Guess I need more help than I thought!....

[rcb280z]

...Or at least my EFI does. Is there anyone that lives near me (Ventura CA) that is knowledgeable when it comes to the EFI systems and is willing to help me trouble shoot mine? I need to talk to someone that has had issues getting their 280Z to pass smog and what they did to fix it. I know this is a wide open topic but I also know there are people out there that have also had problems smogging their 280 in CA and I need to talk to you. It doesn't matter how you failed smog, I want to talk to you about your experience. Thanks in advance.

[rcb280z]

Ok maybe I should have said in California as a whole instead of narrowing it down to one location in California. Anyone in California I can talk to regarding smogging issues you have had with your 280z? Anyone?

[Hardway]

I don't live in CA but have had experience getting EFI cars to pass smog. First and foremost, have you had your car tested and what were the results? Is your car running properly? Is the EFI system stock or modified? If someone nearby cannot come and help you post up more details about your situation and the members on here can try and help.

[rcb280z]

Actually I have posted a lot regarding my EFI problems. It started with the "EFI relay unplugged" thread. It included the results of the test I had done a few months ago. I am going to attempt a smog this Saturday. Will post those results. There were a couple knowledgeable EFI guys that helped me through this site and everything (relays, sensors, etc) checked out perfect except for....the AFM, it has been messed with so much that I didn't think it would ever be right. Then I made an adjustment that changed the way the car idled and drove. So now I will see Saturday if it helped or not. Thanks for responding Hardway. Hope I have something positive to post after the test.

[ZCurves]

Have you considered replacing the AFM and trying to pass your smog test? I would hate for you to waste time and $$$.

[rcb280z]

Did that with a unit from MSA and mine was better! The new one has a "flat" or "dead" spot. I'm leery of trying another. They aren't cheap. So I have this brand new looking AFM in the garage and it's garbage.

[Wade Nelson]

Some of the best techs in the country belong to www.iatn.net. The public can use the front page of the website to find IATN members in their area. What I would do is get one or two IATN member names, CALL them and ask "Who in this area can diagnose an older fuel injection system on a Z, similar to a L-Jetronic." You may end up with an old Mercedes or BMW tech. They'll have it fixed in a matter of hours provided your cat isn't destroyed, and you aren't missing all sorts of parts.

[rcb280z]

Interesting Wade. I'll research that. Cat is 2 years old but that doesn't mean a thing I guess if the car has been running rich. Although not extreme. So hopefully it's ok. Thanks!

[Hardway]

I agree with Wade. Also, old Porsches used L-Tronic EFI as well. If you can find an old school european auto repair shop it might be a good place to start if you are looking for a shop.

If your car is just running rich, there are write ups on how to adjust your AFM. I would be interested to know if you have tried opening it and looking at the board. Even on the AFM you say has a dead spot, it may just be debris or something on the surface that the arm swipes. Check out the link below from Atlantic Z. Don't be afraid to dive in to your EFI. They really are not that complicated and very rarely can you break it.

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/afm/index.html

Another area to check is your coolant sensors. On a 280z there are 2, a Thermotime sensor and temp sensor. Someone in the past may have gotten the plugs mixed up. Check a service manual and confirm they are hooked up correctly. Also, use an ohm meter to check the resistance of each sensor. If one or both are bad that could be causing your car to run rich too. Keep us posted on your findings.