OK...1st of all I should be shot for letting my '83 ZX n/a sit for years on end.

2nd... A few weeks ago, It started up...ran good (for a change) and I drove it for the first 8.5 miles in almost 3 years. SUCCESS!!! (I thought). I'll spare all the gorey details that got it running......

3rd... Last week, it didn't wanna even crank over......I was bummed.

Today.... she ran like a champ! I didn't drive her (I used the battery outta my truck which was parked in the way...). The thing is: When starting, i have to crank and feather the throtle at the same time in order to get the motor running. At 1st, I get some smoke from the 1st cilinder spewing up from the block (head gasket?). It runs REALLY rough for a minute or so, then it acts like....."Oh hey....I'm running!! Yeah, I remember this..." and purrs like a kitten.

I adjusted the idle to 1k, opened up the air a tad, and is was like the car had never left the showroom floor.

I can almost garuntee that tomorrow, it won't friggin' start. I've done the plugs,wires, cap, new valve cover gasket, drained and cleaned the gas tank (no rust), new fuel pump (hi-flo capable), fuel filters, replaced cracked vac hoses, checked the injectors......(you get the idea...) What next? Did I forget to check something?

 

Well, as odd as this sounds, I've got a 510 that I'm building up for autocrossing and right now I'm in the bodywork phase so the car doesn't move much at all. I noticed that after sitting for a while won't really start or has a tough time. I took ATF and ran it through the carb into the motor (on F.I. it would be through a vacuum line) and did that for about 5 minutes or 3/4 a bottle. Hold the revs at 2500 and watch the smoke pour. Change the plugs to some fresh ones and the car might run better. My 510 does and it cranks right up and idles as well as it ever will on a rally cam. Did it to my Z too and it helped it out, I guess the ATF cleans out carbon deposits or something like that in the combustion chamber. Might be of some help to you, but don't quote me 100 percent on it.
John 82ZXT

 

Well, whatever the problem was, I seemed to have fixed most of it. I took it on a short 5 mile run this afternoon and it ran suprisingly well. I even got a chirp outta 3rd gear! I hadn't done that in a long time...... It sure feels nice to get her back running again...............now to fix the a/c................