StuartR

Is happening to me at the moment. Does it happen if you've got the A/C on? I find the increase in rpm stops it stalling for me. Gonna try the tickover speed this weekend - found that the AIV/FICV (or whatever) connections were totally greened up. So with these clean, manual tick-over set, TPS volts corrected and an ECU reset, hoping all this goes away. Might help you as well? HTH StuartR

Cheers for reply Paul. This will explain why I haven't heard anything before (and a good way of increasing rpms without operating the compressor to boot! - tickover problems!!!!) The noise is definitely coming from inside the cabin. When I open the glovebox I can feel the vibration on something in the gap behind. Is this where the expansion valve is? Can this be freed without draining the system? Liberal application of a hammer :p I'm not overly concerned at the moment, but would be nice to fix if I can.... must fix idle problem first :rolleyes: StuartR

Hi all, Been having some problems with the A/C. Apparently compressor is OK, pressure of gas is fine, fuses OK, but no cold air. At the weekend found the connector on the receiver (behind the front bumper) loose. Cleaned and refitted and now the A/C seems to be making a noise where it wasn't before. Sounds like a cross between fan noise and the noise a fridge makes?!! It seems to be coming from behind the glovebox. Would the poor receiver connection have stopped the system working before? With it not flowing gas, would the pressures have been measured wrong? Any ideas? expansion valve or something? Is the A/C supposed to sound like a fridge in the glovebox or should it be a bit quieter? In the meantime just have to make do with the roof off :cool: (when it stops raining:( ) StuartR

Had mine checked at the weekend. OK for gas volume, pressure, compressor, fuses. Blows nice hot air whenever. Been told that its probably a blocked expansion valve or low pressure valve or something expensive. Needs a proper expert to look at it. There is extensive testing you can do with the climate control to rule out electrics, etc. This is in the online manual. It also helps identify potential areas of problem with the refrigeration circuit. I'll be trying mine at the weekend - in the meantime old fashioned A/C with the panels off..... :D StuartR

Sorry m8. Don't understand a word you're typing! The gauge hose isn't that long...

Hi peeps, My boost gauge is not working (or is actually working as a nice barometer). I've traced the hoses to the hard pipes on the drivers side of the plenum, and from there the top goes to the throttle chamber entry, and the bottom goes towards the front (under the big top throttle hose). The gauge is currently connected to the bottom hard pipe. My question - should the vacuum gauge be connected to the top hard pipe (i.e. the throttle) or the bottom (which is I don't know what!!!)? If I swap these to test, will I endanger my precious engine? I don't believe I've got vacuum leaks (if I reroute the gauge hose to the balance bar I get good idle vacuum, and I can't hear anything), but some recent work on PCV replacement might have swapped the hoses accidentally..... What would this misconnection mean for driving manners (the car not mine)? It seems to be fine! Anyone in the Middlesbrough area willing to "show me theirs"!!! StuartR

LEEZX, I had this problem - fixed initially by resetting the ECU (disconnect battery for about 1 hour). It did eventually come back, so I checked/adjusted the TPS voltage (see other topics), reset the ECU again, and it hasn't come back since. Only drops to Power when I floor it. Could be worth a try? (Eventually replaced the TPS - got it with a load of stuff from the US). HTH StuartR

Hey pork928. You leave us MkIII Cortina owners alone! Admittedly it is a bit tappetty, but that's the fast road camshaft (well its my excuse anyway!). And its just as much fun at my TT as well (but in a different way, of course!) StuartR :)

James300 - I kinda guessed that, but thanks for the reply. I'll be checking (and hoping!) its the battery first.... SMW1 (Stuart) - I know Chadwell Heath (or at least how to get there - past the dog-track towards Ilford). I'll be sure to get in touch next time I'm down in the beast. Its sure to make me go green with envy though..... Stuart

Cheers Jock I did a test when I first looked at the battery to get the current draw with everything off, and it was only drawing around 22mA, so I'm pretty sure everything is OK here. Cheers SMW1 Me bro' is coming to visit at the weekend, and we'll attack it then. Worst case is a new battery (I am a real tightwad!). Where in Romford you from? I spent my formative years in HX (and despite now living 250 miles away I still have the Cortina to prove I'm Essex at heart!) I pop down to see friends, folks occasionally. Perhaps I could oogle your Zed sometime, and get some ideas for mods, etc. for mine! Stuart R

Hi Guys & Gals, My baby has stopped starting (Davey man) - I need some advise! Very recently the alarm has started to go off intermittently. Then on Sunday I took advantage of the lack of rain to give her a loving wash and all she would do was click at me!! However, she will start purrfectly and straight away with a jump-start. I disconnected the battery and charged it all day, cleaned the connections, and reconnected, but all she would give me is clickety, click. Jump-start again fine though! I had the battery checked by the local motor factors, and he thinks its fine??! The internal battery indicator says thats the case also! So if it jump-starts fine, is it actually a duff battery? Is it possible for a battery to die literally overnight? Or is the extra voltage from a jump start masking a different problem? Should I check solenoids, etc? Help me obe-juan-kenobi ( Stuart R

My Focus only allows the rear fogs if the front fogs are already on (progressive switch). Can't be illegal to have both on the same switch or all Focii(sic) would be in trouble. On the other hand my Cortina doesn't have any fogs - and rightly so - nowhere to put them! My Jap TT has a nice illuminated fog switch to the side of the light switch pod. HTH

Changed my TPS for new this weekend (and ECU temp sensor). My autobox gear changes are now sooooo smooth I can hardly tell its changing gear. So for all you autos out there with jumpy gearboxes, something perhaps to check before laying blame on a knackered box? StuartR

Andy, He (Phil) lives in Billericay - expect to see him cruising around Essex this summer with about 450-500 bhp (its a red one). And running North Weald/Santa-Pod. At the moment the engine is in pieces in his garage, with many modded parts to go on - you can virtually strip these motors in the engine bay - just as well, they're quite heavy!. Winter is definitely tinkering time - he can't get any traction on the road anyway!!! He probably knows the person in St Albans - they're really a tight group (he got his from Newcastle!) StuartR

150CFM seems low to me. My bro's Dodge Challenger uses 600 (ish) CFM carbs, and thats to produce about the same HP as the 300ZX (much more when he's finished playing with it, he tells me!) Of course, I wait standing to be corrected....

O2 is well hazardous stuff - I've heard of instances in Air Sep plants where spillage onto tarmac can, in effect, cause the ground to become combustible. And if you were able to remap to burn in neat O2, as everyone says, the combustion temperature would be around 4000C (normal air flame fronts are about 2000C)! Not such a good idea, methinks - (stick to NOx) StuartR

If you have a Jap Auto, you can put in Hold and it should reduce it changing gear as often. Seems to make my box feel much smoother as well.......? (And I found it a good way to check boost, as you can floor it without kickdown, and get reasonable operation in boost before hitting warp speed!!!) StuartR

Recently got some bits from Courtesy ~ $420 worth. Parts were $358 & shipping $60. Delivered by UPS - warning this is a Cash On Delivery item - you pay the duty on delivery. My duty bill was around £60 - about 23% - comprising import duty (about 3%, VAT 17.5% and some other duty levied on top of that - the tax bill is cumulative, and you pay on the delivery also! - go figure?). Still worked out about £100 cheaper, and bits arrived in 4 days! You need to order a reasonable amount to get over the shipping charge - I've few more bits from MJP to get, as US cost is low but shipping makes it about the same overall! Apparently you can try to "delay" paying the tax by using USPS, but Courtesy don't recommend it cos it delays delivery, is not trackable, and ultimately is not much less in cost (UPS about $10 more). HTH StuartR

I found at the weekend that if you press the release button for the belt, it tensions up. My belt was all loose (like I'd lost loads of weight suddenly!) - I went to release and put it on again, and as I pressed the button it tightened all snug. Do this stationary though... StuartR

Thought the warning light was rear light clusters only. If you've had brake lights converted to fog, this will trigger warning if you brake unless you do something a bit smarter with relays and the like. I've not seen front warning, and my bulbs have been failed many times... StuartR

AndyP, Where abouts in Essex are you (or your mechanic)? My brother lives in Billericay, and I'm visiting next weekend - I'm toying with bringing the 300ZX or the wifes Focus (I need an excuse for the extra £40 fuel cost!). I need the bearing changed, and I have the parts (from Courtesy - $94 for bearing, $54 for rear box mount - plus dreaded tax/shipping). No exhaust gaskets though... Ta, Stuart

Have you recently put a new stereo in? There is no earth in the stereo loom (it earths through the chassis/aerial) - I mistook the light wire for the earth (I fitted in the day). As soon as you put the lights on the fuse blows (i.e. the lighting circuit goes straight to earth). I found this one dark night in January!!! Otherwise, a bad wire somewhere? HTH Stuart

You can get these from Courtesy in the US. Two styles as well!!! They'll probably put them in a letter for you also to avoid the customs fiasco and large shipping cost...if you ask nicely. Stuart

You could wire a separate switch for these lights on the dash (only joshing) I think my old Morris Minor had one of those. Loads of fun sitting at traffic lights, flicking the switch and then revving hard to pull away, one eye on the panicing driver behind.....

Me too - I get the creak in the cold for a few miles, and then it just goes. Doesn't seem to be anything to worry about at the moment....... or is it?