So i've been searching around and have found people with kinda similar problems, but still kinda different. Last night a couple friends and I changed my valve cover gasket on the 280zx turbo. Actually we found out that the guy that had it before me didn't use any sealer and hardly had the bolts in it. We put everything back together and I'm pretty sure we got the plug wires back in the right order. But, I'm gonna triple check after work. From a cold start it idles at about 900rpm as opposed to the normal 1300 or 1500 until it gets warmed up. When it does get warmed up it idles at 300rpm It idles like crap now and when driving in the higher rpms before shifting it sounds like some one put put pop corn in my engine. I get these very loud pops. I worked fine before I changed the gasket. I can't imagine what I broke in doing that. Just trying to take off it almost stalls. I saw a lot of people where have vacuum line issues, but I don't know enough to diagnose anything.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

if it was losing vacuum pressure from the loose valve cover them that could have caused the high idle i guess, try adjusting the idle screw a little,* just remember how many turns you gave it so you can set it back if you have to

EDIT: or not... if i take my oil cap off i believe my engine begins to fade out and eventually shut off

im sure it has to do with vacuum if its running smoothly with just a low idle

 

Unhook your IAC and see what happens. It could have failed.

 

There is no smoothness about it... It shakes the entire car much more noticeably than normal. just trying to get home was scary enough. I could here pops coming from the engine. and rpms were ridiculously low. It could hardly stay running. not sure what going on with it. But thanks for at least responding!

 

Yea! the IAC!...... what is that? I don't know everything there is to know yet, but I'm tryin'!

 

Never mind figured it out. Idle air control valve? Maybe?

 

The IAC is what its named "Idle Air Control valve" and it it fails it will cause odd idling. tho as for the popping and stuff, I'd make sure you didnt forget to hook up a connector.

 

Yea, I was looking at it this morning and I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary or anything. I started it up and it idled at 900 rpm...not good.

 

All is good! Apparently the #2 and #4 plug wires were switched. I had to call my mechanically gifted friend and laugh at him ( he plugged them back in)

 

i'd still check your timing and idle speed stuff some time, it was probally adjusted for a system with a vaccum leak.

i also never used any sealer on the valve cover gasket but i had all the bolts.