Hey everyone, I'm hoping someone out there can help me as I am a noob when it comes to my Z, but I'm trying to learn.
A short while ago my 83 280zx developed a problem. Occasionally it would not start, it would only spin. If I cycled the key off, then on and let the fuel pump prime it would normally run a little rough until I gave it some gas.
One day it started, would run for 10 seconds, and then shut off like you turned the key off. Again, it would start back up if your primed the fuel pump, but would die every time. It did this for about an hour- checked spark, ok spark, even tried a dif ignition coil I had around and no change. After an hour it went away and the car ran.
Today I was driving about 35 and the car just died and would not restart. I checked all my conections and still nothing. I checked my fuses, all good and checked what relays i could. The only one I could not check and verify if good was the 6 prong one. I do not seem to be getting any spark. I know that the coil I have on now is good. What should I look for next. Again, I'm not very knowledgable... byt my next guess would be a control module of some sort. Is this the small black box behind the driver headlight? If so, is there a way to check it? Also, once the fuel pump primes, the is a small sucking/squishing sound that seems to be coming from the rails. I checked the plugs and they seem dry, but is it possible for an injector to be frozen open and dumping fuel?

The only thing I've done to the engine (L28 non turbo) is to advance it to 15*, I did this on behalf of the local nissan guru who suggested it after my vacuum advance broke.

I would appreciate any help y'all could give me.

 

Well, since it's an intermittant prob... it's gotta be a mechanical (or electrical) issue & not ecu.

-When you turn the key to "ON" but not "START" can you hear the fuel pump prime every time, or just sometimes?

You say you don't think there is spark... verify it by pulling the coil wire from the distributor cap & set it on the strut tower & crank it quickly to see if it's sparking.

At this point tho... there could be a lot of things causing the prob...

When it died while driving, did it spudder & die, or just instantly shut off?

 

Nismo- I can hear the fuel pump prime every time. When it died it just shut off, no sputtering or anything. It was like the key just got turned off. I'll double check that I'm not getting any spark from the coil- but I don't think I am.

 

This sounds like an ignition problem to me. Could be the ignition tumbler itself (very common problem) or the wiring that goes to it. I've seen that happen a bunch of times. At least, that's what the sudden shutting off thing sounds like. It is possible though from your list of symptoms that there are multiple issues. The first symptom sounds like either AFM or fuel pump. Even if the pump is working, a weak one will cause sypmtoms like this. Also, do the AFM rebuild procedure that J outlined in the "AFM Rebuild" in the tech section. Check the contacts on there really good too before you do anything else.

Rod.

 

Definitely sounds like theres an electrical problem in there. I'd check the ign switch and wiring as Rod suggested. If that all checks out then I'd point the finger at the IM.

 

I Had This Exact Problem On My Car. It Will Be The Little Module On The Distributor. A Frustating Little Thing To Diagnois, I Tried Everything And Then It Came To The Last Part. There Are Aftermarket Ones Aval. Now. Bout 100 Bucks.

 

I got a complete reman distributor with IM in the box for $100.00. You may want to just do that then.

Rod.

 

Where from. Thats a hell of a deal and most of my dist. needs replacement anyways. Might as well do the whole thing for that price

 

I'm pretty sure it's electrical... when it had the problem of cutting out it would just stop... no sputtering or anything. I'd also be curious as to where you got a whole dizzy for 100$. I checked around that that ignition module looks to be about 148.... full dizzy (not sure if it has the module on it or not) is about 180.

Instead of the stock module... I've also been doing some research on this problem and found it's somehow possible to use a GM HEI 4-pin module.. but I can't seem to find any diagrams for it. Nearest thing to a diagram that I found was on zcar.com: B on module wired to 12v and coil +, C on module wired to coil -, W is ground, and G is the FIDLE... but I think this might have been for a megasquirt equipped car.

Is there a way to possibly test the module? I think I found a way to bypass the wiring, but I'm not sure. On one site I found a diagram that had 12v going to the coil + and B pole on stock module, then wire from C pole on module to the - side of the coil... it was for putting a 280Z dizzy in a 240? I'm really stumped on this as I'm just learning about these cars....

 

Yeah Iv'e heard of the HEI being used with megasquirt, but I'm not familiar with it being used with the stock ignition and ecu. Most remans. come with the module but usually no cap or rotor. For $100 bucks though I could care less about having to buy a cap and rotor.

 

I got my reman dizzy from parts plus... I forget sometimes that I'm on the "wholesale" buying program though. Still, I think list was only like $139.00 or somewhere around there...

Rod.

 

Still cheaper than the usual online catalogs.

 

Yeah Im On The "cheap" Parts List Too. When You Buy Enough, You Finally Get A Discount, 30 Bucks Cheaper Than Jobber For Me.

 

When you own your own shop and are the biggest KYB, Akebono, and Bosch dealer in the area... You get an even BIGGER discount.

Rod.

 

One Day I Will Own My Own Shop. "barn Yard Haulers" Because My Shop Is In A Barn, Spray Booth And All. 30 An Hour (cash) Plus Parts.

AT LEAST IF I BREAK SOMETHING IN CA, IF I EVER GET THERE, I KNOW WHERE TO GO