Pilgrim

I replaced the modulator yesterday and that has corrected the problem. Now I have a rough, low idle (500 RPM or less) when the ZX is cool, but it's correct at 750 RPM when warmed up. I think the culprit is the temp sensor on the passenger side - I pulled it planning to replace it, but had the wrong part. As I was re-installing it, the sensor came apart. I managed to get it back together and re-install it but it's probably not working right. I'll get that fixed.

There are plenty of retractables around. I've used them for years. I think mine are Hirschmann, but it has been years since I've looked at the paperwork.

And there you are!

A good radiator shop can clean it, weld it and re-coat it. Won't cost you an arm and a leg.

The craigslist one is sold.... (I didn't notice how old the post was, but glad to see the OP back...) The original one is probably overpriced or it wouldn't still be there. OTOH, the dealer's not going to wholesale it since it wouldn't bring squat on the wholesale market. I'll bet it belongs to one of the staff at that dealership. The "restoration" part of the dealer listing is what makes it interesting, as a real resto would cost more than they're asking. But WHY it needed a resto is the real question. That car begs for a Carfax search.

So, my '83 280ZX Turbo deserves (and needs) new front end bushings after 27 years. I've bought the Energy (black) poly bushing package for the front end, and I was relieved to see that it wasn't all packaged in one big box, but came in a set of packages, each labeled for the specific application (anti-sway bar, etc.). That will help me to do the front end over 2-3 weekends, choosing which set of bushings I want to replace each time. And I won't be shy about taking press-fit parts to a machine shop. I have no interest in burning out old bushings. I also replaced the steering rack @3 years ago and noticed that the rubber bushings for the rack were pretty mushy from oil - so I just ordered replacement steering rack bushings, which were delightfully cheap - a bit under $10 each! I already have Tokico shocks installed, so that part of the suspension renewal is fine. Springs are good. When I'm done, everything should be tight! It's still cold here, but that's my summer project - and I'm looking forward to the result. Any advice or comments are welcomed.

Final discovery - it is the fuel pump control modulator. After reading the other thread, I went to the connector and found TWO white wires - but one was all white, the other was white with a yellow trace. I unplugged the connector and cleaned it with Deoxit on the off-chance that it was a bad connection - no luck. Then I stuck a jumper wire into the back of the connector on the solid white wire, re-connected the connector and grounded the other end of the jumper. I can hear the fuel pump run constantly and the car does not stumble or die. The fact that it continues to run seems to prove a bad modulator. The modulator is in a rather difficult place to reach - but I'll order one and change it out. Until it arrives I'll leave the jumper in place, let the fuel pump run when the key is on and the fuel system will return the excess fuel to the tank. Not ideal, but it will only go on for a few days and on short trips.

Latest news flash - I've gotten some feedback that the fuel pump control modulator can cause this - it's an electrical box located above the ECU on the outside of the driver's side footwell. Right now it's top of my list. UPDATE: I found this old thread on zdriver.com which seems to describe the exact problem, plus a way to test it by grounding the wire that sends a signal to the relay, thereby keeping the fuel pump on: http://www.zdriver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28820 This seems well worth following up as a test when the weather improves here.

Here's the latest idea....On a turbo model, there is a fuel damper mounted near the fuel pump outside the fuel tank, and there is a fuel pressure regulator located on the fuel injection rail. I'm familiar with the fuel pressure regulator and have changed it in the past, although it has been a few years (more than 3). What about the damper or the regulator? The regulator is easy to reach and replace, and I'm sure the damper is manageable. It does make sense that it would be something in the fuel system, as the engine is clearly losing fuel but movement of the gas pedal restores it immediately. According to the manual (p. EF & EC-49) the damper's purpose is to damp pulsations from the fuel pump, and the pressure regulator's purpose is to return surplus fuel to the fuel tank. Logic tells me that pulses from the fuel pump would be unlikely to affect the car in the way I'm experiencing (and there's not much to fail in the damper), but it seems to me that a malfunctioning regulator might be returning too much fuel to the tank and letting the engine starve. Does that make sense?

These injectors are available from parts sources other than Nissan. Rockauto.com and other sources carry them.

There is no way to do this right with the alternator on the car, and it's not hard to remove. Pull it and make your life easier and the results much better. Trying it in the car is a waste of time and energy.

OK, just got a chance to install brand new AFM. Unfortunately, it did not fix the problem. DANG!! The problem has gotten worse over the past few months - now it doesn't happen every few days, but constantly, and even when idling after the car warms up for a minute or so. Darn thing isn't driveable until I get this fixed. :mad: However, this means that I have a perfectly good (and tests good as per factory service manual) 1983 280ZX Turbo air flow meter for sale! Meanwhile, we may get another heavy snowfall tomorrow so the car will be under its car cover for a while. I haven't checked around for vacuum leaks yet - that may be the next item. If I could get it to idle for a while, I could spray starting fluid around the hoses. That would probably be the only way to find a leak in the big hose between the AFM and intake manifold. Here's a list of what I have done: - ECU has been replaced and all connections coated with Deoxit to assure contact. - Fuel filter has been replaced. - Fuel pressure was been tested last summer after the problem appeared and was OK. - Air flow meter has just been replaced with new AFM. - Head temp sensor has been removed and tested - it passes. - Cat converter has been checked for clogs (I removed it and sighted through it) and it's not plugged.

I just found a brand new air flow meter at a great price - it's on its way and I should have a report within a week IF the weather holds. I'm not changing it out standing in snow...

Sorry, I haven't - the car has been under a cover and under a snowbank since I posted it. I'm going to have to wait for warmer weather, so I'm thinking March or April before I can get back to it. Based on all the feedback from this and another Z forum, I'm thinking air flow meter.

Good thoughts here, and I appreciate them. Fuel filter is new, but I could easily replace some hoses. The tach does keep indicating RPM so the problem is definitely fuel. I'm sure something is telling the fuel system to cut off - until I hit the throttle again. That inclines me to think that it is most likely an electronic signal to the fuel system, as the cutoff is immediate - and so is the recovery. It happens both at idle and when driving. And we have gotten 6" of snow since last evening and another inch in the past hour....the ZX is sitting under a car cover in the driveway. Won't be able to reach it today!

Sounds well worth checking! Thanks.

That may be right. I'll check the service manual to see if there's a way to test the AFM. You're right, not a part you want to replace unless you have to. Do you by chance know of a test procedure?

The car: 1983 280ZX Turbo, 120K miles, injectors, fuel filter all known good. The car runs well EXCEPT that more and more frequently either at idle or when I'm driving and holding a steady speed, the revs drop just like I had pulled my foot off the gas. If this happens at idle, the car stalls. If it happens while driving, the revs keep dropping unless I hit the gas. But - if I touch the gas pedal, the revs pick up and the car runs fine for another 5-10 seconds, then the power falls off again. I can drive for extended periods with this going on, and as long as I push the gas pedal down when the power falls off, the power returns and it's OK for another 5-10 seconds, when the cycle repeats. The timing is very consistent, and it's clearly something causing the fuel system to stop delivering gas even though the gas pedal is depressed. But moving the gas pedal restores the fuel feed. I thought this must be an ECU problem and found another ECU for the car - replaced it - but the problem continues. After looking through the shop manual, I see that the head temp sensor and the throttle position sensor combine to reduce gas flow when decelerating. My best guess so far is that one of the two is failing and sending erroneous signals to the ECU. I replaced the throttle position sensor a couple of years ago, so I've ordered a replacement head temp sensor...hasn't arrived yet. Does anyone have any other ideas as to what might cause this repeat cycle of power loss which is always corrected by hitting the gas pedal? :bulb: Thanks.....

The price is probably due to its being a "restoration" - a very elastic term that can include anything from new paint and seat covers to a true front-to-back resto. IF it's had a complete restoration (body panels off, glass out repaint, all rust and body details corrected, impeccable drivetrain condition) then it would mean that someone spent a lot more than $15k to get it where it is. In that case (which is the best-case scenario) it would be a great value at $15K (or whatever you could talk them down to. But why would a Z-car need a complete resto at 77K miles? and is that actual, original mileage? Those questions alone beg for more information. The only thing to do is inspect it, contact the previous owner for full details, and have an independent shop evaluate it for you. I wouldn't spend the money otherwise.

This is a post originally shared in 1996 on the old Z-car list which ended about 2008. Re-shared for your pleasure.... 24 Apr 96 16:42:56 CST6CDT KEEPER - DASH REMOVAL PROCEDURE: 79-83 ZX I have removed the dash numerous times in 82 and 83 ZX models. Thought I'd post this...can't find my original post in my archives. NOTE: The steering wheel should be removed. It makes the process much simpler. "Par time" to remove dash and steering wheel is @2 hours first time, @75 minutes thereafter. Re-installing is about 1 hour longer. Special tools: Steering wheel puller #2 (large tip) Philips screwdriver (optional) Large metric socket to fit shaft nut on steering wheel. Steps: 1) Remove kick panels in both footwells. Store panels and screws. Remove trim around radio and A/C center vents, storing all screws and trim pieces. 2) Protect the center console with a shop rag to avoid scratching it during the next step. 3) Remove radio console, complete. This starts with small plastic triangular panels on the lower sides of radio console (1 screw each) then four bolts each side, two top, two bottom, on each side of console. Turn the bolts one turn with a rachet, then use a #2 screwdriver to remove them. It's faster. Unclip all electrical & antenna connections. 4) Lift out radio console; store out of the way. 5) Look under A/C control box and you will find two screws thru the dash into the console. Remove these with a stubby Philips and store them. 6) Remove glove box door and inner box. Store the screws. (Memory tells me this is necessary but I don't recall why. Don't do it if you don't need to....) 7) Remove steering wheel with following procedure: (Disconnect battery first unless you mind blowing the horn a few times.....) There are two screws holding on trim on the back (dash) side of your steering wheel. Remove them with a stubby Philips. Remove soft cap from center of steering wheel (it goes back on with pressing and fiddling) and remove center assembly. You will see one wire coming out of the shaft and screwed to the wheel. That's the horn. Disconnect and don't short to ground or you get noise! MEMORY IS A BIT VAGUE HERE - but I recall you don't have to take all the trim on the center of the wheel off. Check it out. Your goal is to loosen the large nut on the shaft, MARK THE WHEEL AND STEERING SHAFT (if not already marked) SO YOU CAN PUT IT BACK IN THE SAME POSITION!; loosen the nut but leave it on the end of the shaft and mount your steering wheel puller on he nut, using the two threaded holes in the wheel for the puller's support bolts. Tighten puller until wheel pops loose; then remove puller, remove large nut and wheel; store parts in safe place and don't scuff up the wheel. 8) Remove upper and lower plastic steering wheel trim from steering column behind the wheel. Various screws are involved, all of which are standard Philips head. 9) Remove the connections from the turn signal assy. and loosen the large screw which clamps it on to the shaft. Pull outwards GENTLY until you can drop it down and out of your way. Now you have all the obstacles cleared. NOTE: when re-installing the turn signal assy. it's easy to push it TOO far on the shaft. Check the location closely, looking at the hole in the shaft housing where the clamp tip locates, and be patient - you will get it located correctly. 10) Reach under dash and disconnect speedometer cable at the connection in the center of the cable - usually the housing connection is hand-tight. 11) Remove all electrical connections to dash. These are ALL located on the passenger side above the footwell - they're color coded and multi-pin connectors. If in doubt - you'll find out which are the necessary ones when the dash comes loose. 12) Remove four flat plastic plugs on top of the dash, exposing the top screws. Leave these screws till last. 13) Remove four large screws across the bottom of the dash. These are readily visible - two are located immediately next to the radio console, two further outboard. 14) Remove the four screws across the top of the dash. IT'S READY TO COME OUT! Double-check electricals and speedometer cable. 15) This can be done by one person, but is sometimes easier with two...wiggle dash and lift slightly, pulling toward you. It will come loose when you lift it out of the support notches on the brackets which the lower four bolts screwed into. 16) Remove dash, trying not to scratch up the trim on each side of the windshield. Some lifting and wiggling is required. 17) Look over such neat stuff as heater controls, cables, etc. Replace or adjust now to avoid doing this later. To re-install dash is the reverse of removal - BUT be careful to locate the speedometer cable correctly! There's a body brace under the dash which it can go above or below. I recall that below is correct. As soon as the dash is in place, CHECK THE SPEEDO CABLE FIRST. If you located it incorrectly, you'd better pull the dash back out far enough to get it right BEFORE you get everything else connected! NOTE: make sure to locate steering wheel correctly to keep it centered.