Guest Anonymous Posted July 14, 2001 Share Posted July 14, 2001 Hey guys, any kind of input with my 76' 280Z would help a lot with this. This morning, I was driving back from a night at the pool hall, stoped to get a coke (both times it started just fine) but on the way home it suddenly died, going 40 mph, battery was charged, all electronics work fine, it would crank when I attempted to start it but would not start. I put a new fuel pump in it about 2 years ago and the fuel pump is about 3 or 4 months old. Could it be the pump? I tried for about an hour or so and got hasseled by some cops and never got it home. Please help, my car is sitting at a gas station in a not so good of a location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrayZee Posted July 14, 2001 Share Posted July 14, 2001 First are you sure it is a fuel problem? check to see if you have any spark, (remove a spark plug wire from a plug and insert a screwdriver or something, hold it NEAR a chassis ground and have someone run the starter) If you see a spark it is probably ok. Regarding the fuel pump, can you hear it run? (it should make a buzzing noise when you first turn the key to on) For some reason however mine won't automatically prime itself but I recently discovered that if you remove the small wire from the starter (slips off easily) and then turn the key to start, the pump will begin to run. Let the pump run for at least 30seconds and then put the wire back and try to start it. (assuming you have spark) it MIGHT start. However you have to face the fact that your car may have bigger problems and you will have to tow your car away from there anyway right? Your car could die at 40mph for lots of different reasons: fuel filter, pressure regulator, ignition module, pickup coil.. even a loose wire somewhere, but you cant effectivly tinker with it all day in a parking lot. If you can't get it started right away probably best to tow it away from this so called "rough area" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Shasteen Posted July 15, 2001 Share Posted July 15, 2001 I agree w/the previous question-Why do you think its Fuel Related? I bet its electronic as in Relays! About a year ago I had a similar problem; went to the store...car running fine; came out about 15 minutes later-car started just fine. Shifted into 1st & drove away; just as I shifted into 2nd....the car died; w/out warning it just died. Long story short-it was a failed fuel pump relay! My z is a 78 280Z so I dont know if you have the relays in the same location or not. There are three relays; 1) Fuel Injection Harness Relay, 2) Fuel Pump Relay 3) Fuel Pump Controller Relay. My book has the power flow as follows: Ignition key turns on & power the fuel pump A)The Fuel Injector Pump Controller Relay allows the Fuel Pump Relay to stay on as long as there are no problems w/any other fuel injector components in that wiring circuit: unless C)The key ignition is not turned all the way over to power the starter, then D) The Fuel Pump Controller Relay kicks in & overrides the E) Fuel Pump Relay...thus no power. Any one of those relays could going bad could give a symptom of a "Fuel Problem" when actually you have a relay that is bad. Check your book for where the relays are located in your car. Pull all three & take them to a local Nissan Dealer for testing-or if you have a factory Nissan (Datsun) service manual-that manual will give instructions for testing each relay. You have to use jumper wires on the relays & apply 12 volts to the correct prongs on the relays; then test the other relay prongs as the book instructs in the appropriate sequence: to know the sequence you'll need a Datsun/Nissan manual. Chilton & the other manuals rarely list this in their books-so dont buy one of theirs thinking this process will be there-because it wont. To confirm your fuel pump is working; jack the rear up & set the car on jack stands. Bring an extra battery w/you along w/jumper wires that have gator teeth on the ends. Disconnect your fuel pump leads (- & +) from the fuel pump. Then connect your jumper leads to each terminal on the fuel pump & likewise to the correct terminal on your extra battery...if you hear the fuel pump come on (which it should immediately) then you dont have a fuel pump problem & can concetrate your efforts at the front of the car instead. Hope this helps/I known how it feels to leave your car overnight in an area that is questionable. I had to leave my car two nights & three days while I tripped my way through the repair process. I'ld go there to where my car was parked twice a day & move the car (by hand-roll it) to another parking place just to make it look like the car was being driven & not abandoned! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) [ July 15, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ] [ July 15, 2001: Message edited by: Kevin Shasteen ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 15, 2001 Share Posted July 15, 2001 Hey guys, thanks for all the help, as it was said, it is not a fuel problem. I took off the fuel filter (got some nasty looking gas out of it) left it off with a pan underneath. Turned it on and the gas came spurtting out. I have come to a conclusion that it is either a problem with the ignition system or with the wiring. I'm gonna be working on it today..... wish me luck Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted July 15, 2001 Share Posted July 15, 2001 This happened several times with my '75. After I changed out the AFM, the problem went away. It was definately an electrical problem. First, I changed out the black box, still had the problem. Then put the old one back in, still no ign. Replaced the AFM, problem when away. Never nailed it down to a specific part or section of the motor, but that cured it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 16, 2001 Share Posted July 16, 2001 Welp, thanks guys for all the help. I fixed the problem. It turns out that it was a combination of the fuel system and the electrical. The fuel pump did go out and turns out it was because of a power wire touching the ground wire of the fuel pump. It's deffinetley running better now though, new plugs gapped to 42, air filter, fuel filtter and a fuel pump (this in which I didn't come out of my pocket... thats a plus). I also relized to that the larger gap from 32 gave me a little more lower end torque as well. Thanks again Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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