Aftermarket fuel rails

[ProblemZ]

So I was pretty much just wondering if any body has tried one of these yet they come up from time to time on ebay and I gotta say i really like the way they clean up the manifold area ( they are custom fuel rails that fit the L-28, And if you have one was it relatively simple/ easy install(I don't really mind if its a pain in the arse either as long as i dont have to go and buy two hundred more dollars worth of parts just to hook it up, you know what I Mean? I think looks pretty srtraight forward but who knows these days. And are you happy with the performance of the part and if so how much power does your engine have. I'm thinking of stroking out my motor so it needs to be able to handle the increase in fuel volume do you guys and gals think something like this is economical and functional or is it crap i should not be wasting my time with? If its a POS does anybody have another good part link they could send me one that could support a HP increase as well as being a nice aftermarket conversion to give my 3/76 L28 that cool streamlined and suer clean look? oh and pics would be nice if You have one installed.

Thanks in advance my fellow z-addicts

As of now car is matching numbers all around just like when it came off

factory minus some small extraneous parts so everything a 3/76 280Z' had its all there, 63,000 org. miles

anyway nuff' said heres the ebay link

>link<

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-L28-CNC-Billet-Barbed-Fuel-Rail-280z-280zx-240z-/280615560946?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3ANissan|Model%3A280Z&hash=item4155fda6f2

Edited February 8, 2011 by ProblemZ

[Zed Head]

This line in the ad is meaningless, since the hose barbs inner diameter would be the constriction, plus the car's own supply lines -

"Large .500" internal diameter for increased hp"

The only reason to buy it would be to neaten things up around the intake manifold.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Zed Head

[FastWoman]

Darn! If that had been available not very long ago, I'd have bought one. However, my injectors are in, my engine is "finished" for the time being, and so it will stay.

Your questions:

It looks nicely made. If it leaks at all, it would be simple to unscrew the leaky fitting, tape it, and seal the leak. I doubt it leaks, though.

Personally I'd mount it with some support. I'd machine a few threads in it to attach it to a stand-off, so as to keep the mount rigid.

You're going to need to find some way to mount up your fuel pressure regulator.

If I were you, I'd see if there's some way to mandrel-bend some stainless steel tubing to run to and from the thing.

Regarding horsepower: It will neither help nor hurt.

I do think a linear design is going to do a better job of purging air from the rail. On the other hand the 1/2" ID of the rail is probably a bad idea in this regard. Hard to say. You might end up holding a big air bubble for several minutes, during which time your fuel pressure regulation would get really sloppy, possibly leaning you out whenever the rail needs to reaccumulate pressure. (Note: These things do get air pockets in them, opinions to the contrary.)

Note that there's no barb for your cold start injector. I suppose you could connect that to a T fitting off of your fuel supply line.

[ProblemZ]

Thanks for the quick response after looking at the compatibility list for the fuel rail I saw that the ZX turbo's were on there, so safely according to seller it stock psi at idle is 32 psi at injectors (what turbo 280ZX's have) As I'm just starting to research my stroker build (engine being last thing to be worked on I am trying to upgrade all the other misc. parts first, I don't want a car i cant stop in time ) it will be a long journey to the mighty 3.2l, But I figure it would be a good thing to think about stuff like this right now so i don't end up spend useless money. And in regards to the line from the add:

"Large .500" internal diameter for increased hp"

as mentioned earlier, I agree with Zed Head I feel like that as long as it could handle ZX turbo stock psi I really don't see having a bigger fuel rail chamber being a problem or a perk(better flow maybe, but again I'm going for aesthetics) as long as it pressurizes the system equally up to required psi, heck it could probably be fine under much heavier load but according to the add 280zx all trims safe for mod the turbo being 32psiI don't see it giving a 3.2l stroker motor problems,unless of course someone answers my second question (at bottom) but again this is my first time ever doing anything like this but I'm going to be planning for the next few months and I will be doing a lot of research about what I'll be putting under my hood before I purchase any of the real performance parts right now I just wanna get all the parts I need to restore/slightly modify my car. Goin for that cleeeeeen look

OH SECOND QUESTION and kind of a new question altogether but if you are reading this and know the correct level of fuel psi that a non turbo, or turbo (single/twin) l-28 big bore 3.1l or 3.2l puts out at the injectors at idle/under load so i can compare to z and zx turbo's I'd really appreciate it if u spread the knowledge. and THANKS AGAIN

Thanks Everyone

Edited February 7, 2011 by ProblemZ

[FastWoman]

I don't know the operating pressure of a ZX fuel rail, but if your question is whether the Ebay fuel rail will handle the pressure, the answer would be "yes -- easily."

[esmit208]

PROBLEMZ

Aesthetically it does look sweet. Having a support to reduce vibration is a good idea as FASTWOMAN stated. Vibration can cause the same symptoms as vapor lock. Research well though and good luck. I would be interested in it but triple 47MM side drafts will not need this piece. Maybe I will add it to Project 6/70. Good Luck!

[Zed Head]

The flow rate of your injectors and the engine management system used to control injector open time will be much more important than the fuel rail that you use. Those two will work together with your fuel pressure to supply the necessary amount of fuel to the engine.

[ProblemZ]

Soooo. Do you guys know of any type of fittings i could attach to the fuel supply lines that are engineered to purge the air or some other similar product and if so any suggestions possibly one good for Z's (reputable/tested) i'd hate to have an engine with a vapor lock problem on cold start up. (when that type of stuff happens i feel like the coolest guy in the parking lot) on the pics it looks like a pretty good fit but if i get it and dry fab to check the seating and I think I need them luckily i've got a welder for a brother and my step dad has some sort of metal shaping/cutting machine, im no metal man but they are.

Over all I was just a little worried about a pretty much no name aftermarket part that I would end up having to upgrade cause of some fundamental design wierdness or something , but thanks everyone for the advice

Edited February 8, 2011 by ProblemZ

[FastWoman]

You probably don't need to worry about vapor lock if your other parts are in good shape -- fuel pump check valve, injectors, fuel pressure regulator, and cold start valve. If your fuel rail holds its pressure well and doesn't dribble away its fuel, you'll probably be good. Just make certain you use the barb on the far end for the return, so that fuel continually flows through the rail.

If you ever do have a vapor lock problem, you can solve it with a primer switch. Just install a pushbutton or momentary switch to supply +12V to your fuel pump relay coil. Run the pump for maybe 10 sec to purge any air, and then start up. It's a nice feature to have anyway.

[ProblemZ]

Funny thing, The way I prime my fuel is shaking the harness above my ecu till I hear the fuel pump star running. It's a pain though cause you always have to get down and listen if its running before you leave. Shaking works now hope it keeps working later

[Zed Head]

Shaking your wiring harness to get your fuel pump running today, building a twin-turbo 3.2 liter stroker motor tomorrow. Looks like quite a journey.

[ProblemZ]

well Zed Head I'm sure it will be, I'll attribute the problem above to some type of dropping resistor (I think) which is malfunctioning I think its basically telling the relay, fitting, whatever, hey you got power so connect this ground so that we can prime the fuel pump and get fuel flowing so the car will start when this guy turns the key (at least that's what I think the car thinks) next warm day or when I Do my aftermarket fuel rail install which should arrive soon I'll get out the old multimeter and FSM and check all the efi components connected to the harness in question. On average I usually only get time to work on my car at night and it gets down to about 20-30 degrees on avg all winter. Soo back to the above I am going to try and scan a pic of what my new full rail system is going to look like except for the pressure regulator that connects to Intake manifold. I am still up in the air to how I will actually be attaching it to the fuel rail. If anybody who knows bosch has seen a single channel manifold vacuum/fuel psi activated fuel pressure reglator that would work on Z's let me know PLEASE the part I am referring to is labeled 2 in my drawing that doesn't necessarily mean that is has to be for a z but i hear some bosch parts are all interchangeable on the earlier models .Ok here is a word for word description of the pressure regulator from my 76 FSM: on fuel rail pressure regulator

"When the intake manifold vacuum becomes large enough to overcome the diaphragm spring force as combined with the fuel pressure at the pressure line, the diaphragm becomes empty on the intake side. This opens the return side port to allow fuel to flow to the tank for reducing pressure.

If fuel pressure is higher than the intake manifold vacuum by .55 kg/cm^2 (36.3) psi) the diaphrag returns to its original posiion by means of spring force, and it closes its return port.

In this manner the fuel pressure regulator maintains the fuel pressure in hte fuel line 2.55kg/cm^2 (36.3psi) higher than the pressure in the intake manifold.

basically i need a part that meets or exceeds stock quality to do this function but the ringer is that on the stock unit there are two fuel inlet lines and to get the super clean engine look I am going for I want a pressue regulator with only one inlet line, May be silly ( heck may even be necessary for the way engine is engineered but I doubt it) but I think it will look cool and is what I want .

If anybody has any suggestions or knows of any parts that meet these specifications or idea s in general about how to mount this thing up I AM ALL EARS

any way i'm gonna go scan these images and have em posted in a few hours i realize right know it prolly doesn't make much sense but one you see the pics you will know exactly what I am talking about

Edited February 9, 2011 by ProblemZ