Z Help

[aerhead1]

So I took my '92 300zx to a local auto repair shop about a month ago to have the timing belt and water pump replaced. It's not my daily, so I've only noticed these problems a few times. First, it makes an ungodly squeal when I first start driving. Not every time, but it fades out and sometimes comes back at a stoplight. But the second thing is this violent stutter and bucking when I gas it over 2500 rpm. If I shift at around 2000 it won't do it, but that's not even driving in a Z. It's done that 3 different times and I'm taking it back tomorrow. Any thoughts on what it could be?

[nexus08]

The squeal is one of the belts. They may not have tightened them sufficiently when they put them back on.

Not sure about the bucking, but with my car, when they did the timing belt they also disconnected the coolant temp sensor and when replaced it made poor contact due to the corrosion. Made the car drive like crap till I dealt with it. It is easy to check as the computer will throw a code if it is not working properly.

[aerhead1]

The weird things is that the bucking doesn't always happen. I drive it today and it didn't do it, and I'm sure when I take it back to the shop it won't do it(that's always the way) Would it squeal if the timing belt was loose? And maybe it would miss, causing the lurching?

[ThisIsSparTTa]

I'm thinking the squeal would be one of the 3 accessory belts, not the timing belt. Those should be pretty easy to tighten up yourself...but without having done it yourself, it would probably be pretty hard to explain. It took me a bit to figure out how to get my accessory belts loose for this engine pull just because I wasn't familiar with how it all worked together.

[aerhead1]

I've changed an alternator belt in an Integra before, so I know the tension in those belts needs to be precise. Not sure if they made them too tight or too loose.

[Ace2cool]

If it was the timing belt squealing, your car wouldn't be running.

One of your accessory belts is dead/wrong tension. Guaranteed.

[aerhead1]

You guys were right. I took it up there and they said the belts probably stretched a little after the were broken in a little. Not sure how true that is since I just drove it back home and parked it. I still don't know about the lurching thing. It hasn't done it the past couple of drives.

[t.mcginley.jr]

Drive belts do stretch, especially when you get new ones. Usually new ones take a few hundred miles (or more) before they start squealing but it will happen. All 3 belts have tensioners that you can tighten with a socket.

[aerhead1]

I'm too scared to go under the hood on this beast. There's so much stuff packed in there. I want to change the plugs and air filter, but I have no idea where they are, lol. I usually buy the repair manual for any project car, but I can't find one for the Z32.

[t.mcginley.jr]

The FSM is free!

http://www.300zx-twinturbo.com/cgi-bin/manual.cgi

Air filter is super easy to change, the front nose panel (piece between headlights) comes off with 2 bolts and the air box is right under there. You get to the air filters by undoing the claps around the box. The spark plugs are a little more complicated because they sit under the coil packs. You basically remove the coil pack connector, then the 2 bolts holding the coil pack bracket, lift the coil pack out and then use a long extension to get the spark plug out. The rear 2 coil packs require you to remove the balance tube though.

[aerhead1]

I downloaded and printed this manual. It's not exactly Haynes, but it does give me an idea what to do. I haven't had time to go into it in depth though. Thanks for the link.