Looking for l28 owners

[ViaPurifico]

I have owned a 1977 280z for about a year. I am new to this site. I'm trying to learn more about my car and its issues. I don't know much. I will try my best to explain my car issues. I would like to meet people in Phoenix Arizona as well. I will post pictures.

 

 

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[siteunseen]

Ask away. The '77 is owned by a bunch of members, myself included. Probably more help here for that year than any other 280. Looking forward to some photos. 

[ViaPurifico]

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[ViaPurifico]

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[ViaPurifico]

My oil gauge is never correct, it always sits a little over 0. My gas is never right as well it sits a quarter bellow full when I fill her up


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[ViaPurifico]

What oil do you guys recommend for my 77z. It makes a weird grinding noise in 3rd or lower gears. It gets worse in the heat, but it doesn't sound bad. I live in AZ so it's dry heat. So I'm wondering if my oil should be thicker or thinner as well


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[Zed Head]

Does it make the noise when you shift, or while you're driving in one of those gears?

[ViaPurifico]

When I'm in one of the gears. When I'm in 4th gear the car runs smooth


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[siteunseen]

I run 10W-30 year round, no synthetic either. You should drain the most likely original transmission fluid and refill with Redline MT-90. It will quieten it down. Then replace the differential fluid with Redline 75-90 I think it is. Amazon.com has the best price. Look at the fluid amounts in the factory service manual to determine how much you'll need. Just a couple of quarts for each if I remember right.

Your car looks really nice and original. There's some cheap things to do right off the bat that'll help. NGK plug wires and copper plugs. A Fram G-3 clear plastic fuel filter in between the fuel tank and the fuel pump. I can get better details in the morning when I get out my laptop. It has all my bookmarks and this phone doesn't. Also probably need to install a new $10 fuel filter in the engine bay. Check all the rubber vacuum lines for splits or cracks. Clean all the grounding points. Adjust the valves and so on. Easy stuff to do and cheap. I noticed a 4 speed shift knob, whats the build date plate say on the driver's side door panel above the locking/latch mechanism?  Mine was built in 09/76 and has a five speed. Read as much as you can, you'll learn a lot quick. Google "'77 280Z classiczcars.com" to get more threads than you can read. 8^)

[siteunseen]

Oh yeah, new distributor cap and rotor button. Cheap too.

[ViaPurifico]

First thing I did when I got the car is changed all the oils. I put copper spark plugs. I will try that oil and do the stuff you said. My car was built in 7/77


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[Zed Head]

27 minutes ago, ViaPurifico said:

When I'm in one of the gears. When I'm in 4th gear the car runs smooth

In 4th power is transmitted directly through the main/center shaft.  In 1 through 3 and 5 it uses the countershaft.  So noise in those gears could be a countershaft bearing going bad, or already damaged.

If you haven't changed the transmission fluid yet, you might find metal parts on the drain plug magnet.  If you decide to change the fluid, which you should, make sure that you remove the fill plug first, to be sure that you can refill, and to avoid sucking dirt back through the vent when the old oil comes out.