DC871F

Plugged advance inlet, cleaned TPS connection. No change. I go back through the fuel system and I'll start looking at the FSM for testing components. Thanks guys.

OK, so I read Zeds post about when the VA operates, and I hear what your saying. So lets talk about what the car is doing in a little more detail then. Starting from a red light, you accelerate normally until about high 2000's RPM an then a hesitation sets in running through each gear at around this RPM range. In 3rd, 4th gear, you can stand on the gas peddle and the car just acts as if you are disconnecting a plug wire or two, or grounding out, and will do this until you let off the gas, with anemic acceleration. New plug wires, plugs, and they are routed as to not ground out on anything, because at first thats what I thought it was. I guess I was hoping for an easy fix. If you get on the highway, 70 MPH for example, it cruises fine. New gas tank (NOS) from a donor car, fuel pump, filter, lines (engine bay only), fuel rail, injectors. New EGR(manual transmission), 02 sensor, PCV, cap, rotor. New battery, Hitachi alternator (overhauled), New belts. I have been through the wiring harness at all the plugs around the engine hoping for some corrosion, but nothing really notable. About 25 years ago, I had an 81NA, and it did this sort of thing but 10 times worse, and it was the AFM. I have not done anything with this car regarding the AFM. Thanks for all the replies. Added a few pics, just for SAG's. Driver seat is the only thing really bad with interior, everything else was nice. A tiny hairline crack in dash, thats it.

At work, I work overseas, so nothing new to add. My advance doesn't move period, its like sucking on a soda straw, just air. I'll plug it at first chance to see if there's a change. Resistor will be here next week. May be able to get to the car Thursday, maybe.....

Yes, multi-faceted. It ran smooth once I got it back on the road, pulled real nice. After the hesitation started I then went through all the electrical connectors, then re-inspecting all the vacuum lines. So once I got (back) to the distributor is when I found the advance sucking air. Car sat for 20 years, so the condition of the diaphragm may have been poor. I found the resistor on ZCar depot, probably not a bad idea. Won't be near the car for about a week, so it will have to wait. I appreciate you looking for parts, thanks. It seems that the advance is going to hard to source, not sure why since a reman distributor is easy to find.

Spring plate operates smoothly and returns fine when exercised manually. The diaphragm definitely is not working, with a vacuum bleeder or sucking on the hose, just pulls air.

Thanks for all the help guys. It seems the vacuum advance is shot. Been looking around for just the advance can, but no dice. Can get the entire distributor, but that seems overkill and expensive. 119,000 miles on the car, so the distributor should still be good. Anyone know where to get the correct part? The regular parts houses offer only rebuilt distributors, not the advance, or at least not the correct one.

73 240, in the middle of restoration. Very low miles, all original. The ZX was a side diversion, that turned into a mini project. I have had a few 240's back in the day, then I got into ZX's about 20 years ago. So when I found the 82 sitting and wasting away, I remembered how good the ZX's were and couldn't resist. They are not a 240, but a great car in there own right.

Its very clean inside dizzy, so before I got the car running I just installed new cap, rotor and wires with new plugs. I just got done inspecting vacuum advance, and I cant get it to move with a vacuum bleeder. Suck on the hose and it pulls air through (no holes in the hose). It operated normal with a flat blade screw driver, returns fine, I'm thinking if its pulling air through the hose, it must be jacked up. Thanks for all the replies.

I guess you're right, enjoying the chase, in between making Christmas gifts. Resurrected this car from a junk yard, almost zero rust, 119,000 miles, all complete. Everything works, sat for 20 years. If I can get it to accelerate smooth, its done. I'll check it out, thank you. Merry Christmas

82 NA, hesitation during acceleration. Runs fine at highway speeds, intermediate speeds other than acceleration. Car sat for many years and finally back on the road. New injectors, new EGR, 02 sensor, alternator, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel rail, fuel tank, cap, rotor, plugs, wires. Water temperature is normal, vacuum lines are intact. All electric connectors are tight, but some have the 30 year curse on them where the connector boots are deteriorated. ECU light operational (fast blinking). Have not opened up the AFM or changed ignition module. Doesnt seem like a distributor problem, but I'm not an expert. Thanks for any help.

Thank you. I was pretty sure that was supposed to be the case, mine moves in slow motion.

ZED HEAD got the meaning. The first sentence I wrote was just asking if EGR valves open/close fast. Should have said (open/close). The finger method of testing ERG's is putting a finger on the underside where the diaphragm is to see if it is responding to engine RPM. Thanks

Are EGR valves fast acting? Meaning when you test them (finger) method, do they close fast? Thanks.

Car is running smooth, replacing radiator next week, just finishing all new brakes, rotors, calipers and brake hoses, brake master, clutch master, slave. I didnt realize it was going to take such attention. It has completely diverted me away from my 73 240 that I'm doing a full restoration on, but it has been fun, sort of. What doesnt make me insane make me stronger. Should be on the road to find more easter eggs once I do a road test. BTW, driver side rear brake calipers are getting hard to find for some reason, nobody had them a couple weeks ago. Had to rebuild mine which ironically was the one that was the most salvageable, hmmm.

Good idea. I was doing my best not to turn this into a "project", not that lifting the valve cover is a project, but depending on what you find.... I'm restoring a 240Z and I'm knee deep in it, I got the ZX on a whim, but you are right, I probably need to back off a little and really look at it so I dont do any harm. Whats funny was the amount of smoke produced when I first started it, epic. The neat part is that the rings all seated after coming up to temp and no noise on the top end other than the couple alarming knocks about 3 minutes after start.

My concern is that on initial startup, it had smooth acceleration, now a slight miss. Its not like an ignition miss, but like a little stumble. I'm afraid it ate something. Maybe getting it on the road an running it a little harder than I can in the garage it may clear out.

Now a slight miss at idle. I really dont want to entertain debris in an injector. A couple electrical connectors on the engine are way beyond usable (crumbly) but seem holding on while I test run engine, ignition module, etc. I rev engine to about 3K RPM and it seems smooth, but really wont know much until I get brakes finished and can do a road test. Maybe a vacuum leak.

I have had a lot of Oval window Beetles. I have a 56 currently.

Success! Thanks for all the help. If you were here in the shop there would be cold beer. Purrs like a 280ZX is supposed to. Lots of smoke from the tail pipe which cleared, a couple knocks on the top end which went away, I guess we will see if that manifests into something detrimental once on the road. Now onto the coolant leaks. No oil leaks, no fuel leaks. Good oil pressure, charging system working.

Damn, already got set of 6 from ORielly for $24........ I saw those on RockAuto, but figured I would just go locally with no shipping cost. Injectors going on today, results in near future. I'm replacing the fuel rail. Did the Q-tip test as ZH suggested, RUST! So I actually had a fuel rail in storage from years ago, nice and clean.

Yes I plan do the seals as well. Also new injector plugs, the old ones if you look at them wrong they start crumbling. Results when I get them.

Just bought them, thanks for sharing.

Seals are cheap. Hard to believe, but all insulators are nice and not cracked. GB Manufacturing injectors on RockAuto are $24.79 each. My clamps are in good shape.

How about the cheaper ones? The FJ707 might eat into the budget for a few other things for the car. I have zero knowledge about what are good or bad injectors. Thanks so much for the help. Years ago I would just go to the junk yard and throw them in, maybe I just got lucky, but that was also 20 years ago when most ZX's were in the junk yard at that time for just a few years.

Removed injectors, all were stuck, got them to finally click after a lot of coaxing from a 9v battery, one of them wouldnt budge at all. I'm glad I found something.