My first 280zx
 

Greetings!!!!

I bought my first 280zx last month.... It's a 1983 NA 280zx Auto, 2+2, T-Top. It's pretty clean looking and seems to run well. I am semi mechanically inclined.
Main issues are currently, that the turn signals/hazards do not work - even after replacing the flasher relay box under the dash. Any ideas? Are there fuses I should check? I'm afraid it's the switch unit itself... all other lights work otherwise. Wipers work...

The other issue is that I have is very strange ... hmmm how to describe it... It's like a jerking.. chugging... surge feeling but only while at maintaining speeds at around 35-45mph and seems to disappear during acceleration, deceleration and while above speeds of 50mph or below 35mph. Car idles fairly well with only a tiny fluctuation. A basic tune up performed when I bought it, did oil change, plugs, rotor, cap, check vacuums, fuel filter, coil but it still has this issue. Has anyone had or heard of this?

Also any advice would be great, being it's my first 280zx.
Before I had owned and wrenched on a 1995 240sx s14.
Thanks for reading..

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...46333273_n.jpg

Regards,

I have a very similar problem to yours in my 83. Mines an automatic too, and I have a slight shudder in the car around 45. It stops at above 50 right when the tcc pops on. Maybe someone here will be able to diagnosis this problem.

This is certainly a pushing and pulling sensation when say trying to cruise at a 40mph speed limit. Almost a bucking. It goes away immediately or at least is unnoticeable soon as i lift off or press down on the gas or I am outside of that 35-50 mph area of speed.

Go here to download the FSM for your car. Lots of useful info in there and it shows where all the fuses on your car are and what they control. To me it sounds like a busted fuse for your first problem. Not sure about the other problem. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

I know that in my 79, if the flasher switch is broken (any of the soldered connections) that neither my flashers nor my turn signals work. I picked up a different one off a junker in the yard, cost me less than $5.

Maybe I shouldn't do the unthinkable and inquire as to whether the bulbs themselves were checked? Disassemble the combo switch and hazard switch and clean/lube the contacts. They get dirty and oxidized over the years. Micro grit sandpaper or a pencil eraser works well.

As far as the jerking goes might want to disassemble the box on the side of the AFM and loosen the four bolts that hold the carbon trace board on the potentiometer. You can move it slightly to give the wiper a fresh pattern. I have also heard of people having success using pencil lead to fill in the worn pattern....
You can read about it here:
http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/afm/index.html

All I did on mine was slightly move the board I did not mess with anything else in there. If you do you might open up a can....

yes, I've replaced the bulbs, fuses and the flasher relay since first inquiring. I'm going to need to get into the combo switch next for sure. Driving without blinkers is dangerous...

Thanks for the heads up on the AFM, I will check it out and post the results.

Here is what I have.... Those tracks in the afm do look deep??
Attachment 21825
I've tried moving the board as much as it would allow and tried to color the tracks in with a pencil. I also cleaned out the door area. This may have smoothed out my car's idle some (looks and feels smoother than before) but the jerking is certainly still happening though it might be not as bad either?? Hard to tell, but its not any worse that is for sure. I've sourced the net and found a new one for about 160 bucks, is that good? should it replace it as I am not even certain this is the cause?

Thanks for any advice.

Download the FSM and meter out the AFM between the ECU and the harness. While you have the AFM opened loosen the screws and move the board as much as it will go with the screws in so the wiper arm is resting on new carbon. Also make sure the connectors themselves are clean and making contact. The AFM connector is horrible - if you loose the retaining wire it becomes a real nightmare with intermittent effects. I have a connector kit to address the 30 year old connector issue.

Check the hazzard switch. All the signal light stuff goes through there and causes some real problems. Simply turning it off an on often fixes it as the switch needs to be fully on or fully off to work properly.

Can you tell from the photo whether the maf is toast based on the deep groves? Moving the board has no effect as it still sits in the track...

I've tried messing with the hazards to get the turn signals to work but no luck, when i get time I will take it apart and take a close look.

As you probably already know... it only takes a small adjustment to put the "wiper" on fresh carbon. I did mine and couldn't tell much difference if any in the performance, gas mileage, etc. As far as the flashers, I wish I had an idea for you, but I haven't had that problem...(yet!). Good luck.

Yeah, so... no matter where i move the board it is still within that track as shown in the photo above, as the board is only is allowed to move only slightly in any direction when the screws loosen. So getting clean carbon is not happening....
No one answered me whether based on the photo i provide if those tracks where too deep, or normal even? At this point I am amusing they are not.
I tested driving at 45 mph when in 2nd gear (rpms much higher then where the automatic transmission has it normally at 45mph) and the jerking did not happen at all. I believe at this point my next step is buying a remanufacture/new MAF. Any thoughts?
As for the flasher, I have had the chance to peak at the combo switch yet, but will check it out soon. Thanks.

The tracks look normal for wear to me. As mentioned miniscule movement of the board is all it would take even though it looks like its still in the groove. Before you spend money on a new AFM I would advise to check some other things first.
Search adjustment of the TPS switch and dying ignition module symptoms (the little black box on the side of dizzy). Oh and before the terminology police start on you make sure you say AFM and not MAF.

Did you check the test procedure in the FSM yet? The tracks are probably fine but it still sounds like you have having problems with your AFM. Are your connections good at the ECU? Good at the AFM? If you ring it out from the ECU connector you are checking all the connections in the path.

as far as the blinkers go, I have a little thing under the dash that says "pull to open" and when I mess with it mine stop working, but if I pull it and close it again they work again, maybe thats just my car, but its worth a try.

The thing you're pulling is a vent vaccum line. Sounds to me like the movement of that line is moving a poor connection that's touching it. Again, check the solder on your hazard switch. Mine had 5 connections to the back of it and one was broken with a hairline crack through the solder.