NewZed

Seems to match the 1983 FSM. Did you install the blind plug?

If the LS3 cooling is like many cars, bypassing the heater core actually reduces cooling system effectiveness. The engineers design the systems with the heater core using just a small amount of total flow. When you bypass it you create an imbalance that wasn't designed in to the system. On the L6 a heater core bypass actually bypasses the radiator also because the return line enters the water pump inlet directly, reducing the overall flow through the radiator. Might be worthwhile to examine the flow path of the coolant and consider flow volumes.

You said car in the first post. Check your steering rack bushings. Maybe something is not assembled correctly. You replaced a lot of parts.

Like calZ said it's probably your "spacers". You don't have a steering wheel problem, you have a wheel problem. Very dangerous, especially on the front. Maybe you have some of these but haven't machined the I.D. Don't even know why this guy sells them that way, kind of cheap and unsafe. https://zcardepot.com/products/wheel-spacer-pair-front-rear-240z-260z-280z?_pos=1&_sid=4da58f7ef&_ss=r

Sounds like a u-joint. There are two on the each side and two up the middle. Look for dry damaged seals, and rust powder. Pry them around with a long lever, look for movement. Could also be the sliding portion of the half-shaft itself.

No offense - that's obvious. But people put turbo engines in 280Z's often. Anyway, both engines and the car look pretty beat up. The bottom engine looks like a 76 or 77 280Z NA engine. You can tell from the fuel rail and fusible links. Can't tell from your pictures which engine is from the 280Z 2+2. What are you trying to do?

It's described in the Factory Service Manual (actually it looks like they left it out for 1974. First year of electronic ignition. Try the 1976 FSM). I think that its function is to maintain a consistent gap at the pickup coil.

Surprised that it hasn't sold. Whitehead is incommunicado so that source is NLA. You might add the other axle if you have it, not sure why it's missing in the picture. Are they included? And a pinion shaft flange, although not as big a deal. Somebody doing a V8 swap might just build a new driveshaft and use the same pattern, instead of swapping flanges. classiczcars.com has a nice sale forum and gets more traffic, you might post there. No offense to hybridz.org, I'm sure that things will come back some day, but it's pretty slow now.

And to add a little bit more - it could be a turbo "engine" but without the turbo parts. The valve cover has a stamp on it like the Nissan replacement engines too, so that might be part of the mystery. If you want to dig deeper, get the numbers from the cylinder head. They're right between/below cylinders 1 and 2 plug holes. A turbo head would be P90. A 280Z head would be N42 or N47.

The bottom engine with the orange plug wires is definitely an NA engine. The top engine with the black wires might be a turbo block, it looks like it has the oil filter mount of a turbo engine. But it's a bad angle. I think I see an AFM on top but not sure. Here are some links to look at. You need better pictures of the top engine. Look at where the AFM is mounted and look for the J-pipe. The AFM is underneath on the turbo engine. It's on top and visible on NA. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1981-datsun-280zx-turbo-6/ https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1982-datsun-280zx-turbo-12/ J-pipe marked in green.

Sure, post the pictures. I know that some things are different in the UK, like the 260Z went on for a long time, but the turbo was not developed until 1981, I think. The Z body and the ZX body are completely different though, in both countries. And the turbo parts are obvious. Some people have tried to fool people with the ZX injector cooling fan, because it looks odd. But a turbo is obvious.

The turbo engine came out in 1981. So a 1978 car would not have a turbo engine. And the 280ZX came out in 1979. I think this is true even in the UK. A 280ZX turbo engine would have a lower CR than a 280Z NA engine, among other differences.

It is a vacuum operated device that pulls the throttle open a bit to raise idle speed when the AC compressor is working. Also called the fast idle actuator. If you don't have working AC you don't need it.

Are you talking about the top one or the bottom one? There are two types of the top one, one with two inlets and one with one inlet, depending on year of car. The top one is the fuel pressure regulator (FPR). Yours looks like a 1976 FPR. The bottom one is the F.I.C.D.

You're right. That was in the back of my mind, the question has come up before, because on the 280Z's they run it through a relay. I kind of knew it was wrong when I posted it, should have held off. Not sure why they would change to constant power wires over the engine. But, apparently, they did, they show it twice. Doesn't make sense. Continue with the 20 questions... 1982 1978

Sorry, is that a question or a statement? Power should be off when the key is off.

Yes. The injectors have power when the key is on and they open when the circuit is grounded by the ECU. Both sides of the injector plugs will have power because it's a parallel circuit. Unless you measure with all six injectors unplugged.

FSM = Factory Service Manual. Meter = electrical multimeter. Must haves for working on any EFI car. EFI = electronic fuel injection. Good luck. It's difficult at the beginning but well worth the time. https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Use-and-Choose-a-Multimeter/

If the engine runs there's a ground for the injectors. Use the FSM and a meter. You can't get far without doing basic electrical testing on the EFI systems. Download the FSM and the 1980 EFI guide. Use the Engine Fuel and Emissions chapter. The EFI harness has its own ground point. Test at the ECU connector. https://www.classiczcars.com/files/file/32-efi-book-1980/ https://www.classiczcars.com/files/category/14-280zx/

Compatibility with what? http://www.zhome.com/rnt/FordPower/HalfShaft.html

Check your grounds, in the EFI wiring harness and at the ECU. The injectors need current flow. Might be that you have only enough to run 5 injectors at idle, and the test light provides just enough extra current to get it to rev. Bad grounds = low current.

Did you grease the half-shaft u-joints while you had things apart. Easier but you can still do it while they're in the car. They'll last about forever if you keep them greased. Tighter, more precise, than aftermarket. There's a thin head screw that covers the Zerk hole.

It's small in the drawing, but this would be the part. It's factory. http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/axle/rear-suspension/83

It's a damper for diff noise and vibration. Many people take them off.