NewZed

Did you clean and/or rebuild the carbs? After ten years they're probably all gummed up inside.

Just curious, but you're saying that you couldn't get the idle down with that IACV? You actually tried it, or you just did a calculation? Seems goofy to work around a sticky throttle body blade problem, by changing IACV's. Doesn't it? Can't you do more work on the TB's? And, more talking about stuff I don't know well, but will your single port evenly distribute the air to the cylinders? Using an IACV for idle control seems like a great idea. Just wondering about the final execution.

It will be just like the other guys. Wouldn't be a surprise if they had other models with flats. You're just using it for an unintended application.

You could grind a flat on the shaft also.

He's a member. @zcardepot.com https://forums.hybridz.org/profile/50800-zcardepotcom/

Can't really say. Most of us have spent time under our cars twisting the flanges and the driveshaft and lifting at various points. If you get the halfshafts off lay under the diff and grab both flanges. Twist them back and forth and see if you have play. Do the same with the driveshaft and a halfshaft. Most of these problems end with an ahah moment where you find the moving part. But there are a lot possible clunk sources. I just solved a clunk problem in my truck. It was a large piece of metal, a shackle, that I had stored behind the seat. Every time I went over a left hand turn with a bump it sounded like I had a loose shock absorber or a broken spring. I spent weeks looking underneath for the loose part but the problem was inside. I just had to wrap the chunk of steel in a towel to fix the problem. People with Z's often find their clunk in the storage bins behind the seats.

If they are seated you won't be able to get them out without a prying tool. If they're not seated they'll pull out by hand. Did you use/place/set the circlip in the LSD? It fits down the hole and locks in to the groove on the axle when you tap the axle in to the hole.

They are all "coil overs". When people say "coliover" they typically really mean "adjustable height" coilovers. That is all anybody gets with "coilovers". Various manufacturers of "coilovers" offer different srpings and shocks. But they are all "coil overs". If you can't find the right combination of shock and spring then one of the various "coilover" options might be worthwhile. But, once a person understands that it's just a spring (AKA coil) over a strut/shock, many possibilities open up. Without a description of the spring and shock, coilover doesn't actually have any useful information, as a word. Except that ride height is probably adjustable. And preload, which is a factor in ride quality.

People have found clunks from odd things like loose studs in the diff cover. And when you apply power the diff twists and the mustache bar ends, out away from the diff, can move if they're loose. Other stuff to check.

Not clear if you're getting clunks when you shift gears or when you apply power or just when the transmission is turning. Add some detail to what the "clunk" is and when, exactly, it happens. The simple test is to grab each side of the possible clunking parts and look for play. The wheel flanges, the pinion shaft and output flanges, the driveshaft in the transmission, etc. If you apply the parking brake you can load the drivetrain with the wheels hanging. Might make any play easier to see. I'd still move the stands under the control arms.

Were the jack stands under the suspension or under the body? Were the wheels hanging? Might be that you just had too much angle on the u-joints and they were binding. Put the stands under the control arms so the suspensions is at ride height distance and try again.

I've never used any of these. I do know that the Technoversion guy's business has been around for years and people seem happy with his products. Read the instructions and you'll see that they're well-written, and he guarantees the product if you follow the instructions. That's all I know. Good luck. https://technoversions.com/TachMatchTM03InstructionManual.pdf?

This might work, below. You'll still need to understand your wiring and which wires do what. But even if you get it to stay running it will probably read wrong, 8 cylinders instead of 6.. https://technoversions.com/

Do you have a meter or test light? If not, you should get one. It's a basic, for the car also, not just the engine swap. You'll need one. A meter, preferably. If it's a full-size HEI distributor the coil will be under the distributor cap. You'll want to confirm power to the coil, probably through the distributor's wiring connection. A "true" HEI distributor is all self-contained, the coil and ignition module are all under the cap. Anyway, you need a meter really, just to get started. You can waste a lot of time without one.

Just to confirm, you have used a meter back to the battery negative cable to confirm a good ground. You never know. But the meter shows. Also, you can check coil performance on your own by "being" the ignitor. Disconnect the ignitor so you don't damage it and use a ground wire on the coil negative to make break the coil circuit, with coil power on, and create a spark. That's all the ignitor does. Always helps to break your problem into pieces.

@SteveJ260Z knows ammeters

Did you make sure the "ignitor" is grounded. It grounds through the coil bracket, like cgsheen implies. No ground, no spark. no matter what signal it gets from the ECU.

Mark, I broke your word block up in to pieces, so people can catch a breath if they read it. Unfortunately, the heyday of the forum was about when I joined and the years before. Many of the guys that were very deep in to the L engines have moved on. No offense to those that are still here. I got to see a few good years of deep discussions go by from the guys that know stuff. But things have been slow for quite a while. Did you say that you have a GM Turbo 400 behind your L series engine? Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum and thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Mark Leader and I own a 1982 280ZXT. I took possession of it in 1989. While it has a decent amount of suspension modifications, it is primarily set up to go quickly in a straight line. After upgrading turbos, exhaust, and intake in the early 1990s, I hit a wall regarding the ability of the stock air flow meter to handle additional HP. Thru a set of circumstances, I met Clark Steppler at JWT and he asked if I would be willing to let him use my car as a test mule for the development of a fuel management system for the L series engine. I said, "where do I sign". He has been tuning the car since that time, as I make different modifications. The journey of modifications, goofs, and the process of the work on the car would take me so long to go over, that who ever was reading it would fall asleep halfway thru. I am about to "freshen the car up", so I'll outline it's current set up and then the ideas I have to re-create it. That's were I hope this knowledgeable forum will be able to help, as I know I'll need some assistance. While I have done most of the installation work on the car, it's been 10 years since I've touched or driven it. It is under a cover, waiting patiently to get a massage. Current configuration: stock block, heads ported as much as I think they can be with 1mm oversize valves, JWT mild L series camshaft, Ross 8:1 forged pistons, strengthened stock rods, GT3582 (.82 exhaust A/R) turbo, JWT fuel management system (tuned by Clark at JWT), 18"x6"x3 1/2" vertical flow Spearco intercooler, 2 1/2" (OD) piping, Richard Lee external wastegate, Trust long tube turbo header, a vintage Mallory coil (magspark?) which is the only coil that would allow me to run 30+ lbs of boost without blowing out the spark, 3" custom exhaust system, TH400 transmission with a 4,000 stall, 1988 Z31 R200 LSD differential with 3.71 gears, stock wheels with rears widened to 8", 6 pt roll bar, stock interior in real good shape, color of car is white. That's a brief overview. Ideas to "re-create" it: Paint it ( the paint is actually in good shape, I'd just like it to sparkle) same or similar white. Freshen interior with . .some, as yet undecided material (the interior is red and I'll keep it red). I plan on "upgrading" the turbo to either the GTX version of my GT3582 or a GTX3584 (I am going to put my head together with Clark and go over the compressor maps to try and determine if the 3584 will allow the set up to retain it's excellent transient boost response). I plan on having a local shop (run by Frank Honowetz and Ed PInk, so I feel I'm in good hands engine wise) build the bottom end to accommodate the expected power and torque. My current idea is to stroke the engine to 3.0L using the stock crank (I've been away from the car and potential modifications for so long, this was news to me), and make it a high compression (10:1) engine (I know that is probably open to debate for a number of reasons). Increase intercooler piping diameter to 3" in and 3 1/4" out. Upgrade TB size from current 60 (?)mm to 80-85mm. Upgrade intercooler (size wise) as much as I can, being limited horizontally. I'm hoping some of you experienced L series gurus can give me feedback on intercooler sizing. Keep it externally gated and ditch the current wastegate in favor of an appropriate sized Tial. The injectors will have to be upgraded, but as of now, I don't know what I'll need: I'm pretty sure JWT has come up with some new info regarding the overall fuel management system, so I will defer to Clark for those upgrades. I am fortunate to live in an area that has multiple E85 stations.....which has been a game changer in the world of modified cars, especially forced induction ones. So the car will have a flex fuel tune. I have a few goodies I've been accumulating: new brake kit, electric water pump (I have an electric fan that I'll keep), a new harmonic balancer whose brand name I can't recall at the moment, a high output (120 amps) alternator, some spiffy brackets, etc. I'm sure I left out a number of changes, upgrades, concerns, etc. but I don't want this book to get any longer. Whoever is still reading.....I appreciate it. I plan on using the accumulated info of the forum, and those of you much wiser than I to assist me with this project. I imagine most of the folks that frequent car forums and spend a decent amount of time and money modifying cars, have some level of passion (sometimes obsession........which I respect) for their cars. I also own a modified 1990 300ZXT (Z32) that I have owned since 1994, as well as a modified 2012 GTR that I bought new in 2011 (The first new car I ever purchased. The reason I mention the other cars is that if someone said you can only keep one of them, I would, without hesitation, keep the 280). It might not have come across in my overview, but the amount of time, enjoyment, learning about the car, accumulating some degree of knowledge about automotive performance (especially surrounding turbochargers), friends I've made because of the car, stories of juvenile shenanigans, uniqueness of the car, the feeling of cars' acceleration (It's quicker than the E85 GTR), and so on, have made me attached to the car beyond it being "an old Datsun". I, however, will never call it "she" or "my baby".....sorry. I started my passion for cars in the late 1960s in LA. My first Hot Rod was a 1967 SS396 that I put a 427 in, set up to be a high performing street racer. I spent alot of time in a place called Van Nuys Blvd. It was the center for high performance cars to cruise, meet girls, and street race. I still have a part of that kid in me, and the upcoming refreshing and upgrading of the little Datsun taps into that. So.....howdy! PS I've been trying, without success, to locate Jeff Priddy. He and I spent some time together about 15ish years ago. Our cars were set up very similar. He had a manual, I had an auto. He was a super bright, nice, helpful guy that I would love to reconnect with. I understand he's pretty well respected on this forum (for good reason) and maybe someone can help me contact him......or if you are reading this Jeff, call me: 818 425-4322. I don't know if there is a "member or profile page" to put together contact and car info, I couldn't find one.

If you click "Browse" up top then click Forums you can find this sub-forum down low on that page.. https://forums.hybridz.org/forum/68-new-members-forum/

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/checklists/no_record

I don't know California but don't they keep a record of cars with past violations? Not to be a buzz-kill, but why would you let a car sit unregistered for three years? Trust but verify...

Better check the emissions rules in EDH. Many people have trouble getting past the CARB. And there will be fees probably if it was not registered for three years. Might be a reason that it wasn't registered. You might buy it but not be able to drive it legally.

I would find a level surface, and some good reference points on the car body, and see if the car is tilted or the flares are one the car incorrectly. Or if something else is going on. Reference points might be something obvious like the back bumper, or the bumper mounting points. Or the inner wheel well arches. Or the sub-frame mounting points for the suspension. If the car boy is tilted,then adjusting the suspension is reasonable,and will bring the body back in to line. If the flares are off, then adjusting the car body will introduce other weirdness, like a tilted look from the back.

My 76 had about 1/2" smaller gap on the passenger side. Not sure why. Tokico lowering springs on the back, cut Nissan springs up front. The front was the same on both sides. I shimmed the strut studs to get rid of most of it. People should say less or more, by side, instead of different. We might see something consistent.

Not much.