FastWoman

Thanks, Westpak! So it has to be an installation error of some sort. Hmmmmm....

Two things happen to plastics. First, the plasticizers (oily substances that keep the plastics flexible) slowly evaporate and leach out of the material, making it brittle. Second, UV light and oxygen slowly oxidize the plastics, weakening them, breaking polymer chains, and turning them essentially into powder. Keeping the plastics out of the heat will slow the loss of plasticizers. Keeping oils on them (e.g. Armorall) will help replace lost plasticizers and will form a bit of a barrier to oxygen. Keeping them out of the sun will minimize UV exposure. As far as I know, that's about all you can do. Let me know if you need extra garage space. I might have room for that Ferrari somewhere.

Chad, as I said previously, I think we might have the same problem. I observed the same thing yesterday with my fuel pump, except in my driveway. It wouldn't be the first time a new/fresh part has failed prematurely. Here's how you can check for a blockage (from crud/rust), vs. just a weak pump: Simply put a hose on the outlet of your fuel filter, run your pump, and pour whatever comes out the other end of the hose into a gas can. Whatever flows out the hose is going through your filter screen and your fuel filter. If that's enough fuel to run your engine (and you can be the judge), then a blockage is not your weak link. FAIW, I got a reasonably healthy stream out of my pump when I did this. While running the fuel, I also squeezed my intake hoses, and they did not "want" to collapse (as though there were any sort of vacuum on them). I compared how they felt with pump running and pump not running and felt no difference. My pump simply faded away in its ability to support the required fuel pressure and volume, pretty much just as you described above. It would test fine in the driveway, but when I took my car out on a drive, I'd end up with a dead engine. Now I've re-created the entire problem with my car sitting in the driveway, the pump hot-wired, and a clear return line delivering fuel back to the filler tube of my tank. I have a new pump on order and expect to be cruising the Colonial Parkway next week with it. (BTW, you can get a new Nissan part on Ebay for $222 +S&H from Chesapeake Nissan. I believe there's still 1 left.) In answer to your questions: Yes, your fuel tank will sometimes pressurize a little bit. There's a check valve on the vent system that you might check, per the FSM. The check valve is located in the general vicinity of the fuel pump. It goes between your fuel/air separator and your carbon canister. The access holes you found in your tank are the only ones. You can also drain your fuel and see if any crud comes out the bottom. If your tank is like mine, you won't have any view of the intake screen. The only way to gain access to that part of the tank is to cut it apart, which will be expensive. A radiator shop can do that for you. I was quoted $400 to cut apart my tank, clean it, coat it, and weld it back together, and paint the outside. I decided that was way too expensive and that I should service the tank myself. It turns out my tank was almost spotless anyway. Glad I saved the $400.

Ah, I'm a touch dyslexic. Yes, if you have the manual now, there's no possible route for introduction of transmission oil into the intake manifold.

Resurrecting this thread for a new OS... So has anyone installed this on Windows 7? I had it running in XP Home and now have a new machine. I've been going through the installation process and may have hit a bump. I ran the setup prog, which was supposed to create a "FAST for Windows" folder in the start menu. In this folder is supposed to be "FAST setup." However, I have no such folder after running setup. I do have the "Nissan Menu" in the root dir of the start menu. I had to set up the "CD drives" as "Disk1 and Disk2" folders by executing Nfset.exe. This seemed to be the program that the FAST instructions was referring to. After doing that, I can launch the "Nissan Menu" from the start button and not have it bomb. I can then launch EFAST, and the screen looks as it did when I launched it from my XP Home installation. Here's the thing, though. I'm prompted to enter the model series and production date at the top. As I recall, I'm supposed to enter "S30" and "1177" (for Nov 1977) in these fields. When I enter the "S30" or any other identifier I can think of, like S-30, 30S, 30-S, 280Z, and 280-Z, the program takes a pregnant pause, beeps, and then deletes what I entered. I'm almost positive I would enter "S30" on my prior installation. What gives? FAIW, I'm pretty sure I've properly installed this thing, but I'm not certain. I vaguely recall having had to manually execute NFset.exe before (with XP-Home), so I don't think I've done anything different this time.

I read about converting carbs to TBI somewhere, but I can't remember where. All I remember is that it wasn't in Japanese. You might wander through the MegaSquirt website and peruse the discussion boards there. That *might* be where I saw the discussion.

The little wire probably once went to a noise suppression capacitor. You can get a generic replacement one from your local auto parts store. The body of it screws to the back of your alternator, and the little wire goes to the (+) output post. You can upgrade a 280 to an internally regulated alternator if you want. However, there's nothing wrong with the external regulator. The #1 reason why the 240 owners upgrade is that they want a beefier 60A output.

Hi Chris, A high idle speed at startup is normal. There's an air regulator whose job it is to step up the idle until the engine is warm enough to run at a lower RPM. I think 900 RPM might be a bit high for a warm idle, but I don't know the normal idle speed for an automatic. Maybe 750? You can adjust the idle speed with the big screw ontop of the throttle body. I have to plead ignorance about automatic transmissions, but perhaps a bad modulator could introduce transmission fluid into the intake, as you suggest. I think there should be a vacuum line that leads from the intake manifold to the transmission. Just check it to see if there is any ATF inside it. If you have oil beneath your throttle body, perhaps something is leaking oil onto the exhaust manifold. Is the smoke coming out the exhaust, or is it coming from under the hood? Also if you have put your greasy hands all over your exhaust manifold and exhaust in the process of replacing your transmission, then that would generate quite a lot of smoke when the engine is first started. This is fairly unavoidable and normal. Your engine should stop smoking after several minutes and not smoke anymore after that.

Ah, good ol' Ebay. I found a new OEM one from Chesapeake Nissan for $222. Sold.

Maybe this one: http://highflowfuel.com/i-6227286-walbro-gsl393-190lph-universal-inline-fuel-pump.html 40 gal/hr, 60 psi max.

Has anyone tried this one from Summit Racing? http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G3138/

MSA has rebuilt OEM ones for $135. Are these good rebuilds? http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/SFC02/11-3064 Their new ones are $283. Are these genuine Nissan -- new old stock? http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/SFC02/11-3063 Factoring in a bit of overdesign, I figure I need a max delivery rate of about 25 gal/hr at 40 psi. There are lots of aftermarket fuel pumps that will do that, but I understand many of them are junk. For instance I heard the aftermarket fuel pump on a friend's truck the other day. It was pretty loud. You could hear it maybe 20 ft from the truck. I definitely don't want that. Who makes a good pump?

Yum! Me love cookies! (... Cookie Monster) It sounds like you're on the right track. I'm guessing what you'll find is that the 4-6 injectors aren't spraying -- perhaps defective, stuck, or clogged somehow. I look forward to hearing back from you about how easy and strangely enjoyable the valve adjustments were. That's my favorite part of the engine.

Hey Andrew, that looks like the way to go. Very nice. I think I'll do that. Anyway, I connected some clear vinyl tubing from the return line of the fuel rail to the fuel tank, hooked up a fuel pressure gauge, hooked up a battery charger to the battery, hotwired the fuel pump, and observed. The system quickly came up to pressure, but I noticed the return fuel flow was not particularly energetic. So I watched and watched, and the fuel flow started slowing down more and more until it stopped. Pressure stayed up until I put vacuum on the FPR. I found the pump did not restore the pressure, even though it was still running. Therefore I had a fuel starvation issue. But was it the pump, a blockage in the supply, or a rusted siphon tube? Rusted siphon tube theory: I topped off the tank with gas (no air to draw through a hypothetical rust hole in the siphon tube. Same problem. Therefore not a rusted siphon tube. Collapsed fuel hose hypothesis: Nope. Clogged intake screen, pre-filter, or filter: I hooked the vinyl tube to the outlet side of the fuel filter and ran the pump. I didn't get a rapid flow, but it flowed and continued flowing. I should have been able to pass the same volume of gas out the fuel rail's return line, where none flowed. Therefore not a blockage. I'm pretty sure that rules out everything but the pump, which I'm assuming just wore out. I know the pump would supply approx 45 psi static pressure last fall, but perhaps it was growing weaker even then. Any recommendations for a replacement pump?

Eric, I think I'll add a gauge permanently for matters just like this. I do have a pre-filter before the pump. I haven't checked it yet. (It's not a clear one. I think I'll replace with a clear one like I have on my tractor.) I'm positive my tank is clean, at least as of last August. I dropped the tank, opened it up, peered through the holes, etc. There was so little rust inside (in only a couple of tiny spots near the drain plug) that it wasn't worth de-rusting. I didn't want to disturb the galvanized coating. I pressure-washed the inside, rinsed out with acetone and B12, repainted the outside, and reinstalled. Unfortunately there was no way to view the inlet screen without cutting apart the tank, so I can't say anything about its condition. (That's why I installed the prefilter.) Blue, I would be amazed if anything surprising came out of my tank through the drain. I've used my car regularly since putting it back in a full operational state last fall. There's been no old gas, and rust just doesn't happen that fast -- even here. Compressed air through the return line is something I didn't do. I'll try that. But wouldn't that just make my pressure spike to 42 so that I run rich? I didn't check ignition or even check much of anything. Way too much steel flying past me on the interstate only feet away. I wasn't going to risk it. Next time my engine fails, I'll certainly check those things. That said, I did an HEI retrofit, and I have the HEI module pretty well heat sunk.

Eric, no idea about fuel pressure yet, although I'm assuming zero at this time. I haven't been able to carve out time to test my fuel delivery yet. Probably this weekend. Steve, David, I hadn't really thought about a differential throwing off that much heat. It makes sense, as a lot of diffs have heat sink fins (e.g. on my Miata's LSD). That would be another thing to test. I can perhaps throw some (mild) heat up towards the fuel intake line with a heat gun and see what happens. David, I've been into the wiring at the fuel pump and haven't seen any signs of hot/melted insulation. Anyway the collapsing intake line sounds like a plausible theory. I suppose it might be all the more likely if the fuel in the tank gets warm from road heat and circulation through the engine compartment. It was a fairly hot day, BTW -- the hottest I've driven my car since having reworked the fuel and intake systems. We were flying down the interstate at 70'ish (VA speed limit) with the AC burning on high and the temp gauge a couple of needle-widths above where it normally lives. I think I'll try some of that exhaust insulation. Sounds like a great idea. Thanks, guys! More theories to test this weekend!

Scientist, yes (or used to be). Mad... well... (mhuahahahah...) well, depends on who you ask. But never evil! I'm afraid I overcomplicated my apparatus. All I really need is a clear return line that I can stick in the filler neck or in a gas can. Against my better judgment, I started to drive my Z a couple of blocks from one house to another. It started to stumble, so I did a U-turn and headed back to the driveway. My car might just cooperate for me. Steve, I assume cavitation would only occur if there is some restriction in flow from the tank to the pump, right? Is it possible that ethanol gas might have clogged my pickup screen by corroding it (i.e. with the corrosion coming from the screen itself)? I suppose if this is the case I should see reduced gasoline flow out the return line. What would the normal flow rate be for these pumps at full pressure? Hey, thanks for scratching heads with me, guys!

Sure it is. A nice Z can really fly!

Maybe you mean raw fuel/air from the #4 is causing afterfire (out the exhaust) not backfire (out the carb)? Certainly if #4 isn't firing, you'd have some stinky exhaust. There's no way for any of us to know your headache tolerance, though. There should be no choke once the engine is warm. If you've got your choke engaged, then that would certainly be a problem and would certainly cause strong exhaust fumes.

I installed a VintageAire AC in my '66 Mustang. It was a nice system overall. It was cold, and the controls were made to integrate seamlessly into the existing instrument panel. The only thing that betrayed the existence of a modern AC was the eyeball side vents under the dash near the doors. They looked as though they might have been original equipment, though. (Of course there were no factory AC systems in the early Mustangs.) Although the system was well conceived, implementation depends on the skill of the installer. For instance, my system came back with a freon line arched up high and rubbing the underside of the hood. The fitting was turned that way to avoid the power steering pump, which was rather admittedly a rather rare feature for the '65 and '66 (so most Mustangs would not have this fitment problem). A more conscientious installer would have re-made the freon line to fit. I also had a fuse block located forward of where the left eyeball vent was to go, and that got covered up. The slinky tube connecting it was also severely kinked around an OEM vent part. So the devil is sometimes in the details. Find a good installer, be picky, and/or do it yourself (if possible). FAIW, in hindsight I think I would have restored/rebuilt the OEM Ford Fairlane R12 AC system I had (the system dealers were installing in the Mustangs at the time). I was simply terrified R12 would cease to exist and thought it would be prudent to go 134a.

EDIT: Haha! I hadn't noticed: "wobbling dizzy" Now that's funny! --------------- Not normal, no matter how it wobbles. If the shaft is tight but wiggles back and forth as it turns, that may be due to a bad rebuild. If the shaft is loose and you can wiggle it back and forth with your fingers, it needs rebuilding.

Yeah, vibrations and bad connections. Check that firewall connection.

^^ What Arne said. I ruined a rim with the stuff once. I made the mistake of using it to fix a slow leak. It "worked." A couple of months later I replaced the tire, and the rim was toast. I actually have an old can of the stuff. Ya' want it?

^^ Yeah, couldn't hurt to ground the engine where it's supposed to be grounded!

Didn't see your post, Brian! Yes, I know the clattery carb pump sound from our boat! The sound I'm getting isn't a clatter, so much as a growl -- a bit like it's not doing anything. Andrew, that confirms what I thought, that the pump tone lowers (and mellows??) as pressure builds. I have no idea how old the pump is. It came with the car. I think I can say it's older than 1994 (when the PO purchased the car, and where my more detailed service history begins). I see a 1982 fuel filter change in the warranty book, but it appears to be part of a 120k mile scheduled service. I'm assuming the pump is original to the car. But yes, in answer to your question, when the pump seems not to be pumping, it makes a slightly higher pitched, slightly louder growl, rather than the usual soft, rubbery, lower-pitched rumble. I have an idea for a way to recreate the problem in my driveway -- maybe. It will take a trip to the hardware store to purchase my test apparatus and will probably take a lot of patience to do the test. I'll hook up a couple of "T" fittings off of the fuel rail line. One will go to my pressure gauge. The second will go to a small valve and then to a piece of clear tubing that I can put in the gas tank filler neck or into a gas can. I'll put my battery on a charger and jumper the fuel pump relay to run the fuel pump continuously for a very long time. I'll adjust the valve to simulate different rates of fuel consumption and will dump the "consumed" fuel right back in the tank. Optionally, I can drain down the fuel level in the tank by dumping "consumed" fuel into some gas cans. I figure I can just keep running the pump and circulating fuel until something breaks. Then I can figure out what's broken. Sound like a plan?