78 280zcar

Hey gary how did you get the torque converter off.

I was just wondering which year 5 speeds are interchangeble with a 1978 280z that has an automatic in it and an r180 diffy. I dont want an automatic anymore. Thanks

Well today I took the thermostat out and backflushed the radiator and the block and left the thermostat out because it was overheating, after I had done that car was running too cool, where does your guys gauge get up to when you are running the car at night, mine gets like a fourth of an inch before the middle of the gauge, is this good for the car to run this cool or is it only because I was running it at night, during the day (90 degree weather) it takes a while to get there but it goes to the middle, and should I put a thermostat back in it. I tested the coolant and water mixture with a tester and it is fine it is even below the line to where it is suppose to be. I kinda like it because when I bought the car about two years ago it would always overheat and there was no thermostat in it. So I put one in it and it still overheated. Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Thanks 2manyz's, what about the heat shield in between the two manifolds, what holds that on there.

I was wondering how hard it is to get the intake manifold off on a fuel injected Z, my intake is leaking and in need of a new gasket. I was looking at it earlier and it looks pretty rough getting in there to get the bolts off, is it attached to the exhaust manifold also. Let me know what you guys think and an easy way to get to those bolts. Thanks

This is a post I found on the internet or web for storing batterys.And it is also good to store your battery in a cool dry place. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SELF-DISCHARGING Self-discharge goes on all the time. It's a battery fact of life that they get weaker from "just sitting". How rapidly a battery self-discharges depends on battery type. A lead-calcium battery discharges at a much slower rate than a conventional battery. Lead calcium discharges at 1/300 volt per day. Conventional lead-antimony batteries discharge at 1/100 volt per day. What Adds To Rate of Self-Discharge? As outside temperature rises, so does the rate of discharge. A battery stored at 95° F will discharge twice as fast as a battery stored at 75° F, and a temperature of 130° F is deadly to a battery. In some parts of the country, garages and storage building easily reach that temperature in the summer. Accessories like clocks and computer memory will discharge the battery even when the ignition is off. And remember that the battery is self-discharging on its own at the same time the accessories are drawing on the battery. Short trips (under 15 or 20 miles) will also add to the drain on your battery because the charging system doesn't have time to make up for losses from normal starting and self-discharging. (Some people believe that letting the battery sit on concrete causes it to discharge faster. This is absolutely not true. The battery discharges at the same rate whether it is on concrete, stones, macadam, sand, or dirt.)

I was wondering how hard it is to get the intake manifold off on a fuel injected Z, my intake is leaking and in need of a new gasket. I was looking at it earlier and it looks pretty rough getting in there to get the bolts off. Let me know what you guys think and an easy way to get to those bolts. Thanks

I Have researched alot for installing the tranny and such so I am familiar with what needs to be done just dont have the moolla, I have the right pedal assembly for the clutch pedal and the hole for the clutch master cylinder, so I just need the tranny from a 1978 280z 5 speed and the other necessities like clutch master cylinder, clutch fork and slave cylinder, clutch and throwout bearing and hoses of course, would I have to change the flywheel or can I just use the same one? . Thanks for the replys and I think I am just going to install a five speed and just end the mysery of it. Thanks guys

Has any of you fuel injected people tried one of these fuel pressure regulators and if you do how good do they work. Thanks http://www.zcarparts.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=11-3073&Category_Code=PFFC14

Hey frank, the only electrical connections are the modulator valve and the back up switch, normal stuff, so there is no lock up on it. Also I have changed the filter and gasket and redid the oil, so the only other thing could be the torque converter, it doesnt slip gears and when I changed the oil it had you know the normal wear shavings in it so I dont think it could be the tranny and the oil level is good. If it is the torque converter can someone point me in the direction for a cheap one or an inexpensive one or would it just be cheaper getting the 5 speed from a bone yard. Thanks guys

Well I just took it out and tried the manual shifting of it and it was fine, so I went ahead and took it on the freeway and went about 75, it was doing pretty good except for when I let off the gas just a little bit it would kinda jerk and drop rpms fast, and when I stepped on the gas a little it would take off like it was still in second or something, so it could be the lockup but I do not know much about auto trannys either so I am only assuming it is the lock up. does anybody know what lock up is suppose to do, from what I gather it is suppose to grab the engine when it is at a certain speed is this right or is it something else. Thanks

The engine is in good working order, I havent tried manually shifting it though, I think I will try and see if I can. Yours does not sound like it needs to change to another gear when you get to 60 mph, I took it to a transmission shop and they told me it could be the lockup or something like and I do not know what that is, I asked him about changing it to a 4speed and he said it wouldnt make a difference because the 4speeds are geared the same way as an automatic, is this true. Thanks

The reason I ask, is because I have an automatic in my 280 and the r180 and my car will not go past 60 mph or it will but sounds like it needs to change gears, but it is already in third gear. Now if I put an r200 would that change top speed more or would I be better off getting the 5speed gearbox for it. Thanks for the help ya all

What about top end which one is better higher top speed. Thanks

What is the difference between these two differentials in overall performance. Thanks

I went to pacific tire and wheel, about the leak, I was telling my girlfriend about that to that it shouldnt be leaking because it has manual steering, I told her the only thing it should be leaking is grease and not oil. Well anyways my steering is so hard to turn, I'm kind of a big guy and it takes all my effort to turn the damn steering wheel, is it suppose to be like that, does anyone else have this problem and is there a way to fix it. Thanks

How much do you want for it and shipping , if it aint too much I will take it, I can always get new dust boots for it for 27.00 from kragen, you wouldnt happen to have a paypal account would you cause then I could send the money to you quicker, thanks alot man. Shane

Hello ya all, well today I took my my car in for a wheel alignment and they told me that the rack and pinion was leaking and was no longer useable and if they aligned it it would just go out again, well any way they wanted $590.00 to put another reman. rack and pinion in it and bushings, . like I was going to pay that much, Well I looked one up on parts america and the rack and pinion was $179.00 reman., well I was thinking about going to a pick and pull and getting one, but my question is which years are interchangeble with a 78. Thanks

Alright Thanks for the advice and all your posts, I will keep all updated :classic:

OK, this is what I got so far, I just want to make sure it needs a new oil pump, Ok I added more oil to it because it was low on oil and I took it for a spin around the block and the oil pressure gauge did nothing until I got back and parked it and the needle went up a little bit so I reved the engine to see if it would go up again, it went back down. I tried taking the oil fill cap off and started the car and held my hand over the fill hole and no oil went onto my hand. Even if it is the oil pump, could this be the problem with my overheating. I have a new water pump, I just got a new thermal fan clutch, new thermostat, new coolant temperature switch, drained and refilled the radiator. What else could it be :stupid:, HELP

:classic: I am a happy man, I did not even want to change the head gasket, but I am still going to change the oil to see if any water did settle on the bottom. Any other suggestions please let me know and thanks for the help

Zeiss150, I tried checking to see if the oil gauge moves when I rev the engine to 3000 rpm and the gauge did nothing, any suggestions please let me know

, I tried that the first time I ever worked on a car, ( my 78 chevy nova as a matter of fact and it shot everywhere it was cool:ermm:), But anyway I will check that out tomorrow and thanks zeiss180. Thats funny because I didnt even think about that, (checking the oil gauge:stupid:)

Well the radiator is good and the water pump is about a year old so I was thinking it could be the oil pump. If it is how can I test it and are they mechanical or electric. Thanks Shane

Well guys I checked my dipstick and it looks like reguler oil to me there is no water in it, its not milky or anything lioke that. What would be an easy way to check to see if the oil pump is working. Thanks for the help.