5 Star Rising Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I have a 78 280z that I bought a while back, it had been sitting for about 6 years. Im trying to get it back on the road. So far I have done a tune up on the car... I was able to get the car to run for a bit by spraying starting fluid in the Throttle body or jumping the cold start injector. Found that my gas tank was full of debri, so I drained it, pulled it and flushed it out with water and then used a pressure washer with soap, i then rinsed it out and dried it completely with compressed air. Filled it with 10 gallons of fresh gas, and replaced the fuel filter. I got it to start for a little while with out starting fluid, it ran like crap for 5 minutes almost like it was missing or not running on all 6.. It ran in a timing of 1234,1234,1234,1234 kinda shaking. Then it died, and doesnt want to restart.. Im wondering if more crap from the tank broke away and clogged up the line or filter. A few questions: Do you think my tank is still glogging up the fuel lines or filter? "Had a 240 that did that to me once" Is it best to take my tank to a shop and have it relined? How much does it usaully cost? Im just getting started on this project... I do have the XenonS30 manuals on my car, but I was hoping it could be something simple. Gonna look at it again tmw, and check the AFM, Thermo swith, main fuel injection relay, ECU.. I pulled the main feed fuel line off the fuel rail and jumped the fuel pump. Fuel pours out into a container in a steady thick stream how ever one time it had a little gargle in it and then became a solid stream again. How do I check the fuel pressure? Where would I install the a guage on these cars? Should it be around 35psi? I have another 280z complete parts car incase I need parts. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossman Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I bet your fuel injectors are clogged. Take them off and clean them. Blow out the fuel rail with compressed air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabanaboy Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) I don't own a Z yet, but I do know some older cars used to have rubber fuel lines that would tarnish if the car was let sitting for a long time. Maybe lines are bad (assuming they are not metal lines). Gargle or air could be an air leak somewhere? Edited November 17, 2011 by Cabanaboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghettopoptart Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Unplug the feed line and recirculating line from the tank, and from the fuel rail, blow compressed air through the line and it'll knock some of it out. And clean the injectors, buy a can of seafoam and put it in the tank of full gas. After which , update us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bates_ Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Pretty much what everyone else said is spot on. Take your injectors and put them in a container with gas and let them soak for a few days, it will help clean them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Ok well today I was getting ready to pull out my injectors but tried a few other things first.. The injector connectors and harness wiring is so brittle that I dont want to create other problems before I make sure that it is nessesary. Honestly I am not sure what did it, but I cleaned and wiggled multiple connections at sensors and harness plugs and used some WD40 to clean up green corrosion. I also pulled back the idle screw and the car started up and seemed to idle ok, I let it run at idle for about 25 minutes but it still had a miss when it was reved up. I used a screw driver to listen to each injector as it idled and all but 2 were clicking loudly. I could here engine noise through the 2 that were not clicking but definatley no distinct clicking like the others. I checked the connections on those 2 and they seemed to be ok, I thought maybe by chance the 2 injectors were working but just not as loud as the others so I got brave and took the car for a spin on a country road. It didnt seem to have full power like it was still missing (probably those 2 injectors) I got about a half mile down the road and I was getting ready to turn around and come home and the car died out and would not start, luckly I brought a flash light and tools and starting fluid.. The car would just turn over and not fire at all, I sprayed starting fluid into the intake and the car started for a few seconds telling me there is no fuel, I unpluged the main fuel feed line at the fuel rail and of course it was under presure so I had a rag, but it seemed as if more air than fuel sprayed out when the pressure was released. I then left the line unhooked and while shining my flash light on the fuel line I cranked the engine repeatedly and not a drop of fuel came out, thats when i said a few cuss words lol. Stranded on the road, I was running out of options, so I blew into the fuel line a few times to hopefully unclog it and then went and cranked the engine. Fuel started pouring out hard and steady again. I hooked the fuel line back up and the car started right up, I was able to limp it home before it died out again. Im wondering if I have a couple different problems? Clogged line and a couple of plugged injectors.. also could be a loose connection on one of those connectors I cleaned that got moved around when I drove the car... Frustrating, but I got it running so Im getting closer lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) .. Edited November 18, 2011 by 5 Star Rising Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Stranded on the road, I was running out of options, so I blew into the fuel line a few times to hopefully unclog it and then went and cranked the engine. Fuel started pouring out hard and steady again. I hooked the fuel line back up and the car started right up, I was able to limp it home before it died out again. Im wondering if I have a couple different problems? Clogged line and a couple of plugged injectors.. also could be a loose connection on one of those connectors I cleaned that got moved around when I drove the car... Frustrating, but I got it running so Im getting closer lol Pretty good road-side problem-solving. You need good steady fuel flow and fuel pressure for EFI to work right. If you went from no-flow to full-flow by blowing air back though the filter, damper, pump and tank, then everything fromthere back to the tank should be your first area of concentration. You could be running at low pressure even with good flow. I wouldn't do much more past the fuel filter except put a pressure gauge on and do some work to make sure that you can maintain fuel pressure. Don't worry about the injectors or their connectors until you're getting the right pressure to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Thanks Newzed, I think I have a fuel injection kit some where with a gauge, its been a while since I had to use it. So could I put the pressure guage after the fuel filter and before the fuel rail? like in between? Or does in need to be some where else? Also I did the best I could with cleaning out the gas tank with my pressure washer, but I have a feeling there might be more rust and old liner breaking off in the tank and getting clogged some where... Kind of low on funds at the moment, so I was putting off having the tank cleaned a relined at a shop.. Ever heard of the fuel Dampner getting clogged? Gonna do some more investigating tomorrow.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Ok either my tank is plugged or I have serious vacuum lock going on. When the engine was cold, I installed a FP guage and started the car, the pressure went to about 40psi and then settled at around 35psi while running.. After about 3-5 minutes of running you can see the fuel pressure start falling to about 12psi and then the motor will start stumbling and die out. For the heck of it I swapped out the fuel pressure regulator with another one from my 280 parts car and it made no difference. I then went to the back of the car and checked the fuel pump. I found that the fuel feed line that goes into the fuel pump looked like it was collapsed, I took off the hose clamp and pulled off the hose to find not a drop of fuel in the line. I have 10 gallons of gas in the tank. Sounds clogged to me, what do you think? I took some compressed air and blew into the metal fuel outlet at the tank, then it started spraying fuel out but stopped after about 30 seconds and turned into just a thin flow that was almost a drip... A few questions: is there like a feed pick-up inside the bottom of the tank that gets clogged alot on these cars? Could I have some sort of vacuum issue that won't let the fuel come out? If I was to swap hoses and install the fuel feed line onto the recirc line outlet would it work? The recirc line flows a steady stream of fuel out but I dont know how far down in the tank that recirc lines goes, i would hate to run out of gas at a half tank.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossman Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Sounds clogged to me. You should pull the tank and clean it out. Blow the fuel lines out with compressed air again while the tank is out. Install a known good fuel filter. It could also be that your vent lines are plugged or routed improperly. If you can get it to start again, with all the fuel vent lines attached, pull the gas cap and see if that prevents it from dying. If it does then you know the problem is a fuel line vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Sounds clogged to me. You should pull the tank and clean it out. Blow the fuel lines out with compressed air again while the tank is out. Install a known good fuel filter. It could also be that your vent lines are plugged or routed improperly. If you can get it to start again, with all the fuel vent lines attached, pull the gas cap and see if that prevents it from dying. If it does then you know the problem is a fuel line vent. Thanks Rossman, Im going to pull the tank out a second time and try to clean it again. The first time I used a pressure washer and soap and also left the garden hose in it flushing for about an hour, but I have a feeling there is just most rust or old liner coming apart, had a similar problem with a 240z in the past, but it wasnt as dependent on fuel pressure as this fuel injected 280, but i remember I had a glass see thru fuel filter on it and I had to clean it out every 20 miles even after I cleaned out the tank, I think i might just have to take it to a radiator shop and have them boil it out.. I tried leaving the gas cap off and it still lost fuel pressure and died out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bates_ Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Slap on a good brand new fuel filter, and then get one of the little clear fuel filters and have them both set up, that way you can actually see what is going through your lines. Best way to determine what if anything is in your tank/lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dan Gleason Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Hi your fuel injectors can be rebuilt by witchunterperformance.com or injector rehab. They will clean,replace clogged parts, and flow test your injectors at a reasonable price. I used both of these companies with great results. Injector Rehab is a little cheaper. Both companies are professionals. Good luck Dan Gleason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteunseen Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 (edited) There's a small cone shaped fuel filter inside the fuel inlet on OE fuel pumps. Mine was completely clogged and I was having the same kind of problems your having. May be something to look at? Also you could put a Fram G3 clear fuel filter in the fuel line coming out of the tank before it gets to the fuel pump. They're $5 bucks and you can see the crud if it's there. Helped my '77. Edited December 3, 2011 by siteunseen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyro Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 sounds like clogged injectors to me. I had the same issue with an "old sitting z" 7 or 8 years ago. costs about 30/each to get serviced or 60/each new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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