While out driving my Z home from dinner, it started up with the same old problem it was having.

https://www.zdriver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16609

It started acting up as soon as I got moving, so I pulled it over and let it warm up a bit. After a few minutes I could rev it up without any problem. Started moving again and it started up again after a minute or so. It got really bad (on a bridge of course) and I couldn't get over 5 or so MPH. Once I could get it pulled over I let it sit, still running, for another minute or so, and It started revving just fine.

Started rolling again and it did okay, but every time the turbo kicked on, it would scream, and the car would either bog down a little bit, or it would just run at the same speed and RPMs without gaining anything.

About a 10-15 minute drive home and it was still acting pretty much the same, with the turbo spooling up and not having much of any effect on my speed or RPMs.
Once I parked it, I revved it a few times, and it revved fine. So I let it sit a few minutes to cool off, killed it and here I am.

Anyone have the slightest clue whats going on? My girlfriends CRX died recently, she is driving my truck and this car is my means of getting to work and back, so I kinda need it.

I'll be getting a little over $1000 back from taxes that I was going to put into my Z, but now its starting to look like I should just let it go, and use the money as a start for something more... mobile. Thats the last thing I wanted to do.

If anyone has any ideas please share, and I would ike to request a smile icon for *bangs head on desk*
-Q

 

It sounds like it's running lean. Did you have the a/f gauge hooked up when this happened? If so, what was the gauge doing?

 

We did hook up an AF guage as you suggested. It shows the car is running lean, which is about all it has ever shown. The car seemed to run fine before, so I thought either I hooked up the gauge wrong, or there was a broken sensor, or the guage itself was faulty.

To be more specific... the guage has 9 or so lights. 3 for running lean, 3 for running normal, and 3 for running rich. The guage shows the leanest possible almost all the time, and sometimes no lights at all.

Is there an easy way to adjust the A/F mixture? Also, if I decide to take the car to work, and just be easy on the gas, will it hurt anything? Should I look for a different ride while the car is doing this?
Thanks for the quick replay, I'm off for the night. I'll check back in the morning.
-Q

 

Sounds like a loose electrical connector somewhere. Start jiggling things and checking for corrosion. An intermittent problem is almost always electrical. Does the problem seem to be related to throttle position? If so check out the TPS and it's connector. I was having a similar problem with my turbo Z and it came down me messing with the TPS connector and the Ignition module connector. I scraped them both out and pressed the wires down into them real good and the problem was gone. My first guess was the TPS cause the problem only happened when I got to a certain point on the accelerator. It wasn't RPM specific, just the position of the pedal seemed to matter. Of course my problem wasn't quite as severe with you only being able to go 5 mph, but the rest of it sounds the same. May or may not be the same problem, but it's something to check out.

And if you're not getting any pinging or knocking then you're not likely to harm anything while driving it. Just listen to your engine and if it starts making those noises then back it off a little bit. But it might be more convenient and safer for yourself to use an alternate vehicle til you get this sorted out. You can adjust the A/R ratio at idle by messing with the mixture screw on the side of the Air Flow Meter.

 

yep check your wires on your fuel injectors they may be loose... check your fuel injectors?

 

Thanks for all the tips. Because my A/F guage shows lean I'm going to test that adjustment first. I took a look but I can't find the screw. Is it under something? I should be able to get to it while its in the car right?
Trying to get this figured out, that and how I'm getting to work in half an hour.
-Q

 

After the car warms up, the a/f meter LEDs should move around when the throttle changes. If it's not, then the O2 sensor wire is not hooked up correctly (either the O2 sensor isn't connected, or you connected the gauge to the wrong wire).

As for the screw you're looking for... Dunno which ya mean, but the 280zx TURBO doesn't have an idle adjustment screw. You can adjust the AFM if you open up the plastic cover ( https://www.zdriver.com/forum/showpo...92&postcount=1 )

 

Qosin,

Where do you live?

It could be a loose or corroded wire or a vacum leak.

 

This problem sounds to me like the MAF or the O2 Sensor. With the MAF in the 300ZX I had, it would be running fine, and rev ok then all of a sudden it would rev like crap, I'd be barely able to get it to go, then sometimes it would start going fine, then die off again. It was really annoying. We found out there were a few leaves against the MAF's grating that were blocking it on and off. Once those were cleaned off it was fine, but it was similar to like you said. It happened, then it went away for a while, then suddenly came back. So yea, I'd say check into the MAF and the O2 Sensor.

Another thing is, when just sitting there revving, the airflow I think would be less, so if something were to be blocking the MAF like mine it wouldn't be as apparent with less airflow being force through. It was amazing that such a big problem was solved by pulling that part out and cleaning off the leaves.

 

Just an FYI... 280zx's use AFM (Air Flow Meter) not MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensors.... They work quite a bit differently.

 

Oh, well then...that's news to me. I essentially though MAF and AFM were the same things. They interchanged it on the 300ZXClub.com forums. Unless the car has an AFM and an MAF.

 

Take off teh AFM and clean in inside ports with some type of cleaner and then use like a butter knife to slowly cut away the rubber around the little black box when exposed to what looks liek a dial u can adjest the dial... try that ?

 

280ZX AFM: (Flap style)


Z31 & Z32 MAF (hotwire style)


The AFM uses a moving flap to measure the amount of air going into the engine. The MAF heats a wire & measures how much the air is cooling the wire.

There is also the MAP (MANIFOLD ABSOLUTE PRESSURE) sensor that GM likes to use, that isn't quite as sensitive, but creates no intake restriction.


-Yes there is a way to swap the Z31 MAF onto the 280zx, but it requires a Z31 ECU, or JWT ECU.

 

is it better to use the Z31 MAF? Or do you just use it simply because you need it for using the Z31 ECU?

 

The MAF is better, because it's a more precise reading, and less restrictive, but the 280zx ecu isn't programmed for the MAF outputs. For a 280zx ecu, you can covert to a Vein Pressure Converter (VPC) and remove the AFM... I've seen it done, but I dunno how effective they are.

 

I live in Farmington, NM. About 6 hours away from Denver. My girls parents live in Denver, so we visit there about twice a year.

I would love to tear into it, but my dad is not liking the idea. The part runs $400 and he is a afraid it will break. I don't blame him, but I really wanna get this car going.

We bought a new O2 sensor and installed it, no differance. As for the guage, I'm pretty sure its hooked up right. If we unplug it, and plug it back in when the car is running the LEDS will jump into the yellow. When the car is a idle the leanest light will bearly be on. When revving or moving it will be on bright, but it almost never moves from that light.

We also removed a few of the spark plugs. A book my dad has says, from the looks of the plug, its running 'at incorrect temp'. It does not say lean or rich.

Its the same problem so I hoped changing the O2 sensor would get it running again.

Thanks for all of the replies!
-Q

 

Here is a test, get a clamp and put on the fuel return. Pinch it down a little and see how it does. If it runs better, then start looking for a vacum leak.

You should go for the cheapest possible solution before adjusting the afm or replacing a lot of parts.

Do you have a factory service manual?

There is a factory manual for an '82 online, but there might be differences.

http://carfiche.com/manuals019/cars/

 

I decided that the problem happens mostly when the turbo kicks on, so I would drive the car to work today to give it some time to behave.

Well... it doesn't want to behave.

I turned the key and tried to start the car and *poof* magic smoke. I call it magic smoke because the car appearently won't start without it, and its gone.

A wire blew up. Its in a black container (not enough time for me to figure out what it is) that sits near the cruze control (sp) thing. The wire was in a cluster that said

br br
br

and had a few branches going off to ign and H.L with another one that goes to an L.

This might have something to do with my other problem, but I doubt it. The car just hates me.

Any one have any idea if they are related? Also, how much could I sell this car for?
-Q

 

The only "black box" right by the cruse control is the fusable link box...

 

Is that a bad thing?

 

Just means it was drawing a lot of amps & broke one of those links... Might have a short somewhere. Pop open the box that you think it is, and take a gander.

 

I'm at work now. We did take a look at it, one of the wires is toasty and will still heat up if I turn the key to an 'on' position.

 

I would say replace that fusible link. I know my car wouldn't run without it. Go to Autozone, and such. And pick up a Chrysler fusible link, I believe that is what I used on my '81 before. When I didn't want to go to the dealer. Of course I don't know much about Turbos. But hopefully it helps you ou some.

 

Found a wire that runs from the start 'button' to the starter. Seems it was rubbing on the firewall and finally got past the wire coating. Can I just replace the wires, or will I for sure need to replace the box?
-Q

 

repair but better yet replace the wire that was worn through. The wires that cooked are fusable links, not ordinary wire. The box itself does not need to be replaced. Check your manual to find the amp rating and replace with same.