Ladies/Gents.

I was looking at the Haynes book today, because the timing on my Z is off and it says see dealer!

Well I have an 83 Turbo, anyone know what the advance should be set to?

I know you have to mess with the crank angle sensor (which I have no idea how to do). Just curious to know what the timing should be set at.

Thanks,
wgc_3

 

Do you have the Datsun 280zx 79-83 Haynes Manual? On page 26 of mine it says 20 degrees + or - 3 degrees BTDC @ 700rpm (manual) 650rpm (auto) w/ the TPS unplugged. Check out page 26....

 

According to my Clymer book I have. For the turbos, timing should be 20 +/-3 degrees BTDC. Hope this helps, and let us know how it works out.

 

Wow first off let me appologize for being a dumb ***! Sorry for not looking! Thank you guys!

Next question I've heard you have do something with the crank angle sensor to tune it anyone heard this or am I just talking out of my ears?

Thanks,
wgc_3

 

There is no "tuning" for the 82-83 cas.... you could prolly adjust the mounting point on the 81 but that's it.

 

What would cause it to bog down when you press on it a little? I am going to check the wires tomorrow, and the plugs but from what I was told they were just done.

So no way it could be the timing?

 

Sure, it could be timing, or a lot of other things. Search the 280zx tech forum... there's lots of threads from people having "bogging" problems.

 

Rotating the distributor IS adjusting the CAS on the 82-83 turbos. The CAS is in the distributor, so when you rotate the dizzy to change the timing you are rotating the CAS with it.

 

What's the RPM reading when it starts to bog down, Wgc? Also, does it bog down when the engine is cold (first started), after it's warmed up, or all the time?

 

cap and rotor might need to be replaced possable air leak ? possable dirty fuel injectors.. sounds like timing to me thou...

 

The engine will only bog down when it's warm, I'll be doing about 50 stomp on the gas, and it will back fire or just just sputter and never really go. The RPM range is well really any range, I've not noticed it happen more then any other depending on the the RPM.

I'll run a ton of Sea Foam to clean the injectors, hopefully that will help?

Any other ideas?

 

Strangely, 1981-82 is 20BTC, 1983 is 24
You can try either setting though.
I stuck my 1983 at 22 Before.

That AFM seems to be the cause of most problems on the turbos. So much relies on that one sensor. The ECU acts very different than the NA engines. Mine bogs quite a bit when cold but seems to just have the usual turbo lag when warm so I dont' think its a real issue.

The Z31 ECU swap might improve that.

 

Ok figured, PART of it out. The gas in the car was bad, drained the tank and put good gas in it HUGE improvement!

B) Still lags I'll get on it and i'll take 3 miles or so to get from 45-60, not so good!

Anyway, other then the ecu replacement any other ideas?

Thanks,
wgc_3

 

That's not lag, that's an engine problem.
I get on it, and it accels slow for 2 seconds (lower rpm) or untill it gets above 2200 rpm or so... the vaccum is at zero but as soon as it hits 1psi it starts to take off fast. The torque really kicks in.
3 miles later I would be at 135mph!

Is your turbo an automatic or 5-speed manual?
I've heard of one guy having his auto skip 1st gear all the time. It took forever to accelerate because he started out in 2nd. But it pulled hard once he got up to about 45+ mph

 

It's a five speed, I am going to mess with the timing tomorrow and see if it's corrected, or even close to 20 +/-3

Non the less what would you guess it is?


Thanks,
wgc_3

 

could also be a boost leak. Very common on turbo engines.

Does your boost gauge show a positive pressure but the car doesn't go anywhere fast? ...any noises like popping or backfiring?

 

It does show positive when I am not in gear, when I am going down the highway in fifth its around -5 to -3. And yes it backfires BAD when I get on it.

Thanks,
wgc_3

 

Here it goes, today my hands are dirty!

Heres what I found out!

A) Wires were unpluged, now they're pluged!
B) The distributor was loose! (need to time it)
C) Spark Plug wires weren't touching all the way one not touching at all!


The timing of the engine, I see how it's done though I've never done it on a car that is FI, which pistion should the wireholder be connected to on the timing gun? Also where do I connect the positive and negitive wires to on the gun? Is it the alternator or coil on this car?

 

The + wire to the timing gun go to the corresponding posts on the coil and the - to a ground.

As for the pickup clamp, it goes to the #1 spark plug wire.

 

Would ya look at that! Your a smart one!

Thanks,
wgc_3

 

The + and - wires on the gun just need power. I put mine right on the battery terminals.

 

Guys,

Thank you for your help the timing was WAY off! Now it's fixed, new wires, new timing, almost new car!

How do I check for a boost leak?

Also, the car is sending bad info to the ECU, when I wiggle the wiring going into the ecu it's ok, which I find odd, anyway to replace these three connectors? It'll start to stall, so I wiggle the wire and bam its fine, the ECU is new which is what the prev. owner told me.

Here is a picture of a wire which I have no idea where it goes maybe one of yall do? The green/black wire just hanging there!

 

That green / black wired plug is not used... don't worry about it. And your ecu connectors prolly have some corrosion on them. I dipped mine in some Lime-away, then rinsed them off & blew them dry w/ compressed air. Do that, and then apply some di-electric grease.

 

O thank you! So Nissan added some random wire?

Off the topic but I am going to dynamat for heat and road noise reduction how many sq. ft. do you think I'll need?


Want to thank everyone for their input, if there is a way to donate to this site I would like to do so, if anyone has a link.


Sincere thanks,
wgc_3

 

No... I believe those wires are required for the Diagnostic computer... Look in your Haynes manual wiring diagrams & you will see those wires. It says "not used."