77280zcar

ok update, i found the problem... on the right side of the ballast resistor there is the rubber hood covering a wire around a nut, well somehow this wire was touching just by a hair and any movement would break the contact, and i guess with me fooling around in the engine compartment near it would set it back, so i started it up and tested this theory by thumping/tugging the wire and every time it would cut the engine off, so i set it back in place and i ran it tonight around for about 30 minutes and it never died once i set it back.. tomorrow night im going to bring some wire strippers with me to cut back on the wire some to run it under that nut, it also probably helped i used some CRC electrical cleaner on every connection i could find! thanks for everyone and their advice!

On a side note, if it ends up being the module, ive heard of people using a gm HEI module in place of the stock one? also would one from a 79 zx differ any from my module?

cool, i have done this in fact, and there wasn't any spark. im going to try tonight to do some testing as you recommended, hopefully ill find a culprit soon! its stranded at work so i can only work on it an hour or so a day, but i do work at a ford dealership so i have techs who can help me if i really need it =)

hello all, my 77 280z recently developed a problem.. i can start it and it runs for about 5 minutes then it shuts off, then i have to wait for 30 minutes or better for it to actually run again. i have been reading online and on the fsm about a transistor ignition module, most of the symptoms of other failed modules match mine to some extent, i have singled it out to a definite spark problem, and the fact that when the car dies i can take a light meter with the car on and try and crank with no signal from the junction box right there on the drivers inner fender by the ign. coil that holds the 2 wires to the distributor, is my theory along the right lines? or am i missing a step somewhere in my testing? im trying to diagnose this as best i can without asking for help but i feel i would make better time of that if i had some expert advice, any information given is deeply appreciated! thanks, Jordan.

Megasquirt, ive heard some things about it but not much at all about how it works or what it does, Ive seen a how-to thread on zcar.com but not much more than that.. and as far as i can tell it looks line someone had tampered with the fuel injector wires already. probably the last owner. but what does megasquirt do basically?

Hello everyone! (new here) I have a 1977 280z, stock engine that as far as i know has never been rebuilt, the previous owner gave me a few items along with the car that would speed up my advances in boosting the car, he gave me a turbo manifold, J-pipe, 83' Fuel injectors, and a few.. questionable items? one was a black ECU he claimed was for a turbo 280zx, year unknown, everything unknown other than it was from a "turbo 280zx" also he gave me what he called a "nismo" cam, I'm not sure if you can use this cam with everything stock or would you have to have some head work done? What else would i need besides the turbo to actually get it running with boost? I've worked on turbo cars before, hardest one being an FD rx7, disassembling/removing the engine and trans. for rebuild, but besides putting it back together in the order it was taken out im not sure im familiar with the fundamentals of what all a turbo needs.. also, would it be a good idea to put a turbo on a stock engine that has probably never been rebuilt? or sure it be rebuilt before adding a turbo? sorry if i rambled on with this :paranoid: anyways, I Thank anyone in advance for your advice and/or 2¢! (edit: this is the latest pic of the car, Ive been fixing it from the previous owners abuse for the past 4-6 months)