A&Q about 350Z
Q:
Sorry if this is a n00b question, but hey I never said I was an expert. :p
I was talkin to a ricer friend of mine, he has a highly modified crx, and we were discussing his new redline rpm. When talking about it, saying in cars with an ECU, redline is basically fuel cutoff... I was wondering what, if anything, redline does on non-ECU cars, like my '73 240z. He tried to tell me all cars have ECU's, and that I just don't know where it is on mine. He almost had me goin, but seriously got me second guessing myself. Am I right, that old Z's don't have ECU's? And also, what does redline do on non-ECU cars?
1973 240z 5spd | Dual Webers | Koni Shocks | And the crowning glory: the big red push button ignition. vrOOOM!
Pics
A:
If the car predates microprocessors that’s a good case for saying it does not have an ECU.
Really if you have a carb, and a distributor, you don't need an ECU.
also its hard to cut off fuel to a carb at some rotational velocity. I can think of a few mechanical systems that would do that but there would be little point.
I guess it comes down to how you define an ECU too. You can have a purely mechanical controller (they've existed for a long time) but today ECU means computer.
EDIT: btw the 4004 (first microprocessor ever) came out in 1971, the 8086 didn't come out until 78.
Also if his arguement is that all cars have Engine management computers you can point out that old carburated desiels don't even need a battery, or alternator to run.
1994 300ZX N/A T-top 5-spd
Post Edited (Jun 1, 3:10pm)
A:
Your friend does not know ****. 240 & 260 Z's were carbureted. Starting in 1975 280 Z's were ECU controlled. As for redline his rice piece of **** has a redline built into it. Redline is controlled either by the ECU or distributor module depending on make of vehicle. The ECU Z's from what I know 1975 -1983 do not have a redline programed into it. Redline on 1970 - 1983 Z's is a subjective thing thing relating to what condition the engine is in & what mods have been made. Could be from 6500 - 9000, from stock - wild.
PS.... tell your friend to pull his head out of his ass.
This whole world smells bad, I'd buy another if I had
back what I paid for another mother@#$%@# in a motorcade
A:
yea his piece of $hit does have a redline built into it, and his head is up his ass if he thinks 240z's have ecus
73' 240z: F54 4.2L, OS Giken LY DOHC Crossflow head, 17:3comp.ratio, N33, Tripple SU's, T10 Hybrid Draw-Through TT @ 47pds, Roots&Centrifugal Type supercharger, 3-2-1 headers, Centerforce 4 clutch, 6oz flywheel, R300 differential, Super-Hicas
A:
Redline usually refers to the safest RPM you can run the engine at before damage. This will vary from engine to engine and depends on a number of factors. The suggested redline by a car maker is usually as high as you can safely rev for short periods of time but is no guarantee that damage will not occur before redline, or that it will occur past redline.
Your friend sounds like he is thinking of a rev limiter, which can be programmed into an ECU to help prevent damage to an engine by keeping the RPMs from going past operational limits. Not all engines, even ones with ECUs, will have this.
So your friend is dumb if he thinks 1) that all cars have ECUs, 2) that all ECUs have rev limiters built-in, 3) that the redline of a motor is defined by the rev-limiter.
A:
I'll second John's motion
Your Ricer buddy is a lemming and speaks from his fecal orfice.
Reference : Ricer
Main Entry: lem·ming
Function: noun
Pronunciation: 'le-mi[ng]
Etymology: Norwegian
: any of various small short-tailed furry-footed rodents (as genera Lemmus and Dicrostonyx) of circumpolar distribution that are notable for the recurrent mass migrations of a European form (L. lemmus) which often continue into the sea where vast numbers are drowned
- lem·ming·like/-"lîk/ adjective
Z,
Kevin
Triple 77s, one for work, one for play and one on the way.
A:
You should show him some MSD ignition units that have rev-limiters in them. They have nothing to do with fuel.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)