It has begun! Instead of writing 50 different threads I will condense my questions to this thread.

I plan to replace all accessory belts, timing belt, pulleys, main seal, thermostat and water pump.

All accessory belts are out, intakes out, radiators out, clutch fans off and top right timing belt cover. Will continue more tomorrow after I visit the auto parts store. I need a hex key bit to get the metal coolant hoses off.

When I pulled the ac belt I noticed the water pump pulley touching it? See attached picture.



The studs on the new water pump should I red loctite? And blue loctite the nuts.

I'd also like to change my cams seals but I'm to scared to do it. I don't want to mess up my timing..

make marks on both objects...that way if it moves, you know it

Come on fourdrinie! I need you to encourage me to change the cam seals.

I've formulated a game plan. I'll change the seals one at a time with the old belt still on and tensioned.. that way if it jumps the timing should stay?

All the timing covers are off and now the belt is fully exposed.

I rented a cam locking tool but it's not going to work.. the exhaust cams have a lip.

The saga continues!

Help! All my marks line up but the passenger intake cam looks like it's off by one tooth.

sounds like a good time to move it into correct position, have you noticed any hesitation previously?

Yup. It was a little sluggish and didn't sound great. The entire timing belt was also soaked in oil.. my main seal was toast.

So put the new belt on and then turn the cam slowly into alignment? Just turn it a little to the left so it lines up or do I need to turn it right all the way around into alignment?

Thanks

No, turn the cam left into alignment, then put the belt on!
Make sure all the marks align after the belts go on!
change the tensioners as well

Thanks fourdrinie!

For those reading this in the future these are the best how to's I've found:
http://z32.wikispaces.com/Timing+Belt+Service
http://www.ttzd.com/tech/60ktech.html

And the 300zx YouTube videos from Max Goldberg, BSME and Rahee's Garage are also helpful.

But none of it mentioned what to do if you were a tooth off!

Hmm.. There is no spring behind my passenger side intake sprocket cover. Did someone forget to reinstall it years ago? Or did the 1997 J30t not come with VTC springs?

Update: 97 doesn't have VTC springs.

Can anyone confirm the torque specs on the autotensioner pulley? Same as the other idler pulleys (32-43 ft lbs). Thanks

dont you have the FSM?
All the specs are in there!
Holler if you dont know where to look or cant find it

Yes, I have the FSM. I find specs for everything but the wheel on the tensioner. I'll look again.

check page EM-13

Thank you fourdrinie. No excuse but I am dyslexic. I probably read it five times but it just didn't click.. just like on how to rotate the cams if they don't align. I said it wasn't on those help pages but it was.. Anyway I made great progress tonight. Will post some pics shortly.

Yeah it doesn't say it.. that's what I was looking at before I asked. Those two screws and nut are for the tensioner mount.

Everything is done! I'd like to start the car for a 10 seconds to make sure everything is good before I put it all back to together again.

Is it ok to clamp the transmission lines for the test? I don't want fluid shooting everywhere.

She runs and sounds beautiful!

I did lose about 2 or 3 oz of tranny fluid before I clamped it. 177k miles. Please advise.

I dont think ten seconds will ruin the transmission....

Car is driving terrible.. It wants to stall but doesn't and has no power. Really undriveable. Turning the CAS slightly does make it better or worse. I tested the CAS and it is working so I didn't brake it changing the seals. I took it all apart again and my timing is perfect! 4mm tensioner gap too. I even got anal and counted the teeth. I marked the CAS before I pulled it and put it back exactly.

Think I need to buy a timing light to set the timing properly? Or maybe something else is wrong..

Service engine soon light is on and it wasn't before I started this project. Don't have a code scanner. I'll buy one. Should I wait for the code scanner or start taking it apart again? Maybe I'm one tooth off.

Took it apart for the 3rd time and she is indeed off a tooth..

Can someone please confirm I'm good? I don't wish to do this a 4th time.. I counted cogs and it's right. 24 between both intake & exhaust cams and 45 between both intake cams. I haven't checked the 59 from right exhaust to crank.










Also noticed two other issues. Bad wire on the #5 coilpack. And my ac pulley was grinding.. it wasn't like that before.

CEL light was coolant temp sensor.. I had it disconnected when I tested the engine.

Counted 59 cogs from drivers exhaust cam notch to crankshaft notch.

Time to put it all back together again and pray I fixed it..

All fixed! Drove it around for 30 minutes. Perfect!

I'm not sure I even needed to do it over again.. I think it was just the ac pulley grinding last time that prevented the car fom driving properly.

I left the ac belt off until I figure out how to put that pulley back on properly. No matter what I did the wheel touched the mounting bracket. I'll figure it out later. For now I'll bask in my fixed car.

Congrats! its a great feeling starting it up after major work like that. If it were warmer I would take a look at the clearance issue you described, but its 0* here