Jack

Richard ...do you want a lift? Let me know. Cheerz Jack

Richard Phil's invited me - Z-less but still a nut - do you want a passenger there and back? Cheeky of me but I'll buy the drinks... and I get to ride in a Z! No worries if it's a problem. Cheerz Jack

Phil ...get in touch if you fancy a pint. Good luck Jack

Its the rear gear box mount. As the car sits doing nothing the mount sags and when you start driving the car you get a vibration that dissapears as you increase the speed because as you drive, the sagging goes away as the engine and gearbox try to align everything. Leave the car standing again - normally a working day will do - and you get a repeat of the whole process. You can replace the mount or you can pack it with spacers - 5mm will do it. It's best to replace it as the spacer fix hardens everything up and you get a different (still annoying) feel through the seat. Of note, make sure that your exhaust hangers are also of the correct size and spec as the exhaust hangs on the rear gerabox mount and if they are also 'sagging' then you'll have too much downward weight on the mount which will in turn missalign the prop and give you the vibes you are talking about. Good luck Jack

Phil ...watch out for Gordon Brown - isn't he on holiday at Southwold? Have a great day. Cheers Jack

Phil ...I'm off on hols for a couple of weeks on Saturday so I'll be in touch when I get back - maybe I'll get a lift with Richard seeing as he knows the 140 so well... Good luck with the new home, and tell your colleagues to stop practicing their night flying over where I live - it gets a bit noisy... Cheerz Jack

Phil Get in touch - we should meet up... Jack

...knackered tie rod end bushes? They will give you the feeling that your disks are warped. Good luck Jack

The one piece prop is not as forgiving as the 2 piece so any problems will be amplified (from my experience). What not many people mention (and mine was on an NA) is that the difference in response (acceleration) between the 2 piece (heavy and slow) and the 1 piece (light and quick) is considerable. But I do think that Nissan made the prop as it is to help soak up stuff (can't think of the right word) as everything flaps around and whatever happens between the engine and the back wheels... Z1 Motorsport in the US - about £200... Good luck Jack

This might be difficult to describe. The part of the prop that fastens to the diff (the back half) is made out of the shaft with it's UJ bearings at either end - and 2 (one either end) flanges also with UJ bearings. The flange UJs (this is where I need a sketch) are aligned ie the same way up (cant describe this properly - sorry). When you bolt the front half of the prop to the flange, it's UJ joint needs to be in the same alignment. The UJ joint on the part that goes into the gearbox needs to be at right angles to the UJs in the flanges. That's it, can't describe it any better without a sketch. If it still vibrates then you unbolt the centre flange and turn it through 180 degrees. Good luck Jack

...that's because they are not addressing the problem - it's not the centre bearing. If you fit a one piece, buy the uprated Nismo gearbox mount too... good luck Jack

...another easy one is that when it was put back on the centre bearing spacer were used as washers instead of spacers. Been there, done that, got the Tshirt. Good luck Jack ...also there is a way to check the alignment so that it either right or 180 degrees out. Problem is I can't remember it. I'll have a look in the book tonight and report back.

It might not be the centre bearing. I've had loads of trouble with props and mainly it was the rear gearbox mount sagging. People easily blame Nissan for poor design of this mount, but the culprit can be the exhaust hangers sagging. The exhaust is connected to the rear gearbox mount and if there is too much weight on the mount, it pulls the prop out of alignment - and the alignment of the prop is critical, there's not much tollerance in there. Before you change the centre bearing, get under the car and remove the front exhaust hanger from the gerbox mount and see if the vibes go. If they do then replace all of the hangers making sure there's no weight on the mount when you replace them. If the problem partially goes then maybe you should consider replacing the gearbox mount too... ...alternatively, it's your centre bearing - but in over 7 years of Z ownership I've bought 4 rear gearbox mounts and no centre bearing. The Zs have been NAs. It's only when I had the prop away at Propshaft Clinic - to get their take on it - that they told me about the exhaust hanger issue - guess what, they were right. Good luck Jack

Gearbox mount holds the gearbox up - sounds daft - sorry. It's not difficult to change but you'll need to get the car up on 4 axle stands and use a hydraulic Jack to hold the gearbox up whilst replacing the mount. From memory - get car in the air, use a jack to hold gearbox up. remove the cross beam that holds the mount in place - remove mount - replace with new one. It's advisable to check that your exhaust hangers are not placing too much weight onto the gearbox mount - they too sag with age and drag the mount further down than it should be. Good luck Jack

Hey Pete - your back wheels are on the wrong sides - you of all people should know that - how many years have you owned Zs? Car looks good - is it the post summer engine? ie no VVT? Thing I noticed with no VVT is the revs stay high when you stop then abruptly drop to idle. With VVT they reduce more gradually. Good luck Jack

Pete ...when in '95 was it made? Didn't they loose the VVT from about July 95 onwards? From '97NA experience the non VVT engines pull like a train from really low revs - sound better too - far more agressive. Good luck Jack PS - I've defected.

Not much use but I think he's a baker in a shop somewhere on the A5 in Wales... I'm a mine of useless information.

Brian - at the end of the day, the spaces are only there to help the alignment of the prop. Without them the alignment is out and you'll get a vibration through the floor. If your packing out with washers has got rid of the vibration, then the job is done. If you still have a vibration then look elsewhere for the reason. Good luck Jack

You are joking mate - the british classic fraternity would rather rot in hell before agreeing that the Z32 could ever be considered a classic - just my thoughts on the matter.

There should be 2 spacers (one each side) between the bearing and the car. How olds the rear gearbox mount? Over a couple of years old and I'd suspect that too. Good luck Jack

My money is on the spacers between the centre bearing and the car - if you don't know what you are doing these get put back as washers rather than spacers (dont it myself!) - 10 min job to fix. Good luck Jack

You could certainly feel the vibration through the whole car - not just the seat base.

Sorting the calipers with a repair kit is really easy - don't worry. I had a 97 Na (untill recently) and it had iron calipers and 30mm disks. I replaced the scruffy iron calipers with '90 alloy Na calipers - great looking - and bought some 2nd hand disks off Andy - and the breaking capabilities were just the same - but it dit have Goodrich braided lines. Good luck Jack Ps - if buying second hand NA disks make sure they come from a manual and not an auto.

Dont know mate - got them from an exhaust trade place - they said Bluebird. I'm sure they only chose them because I'd said Nissan when they asked me what car are they for? Good luck Jack

My 2ps worth say don't do it - change the rubber beake lines to braided instead - works a treat... Good luck Jack