Captain Obvious

My non-expert thoughts on the matter? Most of the fuel injection systems have a long-ish intake tract and some sort of air flow meter along the way towards the air cleaner. Both of those restrict the air flow. Might not be much restriction, but it's more restriction than a short stub of a carb throat running wide open. For example... When they went to the fuel injection in the 280Z, each cylinder got a whole lot less throttle plate cross sectional area to the air cleaner than they did when they were running carbs. In addition, the fuel injection system has that AFM flapper thingie which adds some restriction. So while it's absolutely POSSIBLE to design and install a FI system that provides no additional intake restriction over a typical set of carbs, I think it's cheaper for the manufacturer to use something that shares components like throttle body and air flow meters. I don't think the manufacturers went to fuel injection because of performance. I think it was because of driveability, fuel economy, and emissions. So I'm no expert in the field, but my take is that for most stock automobiles these days, if you're willing to forgo wide temperature range drivability, fuel economy, and emissions... I think you can get better straight up raw performance from a carb or a bunch of carbs. Maybe a set of ITB's and a huge MAF that doesn't provide only negligible restriction could be the same as carbs?

Haha!! I think you've been lying in wait just looking for the opportunity to use that!

And about your dash gauge color... I changed my Z over to white and never looked back. I had amber in my late eighties Pontiac Fiero and it was cool. For about a week.

So it sounds like this is a non-stock application where you're putting a 280 gauge into a 260? Do you know what year is the gauge? And by the way, forget that stuff I said earlier about the grounds for the voltmeter and the fuel gauge being tied together inside the gauge... They're not. I was not reading the FSM diagrams correctly. The two black wires at the top of the gauge (one solid black and the other is black but has a red wrap of tape on it). Those two are for the voltmeter. I assume the one with the red tape on it is positive and the other is negative. Those two come out of the back of the gauge at 12:00 ish when looking at the back. And then the voltmeter ground is the other black wire that comes out of the back of the gauge at 8:00-ish Those are the three wires you're working with?

Forget all that stuff I wrote here. It's wrong. Oh, and by the way... The ground side of the voltmeter and the ground side for the fuel gauge are already connected inside the gauge assembly. So when you say "you're connecting the fuel gauge ground"... I'm not really sure what you mean by that. In other words, there is no fuel gauge ground accessible outside of the assembly. There is the fuel lever sending unit connection, but no ground. So if I had to shoot from the hip here, I would guess you're connecting the wrong wires somehow.

That wiggle is caused by the temperature/voltage compensation circuit built into the fuel gauge portion of the meter. But that said... the wiggle should not be happening, so let's explore a little. It looks like a source impedance issue where the amount of current you're pulling from your source is dragging the supply voltage down. The question is "But why?" How many wires are you connecting on the gauge? Two for the voltmeter, and a third when you bring the fuel gauge into the picture?

@Mike

@Mike

Maybe they were designed like that. Variable rate progressives. The lower coils bind on big bumps. You know... Like when you let it down off the jack.

Hahaha!!!

Welcome back Zedy. You're our only hope.

If the booster is in good shape, it should hold vacuum. You'll need to put a check valve (or manual shut-off valve) on the vacuum source side so you don't lose vacuum back-flowing through the vacuum pump when you turn it off, but other than that, the can should be sealed.

Oh, and your steering wheel coin... That's about the size of a quarter, right? That's going to take a long time to mill out all that detailed recessed area. And I'm sure the reason you're going to powder coat it is to hide the tooling marks, right?

Cool. I've not looked for makerspaces in my area, but that is something I should investigate. Been meaning to, but keep forgetting. I did pick up an el-cheapo CNC router not long ago and have made a few parts similar in concept to what you're trying to do. "They say" it's capable of doing some light duty milling in aluminum, but I don't think it's rigid enough. Everything I've cut so far has been plastic. So far, I've followed my typical pattern... Spend about half the time improving the machine and fixing the flaws with it, and the other half the time actually using the machine to make parts.

Haha!! Exactly who I was thinking of when I wrote that! Thanks for picking that up! Ack!!

Hahaha!!! It's true!! In fact, I just got a new one! And... I hated it so bad* that after a short usage time (one month maybe), I just got ANOTHER new flip phone of a different brand. The new-new one is more advanced than my previous flips. I handed it to my son yesterday and in a matter of minutes he was laughing at funny videos on youtube. So it's got that. I might never use it for that, but it's clearly capable. So ppppbbbbhttttt for all you guys who think I'm stuck in the 1990's. Hahaha!! * IMHO, it should have never left the factory. If I wrote the software on that POS, I would have been fired on the spot.

Stealing a stock Z? For me... Gone in 60 seconds and I wouldn't care at all whether the security screws were broken off or not. You need something more elaborate than that. Great list. Let me add... Break a window, reach in and open the hood, disconnect the steering coupler donut, jumper the starter solenoid, and then use the starter to crank the car to your place while steering by kicking the front tires in the direction you want to go. Bring extra batteries just in case the PO was having alternator troubles. Or a charger and a really long extension cord.

Yeah, I'm not sure I did a good job of putting my thoughts into words. Av8ferg did a much better job than I did. So let me try again... So you think this forum exists for the purpose so you can ask us every question and you don't have to do any research yourself? is that why we're here?

Yes, they're all polyurethane. The question is "what are the characteristics of the polyurethane?" Just because they're poly, doesn't mean they're "the same". It's like saying "they're made of plastic". But I'm sure you already knew all that.

Nice work. You've got access to one of those? That would be really sweet!

I suggest your premise is not correct. I believe there would still be a need for this forum even if you googled every question. TATFAW. Better yet... Let's try that to find out.

Haha!! Life's funny that way, huh? So durometer would probably be relatively easy. Especially if you're really only interested in the relative difference between the two. But other than that... Maybe you could go back to the office for a visit, and while you're there... Take a spin around the test lab one last time?

LOL. I think everyone agrees with you. Steve should never admit it in public, but it's just all way too well done to be "coincidence". No. Absolutely not. That's just about perfect. Maybe the only thing that could have possibly been a tiny bit better would be if you decided that the tire inflator was risky because it generated too much pressure, so the wife had to resort to something a little more gentle. Like blowing into a tube or something.

I suspect the specifications you seek would only be available through two sources... 1) The manufacturer(s). And I agree that it would be unlikely they would be willing to share that level of detail. and... 2) Someone who has purchased both and had them analyzed to determine the detailed specs. Maybe you'll find someone who has already done that analysis and is willing to share, but I think it's a long shot. Good luck with the venture. Have you considered using rubber bushings instead?

I believe it's around 127 or so.