Cornbreadxd

ok, so anyone have any ideas on why the fuel pump will only run when the harness is removed from the alternator? I read the thread started by shadesh but it doesn't really relate to this issue

yeah it cycles everytime the key is turned but now it only does it with the harness out of the alternator, and i checked the guage again while trying to crank and it read lower this time 32psi, i don't know what the P/O did but the car is acting crazy now and I notice alot of stuff around the engine is butt spliced and taped together instead of solder and heatshrink (which I use for audio installs) and there are a few ground wires that are just hanging free, but I don't know if that had any affect on my problem because it ran well before.

[sorry I couldn't edit my post and the email was temp. unavailable] I also noticed that the wire for spark plug #2 look bent and corroded, cause this be related to my starting issue?

ok, I just ran into another problem I used the fuel pressure gauge and it read about 32psi then to 35/36psi when cranked but still wouldn't start. I unplugged the various conectors and checked to see if they were damaged at all. when I plugged the harness in the altenator back in however the fuel pump wouldn't cut on, the gauge rose but I didn't hear it run nor did I see fuel move in my g3 filter. When I unplugged the harness and turned the key I heard the fuel pump cycle and saw movement in the filter. is this supposed to be able to happen or is there an electrical problem that is keeping the car from running? I originally suspected something electrical because I think water got into the engine bay when snow melted on it while it was slanted open.

yeah, it is on there now the tow truck driver <(they sure like to bash z cars) was trying to explain some BS to me and pulled it out when he asked me to try and start the car. I didn't notice until I made the video but the car wouldn't start anyway

well the car started for 5 seconds then died, I picked up a fuel pressure gauge,vacuum gauge, and an engine compression gauge so I should be able to get to the problem. I'll keep everyone posted.

i wish I could donate my Z so they could use it for another project...and then send it back at no charge

it could be the fan clutch, i had that problem and the belt needed to be tightened. here is the sound I had.

it hasn't started since it recently broke down, im thinking that it could be the screen as well from reading old posts on that being an issue with other members but i still haven't been able to get a pressure guage, im gonna blow some air into the lines though to see if there is a blockage within the line but the filter isn't really dirty but i know there is crap in the tank

i'll try to get a fuel pressure guage but I can hear my fuel pump and see fuel moving through the "add on" g3 filter in the back of the car, like i said the filter isn't even a month old and everything was fine after the new stuff was put in.

ok I didn't notice the filter being dirty at all and tried to start it after cleaning all the spark plugs to make sure they weren't dirty or damaged and it still won't start. I was thinking maybe something got wet and shorted because the hood was partially open and the car had a bit of snow on the hood which melted within a few hours but I wasn't sure if water got on the fusible links somehow, but i took the covers off and made sure they were dry and not coroded, and still nothing. any idea on why it would just start bucking and not hold anything but 1st gear before stalling and not cutting back on?

i'll check all of that, but when i looked at my plugs they kind of looked carbon fouled but they have only been in for 1 month, i'll try to get a picture of it up here. i also did notice the plug on the dist. cap looked kinda bent i'll get a pic of that too. But would that cause the car to just start bucking all of a sudden out of nowhere?

Well after cleaning the fuel pipes/lines out, replacing the spark plugs, and replacing the fuel filter my car died on me on my way home from school. I was in 3rd gear then all of a sudden it started bucking like crazy and then It wouldn't let me shift the gears. When I coasted for a little I was able to shift but the idle was horrible so I went to 1st gear and it chugged at 1K rpm which I kept it at until it died on the side of the road. (the car is F/I 83zx l28e) I waited a few minutes and tried to start it but i was only able to keep it rolling in first gear as it sputtered dead. I didn't see any crazy smoke while this was happening either it was just all of a sudden. Anyone have any ideas? I used the search tool but couldn't find anything really relevant. So as it sits right now it hesitates to start and only stays running if I feather the gas, is there anyway to know if something in the engine has blown w/o using a tester or some sort because I don't have one but like I said there isn't any blue,black, etc. smoke coming out.

I dunno about the others but I like it myself, the gauges are cool too.

Yeah! I got it started and it idles better than before. I replaced all but 1 fuel line, i sprayed some air into the line to make sure there wasn't anything lodged in the lines, I changed all the spark plugs with NGK's and gapped them .42 the previous ones were all gaped uneven, cleaned the gunk around the injectors, poured seafoam into the gas tank, and im about to seafoam the engine in a few minutes. I'll probly change the oil on monday or tuesday. When I sucked it into the car there was alot of smoke so after it sits and starts again I think the fire dept. might come to my house . Once it gets warm i'll clean the fuel pipes and drop the gas tank. Thanks for everyones help :cheeky:

Well im going to put in the new filter and new plugs tomorrow, the filter in the engine had brown gas in it and the spark plugs looked carbon fouled a little, i figured the car was running rich but it seems the p/o put in bpr7es-11 plugs. I searched on the plugs and saw that bpr6es-11 are the ones recommended for the Z, so why did the p/o use colder plugs? I'll try blowing some air into the line as well to make sure that the line isn't clogged.

nope, no fuel smell anymore, how long does the system take to pressurize though, or is it as soon as the pump kicks on?

I did check for kinks in the line and didn't see any but didn't try removing the filter from under the hood. how would I know if the injectors are the problem or would I just have to take them out along with the fuel pipe for visual inspection, I read about using the inspection light in my manual but that is only to check if they are getting a current correct? And I also thought that if the injectors were clogged they would eventually leak through the casing or am i wrong about that. and my injectors don't leak

well i took care of the leak by replacing the old filter but the car still won't start. It tries but it doesn't start up, and i still can hear the fuel pump going. I didn't get to change the filter in the enginebay because the parts store ordered a 240sx filter and not a 280zx one so I may have to wait. It has been snowing everyday since my last post and I was able to get it done today but to no avail. But like I said I don't have to worry about the leak. Could the fuel line have junk in it that is clogging the line? Because it seems like its not getting fuel. maybe i'll post a video of it later.

I didn't see that post either, I'll get all that stuff done eventually I just have to secure another car as a DD so I can put my free time and $ into restoration of the z.

thanks for all the info guys I'll buy the filters, clamps, and hoses and try to start tomorrow or saturday. I won't be able to drop the tank and everything else until I have more $, time, and better weather. Im at a decent level working on cars but my previous experience was almost all suspension/brake wise on my previous car.(coilovers, bbk conversion, adjustable control arms, etc.)

yeah i know there will be fuel in the lines I just worry about an amount that a rag won't soak up. I'll probably start on this tomorrow i'll have to get a filter first though, would a parts store carry these or is this like a universal filter because I've seen some oem nissan filters and they don't look like the one I have. Or would a trip to the dealership be in the future? And thanks for the diagram sbalke01!

ok, so it WILL be depressurize if I disconnect the pump and attempt to start it a few times even though I won't be able to let it stall. or do I connect a 9v like m4x suggested? I really don't want a mess on my hands/body/driveway/etc.

so can I just unplug the fuel pump while I have someone try to start the car to relieve the pressure? I know if it can run you are supposed to disconnect while it runs until it stalls but if it won't run will disconnecting it and trying to get it going be enough to relieve pressure? and removing the fuse/relays. I don't want fuel spraying all over my goggles if i disconnect a pressurized line.

I bought it in october and the guy used it as a daily driver just like I have and this is the first real problem i've had with it. the filter wasn't that dirty the last time I looked at it a couple months ago, im thinking any sludge that was in the tank must have been sloshed around and clogged the filter up maybe causing the leak?