JoelZ

Will do, thanks for the advise. I need to take it for a good ride in the next couple weeks so I can burn some of the gas through and get the filter doing its job and then change it in a few months

Everyone, thanks this is great advise and great pics! Once I am ready to do it I will have to take some before and after pics.

All: I am looking for the best and easiest way to clean up an engine (other then the engine cleaner you can by at an auto store) and paint or pretty up the engine so it looks nice if I wanted to show my 280Z. Any suggestions? Thanks

New fuel filter did the trick, just glad it was not the fuel pump! The fuel that was left in the older filter was very dirty. I am sure the pump I exchanged was very old. It was not the original but still it was very old. On the the next project...

Lucas additive to gas tank. Gas tank was about 2/3 filled with regular unleaded gas. This is the same gas I have used since I bought it (not that I have driven it very much) and when I bought it I drove it about 100 miles back to my home and did not have this problem. In fact it did not start occurring until the day before I posted the question. From talking to people the suggestion that seems to make the most sense is either a fuel filter and/or a fuel pump. I have no idea how old these parts are or if they are even the original parts. Thanks! Joel

Hi All: Hoping for a little advice here. My 1978 280Z runs fine but when driving it if I allow the RPMs to get too high the car starts to hesitate and almost feels like it is bucking. Even when parked if the RPMs are allowed to get about 2,500-3,000 it hesitates and the RPMs drop despite my foot still being on the gas and there is a clear hesitation. Here is what I have done so far: Fuel injector cleaner in the gas tank, new wires, rotor, distributor cap, and checked spark plugs. Anyone experience this before or have any suggestions? Thanks!

I think that I will need to go this route and replace the thermostat and do a full flush at the same time, might as well do it all at once. Is there a specific temperature theromstat that is better for this type of car? Or are they all the same. The time that I overheated the temp indicator was approaching 220 but did not get that far before I pulled over, sat for a little and then I happened to have coolant in the car because of this issue and I put some in and it was fine after this. It is really weird but when I go the car I drove it from Scranton PA all the way down past Allentown PA which probably is 90+ miles and the temp display did not even get to the mid point. Maybe it was that trip where the problem started... Oh well, probably a simple fix, I do want to get the engine cleaned up and what not anyway so the new parts won't hurt!

Well, I got a new cap and it still is leaking. It is really weird, after running for a little it does not leak at all then running for more then 10 min or so I notice it leaking again. I looks like it is coming from the water pump area.The other day I drove it about 30 miles or so and I started to overheat due to the leak. I just don't get it. I have a new water pump that I need to get on, and I was thinking, does anyone think that the thermostat would have anything to do with this?

Thanks for all the information, here is what I am doing: I bought a new radiator cap, 13PSI and put that on. I also ordered a new water pump since it was inexpensive and I will attempt to put that on this weekend, I hope. At that time I will check the hoses and connections to ensure all OK there. Thanks all, I will update once all work is done.

Thank you for the information. I think the best spot to start will be a new radiator cap. I will give it a try and see where it takes me...

I recently bought a 280Z and I am having a problem with the antifreeze/coolant. As I drive the car there is no issue with the temp or anything, but after shutting off the car, a few hours later there is antifreeze on the garage floor. When checking the radiator/reservoir, the radiator was not full to the top and there was just a little in the overflow container. I had the car to the mechanic today for state inspection and he said that he could not find any evidence of antifreeze leaking. I am wondering if it is coming through the overflow tube on the reservoir container? But why would this happen if the radiator was not even full and there was not much in the reservoir. Is there something unique to the 280Z (this is my first one) that would cause this to happen? Thanks all for any help you might have----JoelZ