Hi i just join the club cuz i just got a 280zx from a lady that was the owner for 26 years that has not drove it much in the last years...got good deal so i am trying to get it running cherry its over heating when i drive more then 3 miles so i changed the Thermostat and radiator cap still heating up i am going to change the air filter next and maybe the water temp gauge...and get a radiator flush... if ya all know anything else i could do please let me know...
I am in Hawaii on Big Island! I did order the license plate (JAHMON)!!! Was still available Hoping to get it street legal and running by Nov 22 my BirthDay!:-)
Peace
Jahmon

 

Welcome to ZDriver!!! Post some pics of the beauty.

 

:-) Check Members Gallery

 

Congratulations! Most likely a problem with your water pump. I've had to change the water pump on every Z car I've owned. Don't know why, none of my friends seem to have this problem, but I do...

 

Hi... is it over heating??? You say it is over heating, it might not be... is the gauge at hot???/ is the water boiling out???/ Lets start with the free. 1) Is the belt on it and is it loose??? Full on water??? 2) with the car cool and no psi on the radiator fill the top hose... then start the car and let it run for 2 min... fill the hose agian... is it hard??? If so you most likely you have a blown head gasket... hose soft then move on ... 3) Check to see if the water is moving(I don't know how hard this will be on a 280Z) If not check... t stat & water pump... 4) I'll get back to you... LOL

I was going to ask... 3 min drive time or parked time???

 

Ok so the gauge says hot but the water is not boiling... gets close to Real hot after 3-5 min or miles... hoses are kinda soft should i replace?
I will take it for a longer run tomorrow cuz today when i got back from a test run after putting new spark plugs in the gauge was a little more then 3/4 hot but when i parked i could still put my hand on the radiator cap...
Oh got small exhaust leek by the manifold can that cause over heating?

 

not really. i would replace your hoses/water pump (or at least inspect it). also, the radiator is topped off right? any leaks you can see? run the car in one spot till its starting to get to over operating temp, then move teh car and look for water spots, under teh hood and in teh car too. could have a leaky heater core. ive yet to have an over heating Z. actually, my 260 runs usually really really cool. lucky me i guess.

 

No leek and water is topped off... i am not a pro just a new-B with 280zx's...
Just trying to do the simple fix ups...

 

any kinked or crushed hoses? anything that disrupts the water flow will cause it to over heat. even a pin hole leak can do it cause it wont hold pressure

 

Thanks ya all i feel welcome in the club and now i got more to look in too tomorrow

 

Great to have you at the site and.....

*HUGZ ^_^*

Welcome to Z driver

 

If it's reading 3/4 hot and acting like it's overheating, but the radiator is still cold, it sounds like the water pump isn't circulating the water like it's suposed to. When it is reading hot on the guage, is it losing power, pinging, running rough etc, or is it just showing hot on the guage? I've had brand new thermostats that were junk right off the autoparts shelf, so make sure your water is actually flowing through the radiator after the engine warms up good.

 

welcome to Zdriver

I want to stop by to see your car...

 

then get to swimmin ^^^

 

ya, I gotta train for a while before I can make that swim

 

Was running a little rough cold before i changed the spark plugs was loosing power when i reb it up and popping a little...
How do i check if water is flowing? is it ok to open the rad cap when its warmed up?

 

Never open the radiator cap on a hot engine, especially if you can feel pressure in the radiator hose.(been there done that, ER bills suck lol) TAke the cap off when it is cold, then start the car and wait for it to warm up to operating temperature. Once it's warm, the water should start to flow across the radiator, then stop again cycling as the thermostat opens and closes.If it just boils out instead of flowing you might have a bad water pump. If it starts blowing air and water out of the radiator right away when you start it, it could be a blown head gasket.

 

Okay... So far it sounds like it IS NOT overheating... to make sure, lets do some diagnostics 1st... 1) Do you have a temp gun (IR)??? If not and can you get one??? About $35- $150 or so... or see if a friend has one... this is a GREAT thing to own... all you have to do is point and pull the trigger, in a less than a sec. it will tell you what the temp is. If not, do you have thermometer (like you would use on a ham or turkey) take off the radiator cap (with it cool) put the thermometer in the water and run the car. Check the gauge on the car and the gauge on the thermometer. Are the two close??? 190 - 230f max.

If the hose is soft after 2-3 min... and the gauge in the car shows 3/4 then the means 1 of 2 things... 1) the raidtor cap is bad and will not hold pressure but your (most likely) water would boil over to the reservoir bottle or you would half to have a leak. ... 2) Or it's not (most likely) over heating. If the car is truely over heating you would have 13-16psi on the cooling system ie (the hoses) that's why I asked if the hose is hard or soft when the gauge shows over heating... Talk to you later, got to go pick up a z31 for a parts car.

 

Thanks so much Hommies_...oo000OOO
Will check all that in day or two when the air filter gets here...
Oh and Yahoo getting it Safety inspected today and registered tomorrow!
Hopefully my Plate is here!....

 

Yahoo got it Street Legal Today!!!
Just waiting for the parts store to call me to tell me the air filter is here...
Then i am going for the test run...