NewZed

Just curious and trying to learn something new. I see some things in your setup that don't seem to fit the average MS II setup and have a few questons. What Nissan mechanical book are you using and what is the number for the maximum that it says you can shave? Is it the stock P90 or P90A head? Have you calculated the compression ratio? Why are you using a 280Z distributor? Is it locked? Do you still have a CAS somewhere? What, exactly, are the timing numbers - initial, advance curves, etc.? If you're using MS II for timing, timing "by the book" doesn't really mean much, unless you're just talking about the static timing. Plus the basic stuff like type of gas being used and if this is for the track or for street. Also, seems like if you could supply AFR and timing curves, they would help out to use for feedback. As I said, just trying to learn something myself. You might be focusing on the wrong thing.

Post 14, the OP, the one whose problems are being discussed, has "MS2357-C $444 Assembled Megasquirt-II with V3.57 PCB". megasquirt 1 is a irrelevant.

Some of the Z's run the Brake Check Lamp Warning Relay power through the regulator. On the 76 cars you can end up with the relay powered all of the time after wiring for the conversion. This will kill your battery in a day or two. You can confirm by listening for the click of the relay, under the passenger seat, when you disconnect and reconnect the battery. 76 has the voltmeter instead of ammeter though, so the wiring may not be the same for the check relay. Something to look out for though if your battery starts dying.

You can see the cable in the bottom of the picture. Looks like it might need a collar fabricated to hold the end of the sheath but if the cable end fits the actuating arm and it will reach you might be able to make it work.

You could have at least copied the replies from your other thread over also. Many auto stores will read your trouble codes for free. (From your other thread). Sounds like a short circuit somewhere, unless the AC system is computer controlled.

There's a lot wrong with your situation but the biggy in your case might be that you've disconnected an important part of the PCV system, without blocking the port in to the intake manifold. You probably have a big vacuum leak.

It's all described in the 1981 FSM (except the GM HEI modification). You really can't get far fast without opening it and at least browsing. Edit - actually it's described in the Turbo Supplement, Engine Fuel section - www.xenons130.com/reference That's all I got. There are descriptions, wiring diagrams,and diagnostic procedures. You can't go wrong by downloading and reading at least that one chapter. Edit 2 - Reading the 82 and 83 chapters would probably help also, since 81 is focused on using the ECCS Analyzer.

Might be the HEI module, not the ECU. I killed one by leaving two plug wires off and running the engine for a few seconds. Or the CAS if you're using one. Or anything on the path. Or anything feeding the path like power wires to the coil and ECU. CAS > ECU > HEI module > coil > coil wire > distributor > spark plug wires > spark plugs > ground to block > ...

Word is that 240Zs with 280Z R200s and half-shafts can bind the half-shafts when the suspension is compressed and/or the car lowered. The half-shafts run out of travel. There are even directions out there for increasing the travel on the inside portion of the ball tracks in the half-shaft, the area that was was damaged on your other half-shaft. If your car is lowered maybe you're bound up and it's causing vibration and half-shaft damage. Look at the betamotorsports site for a good description of the problem. I think it's in the bench-racing section.

The gland nut has come off the top of the strut tube, possibly. Your strut is falling apart. Look under the rubber dust cover.

The stock springs are noticeably longer than the Tokicos (the 5022s anyway) so the springs on your car have already been changed or modified. They're not stock. Assuming that the car in your picture is a 280Z.

The 3.36 thing pops up now and then, mostly when talking about the R200. The 1979 FSM specs the 3.36 as an option, in both R180 and R200. Some people say that the 1974 R200 came in a 3.36 also, although the FSM only shows an R180. Anyway, I just copied what was written in the R&T articles. 3.54 in an 81 ZX is an odd one also. Most come with 3.9s. Also, another odd thing - the 81 close ratio 5 speed has a 3.06 first gear, compared to a 3.321 for the 75 and 79 transmissions. So it ran a 16.8 1/4 mile with a heavier car and a taller overall first gear than the 75 and 79 cars, according to R&T. Maybe that 2-3 shift with the wide ratio boxes is as bad as it feels. Just some weird things from the past.

Well, thanks for the info anyway. It's really hard to tell which engines made more power. The only good comparison I've found is in a compilation of R&T road tests, but I don't know how they get their HP numbers. The numbers don't match the car ID plates, so maybe they actually dyno-test each test car. In a the R&T 1979 ZX road test they report 135 Bhp@5200 RPM for the N47/N47 block/head combo. An earlier R&T test says that the 1975 N42/N42 combo produced 149 Bhp@5600 RPM. But they should be essentially the same engine, except for liners in the N47 exhaust ports, so that's confusing. In a later test they also reported another 79 ZX at 132 Bhp@5200 RPM in a four car comparison test. So that's two N47/N47 combos at 132 and 135 Bhp. A later test of a 1981 ZX produced 145 Bhp@5500 RPM for the F54/P79 combo. That's the new engine with flat top pistons and 8.8 CR, but a different cam profile. In the text they say that the 1981 ZX engine is making 13 more HP than the 79 engine, apparently comparing to the 1979 ZX in the four car test, mentioned above. To top it off, none of the numbers in the R&T tests match what's on the ID plates. My 76 plate says 170 HP@5600 RPM (SAE), even though it's essentially the same engine as in the 1975 280Z, which R&R reported at 149 Bhp. Hard to tell where these numbers come from. Maybe the most telling thing is that the torque peak dropped from 4400 RPM for the 75 and 79 cars, to 3000 RPM for the 1981 car. Just to fill it out, here are the 1/4 mile times and a comparison table. 1975 17.3 s@81 mph 2875 lbs (4 speed, 3.54 final) 1979 17.2 s@82 mph 2825 lbs (5 speed, 3.36 (!) final), same first 4 gears as the 75 4 speed) 1979 18.1 s@80 mph 2900 lbs (automatic, 3.54 final) 1981 16.8 s@81 mph 3000 lbs (lots of options, "close" ratio 5 speed, 3.54 final) 1975 N42/N42 149 Bhp@5600 RPM, 163 lb-ft @4400RPM 1979 N42/N47 135 Bhp@5200 RPM, 144 lb-ft @4400RPM 1981 F54/P79 145 Bhp@5500 RPM, 166 lb-ft @3000RPM

How long and big is the hose from the MAP port on the manifold to the MAP sensor on the MS board? I've wondered about that. Maybe there's a lag in response time due to pressure equalization at the hose ends. Small manifold port, big hose would lead to a lag in pressure equalization in the hose. Just thinking...

Looked back over your thread and don't even know what engine you're trying to run with MS2. Is it a stock turbo engine? You still haven't confirmed timing with a timing light. Confirming the basics will help you out greatly. Changing parts or "upgrading" without understanding the problem rarely works from what I've seen. It just makes things more complicated. A stock engine with fuel injection should be super easy to get started if all of the basics are correct.

So you're running the F54/P79 block and head with the 76 ECU and AFM? Comparing power to the 76 N42/N42 with 76 ECU and AFM? Curious. I have a spare 81 NA engine and wondered how it would do with the 76 EFI.

No problem. If I'd noticed you were from Norway I would have measured in metric.

Turn the key On and measure voltage to ground from the coil (+). then do the same from the coil (-). If you don't have voltage there you won't have voltage at Pin #1. If you have voltage at the coil (+) but not coil (-) then you have a bad coil. If you don't have voltage at coil (+) at all then you have a power supply problem to the coil. If you have power at coil (+) and coil (-) but none at Pin #1 then you have a break in the circuit from coil (-) to Pin #1 that you will have to track down.

The post for the negative side would just be a terminal for connecting wires. It might not even be used. You'll have to take some measurements to know what's working working right.

Check that you have 12 volts at coil (-) with the key On. If not, check coil (+). You should have 12 volts on both sides with the key On. If you have 12 volts at coil (-), then check the following: There is a blue wire connected to the coil (-) post that runs through the harness to Pin #1. If you're not getting 12 volts at Pin 1 there must be a break in the circuit somewhere. Could be at the coil or anywhere in between. 77 still has the ballast resistor. I think that the blue wire actually connects to a post on the ballast that is also connected to coil (-). If you've messed with the wires at the coil and ballast, find that blue wire, check continuity (resistance) to Pin 1, then connect it to coil (-) of it's the correct wire.

I measured 2 11/16" on the rod from a spare 280Z slave.

5 years ago you had an L6 short block built, supposedly with parts that you had brought in. You've been revving it to 8,000 RPM with a blow-through turbo since then. It broke a ring land and the owner of the shop is going to help you out with free work and gaskets. I would like to know the name of that shop. This has turned from a shop-bashing thread to a shop-praising thread.

Lucky for you. A shop that covers for 5 year old mistakes is a pretty good shop. Are you saying that you provided Wiseco forged pistons and the Seattle shop swapped them on you? Or they sold you Wiseco but put something else in? Or they are Wiseco but blew up due to high revs and/or poor lubrication? Doesn't improper lubrication and/or too high RPM imply scuffing/seizing and heat buildup? Where do the broken ring lands come in? Still curious.

You could check power to the coil as a backdoor way to check the mechanical part of the switch. Key On/Run should have coil power, then key Start uses a different circuit for the coil and solenoid. If power to the coil disappears it's probably your ignition switch. Just offering clues for your puzzle...

The font used for the numbers on the face changed over the years. Someone might recognize the year if you showed a picture of the front. Just for fun.