I'm finally reunited with my Z's after 2 years in storage - went to GA & AL to get them last weekend. Woo-Hoo!

However, Jade (82 NA) was running like crap. Putting 93 octane in her helped somewhat during the last 300 miles back home. After doing a power balance test on Monday, I found out that she was only running on 3 cylinders.

Here's what I've replaced since Monday:

* Spark Plugs (reg. NGK's)
* Plug Wires
* Distributor Cap

The distributor cap made the difference in getting spark to all 6 cyl., but she's still not up to par - sluggish.

3-12 mos. BEFORE I stored her for 2 years (put about 500 miles on her before storage), I replaced:

* Fuel Filter
* Spark Plugs (reg. NGK's)
* Distributor (entire unit)
* O2 Sensor
* Cat
* Muffler
* (Fuel injectors have about 1K miles on them - replaced 5 years ago).

Engine Mods: She's all stock, except for a K&N air filter (stock air box has been removed).

She failed the GA emission test just before I stored her. I don't have the print-out to figure out the readings, and we don't have emission inspections here in FL, so I can't get her retested (that I know of anyway).

After replacing the dizzy cap today, I did another power balance test on her - that's when I got spark to all 6 cylinders. I then adjusted her idle speed - still shaky, but close to smooth. When I took her out for a spin, I couldn't get her up to full throttle due to being in town, but she's still sluggish. At a traffic light, I smelled burning oil between the rear of the engine and cat. It was definitely oil - which kind, I don't know. I've never known a cat to emit anything but a burnt egg odor, so that couldn't be it, right?

When I got her back home, popped the hood and didn't smell the oil odor in the bay, but did smell it between the firewall and cat. Her motor oil level is still full (had it changed in AL and drove 12 hours here to FL), no smoke coming out the tail pipe, no seeps along the valve cover, and no oil drips on the driveway. She has about 223K miles on her original engine, motor oil changed religiously, and has never had a rebuild - just regular maintenance.

So, I'm thinking possibly replace the PCV, test the FI's and run a compression test? What do you guys think?

 

run a comp test. change the PCV may need to adjust the valves/replace em do some head work, and check the timing.



oh oh yeah, and one more thing. WHERE THE FFF##@$ HAVE YOU BEEN!!! i was like having zcarbarbie withdrawls. you missed me fixing my car getting it running perfect on the turbo swap and im starting to make her look pretty. starting. lol. all ive done is a little interiour so far. but WERHASDKF KLADSFIH IASDFJ SADLKF lkdf:LJA DSF JDSF!!!!!11!!!!!1one!!!two!!!!

dont leave us again, specially now that you have your Z babies back.



edit: oh and even though the injecters only have 1k on them doesnt mean they couldnt have gotten some what gunky since the old fuel was sitting in it and all, run 92+ octane with seafoam and even throught the throttle body to clean out teh injectors and the valves some.

 

LOL! I've been busy with school work - still have 4 ft. of books to read before my finals in Dec. Yeppers, I missed your turbo swap - will have to read up on it.

Actually, I don't recall anything over 87 octane even being available in 1982. Was it? So, I think it might have been overkill for me to run 93 octane in her - it did help a tad bit though. I ran 4 tanks of gas through her since she sat for 2 years, and have resurrected older Z's that sat for up to 8 years with bad gas, which ran fine after running a full tank of clean gas. So, I don't feel her injectors and fuel filter are clogged - added a bottle of FI cleaner in her also (forgot to mention). It prolly wouldn't hurt to run an FI test though, if I can figure out how to do it. I'm not doing the screwdriver method, after having been shocked 5 times doing the power balance tests over the past 2 days.

 

Don't you hate figuring these little issues out. Doesn't sound like it's a huge problem, may just be a stupid simple sensor crapping out or even a vacuum leak?

 

I'm just guessing here but maybe gas setting in your new injectors clogged them up.
Possibly remove all six and have them professionally cleaned or rebuilt. Sometimes those rebuilds are only $15 ea

Other shops may be able to clean them out with some pretty harsh cleaners while still on the car... that stuff is they use is far more potent than fuel injector cleaner you buy off the shelf.

welcome back, Snwy missed you

 

Or you could always do the home method of cleaning them, by pulling the rail and hooking the fuel pump up to it and having one injector at a time spray a mixture of fuel/injector cleaner until it straightens out.

 

Thanks for your replies, guys! I haven't been able to work on Jade lately cuz I have mid-terms next month and have been studying my **** off. Now I'm having issues with my Bull (interior lights won't go off). If its not one thing, it's another, huh? LOL!

 

mid terms this late? im already done with mine.

 

Yup, i have mid-terms the week after Christmas - taking the exam in Georgia. My finals are in June next year, then I'll be off to San Francisco to take the Baby Bar Exam the following month.

 

Well, let us know when you get here. I and several other forum members are in the east bay.

 

Awesome! I plan to stay the full weekend after I take the Bar exam, and will definitely be ready to party after all this studying.

 

hey barbie, run some methyl hydrate and injector cleaner thru. also try seafoam. those are cheap and can be done yourself, without taking apart the car. also test the fuel pressure, just in case. take it for a really harsh spin, that always helps. hey barbie, i missed your hunch punch!! lol

 

HUNCH PUNCH....WOO HOO ^_^. welcome back barbie, i missed you too ^_^

 

Awe, thank you! I've missed all of you too! I'll have to make Shady and everyone else some more Hunch Punch soon. Woo-Hoo!

Oh, I forgot to mention that I found out what that oil burning smell was. 3 weeks ago, I went to push the garbage can out to the road and the driveway was flooded in an oily substance. I popped Jade's hood and discovered it was ATF. I just had that stupid hose rebuilt before I stored her, so I have a feeling it's the PS pump, but didn't have time to mess with it - just put some kitty liter on the driveway, said, "**** it, I'll deal with it later", and walked away.

I can't legally drive Taz (84 ZXT) cuz of a title issue that I've put on a backburner. So, out of 3 cars, the only one I can drive is my Bull and am now having an issue with it - had to pull the interior light relay to get the lights off last week. The puter thinks a door is open and I've played hello trying to locate the switch. It appears I'll have to remove the door panel to get to it, so that'll have to wait also - just don't have the time. School takes precedence right now - gotta study. Whew!

At least I now have my Z's here. Although I can't drive 'em, they sure look purdy sittin' in the driveway.