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IT"S ALL MINE!

Alright, yelling finished.

Just picked up a running '81 280ZX turbo automatic. $600.
New turbo. 90,XXX miles. Good body, needs paint, t-tops.

Engine runs like poo right now. Will not rev over 4k in nuetral, and car tops at 40mph after the 2 minutes it takes to get there.
But, mechanically the engine is find. The cover on the MAF was off, and it is not working right. If you move it with your fingers it will rev better but still only around 5500rpms.
No smoke, no noise. All gauges seem to work.

Any quick tips before I tear into it?
This is going to be the engine that will go into my 260Z. Going to take other parts too. Almost hate to part it out because it's a good solid body. But, I don't want a 280zx, or all the extra weight.

I am really happy right now. I have been trying to get an L28ET for some time, and to get the whole car for what I was willing to pay is a bonus.

Going to read up on cleaning all the extra vacuum and smog crap up. Be back later. Working on getting pictures up. Be patient.

NismoPick

w00t! Yeah... check the AFM. If you know how to tune them, get to work. If not, I suggest replacing it w/ one that hasn't been tampered.

Also check the connections on the TPS, CHTS, and check the timing.

FYI... the 81 has the CAS on the crank, which can get out of adjustment too.

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Thanks. Took the AFM out. Outside looked clean. Inside was spotless. I think it is new. Thing is, that the P.O was messing with it already. Don't trust it. Don't have an A/F meeter or I would go to work. Just know that when I move the arm to full rich mixture after the rpm's max out low, it allows the engine to rev higher. Could be other things. I am not messing with it yet just in case it happens to be set correctly.

I checked the intake tube inbetween it, and the turbo to make sure that there were no leaks. DO not think that the fuel canister is working correctly, because a nipple broke off, and the vacuum hose is lose. I'll play witht hat tomorrow in the light. Gonna go out and pull the dizzy cap off, check timing, check plugs.

I wil also check what you mentioned. Thanks Nismopick.

snwbrderphat540

is the AFM (not maf) on the right direction and right side up? if so try cleaning all the important EFI connections (CAS AFM injectors CHTS TPS) and the ecu ones them selves and also re-bend the female ends so they clamp tight on the male ends. tune up might help. also.... automatic? yuck is this a transplant car?

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This is a transplant car.

Yeah, I just read my first post, I meant AFM. lol
Too used to MAF.
I prefer MAP.. That's just me.

I already have the T5 in my 260Z, it will be getting used. Try and do a clutch at the same time, or I am just going to slip. lol

It's flipping dark. Why did the sun have to go down tonight!??!?

entropy31

snw fails at reading comprehension.

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But he caught that I mentioned a MAF. lol

One win, One fail.
We'll call it a draw.


F****** Cards just lost...


I am still calling this a good day, but man that's upsetting.

K....


What is the correct position for the AFM to sit? Adjustment cover up right?

snwbrderphat540

im pissed to, they just coulnt hold that final drive. tards, also i didnt read the whole post, so its not reading comprehension, its just lack of giving a **** haha

devonslick

great buy on that 81 i'd say! i dont believe youll have any regrets with the transplant. best way to go imo.

oh and cards lost... but my family won $1900 on the game... almost $3800 but the cards last drive f***** us

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Having some fun getting this thing running right. pissing me off.

AAC valve is shot I believe. Removed it, and unless it's a jetted vacuum, the diaphragm is broken. I can put a vacuum on it, and it will not hold, or build vacuum. I removed the valve, and held the vacuum port shut by hand, it there was no change in performance.

This really seems like a timing issue. But, it's not adjustable thanks to the CAS system.
Injectors are good, fuel pressure is good. Spark is great. Swapped everything from my other Z just to prove that to myself. Except the dizzy of course.

More to do, little time to do it.
I am currently working at checkers. This opens some possibilities. Cheap parts any ways.

Even manually controlling the AFM to give proper fuel ratio, it's a dog and wont rev. Backfires through intake under WOT like a ****.

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Sorry for a double post.. I am pulling injectors and fuel rail out. Pressure is good, but I'll bet that there are some clogged injectors. Temp switches, afm, and everything else should be working enough to get the engine above 2000 rpms.

I pinch the fuel return to increase the pressure in the fuel rail to pump pressure, and the car revs like it should.

snwbrderphat540

did you do what i said???? my car would jump at 2k as well with the bad connections it almost ran like a 2-step

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No bad connections anywhere.
Remove fuel rail, fired injectors, and three dribbled at best Other three were not great. lol

I checked all connections first.

Injectors need cleaning if they are salvageable at all. Gonna see what I can do overnight soaking them. Give it a shot tomorrow after work.

I am having a blast. I must be nuts.

NismoPick

I wish I was working on my turbo motor instead of typing a spanish paper...

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Your welcome to drive on over. lol
Might be one of those longer drives though.

NismoPick

pft... drive 3 blocks to my garage, or drive 676.98mi (oh yes... I just mapquested it) to your garage. It's a toss up...

duowing

I wouldn't put it past an also going bad CHTS.

I paid $1500 for my 280ZXT in the long run it may have been kind of much, but I figure there's a good bit I can eventually part out. I have the black interior pieces that are in relatively good shape. My motor had 89k miles on it when I got it, had the manual heater controls with the t-tops and analog gauges. Apparently rare for an 83' Turbo.

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Gonna borrow a multi meter so I can check some voltages. The temp switches on the thermostat housing are one wires switches. wiring is good and connections are good. Does not mean it works. But, wouldn't the car run well at one temperature or another?

SHADY280

or drive 2500mi. to my place, i dunno, something tells me you wont. id be checking that afm if it looks new, they have to be tuned to the car and cant be dropped in. the that chts is a good one too, plus the tps. seems to be the answer everytime something like this comes up. cough, search, cough. youre a good guy, so we shall let it go. ahhaha

duowing

I remember when I read that on zcar.com about the AFM. It was sometime after I had switched to the Z31 setup that it was mentioned that you basically need to tune the AFM to the motor. It then annoyed me because my Z probably could have been running alot better on the AFM had I known that.

FubarI33t

if you want MAP. Get the ECU, Harness, Sensors, And modify the Dizzy. from a Fireo, get the 2.8V6 one. or any 2.8V6 from GM. it would be just like upgrading to the Z31 ecu. only Map, instead of MAF

NismoPick

^^^ Did you ever get that setup to work? I remember you saying the firing order is different.

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The firing orders on the engines are different, but seeing that it is a batch setup, I imagine you could make it work really well. Found out that there are some hiddin wiring issues on my new Z.

TPS sensor is three wire. It was bugging me that when I disconnected it, it seemed to make no difference. So, I started cutting back into the heat shrink which looked new, and found that there was only one wire hooked up. Two blue wires in the harness period. Now I have to figure it out.

FubarI33t

just switch the plug wires around. and make a note of what is now what. i did not even get to tinker with it. A freind wanted the fireo. and said he would make a swap for his 87 N/A. so i thought, ECU Upgrade, and 5 lug swap. so yeh. i did the car swap instead. But would of loved to try it. since it's a 2.8L injected 6 cylinder. it will work. just transplant sensors, and maby a lil custom work to metal parts. I've got a S30 Webber carb intake set, and i want to put 2 t/b's. MAP would be easyer then MAF on that.

duowing

will the sensors fit onto the L motor though? Like for example with the CHTS and what not. As for the firing order I don't know. Would you just rearrange the plug wires to follow the order the injectors spray? I guess it would be the same idea behind the Z31 setup where you would theoretically switch the 2 and 5 injectors.