New to the boards... 1993 300zx NA in PA....

[mikeym]

Howdee -

Picked up a 93' 300zx N/A on Monday this week... kind of an impulse buy to replace my current daily driver... not sure if it was a good idea to go back 22 years but i guess time will tell.

Car has 121k miles - previous owner(s) repainted, rebuilt trans and engine, installed headers/exhaust, wheels and had the car repainted. I've found a few other new parts here and there which is good...

However my first 3 days of ownership has been less than ideal...

First morning after driving the car I noticed a 6" spot on the garage floor. This continued at work and then back in the garage later that night... Looks like its leaking around the filter "area". could be the filter tree, could be the pan - hope its not the rear main seal. That whole area has oil around it & on the bottom of the transmission...

Car also has a squeek from drivers side front wheel area - seems louder when going over bumps or turning left or right...

and finally... tonight the car developed a pulley squeek or belt squeek.... argh! It looks so nice but with all this squeeking, gonna sound like a pile of bolts going down the road!

Anyway, its going into the shop on Tuesday... hopefully its all easy and relatively inexpensive fixes!

Only have an outside photo at the moment... interior will be posted soon...



~mikeym

[sx moneypit]

Welcome to NICO!

[mikeym]

Thanks ben!

[DCaff300ZX]

Welcome to Nico!
The squeal is probably a loose/worn belt, your easiest repair for sure.
The oil leak may be the rear seal, or a more likely a valve cover seal- both are costly and when repairing you should do other long term maintenance as well.
The bump squeak from the suspension is possibly the shock, or the upper control arm possibly if it's badly worn.
So, also, welcome to owning a Z32...

[Gino]

Pretty good looking Z...Where in PA are you?

[mikeym]

Gino - Topton pa 19562 - Lehigh valley area.

Anyone know of a good local shop who deals with the z32?

Considering having someone do timing belt, tensioner pulleys ... Have an intermittent chirp from the engine bay ...

Mike

[mikeym]

Welcome to Nico!
The squeal is probably a loose/worn belt, your easiest repair for sure.
The oil leak may be the rear seal, or a more likely a valve cover seal- both are costly and when repairing you should do other long term maintenance as well.
The bump squeak from the suspension is possibly the shock, or the upper control arm possibly if it's badly worn.
So, also, welcome to owning a Z32...

Thanks for the reply. Bump squeak turned out to be hanging up drivers side brake caliper...

Had oil tree gasket and sending unit changed and that slowed up leak to small drip. Seems as something is still coming down from the top of the engine on the backside... Going to drive it for a bit and see if it stops. Switched over to valvoline max high mileage oil which I had good luck in my Mini Cooper stopping a slow drip.

Mike

[nissanfreak12]

As stated by dcaff earlier, very likely the valve cover gaskets. On the back side of the exhaust head(lower one) there is a half moon seal, another large possibility. Those get very brittle and leak.

[DCaff300ZX]

^^^^...and if the vc gasket or half moon, will not stop leaking but may appear to slow, or not, due to useage.
These seals are prone to failure and happen nearly 100% of the time due to age and heat cycles, not mileage necessarily, and made worse when the car has sat for any longer duration of time. Typical old car stuff, and something that will argue against your DD plan as the car continues to be used. Seals, hoses, and wiring connectors are the bane of the Z32...get ready to deal with them all.