NewZed

Find out if it was a typical "ran when parked " car or if it was parked because it was dead. If it was dead when parked, you could waste a lot of time on how to start a an engine that hasn't run for years. Use the manual along with the handbook and you should be able to blow through all of the testing you need to do in a day. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/

I've never heard of an L6 snapping a crankshaft. I get most of my information from the world-wide web though. Do you have any examples? And I've read about quite a few L6 head gasket problems. Some pictures or links would be interesting. Always looking to learn something new.

Well, he seems to know what he's doing in the video. Maybe not.

You kind of have the "maybe I did too much at one time" problem. The engine ran with the wiring to the old fuel pump (for one day at least), assuming that it was a bad pump that caused it to stop running after one day. But now you have a new pump and modified wiring. Would have been more clear if you had installed the new pump with the old wiring, then fixed the wring afterward. But you are where you're at so the best you can do is run through the basics - confirm that you have spark, confirm that the injectors are firing, etc. Your bucket test shows fuel flow, but not pressure, so if you're not going to measure pressure all you have are the other things. Your question about what needs to be plugged in and what doesn't are all described in the FSM. Maybe your bad wiring shorted and took something else with it, like the ignition module or the ECU. Run through the basic tests in the Engine Fuel chapter and something will show up. "Have fuel, engine won't stay running" could be caused by all kinds of problems. And you forgot to identify year of car in this new thread.

Thanks for that. The RB engine seems so much more sophisticated than the L, it's weird that smearing the head gasket with sealant is recommended procedure. Seems crude, but I assume it's effective. I should probably be doing that with my L6 intake/exhaust gaskets, which always seem to leak a little bit. The two that I've done. Seems like there's a danger of RTV oozing in to critical passages on the head gasket application.

Here's your original post on the subject, and some replies, in case you couldn't find it - http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/115965-suitable-280z-fuel-pump/?do=findComment&comment=1087600 - Post #15 is you. You might still have the pump wired incorrectly. Measure fuel pressure while starting and when it dies. The problem may not be the pump at all. This is a vague description of what's happening - "I hit the switch, fuel pump fires up, I can hear it inside the car, but she wont stay running." Which switch, ignition or your new one? Check the AFM fuel pump contact, maybe your new wires aren't doing anything. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/

This video is easy to watch even though it's twenty minutes long. At 12:45 he shows the head gasket, then it's on the block but it's orange. Anybody know what the orange is? RTV, copper spray, magic gasket blend? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NBnDOdXzNU

"Box" does not really make sense. Have you seen this sub-forum - http://forums.hybridz.org/forum/31-nissan-rb-forum/

Modifying for a different module isn't plug-n-play, there is some wire cutting required, and probably some hole-drilling and minor fabricating. Check RockAuto.com. Click on the part number and you'll see a cross-reference to all of the vehicles that used it. Maybe you'll find a used one. Over $100 otherwise.

Your link has information that doesn't match the FSM numbers. Check 1976 and 1978 "A" cam specs., for example. Lists like this and the one on atlanticz are convenient but not reliable.

Do you have a gasket for the head? Or is the head available. Check the fit. That outlet hole looks small. Doesn't look right. I'd go out to the garage and look at mine but it's way too cold. Edit - Wasn't that cold. Here's my 81 280ZX engine housing. It uses the three bolt outlet. The engine had all signs of being original.

The stock module is in the cabin, along with a few relays. Stick your nose down by the fuse box and see what's going on down there.

The initial burning plastic smell was probably your ground cables getting hot when the battery post touched the engine block. Even the big negative cable is only designed to carry the amps returned from the starter, not a straight short. The module might have seen some stray current when the big short happened and been damaged. Electronics don't like extra current or voltage. Or it could just be coincidence.

Watch the tachometer. If it goes directly to zero while you're coasting in gear with no power, it might be the ignition module. Just one clue, it could be some other electrical component that is overheating and killing power to the ignition also.

Search the part numbers on the web. All signs are it's a standard EFI replacement pump. http://www.jegs.com/i/Carter/180/P70304/10002/-1 Edit - I should say though, that Carter Fuel Systems does a crappy job of supplying information about their products. Probably a sign of very wide specifications. Cant' be held responsible if they don't write it down. Looks like they're part of Federal Mogul. http://carterfuelsystems.com/fuelpumps/universal_fp.php http://fme-cat.com/overlays/part-detail.aspx?pNum=P70304&partType=Fuel%20Pump%20-%20Electric%20In%20Line&brandId=CF#.UqYloicW5ko

Never mind, couldn't resist (I had something else here). clocker, read some of Tony D's other posts before you get too carried away.

The internet says that that pump should work. It's DC and directional though and the motor will run backward if the wires are. Could be that your old pump was okay and the original problem is still there. Measure fuel pressure.

Never mind. Wasted words.

Using the motor and transmission as a jig is a good idea. One step back (or forward depending on perspective) would be to take the measurements from the assembled motor and transmission. Or make a jig from the motor and transmission. Wood, scrap steel, plastic, whatever material you feel comfortable with. p.s. the point about multiple dimensions in the FSM drawing is that you can determine what's right with math. They're not all wrong, and as was noted above, it's not wrong in all of the FSM's. The good news is that all of these suggestions are most likely more accurate than measuring from the firewall, which does not appear to be precisely located during manufacturing.

Sounds reasonable. Might be worth removing the check valve to see if you can fix it. That's about where the blockage would be if it's in the pump. Even so the pump bodies are designed to handle pressure. Maybe your leak was on the inlet side and you were sucking air. You could measure fuel pressure, to be sure it's the pump.

Pump failing to pump and pump leaking might be two different problems, as well as engine as running crappily. The Airtex E8312 is the common parts store replacement pump. It's not very noisy and seems to work fine, generally, although some people have problems, I've had one for about three years. Lots of people seem to complain about noise from the MSD225 (or Walbro, same thing I believe). How it's mounted is important. Another option is a used Bosch brand pump from a wrecking yard Ford pickup (with EFI - might take some fittings work). Sometimes used factory pieces are better than new aftermarket.

I jumped in to the middle of your thread so that's my mistake. The splines are at the center of the leverage from the steering wheel and the steering gear so they see a lot of force. Teflon tape or any of the softer plastics based solutions won't last long, they'll just get pressed out on tight or bumpy corners over time, as you noted. Seems like the safety concern is up and down the shaft and the problem is rotational. If you could test the first while evaluating the second you might find a good compromise. JB Weld with one set of splines lubricated might allow the sliding for safety but tighten up the joint for handling. Clean one side and wax the other. Test sliding action before re-installation. Full disclosure: I don't even know if you can take the two pieces apart. If not, the fine wire option seems reasonable.

Why not just use a clamp in the same place as the Vise-Grips were? You could probably find something small that looks like it belongs there and does the job.

Get three. They're small.

The pump pulls from the bottom hose and pushes the water through the block, up in to the head, through the thermostat and in to the top hose. There's a diagram, with arrows, in the FSM (of course), in the appropriately named chapter.