Sunbaked '76 Cali 280z

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Just read this whole thread with interest as the brakes on my 280z are horrendous! @atomman are you still producing these kits? I gather in aluminium now?

If so, am I right in thinking the 2 options for a 280z, would be either R32R calipers (like these?), or (non-turbo?) 300zx calipers from Rockauto?

If the latter, is this selection correct?:

View attachment 53007


Also, to confirm, is it only the Jag discs that fit on 280's? Or can the GTR ones fit too?

If either fit, any clues on the price difference and UK availability for the two disc options?
When you say your brakes are horrendous what are you using as a benchmark? Standard brakes on two 240Zs I have owned have been perfectly acceptable and must have been considered good in the period. However they were poor compared to my 370Z.
Are you sure they are working correctly and the type of friction material can make a big difference.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
I think I've been very jammy and have fixed the rich running and rough idle in one fell swoop!

Not 100% sure how though 😂

I cleaned the electrical connectors I found in these locations including the first 3 injectors before I ran out of time last night (see the green dots):

PXL_20220823_173904193~3.jpg

Then today, I cleaned up that random spare green wire which I believe is meant to be plugged into the oil pressure sender. I plugged it in, and started the car. The oil pressure gauge now works perfectly - but it did before too! I think I may have blasted it off with the pressure washer when washing the underside of the car. Oops.

Anyway, as expected, that made no difference to the rich running or rough idle.

Still rough:



Then I thought, I'll clean up the first spark plug again, to see if that looks any good after I run the car again for 20 min or so.

So I did that, plugged the spark plug back in, and started up the car to let it run. Immediately I could hear and see a difference - nice idle at the right speed, almost no smoke, no black smoke on throttle, and the engine doesn't almost die after a rev!

Evidence:


So WTF has happened here? Perhaps the cleaned up connectors are what's fixed it, but without at least 1 spark plug being clean, it didn't make a difference? Or maybe just some intermittent gremlin.

Either way, car sounds sweet now and no black smoke. Chuffed, so to speak.

Leaving it running for 20 min so then will check that spark plug again.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Rob Gaskin in another thread said:
When you say your brakes are horrendous what are you using as a benchmark? Standard brakes on two 240Zs I have owned have been perfectly acceptable and must have been considered good in the period. However they were poor compared to my 370Z.
Are you sure they are working correctly and the type of friction material can make a big difference.

Yes this is what I'm thinking Rob. Perhaps new pads and a bleed will help.

I'm comparing it to a 2003 Mini R53S which has by modern standards, pretty poor brakes. Fair bit of a travel on that but it stops well eventually. But the Z, I'm pushing it for maybe 4 or 5 inches before I feel a single bit of bite. Then it does stop. This is at very low speeds on the cul-de-sac. Haven't driven the car properly yet.

I think I'll try bleeding the brakes. Is there a one-man brake bleeder kit that fits the 280z, does anyone know?
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Bizarre timing, this .. I just went out to the car and started it, and the BRAKE warning light on the dash is now lit.

I (now) know this is also the light for the handbrake when on.

But the light remains brightly lit when I take the handbrake off.

From googling, that means low pressure / imbalance between front and back brakes, right?

Looks like there's no fluid in the right hand reservoir? Unless it fills when the cars running or something?

PXL_20220825_130336610.jpg

PXL_20220825_130240303.jpg
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
So there is your problem.

Also I would get someone who knows what they are doing to help bleed the brakes. I have always preferred the 'down/up' command and open and close the bleed nipples.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
So there is your problem.

Also I would get someone who knows what they are doing to help bleed the brakes. I have always preferred the 'down/up' command and open and close the bleed nipples.

Thanks Rob. I haven't ever bled the brakes on a car before so help would be appreciated! We'll see who I can rustle up..

Btw, should that cylinder/reservoir on the right be full, like the one on the left is?
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Thanks Rob. I haven't ever bled the brakes on a car before so help would be appreciated! We'll see who I can rustle up..

Btw, should that cylinder/reservoir on the right be full, like the one on the left is?

Good idea. Brakes are rather important.

Yes, they work on fluid not air like a lorry (sorry).

Even my pedal cycle has hydraulic disc brakes, probably better than your Datsun atm.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Good idea. Brakes are rather important.

Yes, they work on fluid not air like a lorry (sorry).

Even my pedal cycle has hydraulic disc brakes, probably better than your Datsun atm.

Haha! OK, well at least we know what the (next most important) problem is.

Thanks Rob & Jon.
 

SacCyclone

Club Member
Check for leaks, that brake fluid went somewhere.
Pull the rear drums off and make sure that it is all dry in there and not leaking out the rear wheel brake cylinders and also check for brake fluid under the car for a metal or rubber brake line.
 

yellowz

Club Member
Wow that is cheap, thanks Jon.

I think I'll try sorting my stock brakes out first, but good to know about this option. I have a very long pedal travel and not a huge amount of stopping power which is all right at the end! Think I need to try bleeding them don't I..
Start putting penetrating oil on the bleed screws now, and repeat until you bleed the brakes. Although if Mike went through the brakes you might not need to. Mine were solid!
 

Robotsan

Club Member
There is some fluid in that reservoir.. it's about level with the "min" line.

But that's some way off the "max" line!

PXL_20220825_172249375.jpg
 

toopy

Club Member
Wow that is cheap, thanks Jon.

I think I'll try sorting my stock brakes out first, but good to know about this option. I have a very long pedal travel and not a huge amount of stopping power which is all right at the end! Think I need to try bleeding them don't I..
Check the adjustment on the rear drum brakes as that won't be helping matters either if they are way off.

Definitely bleed the system first though and go from there.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Check the adjustment on the rear drum brakes as that won't be helping matters either if they are way off.

Definitely bleed the system first though and go from there.

Thanks, I will do. Appreciate all the help from everyone 👍🏻
 

Geoff-R

Club Member
Also make sure you get a brake spanner to undo the nipples, do not use a normal spanner. Think they're 10mm. You could use a socket to loosen them but the correct spanner makes the job much easier and also lowers the risk of you rounding off the bleeder nipples.

 

Robotsan

Club Member
Also make sure you get a brake spanner to undo the nipples, do not use a normal spanner. Think they're 10mm. You could use a socket to loosen them but the correct spanner makes the job much easier and also lowers the risk of you rounding off the bleeder nipples.


Thanks Geoff, I had no idea they even existed! I'll order them.
 

Robotsan

Club Member
Also make sure you get a brake spanner to undo the nipples, do not use a normal spanner. Think they're 10mm. You could use a socket to loosen them but the correct spanner makes the job much easier and also lowers the risk of you rounding off the bleeder nipples.


Hang on, are these any different to the pack of open ended spanners I've got already (open at both ends)? Or are they different in some way?
 

Faster Behr

Club Member
Hey congratulations on this, and let the fun begin huh?

I'm glad to see you're getting to grips with the EFI. You definitely did the right thing by starting with the wiring and plugs. The plugs to the fuel injectors, AFM, cold start injector and TPS can all be bought as a replacement kit with 6" wire pigtails on them. You just cut and solder the new plugs on. Sometimes that's the only alternative when the terminals in the plugs are really poorly affected by corrosion.

The oil pressure gauge and temperature gauge will come and go on a whim in my experience. I think mine work in conjunction with the phase of the moon sometimes. I'd go for standalone as has been suggested. I put a low oil pressure light in the Fairlady for peace of mind.

I haven't seen any mention of you checking all the rubber fuel hoses out under the bonnet? If not, then be sure to do this. They age, crack and perish. Your pride and joy can be repaired from many things but a ball of fire generally isn't one of them. It really could ruin your mood.

Same goes for anything else rubber - especially the brake hoses!

Looking forward to watching this - and good luck!
 
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