The great 300zx debate

[BRAAP]

You’ll also notice when looking at used Z-32’s, quite a few of them are not running with their original engine, in fact the ratio is pretty high compared to the S-30 cars that are 22-30 years older. Some Z-32’s are on their 3rd and even 4th engines. My guess is these owners are replacing timing belts using the complete engine change program, if you know what I mean…

As such, when you see a Z-32 that is on its 3rd or 4th engine, buyer beware. There is a reason the car is one its third or fourth engine, i.e. NO preventive maintenance form the owner and who knows what else is wrong and not taken care of on that car.

[Pete84]

So people will swap out engines instead of having the timing belt replaced? Is that done by service centers, so that the customer can get their car back, while the center has a pool of engines that they refurb? Or what?

[BRAAP]

If the proper care is given to the car on a regular basis, then yes, the timing belt is an easy “preventive” maintenance item and for the most part, easy to replace if caught before it breaks. What I meant by my post was that some people will neglect the fact that that timing belt is a maintenance item and these same people will drive the car till the timing belt breaks, which then bends/breaks many, if not all the valves, (depends on how may RPM it was turning when the belt lets go). So instead of rebuilding the heads with new valves, (possibly replacing pistons/rebuilding the entire engine depending on how hard the valves hit the pistons and how much they rattled around in the chambers), it is usually cheaper and easier to just purchase a used engine, typically JDM, and swap it in. Typically, if the timing belt was neglected, who knows what else was neglected, ie. oil changes, tune ups, other regular maintenance items.