strange engine problem

[xkeithx]

recently i was driving my car, i had no problems getting to where i was going, but on the way home the engine felt like it was going to die. the idle dropped and then went back to normal about 3 times, i just thought it was a fluke and i proceeded to get on the freeway. then as i was just getting on, i had barely any power and i was pretty scared it was going to die. so i took the first exit, i was waiting at a red light to pull into a parking lot and take a look under the hood and it died at the red light. i had to push the car into the nearest parking lot, i tried starting it about 15 times and it would just crank but no go. i gave it gas and everything and i could barely get it running for more than half a second before it would die. there was a fuel return line that was a little wet with gas, but it wasnt spraying fuel or anything. i went to a drug store and got a screwdriver to tighten the clamp, then after about 30 minutes more of trying to start the car it finally started. it was running REALLY rough and i had to keep my foot on the gas or it would die. there was a lot of smoke coming out the exhaust, i think it was grey but i am not sure because it was pretty late at night. but anyways, i kept giving it gas, turning it off, looking around in the engine compartment, turning it on, etc until i just got it running rough and i let it idle for about 5 minutes and it finally started to idle smooth. i was going to just let it idle rough till it died, but it smoothed out!!! what would cause the engine to do this? has anyone experienced a similar problem? my car did this when i first got it, and one of my friends adjusted the idle screw or something and got it fixed. im not sure exactly what he did but it hasn't done this since, and its weird that it did it now. any thoughts?? sorry for this long confusing post.

[bonniec75209]

Hi,

I don't know ANYTHING about cars, but my 240 was doing the same thing you described and my son fixed it in a matter of minutes. Something about setting the points, the gap spacing was too close. It was running really sick and 5 minutes later he had it fixed and it was fine. So don't despair, it is probably something simple like that. Sorry I didn't pay more attention to what he was doing, I was busy playing with my grandson, but I am sure that someone here can tell you what to do to fix it if that is what it is.

[2ManyZs]

Well, if this was on the 78, there's no points to worry about.

It sounds like something happened to one of the engine sensors that caused the FI to enrichen the mix and caused the car to choke itself out.

Hard to tell, it could have been in the water temp sensor, air temp sensor, air flow meter, cold start valve.... Could have been a lot of different things and the only way to find out would be to wait till it does it again and then start checking things to see what is not operating correctly......

That's the worst thing about the FI system, diagnosing an intermittant problem if you can't duplicate the symptoms...:cross-eye

[beandip]

where are y ou? I know nothing about working on fuel injected engines but I have a complete set up from my engine . It is from a running engine I bought and am installing in my 240 and I am running carbs. The intake is a '75 and is polished and it has all the sencers and linkage injecters hoses everything as far as I know . O' I dont have the wireing that connects to the injecters. I am in Portland Ore. lit me know I will be fair. It may be something you can use for parts or to run on your car from what I have been told the '75 intake breathes better than others & it dosent require a EGR . I dont know if this is true . dosent matter to me . as a member I will cut you a deal if y ou want it .Gary:classic:

[lance75_280z]

Is it me or just that it seems tha ALL of the Z experts that are willing to lend a helping hand are in the Mid West or even more so on the West Coast. I know that the Z mecca in the US is in Cali but damn....I have a Z expert here in the Dc area but his hours of operation are not convient for me at all. 8-6 during the week(I'm at work) and closed on Wknds...He's part of the MD Z Club on my end.....www.zzxdatsun.com.....