Car dies at idle

[bstevenguy]

Hey guys, new to the forum, need some help.

This problem just developed last night, suddenly, and out of the blue.

When I am idling the car will die. When it does this I get a spike on my tach from the 800 idle to 3k. This leads me to believe its gotta be something elictrical. I don't even know where to start. If anyone has ideas please post them. I'm not very knowledgable so try to give some instructions as to how to do things or explain what the part in question I should be checking looks like/where it is.

Thanks.

[ktm]

Please post the model year of the car.

[bstevenguy]

Oops sorry, its a 77 280z

[RayG1988]

Check your AFM. It's on the left side, I believe over by the distributer on the 280z. Check a factory service manual or google one so you know how it looks like. Make sure it's connected and that the connections are clean. I'm having similar problems and they're rooted there.

[sblake01]

I'd leave the AFM alone for now. It wouldn't cause a tach spike. Usually, that has to do with the alternator/regulator and things in that loop/circuit.

[RayG1988]

Well it sounds exactly like what was happening to my car, by cleaning out the connection and wiggling it into proper place it really helped.

[sblake01]

Cleaning the AFM connection can't hurt. I actually meant not to attempt to adjust it. I've seen many posts where people have opened up the AFM in attempt to solve a problem that really had nothing to do with it and ended up creating new issues on top of the existing problem.

[RayG1988]

Well I didn't recommend opening it up, I just moved it around a little until it was in it's proper place. Mine's kind of hanging down under the intake manifold being held up by a tied up green wire, swap ftl. It's pretty fast though

[bstevenguy]

What is the AFM? Im kinda a newb to the Z only had it for about a week, but always wanted one.

[sblake01]

Air Flow Meter.