BULLET SUCESSFULLY DODGED!!!

[Foosblood24]

Car is in the shop and getting a new timing belt and all the stuff that goes with it as we speak (or as I type lol)

Mechanic who just called a lil bit ago said the belt VERY MUCH looked like a belt with 159,372 miles on it. He said he didn't know how much longer I had but the words "ticking timebomb" were used more than once during the conversation.

And to think without joining this forum and just driving the car, I'd have not known a thing and do have plans to take it up to St. Louis from Atlanta (about 10 hrs one way) for 4th of July big a** Nationals Foosball tournament.

Like um....mucho apreciante' for this forum and all you guys! For real!

[ThisIsSparTTa]

Haha, glad you're getting that squared away. Will avoid future headaches.

[Foosblood24]

Oh wow....mechanic callback #2

The rumbling noise that I was hearing and just thought was the clutch was actually the bearings getting ready to abandon ship!

[nexus08]

I know it isn't funny to be spending money ... but I feel your pain.

I too didn't know squat about the 300zx's until I found mine and just had to have it.

Only after it was mine did I do research and learn about the interference engine. Ugh...

[Foosblood24]

Yea Nexus, it's sending me into a tiny little tailspin for the moment but every time this (what's grown into) $950 "routine maintenance" wakes me up in the middle of the night with sweat-soaked sheets, screaming like a little girl who accidentally fell into a pitbull kennel.....I just think of the $4000 engine replacement cost, do some breathing exercises.....and a shot of Jager.

Since I took the car into the shop on Friday, I keep a bottle and shot glass by my bedside table.

[Foosblood24]

[GOOD UPDATE]

Mechanic called back and said he'll only charge $867.48 total. Pretty much discounted $80.00 for being a cool guy. Serious, what mechanic does that? Another perk to going to a Z exclusive mechanic is all the Z's out in front of his shop. He's got a Datsun 280 and a few Z31's here and there and a bunch of Z32's. He's also gonna give it a dyno and tuneup check and diagnostic for free, and if he finds anything he said we can go over the cost and necessity of the findings at that time. But he also said based on how the engine sounds and the test drive he gave it earlier today, he doesn't expect to find anything major if at all.

[nexus08]

Sounds like you found a good mechanic!

After my timing belt change ($1300 for me) plus some other repairs made at the same time, I've decided I need to be the mechanic for this car, at least for what I can do.

I've learned a lot, and almost enjoy working on her. Almost.

[ThisIsSparTTa]

Indeed, unless you are loaded, I don't think its feasible to own this car and have a mechanic do all the work, even if they are honest.

[Foosblood24]

Well I picked up my Z this morning and I cannot believe all the rattles and roars and vibrations that come from an old timing belt and the bearing tensioners and stuff! I literally have what sounds and feels like a brand new car! There was this one vibrating rattle that I chalked up to the old heat shield over the exhaust pipes.....nope! That was one of the bearings! A total of three different rattles rumbles and roars ( the roar being the most predominant) are all gone. Just crazy! I can honestly say I loved driving it before, but now it's wonderful beyond anything! All you guys here know this already but please bear with me....this is my first time with a fully mechanically sound Z32!

[Foosblood24]

One cool thing he mentioned (not that I EVER EVER EVER want to have to do this but...) he said his normal labor and parts for a rebuild coming from a timing belt fail is usually around $2500 as long as it's just the valves and the piston heads aren't damaged (which he also said rarely happens unless the belt fails at like 5K RPM)

[Afi]

That was some kind of bullet you dodged! I was so afraid of it, I had a 120k maintenance done while my engine only had around 54k miles. Even, preventive measures are expensive on this car.

[Foosblood24]

What's funny is I checked on the chain option and all the nay-sayers are like "chains stretch too and they can break too" which might be a viable response for the TT that is a track only car. But for a daily driving NA I'll bet my a** and maybe a few other body parts that a chain will last the lifetime of the car, especially if you got a titanium chain, which they do make for BMX and 10 speed bikes so it's not unfeasible to get one for this application as well. Trouble is, there's no mod for it and no way to keep the chain lubed (at least none that I've seen reading through here and other Z forums) but the no-brainer here is if there was an aftermarket chain option for the timing belt that would work, it would indeed sell as we are more than accustomed to dumping coin on stuff like this.

[Phan]

Indeed, unless you are loaded, I don't think its feasible to own this car and have a mechanic do all the work, even if they are honest.

Exactly what he said. You should have done the timing belt yourself. The experience is very rewarding. I did my 120k service all by myself costing me only 200 bucks in quality parts and a lot of labor. I had no experience of car until... THE Z.

But man... that's a lot of beans...