misfire emergency

loosen off the distributor and give it a turn on the markings . Trial and error, and run it for a 1/2 mile and see. If no better try a little further adj, and test again. Your not doing any harm apparently, so fiddle about with the setting until it runs nicely.
Click to expand...
Please don't try this at home unless you are very sure of the principles involved! The only way to be sure you are not introducing a damaging level of advance is to set the timing with a timing light.

Further on the misfire problem - from your ECU fault codes, the most likely culprit is the air flow meter. See if you can swap a "known to be good" unit from another car...
Second favourite would be the crank angle sensor in the distributor - need to be able to swap the whole unit.
 
Mike, how damaging is damaging, was i simply lucky, I basically turned the setting up by one marking at a time until it run smoothly, and the popping stopped. im a bit puzzled why this couldnt have been set by the hometune guy, but he said that as the valves were caked up, and not seating correctly, fine adjustment of the timing was not possible, and that once ive found a smooth running adjustment this may have to be altered again later, even by a large adjustment.
Im a bit miffed now, what do you think on this.
Don.
 
there is a saying in the trade, "bullshit baffles brains" ya should have gone to a tuning specialist.
 
Don - the problem is that not all owners would understand the concept of small, gradual adjustment when it comes to ignition timing. I've seen even experienced owners making what would amount to 10-20 degree sweeps in an attempt to find the "sweet spot" at idle. The problem is that setting it this way does not consider the effect of the inbuilt advance mechanism and the total advance at higher rpm. Any advance that introduces the potential for detonation will have, at best, a long term damaging effect and, at worst (say turbo car running extra boost), an almost immediate piston breaking effect.

Rather than feel miffed, I'd be chuffed that the mechanic put you in the "knowing" category and left you to trial this yourself - just be careful out there...
 
grolls said:
there is a saying in the trade, "bullshit baffles brains" ya should have gone to a tuning specialist.
Click to expand...
Well thats a tall order paul.

Thanks Mike, I guess really then ive been lucky to find the right setting, provided it hasnt done anything too severe that I cant se.

Thanks for the info.
Don.
 
i don't have an AFM or CAS to hand, alas :| and i'm moving to japan next monday and giving the car to my old man as a gift. i paid for an exhaust, MOT, tax, timing belt etc etc so it would be running ok for him, but looks like i'll have to leave this misfire problem with him for a while.

a friend reccomended i try cleaning all of the connectors on the engine bay wiring harness. i did that this morning and the car ran great for about 10 minutes! then at high revs it began to falter, then slightly misfire, then back to the old 'bucking bronco' routine where it's undriveable. :|
 
Zbirdy said:
ive been lucky to find the right setting, provided it hasnt done anything too severe that I cant se.

.
Click to expand...

1 how do you know its the right setting as no strobe was used?
2 you wont see the dammage now but in time you may!

after all the shit...no wont go there..... do yourself a favour and go and get the ignition timing checked at your local garage and while your at it the dwell too as the dizzy is probably a bit worn by now assuming its on points. would cost you a tenner cash to a mechanic at your local garage, no special z stuff needed.
 
Trion, can you get a CAS by the weekend and give it a try? Seems a shame you never got to the end of it. When are you back from Japan?
 
I took it to an electrician and he tested it and said yeah it is most likely the CAS. he's checking with nissan for oem, and i'll probably give ken a call to see if he has one.
thanks for the help guys i'm glad this is almost solved (tho i don't get to drive :| maybe i can pick up a nice Z in japan :) i have to get rid of these GTR fantasies first tho).
 
just a quick note to say that it was the CAS, and the car is (reportedly) now running fine. if you see an bald guy driving a red Z31 in manchester its probably my dad :)

thanks for the help,
Neill

p.s. japan is weird!
 
im having the same problem. iv got a white z31 turbo. just replaced the leads, plugs, dizzy and rotor arm. still running like **** lol. think the cas will be next lol
 
Don't know what Z you have, but I had an intermittent problem with my 260 where it would misfire, the engine would almost die, sometimes it would backfire. . . then it would run perfectly. Eventually one day it did all of the above and refused to restart. The AA were called and could not get it going. Towed it to Mark Warburton in Macclesfield and the fault was traced to the condenser which was replaced at a cost of £2.50. It started straight away and had no problems at all since.
 
nismodan said:
im having the same problem. iv got a white z31 turbo. just replaced the leads, plugs, dizzy and rotor arm. still running like **** lol. think the cas will be next lol
Click to expand...

I think they are the same as a N/A model (please tell me if I'm wrong). If you need one let me know as I have a spare...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top