Georgia Flash Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Guys, I have finally went and done it. I picked up my rebuilt Chevy (now a 355ci) from my builder today and have began the process of changing out the old inliner. Finally! Now if I could get some clarifications on the wiring issues I will be well underway. The wiring diagram on page 9-6 of the JTR manual is ok but not clear enough for a garage mechanic such as I am. I have a 1976 280Z and most wiring specifics are geared towards the 240. I need help on the first three wires that JTR mentions so here goes. In the picture below is this “wire #1 per the JTR manual? The blue/black wire the Datsun coil. It is the wire with the white tape on it. On wire #2, the manual suggests hooking up the black/blue wire from the 280z fuel pump to the Chrysler safety switch. The only problem with this is that I have a solid green wire and a solid black wire going to my pump. Where do I find this wire. Wire #3 suggests that it is yellow and black when in reality there is a solid yellow wire going to my oil pressure sender. I believe that I have all the others figured out. I am going back into the garage to prepare for the engine pull and will check back in a little later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted June 29, 2005 Author Share Posted June 29, 2005 Anybody got a clue? help help help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Charlie old buddy... I was hoping you would get an answer... so you could tell me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted June 29, 2005 Author Share Posted June 29, 2005 I'm telling you Larry these 280's scare people when it comes to wiring them up This is and has been one of my greatest fears ever since I decided to do the V8 swap a few years ago. I have most of it down pat but it seems to be the first three that has me scratching my head. I have a step by step list from someone on this site but even with that it isn't clear enough for me to figure it out. I would still like to have someone close by stop in and check on my progress, especially since I am so close to getting it done. Mikekz, Georgia Z anybody... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 *sigh* I didn't have the JTR manual. And I didn't have this web site. I was pretty much in the dark so here is what I did. It may seem kind of ghetto rigged, but it works. A disclaimer this is a 78 with an 86 gmc motor and starter. So It might be a bit different for you, but the theory should be sound. The answers you seek lay mostly within your ignition switch. Remove the stearing column covers and explore the switch and identify the wires coming out of it. First the easy one. The wires on the Z starter are a direct match to those on the 350 starter. Simply hook up the wires where they should go. If hooked up correctly the starter should spin when the ignition switch is in the start position. It won't start because you have yet to hook up spark and fuel. Back to the ignition switch. The wire that has juice in the run position I severed and then ran power to the fuel pump (green wire, as the black is ground) and the + side of my HEI dizzy. This is my little secret. The Z Ignition switch has a 5th pin. This pin has no wire on the plug. This is a second (hidden) start position pin. It is not connected to the starter or any other thing, it does have juice while the key is in the start position. [it is almost as though Nissan KNEW you were gonna dump their EFI for Carbs, and made provisions for it. Or maybe the switch is a carry over from the previous versions] This pin needs to be wired also to the + on the HEI (or coil), and the fuel pump so that these have power when starting. Then after the key is moved back to the run position the starter is disengaged, but the fuel pump and dizzy still have juice. because you spliced it into the run position as well. If your switch does not have this 5th pin for some reason go get an autozone replacement (as that is where I got mine) and see if it has this pin NOTE: The starter IS NOT connected to this pin. The starter has it's own pin and is not wired into the fuel pump or dizzy in any way. If so the starter would continue to spin while in the run position. (trust me I did it that way at first) If you are worried about the electrical load being carried to both the HEI and the FUEL pump from the one wire (run position wire on the ignition switch) then you could install a relay to carry the load, but I did not have any problems. I would use that saftey switch though. The oil pressure and the temp guage I had found were both yellow wires. Hook them up one at a time to figure out which is which. I then ran a wire from the negative side of the HEI dizzy into the car and into... some wire that goes then into the tach. As I reread this I can see that You may not know what I'm talking about, but I do. so feel free to ask me some questions and I'll try to clearify it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted June 29, 2005 Author Share Posted June 29, 2005 Tony, I think that the black/blue wire that runs to the Dataun coil has the power from the ignition switch and it is supposed to be connected to the "starter by-pass circuit" which is the Chrysler safety switch. I need to know if the wire that I have depicted above is this wire. I'm glad that you have different color wires in your Z such as I do. My oil pressure sender wire is also solid yellow along with the temp sender wire. According to the book they should be a different color. This is what has me confused with the black/blue wire at the coil. Could it actually be a different color I need to use instead? Also, do I just run a wire from the Chrysler switch back to the fuel pump and connect it? That's kinda what the book says but that sounds way to simple. As I said before I have 7 of the 10 wires identified and now with Tony telling me that his temp and oil pressure sender being a different color I now have 8 of the ten. Thanks Tony, I will look into the ignition switch location today. I am just getting going this mornimg after a long nite pulling the Datsun engine and transmission. Yes I am at the point of no return now. I'm sure my neighbor liked seeing another engine and transmission sitting in my driveway this morning when he awoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Write/call here and get a factory service manual for your year 280Z - or you can contact Courtesy Nissan in Dallas, TX and they can probably sell you one on CD. Either way you'll have the wiring diagrams you need. Nissan Service Publications* (440) 572-7280 20770 Westwood Dr.* ******* ******* ******* Cleveland, Ohio* 44136 Attn: Photo copy ****** ******* ******* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Georgia, gimme your e-mail address and I'll send you a really nice 77 wiring diagram in color and stuff. I haven't noticed any difference in my 78, and hopefully it'll help you. As for the coild wire I can't help you. I got it set up the way I described. Those wires were cut long ago. I didn't use a chyrsler switch. I had an oil pressure shut off switch that powered the fuel pump. It screwed into the block and had two pins coming off of it. I ran juice from the ignition switch to one pin, and from the second pin to the green wire on the fuel pump. Yes it was that simple. I have since disposed of the electric pump and gone with a mechanical pump (another jurry rig, but it seems sound) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted June 29, 2005 Author Share Posted June 29, 2005 Phantom, I have the factory manual...for me it is no help. It may as well have been writen in Egyption because I have trouble trying to read it as far as wiring diagrams are concerned. On another note. I traced my wires back into the harnesess and found that they change colors. So the JTR manual is correct when it says that the temp sending wire is yellow/white. You just have to trace it back a ways to get to the yellow/white wire As far as having the factory manual goes can't someone please just look at the picture I have posted as say "yes Charlie that is the right wire" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Sure - no problem - but even I wouldn't believe me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Charlie... go with your instincts and make a temporay connection with an aligator clip (for fast removal) to see what happens. Your car looks great and that new re-built engine will be something else...You will be surprised how fast the transmission will shift thru the gears for such a light car. Drive it ..like you stole it !!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 For temporary test connections I like to use an aligator clip and a little fuseable link. If it is gonna burn up it'll do it at the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 Thanks guys I am starting to get a little more comfortable the more I tear into the wiring on my Datsun. Larry the engine looks great so far, red block with polished edelbrock timing cover. I still need to put on my heads and manifold but right now I am trying to clean up the engine bay so the new engine will have a clean home to roost in. Phantom I exaggerated a litte on the wiring diagram thing, I can read them a little. I will figure it out soon...I hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted July 4, 2005 Author Share Posted July 4, 2005 Well here is my 355 V8 after the Edelbrock heads were installed. It is looking good if I have to say so myself. The only thing I am worried about is the lash adjustment. I think I may have it a little tight. I will get with my engine builder on Wednesday to see what he thinks before putting on the intake. It is starting to come along nicely though and I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 WOW !......... looks first class... with that motor and this summer weather..you can drive around a few weeks without the hood to show all that aluminum off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280Zone Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 Flat black and it is a 75 too huh? Charlie, in addition to my flat black Z I have a 75 with teh V8 conversion done. If you need specifics I can see what i can do to help. A lot of my wires are covered with plastic wire loom but if I can get to them I can tell you what I find. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted July 5, 2005 Author Share Posted July 5, 2005 Robert, that would be awesome! Mine is actually a 76 even though my site name says "75V8." (my old z was a 75) Anyways, if you could just tell me about how you did your fuel pump wiring I would be grateful. Right now I have found the green-blue wire that goes to the Datsun fuel pump and have cut it under the dash before it went to the relays. I then ran a wire from that point through the firewall and into the engine bay. I plan on hooking that up to the fuel pump safety switch (Chrysler switch) once I install the engine in a couple of days. Yes I said it install will be in a couple of days...finally! Tell me if this is how you did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 When I did the V8 swap in my 71 in addition to the Chrysler fuel pump safety switch I put in a fuel pump inertia switch from a FI Ford (All Fords from 1980-2000 with FI have them). I have the switch mounted on my left kick pannel just below the hood release. The inertia switch will kill the pump power in the event of a accident. The switch has a reset button on the top if it kicks due to a good bump. The switch can be found in the trunk of the Fords on the left side behind a sign that says "Emergency fuel Shut Off" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportZ2 Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 Yes Charlie, that is the wire. I have a 77 and think the wiring is the same. My oil pressure wire is black/yellow and my water temp wire is yellow. My fuel pump wire is also a solid green. I spent a lot of time re-wiring the front harness and getting rid of excess wires, but that was one I kept. I don't need the electric fuel pump right now since the engine is in the scarab position. But in 6 months that will change and I have already tagged the wiring needed for the setback. I have a full size color wiring diagram and it traced back to the ignition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted July 6, 2005 Author Share Posted July 6, 2005 Are you going to connect from the ignition through the fuel pump switch back to the fuel pump? Or, are you going to do like I did and go straight from the fuel pump to the Chrysler switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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