brunoboy650 Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Hi everyone. I am new to the Z car but my dad and brother decided they wanted in on a classic. Yesterday we picked up a 77 280Z from a friends friend with 86,xxx original miles on it. First few things I want to know is how to remove the radio. I want to swap it out with a new modern day one that I have laying around. Second, I had a hot start problem earlier. 3/4 of a tank full of gas and I had parked for 15 minutes. It would start and die one after another so I let it sit for another 15 minutes. After letting it sit, I was able to turn the key and it started right up. Any idea what that could be? Thanks in advance for everyones help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghassen Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 (edited) I'll buy that old datsun hitachi radio off you if you want to sell. PM me You're in the bay area but it was a very warm day there right? Thats the hot start problem with the 280 and its well known. I solved mine by putting a 280zx injector fan on mine. Hardest part is wiring it up to a timer so it only stays on for 10 minutes or so after you shut the motor off. Running ethenol free gasoline helps also. Making sure you have no leaks in your fuel line all the way back to the pump. Insulating the fuel rail helps some say. What's happening is the fuel inside the fuel rail is boiling after you shut off the engine and when you go to start it again, there is no fuel inside the rail to feed the injectors. Edited September 25, 2015 by greghassen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunoboy650 Posted September 25, 2015 Author Share Posted September 25, 2015 I'll buy that old datsun hitachi radio off you if you want to sell. PM me You're in the bay area but it was a very warm day there right? Thats the hot start problem with the 280 and its well known. I solved mine by putting a 280zx injector fan on mine. Hardest part is wiring it up to a timer so it only stays on for 10 minutes or so after you shut the motor off. Running ethenol free gasoline helps also. Making sure you have no leaks in your fuel line all the way back to the pump. Insulating the fuel rail helps some say. What's happening is the fuel inside the fuel rail is boiling after you shut off the engine and when you go to start it again, there is no fuel inside the rail to feed the injectors. Thanks for the response! the radio actually doesn't work 100% of the time and is aftermarket already. its old though so I do want to change it. Is it easy to get to it? Yea its Hot lately but it also has happened to me at night once. I drove for awhile, stopped the car for 10 minutes or so and would not start back up for a few minutes. what is this injector fan? and do you have a part number? I pump 91 in it since its the best we have without going E-85. Is there a way to prime the system before i start the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghassen Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Thanks for the response! the radio actually doesn't work 100% of the time and is aftermarket already. its old though so I do want to change it. Is it easy to get to it? Yea its Hot lately but it also has happened to me at night once. I drove for awhile, stopped the car for 10 minutes or so and would not start back up for a few minutes. what is this injector fan? and do you have a part number? I pump 91 in it since its the best we have without going E-85. Is there a way to prime the system before i start the car? I've tried the priming before and it didn't work for me but others say it works for them. You just wire in a switch to the fuel pump that provides power to the pump directly. Turn on the pump before starting and leave it on for a minute or so and hopefully it gets fuel to the injectors. Others have had sucess replacing the fuel pump check valve but that didn't work for me either. The only thing that worked 100% was this fan. I first wired it up using a toggle switch. It was a pain waiting 5 or so minutes after shutting the engine off to wait for it to cool the top of the motor down. I then installed a 12v timer that let it run for 5 minutes after engine shutdown and then shut it off. You don't want it to run a long time otherwise it will run your battery down. The 280zx has a timer circuit but it involves nissan relays that are difficult to find. Generic 12v timers are easier to wire up and easier to get. http://www.ebay.com/itm/79-83-Datsun-280ZX-fuel-injector-blower-cooling-fan-assembly-complete-w-bracket-/111760901802?hash=item1a057806aa&vxp=mtr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) I had a fan for a while. But an aluminum -6 size fuel rail and insulating the injectors got rid of the problem. The fan is gone. That's if it's the typical "heat soak" problem on a good-condition fuel system, intact, with heat shields. The problem is from engine heat buildup, transferring to the injectors and rail when the car sits, not necessarily related to outside temperature. Since you've only had the car two days you might wait and see what else you'll be working on. But there is a ton out there on the internet about "heat soak", "hot start" or "vapor lock". Edited September 26, 2015 by NewZed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmoralesbello Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Congrats on your new Z! If you want to install a totally modern radio BUT with a cool vintage look you might want to check out the RetroSound multimedia receivers. Excellent sound, straight forward install and looks just right in the Z cockpit IMO. MSA sells them. Here's a link: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic08c01/50-1289 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunoboy650 Posted September 27, 2015 Author Share Posted September 27, 2015 I've tried the priming before and it didn't work for me but others say it works for them. You just wire in a switch to the fuel pump that provides power to the pump directly. Turn on the pump before starting and leave it on for a minute or so and hopefully it gets fuel to the injectors. Others have had sucess replacing the fuel pump check valve but that didn't work for me either. The only thing that worked 100% was this fan. I first wired it up using a toggle switch. It was a pain waiting 5 or so minutes after shutting the engine off to wait for it to cool the top of the motor down. I then installed a 12v timer that let it run for 5 minutes after engine shutdown and then shut it off. You don't want it to run a long time otherwise it will run your battery down. The 280zx has a timer circuit but it involves nissan relays that are difficult to find. Generic 12v timers are easier to wire up and easier to get. http://www.ebay.com/itm/79-83-Datsun-280ZX-fuel-injector-blower-cooling-fan-assembly-complete-w-bracket-/111760901802?hash=item1a057806aa&vxp=mtr ill look into that, Thank you!, I had a fan for a while. But an aluminum -6 size fuel rail and insulating the injectors got rid of the problem. The fan is gone. That's if it's the typical "heat soak" problem on a good-condition fuel system, intact, with heat shields. The problem is from engine heat buildup, transferring to the injectors and rail when the car sits, not necessarily related to outside temperature. Since you've only had the car two days you might wait and see what else you'll be working on. But there is a ton out there on the internet about "heat soak", "hot start" or "vapor lock". what fuel rail ? and how did you insulate the injectors? Definitely I will be taking a look for other things. So far the Tach rarely works, The fuel problem and I want to know how to remove the radio without damaging anything =/. Can you point me in that direction? Congrats on your new Z! If you want to install a totally modern radio BUT with a cool vintage look you might want to check out the RetroSound multimedia receivers. Excellent sound, straight forward install and looks just right in the Z cockpit IMO. MSA sells them. Here's a link: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic08c01/50-1289 thank you! I have a radio already in the garage and I'm not completely going to keep it old school. I do want certain modern day things like LED dome light, and replace all gauge lights since they are really dim now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 what fuel rail ? and how did you insulate the injectors? Definitely I will be taking a look for other things. So far the Tach rarely works, I made my rail but it's essentially like the ones made by Pallnet, link below. Either type, barbed or O-ring, seems to work (there was a discussion that supported this, on another forum). My insulators are experimental and made from kitchen sponges, installed after the system was put together (didn't want to take it apart again). But they made a difference. I'd use the newer plastic mounts instead of the older aluminum and Bakelite two-piece units if I was starting from scratch. Your engine may already have them, they're common. I have a set I'll be installing next time I take my system apart. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/99098-pallnet-fuel-rails/ Your tach problem is interesting because the tach will show signs of a bad ignition module. They go bad independently too though, so may not be a factor in how the engine runs. Post some pictures of the engine so people can pick at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunoboy650 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) I made my rail but it's essentially like the ones made by Pallnet, link below. Either type, barbed or O-ring, seems to work (there was a discussion that supported this, on another forum). My insulators are experimental and made from kitchen sponges, installed after the system was put together (didn't want to take it apart again). But they made a difference. I'd use the newer plastic mounts instead of the older aluminum and Bakelite two-piece units if I was starting from scratch. Your engine may already have them, they're common. I have a set I'll be installing next time I take my system apart. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/99098-pallnet-fuel-rails/ Your tach problem is interesting because the tach will show signs of a bad ignition module. They go bad independently too though, so may not be a factor in how the engine runs. Post some pictures of the engine so people can pick at it. thanks for the link. how will the tach show signs of bad ignition? It likes to work better at night but mostly is stuck at 2k unless i tap the face and it will go down. if it does work, it never goes about 3500 or so. Can you tell me how to remove the tach? and also how to remove the radio for replacement? I don't want to dive into it without knowing how to get to them so i don't break them. Its not like my subarus where parts are everywhere LOL. Thanks Edited September 29, 2015 by brunoboy650 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 It likes to work better at night but mostly is stuck at 2k unless i tap the face and it will go down. if it does work, it never goes about 3500 or so. Can you tell me how to remove the tach? Those signs are typical of a bad tach. Not sure why they do that and I've not seen anyone post a way to fix them. How to remove and replace those items is described in the Body Electrical chapter. If you have a dash cap you'll have to try some tricks or maybe even remove it to get the instruments out. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/280z/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunoboy650 Posted October 12, 2015 Author Share Posted October 12, 2015 thank you, i will look through that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 If you go over to Ratsun.net they have FSM's on line that you can download. A Factory Service Manual can answer many of your questions. FWIW - you should be able to disconnect your tach from behind and pull it out through the front of the dash if you don't have a dash cover. Once that is done you can go to an instrument rebuilder and get it repaired. I believe there is one not too far from you. I sent mine to Wisconsin. I've always wondered about the hot start problem. When my '77 was totally stock I think that happened to me maybe twice and I lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. As stated above, they finally addressed the issue on the 280ZX with a fan that cooled the injection rail after shutting the car down. If you wait a few seconds (key turned to the accessories position) Prior to turning the key all the way to "start" the fuel pump will pressurize the rail even if the check valve has gone bad. I do that as a habit even with my LS1. First thing I'd do is ensure the heat shield is in place between the exhaust manifold and intake manifold. If it's there then proceed to other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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