xkeithx

well today i put all the plugs back in and hooked up the fuel injectors, but i left the cold start injector unplugged. it didnt do anything. i think it ran smooth for like 2 seconds and then started running rough, i turned it off, plugged the cold start injector back in and started it and it just ran rough again. then as it was running i unplugged the cold start injector, and i unplugged the fuel injectors one at a time and even that didn't do anything to change the idle of the engine. the smoke actually does have a blu-ish tint to it, but its mostly gray. its not dark smoke, its pretty light, so its hard to tell. i dont know if its gas or water or fuel or what. even when i give the engine gas, and get it up to a higher RPM, the engine still runs rough and feels like its going to die. how would i be able to test if it is the temp sensor? where is the temp sensor located? i dont know if this is related at all.. but my engine temperature/oil pressure gauge seems to be broken. when i turn on the car, the needles move very slightly.. so i know the gauge is not disconnected, but when the car starts, neither of the needles move. maybe this would be an indication of a broken temp sensor? i really dont know. what do you guys think?

it doesnt sound like a blown head gasket, does it? i was worried about that, and i think my compression tester is broken.

yes, my plugs are wet with gas. they are also completely black, it looks like dry ash or something, are the plugs supposed to turn black?

no , its weird, like.. right now its all cold outside, and it hasnt been started since the day before yesterday. but if i started it now, it would run rough right away. its hard to get it to run smoothly..and it only lasts a little while, then every time after when i start it, it will run rough.

ive replaced the fuel filter, where is the pcv valve located?

oh crappy. its a 78 280z, fuel injected

ok well when i first got the car, i started the engine and it ran nice and smooth. i drove it home (about 30 miles or so) with no problems at all. then its just been sitting at my house, i didnt drive it, because i needed to get money for insurance so i could register it. but i was taking the car for drives around the block just to keep everything good i guess. then one day i was at a stop sign and it stalled. i started it and the engine ran really rough. i barely got it home, and took out the spark plugs and replaced them with new ones. i also replaced the cap and rotor. then i started the engine and it was running perfectly smooth again. i drove it around the block, and cam eto a stop sign, and the same thing happened. we limped home, which was right around the corner (i was only taking the car for short drives around the block because its not legal to drive) and tried starting it again. the engine was running rough, sounded like only a few of the cylinders were working. and there was a ton of smoke coming out the exhaust pipe. well yesterday, i went and got a new set of wires. i put them on, and the engine ran nice and smooth.. and there was no mysterious smoke coming out of the exhaust. (it wasnt blue smoke, just gray smoke, i guess burning oil? i dont know). so then today i went to warm up the engine because i wanted to do a compression test. i started the engine , and it was running smooth just like it was last night. but then i was just letting it sit there and idle, and after about 2 or 3 minutes the engine started running rough again, sounded like it was missing, and the idle speed dropped to like 350 rpm or something. i had to keep my foot on the gas to keep the engine from dying, which it eventually did anyways. giving it more gas didnt really do much. so my question is this: why would the engine run smooth for a little while, and then run rough? and why would it only temporarily improve every time i replaced a part of the ignition? anyone else experience this problem? p.s. i attempted a compression test, and cylinder #1 held air and the other ones all came up 0. then i re-tested #1 and it came up 0 also. so maybe the gauge is broken, i dont know what happened. i'll have to redo the compression test and let you guys know.

yeah actually now that i think about it, i think they were just fouled by a rich mixture of fuel. i got the ngk's, put them in, and the engine was still having that weird problem where it would miss. i replaced the cap and rotor, and then it started up very nicely. so i guess it was just the cap and rotor contacts that were bad. i still havent replaced the oil, i havent really had time to drive the car, or do any work on it. i just need to get it registered and replace the bald tires before i really drive it. but since its just sitting, should i wait till everythings ready to go before i change the oil, or does it matter? and when i do change it, should i run the engine first to warm it up, or just drain it cold? i want to get as much sludge as possible out of the engine so it will be nice and clean.

well i got it figured out.. i took apart the starter and cleaned everything, put it back, still wouldnt start.. then i looked behind the key switch and just touched a screwdriver to the black/yellow and white/red wires and it started right up. so i guess its my switch. i took the switch out and tested it with an ohmmeter, and i guess when i turn the switch from start to on the switch doesnt go over far enough to engage the switch. i dont really feel like spending 30 bucks for a new switch so i just kinda hold the key at the on position and shake it a little and i can get it to start. anyone else do this? maybe i could spray some sorta cleaner stuff inside the switch to clean the contacts so i dont have to shake it? i dont know. would brake parts cleaner be a good thing to use for cleaning contacts? thats what i used to get all the dust out of my starter motor, it seemed to work good.

can anyone tell me what wire goes to which spade terminal on the back of the ignition key? there are 5 terminals and only 4 wires. does anyone know what the extra terminal (labeled "R") is used for? thanks.

just to clarify everything.. the solenoid in the engine compartment is not clicking. it is a little square relay inside the car on the passenger side under the dash that is making a clicking noise.. so would it be that thats worn out?? i tried putting the key in and i put it to the start position, and then i took a screwdriver and touched the two terminals of the starter solenoid together, and all these sparks came out and that scared me so maybe i did it wrong?? was i supposed to disconnect the ign lead? which one is the ign lead? as far as i can tell, there are 2 big terminals on the solenoid... one that goes into the starter and the other one that connects to the + battery terminal. and there are some other wires connected to there that were probably for a stereo or something. and then theres a little spade thing with a black wire coming off it, and it goes through the firewall somewhere. whats that wire for? just to recap.. the only click i hear when turning the key to "on" is a relay under the dash.. and i dont hear any click from the solenoid in the engine compartment. thanks for the help guys.

well when i got the z the ac pump belt was completely destroyed.. a big chunk of the rubber was missing, and it just practically fell off when i touched it. today i got a new belt and put it on, ran fine, etc, but when i switched the ac on the engine's rpm went way down and i saw some smoke coming from the air conditioning pump. i think it was the clutch burning up? because the pump itself wasnt moving at all. but the bearing thing that the belt is connected to was spinning.. i know i had the right tension and everything. but something is frozen in the pump i guess.. how can i fix this?? thanks

i put the key in turn it, i hear a click when i turn the key to "Start" but there is no cranking from the starter. then i have to pull the key out and keep trying to start it, and eventually the starter will work. its weird... i hear the little solenoid near the passenger side make a clicking noise.. so i know the wiring from the key lock to the solenoid is good.. but from there to the starter, i can get the engine to start maybe once out of every 20 or 30 tries. i know the battery is fine and all that, i dont know if its a loose wire or not. ive even tried holding the key at the start position for like a minute.. and it just keeps the solenoid open but nothing happens. so i guess that would rule out a bad connection.. what the heck is wrong? why does it take so many tries to get my engine started? i have a 1978 280z, all the wiring is stock as far as i know.

i just got a datsun 280z from a friend, it had been sitting for a few months and i guess it just needed a battery and the clutch needed to be bled. i got it running and drove it home, the engine ran nice and smooth. i had been taking it out every other day or so, just driving around the block, and like the 4th or 5th time i drove it it just stalled.. now whenever i start it it feels like its missing or something, i pulled the spark plugs and they are all coated in oil. does this mean i need to rebuild my engine?? i mean, it ran fine before, when i drove it home. i havent changed the oil or anything. the only thing i did to the car since i got it was put a new battery in and top off the clutch fluid, and fill the gas tank. the wires seem fine, what type of spark plugs should i get? whats the difference between the resistor and non resistor plugs? i was looking at the ngk plugs because i know thats what everyone seems to rave about in this forum, but which one? there are many different kinds that i have seemed to find that fit a 78 datsun. i live in california, and it can get to 100 degrees outside.. i dont know if that makes a difference or not. also, what type of oil should i put in? since i havent changed the oil since obtaining the car, i know it should probably be first priority. what grade should i get? synthetic or non synthetic? thanks guys. keith