ntownsen

Thanks for all the tips. I will start working my way through the list this weekend.

Title says it all. Been searching threads and I've seen vapor lock, heat seat issues, etc but none of the symptoms seem to match my issue. After flushing the fuel pipes, replacing fuel filter, testing fuel pump, cleaning tank, cleaning fuel rail, replacing injectors, new plugs, new plug wires, and replacing all old fuel hoses with nice new EFI hoses the 280z roared to life. Drove it around the block a few times and everything was working great. Decided to take it for a short trip (15 miles) and had to limp home before I even got out of town. Car ran really good then started sputtering under load. Idled OK but sounded a bit rough. After several attempts to nurse it home, I finally shut it down and called a friend to come give me a tow. While waiting, I checked to make sure pump was coming on (yep), relay was clicking (yep), and nothing had come loose. When my friend arrived, I tried to get it to go one more time and it roared to life again. Drove it home and once more started sputtering when I finally got home. Waited 10 minutes and it roars to life again. FSM and forum searched gives me the impression it is vapor lock. Number one recommended solution has been to replace fuel rail ... trying to keep this as original as possible. Some threads I have difficulty following. Is there a "sticky" on this problem that I'm missing? Any clear posts or direction on troubleshooting? Not looking to be spoon fed but I'm am getting frustrated with posts that look promising but don't really address my problem. Thanks for reading my little rant ...

Just received my MSA Exhaust last week and was looking forward to the final mechanical repair to our car ... sadly it doesn't fit. As mentioned above, it looks like MSA exhausts may have some alignment issues. I'm running a stock manifold on a stock Z and expected a everything to fit without issues. The price is attractive but having to have it tweaked may negate any price savings. Can't address the sound of the exhaust yet since its not installed yet.

Update. Captain Obvious had the right idea ... looks like the tank itself is clogged. Pulled the lines off the tank with it 1/2 full and ... NOTHING. Not a dribble of gas. Drained the tank and dropped it. The inside looked like it had shag carpet the varnishing was so bad. Have run POR-15 tank cleaner through it a couple times and its looking better, but still can't even get compressed air through the return or supply. That doesn't sound normal. I'm guessing they are blocked somewhere in the tank. The cleaner doesn't seem to be clearing it. Any ideas? I did start it up off of a gas can after I pulled the tank ... sounded great! Of course it still doesn't have an exhaust so it sounded really nasty ... my son wants to leave it that way :-)

Thanks for all the info! After I found a good replacement, I went through the fuel injection supplement of the FSM tests and discovered relay is just fine but contacts may have been dirty. Now the pump is working, relay is working, pins on the ECU all test out, AFM is working fine and even have good spark ... but fuel is not making it to injectors. Previous owner started the rebuild so tank has been empty for several years ... got to get that pump primed and maybe this thing will start. Following other posts and FSM so wish me luck!

Feeling older every day. Particularly when I'm upside down scrunched under the steering wheel of this ridiculously small 280z. Then unfold myself and hurt all over. Initially I was just going to replace because ... hey relays are cheap. Planning on testing my existing relay before blowing any money. Thanks EuroDat for the part number!! Using that part number I was able to find multiple suppliers at under $90.

"I've searched the world over and thought I found true love ... and pfth is was gone" (you get that if you ever watched HeeHaw). I've searched around quite a bit and I can't find a fuel injection/fuel pump combo relay. Every time I think I've found a solution, it is no longer available or its a broken link. I finally found one on ebay but they are asking $145 and that seems a little steep for a simple relay. I read some posts of people who have rewired to use more readily available parts but the descriptions were beyond my expertise. Logically since the connectors are separate, I thought I'd be able to just pick up separate relay's instead of a combo, but I haven't read anything that makes that look like a viable option. Is there an alternative, or do I just fork over the $145? This is for a '77 280z coupe that I just can't seem to get running. Thanks for the read. Nathan

Aplets and Cotlets and Crunch Pak ... Cashmere's claim to fame. Applets and Cottlets (now Graplettes etc) are a sugary fruit confection that is incredibly addicting. If you haven't tried them, you should. Crunch Pak supplies all of the sliced apples packs that you find at Costco, McDonalds, and Disneyland. Not bad for a town of less than 4,000. I would happily exchange bolts for candy! PM me and we'll work out the details! Mark ... I agree. I am missing so many bolt/fasters/clips and I have a donor car to pull from ... they both seem to be missing the same parts or (in the case of transmission bolts) automatic parts are different from manual. Good news is the transmission bolts are the last mechanical parts missing. Now I'm on to reassembling the body ... the only thing intact was the interior.

I'm starting to feel rather helpless. Finding info on parts is difficult. Just got my engine issues figured out only to find more missing parts ... (I will never buy a partially restored car again)! Can someone tell me the size of the bolts used to mount the manual transmission to the body in an '77 coupe? There are two rather long bolts that hold a cross-member to the body that then bolts to the tranny/rubber mount and of course mine are missing. No clue where the original bolts went and I'm currently holding it in place with a jack. I've searched the usual places for part numbers etc and came up with 11322-N3000 used in the '78 zx but I'm not sure that's the same hex-bolt used on the '77 z. Plus I can't find a place that gives me the spec's for those bolts so I can run down to my local Fastenal to get an equivalent. Anyone with some insight for me? Thanks for the read! Nathan '77 Coupe manual - in bits and pieces but coming along. '76 Coupe automatic - rusted and being stripped

I took the fuel pressure regulator vacuum hose off for the picture and I am definitely using EFI hoses! The N42 intake change was my hair-brained idea (off the same '76 I got the fuel rail). The EGR pipes were severely damaged and rusted to the N47 intake. After contemplating the cost of said pipes (the small one being impossible to even find) and potential machining cost to repair the broken bolts I was bound to cause, I decided to use what I had and scrap the EGR, BPT, BCCD. I just used the intake manifold I already had sitting on my garage floor. It did mean having to plug the EGR hole in the exhaust manifold but at least this way if I eventually get all those parts assembled I can put it back to "stock" at some point with relative ease ( ... nothing is easy with this car). I guess I'm starting to get impatient with this car. The engine has been sitting on my garage floor for three weeks as I tinker with putting it all back together ... one step forward to find 3 other problems. Now I just want to get the engine back in and on the road!

My fuel rail clearly looks like a modified 78 as zed head described. Mystery solved! We have about 3 months of cold weather so I'm leaning toward replacing with the 76 fuel rail and keeping the CSV. Thanks for all your help in identifying this rail and suggestions.

I do have the FSM and don't see anything like it. It looks just like the 77 fuel rail only it does not have the nipple for the cold start to connect. Also noticed last night that the pressure regulator only has two fuel and one vacuum connection instead of the typical 3-1 and is bolted to the rail instead of hanging loose. This is a late month '77. Could this be a transition model and have a fuel rail off a turbo or zx? I doubt it’s an aftermarket because it has the whole spaghetti coiling pipe thing going on and I would assume going to aftermarket would be to clean things up. Also I have met the original owner and he was a "take it to the shop guy". The subsequent owner was focused on bodywork since the car was running. He had just started working on rebuilding the engine when he ran out of money and enthusiasm. By all accounts the parts I have were on the car when it ran last, but I just don't see anything "standard" with this setup. What kind of mutant do I have on my hands and what do I do about it? Thinking of pulling the rail off of a local '76 and being done with it, but the stubborn side of me wants to figure this out.

OK has anyone else seen this? I bought a 77 280z that someone had already started a rebuild so I have no reference on how things 'used to be'. I'm starting reassembly and can't figure out how the cold start valve attaches to the fuel rail. This fuel rail is solid piping except where the regulator assembly mounts. I have two other z's to compare to and neither have this configuration. Ideas? I'm stuck.

Sadly, the Excedy clutch kit doesn't come even close to aligning even though it looks like it is drilled for multiple patterns. The also specify two different versions: one for 225mm flywheels and one for 240mm flywheels. Kurbycar32, I'm going to check out my old flywheel and see if I can have it machined into spec. I have replaced so many parts of this car I was hoping to start off with a new clutch/flywheel. I'll get back to you if I end up taking you up on your offer. Nathan

I generally lurk around her getting answers from prior posts but after doing a quick search I didn't see any posts that id where to get a flywheel for a '77 coupe. I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to find a new flywheel on line and all I find is the 2+2. I have already mistakenly purchased a 2+2 flywheel only to discover there are 240mm (2+2) flywheels and 225mm (Coupe) flywheels. My clutch kit is for the later. I've checked all my usual places to buy and keep coming up with the SACHS NFS5301 that I already have. Anyone know where I can pick up a new 225mm flywheel for under $100? So far everything I've found has been over $250. Or do I just bite the bullet switch to 240mm and get a new clutch kit? Thanks! Nathan