Bringing the 280Z back to life

[Vodkaboy]

This weekend i am planing on puting my '71 Thunderbird to rest for a while, because it is an electrical snafu + firehazard with wheels.

My dad's old car, a '77 280Z, has been siting for about a year and a half or more now, and I want to take it off his hands.

What should i do to get it running?

my checklist thus far:

new battery (im thinking about a marine battery as well, as they are more robust)

change engine oil (wouldnt mind recomendations on brands and viscosity to use)

check tires for dry rot

check brakes

drain fuel tank, and get some good fuel in there.

anything else i should do?

[Smokey]

At the very minimum, you should drain and refill ALL the fluids and change out filters. This includes coolant, Oil, trans, and diff. Check for mouse nests in the blower assembly and under the hood. Check the injectors while motor is running and check for leaks around the seals.

Best bet is to find out what all is included in the biggest service and then do that service. That will insure that all systems are up to snuff.

Good luck, and good to hear someone putting another Z on the road.

[PWRCATZ]

I agree with Smokey, although I would make sure all electrical works as well. Make sure you check all lights, blinkers, etc. This may save you some time with the coppers.

You may also find that these little Z's are quite rugged. I have known many to have them sit for a year and have them start and run well. But again, fluid changes and safety checks (brakes, lights, etc) are always a smart move.

[Mr Camouflage]

Turn the engine over a few times by hand with a socket on the pulley.

I've read a few posts about engines that haven't been run for a long time getting valves stuck and bent by the pistons when they tried to start it. Aparrently its pretty common.

[kmack]

All good ideas when first starting up an engine that has sat for awhile.

My suggestion is after you drain and refill the oil, pull the valve cover and pour oil over the cam. Pull the plugs and squirt a little into the cylinders. Then turn the motor over by hand to help coat the inside of the cylinder walls. I will usually pour a can of CD-1 Restore or Marvel Mystery Oil in the engine as well. It helps to loosen up some of the crud build up inside the motor.

Since you're dealing w/ FI here, give all the rubber fuel lines a good once over. If you spot any cracks in the lines, replace them now. Once pressure builds up in them, you run the risk of them popping and then starting a fire. (Just talked to a guy last night whose 300ZX caught fire because of this exact same thing.)

I would also not run the motor hard (high revs) until it has reached operating temp. and then some. Give it a chance to get settled back with itself before you really push it.

[Vodkaboy]

Originally posted by kmack

All good ideas when first starting up an engine that has sat for awhile.

My suggestion is after you drain and refill the oil, pull the valve cover and pour oil over the cam. Pull the plugs and squirt a little into the cylinders. Then turn the motor over by hand to help coat the inside of the cylinder walls. I will usually pour a can of CD-1 Restore or Marvel Mystery Oil in the engine as well. It helps to loosen up some of the crud build up inside the motor.

Since you're dealing w/ FI here, give all the rubber fuel lines a good once over. If you spot any cracks in the lines, replace them now. Once pressure builds up in them, you run the risk of them popping and then starting a fire. (Just talked to a guy last night whose 300ZX caught fire because of this exact same thing.)

I would also not run the motor hard (high revs) until it has reached operating temp. and then some. Give it a chance to get settled back with itself before you really push it.

i have heard bad things about oil and gas addatives in general, so are you sure that cd-1 restore and marvel mystery oil are %100 safe? should i give a few spritzes of ATF into the intake after its warmed up to clean out some carbon deposits (i know a lot of people and dealerships that do this actually)?

I know very well about fire, my t-bird has had 3 electrical fires, and 3 carburator/engine fires in the last 6 months, hence why im puting it to rest for a full restore.

how should i check the injectors while the motor is running? pull them out and let them spray a few times, or just look around the seals for anything unusual?

what kind of fluids do manual transmission like? the t-bird, as well as my friend's corola are both autos, so i dont have much experience with the day to day servicing of manuals.

how about flushing the coolant lines? just run a siphon from the radiator, and then refill it, or should i remove it and pressure wash it or something?

i know the older cars (like my t-bird) dont like synthetic oil, but how about the Z, should i go with dino oil, or synthetic? also, what viscosity? something like a standard 10W 30?

anyway, thanks for the information thus far