wheelman Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 Maybe they didn't want to do the work and priced it accordingly. Some garages with a good local rep will do that figuring you'll either pony up and they get extra or you go else where and they avoid a PITA job. Don't under estimate the level of aggrevation you'll encounter pulling that motor mount to replace the boot it blocks access to, especially considering you don't have a garage to work in. Get yourself mentally prepared to spend all day on it. How much are you paying for the new fuel rail and injectors? Wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Well, just got off the phone with the shop the Z is at, and I found out I don't have A boost leak, I have approximately 6 or 7. all of which I never would have found. trust me, if I had smoker I would have tested it myself, but since I don't I can't. Gee, you sure seemed to find a lot of self confidence once they found your problem for you. Soldier on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naviathan Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Gee, you sure seemed to find a lot of self confidence once they found your problem for you. Soldier on. Don't knock the guy. So he hasn't worked on a car before and he's learning. I'm sure we've all been there before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWSewell Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 I am an auto mechanic, and I will tell ya $1000 doesn't go far at a shop. Our labor rate is $96 per hour. Hell thats only 10 hrs. of labor to reach $1000. Figure in parts,.......... Yeah $1000 won't get you far at a shop. When you go to a shop, you are paying for knowledge, experiance, tools, ect. Its not as cut and dry as Slapping some parts on. Good luck with you Z though. However you go about it. Oh yeah, and this may piss you off too, but I am gonna say it anyway. Say for instance, (just #'s off the top of my head BTW), The labor guides say 2.0 hours to replace the fuel rail, Rarely will a good tech. spend more than 1/2 that time actually working on the car. But then again the tech, may spend 4 hours fighting the thing and only get paid for the 2 hours you were quoted. And just like you would not want to pay more than you were quoted , do not expect a discount because he only spent half the billed time working on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 4, 2007 Author Share Posted April 4, 2007 thanks a lot guys. I have confidence in the ability to fix a problem, but first I need to know where it lies. trust me, I have a lot of respect for mechanics and the like. do I think I am anywhere nearly as good at their job as they are, hell no; my place is at the computer. BUT from workin on computers I have learned a lot about solving and fixing problems, and once again I can't fix the problems til I find them. I have tools to find trojans, viruses, etc, while mechanics have tools to find leaks, faulty lines, etc. I have no problem with paying someone better than I am to show me what is wrong. now I know the problem, the source, and how to fix it...and this weekend, hopefully, I will test my ability to solve problems....now just to find some boots that will fit....guess i'll do that tomorrow. -typhoone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I bought my Z from a junkyard, running and driving. First day I had it the clutch slave went out. Old cars are like couples, man. Why do you think most women get so mad when we spend so much time on our rides? Your love will grow as you get used to the little eccentricities of the relationship, but getting to know her is always gonna be a trial. There's a good reason good cars are always girls. Btw, I drove my Z daily for 3yrs. They are damn reliable cars, but they do nickle and dime you to death. It never, ever broke down though. I blew the tranny at carlsbad dragway.....I was still able to drive 40 miles back to base until I could pull the trans and get it rebuilt. I had to replace all the rubber parts. I had to re do the axles and the brakes. I had to rebuild the entire interior, and went 2 years without a heater (but the A/C worked great, lol) But I still drove that car to San Jose and back several times (when I was in Cali) and then drove it across the country when I got out of the navy, and it never ,EVER let me sit. (in fact I lent it to people who's fancy new cars broke down and my "POS", the car they didn't want to be seen in because it was 7 different colors, got them to work....I still get a kick razzin them about it) Z cars are probably some of the best sports cars you can own, you just have to be patient, just as you would be to a woman you're trying to be with for awhile. Z cars are never one night stands. If you have that mentality a Z car will be the worst car you've ever owned. Z cars are very commitment oriented. Sorry for the book. Enjoy your Z! Learn her every nuance and curve and be patient with her and she will rock your world. Scorn her...and she will be like any other scorned woman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 In addition, "tuner shops" almost always lowball the price to get people in the door (in my experience), then once the car is apart they try to sell you stuff you really don't need, (such as upgraded BOV's and turbos, huge FMIC's when all you need is some boost leaks fixed..and unfortunately most people get all starry eyed dreaming of thier "beast" and sign the papers....) and you simply have to pay them. In the tuner shop's defense it is what pays the bills...performance parts!(While in san diego I helped 4 people put thier cars back together because a tuner shop kept raising the prices by selling parts, and when they said enough is enough, they got a car back in pieces because most of the additonal cost was labor...the upgraded parts ate the initial deposit right up) I guess it's a consequence that most people in the tuner scene really don't know that much, (they tend to be young and gullible and trendy, sorry if I offended any tuners but it's 90% true) the ones that do know what they're doing own the tuner shops! (or work there) Also, this site is super helpful, if you have any mechanical aptitude at all you will be able to do this work yourself, with help from the people on this site, because they really are the most helpful people I've ever seen on any forum anywhere. This is why you should be patient, and learn from these fellas. Because of HybridZ I was able to learn about my Z and never had to go to those shops unless it was for something I couldn't do, like exhaust.) Thanks again HybridZ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 I really appreciate all the people here at hybridz. i got my Z back today, it is spitting and sputtering, and i think that the plugs are also fouling up, but hell i might as well replace the plugs, wires, do an oil change, etc while i am fixing these leaks. if i am gonna do something, it will be done right. Might take longer to get it where i want it, but it WILL be where i want it. Now that i got it back i already have the charge pipe off and i will be at autozone tomorrow by noon looking for boots and clamps so i can get at least the bs leaks fixed on friday since i have that day out of school. i will probably get to the one behind the mount on Saturday since my dad will be here and we will be able to get the motor raised up to get to the last one. Then, in a couple of weeks, i will install the new rails, plenum, intercooler, etc.....fun stuff....it's good i make more money on the side than i do at my job.....if i was only making my $6.00 an hour this would REALLY suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 In addition, "tuner shops" almost always lowball the price to get people in the door (in my experience), then once the car is apart they try to sell you stuff you really don't need, (such as upgraded BOV's and turbos, huge FMIC's when all you need is some boost leaks fixed..and unfortunately most people get all starry eyed dreaming of thier "beast" and sign the papers....) and you simply have to pay them. In the tuner shop's defense it is what pays the bills...performance parts!(While in san diego I helped 4 people put thier cars back together because a tuner shop kept raising the prices by selling parts, and when they said enough is enough, they got a car back in pieces because most of the additonal cost was labor...the upgraded parts ate the initial deposit right up)I guess it's a consequence that most people in the tuner scene really don't know that much, (they tend to be young and gullible and trendy, sorry if I offended any tuners but it's 90% true) the ones that do know what they're doing own the tuner shops! (or work there) Also, this site is super helpful, if you have any mechanical aptitude at all you will be able to do this work yourself, with help from the people on this site, because they really are the most helpful people I've ever seen on any forum anywhere. This is why you should be patient, and learn from these fellas. Because of HybridZ I was able to learn about my Z and never had to go to those shops unless it was for something I couldn't do, like exhaust.) Thanks again HybridZ! I also agree with JL sewell. I worked in that capacity too, and while it's easy for someone 'not in the know' to flame a mech...the mech really isn't making that much. The shop is getting most of that money. When I was one the going hourly rate was 9 bucks per hour for entry level up to 15+ or so per for master technican. For what you have to know, for what you have to learn, the pay for a mechanic is really not great at all. (someone who has a bachelor's in clerical services, a friggin secretary, makes as much or more than a master mechanic..and clerks don't have to buy 50-100k worth of tools!) Mechanics do what they do because they like doing it (or at least LIKED doing it at one time) It takes YEARS to become a master ASE certified tech, man, it's basically the M.D. for cars. So before you get pissed at a mechanic, just remember if he's a master tech he's been learning about cars for probably twice as long as your average doctor has been learning about anatomy. (the doctor gets paid more simply because he works on the motor while it's running :OP ) Also, everything you said was true about tuner shops, BUT this place is called Turner's garage. i talked to my dad about that place today on the way to get the Z, they are crooks. He had just replaced the belts on his truck a month prior to a trip there, and they actually cut off the ***NEW*** belts and told my dad they needed to be replaced while doing some work on his truck.....he flipped....if i had known that i would have NEVER taken my car there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 About to start working on a 1985 300zx turbo... Be glad it's not a Z32...you could spill a quart of oil on top of the motor and smoke a cigarette to the filter before the first drops started hitting the ground...Z31's are way friendlier.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 yeah, i'm not very mechanically inclined, but there is plenty of room for me to work around in the Z. i love that car, and i want to make it something that other peole look at and say "Damn that's nice" just like i have been saying ever since i joined this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Where are you in SC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 Sumter South Carolina, it sucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtcookson Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 For hoses, couplers, clamps, etc. this is a place I usually go to - http://www.hightempsilicone.com The silicone couplers are top quality. I've not tried any hoses from them but the viton hoses sound pretty good. Definitely go no less than the t-bolt clamps. Those will save you many, many headaches. You might be able to find better deals on ebay, but I would definitely get some silicone couplers and t-bolt clamps at the very least. Rubber couplers with standard worm gear clamps might work for a while on a stock setup but once you start turning up the boost and such, they just don't get the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 6, 2007 Author Share Posted April 6, 2007 Okay, i live in a little town and it sucks...and i am surrounded by people even more retarded than i am. First, i went to NAPA, i had the charge pipe IN MY HAND and told the guy that I needed coupler, boot, whatever you want to call it. He asked what it was and i told him that it was to help connect the charge pipe to the turbo, etc. he told me that he didn't have anything like that for turbos. i told him that they weren't specifically for turbos and i explained to him that they were just to connect pipes....nothing specific....he told me to come up the stairs and he would show me what he had.....HE TRIED TO SELL ME A FREAKIN RADIATOR HOSE....keep in mind that i HAD THE CHARGE PIPE IN MY HAND....but yeah, NAPA didn't have any. I went to NAPA, AutoZone, and Advanced Auto Parts....out of all three places i found a grand total of two couplers....wtf....these are basic things....wtf.....lol. sorry this was so long. i will update you guys tomorrow and let you know if the couplers i found were able to fix the major boost leaks that are killing the Z so bad. -Typhoone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 6, 2007 Author Share Posted April 6, 2007 I have so much repect for mechanics now. I started workin on the Z at 11:00 this morning...I cut my fingers, hit my knuckles, burnt my hands, and basically just caused all kinds of injuries to myself. BUT I fixed all the boost leaks. my dad was helping and at one point he dropped a washer down the charge pipe....I almost died at this point, but we got it out. it is no longer spitting and sputtering, it accelerates just fine. I LOVE it. there is only one problem, for some reason it is only getting up to 4 psi. I ain't complaining or anything, hell I actually accelerated pretty nice, I just miss my oter 5psi of boost. any ideas? thanks in advance -Typhoone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicker240 Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 Sounds like you still have a leak somewhere.Boosted cars love to hide boost leaks till they're under pressure.Keep lookin' grasshopper!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 I have so much repect for mechanics now. I started workin on the Z at 11:00 this morning...I cut my fingers, hit my knuckles, burnt my hands, and basically just caused all kinds of injuries to myself. BUT I fixed all the boost leaks. my dad was helping and at one point he dropped a washer down the charge pipe....I almost died at this point, but we got it out. it is no longer spitting and sputtering, it accelerates just fine. I LOVE it. there is only one problem, for some reason it is only getting up to 4 psi. I ain't complaining or anything, hell I actually accelerated pretty nice, I just miss my oter 5psi of boost. any ideas? thanks in advance -Typhoone if you have an aircompressor, a male compressor fitting to attach a air hose to (like those on the ends of pneumatic tools) and and a home depot around, you could build a boost leak tester for under 20 bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 8, 2007 Author Share Posted April 8, 2007 well, I drove the Z yesterday. I was planing on taking it to get it smoked at my buddies shop, but I missed him by 10 mins. I still have a boost leak somewhere, not sure where though. I know this cause on the way home last night I wanted to see what it could do, so I puched it. got up to 4500 rpms in 5th gear, doing some nice speed, and I was only at 6 psi, and I heard the leak loud and clear. lol. hopefully I will be able to find it this week. it drives awesome, I just need to get a radio and an exhaust on it and I won't go stir crazy driving it. it is weird, the guy that I got the car from left a muffler on the car....but there is no piping after the catalytic converter....??? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
typhoone Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 quick question, I talked to the guy I got my Z from, and told him what was going on and everything about how even though I have fixed the boost leaks I still am not getting up to full boost, and he said something about the wastegate actuator was double zip tied to keep it from doing something or other (don't remember). well, when me and my dad were workin on the Z fixin the leaks he sent me to get a screw and when I came back out he had already cut the ties off. just wondering, what do you think they were doing and what could I do to fix it? I know I don't have much solid here, but I am trying. as of tomorrow the injector leak will be fixed and I would like to hear that beautiful sound of a full spool saturday before work. oh yeah, that sound I thought was a boost leak was the whistle of air comin into the car through a draft....I really got to fix that....I have no heater in my Z and that air gets REALLY cold at 115mph... Thanks for any and all help -typhoone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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