitered, it shouldn't be to hard to at least get the engine in and functioning should it? I know there's a lot more involved to get it to be a daily driver, but as far as having it installed and at least being able to fire it up, it seems pretty simple. Also, I had a guy respond about an 84k LT1 from a Caddy with wiring, PCM, and accessories for $550. I know some LT1s have different heads or use different parts that might make the swap more difficult into a Z and the F-body is the preferred plug and play engine, but I'm just curious about the one from a Caddy.

I began pulling the chassis harness out of my Z today. Took the under dash part out as well as all the ignition relay and fuse box stuff on the pass. kick panel. Going to rewire with an EZ Wiring kit. Just curious what kinda circuits you guys left out when rewiring. I'm thinking about just not even bothering to wire in interior lights like the dome light or whatever. Just the basics like dash gauge power for a backlight, ignition switch, lights, and turn signal. Throw me some ideas as to what you guys modified/added/removed when doing a rewire.

I'm wanting to put, I guess a T5 from a Camaro v8 in my v8 swap. I don't want to do crazy amounts of hp, if I can get the engine to put out around 250-300hp I'd be happy, so I don't need a reinforced badass Viper T56 or nothing...just curious if you guys had any pros/cons to the T5, or could possibly reccommend something else.

Since JTR never sent me one that I paid for (got a refund), I would STILL like to see what all the fuss about this book is, and get the info from it. Anyone got one they bought and used to swap over, but don't need anymore?

Are you having any trouble with cold starts or the car wanting to run hot or anything like that KTM?

Gay....guess I'll have to do some more research to figure out a way to get rid of that with no ill effects. Might check about that guys bypassing the tb thing and see what that does. Thanks for the link.

I put a new water inlet housing on my 280Z today, the kind that has the threaded in fitting for the heater line that runs down the side of the block. On the old one, there was a line running off it to the thermostat housing. I'm blocking off that extra area until I use it as a location to thread in a water temp gauge probe, and I'm curious if I need to re-route that water line off the thermostat housing, or if I can just block it off with no ill effects?

Ok for now (until I figure out if I want to get the programmable fuel gauge or rig up a circuit or whatever) I'm going to hold off on the fuel gauge. Getting the tachometer and speedometer, then for the center of the dash I'm getting mechanical oil pressure and water temperature, and a volt meter. I'll leave the radio area for fuel, boost/vacuum, clock (if I decide to get one), and anything else I'd need. But still don't know if 2 5/8ths or 2 1/16ths for the radio area, so I'll still accept ideas there

Ok I'm getting 5" Autometer Ultra Lites for the tach and speedo, and 2 5/8ths for the mechanical oil pressure and water temperature. However, what I need help with is a decision on what other 2 5/8ths gauge to get to put in the upper pod. Also, instead of having a radio, I'm going to just have a single plate there and put a few more gauges that aren't quite as necessary as the oil pressure and water temperature. I'm thinking fuel level, boost/vacuum, and the clock. However, in order to save a few bucks I'm thinking of going with 2 1/16ths down there to optimize the amount of room, as well as the money savings. So, I need some opinions here as to what to do, as I'll probably be ordering the gauges here in a couple of days. I want to run as many mechanical ones as I can to really cut down on the amount of wiring I have to run behind the dash.

Ahh I got to looking and the water inlet at the front of the block on my car doesn't have the removable fitting for the hose that runs alongside the block. I'd rather have one that does have that so I guess I'm going to have to gank one from a guy with a parts car. Thanks for the help Justin and Tim.

To you guys that have removed the heating/ac in your Z; did you guys plug the lines coming out of the front of the engine that ran back to the firewall and the one that is on the back of the block that returns the coolant to the block? Or did you just run the big long hose from the front into the rear connection? I'd like to remove that if all possible with some sort of plug I could get at the hardware store, or whatever is reccomended just to clean up the engine bay, however if it can't be done and coolant HAS to flow out of that then I guess I could leave the hose and just recycle it into the back of the block.