Replaced PS Pump now annoying belt?

[BrianZ32]

Back at it again!

I bring to you my issues once again because you guys are so good at helping me out.
So just last week, i took on the job of replacing my power steering pump due to it leaking. Finally got it done, a day after replacing it. The belt was squeeling, not so loud, but was annoying. I took a look at the PS belt and realized that the pulley was very wobbly. So i tried tightening it but was so damn hard without a pulley holder so i had to improvise. I used a metal pipe to wedge in between the pulley holes and manage to tighten it. It turned really hard a couple times, but realized it wasn't giving anymore resistance. Even when i took off the metal pipe, i can just turn it and the pulley wont turn, but the bolt isn't doing anything. Anyway, so i turned on the car, the pulley isn't no where near as wobbly, just a little; but my damn wheel is so hard to turn and belt is still so as annoying as ever. Belt isn't too loose or anything, but regardless i messed with the tensioner and i can't really tell if it helped out not. I'm not sure if i'm okay to drive until the weekend because during the week, i have hardly anytime to work on it as it is already dark by the time i get back from work. My steering wheel is hard to turn; when moving, its enough for me to turn it, but with more effort than usual. Anybody have any idea what it can be? Maybe the belt got chewed up from the wobbly pulley? Idk, you guys are the experts here, help a brother out. Thanks fellas!

[centralcoaster33]

So, you would have swapped the pulley over from the old pump to the new one. This is usually done on the bench. Where you unable to tighten it then? Can the pulley be on backwards and therefor rub the wrong way causing resistance? Hard to turn tells me the pump isn't working and therefor you're fighting the fluid as you turn it manually.

[DCaff300ZX]

Unfortunately, your original issue has a lot of collateral damage possibilities and you are just now getting into that area. Also, be sure to use the OSM for things such as tightening and tension procedures which can help you narrow things down. There also may be some tests or visual assessment possible.
In no particular order, things to consider:
-Fluid leakage will be coating the pulleys as well as many other things such as alternator and starter, and ATF is super-slick and harder to remove without solvents. A thorough cleaning and then using a light coating of belt lube should remove the squealing if that's the only issue. Too much tension also is a problem, same as too little so check that as well. Other front accessories can also fail and cause issues, such as the clutch fan and AC pump.
-No steering assist (hard to turn wheel) means the system is not operational. If the connector is on and you have a circuit (oil can affect grounding points), a failed pump (internally, or the pulley as you mention) is the most likely issue unless the pulley is missing a key or other locking agent to ensure it doesn't spin on the shaft. As mentioned, did you have to swap pulleys and perhaps miss a key for the keyway?
-Be sure to clean and inspect/test anything that has been oiled by your leak, ATF is a little hard on rubber and electrical components so that is a must, IMO. The alt will be affected for sure and can't be cleaned internally so be ready for that.
Once you have a baseline of knowing what works and doesn't allows you to go forward, any questions or guesses works against that.
So check this all out and come back with any other questions or test results!

[BrianZ32]

Unfortunately, your original issue has a lot of collateral damage possibilities and you are just now getting into that area. Also, be sure to use the OSM for things such as tightening and tension procedures which can help you narrow things down. There also may be some tests or visual assessment possible.
In no particular order, things to consider:
-Fluid leakage will be coating the pulleys as well as many other things such as alternator and starter, and ATF is super-slick and harder to remove without solvents. A thorough cleaning and then using a light coating of belt lube should remove the squealing if that's the only issue. Too much tension also is a problem, same as too little so check that as well. Other front accessories can also fail and cause issues, such as the clutch fan and AC pump.
-No steering assist (hard to turn wheel) means the system is not operational. If the connector is on and you have a circuit (oil can affect grounding points), a failed pump (internally, or the pulley as you mention) is the most likely issue unless the pulley is missing a key or other locking agent to ensure it doesn't spin on the shaft. As mentioned, did you have to swap pulleys and perhaps miss a key for the keyway?
-Be sure to clean and inspect/test anything that has been oiled by your leak, ATF is a little hard on rubber and electrical components so that is a must, IMO. The alt will be affected for sure and can't be cleaned internally so be ready for that.
Once you have a baseline of knowing what works and doesn't allows you to go forward, any questions or guesses works against that.
So check this all out and come back with any other questions or test results!

I am very certain it is the pulley because as it got more wobbly, it got more noisey. However, when attempting to tighten it last night, i am led to believe that i may have stripped threading of the bolt or nut because it just keeps turning. I cant tighten it nor take it off. As you are telling me about the pulley, i did take it off when removing the pump, had to swap it out with the old one and into the new pump so this key you are talking about, could have been missing. Any idea how it looks like? Any parts that were left over i stored them so i may still have it...but im afraid i may have done too much damage. Somebody give me some hope.

[DCaff300ZX]

You MAY have hope...
I'd take a close look at the pulley you removed, looking at where the shaft would enter the pulley. A "keyway" is a slot machined in the input shaft from the pump, and where a hardened metal "key" is inserted that is twice the depth of the slot and corresponds with a slot in the pulley which when inserted will ensure the pulley and shaft spin together. End bolt tension isn't as important to that job but just keeps everything intact. So the fact your bolt spins isn't as critical as whether or not there is something that ensures the pulley and shaft stay mated, such as a key or other locking mechanism.
Sorry I can't be more specific as I haven't worked on the unit myself, and checking a loose one in my back room didn't help as any key is shielded from view as you surely know.
Bad news would be if there's no key slot in the pulley receiving hole and no way to ensure all stays together, and I would then assume without knowing of possible tests (check OSM) that the pump you got is bad and re-assess/try another one. OSM is also helpful as it helps a mechanic determine these types of things as well, (repair or replace), so using it to do the entire job is where the benefits lie.

[BrianZ32]

You MAY have hope...
I'd take a close look at the pulley you removed, looking at where the shaft would enter the pulley. A "keyway" is a slot machined in the input shaft from the pump, and where a hardened metal "key" is inserted that is twice the depth of the slot and corresponds with a slot in the pulley which when inserted will ensure the pulley and shaft spin together. End bolt tension isn't as important to that job but just keeps everything intact. So the fact your bolt spins isn't as critical as whether or not there is something that ensures the pulley and shaft stay mated, such as a key or other locking mechanism.
Sorry I can't be more specific as I haven't worked on the unit myself, and checking a loose one in my back room didn't help as any key is shielded from view as you surely know.
Bad news would be if there's no key slot in the pulley receiving hole and no way to ensure all stays together, and I would then assume without knowing of possible tests (check OSM) that the pump you got is bad and re-assess/try another one. OSM is also helpful as it helps a mechanic determine these types of things as well, (repair or replace), so using it to do the entire job is where the benefits lie.

I get you, i have to inspect it but i cannot, for the life of me, remove the nut to the bolt. I just keeps turning and turning so i cant even take off the pulley. Any recommendations on how i can take it off? It keeps turning but wont come off nor tighten. If i can atleast take it off, it will give me more leverage to examine and tell whether if i have to remove the newly installed pump or not.

[Ace2cool]

So you're turning the nut and trying to hold the pulley, but the nut just keeps spinning while the pulley stays still? If that's the case, it probably is stripped since the shaft of the PS pump is splined and matches splines on the pulley. Only other thing it could be is possibly stripped splines, which would not be fun. Neither of these scenarios is really that great, though. It's possible that you lost the splines on the pulley while it was wobbling.

[BrianZ32]

So you're turning the nut and trying to hold the pulley, but the nut just keeps spinning while the pulley stays still? If that's the case, it probably is stripped since the shaft of the PS pump is splined and matches splines on the pulley. Only other thing it could be is possibly stripped splines, which would not be fun. Neither of these scenarios is really that great, though. It's possible that you lost the splines on the pulley while it was wobbling.

I think you may be right because that is exactly what is happening. It used to turn the pulley at the same time but not anymore. The nut just keeps turning freely. Lets assume i messed it up and the splines are stripped, what is my solution in this case?

[NolimitZ32]

If you stripped the splines on the shaft you need a new pump, if you stripped the splines on the pulley you need a new pulley. Being that the rebuilders aren't always the most careful it could be that the splines on the shaft were already damaged when you bought the reman unit (i'm assuming you bought a reman one), in which case you could try to have the vendor exchange it for you.

[DCaff300ZX]

If you stripped the splines on the shaft you need a new pump, if you stripped the splines on the pulley you need a new pulley. Being that the rebuilders aren't always the most careful it could be that the splines on the shaft were already damaged when you bought the reman unit (i'm assuming you bought a reman one), in which case you could try to have the vendor exchange it for you.

^^^^This.
I called them keyways, splines is also a name for what I am talking about.

[BrianZ32]

UPDATE:

Okay so i really need your guys' help with my re-occuring issue. So i took off the old pump (which had replaced the week before) with the pulley because i could not get the nut off. I ended up going to a shop and he took it off for me with his impact. So realized that the bolt on the PS pump was stripped unfortunately. I put in a request for exchange from the auto parts store i got mine because it has warranty. So just last night, i again, re-installed this new pump, after buying a new bolt for the pulley, but as usual, i am having trouble trying to tighten the bolt for the pulley. After a certain amount of tension, i cannot tighten it without the pulley moving with the bolt. I tighten it as much as i could and put it all back together. After completing the job, the pulley is still wobbly, just not as much as before, and belt is really noisey. Its like as if i have no power steering, my wheel is so hard to turn. I am really frustrated now at this point because it looks like the pulley might be getting more wobbly as i continue to drive it the way it is. I hate to drive it like this 1) because it is so hard at a dead stop and 2) because i feel like i am damaging something such as the pulley or PS pump bolt again. What can i do to fix my issue? Everything has been put back together. I have been messing with the tensioning off the belt trying to find the right spot but doesnt seem to help.

[NolimitZ32]

First off, remove the PS belt so that you don't damage the pump and pulley further and drive without PS until you can get it fixed. Have you confirmed that the pulley nut is tightened completely? It really should be done using an impact or a vice and large wrench. Last resort you can hang the pump on the engine, set a socket on the top mounting bolt so it protrudes through the hole in the pulley and use that as your lock to hold the pulley in place while tightening. If you want post a video or at least pictures so we can see what's going on.

[BrianZ32]

First off, remove the PS belt so that you don't damage the pump and pulley further and drive without PS until you can get it fixed. Have you confirmed that the pulley nut is tightened completely? It really should be done using an impact or a vice and large wrench. Last resort you can hang the pump on the engine, set a socket on the top mounting bolt so it protrudes through the hole in the pulley and use that as your lock to hold the pulley in place while tightening. If you want post a video or at least pictures so we can see what's going on.

So as of this morning, i have most of my power steering back, used up some more PS fluid (which i just found out Z's used Dextron ATF) and wheel is much easier to turn. I followed your tip on sticking a socket onto the top bolt and it definitely helped to tighten it. But i dont want it to end up like last time and end up stripping the PS pump bolt. I feel like i can tighten it some more but dont want to do it without resurance. And after a bit of tighten, the pulley is still just as wobbly, but it is definitely tightening. I have a video i posted up on youtube.
Link : https://youtu.be/twIKlB0baDc
It will be loud so warning for headphone users. Do you still advise i drive without the belt in the meanwhile? I dont want to drive it feeling like i will harm it further but i dont have a choice for today and tomorrow. After tomorrow, it will sit until completely being fixed...unless i can fix it myself tonight

Edit: I dont know if i should have mentioned this earlier but when i stripped the last one i had to replace the nut because old one was no good. This new one fits but isnt the exact same size. This one is thicker compared to the original which you can tell from the video i posted. Let me know what you think.

[centralcoaster33]

What I do to tighten a pulley bolt. I've done this on a power steering pump for my 240sx... I have the pump removed from the car. I take a power steering belt, the old one and wrap it around the pulley. I then take the excess belt and put that into my bench clamp. I pull out all the slack and tighten the clamp down on the belt. Then I put on the nut and tighten it. I'll try to put in a picture of that:

[BrianZ32]

First off, remove the PS belt so that you don't damage the pump and pulley further and drive without PS until you can get it fixed. Have you confirmed that the pulley nut is tightened completely? It really should be done using an impact or a vice and large wrench. Last resort you can hang the pump on the engine, set a socket on the top mounting bolt so it protrudes through the hole in the pulley and use that as your lock to hold the pulley in place while tightening. If you want post a video or at least pictures so we can see what's going on.

So as of this morning, i have most of my power steering back, used up some more PS fluid (which i just found out Z's used Dextron ATF) and wheel is much easier to turn. I followed your tip on sticking a socket onto the top bolt and it definitely helped to tighten it. But i dont want it to end up like last time and end up stripping the PS pump bolt. I feel like i can tighten it some more but dont want to do it without resurance. And after a bit of tighten, the pulley is still just as wobbly, but it is definitely tightening. I have a video i posted up on youtube.
Link : https://youtu.be/twIKlB0baDc
It will be loud so warning for headphone users. Do you still advise i drive without the belt in the meanwhile? I dont want to drive it feeling like i will harm it further but i dont have a choice for today and tomorrow. After tomorrow, it will sit until completely being fixed...unless i can fix it myself tonight

Edit: I dont know if i should have mentioned this earlier but when i stripped the last one i had to replace the nut because old one was no good. This new one fits but isnt the exact same size. This one is thicker compared to the original which you can tell from the video i posted. Let me know what you think.

Edit #2: I made a quick stop on my way to work to a local mechanic just to quickly show him the problem and get his input. He claims it is the fact that i didnt use the original nut and probably not tighten enough. I can confirm that the pulley gets more wobbly and i continue to drive it but the mechanic says it wont do damage to it for now. Idk if i believe that, imma just go with what you guys tell me lol

[Ace2cool]

Where did you get this nut? Is it the same thread pitch? Similar thread pitches will begin to thread and hit a point of tension before bottoming out, but will strip if forced, because they don't match up exactly.

[BrianZ32]

Where did you get this nut? Is it the same thread pitch? Similar thread pitches will begin to thread and hit a point of tension before bottoming out, but will strip if forced, because they don't match up exactly.

I got this nut from Home Depot, only spot that I was able to find that was closest to the original. Fits but is thicker

[Ace2cool]

But the thread pitch. Are you positive it's the same?

Nissan Part Number 08911-6421A. Literally $2.

Sorry, that part number was for a different vehicle. 4913350L00 is the Nissan Part Number for *my* year model car, but I can't look yours up since you didn't put your year in your profile. They changed the design at some point early on. Regardless, it's a $.99 part that your car is suffering over because you didn't take the time to ask the dealer to look up a nut in the IPB they have available.

[BrianZ32]

But the thread pitch. Are you positive it's the same?

Nissan Part Number 08911-6421A. Literally $2.

Sorry, that part number was for a different vehicle. 4913350L00 is the Nissan Part Number for *my* year model car, but I can't look yours up since you didn't put your year in your profile. They changed the design at some point early on. Regardless, it's a $.99 part that your car is suffering over because you didn't take the time to ask the dealer to look up a nut in the IPB they have available.

Unfortunately, i dont know if the thread pitch matches with the original because i just grabbed which ever one fit, rookie mistake on my end. I was just desperate to put it back together because i had work the next day. However now, i am on break and have time to work on it. Where can i look mine up so i can see if i can order it? Nissan website wont show any results. My year is a 93' 2+2.

[Ace2cool]

https://parts.nissanusa.com/nissanparts ... &siteid=14

49111B is the lookup code. If you give the dealer that they should be able to find it. Full part number is 4913350L00. Same as mine. Didn't figure they changed the nut, but you never know, because they did make massive changes to the steering systems over the years.

[DCaff300ZX]

OP, this is an example of what the Z32 can be like in many ways (requiring a specific part or procedure) and as frustrating as it can be, is a factor in any and all repairs.
I know a certain other member here has some strong opinions of his own and is entitled to them as it's his experience, life, car, etc. but we also have the same to work from here, just Z32 specific...and that experience is to ALWAYS do complete research on your issue, and if possible ONLY buy OEM replacement parts or well-known viable alternatives. The PS oil/ATF issue, injector issues, cooling issues, and many other issues all require an approach that is different in many ways from most other cars (mostly due to Nissan's engineering) and failure to do so nearly always has bad results in my experience (16 years Z32 specific work, TT and NA). And even with that, I STILL use a very trusted Nissan mechanic for all of my heavy lifting and to run issues/ideas past before doing anything. Oh, and his advise? Same as mine but FAR harsher, he's just like that member I spoke of earlier...and as I am (old, crotchety, set in my ways) as well!
That's why the OSM is your friend, and using advise from experienced Z32 mechanics versus other mechanics is a must.

[NolimitZ32]

1. Get the correct nut, if you don't have a thread gauge go buy one, its like $5 at harbor freight and probably $7 or so at autozone.
2. Since you likely damaged the thread already you'll probably need a die to right it, you can get a handle and the die you need as a single for around $10 or buy a full set (useful tool if you plan on learning things like this on your car), Walmart has one for $14 with free shipping (not guaranteed that the size you need will be in there).
3. Not trying to be a richard here, trying to save you more grief and sorrow. Google everything before you do it, beginning with different threads, how to properly gauge torque on a fastener without a torque wrench, how a power steering system works, etc.

Understanding HOW something works is 90% of the battle in understanding WHY something doesn't. Yes Z32s have some quirks but overall its a massive collection of nuts, bolts, seals, hoses, and bearings. Understand how they work and you will have a MUCH easier time working on her. Good luck grasshopper.

[BrianZ32]

OP, this is an example of what the Z32 can be like in many ways (requiring a specific part or procedure) and as frustrating as it can be, is a factor in any and all repairs.
I know a certain other member here has some strong opinions of his own and is entitled to them as it's his experience, life, car, etc. but we also have the same to work from here, just Z32 specific...and that experience is to ALWAYS do complete research on your issue, and if possible ONLY buy OEM replacement parts or well-known viable alternatives. The PS oil/ATF issue, injector issues, cooling issues, and many other issues all require an approach that is different in many ways from most other cars (mostly due to Nissan's engineering) and failure to do so nearly always has bad results in my experience (16 years Z32 specific work, TT and NA). And even with that, I STILL use a very trusted Nissan mechanic for all of my heavy lifting and to run issues/ideas past before doing anything. Oh, and his advise? Same as mine but FAR harsher, he's just like that member I spoke of earlier...and as I am (old, crotchety, set in my ways) as well!
That's why the OSM is your friend, and using advise from experienced Z32 mechanics versus other mechanics is a must.

I will admit i didn't research bout the thread pitch or nut at the time of trying to look for a new one, i was desperate. However, I always do research before attempting any kind of job such as this. I am one to obtain research info to make sure i know what im getting into and even capable of even completing the job. I drove it 3 days with it being wobbly, do you think that with that much driving, it did more than enough damage? Because if so, then i will need that die set to try and re-thread it. I trust you guys than most other mechanics because chances are they havent worked on a Z before and you guys do this for a living. I am looking threading videos on YouTube as I type. Dumb question because im sure i will answer myself after a vid or two, but i can re-thread the bolt to the actual pump right? Because i'm all out of warranty replacements lol. I already went and ordered the SPECIFIC nut to this pump and should be able to pick up in a week so hopefully i didnt do much damage. Regardless, do you recommend re-threading it or just trying the new nut from Nissan without re-threading it? Thanks fellas

[amc49]

OP last questions have nothing to do with Nissan specific and simply the same answer as every other car brand on the planet. Depends on how much the thread is messed up. If a lot then you will ruin the new nut and make things worse without re-threading. Re-threading may not help either as if enough material is gone then any new part will simply strip out again. You could try torquing it up less and use bearing mount grade thread locker to cover the difference in torque..........or helicoil.

To others..............what makes a Nissan so unique?, they have nothing on any other brand and as long as the service manuals are free then they are your best friend even though half the time I may do things a bit different just like with all else out there I do. The cars are made of the exact same materials available to all others in the world and the knowledge if based on that will hardly ever go wrong being that the physics are the same on every device on the planet. I myself don't hesitate already to tear into anything on these and so far the first time ever seeing the parts just like with all other things I do. And when you see all the things you can do to bypass any factory ideas to save literally thousands of dollars, well, do what you will, I will do likewise. MY approach is often different from any techs on the planet but I just happen to be one of those that can do it all day long. And with virtually no bad results at all. It comes from a well spread experience with cars and bikes and other machines of all types and brands, you figure out after a while the differences are really not that great at all.

I did so many things 'out of line' with Ford, AMC, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, General Motors, Kawasaki, and other service manuals it wasn't funny. Our garage across the street from the local GM dealership developed a penchant for fixing all the cars the dealership just kept screwing up over and over. The dealer owner even tried to buy us out and hire us under him. We also built whopping amounts of one-off high-perf stuff at the family garage to swell that out, including several 200+ mph pro stock drag cars. ALL mechanical work BETTER be specific to the need at hand or one needs to step away from it and let somebody better versed handle it. Never had seen a Nissan under the hood before 2 years ago, but if needed that means nothing, I wouldn't hesitate doing one the first day I got it if there is need for it. Including going as deep into one as needed. I already understand the automatic trans there having never been inside of one. The CVTs almost the same. The only thing I'd need would be parts and the clearances to set parts at and I could even guess at them I'd bet. The confidence needed to do that comes from the inner looking at oneself to realize that no man on earth is any smarter than you and then go forward with caution and careful thinking. You are only as good as you think you are but if you critique yourself accurately and don't fill yourself with misplaced bullsh-t then you find you are actually pretty good. I am most certainly NOT infallible but keeping that front and center makes it a very long time between mistakes that cost me something. Why I need no dealers or TOO specialized mechanics in my life. Haven't you heard? Too MUCH specialization is what commonly kills most businesses. It leads to too much stagnation mentally and staying in the box when often the solution is one never found in the box. Lose your job as well and it's all wasted, it can't be applied anywhere else if it is as exclusive as said here higher up.

I myself actually LOOK for things to be different, I enjoy the study of that. One reason why I have jumped to Nissan cars, I got bored with Fords. As well, I like the Japanese approach to things better. Yet already finding much is exactly the same. Like the 'these cars are different' thing, which could not be further from the truth in a total knowledge type of viewpoint. OEM mechs are always harsh, I used to mess with their minds when I was in parts and distributing to dealer service clients. They think nobody else can figure out what they are doing, it gets pretty funny sometimes. I messed with aeronautical engineers all the time as well at the garage, a lot of them were Dad's friends from his days of preflight crewchiefing on the A-7 Corsair II.

Not even my major line of work, I spent 35+ years running and rebuilding hundred foot long printing presses and there did the same thing from time to time...............er, p-ss off a lot of engineers. They give you NO operating and pretty much NO repair manuals there, you are on your own and your smarts better be at the highest level. You get a whopping stack of blueprints and parts lists/part numbers and up to you to figure out how to fix it where it didn't break again. I did it to save the various companies up to $1500/hr. in official factory serviceman costs, and I got paid well for saving them that kind of cash. I also modded away from some OEM setups to save the company thousands of dollars a year in costs. One place that due to political considerations stifled a fix of mine that I carried in mind for 14 years finally gave in when the political environment changed and my mod then cost about $10 every 3 months to above and beyond save over $50,000/yr. Well of course everybody asked why it took me so long and of course my answer back was THEM. I had been expressly forbidden to do it as it would have shown up an old guard design engineer who was concretely set in place.

Yes, people who specialize are likely (note my careful use of the word) to know a little more about what they work on as far as percentages of breakdown and such, but sometimes they often can find the broken parts no faster than a really sharp person with no specialization there at all. We certainly did that to the GM dealership enough times. And even if I'm slower isn't that better by not having to fork out the $1000 bill by using a thirty cent washer to fix an ATX as an example? (I've done it on Ford Tempo, and again in a like manner on a different application on Focus and even on my riding mower to save $800 for a transmission and that of course was not in any service manual). I have proved that so many times I don't even pay attention to it any longer. It's pretty unusual when I have to buy more than one part to fix a car too, the codes tell you what to look for if you simply understand they do NOT tell you the EXACT part to change. You GOTTA think there.

I carefully think about what I post here and if I find myself lacking I will not say anything or I will take a hit over it and deservedly so, but having the service manuals available equalizes me to years of others thinking they know it all because they work on the same cars all day long. In the case of Ford at least they sometimes don't even diagnose the correct part, rather choosing one that can be sold over and over to make money. It's not about fixing the car permanently and I have shortchanged that parts train more than once on my cars to only cost me pennies and problem fixed forever. Like 'bad' recalled fuel pumps with years of life left in them. The fix being 100% free if you did your own work, instant $400 savings. Ford threw away hundreds of millions in perfectly working fuel pumps due to expediency. I've fixed way more than one $200 alternator by simply using a soldering iron due to the engineer incompetence in designing the alts. I eat OEM service manuals for breakfast and can often point out misdirected BS while on the page. One day at some point I will go over here what my son and I now refer to as the 'Rule of McDonalds', which often figures in there greatly.

My AMC moniker comes from American Motors, we raced them early and had to make many of the parts others simply bought off the shelves. We had ten second single 4 barrel street cars back then (mid '70s). I made up my first one-off electronic ignition for one back when I was 20 years old, they didn't make one back then for the cars. Piece of cake and worked like gangbusters, using GM and Mopar modded parts. I feel blessed to have experienced what I have and say this, OEM is great but if you self limit there and there alone you are really shortchanging. Something somewhere.

My point to all of this is..................DON'T self limit yourself. to either strictly OEM or anything else. Reality allows so many other ways to do most things and dead reliably you will be amazed if you don't lock yourself into that box.

[amc49]

I apologize to OP for taking up your thread.................but one needs to recognize that the OEMS build millions of dollars of profit based on thinking like that yet look at how incompetent so many of their dealerships are now. The only thing the dealer has is the knowledge of the most common fails and even that spreads out over the net for your perusal. Half the time their fix is substandard as well. At the least in relation to your pocketbook.

If you are one not called to the challenge then by all means go there but I am proof one can survive and indeed thrive without ever going near a dealership at all. The last time they did a recall I let them and they then proceeded to even do that wrong, I had to fix the fix. About to be forced to let them change an airbag and not happy about it at all. I'd change it myself if they would give me the part. Airbags are no big thingie if you follow all the cautions there.

One thing about Nissan that impresses me is the amount of info in the service manuals, Ford has dumbed them down now to match the lower quality of their mechs and most of them are simple flowcharts now that a 10 year old can follow. I can get lost in a Nissan manual set and the way I want it.

[NolimitZ32]

Like I said "overall its a massive collection of nuts, bolts, seals, hoses, and bearings" As for dealer mechs I completely agree, the ONE time I had a dealership work on any of my cars was to have a recall on faulty fuel lines done on my GD WRX, it had to go back to the dealer twice after because the techs very obviously suffered from rectal cranial inversion and couldn't put things back together properly.

[DCaff300ZX]

OP, this is an example of what the Z32 can be like in many ways (requiring a specific part or procedure) and as frustrating as it can be, is a factor in any and all repairs.
I know a certain other member here has some strong opinions of his own and is entitled to them as it's his experience, life, car, etc. but we also have the same to work from here, just Z32 specific...and that experience is to ALWAYS do complete research on your issue, and if possible ONLY buy OEM replacement parts or well-known viable alternatives. The PS oil/ATF issue, injector issues, cooling issues, and many other issues all require an approach that is different in many ways from most other cars (mostly due to Nissan's engineering) and failure to do so nearly always has bad results in my experience (16 years Z32 specific work, TT and NA). And even with that, I STILL use a very trusted Nissan mechanic for all of my heavy lifting and to run issues/ideas past before doing anything. Oh, and his advise? Same as mine but FAR harsher, he's just like that member I spoke of earlier...and as I am (old, crotchety, set in my ways) as well!
That's why the OSM is your friend, and using advise from experienced Z32 mechanics versus other mechanics is a must.

I will admit i didn't research bout the thread pitch or nut at the time of trying to look for a new one, i was desperate. However, I always do research before attempting any kind of job such as this. I am one to obtain research info to make sure i know what im getting into and even capable of even completing the job. I drove it 3 days with it being wobbly, do you think that with that much driving, it did more than enough damage? Because if so, then i will need that die set to try and re-thread it. I trust you guys than most other mechanics because chances are they havent worked on a Z before and you guys do this for a living. I am looking threading videos on YouTube as I type. Dumb question because im sure i will answer myself after a vid or two, but i can re-thread the bolt to the actual pump right? Because i'm all out of warranty replacements lol. I already went and ordered the SPECIFIC nut to this pump and should be able to pick up in a week so hopefully i didnt do much damage. Regardless, do you recommend re-threading it or just trying the new nut from Nissan without re-threading it? Thanks fellas

At this point I'd definitely run the threads with the correct die for your thread pitch to ensure a clean start for the new nut, and which would also help you determine if the shaft/thread is OK for further use...I'd assume the nut you used was close enough in pitch it didn't destroy the journal and it will clean up OK. If not, time for a replacement as this all needs to be righty-tighty as you are finding.
You seem to be on the right path with your actions, just a few things went wrong and you also got a very odd circumstance to deal with as normally the pump doesn't completely fail as yours did. It's very understandable to try everything you can when you need your car, just now you are learning that the Z32 isn't as easy to deal with as many other cars and that a pretty specific plan of action must be decided upon before doing much of anything beyond oil changes and similarly easy tasks. Again, the fsm is your friend for getting an idea of your circumstances and a look at parts/locations, and OEM service procedures. Yes, Nissan is like any other "evil" company in that they did/do many things that aren't the best/in their own interest, but like everything else in life we carry on anyway and ways to deal with it all exist...such as here when it comes to the Z32. We like to share our knowledge here and see others succeed where some fail, and try our best to be humble and helpful rather than superior and judgemental.
Here's hoping a quick die clean of the threads allows the new nut to install correctly, and you move on with life with your Z!

[DCaff300ZX]

I apologize to OP for taking up your thread.................but one needs to recognize that the OEMS build millions of dollars of profit based on thinking like that yet look at how incompetent so many of their dealerships are now. The only thing the dealer has is the knowledge of the most common fails and even that spreads out over the net for your perusal. Half the time their fix is substandard as well. At the least in relation to your pocketbook.

If you are one not called to the challenge then by all means go there but I am proof one can survive and indeed thrive without ever going near a dealership at all. The last time they did a recall I let them and they then proceeded to even do that wrong, I had to fix the fix. About to be forced to let them change an airbag and not happy about it at all. I'd change it myself if they would give me the part. Airbags are no big thingie if you follow all the cautions there.

One thing about Nissan that impresses me is the amount of info in the service manuals, Ford has dumbed them down now to match the lower quality of their mechs and most of them are simple flowcharts now that a 10 year old can follow. I can get lost in a Nissan manual set and the way I want it.

I completely agree, my experiences with stealerships and service there has never been close to competent, and my last trip MANY years ago was just about the worst possible while other shops also did just as poorly with communication, and knowledge of their own products and equipment. Anything beyond an oil change I do myself, period.
And yeah, the Nissan OSM/FSM is definitely a good tool for help getting your head around your problem and like you, I found myself looking at other things while in there...a treasure trove of info.

[amc49]

'...a pretty specific plan of action must be decided upon before doing much of anything beyond oil changes and similarly easy tasks.'

Amen and X2 to that. Often that blows the OEM mech away as all he is thinking is 'well, here's another one of those again' and not thinking at all what might happen differently this time. Why when dealership work goes wrong there is often a pile of more hurried shoddy wrong thinking on top of the initial work to add to the mess. All the mech is thinking there is that he is losing money as regarding the average shop time to do a thing. It then becomes in his best interest to shove half done work out and hope there is no repercussion from that.