Everyone’s been waiting for it – yes, the Datsun 280z has issues. But at almost 35 yrs old (come this April), who doesn’t? Isn’t that like 65+ in car years? :] Let’s go over a few…
1) Coolant Drooling – had to re-top off the coolant this weekend… there appears to be a small leak on top of the radiator. It slowly leaks, steams up against the hood, and there’s a small green pool forming on the top of the radiator. Appears to be coming from the cap itself (which would be a good problem to have). Interestingly enough, no matter how irregular the coolant is refilled, it always goes back to minimum.
2) Acceleration Hesitation – this has got to be priority #1. Randomly, when the throttle is pushed down, the car hesitates as if it’s gasping for air, and RPMs drop. I’ve yet to figure this one out. Sometimes it happens on a cold morning, sometimes when warmed and humming down the freeway in 4th gear. It can happen when the fuel is low or when the fuel is full. It can happen when the 280z barrels out of a deep turn, or driving straight. Interestingly, it’s happened twice in the same spot on 101 flying by the 880N on ramp). Here’s what we’re looking at in terms of the priority cue:
- Replace fuel filter ~$13
- Clean gas tank ~$60 (muratic acid / chain / POR-15 method)
- Air Flow Meter (AFM) ~$100 (after core exchange)
- Replace fuel pump (previous owner replaced it already, i presume he had the same issue…)
- Replace injectors ~$400
Now just so the readers aren’t worried, it’s NOT a frequent problem – but concerning none the less.
So i started with the cheapest option first: the fuel filter. Since I didn’t know when it was last replaced (replace every 24k miles), might has well start there.
new and old filters
Two worm gear clamps, a tightening screw, and the replace was easy. Word of note, make sure you have a bucket to catch the fuel left in the filter (and dispose of it properly).
After the change, even though it’s been running well, I’ll always have to keep an eye on the issues.
the DAILY DATSUN 