chaseincats

It has a 170 degree thermostat currently. The thermostat that was in there was a Nissan center feed 170 degree thermostat, and after putting the new 170 one with the offset valve (before changing any other part of the cooling system) I had the same issues so it shouldn't be that. I do remember it getting even hotter last year when i was sitting in traffic with the AC on so it really shouldn't be the new thermostat. Is the radiator throwing coolant into the overflow bottle the sign that things are too hot? Basically asking if I should care what the temp gauge is saying if it's not hot enough to push coolant out of the rad.

More numbers for you guyw More numbers for you. Today it was 95 and after a long drive with the AC on the whole way, with the sun directly shining on the hood, when I got off the highway it got up to 203 when I shot it with the IR temp gun when I got home. I put water wetter in it the other day for what it's worth. I took a look at the overflow bottle (which was never filled but I filled the radiator to the top of the neck and it was empty if that helps at all. Any ideas?

I'm guessing at this point its stuff hanging out in the coolant passages not the radiator. Regarding the IR temp gun, I tried that today and the gauge is indeed reading right. With the car in my shady garage it was apparently around 88 degrees in there and after running for maybe 15 minutes with the AC on and the hood closed it got up to around 195. Any thoughts on that number?

I used oreilly's generic flush chemical a month or so ago and did the low budget fix of 'the garden hose in the thermostat housing' which got a fair bit out but didn't change what the gauge had to say.

Any way to clear these without disassembling the head/block and shipping it off to a machine shop?

I believe its coolant since its white (not blue) and has a sweet smell

Good point - is there a way to check/fix that without sending the head and block to a machine shop?

Oil looks good - it's always thrown a small puff of white coolant smoke on a hard acceleration gear change though

I have an air/fuel gauge on here and it sits at 13.8 at idle which is pretty standard. Cruise is 14.2-14.7 depending on speed and WOT is around 11ish.

This was an aftermarket thermostat with an off-set valve. I'd definitely agree that could be the case but the thermostat I had in there previously was only a couple years old and a genuine nissan part with a centralized valve but after changing to this thermostat the issue didn't change.

Unfortunately the problem with the old rad/thermostat/water pump/fan clutch persists with the new rad/thermostat/water pump/fan clutch even after burping it.

I'd give that a shot but I got a new radiator and took it for its maiden voyage last Thursday when I noticed the car still had the issue

Hey gang, got an odd one for you. My car used to sit rock solid at 170 (has a 170 degree thermostat) but within the past year that's become more variable depending on if I'm sitting idle or driving. If sitting idle in 95 degree weather, it will go a little past half which I know isn't bad but the fact that it used to sit rock-solid at 170 regardless of weather tells me there's something wrong and even though its not severe it's annoying lol. I've changed the fan clutch, thermostat, water pump, checked fanbelt tightness, changed coolant, used a flushing chemical, and even got a brand new radiator but while the temperature isn't moving as much, the needle still moves depending on if idling or driving. There is definitely rust in the system because the PO used tap water and ever since I got it years ago, its been a game of 'how much rust will come out with this flush' (its always less but there nevertheless). I've also cleaned the temp gauge harness connector/sensor outlet and nothing has changed. I'd have thought it was the temp gauge if the car didn't go back to 170 like it used to while driving - but since it does, it tells me the temp gauge hasn't lost calibration and the coolant temperature really is changing. Any ideas?

huge help as always captain, thanks!

I would need to use the zx relay in combination with the zx door buzzer im guessing?

be sure to only press in the area denoted to. pressing in the middle will probably break the lens at this point

yep

the dome light. the map light ive never changed but that requires you to take the hvac panel out (4 screws)

Read my 2nd post here: https://www.zcar.com/threads/get-your-z-clock-working-for-3-88.420916/

pull it out of the trim piece its sitting in - just kinda jiggle it down. the bulb can then be popped out from the other side of the housing. you are right to be concerned about shattering the lens, its fragile at this point but changing the bulb as long as you don't smack the lens somehow doesn't have anything to do with the lens.

Here's a potentially dumb question. Is it possible to swap in the open-door 280zx doorbell buzzer into a 280z?

Gotcha, we're in different baskets then

I had the same issue and discovered it was the wheels. Both sets I had, had their lug nut holes wallowed out a bit and were somewhat ovular. So even though the lug nuts were on there tight, the wheel could still move a millimeter or so in the lug nut hole creating the steering wheel vibration. I did the same as you in replacing basically the whole front of the car and having the tires balanced multiple times until I tried other wheels.

Does it have the mount holes for the original fan shroud?

It fit in without having to bend the mounting arms or anything?