New here

[tm624]

Hello everyone. After about 10 years or so of dreaming and searching, I can finally say I am a Z32 owner. I have quite a bit of work ahead of me, but I couldn't be happier. It's a 93 2+2 and pretty much stock, except for the body kit the guy I traded with had on it. Not too crazy about the nose panel either. He also had some cruddy 1 piece racing seats in it with harnesses. Since I'm not exactly vertically challenged, and the brackets for the racing seats raised the sitting height by about 3", they stayed in the car for about 2 days before they were replaced with stock seats. It's an automatic trans that has apparently been abused. Planning for a 5 spd swap, and have a guy willing to sell me all the needed parts to do it for pretty cheap. So that's happening soon.

One thing that has been driving me nuts though.....on the t-bar behind where the map lights are up front, I keep hearing what sounds like a small fan running (more like ticking) when the car is running. Starts up as soon as the ignition is turned on, and really gets going once the engine starts. I can't find anything on what it is. Surely someone knows?

[zswap0429]

I know exactly what fan it is that you are talking about. But for the life of me I cant find what its called. You can simply remove the overhead light unit on the t bar to see your problem

[tm624]

I tried messing with it when I replaced the bulbs, but was short on time to do too much. Kind of hard to ignore the thing when it's right by your head. I was curious what it was, and did I need it. I'll mess with it again when I have a day off......whenever that may be.

[zswap0429]

I replaced it on one of my friends z's it takes no time at all. He had the same problem

[zswap0429]

Just found this for ya.

t-top-fan-t480841.html

[300ZXttZMAN]

Welcome to NICO! Seems like the rest of the gang already informed you on what you needed to do.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

[zswap0429]

Also once you figure out exactly what part it is. Just swing over to the classified section and im sure one of the other z guys is parting out a z and is willing to sell you the fan if need be. Or just post a wtb post on there.

And now that that is done with. Welcome to NICO. Always glad to see new faces... (because that means im not the new guy anymore. Lol)

Is that a stillen gtrz-2 front fascia?

[tm624]

Thanks for the link on the fan. I'm going to try to clean it up first and see what happens.

And yes, I do believe it is a Stillen gen 2 front. Has the side skirts as well, but no rear cover to match. I haven't had a chance to do very much searching on the parts that came on it yet. The rear wing is a little different from most I've seen as well. It looks like it's part of the rear hatch, and has no visible pedestals or seams. Not sure if that is something rare, or someone was very skilled with bondo.

[DCaff300ZX]

Welcome to NICO, and congrats on getting your dream car.
So are you planning on keeping the body kit, or returning her to her former glory?

[tm624]

Thanks. Not sure about keeping the body kit yet. I've never really been a big fan of them, but it's starting to grow on me a little. I was planning to replace the nose with a stock piece, add a lip, and call it a day. Not quite sure yet.

My intentions were to replace everything with stock and just drive it. Traded a turbo 200SX SE-R for this 300, so who knows.....I just might get bitten by the boost bug again.

[DCaff300ZX]

Thanks. Not sure about keeping the body kit yet. I was planning to replace the nose with a stock piece, add a lip, and call it a day.

Go with the jspec front bumper, it's really the only way to go IMO with the Z32 and you will like it I'm sure. And you're gonna yank that wing, right?

My intentions were to replace everything with stock and just drive it. Traded a turbo 200SX SE-R for this 300, so who knows.....I just might get bitten by the boost bug again.

That will happen most likely since you have boosted before, sounds like a TT swap may be in your future?

[Ace2cool]

+1 on Jspec. You'll spend as much money on USDM, if not more, so why not upgrade to a better look?

And yeah, you can try squirting a little WD-40 in that fan. Sometimes that's all it takes. Mine broke in half when I tried to bend a piece that I thought was the problem (it wasn't) and I couldn't really fix it after that. Needs a new one spliced in.

[300ZXttZMAN]

Always glad to see new faces... (because that means im not the new guy anymore.)

We were all "the new guy" at one point and time.

[zswap0429]

Very true. Btw since we are on the subject. Just bought my jspec and its installed and waiting to be painted now. I might have the only cocoa z with a jspec fascia.

[tm624]

Thanks. Not sure about keeping the body kit yet. I was planning to replace the nose with a stock piece, add a lip, and call it a day.

Go with the jspec front bumper, it's really the only way to go IMO with the Z32 and you will like it I'm sure. And you're gonna yank that wing, right?

My intentions were to replace everything with stock and just drive it. Traded a turbo 200SX SE-R for this 300, so who knows.....I just might get bitten by the boost bug again.

That will happen most likely since you have boosted before, sounds like a TT swap may be in your future?

I think the front fascia is going to have to go. Finally crawled under the car the other day to change the oil, and noticed some cracks running through the fascia. Looks like the previous owner bottomed-out in a pothole or something.

I said I was going to leave the engine alone, but I know myself too well. It's more of a matter keeping the wife happy when I tell her I'm going to drop about another 6K on an engine.

[tm624]

As far as the wing goes, I'm still trying to figure out how to remove it. It's like the wing and rear hatch are one piece.

[Ace2cool]

Could you post a pic? Most likely it's bondo'd to the hatch...

[DCaff300ZX]

As far as the wing goes, I'm still trying to figure out how to remove it. It's like the wing and rear hatch are one piece.

Bummer...sounds like a new hatch would be your only option then unless you can find a talented bodyman who won't clean you out doing the yank and repair.
Lol'd at your comment on keeping the wife happy and engine $, I am amazed that there are guys here who are married and are still able to keep their Z's...and keep them up to spec!

[StockTurbosFTW]

Sounds like you need a TT swap...Replace that nose with anything...so many choices to choose from...Get a JDM front...Sucks you need a new rear hatch...but you could get a lighter one...a carbon fiber one...or even the Euro Style hatch...I have never actually seen it. Not my style, but different...
http://www.zshop.ca/parts/page/2/?make= ... e=exterior

[tm624]

Could you post a pic? Most likely it's bondo'd to the hatch...

I'll take a pic after work today. Been kind of busy with work.

[tm624]

As far as the wing goes, I'm still trying to figure out how to remove it. It's like the wing and rear hatch are one piece.

Bummer...sounds like a new hatch would be your only option then unless you can find a talented bodyman who won't clean you out doing the yank and repair.
Lol'd at your comment on keeping the wife happy and engine $, I am amazed that there are guys here who are married and are still able to keep their Z's...and keep them up to spec!

I've never been too crazy about huge wings. If it was a little shorter, I'd probably just leave it. It sits as high as the roof line, but at least it looks a little better than the F40 wings I've seen around.

My wife is pretty cool when it comes to this stuff. As long as I keep her pacified, she's not too resistant to what I do. She knows it's going to happen anyway, and she might as well just come to peace with it.

[tm624]

Sounds like you need a TT swap...Replace that nose with anything...so many choices to choose from...Get a JDM front...Sucks you need a new rear hatch...but you could get a lighter one...a carbon fiber one...or even the Euro Style hatch...I have never actually seen it. Not my style, but different...
http://www.zshop.ca/parts/page/2/?make= ... e=exterior

I really love the car. Sometimes I'll just look at it and feel myself starting to smile. But then, my eyes will fall on parts like the the front end, especially that hideous nose panel, and then I'm just That panel between the headlights is just like looking at someone that just got punched in the face. Nothing that time and money can't fix though.

[StockTurbosFTW]

Yeah, they are pretty cheap and there are so many options. If you go with a carbon fiber one, which wouldn't look bad on that color car, it is even cheaper because then you do not have to deal with painting.

[tm624]

So is this a skilled bondo job, or is this really some sort of one piece rear hatch? If it's all bondo, it's probably one of the best jobs I've ever seen.

[Ace2cool]

It's bondo. That's the F40 styled Wings West wing. The previous owner had it permanently attached. A good body guy CAN separate it, but it's not guaranteed to be cheap.

[tm624]

Nice. It might just be there for a while then.

One thing I did notice tonight though. When I have the lights on, the amber parts of the tails stay lit along with the red part. Is that normal? Also realized I'm going to need a new tcu, since the interior lights are not working.

[Ace2cool]

No, the amber section is not supposed to stay on. Sounds like a short.

[tm624]

Been quite a while since I've been on here. Due to some injectors going bad, the z had to sit a while. Just got done yesterday putting in new injectors, and deleting the egr system as well as the prvr and coolant lines on the plenum. Finished up everything today and it started right up. Smooth.....no miss or hesitation. Sounded great. Well, as the engine was about half-way warmed up, smoke started rolling from under the driver side bank, somewhere between the intake and valve cover it seemed. Shut it off. At a second look, it seemed the smoke was coming more from the rear of the engine on the same side. It wasn't coolant burning. I know that look and smell. There was bright white smoke at first, and then a darker pale yellowish smoke mixed with it. Smelled like electrical or plastic, or maybe even vinyl burning. I looked everywhere I could, and didn't see any burnt spots on the wiring harnesses. Nothing touching the exhaust manifold. No fuel leaks. Can't see what it is without taking the plenum off again. Uggh. When it rains, it pours. Knowing my luck, something is fried. Probably the engine. lol.

The image sucks, but this pretty much shows where the smoke was coming from.

[DCaff300ZX]

There is quite a jumble of wires in that area for the #5 injector and spark plug coil plus the fuel hardlines, maybe one of those wires got pinched under the fuel hardlines when you bolted it back together?
When I did my injector connectors I was forced to reroute the coil wire (did those connectors as well) a longer path around the plenum bulge to allow what I felt was enough room for the injector connector wire/cover plus the fuel lines to the fuel pressure regulator.
That's where I'd start looking, and if not that, then look at the mass of connectors in the middle back for the knock sensor and EGR...and also the IACV connectors/harness (maybe even O2 sensor?) which are in that area on the driver's side.

[tm624]

Found out what it was.Don't know how it happened, but the knock sensor wires got smoked. The wires leading to the sensor are fine. About 10" up from the plug, leading back to the ecu, the wires are cut and burned. Still not sure what caused the burn, but it runs fine. Now I just have to find where the wires came out of the harness and cut it open to reconnect them. Could have been worse. The brake pads were nice and rusted to the rotors. Got those broke loose. Looks like I'll be cleaning up the rotors and changing pads next.

It really had me about to lose my mind before I figured it all out. I was almost ready to throw some gas on it, and stand there clapping and cheering while I watched it burn. Lol.