OMG - what a weekend I have had!

 

All I can say is that, when Nissan told it's people that it had to go away and design the heater matrix for the Z32, I'm guessing that it was a punishment. :xxx:

 

Heater matrix went on Wednesday evening and immediately realized that I had a bitch of a weekend ahead of me. Called Nissan for a qoute, £180+....ouch, so decided to go for the second hand option. :x:

 

Anyway, after opting to do it with the dash in place, the further and further I got in to the job, the more that had to come out. This is a list of what I had to remove to actually get the matrix out:- :shock:

 

Push bonnet back past it's stop point with a bit of gentle persuation.(90 degrees)

drip tray above battery for easier access to....

Battery

Drivers seat (Suprisingly heavy)

Clutch Pedal

Clutch bracket

Clutch Booster

Panel under the drivers dash

Vents under drivers dash

Aircon control unit

Clocks( because the bracket/pedal would not come loose so needed to see what was going on from on top)

...and the bast4rd of the whole job was the screw that retained the feed and return pipes to the matrix that had to be accessed from the engine side.

oh yeah, and about a million screws.

 

After refiting the replacement matrix and doing a test, I got a nice gob full of antifreeze from the what had been standing after the spill(that's the thanks I get for undertaking this mammouth task). However, after a minute or so, all was dry...Hope it stays that way. I also descovered that you need the hands of a pixi to put the clutch booster nuts back on. In the end I discovered a new way of putting a nut back on a bolt with the use of a magnet and a steady hand.

 

After spending 3 and half hours on Saturday, and 5 hours on it today, following a stag do last night, all I need to do is put the clutch bracket and pedal and the cruise sensors and all the ducting. :dance:

 

However, it did give me a chance to clean some areas that I had not been able to get to before and, it has given me more confidence in doing work on it, to the point where I am contemplating keeping it as a track car and getting rid of the aircon and HICAS and the IRFR(or whatever the bloody hell it's called. Still can't decide!!!!! :cry:

 

Should have it done by tomorrow night - just hope the weather holds out as it did todya nd yesterday...Got a lovely tan! :D

 

BTW - Thanks to JeffTT and SMW1 for their help. :bow:

 

I'm glad I've started drinking more! :duffer: :duffer: :duffer:

Does this mean you're keeping the Z? :dance:

Not sure mate. but if someone comes with the write money, I will probably let her go.

OMG - what a weekend I have had!

 

All I can say is that, when Nissan told it's people that it had to go away and design the heater matrix for the Z32, I'm guessing that it was a punishment.

 

Heater matrix went on Wednesday evening and immediately realized that I had a bitch of a weekend ahead of me. Called Nissan for a qoute, £180+....ouch, so decided to go for the second hand option.

 

Anyway, after opting to do it with the dash in place, the further and further I got in to the job, the more that had to come out. This is a list of what I had to remove to actually get the matrix out:- :shock:

 

Push bonnet back past it's stop point with a bit of gentle persuation.(90 degrees)

drip tray above battery for easier access to....

Battery

Drivers seat (Suprisingly heavy)

Clutch Pedal

Clutch bracket

Clutch Booster

Panel under the drivers dash

Vents under drivers dash

Aircon control unit

Clocks( because the bracket/pedal would not come loose so needed to see what was going on from on top)

...and the bast4rd of the whole job was the screw that retained the feed and return pipes to the matrix that had to be accessed from the engine side.

oh yeah, and about a million screws.

 

After refiting the replacement matrix and doing a test, I got a nice gob full of antifreeze from the what had been standing after the spill(that's the thanks I get for undertaking this mammouth task). However, after a minute or so, all was dry...Hope it stays that way. I also descovered that you need the hands of a pixi to put the clutch booster nuts back on. In the end I discovered a new way of putting a nut back on a bolt with the use of a magnet and a steady hand.

 

After spending 3 and half hours on Saturday, and 5 hours on it today, following a stag do last night, all I need to do is put the clutch bracket and pedal and the cruise sensors and all the ducting. :dance:

 

However, it did give me a chance to clean some areas that I had not been able to get to before and, it has given me more confidence in doing work on it, to the point where I am contemplating keeping it as a track car and getting rid of the aircon and HICAS and the IRFR(or whatever the bloody hell it's called. Still can't decide!!!!! :cry:

 

Should have it done by tomorrow night - just hope the weather holds out as it did todya nd yesterday...Got a lovely tan! :D

 

BTW - Thanks to JeffTT and SMW1 for their help. :bow:

 

 

Firstly should it be........Thanks to ****TT and SMW1 for their help. :bow:

 

;)

 

Anyway, sounds like a tob I wouldn't do Cos......far too scary!!! :cry:

 

I was shocked a the weight of the drivers seat when I took mine out.....chuffin great lumps!!

 

The weather will be good tomorrow, so top up that tan and get it finished!!

 

Did you do any pics, etc.....for a FAQ write up?? ;)

 

Matty.

Cos

Ive gotta change my clutch booster soon. Got any tips? is it a dash out job? :D

Paul

Cheers Matty.

 

I couldn't take any pics cus I lost my digicam somewhere between Scoland and home when I was collecting the Mrs' a few weeks ago.

 

However, what I would recommend is a good compliment of tools including different length philips screwies, and as many combination of ratshit extentions and sockets, lots of brake cleaner, WD40, plenty of rags, a light run by electyricity or you will get through lots of batteries, a universal joint, oh yeah, and a thesaurus would also come in handy for when you get fed up of saying fxck, shxt, b0ll0x and b4stard!!!

 

Apologies to JeffTT and SMW1 for the poxy thankyou that I conveyed, so may offer my deepest apologies to both of you and say that I wish scately clad beauties to pave the immediate path of whereever you walk with rose petals and wish you a prosperus and trouble free Z life. :D

Cos

Ive gotta change my clutch booster soon. Got any tips? is it a dash out job? :D

Paul

 

I almost replied to ask you if yours was a manual or auto - durrr!

 

You shouldn't need to remove the dash at all! The clutch booster is p1ss easy to get off, it's the pedal and bracket that can be a b1tch. The worst part is puting the bottom bolt back on the booster from the engine side. What I did was to loosed the jubilee type clip on the clutch resouvour and spin it round out of the way. I've have relatively small hands and short fingers and I still had problems putting that bottom bolt back on but long fingers my be an advantage. I also removed the bracket that sits along the left hand side of the plenum that holds a couple of vacuum pipes and also lifted the pipes along the bulk head, that made life a bit easier.

 

I used a crow bar to wedge the booster in place while I was refitting the nuts and pipe.

 

HTH

So I dont actually have to remove the pedal and bracket assembly?

I'm pretty sure you do. I will have another look tomorrow and confirm it for you.

Cos

 

Well done mate. I had to replace mine last summer.

 

It was a nightmare of a job!!! That ONE screw took some thinking to undo I must admit.

 

I didn't take off as many parts as your good self but then...mine's an auto :-P - no clutch. I found the rubber grommet a PITA to remove and a new one to fit.

 

It took me a whole weekend- the toughest job I've done so far on the Zed.

 

Well done mate.

So I dont actually have to remove the pedal and bracket assembly?

 

I changed the clutch master about a month ago, and dinn't have to remove anything from the inside, apart from some skin that is.

 

hope this helps

Cos,

 

Did you fit an earth to your new matrix mate??, if not you may find yourself doing it again all to sooon.

No I didn't but I can still do it. What's the best way to attach an earth to it?

 

Oh yeah - just reemembered, I also fitted Danny's brake brace. Can't wait to try it!

When the matrix went on mine, 300ZXTT Auto. Danny fitted it. He took the dash out & fitted a new matrix In & out in 5 hours.

 

Jan..

what guide did you use? i've read that it can take 4-8 hours but thats on a US car, I have always wondered how they are differeent

All I know is that Darren said it was easier to take the dash out to do it. A good man that knows his stuff but very busy now..

 

Jan..

No I didn't but I can still do it. What's the best way to attach an earth to it?

 

Oh yeah - just reemembered, I also fitted Danny's brake brace. Can't wait to try it!

 

 

i used one of the little screws on the lower pipe to take a ring crimp then ran the wire to earth

Nice one Cos.

 

You did sound a bit stressed on the phone, but I'm glad you are almost done.