88zxturbo Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 hi all, I'm in dire need of help. Does anyone have any tips whatsoever on getting the turbo off of a z31? it seems like they just wanted to make it impossible when they built the car. how do I get the turbo-manifold nuts off? my ratchet won't fit and neither will my wrench. Thanks, Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Remove the motor... I have a 88 turbo and that's what I had to do... Sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88zxturbo Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 so you're trying to tell me there is no other way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinjitter Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 You can get the turbo off with the engine still installed. I have done it numerous times now. I just removed the turbo with the drivers side manifold. It is a lot of work though. You could make your own tools to remove the turbo->manifold nuts though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88zxturbo Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 I was going to attempt that but it seems pretty damn hard to unbolt where it connects to the passenger side manifold.... got any tricks for that? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinjitter Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Try to disconnect it from the crossover pipe instead? IIRC I just used a gear wrench and a 1/4" drive ratchet (watch out for busted knuckles). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear. I hate hearing the beginnings of what I am about to see. peace be with you, my canuck friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinjitter Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear. I hate hearing the beginnings of what I am about to see. peace be with you, my canuck friend. LOL, Listen to Careless... He is still rebuilding after a couple broken studs. FYI, Most of the time when removing the manifolds/turbo the studs break either in the manifold or in the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 you can attribute my "slothliness" to the cold weather we're having. laying on my back on concrete in the garage with no heater for hours is enbrittling my bones. well I dunno if that's true. but it's definitely not strengthening them through cryogenics, I can tell you that much! I would do the following to do it again: 1) drain engine of fluids (maybe tranny too) 2) remove hood 3) raise engine out with a cherry picker 4) shove cinder blocks underneath engine to support it. remove manifolds with turbo, and cross pipe (remember to unbolt oil feed, unclamp oil drain and coolant feed/return lines). 5) get out a nice cobalt drill bit set and start small and work up with some GOOD (i.e. - not 20 bucks for a set of 5) extractors. 6) have the studs on the manifolds that hold the cross over pipe removed. 7) retap cross over pipe holes. 8) on the cross over pipe, there are two extensions that stick out beyond the flange, and go INTO the manifolds on both sides. Cut those down to half of their original size. 9) on the driver side, leave the top two studs in if you want. on the passenger side, remove all the studs and replace with good quality bolts and lock washers. this will allow you to remove the crossover pipe when it decides to crap out on you (and it will!). 10) then put it back together and put it back in. good luck and godspeed. i broke an extractor in one of the bolt holes and i cursed to the point of nearly picking up the head and tying it to the landlords SUV and going around the block a couple of times. by the time I was done cursing (about an hour), he had used a small chisel, a small screwdriver, and a telescoping magnet and had removed the extractor by chipping at it with a tiny hammer for an hour straight. I don't have that patience. I was going to send it to the machinist instead but he said he would do it!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.svoboda Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 You can get a set of left hand drill bits at Harbor Freight for not too much money. I've found many times in the past that due to the vibration and heat generated the drill will catch and walk the broken section right out of the hole. Got to drill it out anyway so worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 TRIED THERE, BEEN THAT. you most often cannot even get an angle drill in there properly and hit the stud square in these engine bays. It's worth a shot. I tried doing it for 2 weeks. Then I tried welding on the stud to build it up and put a nut on the end and remove it.... did not work, metal got too hot and gravity caused the bolt hole to become eliptical. If I were to do it again, I would at least lift the engine out high enough to put some cinder blocks under it and lessen the tension on the engine hoist chain, and then try and remove the studs while the engine is in the air. Nissan redesigned the studs later on the pre-95 maximas. You will get new studs if you order them. Replace them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 HOW THE F do you get this turbo out of the engine bay without removing the head? This is impossible. Are you removing a T25 or a T3 from the 87? Split year, mine has a T3 turbo with the W block casting. I Think I may have to remove all the studs to even get close to having enough room to lift this bitch out. I have the engine jacked up as high as it will go with a bottle jack so that the opening is further away from the slope of the strut towers, and I removed the oil line banjo bolt and the bracket that holds the oxygen sensor wire (seriously, did they need a bracket for that? LOL come on, Nissan!). There is next to no room to remove this thing, and I'm really getting frustrated. Had it not been for this god forsaken center section mis alignment on my turbo it would be a done deal by now. ARGHHHHHHHHHH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 This is why I removed it all... You will save time and headache in the end... Not saying it is the only way, but it makes it very easy to do the timing belt and all the seals and such... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogalou1 Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 I was in the same boat, my "86" had a non-working turbo and after looking at all the options, decided to just pull the engine. Believe me, it will just make it easier to go over the entire thing and replace what needs replacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Once I figured it out, the rest of the weekend went kinda smoothly. I reinstalled and removed it 4 times more to get it right. It should ok now. I think I'm a master at doing it now. It's in another thread in the Nissan V6 forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Kain Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 ive replaced the T3 in my 87 with relative ease... pull the steering shaft, unbolt from below and above - a lift helped alot, but its doable for anyone with a jack. i think the flange bolts are 17mm, and you have to bend down some tabs. besides almost forgetting the oil feed, and coolant lines, the only difficult part was manuvering it out from the car. i THINK i pulled it from below, but it was over a year ago... although - im not entirely sure how much diff. the mounting setup of the T25 is vs. the T3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUZN Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 OK so you want the turbo out.. I found its kinda as hard as a Eagle Talon TSI!! hehe Where the front of the engine is literally right against firewall.. Anyhow try this way.. First jack the drivers side front up... Take off your wheel. If your inclined enough Remove the shock (undue bolts at top. then remove brake caliper assembly. Remove axel nut and remove possibly the swaybar link and swaybar bolts. seems like alot I know but you'll see!!.. then when your underneith remove the drivers side engine mount bolts. Place $30 jack under oilpain area or something sturdy but put a 2x6 or 2x4 un jack point so it dosent damage pan then. you should be able to free up enough room to move engine up a few inches and down. next...... disconnect air intake hosing, and anythig in your hand and arms way that will interfear with you getting some good grip on the bolts. Now from what i found they have those stupid tabs on the bolts to the manifold so you need to jam your arm in there suck up the pain and bend the tabs down that hold the bolts from loosening off so you can actually get a socket on there. same goes for the ones by firewall in center that hold on the pipe that comes from the passenger side. this is all off the top of my head but I did this at a Wrecker so If I can do it in -12oC you can do it to. pretty much when you remove tire and brake and strut you free up tons of room to reall y get in there form different angles. Also buy yourself some beer chill out and take it slow nothings worse than frusteration it will totally slow you down. Also get a can of RELEASE all!!! and soak everything possible (bolts and nuts) cause ♥♥♥♥ will break if you dont. try that cause liek I said when you remove that drivers side crap you got lots of leg and foot room as well as some hand and wrist room. Just start a slow dissasemble of crap in your way. Its tight as hell but it will be easy if you free up the room. I'll look up some crap on ALLDATA and see what it says one sec..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUZN Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 300ZX Remove compressor and compressor bracket. Disconnect exhaust front tube and center cable. Remove brake master cylinder heat insulator. Disconnect air duct and hoses. Remove exhaust manifold connecting tube and heat shield plate. Disconnect oil lines from turbocharger, then remove turbocharger and exhaust manifold as an assembly. Remove attaching nuts and separate turbocharger from exhaust manifold Yeah AllData makes it seem so easy lol.. OK I didnt mention brake master cylinder but hey that would be more room to. Honestly I would see what kinda room you get from removing shock tower. if you really wanna make it easy Cut through the thing sheet metal in the wheel well and just reweld a piece on hehe then its right there in the open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinjitter Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 LOL, I don't see how your first idea of removing the suspension will do anything for a z31... You would still have the body in the way big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Hey if you got a rack leak, make it easy for yourself and just do your rack at the same time as the turbo. LOL. I can't seem to get the steering shaft to pop out or come out of the column. I got the one off the steering rack but the one at the top is rusted and I don't know how to remove it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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