WildmaN

Well as it says, I won't have a Z for a while. There is something wrong with my clutch or parts internally. I called one place, and using my parts, they said it would cost me $375! So when I get around to it, I am pulling the motor back out, and fix it myself.

It was nice to drive a Z for a month, but now my Z is taken away from me. So until then, I won't get to drive my Z, until I feel like taking him apart again. I am so bummed out, it is pathetic. Feel free to post your comments if you like. I will go on here and read, but not post verry much. Because it will depress me, and make me wish my Z was running right. Okay enough of my balling.

NismoPick

Do you even know what part is damaged / broken? I hate shops! How can they name a price if they don't know what's wrong?

WildmaN

No I don't know what's broken. I am pretty sure something is loose inside or damaged. And the shop price was doing a whole clutch job, including something else with the flywheel.

NismoPick

ok... but don't pull the motor to do a clutch job. Just drop the tranny & you'll be able to see what happened. If ya have a buddy helping, you can do a clutch job in 2 hours.

So the pressure plate & disk are both new, along w/ a new throw out bearing?

WildmaN

I tried to drop the tranny, I couldn't get it apart. It is no big deal to pull the motor off it's mounts just so I can squeeze the tranny out. Also I don't have any help at least from my family, they are mad at me, for leaving my Z on their driveway for almost 2 days. And it is not like I am in a hurry to get him running again. I am getting tired of working on my cars right now. I need a break, and I am upset, because after all my work, I have another major problem.

The shop price was if I brought my new parts in. That was just the labor, and such. I don't want to know, how much it is with parts and labor.

Like I said I have a new clutch I purchased the other day. But I am using my Centerforce pressure plate, with the new disc, throwout bearing, and such. When I feel like screwing with my Z again. I need at least a 2 week break, I am getting burned out.

jfairladyz

Hang in there man. It'll come together. Maybe if you just stare at it long enough it'll fix itself Take a break and then get back at it. Working on it while you're burnt out will most likely only lead to mistakes being made. Just wait til you're motivated again and then take your time fixing it. Easier said then done but it's the best way to do it.

duowing

Wildman I know what you mean, after you work with something only to have it crap out on you. It's like with my Z31 when we did a timing belt job, new radiator, thermostat, cap and rotor, redid the timing, oil seal, new struts, new exhaust, fixed the brakes, etc. Then had something start going horribly wrong with the car.

SHADY280

o.k heres my 2 cents, its going to be the throwout bearing, the centerforce ones are crap for all applications, there built in china, buy a nissan on, trust me, my buddy owns a tranny shop and hes seen more centerforce throwouts go then he can count. dropping the tranny by yourself isnt bad if you have a floor jack and keep a cool head, like nismo said itll take 2 hours and youll be done with it.

RodMoyes

Come on WildmaN... I know you're burned out right now. take a break for a few days. You successfully swaped your motor not too long ago. You made it work! You hung in there and did it. So what if there was a minor hicup afterwards, it got sorted out too. I wouldn't want to tackle that motor swap job. I'd rather replace the clutch 3 times than to do a motor swap once. You can handle it! Just take your time and you'll get through it. This stuff happens man. We are dealing with OLD CARS, they need a lot of TLC. Getting burned out and frustrated won't help you or the car.

BTW, The thing about the throw out bearing is true. Don't use the Centerforce bearing.

Hang in there!

Rod.

WildmaN

Oh no, the throwout bearing is not centerforce. Just my clutchplate. I know because I took it out of my '81. And I didn't know I had a Centerforce plate, until s/c 3.0L told me it was. I am putting my Centerforce clutchplate with new throwout, and clutch disk. But as for now, I am taking back the clutch kit I purchased, I need the money more than I need my Z. That is all for now, and thanks for the thoughts, and encouragement.

As for the motor swap Rod, it is not that bad. I was surprised how it went together so nicely. Well for the most part anyways. Yes I did have some problems getting it in. But if I wouldv'e had the clutch alignment tool. I could have put the motor in, without taking the tranny out. Oh well, that will be for next time, when I do my '81.

Also off the path a little. I have been contemplating on either keeping my current bumpers on my '82. Or going with the earlier chrome bumpers from '79-'81. I think I am going to put the older chrome ZX bumpers on front and back. Because I feel it would go with my theme. Anyway does anybody have a nice chrome bumper, and cover for a '79-'81?

skittle

They came with chore bumpers? i have only seen black plastic ones for the zx's...

WildmaN

Yes from '79-'81, and the '81 Turbo, they had the chrome bumpers, with black rubber cover. Starting in '82 they came 2 tone, with black, and whatever color the car was.

NismoPick

If you do that... make sure you take off the lower black trim pieces on the doors & fenders.

hoov100

im going to be free this summer if you need some help.

WildmaN

Was that addressed to me hoov100zx? And Nismo, I am either taking off the lower black trim, or painting it silver. Not sure on that one yet.

All aside, I am going crazy with no Z. So I am starting this week, and take him apart, and see what happened to him. I am going to swap out the slave cylinder brake line, first. And then bleed it, and see if there is a change. Because I saw I had a crack in the line. And I am hoping, that will help, but probably not. It is called wishful thinking. If not, I will buy 2 more jackstands, and prop my Z on all four wheels. And proceed with getting the tranny ready to pull out enough, to get to the clutch assembly and such. Also will probably have to at least take the motor off the mounts, and jack it up enough to get the tranny off the bell housing. I know, in about a hour and a half, I will have the thing ready to take the tranny apart from the motor. I know I am a crazy SOB LOL

NismoPick

and thus we see... once addicted to the Z... you can't stop! buah ah ah!

SHADY280

shouldnt have to jack up the motor aaron, everything fits without excess labour. all the bolts are accesable.

jfairladyz

If you're having trouble getting the tranny seperated from the motor then a pry bar at opposite sides with the help of a friend will get it off no problem.

lww

Yes, they can bind a little when you disconnect the tranny mount. I have a pair of big *** Klein screw drivers that are nearly the size of crow bars and WITH THE TRANNY JACK UNDER THE TRANNY, I can straddle the jack and pull on both screw driver handles to slide the tranny off the motor.

DO NOT TRY TO CATCH THE TRANNY WHILE YOU'RE UNDER IT! I know someone who died when his 85lb T5 tranny dropped on his chest when the car was on 18" jack stands. It hit just right and tore his aorta. He felt fine after it happened and didn't think anything about it and he never woke up in the morning as a result of massive internal bleeding...

Lost Vegaz

Never tell that story to someone who is about to drop a trans.

That be like me telling Wildman about the time I was 17 and dropped a AWD Eclipse trans on my hand. 3 surgieries and 2 yrs it took for me to be able to close my hand. And when you see my hand it still looks flat. I still have the scars where they pulled the skin from the back of my hand to fix my shattered bones.

Any ways Wildman, nothing like LWW said is going to happen to you. Shame on you, LWW

duowing

I agree, that's the last thing I want to hear right when I'm about to drop a transmission, but I'd rather hear that and try to do everything to make sure that something like that doesn't happen to you.

jfairladyz

I had a buddy who's entire car fell on him. He got under the car with nothing but a scissor jack on a dirt lot. The jack tipped over and the car came down on him. It was a Camaro so it was a heavy car. It shattered his jaw, cracked his skull, knocked out one of his eyes, broke both of his arms (one was almost completely severed), and both of his knee caps were shattered. Nobody was with him or even home when it happened. But luckily for him his father in law came home early from work to find him like that. He retained consciencenous until they got him in the helicopter then he went into shock. He's fine now. This was over a year ago. He's got a lot of scars and a fake eye. The biggest thing though is when they reconstructed his face he came out not looking anything like he used to. If you held a picture of him before his accident up to him you'd think it was a different person.

He will no longer get underneath a car. Not even to change the oil.

And I've had a car fall off it's jackstands not 2 sec's after I slid out from underneath it

SHADY280

i always give the car a good shake before doing anything. and use big 10 ton jackstands even for a little job.

WildmaN

Well the worst has come. I have to take the tranny out, and see what happened with the clutch. I will start today, before my other job. And hopefully have the tranny out today. We will see on that one, so wish me luck. And I will keep you all posted. So hopefully in 2 weeks or so, my Z will be back on the road.

frank280zx

be sure to have the car on jack stands, im lucky as i have a shoplift now, it actually can be done under the hour !

Just be organized, work from driveshaft to front bolts, dont be lazy but remove the shiftlever ( i discovered that if you think it will be in the way .. dissembling it takes less time than discovering it needs to be done after)... it all helps when it has to drop!