Wade Nelson

Wowzer! I would definitely stock up on a voltage regulator if I owned an earlier model!

All you ever wanted to know about the AAR valve. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread46090.html Fast is correct, your 280 doesn't have an 02 sensor, my 280zx does. I had assumed ALL FI cars had an 02 sensor, it's a far better way to reduce emissions AND get optimum mileage out of a FI car. Again, what the TPS does is tell the ECM "Hey, I'm at idle, I'll let YOU try and control the idle speed." If it's too far out of bounds there are mechanical adjustments on most. (A screw controlling an air bleed past the throttle butterfly) Have you got a copy of the Datsun FI "bible?" It's available online, e.g. http://www.xenons130.com/reference.html It's a must-read.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/3099364949.html I've requested some photos I'll post here when they arrive.

Have a not-too-bright co-worker stuff a rag in the exhaust while idling on the rack/hoist and see if you can locate an exhaust leak. Hint: He can hold it there longer wearing an asbestos or "oven mitt." I'd be looking at a failed or misbehaving Throttle Position Sensor (or wiring) as possible cause of your high idle AND "kickback."

Funny that you should point out I had it backwards. (Advancing vs retarding) I actually believe I installed the belt correctly, partly because I had another mechanic inspect and confirm it before buttoning it up. (Cheap insurance!) The owner took it to a second shop (for other problems - CEL, Multiple misfire) and they CLAIMED the belt had been mis-installed. I never quite believed it, but ...gotta at least ACT humble. So now I'm wondering if I had it right all along and the OTHER shop advanced it a tooth. (The CEL never went away even after the other shop SUPPOSEDLY corrected it, re-adjusted the valves, etc.) And, a non-aggressive driver WOULD prefer low-end torque over hi-revving power... I'm not sure that vehicle EVER got a correct diagnosis on the MMF, which was perhaps EGR related. (Recessed valves on two heads in a row, known Honda (B20) defect, but now I'm thinking the MMF was a CAUSE and not a SYMPTOM...) But the whole affair DOES go to show you a single tooth / link of timing change can have a NOTICEABLE effect on performance, high-vs low end.

My ignition switch was getting "tired," it was taking excess twist to get it to the CRANK position. Friends I invited into the driver's seat couldn't start it without "instruction." So I repalced it with a new Beck/Arnley from Rock Auto. 30 day warranty. Super cheap. $12. Failed after 40 days. RockAuto was good about it, honored the warranty, but this time I bought the Airtex/Wells with a 1 year warranty. $12 vs $25. Not worth the labor to replace...AGAIN. The first time the "new" one misbehaved it would crank, but immediately die when I came back to the run position, repeatedly. AC wasn't cutting in either. Thought I was vapor locking.... Managed to limp it home. Now it has the spring loaded "return" taking it not just out of crank, but off of "run." Internal switch failure? It may have just been a single bad part, but I'm concerned perhaps my starter solenoid is pulling too many amps and frying ignition switches. I may wire a $5 Bosch 30A relay in between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid, as THAT would be a lot easier to replace than replacing this switch a 3rd time. I might also wire a beneath-the-dash kill switch to the other side of the relay, a cheap but very powerful form of anti-theft. Anyway,the lesson learned is DONT BUY 30 DAY WARRANTY PARTS unless you don't mind ripping the entire dash, whatever, out a second time. BTW, my ignition cylinder itself is very worn, despite some work by a locksmith. Anyone got a spare one lying around (280zx) with at least one working key?

Just to follow up, it's definitely pressure, not vacuum. I can feel the fumes blow past my fingers when I unscrew the cap. From the FSM it APPEARS that the tank is SUPPOSED to be kept under a SLIGHT amount of pressure. The one-way valve leading to the charcoal cannister, I probably need a new one, some rust or corrosion is probably why it's taking MORE pressure than it should to overcome.

Generic no-start diagnosis is as follows. Spritz some starter fluid (carb cleaner, brake cleaner, anything flammable) in the intake. If it starts, you've got a fuel problem. If it doesn't you've got an ignition problem. Pull a plug wire and see if you've got spark, ANY spark. If you do, then you've got a timing or distributor problem. Or lack of compression. Pull the plug, put your finger over the hole, have someone crank and see if you've got compression. Pull the cap and see if the rotor is going around. See if you've got spark FROM the coil. If not, diagnose the ignition. Inside of 20 minutes you should know WHERE your problem lies.

I accidentally put a timing BELT on a Honda twin-cam engine one tooth advanced. From 3000 to redline the thing ran like a banshee. I never knew a CRV was a race car in disguise. Holy mother of God that thing was fast! Alas, nothing is free. The owner complained about loss of low end torque. One of those boring people who shifts at 2k I s'pose. So yes, if you want your Z to breathe better at the high end, advancing the timing CHAIN will probably give you that, but be prepared to pay for it with harder starting and some loss of low end torque. NOW you understand why VVT --- variable valve timing --- is such a godsend on smaller, hi-revving motors.

I'd be looking at the ignition timing and advance unit.

I found myself replacing a # of rock hard (baked) vacuum hoses yestiddy, and thought I'd share a few tips. The # trick is NOT to bust off the "barb" or nipple it fits onto. Some of these small plastic pieces are ir-replaceable. What I'll do is take a tubing cutter, and cut the old hose in half 1" away from the barb. Now i'm only fighting with one end. Next I'll take a boxcutter, and slit the hose ALONG the barb, in two places, 90 degrees from each other. If it's a plastic barb, be very, very careful. (Try also never to pull the boxcutter TOWARD yourself, some nasty cuts can result. Ask how I know this...) Usually with two slices, you can then TWIST the remaining piece of hose off the barb. I have something similar to an icepick, but with the last 1" bent 90 degrees, that I use for radiator and other large diameter hoses. You stick it between the outlet and the hose and run it around in a circle, breaking the rubber loose from the outlet. Best tool in my box -- NAPA sells 'em. I'll grease most barbs with "Silglide," a pure silicone lubricant available from NAPA, before trying to slide a new piece of hose on. If your local store doesn't have Silglide, try your local adult video & toy store. Adult silicone lube will work just as well. Beware, silicone in any form can contaminate an 02 sensor, so either use it sparingly, or just use petroleum grease (or jelly) if some of it is possibly going to end up in the intake of the engine. AC/Heater control hoses --- no worry. Usually brittle hoses crack right at the end, and there's always ONE I don't have the right size tubing to replace. So what I'll do is cut off the last 1", and just slide it down a bit until I can get to the parts store. When you go to the parts store, they've got several varieties of hose: Vacuum hose Coolant hose Emissions hose Fuel hose Fuel Injection hose (green, low -emissions) The two most common mistakes are using 5/8" coolant hose for emissions applications, like the PCV line, and paying for 50-100 psi fuel injection hose ($7 a foot) if all you need is fuel hose (carbureted) $4 a foot. Coolant hose can't withstand heated, fuel and oil laden fumes. Sometimes that's all they've got in the larger sizes and you use it anyway until you can get what you need. I see someone selling complete vacuum hose kits on ebay, in neon colors. Like wow, man! He claims to have vacuum diagrams for all the different Z models, Federal vs California, etc. I currently have a problem with my AC going to the floor vents whenever I romp on the accelerator. Most likely this is a cracked hose, or leaking vacuum motor somewhere under the dash. The way I intend to locate it is using a smoke machine, which most garages today have. These pump smoke in at a very low (1-3 psi) pressure, and you simply look for the leak as you dial the heater control to the various positions. You can also use a cigar/cigarette and someone with big lungs accustomed to exhaling large quantities of that *hit! Hose clamps come in 3 primary varieties, the wire-style originally on the Z's for those purists doing restorations, the ubiquitous stainless steel screw clamps you see under most hoods, and specific FUEL INJECTION clamps for FI lines. These do a better job of compressing the entire hose than the screw clamps. they're worth the extra buck or two compared to an engine bay fire, imho. HTH.

The classifieds definitely work WEIRD. I click from page to page but HALF the ads are the same as ones on previous pages. No idea what's going on.

You'll need to consult the the schematic of the EFI system in the factory service manual to determine which ECM pins should have continuity to ground, B+, etc. If you don't have a FSM or know how to read schematics, you'll want to hire someone who does. It's not really something you can expect someone on a forum to do for you. Since you've previously had CSV problems, I'd be paying special attention to those inputs to the ECM, thermotyme, crank signal... Most likely you have a shorted sensor, putting B+ to an ECM input that shouldn't be seeing B+, or else one of the ECM outputs, like an injector driver, is shorted to ground. Those are the most common ways an ECM gets "confused." Since your "new" ECM lasted 30 minutes, I would check the resistance of my injectors, make sure one isn't shorted. Good luck, and if all else fails, I can drive out to OC and diagnose it for you. But I expect you'll figure it out long before that point, or find someone local to help you who's good with auto electrics. I'd also unwrap my ECM wire harness and look for wire damage, rodent damage, previous repairs, melted wires/insulation, green corrosion in the connector, etc.

The dual I pulled off a junkyard car was a stick and at least APPEARED to be original...

Girls think your car is "cute?" Girls think Miatas are "cute" too. That's not a good thing.

>Cold start valve is also having problems (always has). It's constantly getting a current and keeps continuously spraying fuel. Previously, when the injectors were working, I had unplugged it because I don't really need it. Right now, the only way the car can start is with the cold start plugged in (the car is running on fuel from the CSV only) If your CSV is constantly being fed current then your ECM thinks your engine is constantly being cranked. Check your crank signal to the ECM. You might just have a bad keyswitch.

It may be that your flywheel has been milled too many times.

Here's a much kinder review of the ZX --- http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/comparison/four-automatic-sports-gt-cars

Dry ice is another trick.

easiest / safest way is to pull the fuse for the fuel pump, or disconnect it, then crank the engine a few times.

As a noob I felt left out of conversations about different ZX heads --- until I found these pages: http://datsunzgarage.com/p90/ *details P79, P90, P90a http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php?topic=6012.0

Well, even WITH the alcohol-free gas my car still starts first crank 90% of the time, and 2nd or 3rd crank 10% of the time. That's AFTER tightening up a loose fuel hose too. I'm just throwing my hands in the air and driving it.

Running CLAIMED rust-free seems to be about 10K these days. YMMV.

Well, it didn't require complete floorboard replacement. I bent a 90 degree brace to support the rear of the passenger floorboard, and the rear crossmember brace bolted right through it. Welded AND bolted it in. Then I pop-riveted some thin steel over that to cover up the hole in the floor. I had cut / ground out all of the rust. Some primer and put the carpet back down. (The rear crossmember bracket is essentially the rear jacking point, right in front of the rear wheels) About 12 hours beginning to end. I'm sure, since they all rust there, I'll be hearing from someone sometime in the future for more specifics. I took pictures. The 90 degree brace was (before I forget it) 3" wide by 8" long, bent at 2 1/2" mark on the long dimension. If it were doing it again I would add some 2" "wings" to the 2 1/2" portion so you're not trying to put bolts right where they interefere with the crossmember "donut" I had to slot a lot of the holes because stuff translated during re-assembly. Initially the 90 degree brace was interfering with the crossmember support bracket itself. Took a lot of pounding to make them co-exist. I figured out where the water comes from, the "box" formed where the floorboard turns up apparently allows water from the outside to get to the inside of the vehicle. And it drains, right in the very corner, onto the floorboard. It should have been "gooped" better at the factory, but in reality, that just would have created a rust-through problem somewhere else. Even a 1/8" hole to let that corner of the floorboard drain, drilled at the factory, would have saved so many owners so much heartache. Lift up the carpet behind YOUR seat and see how bad YOUR problem is... I seriously considered just selling this one and looking for a car freer of rust, but dang it, this one runs so good, and my investment in it is still minimal. The repair is structurally sound and should be good for another 20 years.

Losing your bolts is a lot better than having a screw loose or a kick in the nuts. Learn to be grateful.