3 days ago I started up my 280zx for the first time in 5 months. I took the battery out of my 300zx and put it in my 280zx, put in 1/4 tank of 89 octane gas, and crossed my fingers. I turn the key and it turned over once and then fired right up!! It ran just fine. No leaks, knocking, rough idling, or anything. I decided to take it for a test drive. The clutch felt fine, and, oh **** the tranny shifts a **** load more than my 300zx. Than again 100k miles difference between the two helps also. My 300zx has 257k miles and my 280zx has 153k miles. I drove down the street and pushed the brake pedal and the damn thing went almost all the way down to the floor!!! On wednesday I'm getting the car on a lift, and I'm checking all of the brake hoses, exhaust, tranny, differential. I'm checking everything I can because the car could probably use a tune up. I need to adjust the e-brake. Anyways, back on the subject of brakes. I'll inspect the hoses and if they are in poor condition; I'm going to buy braided steel brake lines for it. If they are in good condition what do I need to do? Just bleed the brakes or what? Look foward to hearing from you guys. LaterZ.
Pete

 

Brake master cylinder if the hoses check out, and I imagine they will. Ive talked to guys that do lots of brakes and they say that if the outer jackets of the hoses are cracked a little, its ok. When you can see rust, or a leak on the hose, definatley replace. If the hose has ever been kinked in half, replace. It probably wont leak if its been kinked, but if it is old the inside of the hose might collapse causing a caliper to stay pressurized, or not pressurize at all.

 

sounds like A a vacum leak... B bleed the brakes.. C possable hole in the brake line... dont feel bad thou my right rear caliper leaks from the emergeny cable ... =-( p.s. ill be getting it fixed 01-20-06

 

I would suggest flushing the system with new brake fluid. It doesn't take long for moisture to build up in an unused brake system. The pedal going way down could also just be from the cylinder O'rings drying out and shrinking a little from sitting..... ie: after a few good pumps they're sealing again.

 

Wrong! A vacuum leak won't cause the pedal to go to the floor... If anything, it will make the pedal hard as a rock. If you're going to give advice on the single most important part of the car (Brakes) ... Know what you're talking about first so that somebody doesn't kill themselves taking your advice... ... ... ... ... He most likely has a bad Master Cylinder. Try Flushing it like was already recommended. One of two things will happen... It will either get way better, or WAY WORSE. Either way, you'll know. ... ... ... ... ... ... Rod.

 

sounds like everybody has the right idea, my 280zx did the exact same thing when i first got mine, it happened to be that there was not enough brake fluid, and there was air bubbles in the line, just drain, and refill, be sure to pump it and let all the bubbles out when you do it, if there is no spungy feeling, you got it.

 

I agree with the flush and refill. The question is - what's the best way to do this? Do you open the bleeder at the farthest point from the master cylinder and let it gravty bleed? Will that be sufficient to clean out the old fluid? Or should all of the bleeders be opened at once to let them bleed? Should they be power bled? Forgive me for being somewhat inexperienced on this, but I've never done this before.

 

Open them all and let it gravity bleed. Just DON"T LET THE RESEVOIR RUN EMPTY! Make sure you stand nearby with a bottle of fluid and keep the fluid level in the resevoir from dropping too low. There's no need to power bleed it. Gravity bleeding is by far the best way. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Rod.

 

I Agree With Rod, I Say Buy The Braided Lines Though, Pedal Pressure Is Way Better. Before Disconnecting The Lines Put A Little Pressure On The Pedal, Enough To Move It 1/2" Or So. Quick Clamps Work Great. This Will Stop All The Fluid From Running Out. Sounds Dumb, But It Works.

 

If the hoses are bad I was going to buy the braided steel ones anyways. Now I have to deal with another problem...I went to start up my 280zx today and It started up again but it ran like ****!! It was idling really rough no more than 500rpms with the pedal almost floored. There was also a echoing poping noise coming out of my intake. Help me guys please!!!

 

Could be the air regulator. Or a vacuum leak. What ever the mechanical issue it is it's likely causing an A/F ratio problem so you're getting backfiring through the intake. I get the same thing when I first start my car. I just let it idle for a while then I'm good. Except I know mines the air regulator cause I've already tested it but just haven't bothered with trying to fix it. If my cars still driveable in winter then its not that big of a dael for me.

 

pete, go by elimination.

Rod is absolutely correct. Safety is paramount. Guess work is not an option when its brakes we're talking. I definately would trust Rod's input on this topic first. Dude takes this seriously (as we all should), although I am pleasently surprised by his use of smilies at the same time

All other suggestions are however quite valid and possibly can help when trying to solve your brake issue. Good luck

As per you car running with a bad idle, the most common thing for a car to start doing that overnight is a cracked or dislodged boot along the intake. Bad air fuel ratio, vacuum leak....

 

I was thinking about using the kicup valve for the A/C to raise the idle when cold. J maybe you can help find a vacuum switching valve that can open it when cold and close it and let the vacuum bleed off when warm? I tried it with a piece of hose when the motor was cold and the air regulator was blocked off. It worked great!

 

Well, guys. I found out one of the reasons it wouldn't start. It so happens that the spark plugs are pretty bad so I'm getting new ones. I got it to start and idle normally , when I give it some gas it still makes the popping noise at 2k rpms, but not as bad.

 

Does it rev higher than 2K? If not try checking your throtle position switch. I found out from hanging around here that if that gets wet in the slightest or has a bad connection, it wont let you rev past 2k or so. Might not be your problem, but it'll save you a lot of trouble later if that happens. It happend to me on the way down to MSA last year!

 

Yeah it'll go past 2k.

 

I had the same problem on a 83 non-turbo i just purchased. I put in new plugs and wires, changed the oil and antifreeze and started it up. It would sputter and ran ragged, like the muffler was blocked and the exhaust was backing up and backfiring at the manifold. I gutted my catalytic converter and it purrs like it was on the showroom floor. This car had sit up for 1-2 years and brakes and clutch pedal were good, but I pulled the tranny and am putting in a new clutch kit tomorrow. Good luck, I've had 3 280's and 1 300ZX. Ill take the 280 any day.

 

I got the car up in the air yesterday to check out to sell if there was any rust on the undercarraige and there was no rust what so ever under there. Everything is in pretty good shape.