I was driving last night and stopped at friends house. I get back into my car and start it up. My oil pressure gauge is reading 1 psi like it usually does when it is warm. But this time I am getting a ticking from the engine and I have to rev the engine to get the sound to go away. I know the sending units go bad on these z cars but I have a feeling I actually have bad oil pressure. I am very new to Z cars or even working on any cars and I don't know how to preceed. I am going to get a manual gauge but I am unsure where I can screw it into. I got this car to learn and a engine rebuild is possible but I don't even know how to get my engine to TDC.

 

Did you check into your FSM? I bet the answers to your Qs are there - in Section LC.

 

Yes I did, I was just wondering what you would do in my situation. Thank you for the reply.

 

if you would really like answers that would help you and avoid flames give the following info when you post: year of car, n/a or turbo engine, stick or slushbox. Most of us can tell by the year what model you have ie 85T is a turbo z31. Z cars come in many flavors and they are all different. example 84,85,86 Z31's pretty comparable. there were changes in 87,88,89. in addition 300ZX can refer to two completly different cars the Z31 and the Z32. No mindreaders here the more info you can post the more likely you get a cogent useful answer

oil pumps seldom go bad unless some body messed it up. get the fsm from xenon. unscrew the sender from the block. since you didn't feel necessary to let us know the car you are talking about i can't point you to it nor give much advice.

 

check out Northwest Z. a z club in portland. good guys probably find a mentor if you act nice and not a jerk.

 

I have contacted the Z club and someone has come over to help me with other problems. I see you guys have signatures at the bottom of your posts but I'm unsure how to do this. Thank you.

 

Easy. Log in, go to top left menu, click User CP, click Edit Signature and add text, click Edit Avatar to add a little photo to your nick. That should do it.

 

if you ever get up Seattle way you could drop by one of our meetings of join us for a drive. Northwest Z teamed up with us earlier this year for a drive on the Mary Hill private road.

zccw.org

 

Ah come on, give the litt'll feller a break. He did tell us in his previous posts he's got a 83 280ZX


Old Codger

 

Okay, thanks you guys

 

Chris, if it were me...What weight oil do you have in it, and how old is the oil? And is it topped off with oil, or are you a quart or so low?

Yep, those electrical oil pressure senders are notorious for going bad....But I'm cheap...No, make that thrifty, or better still, make that frugal....

Go you your favorite auto parts store and get yourself some of that electrical contact cleaner, and spray it on the male and female end of the connectors. Really look and see if the ends might need "scuffed", or cleaned with a bit of emery cloth, to make them clean...When you make the connection, don't use and of that dialexic (sp) grease..You want to kept those ends free from any dirt, grease or grime.

See if that doesn't make you gauge read where it "somewhat" should on your Z....

The sending unit itself on a electrical sender doesn't usually go bad, but everyone just goes out and buys a new one, hoping that that will fix the problem. When in fact, all a person is doing, is putting a clean sending unit in place of a dirty one.

The ticking you're hearing????? First "GUESS" without hearing it...would be lifters...If they've become gummed up over the years...Try putting some Marvel Mystery oil in your oil, and run it that way for ???? a good week of solid driving...That's going to help free up any sticking lifters...Then be sure to change out your oil.

I see you're up in Oregon, so I don't know how hot the outside temps have been up there, when you're driving. But for me, here in the midwest, it's been brutal. So I run a straight weight #30...Yes you can find it, but you might have to hunt around a bit for it......Of all places, I can buy cases of Quaker State at Menards.

Best wishes,



Old Codger

 

Okay awesome, thank you. I am having trouble locating where the sending unit is though, it is most likely in the FSM but I don't know where it would say where it is in the manual. Thanks

 

Look beside the oil filter.


Old Codger