Big ooops! Please save help me save my Z.

[supraman]

Hi Classic Z member's,

Well, after all the hard work and money i've put into my 77 280Z, I think i just really screwed up bad-

I finally got my l28 fired up with my new carbs and fuel pump,thanks to other member's here.

I finished it this weekend and it ran so good it brought a tear to my eye.

I played with the carb's and everything was really smooth sailing all day.

Then i shut the motor down for the night, covered the car, and went inside.

The next morning I got up to work on my Z again.

That is when I noticed a freeze plug laying next to the motor mount. It must of came out over night after the motor cooled, it didn't go far, looked like it just fell out freely.

So I replaced the plug, but when doing so i removed two spark plug wire's to gain clearence for my hammer.

Well, after i finished with the freeze plug, I made a bone head error and tried to fire the car up again without connecting the two spark plug wire's.:stupid:

Yes it was stupid, but I did get off a 10 hour shift this afternoon and then worked on my car before doing this.:sleepy:

Now i can't get this baby to run, it turn's, fire's, has feul, tries to start, but stumbles and will not run-

Did I just mess up my ignition timing or did I royaly screw up?

How do i fix this?

Where do i start? I was so close to being done too.

Any help would be awesome.

Thank's

[Arne]

I can't see how there could be much in the way of permanent or even semi-permanent damage from trying to start it with the plug wires off. Are you certain the two wires in question have been replaced on their proper plugs? Not reversed?

[cali260Z]

thats what it sounds like to me too,the wires may crossed. but then again it should start and RUN like crap misfire sputter and fart......... you have spark,and it turns over fine? i know this sounds dumb but are you sure you got fuel ? keep us posted on this please i am curious as to why its not starting

[Arne]

While it should run on four cylinders, getting it started from cold on four cylinders using the choke might be tricky, especially if everything isn't adjusted just right yet.

[supraman]

Thanks guy's for helping out, i'm so frustrated, but not giving up.

It did fire and tried to idle, backfired through the carbs.

On start up it stumbles and sounds like it's trying to start.

I'm using a set of SU round tops, rebuilt and polished.

They worked great the day before the freeze plug went pop-

replaced it, now problem's.

so....I didn't throw off any timing by doing so?

It did idle once and sounded smooth, then died out on me.

I think it's getting gas, The new fuel pump sounds off pretty good, it's a low pressure electric one pushing 5.5-9 psi and there is fuel getting in the fuel filter, which sit's right after the carb's. I saw a small amount of gas come out of the carbs, dripped out the front, then i adjusted the pressure to about 3-4 psi with a regulator and pressure gauge.

Could gas sitting in the carbs over night do something to them?

I'm 100% shure the plug wire's are right, i'll go and swap them and try to fire it up again, but i put the wire's where i couldn't forget the plug they went to.

Maybe it's a carb issue then?

Not a timing issue?

The distributor is the performance (Pertronix Ignitor)version sold by black dragon and motorsport.

It seemed to be working perfectly.

I again want to say thank's in advance for helping me out.(Cali260Z)

Big thank's to Arne for sure, you've helped me out before here at Classic Z and that's how I got it to run in the first place!

Edited April 7, 2009 by supraman

[bobc]

I agree. Just trying to start it with the two plug wires disconnected should not have caused any major damage.

The way you've described it, I would guess one of two possible problems:

1. Fuel isn't getting to the carbs. - pull off the return line from the fuel rail, put it in a jar and turn the engine over a few times. If no fuel or just a few drips, you've found your problem

2. ignition problem - if you've still got your points, replace the petronix and see if it will run. This is a long shot, but if one of your plug wires shorted out against the block, maybe it damaged the unit. Again, a very remote possibility.

Good luck and please keep us informed how it's going. Don't feel too badly, we've all put into too many hours and left off a detail. In your case, minor and shouldn't have caused the problem you've outlined

Bob

Edited April 8, 2009 by bobc

[260zshooter]

Make sure that the choke nozzles are not stuck in the down position. This would cause flooding and not allow to start. Make sure that your choke cables are fully functional too. They should both open the exact same amount and fully retract when closed.

[supraman]

Make sure that the choke nozzles are not stuck in the down position. This would cause flooding and not allow to start. Make sure that your choke cables are fully functional too. They should both open the exact same amount and fully retract when closed.

Would this be the cause of no gas in the return line also?

I pulled the return line on the carb's and what do you know, no fuel coming out.

I have fuel going in, i can see it in the crappy,glass, mr gasket fuel filter i bought.:stupid:

Bought it before I found out how easy they break and leak.

Going to replace that, of course but it does allow me to see the fuel going to carb's.

So what's the best way to fix this? I'm still new to carb's, but learning. I'll also do some searching on here for anything on my problem too.

Thank's guy's i've got the problem found , now I just need to fix it.

[bobc]

No, the chokes sticking down would not restrict fuel flow through the carbs. You've got something stuck in a fuel line somewhere. You could (carefully) use compressed air to try to blow air back down the line.

Just a guess, but it's real common for all the grud (including rust) accumulated over the years in the gas tank to finally block a filter in the tank, line or fuel filter under the hood.

I'd like others opinion on this, but if it was me, I'd change the fuel filter first to a stock part and see what happens. Then, if no change, I'd drain and drop the gas tank. Have it cleaned out. Change the filters, blow out the lines, reassemble and give it another try.

Bob

[supraman]

No, the chokes sticking down would not restrict fuel flow through the carbs. You've got something stuck in a fuel line somewhere. You could (carefully) use compressed air to try to blow air back down the line.

Just a guess, but it's real common for all the grud (including rust) accumulated over the years in the gas tank to finally block a filter in the tank, line or fuel filter under the hood.

I'd like others opinion on this, but if it was me, I'd change the fuel filter first to a stock part and see what happens. Then, if no change, I'd drain and drop the gas tank. Have it cleaned out. Change the filters, blow out the lines, reassemble and give it another try.

Bob

I'll get on it today for sure, i'll check the rear filter at the tank and see what's up.

The tank was boiled and sealed 2-3 years ago according to the guy I bought it from a few month's ago.

But it has been sitting for 8 month's though.

I tapped on them and got the flow back in the carb's, now it will rev but not idle.

So i'm making progress.

Thank's

[bobc]

If the car has been sitting for 8 months and you didn't add a gas stabalizer, you've probably got some bad (varnish) gas in your lines. Did you add gas before you tried to start it or did you have the same gas over the 8 month period?

[supraman]

If the car has been sitting for 8 months and you didn't add a gas stabalizer, you've probably got some bad (varnish) gas in your lines. Did you add gas before you tried to start it or did you have the same gas over the 8 month period?

There was only a gallon or 2 in the tank so i just added some 93 to the tank, about 2 1/2 gallons and ran it.

probably my own bone head mistake.

I was in a hurry to listen to it run after all the work I've put into it so far, probably mistake number 2.