280z dies randomly while driving..

[cclxxxz]

21 minutes ago, 240260280 said:

Give the ECU a good smack the next time it dies. See if it helps... at least it will take out some of your frustration.

?

 

 

hahaha already took off the panel .. will leave it off for now so i can kick it next time..lol

 

19 minutes ago, 240260280 said:

Can you disconnect the EGR from the top and look inside the manifold under it.  The corrosion occurs inside.

i shouldve taken a picture when i took it off.. but honestly it has a very light carbon build up.. after shaking it and scraping some off the egr plate .. it was like maybe 1 tablespoon.. but even after cleaning that last night the car died again this morning..

 

6 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

I think that the valve can get stuck open too.  That would have an effect.  You might just take the bolts out, lift it off and inspect it like 246 says, then make a temporary block-off plate if it's intact inside.

Beware, the bolts tend to break.

i manage to remove my egr valve last night and i didnt break the bolts / studs haha..

so earlier.. when the car was having a rough idle.. i manually tried pushing the egr valve and the car died.. what should i expect if i delete my egr valve?

btw Zed should I still the the GM HEI conversion? 

Edited February 26, 2019 by cclxxxz

[cclxxxz]

a video of the car driving fine later in the day.. some parts are fast forwarded.. this is on my way home from work .. i actually stopped by a auto store to buy an inline spark tester.. thanks

[240260280]

I appreciate the drives being snow bound and -17C !!!!

 

BIG THANKS

[cclxxxz]

43 minutes ago, 240260280 said:

I appreciate the drives being snow bound and -17C !!!!

 

BIG THANKS

no problem! 

 

im not snow bound and sometimes i cant drive this car.. 

[cclxxxz]

Good morning!

So a little updatet this morning.. 

1978 280z driving better for the first time in the morning...

 

Things I did last night 2/26 

 

1. Replaced vac hose from Fuel Pressure Regulator

2. Cleaned all fusible links prongs , all of the relay in engine bay by passenger side and connectors. 

3. Installed a inline spark tester

 

Maybe the fusible links was my problem the whole time..

 

crowsing my finger and hoping that this solves my issue..

 

will continue cleaning more connectors.. also ECU ground etc..

 

Heres a video from this morning..

 

 

 

[Captain Obvious]

That 2X speed is really unnerving. Sounds great though! Sounds angry!

I suspect your Z is like most of the other 280Z's out there with a multitude of little issues that add up until it becomes a big enough of an issue to cause a problem. Things like dirty/worn/damaged/broken electrical connectors, vacuum leaks, previous owner's modifications, etc.

And most of the electrical connection issues can be intermittent and come back at the most inopportune time.

All that wiggling you did to the wires leading to the thermostat housing... None of that wiggling should have any effect. And if there IS an effect, you have questionable connections that need to be addressed. There should be no effect caused by wiggling anything going to the thermostat housing, the AFM, any of the injectors, or the fusible links.

Here's hoping you put a nail in it, but just remember... If you have time to work on the car, clean or replace some connectors.

[cclxxxz]

16 minutes ago, Captain Obvious said:

That 2X speed is really unnerving. Sounds great though! Sounds angry!

I suspect your Z is like most of the other 280Z's out there with a multitude of little issues that add up until it becomes a big enough of an issue to cause a problem. Things like dirty/worn/damaged/broken electrical connectors, vacuum leaks, previous owner's modifications, etc.

And most of the electrical connection issues can be intermittent and come back at the most inopportune time.

All that wiggling you did to the wires leading to the thermostat housing... None of that wiggling should have any effect. And if there IS an effect, you have questionable connections that need to be addressed. There should be no effect caused by wiggling anything going to the thermostat housing, the AFM, any of the injectors, or the fusible links.

Here's hoping you put a nail in it, but just remember... If you have time to work on the car, clean or replace some connectors.

thank you! yes excuse the video.. didnt want to bore the audience haha..

 

yea i am still planning on redoing the bullet connectors..

 

will proceed and clean every single connector throughout the whole car one day at time..

oh i will also change my sparkplugs and re assess if my air fuel ratio is off the chart.. and will go from there.. 

hopefully this was it! thank you all!

[cclxxxz]

On 2/26/2019 at 12:19 PM, Zed Head said:

This is another sign that something's wrong in the ECU, I think.  Most engines will go full rich, maximum temperature-based fuel enrichment, and die immediately if you disconnect the sensor. 

If you can find a spare ECU it would be worth a try.  Maybe you can borrow one.

 

 

I havent updated lately.. 

and I thought I put a nail in my problem by cleaning my fusible links..

Sure enough the same issue comes back and lingers again..

only this time around when it was happening I gave the ECU a slap and the engine idled good instantaneously ..  good thing I managed to buy a spare ECU and swapped the it out..

an immediate improvement was felt theoughout the acceleration whereas before theres some spots around 2-3k where it would feel sluggish or bogging down.. it feels smooth now and idles good.. plan moving forward will be to re assess the new spark plugs to see if I was really running lean .. 

2 days has passed and the car isnt having any issues lately .. crossing my finger.. 

anyways this now gave me some time to do some stuff..

I was able to replace my frozen tachometer and test out my two Tachometer and installed one of the better condition..

but both didnt have any response at idle but when I rev the engine the needle moves.. but at idle the needle stays at 0rpm.. this happens to both of my working tachomoter..

i am running a pertronix flamethrower II .6ohms .. new refurbished distributor , sparkplug wires.. 

 

heres a video.. any advice?

 

I also managed to finally replace the check valve on the return line before the gas tank..

also replaced a broken old fuel pressure vac hose but couldnt find an exact outer diameter as the old hose .. correct inner diameter though and it fits snug..

got around installing an inline fuel pressure gauge i bought from z car depot.. only to find out the car idles at 30psi? the car runs and idles fine.. should i be worried cuz of the 2-3psi desireable im missing?

when i tested my fuel pressure with a tool i rented the psi reading was at 32psi at idle and 38psi without turning on the engine.. 

btw when i pull the FPR vac hose off the pressure goes up.. 38-40psi..

 

thank you!

Edited March 3, 2019 by cclxxxz

[Zed Head]

36 minutes ago, cclxxxz said:

got around installing an inline fuel pressure gauge i bought from z car depot.. only to find out the car idles at 30psi? the car runs and idles fine.. should i be worried cuz of the 2-3psi desireable im missing? 

btw when i pull the FPR vac hose off the pressure goes up.. 38-40psi..

Don't worry about the 2-3 psi change.  That is actually good, the engine is running better now and pulling more vacuum.  The higher intake vacuum drops the fuel pressure in the rail because the intake manifold is pulling fuel out.  It's working like it should.

[cclxxxz]

10 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

Don't worry about the 2-3 psi change.  That is actually good, the engine is running better now and pulling more vacuum.  The higher intake vacuum drops the fuel pressure in the rail because the intake manifold is pulling fuel out.  It's working like it should.

nice! thank you! 

any advice about my tachometer issue? 

[Patcon]

20 minutes ago, cclxxxz said:

nice! thank you! 

any advice about my tachometer issue? 

I wonder if you could adjust the calibration screw to get the tach reading correctly? Thoughts?

[cclxxxz]

5 minutes ago, Patcon said:

I wonder if you could adjust the calibration screw to get the tach reading correctly? Thoughts?

how would you calibrate a tach ? i would imagine i would need another tool ?