I'm starting to suspect my car may have previously been an automatic that's been converted. So I thought a few questions that you guys will no doubt be able to answer very easily, will solve my curiosity.

 

Do manuals come with cruise control? (Most cars with CC are Auto?)

What kind of dip-stick should a manual have? (Flexy-Wire style/Flat Alu style)

Are there any tell-tale signs of an automatic 300zx?

 

There are a few issues with our 300 mechanically and I need to start getting them sorted out, I'd like to know exactly what it is I'm dealing with before I really start taking it apart, if I know I've got to change things etc I'll make sure I have them before I start.

might still have the auto ecu, as you dont need to chnag eto manual one so most dont bother if im correct. might be worth a look

1st thing any new owner should do mate is head on over to Zedworld.

They do an inexpensive assessment of your car and make any minor adjustments as needed and a report on what's wrong etc.

 

They will also tell you whats what about any aspect of it, past or present and theres a very strong chance it's been through their doors before, in which case the details will be recorded.

Oh and manuals had CC as well.

Smithy

Both the auto's and manual came with cruise an option, ones with cruise

will have a cruise button on the right side pod and either cruise controls

on the stearing or later models had a stalk.

 

Check your cluster guages to see if there is power or hold lights for the

auto or check the ecu as I think its different.

 

You can use a auto ecu in a manual but not the other way arround i think.

 

I'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong shortly.

Well I've not seen anything in the dash that would indicate it was previously an auto, what would I be looking for on the ECU to tell if it had been an Auto or not? Something I'm positive of is that my starter motor Or (and hopefully it's not this) my flywheel is breaking up, which would be another sign it had been an auto, but then again I'm relatively sure from my knowledge of other cars, you'd have to change the flywheel in the conversion wouldn't you?

 

I do intend to take it to Zedworld eventually, for one thing it had new tubbies fitted before we bought it and a new clutch, but it hasn't been set up yet, got some general mechanical stuff to sort out first though, such as cracked plug leads, repair rocker cover oil leak, repair starter motor/flywheel etc.

in a auto to manual conversion generally......

 

there will be some spare connectors under the bonnet by the right wing near the power steering pot

 

a new pipe is generally run from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder direct. a factory manual will have a pipe from the master cylinder to a junction with a spur going to a bleed point again on the wing by the power steering pot

 

if its a turbo its unlikely that all the clutch vac asist lines and tanks were fitted in a conversion, the factory manual will have a vac line off the balance bar to a non return valve to a round tank in the back right of the engine bay and a funny shape tank in the wing then on to the servo. a conversion will often just have a t piece off the brake vacuum line

 

auto gear box rad pipes going into thge main rad not connected to anything

 

a beeping sound when in reverse and not breaking or accelerating

 

power light flashes on dash on starting car

 

and the ecu (under carpet in passenger footwell) will prob still be an auto

 

under the centre column near the gearstick there will be 2 or 3 spare connectors

Sounds to me like it was always a manual then, thanks for that ianl. I don't have any beeping, most of what you described for a standard manual under the engine bay I can confirm is there without going to look, just because I've seen it already.

 

I do know the car had an engine transplant a few thousand miles ago, the original owner somehow blew up the original engine, I think on his way home from picking it up, I'm unsure. Would an auto engine fit in a manual car? I'm guessing it would, but would some of the silly stuff you've just described above apply in reverse? Would I have loose connectors lying around on the engine harness that didn't connect to anything etc etc?

Yes an auto engine plonks straight in a manual car.

 

What exactly seems to be the problem that concerns you whether it was auto or manual in a previous life? some surplus connectors??

 

Post some pics up of what concerns you and we can have a look.

smithy

To be honest it's more to do with things like the dip stick, I thought you only got wire dipsticks in autos, never seen cruise control in a manual before this, starting it is hit and miss, sometimes turns straight on the key, other times it makes horrible grinding noises, which sounds like maybe the flywheel is breaking up, something old auto flywheels tend to do etc etc.

 

It seems perhaps it's just paranoia, I desperately need to get some things sorted on it, the leak on the rocker cover, the plug leads need replacing, car going for a full respray soon, then it'll be awesome. :D

only other thing i can think of if its an import it will have a little black/silver sticker with some Japanese on it just above the gear lever on the centre console, unless its been removed.

starting it is hit and miss, sometimes turns straight on the key, other times it makes horrible grinding noises, which sounds like maybe the flywheel is breaking up, something old auto flywheels tend to do etc etc.

 

Sounds like the starter might be loose, a fairly common fault on the 300.

To be honest it's more to do with things like the dip stick, I thought you only got wire dipsticks in autos, never seen cruise control in a manual before this, starting it is hit and miss, sometimes turns straight on the key, other times it makes horrible grinding noises, which sounds like maybe the flywheel is breaking up, something old auto flywheels tend to do etc etc.

 

It seems perhaps it's just paranoia, I desperately need to get some things sorted on it, the leak on the rocker cover, the plug leads need replacing, car going for a full respray soon, then it'll be awesome. :D

 

Right so none of those things really point to an auto or a manual and in any event arn't a problem.

 

Once you've looked at your starter and coil pack that needs sorting, jobs a goodun and as said pop over to Zedworld and they will tell you exactly whats what so you know what engine you do have not that it really makes any difference tbh.

Certainly imo i'd be looking to have the engine in tip top shape before a paint job.

Good luck

smithy

Yeah I know it doesn't have HT Leads, but the parts of the engine harness that lead to the coil packs are what I'm referring to.

 

It's defo not an import, checks out with DVLA as a UK car, and doesn't have any of the usual JDM stuff, like folding mirrors etc.

 

If the starter motor being loose is a common problem on the Z I'd say that probably is what it is, I'll have to see if I can get down to it and have a look, thanks for the tip.

 

Unfortunately the paint job is getting rather urgent, some of the usual rust places are getting far too rusty for my liking, bottom corners of the rear window and the rear right arch etc. NEEDs a proper re-spray to make sure it lasts another 20 years :D

If the starter motor being loose is a common problem on the Z I'd say that probably is what it is, I'll have to see if I can get down to it and have a look, thanks for the tip.

 

The thread usually strips on the bolt hole for the starter, thats what happened on mine and when I looked into it on the forum it seemed a few other had the same problem.

the rear right arch etc. NEEDs a proper re-spray to make sure it lasts another 20 years :D

Hmmm, UK zx, probably needs panels as well.:wink:

To be honest it's more to do with things like the dip stick, I thought you only got wire dipsticks in autos, never seen cruise control in a manual before this, ................. :D

 

Hi mate,

 

regarding the dipstick, yes it is a wire wire type one with a metal oblong-thing on the bottom! And lots of other cars in my experience still have this type whether manual or auto! But it is normal for the auto-box oil (as opposed to engine oil) dipstick to be of the wire construction - perhaps that's what you were thinking!!

 

You mentioned it's a UK spec car; I believe all UK spec cars came with cruise control and none came with the reverse beeping siren.....

 

....and the ultimate give-away; a proper UK spec car should have all the details on the V5. IE if it was originally an auto, then the car would be described in full as a "Nissan 300zx turbo auto." Manuals would just be called a "Nissan 300zx turbo!" Imports will vary though as it's down to the importer to describe it upon first registration here.

 

Richard:cool2:

Yeah I think your right about the dipstick confusion Richard.

 

MantaV8, when you say panels are you talking about body panels? Most seem to be pretty solid to be honest, where there is no rust, which is most of the car, the paintwork is pretty good. Does have a hole in the sill I'm none too happy about though. That's getting welded before the re-spray obviously.

 

We are headed down to Zedworld this Sunday, so someone may even be able to identify a couple of the cars weird faults lol