While I and my dad have 2 weeks off we are stripping down my Z and doing everything that needs doing to it, which means a lot of rust and change the petrol tank. I have decided to post what we are doing so you know all of the blood, sweat and tears I shed for my car. It may not be the best but I love it and I do my best keeping it going.

For the next week or so I will post up what we have done and what we have found wrong and how we fix it.

 

Anyways. Today late start as we had to drive to Bolton to Machine Mart to buy a couple of tools and a nice trolly to lie on. Saves lying on the floor in all the crap.

 

 

This was our first port of call.

You can see there the inner arch is wet. That is petrol that comes out every time I fill the car up or go round a round about. Graham from the meeting can voutch for the smell of the fuel which gets sickening at times.

 

After putting the car high up on stands we took off the bolds which holds on the straps. They where hard but a big bar took them off with little trouble.

 

 

We put a crate on the jack to take the weight as we unbolted the back of the straps on the tank.

 

 

Inside the boot we took off panel to access the pump disconnected the power and took off the 2 pipes. The main fuel pipe pissed out fuel when we took it off. So any one wanting to do this watch out.

 

 

Because the screws holding the neck on where so bad we couldnt take the neck off first before we dropped the tank so after taking the rubber bungs that hold the exhaust on we where able to move th exhaust slightly and drop the tank.

 

 

This is a pic of the car without the tank and for any one who is really good, they would have noticed something else is missing. But what ;)

Just after this was taken I gave the whole thing a good blast with the pressure washer and revield the writing on the diff. ;)

 

Found lots of things that needed doing while we where taking the tank off and I will post my findings and work here tomorrow.

 

 

Today was a short day today. We only started at 12:30 ish and finised at 4 because I am at work tonight. :(

 

Anyways, just thought I would tell you whats happeneing. I am actually learning a lot about this car by doing this.

 

Off to work.

 

Stuart

LMAO ??????

 

Hang on........got a couple of screws here that will fix it back on!

 

........need a nut and bolt to secure your behind tho Stu! :p

Haha - I have a box of nuts and bolts left from other peoples cars ! LOL :D

 

 

Originally posted by smw1

I think most of us that do work on our own cars have a box of assorted screws from our Z's. Then we all wonder why our cars sqeek LMAO

Day 4

 

Considering today we started about 10:30-11:00 ish and didnt stop till just before 8 o'clock, it doesnt seem like we got much done.

 

Start of the day was taken patching up the hole that was left after a pile of mud was collected between the wheel arch and the tank neck. This also caused smaller holes to be created in the side of the arch which enters the boot.

 

 

Not too bothered about how it looked patches were placed over the holes after all the rust was taken away.

 

 

 

A peice of welding metal was shaped as best we could to fit inside the arch where the larger hole was, but first all the rusty metal had to be cut away.

 

 

 

Here are a few pics of when the plates where in place. I looks messy but it wont be seen and we slapped a load of welding treatment stuff, dont know what its called it was really thick grey goow which went hard, all over the welding and then painted the rest over with under seal.

 

 

 

 

Now we started to put the car back together, first the tank. Now for the people who have put their own tank on, I feel for you, for the people who havent, its the biggest pain in the arse in the world and took nearly 2 hours to do.

 

 

 

 

After getting the tank on the neck wouldnt get into place. If you lined it up so the top of the neck was right it wouldnt attach to the tank. So we attached to the tank first and bent the neck round. That rubber bung that hold on to the top of the neck is really strong, its holding it inplace. If it wasnt the neck woundnt even be visible.

 

 

 

 

The exhaust was put back on and the bumper too. Now we could see how well my dads welding and metal bashing matched the contor of the bumper. Its almost a perfect fit.

 

 

 

 

We started off 4 days ago with bubbling wheel arch, huge holes in the rear sills, huge hole in the wheel arch, a leaking petrol tank, split petrol neck and boot and petrol cap released that didnt work.

 

Now the rear sills on the bumper are solid and covered in underseal, the hole in the wheel arch has gone. The tank is not leaking, newer better condition neck, no petrol smell going round roundabouts and the cap makes the hiss noise when I take it off, which it has not done since the 1st week I got it. I also fixed the boot and petrol cap release too. YAY. The rear arch is not bubbled too, but still needs work at a later date.

 

And amongst all that we even managed to take off the spoiler and put it back on using liquid sealer which holds it more snug and keeps out the water.

 

 

I think we deserve a rest for a few days before we tackle the front which hoping wont take as long.

 

So this is it for over the week end, and dispite spending a few quid on paint, sealers and treatment it was well worth is and saved me a few thousand. And even through the 6-8 hours a day for 4 days, I actually enjoyed it and driving it again felt great.

 

Just to show you how good these cars are, its been with its arse in the air for 4 days, the battery has been disconnected for 3 days. We listened to the radio all day which would have flattened the battery and considering the fuel lines would be dry because it all poured out when we disconnected the lines, the engine started almost straight away on its second crank. I was amazed as well was my dad.

 

One final word. This underseal that I have put on every thing, is really worth it. The next day it was nearly rock hard and held on the arches and everwhere else we put it. It also makes the arches look jet black and really finished off the look of the car. So its a double plus.

 

Thanks for reading

 

Stuart

EXCELLENT !!!!:D :D :D :D

Nice work mate. Just goes to show what you can do with the right tools and a little bit of skill.

 

I went out and bought myself a MIG welder last night. I got a good deal on one from B&Q. My first project will be making new rear speaker frames.

 

We gotta start somewhere I guess, just as long as we make the effort to start ;).

Every long journey starts with one small step..............

SPRAE,

 

Just out of curiosity what underseal did you use ???

Originally posted by smw1

Nice work mate. Just goes to show what you can do with the right tools and a little bit of skill.

 

I went out and bought myself a MIG welder last night. I got a good deal on one from B&Q. My first project will be making new rear speaker frames.

 

We gotta start somewhere I guess, just as long as we make the effort to start ;).

 

If you find you're doing a lot of welding, I would suggest buying 5Kg reels of wire and taking out a contact with BOC for industrial size bottles of Argoshield otherwise the consumables become very expensive. I use perhaps a half bottle of Argoshield a year, having said that I heven't done much welding in the past 12 months so i think I've got a full bottle at the mo.

 

Tim

My Welder doesn't take Gas.

But I think the wire is a little more expensive.

Originally posted by bagins

SPRAE,

 

Just out of curiosity what underseal did you use ???

 

 

 

I have no idea what it is. There is a paint shop round my way who sells stuff like that. We just asked for 5 litres of underseal and thats what we got. It just says Autogaurd Underbody Sealant on it. Well worth it I think.

 

Even though you cant see the parts we worked on the whole car looks better and I think it's the underseal in the arches which makes it look clean.

 

 

Stuart

Took the car out for a drive and it felt nice.

 

The car ran so smooth and the engine was more responsive at around the 3500 rpm range. I think this is because of the fuel pressure which normally leaks out of the tank and neck, but is there now after replacing them. Or it could just be in my head.

 

Stuart

Originally posted by smw1

My Welder doesn't take Gas.

But I think the wire is a little more expensive.

 

Think you might find this a) a little more difficult to use and b) results will not be as good.

 

Now where's our resident welder when you need him.

 

My advise, and it it just mine, is don't use it, take it back and buy a gas MIG. It really is the only way to do it properly. I'm saving for a nice TIG at the mo, then Stainless Steel here I come :D

 

Tim

Now that is definitely your head ! LOL :D

I think you'll find a vacumn, not pressure in the fuel tank. Whichever way, it's definitely not pressurised the same as the fuel rail.

 

Originally posted by SRRAE

Took the car out for a drive and it felt nice.

 

The car ran so smooth and the engine was more responsive at around the 3500 rpm range. I think this is because of the fuel pressure which normally leaks out of the tank and neck, but is there now after replacing them. Or it could just be in my head.

 

Stuart

Probably :D LOL

 

 

But why is the tank pressureised?

Originally posted by TT Tim

Think you might find this a) a little more difficult to use and b) results will not be as good.

 

Now where's our resident welder when you need him.

 

My advise, and it it just mine, is don't use it, take it back and buy a gas MIG. It really is the only way to do it properly. I'm saving for a nice TIG at the mo, then Stainless Steel here I come :D

 

Tim

 

:( Really ?. whats the difference, I have not got a clue, I just bought one because I though it would come in useful :D.

I'll find out the price of the Gas ones. If they aren;t too much more I'll swap it over. Not even got the instruction manual out yet.

Originally posted by SRRAE

But why is the tank pressureised?

 

I presume it's becuase you start of with a tank that's 2/3rds full of petrol and it's airtight.

After you have pumped the fuel into your engine there's nothing in the tank to take it's place - no air can get in so it's a vacuum.

 

When you open the filler cap you let the air rush in.

Originally posted by ChrisC

I presume it's becuase you start of with a tank that's 2/3rds full of petrol and it's airtight.

After you have pumped the fuel into your engine there's nothing in the tank to take it's place - no air can get in so it's a vacuum.

 

When you open the filler cap you let the air rush in.

 

 

But I thought it was air escaping. I can see all the fumes coming out when I open it up.

 

 

 

Stuart, as for the welding. Gas ones used Carbon Dioxided mix for the welding. This means there is no oxygen in the weld and thus cant rust, from the inside. I know if you dont use CO2 oxygen will mix into the weld and there is a possibility that it will rust on the inside.

 

My dad also says the electric ones are harder to used and you have to use thicker weld because it isnt as strong.

 

 

Stuart

Originally posted by SRRAE

But I thought it was air escaping. I can see all the fumes coming out when I open it up.

 

 

 

Stuart, as for the welding. Gas ones used Carbon Dioxided mix for the welding. This means there is no oxygen in the weld and thus cant rust, from the inside. I know if you dont use CO2 oxygen will mix into the weld and there is a possibility that it will rust on the inside.

 

My dad also says the electric ones are harder to used and you have to use thicker weld because it isnt as strong.

 

 

Stuart

 

Co2 or Argon in 5 or 10% mix, I personally prefer Argoshield. What happens Stu is that the gas is fed down the hose and surrounds the welding tip creating, as stuart says, an area without Oxygen, I think I'm right in saying that Oxygen creates bubbles or air pockets in the weld therefore making it weaker.

 

Gas welders shouldn't be that much more expensive than gasless. If I were you I'd be looking up my nearest Machine Mart showroom or looking on line, you only need a 100amp setup or similar for light metal work, you'll be blowing holes in pannel work with that in no time at all :D

 

I had a look in B&Q yesterday, I recon you spent about £135 on the gasless SIP one. So how about one of these for a few quid more?

 

Also have a look in your local Rag, there are always welders being sold cheap, as long as the transformer is okay then you can't go far wrong.

 

Do budget for a new mask, you cann't replace your eyes!

 

HTH

 

Tim

yea, the gas creates a sheild to get a good weld

 

gasless migs use fluxed core wire to get the same effect. not as good imo

Originally posted by SRRAE

But I thought it was air escaping. I can see all the fumes coming out when I open it up.

 

No it's a suction noise that I get.

It only takes a split second to equalise the pressure, then you may see fumes circulating back out as the air has rushed in.

IMHO and could be wrong...

 

Chris

I can see how that its air getting in is the easiest explination, but I have a few problems with that idea.

 

If you have a full tank and then drive until its empty, the there will nearly no pressure in the tank as virtually all the fuel will be gone and virually no air will be in there. Surely that is enough to cause the tank to collaps. And wouldnt that pressure cause it to suck the cap in so hard it will be very hard to turn?

 

I dont know, I'm just asking.

 

Another thing that confuses me, if you open the cap and get the hiss. Put it back on, wait 5 mins, start the engine for 2 mins turn it off and take the cap off again, you set the hiss but the same amount as last time and I doubt that enough fuel has gone from the tank to cause another hiss.

 

 

This is what I have observed, I may be wrong, thats why I am asking.

 

 

Stuart

Think its all to do with emission control - even fuel vapour is an emission. Benzene is one of the more carcinogenic fractions that goes to vapout first. Thats why there's a slight vacuum pulled on the tank so that fumes are continually pulled back into the fuel system. The fuel pump pressurises fuel to the injection but unused comes right back to the tank again on the return line.

 

Willie

Top Job Mate,

 

I can shed some empathy as I spent most of the day down the workshop, farting about rebuilding the TT conversion lump!

Dad's are great when it comes to fixing cars aren't they??

 

This is a pic of when Dad & I rebuilt my engine. Engine just going back in, Dad looking at me as if to say "Stop f*cking around with that damn camera and help me!" LOL

 

 

All the best!!!

 

 

Robert.

http://www.300zx.co.uk/tech/manual/manual/efec/187.gif

 

Originally posted by SRRAE

I can see how that its air getting in is the easiest explination, but I have a few problems with that idea.

 

If you have a full tank and then drive until its empty, the there will nearly no pressure in the tank as virtually all the fuel will be gone and virually no air will be in there. Surely that is enough to cause the tank to collaps. And wouldnt that pressure cause it to suck the cap in so hard it will be very hard to turn?

 

I dont know, I'm just asking.

 

Another thing that confuses me, if you open the cap and get the hiss. Put it back on, wait 5 mins, start the engine for 2 mins turn it off and take the cap off again, you set the hiss but the same amount as last time and I doubt that enough fuel has gone from the tank to cause another hiss.

 

 

This is what I have observed, I may be wrong, thats why I am asking.

 

 

Stuart