280Z does not start....

[Tony D]

If you TRULY "knew" the Mustang EFI from 90-2000 you would NOT say what you said about the Bosch Gen2 License unit in your Z!

 

There is FAR more going on in a modern system than on the Early S30's!

 

And the building blocks, fundamentals of how each works are identical: Airflow, Fuel pressure biasing, Air Temp,, Water Temp, basic throttle position, and engine speed. That's IT for the S30.

 

The Ford EEC adds to that specific throttle position, spark control, fuel trim feedback short and long term, O₂ Feedback correction, active idle speed control, active EGR Control, catalytic action feedback loop, and remote monitoring/logging...

 

I think I'm smelling disingenuity here to some extent.

 

This is a basic system, checks should take along the lines of 45 minutes and encompass basic mechanical/electrical baseline checks like on any vehicle.

 

If it's going longer than this, from my experience you have walked righ to the problem, looked righ at it, then convinced yourself that couldn't be it and moved on to another line of troubleshooting to no avail.

 

I've watched this happen since I started doing diagnostic work on vehicles and equipment in 1979. I lay money it's the case here. Troubleshooting doesn't mean guessing and replacing, it means quantifying and verifying BEFORE substitution/replacement. If you change it and it doesn't fix it, then that was NOT the problem. (This may seem to be stating the obvious, but...) but now you have a different component which has likely not been checked in the system-better off with the old component back in place until all checks and resolution of the problem.

 

Final bit of advice: START AT SQUARE ONE, go from there. Basic engine tune-up - meaning valve adjustment, compression check, spark plugs with the gaps correctly set (and likely WIRES), FRESH GAS and filters is how you start the process if it's giving you problems. The diagnosis routine is in the EFI Bible, and the FSM-it clearly quantifies every component in the system, where it is, and EXACTLY how to test it...as well as what is "good." or "bad."

 

Like I said, resolution of a no-start where you check EVERY component in the system takes about 45 minutes, wether the car has sat for a day or 14+years in a field. I pull these out of barns and fields all the time... I take the book, lay it out, start at the beginning and as yet it has NEVER taken more than 45 minutes to check EVERYTHING and have a car that runs. You're in there with the meter, check it ALL once. Then formulate the resolution.

 

The EFI Bible and early FSM was formulated for mechanics who had NO electronics training and worked on American cars with Carbs. As such it is VERY comprehensive in scope. The reason it's not a 2" thick coffeetable book like a 94 GM or Ford EFI Manual SET (yes, there are TWO BOOKS!) is in reality this system is VERY basic, there is not a lot going on, and there are only a handful of things that could cause a problem.

 

Like I said several times now...those things take about 45 minutes to check following the FSM test procedures. Check them, trust your instruments, find the issue and fix it.

 

And the reason I fixate on 45 minutes so much is I had NEVER evev looked at an S130 system before, and I dragged one home out of a field where it had sat for 14 years. After I installed a battery and disassembled the ignition switch so I could crank the car I set my stopwatch...42 minutes later from a fuel can beside the car it was running and moveable under it's own power. In retrospect I realised that was about average to go from total unknown to known on these systems.

 

It's not rocket science, but it does take logical progression of workflow, and a disciplined approach to problemsolving...and adherence to the FSM testing procedures with the ability to not talk oneself out of a quick diagnosis of a bad part with "it can't be that easy" rationalisations. In my experience with these systems...it CAN, indeed, "be that easy"!

 

Good Luck.

[AC.]

I will definitely start again from square one. I say I know the mustang EFI pretty well cause I can work my way around one pretty easily when something isn't running correctly, but I will educate myself more on the datsun unit. I need to start off now by getting another battery.

 

thanks