What's the best fuel injector ?

[Mike]

Last night I changed out the fuel pump on my '75 280z. I pulled off

the hose from the fuel filter to make sure it was pumping fuel. Yep,

it works.

Now, I re-connected everything and tried to start the car. It caught

a few times... but, it died immediately. After a few shots at this

and many minutes of cranking.. I gave up. However, I noticed that a

few of my fuel hoses were bulging and one of them was even split. It

was shooting a fine mist of fuel!!!

Anyway, there's something obviously wrong here. The system is plugged

and I don't know if this is a sign of bad injectors or not.

I took all of the injectors out of the car and I will be replacing them.

So, my questions are:

1) Should I look for anything else causing a plug-up in my system? I

already replaced the fuel pump because it was bad (car was sitting for

over 15 years).

2) What's the best fuel injector to buy for the Z ?

Thanks!!

-- Mike

[2ManyZs]

Many years ago when I was first putting the 280 together I bought a set of Bosch high flow injectors from the local import car parts outlet. Had good luck with them. Not sure of any others that are any better, never needed them after I changed them.

Is the cold start injector working? It's mounted near the front of the intake, it acts as a choke on the fuel injected cars. If not, it may be in the cold start valve or the water temp sensor.

My 280 started up quite easily after sitting for over 5 years without running. You should replace all the injector rail hoses, they have a habitof dry rotting and the last thing you need is them to burst. Just take all the clips loose on the injectors and take the whole injector/fuel rail assembly off as one, then seperate it into two halves and replace the hoses with fuel injection hoses. You have quite a bit of pressure in the rail so regular fuel hose may not be strong enough.

[Mike]

Where can I get reinforced rubber hose for the fuel lines like this? Should the local auto parts store have it? I would imagine some kind of braided (internal) hose is best.

You're right, the hose connecting the fuel rails together was bulging and weak.

[2ManyZs]

I just used hose from the local auto parts store. Most will have fule injection hose, it's a bit stronger than the regular hose.

BTW, be careful when you take the little clips off the injectors, they like to "fly away" and the wiring plugs probably are very brittle, so try no to force them if you don't have too. You can get replacement ends for the wiring harnesses if you need them.

[Zvoiture]

2many speaks heap big wisdom. There could be a plethora of things preventing your engine from running properly--especially while still cold. I would check quite a few other things before changing the injectors. Unless, of course, you are just dying to spend $40 or $50 X 6 on new ones. There is probably nothing wrong with them. Might be a little dirty, but that's nothing that a good hot run with a batch of good gas won't cure. Tell you what, if you change your injectors, wrap up the old ones and send them to ME! I could use another set! J/K.

If hoses are bulging, that's good. Yes, actually your system IS 'plugged'. At the injectors! You've got lots of pressure behind them, so when you find whatever it is that is telling the computer not to fire the injectors fixed, you will have plenty of gas. By all means change your FI hoses. I would start where the hard line leaves off at the passenger frame rail and replace everything in the engine bay. BE SURE AND GET FI HOSE. I used 5/16, because I don't like tight hoses. 1/4 will work. It is exensive. NAPA sells it in 10' rolls for about $50. It takes about 8' to so the whole car. It is not a fun job, lots of little screws and tight places and time consuming. The two halves of the rail are a pain in the arse. Save the old pieces for measuring purposes and everything will fit properly, but no matter how you do it, several things have to slip in at once and all be the perfect length. If you don't get everyhting right, your fuel regulator will rub on your throttle linkage. Besure and put a new fuel filter in while you are at it. I left a 'loop' (about anextra foot) of hose between the hard line at the frame rail and the inlet to the filter. It makes changing the filter WAY easier. How old is the gas in the tank? If it even has remnants of gas in it over 6 months old, I would hook a long section of hose to the end of the hard line, put the other end in a 5 gallon bucket and turn the key to 'on' and pump out the entire tank.

Have fun.

steve77

[chrisdavis1]

2many speaks heap big wisdom. There could be a plethora of things preventing your engine from running properly--especially while still cold. I would check quite a few other things before changing the injectors. Unless, of course, you are just dying to spend $40 or $50 X 6 on new ones. There is probably nothing wrong with them. Might be a little dirty, but that's nothing that a good hot run with a batch of good gas won't cure. Tell you what, if you change your injectors, wrap up the old ones and send them to ME! I could use another set! J/K.

If hoses are bulging, that's good. Yes, actually your system IS 'plugged'. At the injectors! You've got lots of pressure behind them, so when you find whatever it is that is telling the computer not to fire the injectors fixed, you will have plenty of gas. By all means change your FI hoses. I would start where the hard line leaves off at the passenger frame rail and replace everything in the engine bay. BE SURE AND GET FI HOSE. I used 5/16, because I don't like tight hoses. 1/4 will work. It is exensive. NAPA sells it in 10' rolls for about $50. It takes about 8' to so the whole car. It is not a fun job, lots of little screws and tight places and time consuming. The two halves of the rail are a pain in the arse. Save the old pieces for measuring purposes and everything will fit properly, but no matter how you do it, several things have to slip in at once and all be the perfect length. If you don't get everyhting right, your fuel regulator will rub on your throttle linkage. Besure and put a new fuel filter in while you are at it. I left a 'loop' (about anextra foot) of hose between the hard line at the frame rail and the inlet to the filter. It makes changing the filter WAY easier. How old is the gas in the tank? If it even has remnants of gas in it over 6 months old, I would hook a long section of hose to the end of the hard line, put the other end in a 5 gallon bucket and turn the key to 'on' and pump out the entire tank.

Have fun.

steve77

Guy's consider yourself lucky,

I'm the lucky owner of a pristine 1979 280Z, after owning a 280ZX for a couple of years. (The very EX-girlfriend fried the motor)

To get the injectors serviced here in Perth Western Australia I was quoted up to $2,000.00 AUD for a set of original injectors for a 280ZX, ( with no guarantee that they will have them in stock)maybe the mechanic scraps off the gold before installing them, so I'm exploring all angles for new ones for the 280Z.

I've been quoted $38.00 per injector to clean them, plus tax, $250 total.

But I remember a mechanic telling me once that all they do is drop them in a ultra-sound bath and replace the seals.

Can any-one suggest after market injectors, so that I won't have to sell my first born to get them?

[a752adz]

This weekend I bought a 1 pint can of Sea Foam - Carb and Fuel Injector cleaner. My 75 280 had sat for 12 years and sounded like it needed new injectors. I put it in through the brake booster vacuum hose and the results were immediate. Massive smoke from the tailpipe for 10 minutes but a very smooth idle for $5.99. Highly recommended. I put some in my truck and wife's car.

[sblake01]

I swear by that stuff (Seafoam) It can be used for immediate cleaning as a752adz stated or as an in tank cleaner occaisionally added to the gas.