bottle brush in injection air lines

[trykflyr]

I have a 76 280z that runs like crap. It's running incredibly rich from startup all the way thru max. Did a little searching and found a EFI site with some troubleshooting tips. Metered the AFM connector at the AFM and found what I think are the air flap pot points. They're the only 2 that had continuity. showed 53.5 ohms with the flap closed and they went open after a few degrees of travel. I'm thinking this isn't normal.....

After reading a few threads on here as well, I pulled a cracked 3/4 OD line from the valve cover to the plumbing over the intake manifold. It's about a foot long line. What I found was this bottle brush wedged into the T connector downstream of the valve cover. I'm thinking this isn't normal either.....

Any ideas??

[Arne]

That's the breather hose. I can't say for certain about the 280Zs as I've never owned one, but the factory breather hose for a 240Z also has the brush inside. I assume it's there to keep oil sludge out of the intake.

[Darrel]

It's called a "flame arrestor" and yes it is normal in that hose.

Go to carfiche.com and try downloading the factory service manual. Be patient because it might take a while for it to become available.

[trykflyr]

thanks...just kinda threw me. don't remember seeing it in my other z's. but then I didn't have the running trouble with them either...

[TomoHawk]

The rocker cover for the 280Z has some baffles to keep the liquids in, so the hose doesnt need anything inside.

[sblake01]

It's not in the hose. He's talking about the steel net, number 8 in the illustration:

[Darrel]

#8 is folded up steel mesh held in by a plate and screws in the block.

It's #5 "flame arrestor" that is the "bottle brush" that is in ALL valve cover breather hoses.

[trykflyr]

Darrel's right. It's the flame arrestor. I'm looking at things restricting airflow or telling the fuel regulator bad info at this point. I have all the fuel going into the cyl's I could want. I metered the AFM and it's electrically open after a few degrees of flap travel. Without a troubleshooting tree or a schematic handy (they're on the way) I'm not sure of what the queertrons should be doing when. Any ideas on fuel scheduling to the injectors? Unmetered air should cause a lean condition right? I'm thinking the AFM is telling the system there's way too much air flowing. I don't think the cold start injector could dump that much raw fuel into all 6 jugs.

[sblake01]

#8 is folded up steel mesh held in by a plate and screws in the block.

It's #5 "flame arrestor" that is the "bottle brush" that is in ALL valve cover breather hoses.

I'm with TomoHawk on that one(!) I took that thing out long ago (#5) on both of my cars when I replaced those hoses. I've had no problems running without them. I reacall that I couldn't find the original hoses and I couldn't see stuffing that thing in the new, and pricey emission hose. I remember takling to my buddy who has run a Z repair shop for over 20 years and his take was also that it is not needed. And trykflyr, I don't really get your post but I hope you get it figured out but I think you're over thinking it. (JMO)

[TomoHawk]

I was going to mention that when I got my car, the hose on the valve cover was a plain hose. I can't think of a reason to fit one in, either.

[sblake01]

Not a heater hose I hope. When I set out to replace the hoses on my Z and my 810 I discovered that the original hoses were NLA. Finding actual emission hose in that size took a while but I finally found it at NAPA.

[TomoHawk]

I think the PO ( a "z car restoration specialist") used heater hose, so what I put on in 2006 was fuel-proof hose from NAPA.