Starting problems! HELP!
 

I have a 1977 280z 2+2. i can't seem to get it started. i've been cranking it by jumping the car. it turns over and acts like it wants to start. i have spark, air and fuel. When i take the spark plugs out they're very wet. I must be getting too much gas. Every so often it will start but i have to hold the pedal to the floor just to make it idle. When i let off it dies. If anyone has any ideas or has faced similar problems, please let me know. Anything will help at this point.

Welcome to ZDriver! :038:

Did the car run before? Or did you inherit this car as "not-running" ?

Indeed is sounds flooded. Check ALL sensor connections to make sure they are securely fastened and not corroded. Also check the firing order for the spark plug wires.

If all looks correct, pinch off the fuel line after the filter w/ some pliers or vice grips. Step on the gas pedal all the way to full throttle and crank crank crank... it should sputter, start for a sec, then die. Unclamp the fuel line & try again.

if it is running rich, when it does start to run, it should blow a LOT of black smoke out of the back.

richness aside, if you really have spark, fuel and compression, the last thing to look for is timing. check the timing, then worry about mixture. at least that's the order i'd do it in if it had been sitting for a while.

from what i've found, a common cause of letting a car sit is it breaking down. not so educated mechanics like to twist that dizzy every time it breaks down. so someone may have done that, and your timing is way off.

check timing and the fuel pressure in the lines might be clog running the injectors over time. not to many sensors on the S30 that will go bad and cause a rich state. also check for vacumme leaks. and by check timing i mean the distributor might be off not like its ajusted that far off it just isnt really possible to twise the distributor that much where it wont run.

really? that's surprising

also make sure all the plug wires are in the right order

pft... ^^^ I already said that....

didnt see that through all the other **** suggestions. lol

i've checked all the spark plugs, they're in the right order. i don't really know how to accurately check timing without the car running. like i said before it will start every 10 or 15 tries and it runs for about 5 seconds. is there anything i can do besides checking sensors since it doesn't run?

oh i was also wondering if anyone knew if that engine is an interference engine? Another dumb question that i should know. does the metal end of the rotor point to number one or the other end when 1st piston is at TDC?

by check the timing i meant the dizzy oil pump alignment BUT if the car ran fine before and you never dropped the oil pump and now its acting like this that shouldnt be the problem. go make a fuel pressure guage and check the fuel pressure for us. also yes the valves will mash the pistons if the timing belt breaks.

they have a belt?

chain* jackass.... you all know what i mean

lol good stuff. better edit that before hoov sees it!

i dont care. not like i didnt know what i was talking about i just let my fingers type what i pictured when ever i think of interference engines. lol. and didnt adapt that to L motors specifically.

yeah i know. i was actually asking seriously though. i didn't really know. i've seen one before, i just couldn't remember.