hd240z

7T1240 Thanks for the compliments. I was trying to make the point, that just adding a Pertronix ignitor will solve one of the many possible distributor problems (points adjustment). You need to check all the wear items and especially the ignition advance systems. I got my E12-80 dizzy from a salvage yard and "rebuilt" it, cleaned up the mechanical advance and replaced the vacuum advance. The Nissan dealer was able to order the vacuum diaphragm for me, but that was a few years back. I have been looking for them on my recent trips to the salvage yards but haven't seen any for a while. Apparently full rebuilt units are still available from some of the parts dealers as A7DZ reports.

I tried the Pertronix lobe sensor model on a GM car and had several problems which resulted in me switching it over to the original Pertronix model with the ring which mounts below the rotor. I has been working fine, but it only eliminates the points. You still have an old distributor with worn internal parts. I am one of the many who run a 280ZX dizzy with the E12-80 module and MSD Blaster 2 coil. The original 240Z tach worked fine after I added a resistor to the tach wire. Good Luck

I will have to take another look at my car's wiring for specifics, unfortunately it is sitting in the winter storage facility away from my home, so I can't do that immediately. One of the drawbacks to keeping a Z in the Midwest. I think the tap into the ignition wire is already existing , based on the wiring diagram from my Clymers book (maybe your green tee connector?), but I hate to confuse the issue any more by speculating without verification. Another possible issue is that your car is a series 1 based on VIN number and mine is a series 2. I don't know if they modified the wiring harnesses during that change or not. You should be able to verify the pump wiring by using a voltmeter or test light to see if its got power when the ignition is switched ON. The fuse I added is not absolutely necessary as the exiting IGNITION fuse would protect the fuel pump wiring, but I didn't want a short in that wire killing the ignition too. Good Luck

I believe the E12-80 was used for the 79 and 80 model years then they went to the E12-92 module till 83. The caps and rotors may be the same for those years but I cant confirm that. Good Luck

Yes, my electric pump is mounted next to the gas tank. I have run my fuel pumps several different ways. When I first got the car it had just the stock mechanical pump which worked good except when I got into some mountain driving in Colorado. It seemed to be having problems delivering enough fuel, so I installed the electric pump and removed the mechanical which I felt was starting to fail. When I ran it with the electric pump only I was getting about 2 psi of fuel pressure at the rear carb. It ran ok up to about 5,000 rpm then you could feel the power drop off most likely because it was running lean (duh). I now run both pumps and I have 4 psi throughout the rpm range which makes the engine feel much stronger on the high end. Initially I was concerned about having too much pressure with the two pumps in series, but the mechanical pump seems to regulate the pressure very well. As a side note, the way I monitored the fuel pressure was by teeing into the rear carb hose and running another short hose section with the gage out from under the rear of the hood and temporarily securing the gage to the cowl grille with plastic ties. The gage was oriented so I could read it through the windshield. If you do this sort of thing, even temporarily, be very careful to use the proper size and type of hose to prevent leaks or the hoses blowing off the fittings. Watching your car burn up by the side of a road is no fun especially if you are inside.

I cant speak from experience since I have always had manual trannies, but it should be fun while it lasts :laugh: I cant say that I have ever seen an automatic Z at an autocross either, surely someone has done it. My thought is you are missing half the fun if you cant stir the gears yourself. You can always make a backup plan to swap in a manual when the auto dies. Good Luck

Mat I believe I was wrong about my car having a factory fuse holder for the fuel pump. I checked way back in my maintenance log book and found a note that I added my own fuse holder when the pump was installed. My Clymer wiring diagram shows the fuel pump power wire is connected to the ignition power wire near the fuse panel. The fuse behind your radio may be for the power antenna or something else. The wire color code may give you a clue. The fuel pump wire is a solid green as is the ignition wire.

My electric fuel pump is an Airtex similar to this one, but probably higher quality as it cost more 20 years ago. Be sure to get one that is low pressure (2 to 5 psi) and high flow. Mine is a little noisy, but I find that useful for priming the fuel system prior to start up, the sound changes slightly as the fuel pressure comes up in the system. I mounted mine with a rubber isolator and once the engine is running you can't hear the pump. You should also install some sort of pump safety shutoff, like a Ford inertia switch to reduce fire potential if you have a crash. I question that adding a one way valve in the fuel line would help the hard starting problem. I don't think fuel can flow backwards through the mechanical pump anyway, so you already have this feature. I suspect the fuel is evaporating and/or leaking from the carbs when they set for several days or weeks.

I'm no Weber expert, but have you checked your fuel filter to see if its plugged and you're starving the carbs? You might want to temporarily install a fuel pressure gage to verify you have adequate pressure. Good Luck

Mat Its been a while since I installed my electric pump, but I think my car already had a separate fuse holder behind the radio for the green fuel pump power wire. All I had to do was install a fuse. I would not run the fuel pump off an oil pressure switch as it complicates the engine start sequence when there is no oil pressure to start the fuel pump. I am currently running my electric pump directly off the factory wiring so it starts as soon as the ignition is switched ON, that way I can prime the fuel system if it has been setting for a period of time. I realize this is not the best situation from an accident safety standpoint, so I plan to install a F*rd inertia switch next spring. These are readily available from the salvage yards and simple to install as its just wired in series (no relays) with the fuel pump power wire. You do need to mount it in an accessible location so it can be manually reset if you accidentally trip it on a speed bump or similar impact. I plan to mount mine under the dash where I can reach from the drivers seat. Hope this helps

I see the all-metal rods come with their own ball studs, do they pop off and fit the Zcar balls? (never thought about Zcars having balls before)

It's very difficult to do any electrical troubleshooting without a meter. As a minimum, you will need one which reads DC volts and resistance (ohms). How do you know your coil and resistor are "fine" unless you check them with a meter? Some auto parts stores will test components like ignition modules for free, but you still need to troubleshoot the system to narrow down the problem. A Zcar repair manual like Chiltons or Haynes is very helpful and usually available for checkout at your local library if your budget is limited. Good Luck

Since my Z sets for several months at a time, that's one of the reasons I run an electric pump in addition to the mechanical pump. You can prime the fuel system with the electric pump before you crank the engine over.

Welcome to the club. Do you have the original points distributor installed or has it been replaced by a later electronic distributor? If its a points distributor, you can start by checking to see if the points are adjusted to the proper gap (.020") and for 12 volts to the + side of the coil with the ignition ON. I presume you are talking about the ignition resistor mounted by the coil when you say the restrictor is fine.

You can pull the pump off the engine and operate it by hand with the suction hose still connected to see if it works that way. If its bad return it and get another new one. If it works by hand then your pump cam must be bad. good Luck

First off I'm no FI expert, but I dont think it would work at idle as the fuel sprayed on the throttle plates would condense to liquid gas and it would have very poor response. The throttle plates are usually colder than the inlet air due to the pressure drop which also makes the condensation issue worse. The control system would be a challenge also. You need a computer with a MAF (air flow) or a MAP (manifold pressure) sensor to determine the engine load and either of those would be difficult to set up with your proposed system. Maybe you could look at a 280z FI head setup and and adapt your carbs operate as throttle bodies?? That would eliminate the condensation issue, but you still have the sensor issues. Just my thoughs

I put one on a Honda Accord and I do like the leather feel better than the stock wheel. It took me about 2 hours to lace it on, so be patient. Good Luck

Im running 215/60-14 with no rubbing issues - stock suspension.

Was your "new" distributor an electronic type? The 79 & 80 280z distributors are good ones to use for an upgrade. If it was a used distributor make sure the mechanical advance is working correctly and not bound up. If the vacuum advance is being used make sure the diaphragm is not leaking. A search will provide a lot more info on distributors and troubleshooting. A manual is also very helpful. Good Luck