BLOZ UP Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 About the same time I picked up my 280Z, my wife (girlfriend at the time) sold her 350Z. She found a 92TT soon after for a great price. 150k, but well maintained. She drove it to Z meetings and such but we didn't do much to it. Timing belt, coolant hoses, and a couple other minor things. Then it started having problems. The PTU harness was corroded and would cut out the engine. That was fixed. Then the transmission started having a hard time shifting, and now the brake pedal park release isn't getting triggered. So, the wife decides it's time to do the 5 speed swap. The engine had pretty low compression, so we decide to do a rebuild as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Step 1: Acquire 5 speed swap parts. Not pictured, Z32 NA transmission. She wants to do the whole swap for under $1000, but that's probably not going to happen. This (plus the transmission) is $1,200 already. On the good side, it's a Fidanza lightweight flywheel and Z1 Street Performance clutch. Should liven it up a bit and hold stockish or slightly more than stock power. There's still some interior trim to get, but I believe we have more or less everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Step 2: Remove engine and transmission. Took note a few things that need replacing. This includes new downpipes, as all the studs broke. So the rebuild is going to cost a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Motor is still not apart yet. Just the turbos, manifolds and heads remain on the outside. Having trouble with getting the turbos off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) Dissassembled the motor. Bearings were pretty worn: And then there was this: The rod bearings were also just as worn, except one of the (#4 or 5?) that looked really worn, possibly causing some knock. Got the engine cleaned up and checked out: Going to double check the bores, then measure the crank and see what grades we need to order. Looking at the Z1 rebuild kit with forged pistons, new oil pump, etc. Edited August 15, 2015 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted August 15, 2015 Author Share Posted August 15, 2015 Got rods back from machine shop, dropped off crank for cleaning and stuff. Rods were cleaned, checked, and honed. One of the ARP bolts is incorrect, but ARP says they will send me a new one. Cool! Forgot to get bearing grades and measure journals so I can't order the rebuild kit quite yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpuma8 Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Awesome! My wife has a 94 TT and I am in the same boat as you. Hard to shift it into gear if the car is completely stopped and while at a Z specialty shop, the engine blew up. So I will be watching this to see how things go since I have the same situation as you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 ARP did send me a replacement, which is good. That could have been a huge hassle. Got the crank back, didn't take any pictures except for bearing information. Dropped off the heads and got them back (no pics of them after cleaning). They did not get shaved as I asked him to not do it unless they needed it. Might regret it, then again I can always get them shaved later if it keeps popping head gaskets. And we finally ordered a rebuild kit. Z1 Motorsports stock rebuild kit with forged pistons. To do list: Clean engine bay Clean all parts being reused. Check out turbos (one exhaust exducer was chipped) Check injectors (Nismo 550cc?) Take apart interior console shifter area, figure out what interior parts we need Replace brake pedal Install clutch pedal, master and assembly Clean transmission Order replacement shift thing for transmission Grind bell housing Install phase Neighbor's brother picked up a NA Z32 (91, IIRC). Needs some TLC in some areas but otherwise a good deal for the price. I took a look at it for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) Got the rebuild kit. Got the rotating assembly balanced. Got NA oil squirters under protest. Got shifter linkage Got some silicone turbo oil lines Honed block. Put oil squirters in and crank: Still lots to do: Get turbos reconditioned Clean engine bay Clean engine parts Maybe p&p heads a bit Need new exhaust Rebuild lifters Resurface flywheel Clean and fix transmission: shift linkage, rear seal Clean oil pan. Edited January 28, 2016 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 (edited) Hm, did lots of stuff. Assembled short block. Rebuilt 20/24 lifters. 4 of them are ruined due to congealed degreaser (WTF?). Had to order 4 replacements. Got heads shaved and cleaned and valve job'd. Put heads on. Put oil pump and some water pipes on. Put a new knock sensor and harness on. Got Z1 motor mounts and put those on. Here's a timelapse video (just up to head installation). Still working on part 2. Edited June 14, 2016 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 (edited) Well, got the long block assembled, as in the video. Got the valve covers and rear timing covers on, was doing the timing belt and then noticed the intake cams on both heads are very, very hard to turn. Like, can't even feel the cam lobes and it sticks at whatever angle you turn them too. Took the intake valve covers off and removed the lifters and verified it wasn't them. Looks like the caps are binding. Now, the exhaust cams rotate fine, but there's no telling if the caps are incorrectly sized, just on the too large side. For now, I will just focus on the intake cams. I had put the intake and exhaust caps for each head in separate boxes, since they are marked (I or E) and numbered. I wrote what head they came from on the box, taped it up, and handed it to the machine shop. At first I thought the machine shop may have mixed them up--but I don't recall the tape ever being removed/reapplied, nor would they need to. So, I think I may have mixed them up. But, if the writing is supposed to be 'right side up' when you are facing the engine from the side of the head being worked on, that means that cap 1 and 5 (for each head) cannot be mixed with the other head. So that leaves caps 2-4 that might be on the wrong head. So I tried swapping them out, but every one ended up binding the cams. I will try swapping all the caps over to the opposite side, so all writing will be upside down. I didn't take any pre-dissassembly photos of the heads but I didn't think I needed them. Kind of at a loss to how this could happen--but it doesn't look like I've done any damage finding out this problem. But, I may have to get my bore gauge out and calipers and start measuring to find the right combination. If I find that somehow all the journals shrunk and I need to get the cam machined, I will be really, really confused. But in other news I got a few new things: New transmission clutch fork and pivot, and throwout bearing from Z1 New exhaust studs and nuts (though Z1 threw in a not self-locking one with the rest :/) Z1 silicone EVAP and IAC hoses, and oil filter tree o-ring (after Z1 also messed up this order and missed the o-ring the first time) EGR block off plug (already have an intake block off kit) Edited September 2, 2016 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihiryu Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 I've always wanted a Z32. Growing up my dad actually had a few of them. But man...such a bear to work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 It isn't that bad. My first time so everything is going slower. It's also all stock. Or at least it was. No more EGR and a few other convenience fixes are going in. As well as silicone everything so I don't have to worry about it for a while. Figured out the cam issue. Somehow, as best as I can figure, the intake caps got mixed up. Just the front ones, anyway, and the remaining ones needed to be reorganized on the head they were on. I checked the exhaust caps, they are all 'upside down'. Not sure how I managed to get the exhaust ones right, then completely forget how the intake caps went on. I had to verify each cap by running my nail against the edge on each once torqued down (without the cam in). Eventually found the right spots. So, yeah, next time I'll take pics. Got the timing belt back on, the front covers, one turbo and ordered some silicone hoses (for coolant bypass and turbo coolant lines) and entire engine bay fuel line replacement kit from Z1. Also ordered the cheap Megan downpipes and exhaust since I do not want to even try to put the stock ones back on. No pics, but I have a video (of past work, not the latest stuff): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 Got a lot done in the past 2 weeks: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Got the intake on, turbo inlets on, eBay downpipes on (side note: I'm not sure how ~20 ft of stainless tubing, flanges, and the TIG welding needed ends up being less than $100 shipped... I hope those poor TIG slaves are treated well), and did the intake coolant bypass with some gaudy blue silicone coolant hose (somehow ordered blue when I meant to get black). Engine just needs a few more vacuum lines hooked up and I think that is it. Started getting ready for the transmissions swap. Swapped out the shifter striking rod and shifter assembly on the transmission. Moved on the the car's interior for the first time and removed the trim and automatic shifter assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 Removed the auto trans gear selector and associated interior parts. Removed clutch firewall block off plate Wondering what this random green electronic controller is where the clutch pedal assembly goes Got a new new flywheel insert for the Fidanza flywheel. Almost ready to put the engine in. Need to clean the battery tray area up and get the clutch line routed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted December 17, 2016 Author Share Posted December 17, 2016 Replaced flywheel insert Heli-coiled the remaining flywheel threads (after finding out 3 were already replaced). Now it's 'balanced'. Put in 2 LC-2 widebands Put the engine in Ground down some of the transmission Put the transmission in Pulled the transmission out Ground the transmission some more Put the transmission in Started running wiring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 Yep. Still not done. Got a driveshaft that fits. Ran some wiring. Rewired some connectors. Put some intake piping on. Ran some vacuum line. Need lots more vacuum line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Dang almost year since your last update! You make me feel normal. Thanks and keep at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 Ha. Had a kid. It put things in perspective. Things are returning to the new normal now though, so if it weren't so cold out I'd get stuff done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.