IncompetentOne Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Hello Hybridz world. I have been looking at the site for a while and since running into problems I have decided to finally make an account. I am 17, live in Charlotte NC, and I own a 1977 280z 2+2. N42 head, N42 block. A while ago I blew the head gasket so set off replacing it on my own. I dont have any manuals or anything, I am just going off common sense which has gotten me pretty far but i am finally stuck. Here are a few of my questions, thank you in advance for any help. 1) The old thermostat HOUSING cracked but I have one for a later model z that fits minus most of the sensors. Is there any way to get this one to work? 2) distributor timing: A few nights ago I was trying to start the car after finally putting the distributor on. It would only backfire when I sprayed a little fuel in a small vacuum hole in the intake manifold. The next day I guessed that it was the distributor shaft that was one tooth off so I set it back to TDC and filled the fuel tank and now it will not even backfire. How do i know when the distributor shaft is perfectly in on the right tooth? I know that it is supposed to face about 11:30 ish but how will i be able to tell if its perfect of not? 3) charcoal canister: Is this neccesary? and if so how do I know where the two longest lines lead to? I know one of them goes to the intake manifold but the other has always just been dangling in the engine bay. Is there any place to find another good remanufactured wiring harness? I have many questions, this is only the start of the long list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I suggest you get a factory service manual or at the very least, the Haynes manual. The factory service manuals can be found free to download on the internet. These provide writen desriptions of every part of the car with step by step service instructions and pictures of how everything works. There's no point in having us recreate all of that for you personally. It will answer 80% to 90% of what you need to know. Read it, understand it, and then ask questions for the 10% to 20% that's not clear. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 The factory service manual is available at http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html It sounds like you have the timing off 180 degrees (at the distributor). Check to be sure you have the #1 cylinder at TDC on the compression stroke not the exhaust stroke (valve overlap). Once you are sure about this make sure the #1 plug wire is placed in the cap at the position that is in line with the rotor tip. Next, verify the firing order is correct, 1-5-3-6-2-4, counterclockwise looking at the distributor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncompetentOne Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 Okay so I have downloaded the fuel injection bible and owners manual for the car. I reset the oil pump/ distributor shaft while the engine was TDC compression stroke. I removed the fuel line right after the filter to see if it was clogged and got a ten foot high spray of gasoline everywhere so I know the pump is fine. Even after reading the manuals I can not find out if all of the sensors on the thermostat housing are necessary, of if the carbon canister is necessary. I can not try to start it any more tonight as the battery is dead and mom wont let me use her car to jump it any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 Living in NC , i would say that all the sensors are necessary for cold start . EVAP system is necessary if your city or county check for emission . Then again , the Z is old enough it might be exempt . Check your local laws . As far as starting problem , check all your basics . Engine requires compression , fuel , spark and of course , correct timing ( mechanical and electrical ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharaohabq Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) Yes, if you read that manual about the Cold start system Thermotyme switch and Cold start injector you'll see that some of those sensors are required. A correct thermostat housing is avaliable from a multitude of sources. (on here, junkyards, Z dismantlers, Ebay - I can PM you info if you need) The engine will start without the thermotyme, but it can be a pain.. Next time, Open the cap on your gas tank before removing fuel lines, that'll release most of the pressure to keep you from getting a gasbath. Gas in the eyeballs hurts! if you post pictures, we will be much more likely to help you sort things out since we'll be able to see and discount anything that's obviously correct. The Canister. Well it's not required at all. A Z can pass emissions without one. Though the canister DOES help your gas milage. If you read in the manual, you'll see the canister has 3 lines. one large one and two small, The large I believe runs back to the fuel tank, one of the small tubes operates a vaccum valve, and I believe the other runs to the intake. What the canister does, is sucks fumes condences that into fuel and lets that be sucked back to be reused. Wow Jump starting, You know back in the day, we didn't have jumper cables, We had to beg people to help us push our car fast enough that we could jump in and pop the clutch in 2nd to start them! Edited April 24, 2013 by Pharaohabq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncompetentOne Posted April 24, 2013 Author Share Posted April 24, 2013 Thanks everyone for the advice! I am going to keep trying to get it running after i locate a thermostat housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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