Jump to content
HybridZ

renatodato

Members
  • Posts

    21
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About renatodato

  • Birthday 11/28/1951

renatodato's Achievements

Newbie

Newbie (1/14)

10

Reputation

  1. Wow, that is a little steep for the Cat. There is a little play on the exhaust end with a telescoping pipe but mine was so frozen i had to cut 1.25" from the cat and re-weld it. You can't cut the ends because of the flared connectors. If you must cut, cut between the flare and the cat itself, then, re-weld. Think of it this way, you'll never have to buy another cat again. Just keep the old one and swap it for the testing every two yrs. It takes about 20minutes to switch them. We get screwed in CA. Why is a cat legal in 49 states and not in one state? Absurd! This is one way to get back at the establishment. Good luck and keep us posted PS- I have an 81 280zx ET two seater Renatodato
  2. Hey PhilbrtZ, I still say no matter what you do in the engine bay, you will fail CA smog test if the cat is not converting the CO and HC to H2O. The emissions system is a mystery even to the inspectors. You need to go to the "referee" repair shop and they will actually test the car before final smogging it. Depending on the shop and the problem, it could cost you anywhere from 200-1000 dollars. A simple fix is about 200-300. A complicated fix, well.......My suggestion is to double check the timing, and the rpm. Did you change the PCV valve? EGR valve? Make sure your timing marks are right, then, use white out to paint the mark. Disconnect and plug the vacuum advance on the dizzy when checking the timing. Yes, CA has stricter emissions laws, that's why Autopartswarehouse only has one or two CA legal cats. I got mine for about 130 shipped. Also, check the harness to the O2 sensor. These wires tend to get corroded and brittle with age. Don't give up hope,bro. Pretty soon you'll be cruising in your ZX with a smile on your face like me. Renatodato
  3. Study the new water pump and locate the mounting bolts. When you're confident all mounting bolts are out, give it a confident and deliberate whack with a wooden stick as mentioned by Freakshow.
  4. Don't forget the catalytic converter. If it's the original cat, most likely needs replacing. This could cause a failure in CA smog test no matter what you do to the rest of the car. What I did was to buy a CA legal cat from Autopartswarehouse.com for about 130. dollars. Since it's a bolt on, I switched the old one on for driving around, then, the new one gets bolted on when test time comes around. This way, the new cat will last indefinitely,lol. Also, would have been easier to get the female bolt at the junkyard and tossing the old one. Besides, it's free at the junkyard, hehehe. Just finished my strut/suspension rebuild job. I learned a lot tricks, so if you have any questions let me know. I get most of my parts online on Rockauto.com. Everything at Autozone and Kragen is twice as much. Renatodato South San Francisco
  5. Did you check the o2 sensor? Check the harness to the o2 sensors too. They get corroded and brittle after sitting for long periods of time. Get a stethoscope to listen to the fuel injectors. You should hear a 'tick, tick,tick' sound at each injector. If not, change them.
  6. There comes a time in a man's life when he has to break from his father's shadows. The father in the end, will respect the son more if he sticks with his guns and follows his convictions with confidence and independence. The knowledge you will have gained rebuilding your car is immeasurable. The satisfaction and joy you will experience is priceless.
  7. Hey trwebb, Amazing job you're doing. What model Lincoln is that? Are you happy with that model? I like your custom welding cart. I'm just learning how to weld. It's hard to do any restorations without the option of welding.
  8. Sears has a tool specially for rounded nuts, called "bolt out", costs about $20. Works great. Go to your local junkyard and get the OEM nut for free, lol.
  9. Go to AutoZone or Kragen and get "window weld". It works better than silicone. I think it's urethane based.
  10. Hey Icewtr, I recommend you rebuild her. Take this opportunity to work closely with your son and teach him the virtues of defiance and hard work. Defiance, to those criminals of the world that they can't break your spirit to live. Hard work, to teach him that things are more appreciated when you earn it, not just given to you. Let him take the lead, so to speak, in the rebuild, even though you're holding his hand. Cars can be rebuilt, to its former glory; not so with the human body. Renatodato
  11. Hey Wrez, Did you paint your rims black? What paint did you use? Looks sharp. I'm thinking of doing the same with mine. It's a pain trying to polish the Aluminum.
  12. Hey C-Dawg, I'll see you 'round South City, homey. Nice Z. Don't mess with the car. It's fast enough as it is. You'll just get speeding tickets. Rey
  13. Is there a consensus out there on removing the engine with or without the tranny? Some say it's easier to remove together, others say it's not. I plan on using the same tranny.
  14. Check for rust issues at the roof junction of the windshield before installing another glass. Very common in these cars, but then again what do you expect from a 30 yr old car. I feel real lucky living in SF Bay Area with 18 Pick N Pulls, 2 Pick Ur Parts all within driving distance. And lots of Z's of all types.
×
×
  • Create New...