l28et with a few bugs.

[m1ghtymaxXx]

I picked up a 83 turbo parts car last weekend to swap into 83 n/a. All it took to get it started was draining a replacing the old fuel and and oil (car sat abandoned for 2+ years), a quick boost from piece of crap 300A booster pack, with NO battery. Well i was very happy about that, but it looks like its going to be a bit more work to keep it running.

 

The first day i had it going, i would have to nurse the gas pedal to keep it from stalling at idle. After a little while it would lope around from ~300 to ~800 rpm at idle, and then when it was up to temp, it ran like a dream, although it idled a hair lower than my 83 n/a, i don't think thats a big deal at all.

 

During the "phase" which the idle was loppy, reving it would cause the motor to stall when you let off the gas. I found that performance increased somewhat when i switched from a battery with 0 charge (not even enough to make the door alarms ring).

 

After it was running alright, i took it for a quick spin, and it pulled hard. The performance easily met what i expected of it. The idle smoothed out, and it had no problem laying down rubber, and doing brakestands.

 

Well fast forward 24 hours to today. I had to go show my dad the beast. The battery i had the day before wasn't there anymore, so i just boosted it off of my car so he could hear it run. Well unfortunately it wasn't quite so well behaved. First of all, when i turned the key, nothing would happen, not even a click, but the lights would still dim. Everyone in a while it crank, which would result in it roaring to life no problem...for a little while. So i worked the pedal to keep it idling around 1k rpm or so until it came up to temp. But even after then, whenever i would rev it, it would just want to die again unless i caressed the gas. And whenever it would stall, it wouldn't want to crank again. Also, if i put it in drive and locked to brakes while reving it to build boost, it would die immediately after. Even if it only reved to 3k.

 

So i have 2 problems i have to diagnose here. The not wanting to idle, and the starting issue. I'm fairly certain that that is a fuel issue. Keep in mind this car sat for years before i started it.

 

Not to sure about the starting problem. I didn't play with it to narrow down any possible culprits. After it wouldn't start, i'd try fiddling with the shifter, disconecting the battery, and wiggling the key back and forth. I still seemed pretty random though. The starting would not even click, so does that mean its getting no power?

 

Anyways, i hope theres enough info there to help you guys suggest some possible problems and remedies. If you need more info, let me know.

 

Thanks in advance

 

-Max

[JSM]

I'm shocked it ran. You just replaced the gas? What about the fuel filter? Clean the tank?

 

I was always under the impression that fresh gas would clean off old gummed up gas and create problems.

 

I'm also shocked it ran without a battery in it just from boosting it. When it ran good you never had the battery in the car ever? Just boosted?

[m1ghtymaxXx]

I'm shocked it ran. You just replaced the gas? What about the fuel filter? Clean the tank?

 

I was always under the impression that fresh gas would clean off old gummed up gas and create problems.

 

I'm also shocked it ran without a battery in it just from boosting it. When it ran good you never had the battery in the car ever? Just boosted?

 

 

yessir thats right. No battery, just a 300 amp booster pack connected to the terminals. I was pretty ecstatic. As for the tank, it looked like it was lined with plastic, and was baffled, so there was no rust in it. I was thinking that maybe the reason it wasn't running so well the next day was that chunks of whatever may have found there way to the injectors.

 

 

I have a half a bottle of seafoam kicking around that i'll run through the fuel system.

 

As for the starting issue, I would guess either ignition switch or transmission. Perhaps, something to do with the starter? I though i should at least hear a click if the starters getting power though.

[WizardBlack]

yessir thats right. No battery, just a 300 amp booster pack connected to the terminals. I was pretty ecstatic. As for the tank, it looked like it was lined with plastic, and was baffled, so there was no rust in it. I was thinking that maybe the reason it wasn't running so well the next day was that chunks of whatever may have found there way to the injectors.

 

 

I have a half a bottle of seafoam kicking around that i'll run through the fuel system.

 

As for the starting issue, I would guess either ignition switch or transmission. Perhaps, something to do with the starter? I though i should at least hear a click if the starters getting power though.

 

Check your main wiring (battery ground, etc.). It's probably oxidized causing issues like that.

[VinhZXT]

The 280ZXT are known for having bad starter relay. I had to run new wires and new starter relays for all of my 280ZXTs. The best way to verify this is to get a jumper wire then remove the spade terminal at the starter and jump it to the battery. If it cranks over then your starter relay is on its way out.

 

For your idling problem it sounds like you have a leak between the AFM and the turbo. I had my intercooler hoses blew before and the car would idle fine but when I gave it gas it would died. I am giving you this info anyway but I don't think that's your problem. If you've done a search you will find out these turbo ZXs are famous for having bad connections at the ECU and caused all kind of running/idling issues. So I suggest you to get some good electrical contact cleaners and clean the ECU plugs and put some grease in them then try to start it up. So fix your starter issue first then move on to the running issue. On all of my ZXTs which I still have the stock EFI I used the newer 300ZXs ECU connectors and they work well.

V.