So my thinking is that the Australian delivered Nissan 300ZX ( NoTurbo) is not that different from the UK version. We both sit in the original Jap side of the car... ☺
I have owned my Zed for several years but it has long periods of time being parked due to unforseen issues that make her unpleasant to drive. She felt great when drove her out of the used car lot and after joining a forum and being advised to check and replace the parts on the 200,000 km list, I bought a kit and went to a local mechanic who told me "we have worked on a few of these before" so I gave them the kit and the upgraded Gates blue racing belt.
Got the car back and she runs like a dog. Went back to the same workshop and find out that the guy with the experience isn't there and a different mechanic finished off the work on my car. I tried to get it checked again but just paid money for nothing. There was a smell like burning plastic and after noticing the fuel consumption had become really bad, I investigated to find a fuel hose clamp had been moved and tightened in a way that split the hose. I could not find anything else using my nose, so I went back to the same workshop. They told me the accessory belts need replacing, so I guessed that the smell was slipping, I tightened everthing up beyond what I believed was necessary and hoped for the best.
One day a forum member noticed on a diagnostic screen shot that my TPS was set too low. Adjusting that improved the driveability to something better and I was able to drive her daily, but still knew something was worse than before she had the 200,000 km kit.
Checking the kit parts I found out they didn't send the hydraulic tensioner.
I have only added about 40,000 kms (not even that) and forgot about the tensioner because I don't drive her much. The annoying vibration and auto gear change and sloppy front end puts me off.
So I bought a new (in box) TPS, but the seller switched it out for a 20 year old one. I bought a front suspension strut brace for the engine bay, but it didn't fit. I wasted a bit of money on things that didn't make a difference. Also some of them cost me a fine, like HID headlights and LED blinkers.
The rear main transmission to engine seal started leaking oil and some worked its way to the hot exhaust, so smoke everywhere. A mechanic replaced that and fitted a lower suspension brace (from an Aussie manufacturer) but when I picked up the car, he said it has to come off again because the tension radius arm bush is split and leaking. Well that sounded serious.
She spent months off the road because I couldn't remove one tension arm bolt. It was seized up in that lower brace and the loose tension arm bush made her horrible to drive.
Brace had to be removed and bolt was damaged, so I got a new bolt and new brace fitted.
Back on the road at last. It was just dumb luck that the bolt seized up in that brace, the mechanic is too strong and didn't notice it was too tight or the bolt had an aluminum shaving or burr on the thread.
Now I seem to notice the vibration at revs even more. I got in there with endoscope cameras and found a chunk was broken on the harmonic balancer. I have recently found out that can happen when removing it using the wrong tools. The only time that came off was when the timing belt and waterpump kit went on.
Went to a different mechanic who owns a Zed. He had a new in box harmonic balancer. All set to put it on, but it was incorrectly labeled and turns out it is for the Turbo model. He gets me a good second hand part.
While he is there he asks if I want to put the 200,000 km kit on. I replied that it was only 40K old so no.
After he puts it all back together he tells me that the previous mechanic put a spacer on the wrong side of something and that caused the timing belt to rub on something when it was new. The hydraulic tensioner wasn't replaced and an installation screw was still in there but should have beed removed. He sorted that out. He told me to change my radiator fan because the plastic is split. I now realise that I can only take this car to a mechanic who knows his Zeds. I can't risk letting someone guess on my car.
I felt that the vibrations are a bit different on the drive home. I did change the plastic fan and then noticed a big amount of play and now that I disturbed some grit around that bearing surface in the water pump I have a leak and a wobble from the radiator fan. It took a chunk out of my fan cowling.
I organised some time in our garage to work on replacing the water pump myself, but I hit a snag. The hex bolt in the thermostat is too tight. The hex key slipped and I suspect the inner surface is damaged. I drove to a different mechanic and he had a wuick look had a quick feel and said he would have to use an easy-out and I should get a replacement hex bolt before anything is started. Ciuld be a big job. He sounds scared and also told me ge didn't want to work on it, he has other easier jobs waiting.
I have found this is a common attitude of mechanics when they see a Zed drive in.
So I will wait for a mechanic and get the hydraulic tensioner put in this time. So far the car has been waiting since May 2018.
Hi there,
So my thinking is that the Australian delivered Nissan 300ZX ( NoTurbo) is not that different from the UK version. We both sit in the original Jap side of the car... ☺
I have owned my Zed for several years but it has long periods of time being parked due to unforseen issues that make her unpleasant to drive. She felt great when drove her out of the used car lot and after joining a forum and being advised to check and replace the parts on the 200,000 km list, I bought a kit and went to a local mechanic who told me "we have worked on a few of these before" so I gave them the kit and the upgraded Gates blue racing belt.
Got the car back and she runs like a dog. Went back to the same workshop and find out that the guy with the experience isn't there and a different mechanic finished off the work on my car. I tried to get it checked again but just paid money for nothing. There was a smell like burning plastic and after noticing the fuel consumption had become really bad, I investigated to find a fuel hose clamp had been moved and tightened in a way that split the hose. I could not find anything else using my nose, so I went back to the same workshop. They told me the accessory belts need replacing, so I guessed that the smell was slipping, I tightened everthing up beyond what I believed was necessary and hoped for the best.
One day a forum member noticed on a diagnostic screen shot that my TPS was set too low. Adjusting that improved the driveability to something better and I was able to drive her daily, but still knew something was worse than before she had the 200,000 km kit.
Checking the kit parts I found out they didn't send the hydraulic tensioner.
I have only added about 40,000 kms (not even that) and forgot about the tensioner because I don't drive her much. The annoying vibration and auto gear change and sloppy front end puts me off.
So I bought a new (in box) TPS, but the seller switched it out for a 20 year old one. I bought a front suspension strut brace for the engine bay, but it didn't fit. I wasted a bit of money on things that didn't make a difference. Also some of them cost me a fine, like HID headlights and LED blinkers.
The rear main transmission to engine seal started leaking oil and some worked its way to the hot exhaust, so smoke everywhere. A mechanic replaced that and fitted a lower suspension brace (from an Aussie manufacturer) but when I picked up the car, he said it has to come off again because the tension radius arm bush is split and leaking. Well that sounded serious.
She spent months off the road because I couldn't remove one tension arm bolt. It was seized up in that lower brace and the loose tension arm bush made her horrible to drive.
Brace had to be removed and bolt was damaged, so I got a new bolt and new brace fitted.
Back on the road at last. It was just dumb luck that the bolt seized up in that brace, the mechanic is too strong and didn't notice it was too tight or the bolt had an aluminum shaving or burr on the thread.
Now I seem to notice the vibration at revs even more. I got in there with endoscope cameras and found a chunk was broken on the harmonic balancer. I have recently found out that can happen when removing it using the wrong tools. The only time that came off was when the timing belt and waterpump kit went on.
Went to a different mechanic who owns a Zed. He had a new in box harmonic balancer. All set to put it on, but it was incorrectly labeled and turns out it is for the Turbo model. He gets me a good second hand part.
While he is there he asks if I want to put the 200,000 km kit on. I replied that it was only 40K old so no.
After he puts it all back together he tells me that the previous mechanic put a spacer on the wrong side of something and that caused the timing belt to rub on something when it was new. The hydraulic tensioner wasn't replaced and an installation screw was still in there but should have beed removed. He sorted that out. He told me to change my radiator fan because the plastic is split. I now realise that I can only take this car to a mechanic who knows his Zeds. I can't risk letting someone guess on my car.
I felt that the vibrations are a bit different on the drive home. I did change the plastic fan and then noticed a big amount of play and now that I disturbed some grit around that bearing surface in the water pump I have a leak and a wobble from the radiator fan. It took a chunk out of my fan cowling.
I organised some time in our garage to work on replacing the water pump myself, but I hit a snag. The hex bolt in the thermostat is too tight. The hex key slipped and I suspect the inner surface is damaged. I drove to a different mechanic and he had a wuick look had a quick feel and said he would have to use an easy-out and I should get a replacement hex bolt before anything is started. Ciuld be a big job. He sounds scared and also told me ge didn't want to work on it, he has other easier jobs waiting.
I have found this is a common attitude of mechanics when they see a Zed drive in.
So I will wait for a mechanic and get the hydraulic tensioner put in this time. So far the car has been waiting since May 2018.
Edited by QLDZDR