Problems with the Z (not surprising)

[BrianZ32]

Whats up, Nico fam

A couple of the problems that i will mention are problems that i have created topics before but i figured i'll just throw them all into one post. I own a precious 93' 2+2 300zx that has been converted from auto to manual (by previous owner)
When i purchased her about 7 months ago, she was beautiful in person and still is. But under the hood is where she is giving me issues. Not just under the hood, but transmission as well. A couple months after learning how to drive stick with her and bonding, she gave me a check engine, which ECU codes came up 32 and 34. When asking a couple of shops, one being Z specialty, they said it shouldn't be a priority so basically brushed it off. Then, about another month later, she started over heating on my while using my AC in this damn heat. For those who know Cali weather, know it will be the death of our beloved Z's. Anyway, i replaced the fan clutch with some Japanese brand because i heard many stories of fan clutch's sounding like jet planes if they were generic. Welp. Even this Japanese brand one locked up on me and sounds annoyingly loud. Pretty much a whirring sound. But i have been putting up with it because of the hot summer, i can still use my AC but i feel like im torturing her, Lastly, for a couple months know, i have been experiencing a strong grind in 4th gear, and occasionally 5th. I later found out that i wasn't fully depressing the clutch all the time, i guess i was being lazy and half-assing it. And after visiting multiple shops and doing my own research, 4th gear sucks in Z trannies. I was also told that my clutch disk can be warped, cracked, or bent because when release clutch VERY slowly, such as in a drive thru, i experience very nasty shaking and loud chatter, or like metal clacking. Maybe thats also the reason why i have been getting some grinding maybe because grinding ONLY occurs after about driving 25 mins. After the car is fully warmed up, thats when it decides to give me issues. On a cold start and early warm up, she drives like a CHAMP, but then misbehaves later on. I am a lil more financially stable for repairs and such. But nothing crazy like replacing the transmission just yet. But about $500 in repairs. So please, if any of you would be ever-so-kind and help me out with my situation. I love my Z, i take her to the car wash every friday night after work and she receives compliments everywhere. I want to keep her maintained. She is also due for a tune up soon. Feel free to ask any questions that may lead to a more specific answer. Thanks Nico! (sorry for the essay)

[ca18det_boy]

Would you be doing the work yourself or are you going to take it somewhere? That might help coming up with a plan of action to get her taken care of and back to 100%. Code 32 is an EGR error, and code 34 is a knock sensor. I would be a bit concerned at the knock sensor code, but not so much with the EGR.

[BrianZ32]

Would you be doing the work yourself or are you going to take it somewhere? That might help coming up with a plan of action to get her taken care of and back to 100%. Code 32 is an EGR error, and code 34 is a knock sensor. I would be a bit concerned at the knock sensor code, but not so much with the EGR.

the bigger operations would be done by a mechanic simply because i dont have many tools or the space to do it myself. im not exactly skilled with such things but i can work my way around a thing or two with easy handbook or tutorial

[ca18det_boy]

I'd start with replacing the fan clutch, replacing knock sensors, and cleaning or replacing your EGR valve. All that will be well under $500, and it will keep you occupied with your car for a bit. Then with the remaining funds I would invest in a decent set of tools. Craftsman sells like a 180 piece kit that I got just to keep in my car as a "just in case" situation. With everything that is in it, you could just about tear down and rebuild an engine. I would also save the pennies and do a clutch/transmission swap at the same time. The clutch you can do if you have a garage of any kind. There will be some grunts and moans here and there, but I've done it many times before.

[BrianZ32]

I'd start with replacing the fan clutch, replacing knock sensors, and cleaning or replacing your EGR valve. All that will be well under $500, and it will keep you occupied with your car for a bit. Then with the remaining funds I would invest in a decent set of tools. Craftsman sells like a 180 piece kit that I got just to keep in my car as a "just in case" situation. With everything that is in it, you could just about tear down and rebuild an engine. I would also save the pennies and do a clutch/transmission swap at the same time. The clutch you can do if you have a garage of any kind. There will be some grunts and moans here and there, but I've done it many times before.

I took it to a shop to replace then fan clutch because they were only charging $40 and it took about 40 mins, now, im not afraid to take on the job myself as long as you can link a tutorial or step by step. i honestly want to because i want to be more mechanically inclined. I hear the knock sensor is a b**** but i figure i could take it up if i have some free time.
any links to these repairs above are greatly appreciated!

[ca18det_boy]

http://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual? ... x_1993_FSM

This is way better than any tutorial you can find. Anything and everything you could possible do will be here. Not to mention, there's a ton of people here that know their way around a bay. Any questions and feel free to fire away.

[BrianZ32]

http://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual? ... x_1993_FSM

This is way better than any tutorial you can find. Anything and everything you could possible do will be here. Not to mention, there's a ton of people here that know their way around a bay. Any questions and feel free to fire away.

Do you have another link to service manual? Seem to he having issues load/download it. Thanks!

[ca18det_boy]

At the top of any page on the forum you'll find a link to the FSM's. There will be a very easy to navigate menu to select which one you want. It's a big file, so it the page loads and the PDF is blank wait a little bit for it to load up.

[fastVG30DETT]

As was mentioned: the code 32 is the egr valve. Might not be worth replacing right now as the location makes it difficult to service. You could try a bypass, but a partial bypass needs the valve to be working, and a complete bypass is just as difficult as replacing the egr valve.
Replacing the knock sensor will be hard for you to do. It is possible to reach it with the transmission out and egr removed. Otherwise, you'll have to pull the intake manifold. Many opt to relocate it with a new sensor and sub harness (you could easily diy) or bypass it with a 1M-ohm resistor (easy and cheap, but not recommended) as a temporary fix until they can do the real replacement. If it's not pulling timing and robbing power just yet, it may be intermittent and something you could put off for a bit.
Is overheating still occurring with the ac on? If so, you might want to check the auxiliary fan is operating when it is hot in addition to what you're already working on.
Is the grind when shifting into 4th? If so, like you said, it is the common synchro issue with the transmission. It does typically occur / get worse when warmed up. Some have had success with replacing the transmission fluid with royal purple max gear 75w 90 (an easy diy). The old suggestion was redline mt-90.
The clutch issue could be a problem with the disc / flywheel or it might be perfectly normal if it's a puck type disc. You could try removing the starter to take a peek.

Alternatively, you'd have to pull the transmission to fully service the egr, knock sensor, and clutch / flywheel.