Hey guys, After posting a thread on here a little over a month ago wanting to buy a Z, I've finally made a purchase off another forum member for a nice, 1989 TT 2+2. She was sold to me for an 'as is' price, with a few problems that were explained to me by the previous owner, shes got some slight rust on the corners of the hatch but its not major, found a second hand hatch that just needs a respray and tint for $100 bucks. Easy fix. The other, more serious problem is trouble starting when the engine is cold. As I found out this morning and havent been able to start her all day But the car did have a big day yesterday, put about 400km on the clock driving back home and then around town everywhere. I'm pretty sure the previous owner hadnt been driving her much lately either. I was told the problem started when bigger injectors were installed, but they were swapped back out for the stockies after this, although it didnt solve the problem. I had a friend of a work mate of mine come round for a quick look today whos pretty experienced with Z's and he seems to think its not getting enough fuel, and that it could be the fuel sensor out of whack. He explained to me that it would make sense because different injectors can throw the sensor out and still be out when replacing the originals. He is coming back out either tomorrow or next day with another guy who knows his Z's to help me get her started and hopefully find and fix the issue. What do you guys think? Oh and how do you post up photos on here?
Hi, FAQ section details how to post pics.... unplugging the battery will reset the ecu and clear issues... the Tech Section search will show lost of helpful bits on idle issues and maintenance.. best of luck.. e.g. idle issues: http://www.pexcom.com.au/z32cms/search.php?q=idle&r=0&s=Search
I think she'll be right, mate You've got two zedders sorting out your car, atleast one of them will have a conzult cable and one will be or has been a member in this forum. If everything else fails to fix her, then blame it on the PTU or tps or fuel. If you want to post pics, start your free account on www.postimage.org
First run the codes from the ECU for starters. Next, ask the previous owner what size injectors were used before putting the old ones back in and if he had the ECU chipped/flashed for the larger injectors. He may have removed the larger injectors and sold them to make extra cash and then replaced them with the old ones. The bad part is that the ECU is still thinking you're running larger injectors and therefore the configured duty cycle of those larger injectors are being applied to the smaller injectors which would make it run excessively lean. Pull you spark plugs out, tell us the make/type/etc of them and also the color state they are in. I wouldn't be surprised that they may be extremely white colored. It's probably a sure bet that the install of those larger injectors was to replace faulty original ones. The original oem injectors on the earlier Z32's were a pintle type. The newer Zeds switched to pintless. It may be an off-chance that when replacing the old injectors he may have pinched a few o-ring seals for them. Do you have a gas smell /visual about the plenum area? Once you've got that injector stuff squared away, search "Swipnet" on these forums or Google. Apply those 2 swipnet links completely and to the letter and your zed will be running top notch. Good luck.
Z started a couple days after I posted this, i knew the issue wasnt sorted though but my guy never came out to help me. it went fine everyday 5 days in a row and then the issue again. It has not started for over a week now, havent tried her everyday though but if it was going to start again she wouldve by now. What it does is as soon as you turn the key she fires up for about 1 second and then nothing just cranks away no fire at all. can smell unburnt fuel near the exhaust, so it couldnt be a LACK of fuel i would think. This is jono's old 2+2 Z guys just letting you know, here she is outside my house the day i brought her home http://postimage.org/image/6tqv5xsd5/
You should have mentioned it was my old Z in the original post. Jschrauwen's advice would have been a lot different if so I am sure. For the record, injectors were upgraded to run more boost. Original injectors were rebuilt and flow tested not that long before they were changed. ECU had the tune flashed to an Eprom blah blah blah etc... Injectors/fuel rail was pressure tested to find leak(s), all checked out fine. PTU is series 2 & also made no difference when another unit was tried. No ECU faults. If I had any ideas what it could be, I would have tried it But as I said to you jjonezy, it might be worth going over it all again in order of simplest to hardest. I could have missed something.
Yeah I realise that. I agree and that's the plan with going over it and checking everything again. But if its not -injectors -coilpacks -ecu -cas -ptu -spark plugs, What else could it be?
maybe cold start injector or an intermittent fuel pump problem should be easy enough to cross them off the list while it wont start, you could also pull all the main relays and check the connections Linton
Starts for a second then dies... ...I'm thinking fuel. Can you hear the fuel pump priming when you turn the ignition on?
Errrmmm to save time and largely endless speculation, the engine overfuels and floods if it does not start immediately from cold. Further attempts to start it just make the problem worse. Its an OVERFUELLING issue that wets the plugs and the simple fix is to pull the plugs, dry them and wind the engine over at WOT with the CAS disconnected to dry the cylinders then away it goes. Im wondering if something in the ECU has been altered/corrupted in the CRANKING fuel tables to cause all this. E
Proven point there mate - started first try after doing that. Still doesnt solve the issue but I'm happy she's going again. Is there a way to check the ecu for such a corruption/alteration?
Anyways thanks for your input guys, it's really appreciated. Being my first high performance car and also being a Z I've thrown myself right into the deepend and I'm glad that there is a strong community support out there that I can get some help from.
The ECU has been socketed so either pull the chip and have it looked at or install Nistune and do it yourself. E
Hi, Sounds to me like, hopefully, a minor problem in +ve voltage rail. In particular battery and ignition fed circuitry, most likely in the engine compartment. Could be anything from poor alternator, battery, poor connections in starting and charging. Ie, Corrosion to battery terminals, Corrosion to connections to battery terminals. Corrosion to alternator and or starter motor battery voltage terminals. Even possibly poor -ve battery connections to engine or chassis. Corroded fusible links, battery and ignition fed relays corroded or seized. Etc, etc, etc. http://z32.wikispaces.com/file/view/ECCS_colored_m.gif If the ECU cannot get a consistent voltage/connection. It could do anything. From mainly nothing, to complete misfiring. And if the ignition circuits will not conduct. You will most likely get simply that. Nothing. Not trying to sound like I know it all. Just trying to help. And I have seen too many Holdens literally running on 2 or 3 strands of copper. Any I'm sure you'll have it sorted in no time. Regards
ECU, ignition coils and injectors all see battery voltage on cranking. I checked all this myself. Is why this is so mysterious. E
I've only skimmed through this so maybe you've checked this but have the injectors been flow tested? Could be gunked up and have more of a dropplet pattern than a spray pattern when they first start? Or a slight leak so they wet the plugs before you even start? Also, had a kind of similar issue years ago, turned out to be the temp sensor, was not throwing an error code, was just reading really really low temps (arctic low rather than just Tassie low) all the time causing massive overfueling.
Injector were the running injectors from the car. 550's were fitted and a chip programmed. Flooding started so stock chip and stock injector put back in. Not a CTS issue. Its all been checke...by me. Once its starts from dead cold it runs like new and pulls strongly and cleanly and continues to start hot quickly and easily. its very mysterious! E
Couple of thoughts. ECU bolted down properly? Fuel Pressure Regulator stuck open or Throttle Position Sensor reading wide open? Injectors previously seen diesel/oil? Faulty TT Fuel Pump Controller or Injector Grounding Transistors? Neutral Safety Switch or Kickdown/Detent? NA?? http://300zx.co.uk/tech/manual/manual/efec/008.gif TT?? http://300zx.co.uk/tech/manual/manual/efec/009.gif
If I had to guess, I would say one of the injector Orings was pinched letting fuel dribble in the cylinders when the car is cold. You need to put a fuel pressure guage on the car when its first turned off and see how long the fuel pressure stays up. It should remain high for HOURS. If it drops quickly, Oring seals are likely, flooding engine for the next start.
