VeiledLt Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 So I've been searching all of last night and most of this morning and have decided that I may need some help from the best, you guys. Yesterday my car chose not to start on the first key on, not surprising as I have been having an issue with vapor locking as of late and I just assumed it was the same, so I let the car sit for another ten minutes or so and tried again, no luck. However with repeated attempts it did start. It did not sputter to life it came right on. So I have been looking and think it is either a faulty ignition relay, ignition switch or primary coil because the problem is hit or miss sometimes the car starts right up (rare) and some times it takes 20 key on procedures to hit spark. I've checked for spark at the plugs and back and I'm getting nothing all the way back to the coil. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance guys! Spencer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeiledLt Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 Just went out and checked the car has source voltage at the positive terminal on the coil even in a no spark situation. Could an ignition coil cause intermittent starting? But as I understand a coil to operate the only malfunction that would cause no spark would be a break in the wire and I would not think that problem to be intermittent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.svoboda Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 well we could take a guess at what type Z you have for a start and then guess at some other things but if you had done some diagnostics like knowing the fuel pressure there are things that could be eliminated. when you hit the key does the starter engage and the engine turn over but not start. your post is not clear on that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeiledLt Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Yeah, sorry about that... I really didn't mean to do that, so I have a 78' 280z and yes everything works fine, cranks I can hear everything as usual, compression builds perfectly, plugs are not fouled, fuel pressure is good, fuel filter has only around 10k or less on it. I work on cars for a living but the Z has been...difficult for me and being my daily driver I can only afford so many extended repairs on it. And when it starts it runs fine, no hesitation or bogging of any kind. Again sorry for being short in my original post and thank you in advance for any help anyone can shed on the subject! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I had a similar problem, the car would just randomly decide that it didnt want to have spark. It would do this intermediatly in the worse possible times leaving me stranded. I lived with it for a while untill it finaly gave up the ghost. The problem with mine turned out to the the transistor ingition module that is mounted inside on the passenger side firewall. I was fortunate enough to snag one from a 280z that was in the local pull-a-part. All my problems went away there after! When i pulled my transistor ignition module out it was fried, The insulation inside the thing had melted and turned to goo... very very stick goo. Maybe thats a possibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftover z Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I had a similar problem, the car would just randomly decide that it didnt want to have spark. It would do this intermediatly in the worse possible times leaving me stranded. I lived with it for a while untill it finaly gave up the ghost. The problem with mine turned out to the the transistor ingition module that is mounted inside on the passenger side firewall. I was fortunate enough to snag one from a 280z that was in the local pull-a-part. All my problems went away there after! When i pulled my transistor ignition module out it was fried, The insulation inside the thing had melted and turned to goo... very very stick goo. Maybe thats a possibility? I had the exact same thing happen on a '78 I owned about 10 years ago, sticky goo and all. Got the module from U-pull wrecking yard for five bucks. Problem solved. Cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeiledLt Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Which module are you referring to the one in the interior under the dash near the fuse panel? And mine just started yesterday so hopefully I can limp it to and from work this week until I can get to a pull apart on the weekend how long did yours hold out? Thanks for the help guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.svoboda Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 I think he is talking about the power transistor mounted up near the coil. I've got a zx but I think in that regard the z and zx are pretty similar. I've got a couple off a z31 that might well work for testing purposes. We are practically neighbors. Drop me an email to let me know when you are around and maybe we can get together and figure things out. Two heads and all that. I'm retired so pretty much anytime. krs@whidbey.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Which module are you referring to the one in the interior under the dash near the fuse panel? And mine just started yesterday so hopefully I can limp it to and from work this week until I can get to a pull apart on the weekend how long did yours hold out? Thanks for the help guys! Yea, I believe the 280z's had them nounted on the passenger side kick panel next to the fuses. I wouldnt risk driving it back and forth, its a ticking time bomb waiting to leave you stranded somewhere. I wouldnt trust it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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