Hey guys.

 

Right, time to return this 300zx to life. In red are the areas I really need help.

 

Car is a NASP Manual

 

Heres the back story:

 

Drove onto a guys drive. Parked up. Sat for 7 years and not moved (no idea of the Handbrake was on or not).

 

I put a battery on it and it fired up no bother (drove it 300yards on tickover and turned it off). Only issue to report is a bad idle. Brakes weren't really seized.

 

I now plan to service the car and MoT it.

 

 

What I plan on doing for Mot:

 

So far I've bought a cheap oil filter and some 5/30w oil from Asda. These are literally to put in the car for it's MoT. It will be trailered to the MoT station. Once it's passed I'll put good oil in. Does this sound sensible?

 

I need to buy a new battery. Could anyone please tell me which battery I should buy (I don't mean what make. I mean so I get one that's the right size with terminals in the right place).

 

 

What I then Need to do so I can drive it back to Uni! (The car is 120 miles away at my mums house)

 

Good Engine oil (recommendations please) and filter.

 

Fuel Filter (is there just the one in the engine bay?)

 

Gearbox Oil (Same as skyline gearboxes? I have some of that in the garage)

 

Air filter (s)... I couldnt see them due to their placement. Now I have a carbon enclosed cone sat in my loft, and I also have a HKS mushroom filter. I know these wont give me any BHP gains (and may sap some) but If I can save money on buying OEM filters and gain some nice noise then great - so are their any links on how to fit them (the 300's OEM set up looks crazy!)... I doubt I'll have problems here mind).

 

 

What I'll do in the near future

 

Diff oil - see my question below!

 

Break/clutch fluid swap (when I fit my braided lines)

 

 

Can anyone see any other issues I may need to address?

 

The obvious one that i wonder about is - binding brakes... The car drove ok, just noisy brakes (surface rust sound) the car certainly wasn't held back by the brakes

 

anything else?

 

 

Mod's I'd like to know about

 

Will S-body/R-body Diffs fit? and is the 300zx diff a better type of LSD than S/R bodys... I will be fitting a welded diff you see.

 

Too anyone thats drifted a 300. How good is the oem handbrake? are we talking s13 (good) or s14 (bad)?

 

 

Thanks everyone!

By the way I'll be buying the Filters and stuff from Chris at Conceptua unless someone tells me otherwise. Me and chris have a long standing relationship!

Ok the general oil we use is 10-40w semi synth, always use an OEM oil filter. Fuel filter should be located on the right inner wing just below the battery. Pretty sure mine 510 starting amps and came from halfords.

The gearbox is virtually identical to the skyline box, so no worries there. Infact you will find is quite surprising how much of the skyline r32 came from the same parts bin the z32 did some years earlier.

The air filters are located under the nose pannel and you will be hard pushed to find anyone without some sort of aftermarket air filter, be in cone or mushroom type.

The na diff you have is a viscous LSD in the r200 format which may be familiar to you. Hand brKes wise is say pretty average for a rwd car ie naff at anything other than being a parking brake.

 

Your first priority is to replace every last coolants hose you can change all fluids and flush through, clean up the engine bay connectors, injectors etc, they really suffer here. Then run the ECU codes and make friends which someone with consult.

Pretty sure mine 510 starting amps and came from halfords.

 

C'mon we can do better than 510cca, I've just got one with 690 with 74ah, gonna start a thread on it tomorrow, cost me £47.00 delivered.

It works don't it? Lol. One thing I've never had issue with is getting it to start, starts to quick IMO

What a fantastic reply and bloody quick! I like this forum allot already! :D

 

Ok the general oil we use is 10-40w semi synth, always use an OEM oil filter. Fuel filter should be located on the right inner wing just below the battery. Pretty sure mine 510 starting amps and came from halfords.

 

Ah ok, I did some googleing and kept getting told 5/30. I'll stick that cheap stuff in anyway for the mot... it's only to act as an engine flush basically. Also because I dont fancy having 7 year old crap engine oil being used to old the motor at 3k rpm for the emissions test!... I will then buy good quality 10/40 semi.

 

Filter wise, so a K&N say from conceptua would not be acceptable? I used thoes on all my previous nissans. I'm happy to take your word for it, I'm just always curious as to "why" one thing is better than another.

 

The gearbox is virtually identical to the skyline box, so no worries there. Infact you will find is quite surprising how much of the skyline r32 came from the same parts bin the z32 did some years earlier.

 

Yeh, to me the front end looks skyline (R32-34) as it's double wishbone. The back is classic S13-15 and R32-34... so all very familiar to me! Gearbox wise... is it the same as a R33-34 box (IE a big case and a very strong box... I assume it is, because i doubt the R32 gearbox (which is smaller and is the same as the one used on a CA18/SR20) would hold the torque of the VH! They die at like 400bhp from a 2.0Turbo SR.

 

The air filters are located under the nose pannel and you will be hard pushed to find anyone without some sort of aftermarket air filter, be in cone or mushroom type.

 

Mine has standard filters for sure. Infact apart from what i THINK is a cat back exhaust and some lowering springs it's only mods are bodywork. I'll probably chuck my HKS mushroom one on there for some nice noises and to save weight!

 

The na diff you have is a viscous LSD in the r200 format which may be familiar to you. Hand brKes wise is say pretty average for a rwd car ie naff at anything other than being a parking brake.

 

So same LSD as a S14 then? I check the ratios out, I may pop my S13 diff in to gain some acceleration. I wonder if the shafts are the same?

 

Your first priority is to replace every last coolants hose you can change all fluids and flush through, clean up the engine bay connectors, injectors etc, they really suffer here. Then run the ECU codes and make friends which someone with consult.

 

OK cool, I may end up with a turbo motor, depends if the NASP is "enough" so I'll change any coolant hoses that are common with second hand silicone jobbies (I like a bargain!) asap... I wonder if an RB alloy rad will fit hehe. What should I do to clean the conectors and stuff? carb cleaner? WD40? My mate has a snap-on code reader... will my car be OBD compatable? I may just buy the cable and get the software :)

 

again amazing reply - so so much of what i needed to know!

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

£47 seems allot for a battery? Ideally I'd like a small one, I'll be doing battery to boot asap :)

Welcome mate. Bear in mind people with S bodys upgrade to Z32 handbrake setup so they should be pretty good if adjusted correctly.

Diffs the r200 short nose 4.08 in an na. Apparently it's the rb25 engined cars apparently, tbh the box has a few wear and year issues but overall it's no chocolate box. You don't hear about people having to rebuild the box to cope with 500hp

A few of the guys use K&N and HKS and tbh that seems fine, oem is cheap readily available and that's all good by me.

As for swapping out for a turbo motor, I wouldn't worry about that straight away. It's brings complications, the NAs are pretty tough esp considering your intentions, I'm guessing aswel being at uni the budget isn't endless, staying NA keeps down costs, less to break and less to fix.

Edited May 29, 201411 yr by Stephen

Welcome to the club Adam and hope you get the Z sorted soon.

Welcome mate. Bear in mind people with S bodys upgrade to Z32 handbrake setup so they should be pretty good if adjusted correctly.

 

Hi baz... I've herd of S14 guys swapping to an S13 handbrake set up, because the S14 one sucks... but I've never herd of anyone using a Z32 handbrake set up (in 4 years hanging around drifting im sure I would have herd?). Is it possible you are thinking of upgrading to Z32 rear calipers? which are better than S-body ones, and with a hydraulic handbrake would be an improvement?

 

I was talking about the mechanical handbrake you see. I will fit a hydro eventually, but if I can get away with a stock mechanical wand then I'd be happy, I don't want to cut up the interior straight away lol

 

Diffs the r200 short nose 4.08 in an na. Apparently it's the rb25 engined cars apparently, tbh the box has a few wear and year issues but overall it's no chocolate box. You don't hear about people having to rebuild the box to cope with 500hp

A few of the guys use K&N and HKS and tbh that seems fine, oem is cheap readily available and that's all good by me.

As for swapping out for a turbo motor, I wouldn't worry about that straight away. It's brings complications, the NAs are pretty tough esp considering your intentions, I'm guessing aswel being at uni the budget isn't endless, staying NA keeps down costs, less to break and less to fix.

 

Good news on the diff... means I have 3 spares and I can play with ratios!

 

Cool sounds like an RB box. that's awesome news, It means I bought a car for close to what the gearbox is worth!

 

As for NA vs turbo... I'm going to see how the NA is. the plan is to make her handle well, stop better and get a shed load of lock. plus make her lighter. More power is my last goal. Plus the less power you learn with the better you are once you step up the Ftlbs.

 

Budget isn't too bad. I do all my own work which helps a great deal. I know I'll miss turbos you see. I would be looking into some solutions to keep the engine bay clutter down and keep things simple. I've been talking to a friend who I've just helped Turbo his Camero. We bought a kit from the USA. Single turbo located at the back of the car... could really cut down the pipework and stuff!

 

That's a project for next year though for sure.

 

Welcome to the club Adam and hope you get the Z sorted soon.

 

Thank you very much!

god im surprised. I've never herd it mentioned once by people on SXOC or at drift days. I do apologise! :)

 

I've just removed my S13 handbrake to sell on to s14 peoples :)

 

I think i'll fit a hydro to be honest, I have a handle. Just need a piston. I like drifting without one, but they can save you from walls and she is my daily after all (or will be!)

Welcome.

TBH for sitting for 7 years its not really a restoration, just a freshen up. I have had to do ALOT more for a car that sat for a lot less !!

 

BTW Mikey its R33 cables.

Welcome.

TBH for sitting for 7 years its not really a restoration, just a freshen up. I have had to do ALOT more for a car that sat for a lot less !!

 

BTW Mikey its R33 cables.

 

yeh but "About to give a good clean and a service to a mouldy zed thats kind of ok, but is probably going to need a few extra bits because it's sat for 7 years. Can you all help me? LOTS of questions"

 

is a bit of a shit thread title.

 

I've restored classic minis and a Triumph GT6. its a question of perspective. it needs brakes unseizing i think, a service of the engine, gearbox and diff, the bodywork all needs to be come off to be cleaned its that mouldy and the paint is shot. the interior has gone stale and there are bushes that need replacing... id say thats enough work to call it a restoration....