n00blar

Well, after several months at the body shop...here are some pictures of how my 280ZX looks.

Now, I have an issue. I don't know what the hell the guys at the body shop did, but the car won't start. At first, they claimed the distributor was the issue (the found some ball bearings in there loose), so I bought them a new one...still they weren't able to get it started. I know they messed around with the spark wires and distro cap.

Any suggestions on what I can look at?

NismoPick

Nice paint job!

When a car won't start:

-Check for proper spark (coil, dizzy, wires, plugs).
-Check for proper fuel delivery (fuel pump, pressure, injectors).

n00blar

Yup, since they 'played' around with distro and plug wires. I bought new distro, cap, rotor, spark plugs, spark plug wires.

NismoPick

So.... is it getting spark???

SHADY280

wow nice paint, 350z sunset orange? and yeah you need to the basic checks b4 throwing parts at it.

snwbrderphat540

also... check the firing order.

n00blar

Yes, it's firing just fine.

I think the firing order is the problem. I noticed that they replaced the distro cap and I think they messed up when they put the wires back. I read my Haynes manual and looked at the position of the wires, but here's an observation.
Haynes says that wire 1 should be the front right connector (if you're facing the engine from the front); however, after getting the engine to TDC, I find the rotor pointing to front left connector - piston 4.
I read a document that shows how to set TDC and according to their pictures, the rotor should point to the distro vacuum...mine doesn't, mine points to the left (again, if you're facing the car from the front) of the vacuum.

I don't know if this makes much sense; I'll try to take a picture and post it.

n00blar

Yeah, I love that color and since the original color of my 280 was sort of similiar...I figured why not just give it a more modern look.

SHADY280

when your engine is at tdc, and the rotor points where ever, just start your number one there, and go round the circle. it doesnt really matter where it starts if the oil pump shaft is in the correct location. it only lets the dizzy go in one way. and being that wasnt apart, its gonna be the same as when you drove it there.

n00blar

Ok, I managed to take a small video; hopefully this can give some of you a clue of what I'm talking about.

n00blar

Ok, I wired the plugs according to what the rotor what pointing at. Yes, I got the oil pump shaft also in the correct spot.

Niku-Sama

nice, i was thinkin of a similar color, oh well off to a different color

NismoPick

Either no spark, plug wires are off, or no fuel...

-You have spark?
-The wires are in the correct firing order? 1-5-3-6-2-4
-You have fuel? Can you hear the fuel pump prime every time you turn on the key?

n00blar

Wires are in correct order...I had to re-check that, as the monkeys at the body shop messed them up.
I'll check for spark tomorrow, but I recall one of the guys at the body shop checking for that for the first plug.
As for the fuel...any easy way to check this?

NismoPick

Listen for the hum of the fuel pump when you turn the key to ON (past accessory).

duowing

Yeah, just put the key to On, you can't miss the hum of the fuel pump. I actually like the fact that the fuel pump is so audible in our cars. It makes it easy to know whether or not something is wrong with the fuel pump.

Nice paint by the way!