HOLCOMB209

Hey guys, i just purchased a 86 z31 turbo its been sitting for about 5 years. i have never owned a turbo before so i have a few questions. what all sould i do to the car since it has been sitting so long. I know the basic lof, spark plugs, air filter, fuel filter, cap and rotor. is there any thing i should do for the turbo. i drained all the fuel out of it and added a few gallons of new fuel starts and runs, not great but runs. possible vacuum leak. New to these forums, splese dont rip me a new one for the rookie questions. thanks

zxguy1986

Welcome ZDriver!

For starters, you have a copy of your Factory Service Manual (FSM) - or you can download it from XenonZ31 Reference. There are other good docs there, too.

Take some time to get familiar with the FSM and check out the inspection & troubleshooting sections for the stuff you want to work right. They are step-by-step, easy to follow.

The FSM also tells you how to run a basic ECCS/ECU(computer) diagnostic to get any trouble codes your ECU is putting out. This gives a short profile of your Z’s mechanical health.

There are a number of things to check out when getting a car road-ready after a long rest. I'll let others who have done just that give you their recommendations.

Thanks and welcome!

HOLCOMB209

Thank you. This should come in very handy.

FlyingT

If it has been sitting for 5 years, I would change the timing belt. If it breaks, it will trash your engine.

zxguy1986

Agree with F/T on the timing belt. Absolutely critical. Not cheap to have done - but if it breaks, you're out one engine. While you're in there, include new idlers/tensioners and a water pump. OEM stuff probably available from Nissan, worth the few extra bucks because the belt is factory-marked for correct alignment. You can also check your seals in there, see if they are leaking oil. If you're not doing the work yourself, get a mechanic you can trust to do it right. He will be charging you as if he did!

Your new friend, the FSM, is full of great inspection, test and troubleshooting pages. You may as well follow them as a guide to your total tune-up process. If something isn't working right, begin with your FSM and try to figure out where the problem starts. Your Z could just have a lot of fantastic miles left in her. They're all yours with some smart care now and then.

rogerz

timing belt kit available from courtesy nissan got everything you need. Not that hard a job just kinda lump in your throat am I doing this right. What you need to know is in the fsm. also do a google there are you tube vids and other info on line to kinda hold your hand.

here is some other stuff save you headaches down the line: Get your battery load tested. Be sure you have clean, tight corrosion free terminals on both ends of your battery cables. Be sure the ground (negative) cable goes to a bolt into the frame before going to the starter. grounding through the starter is not a reliable connection. Z's don't like low voltage. causes the electronics to act funny. it is possible to have enough amps to crank but not enough voltage to run the electronics. If you have one size fit all cheapo clamp on terminals they are a problem waiting to happen. Usually on a rainy night around Oh Dark Thirty.

Clean the connectors for the maf or afm, ecu and tps. Deoxit by CAIG is probably the best connector cleaner on the market. spray with CorrosionX after cleaning and before putting together this will help prevent any further corrosion.

Replace outer tie rod ends, and ball joints. replace the bushings with poly (don't forget to lube them as directed unless you like squeaky things). New shocks. Get new boots for power steering. all those things will make you think you are driving a different car. doing them piece meal is a waste you won't see a great improvement until you do the complete job. You need to get the car realigned after messing with the front. Have your tires in good shape and rebalance. Rear bushings nice too but more work and you won't notice as great an improvement. Rear shocks also because if the fronts are gone so are the rears. if car squats when you jump on the gas the rears are gone. If you have the electro adjustable shocks they are DEFINITELY GONE.

If you are doing a turbo car shocks (electro adjust I think may be only on the turbos) then you need the adapter plates to fit modern shocks to the car. Easiest way is find an n/a at the junkyard and take the mounting plates. They may be available thru NAPA (listed) but I had the n/a plates.

put new tires on it. get it realigned after you do the suspension. the 86 z31 is the best looking in my opinion. don't much like the hood scoop on 84,85. don't like the look of the front and rear on the later ones.

HOLCOMB209

Thank you all. Really appriciate all the info. you guys are great!!

krudell

Thanks to the original poster who posed the same question just I joined to ask and all those that responded. I have 3 Z31's that I was hoping to get on the road this summer but considering the timing belt issue I think I'd best slow my plans down. The belts were all changed shortly before I parked the cars about 6 years ago but each one is special for different reasons. One is a Shiro, one a manual 2+2 NA and one is special just to me because I put so much work into restoring it almost 15 years ago. I would hate to lose any one of them now. They have been covered and parked in a garage since 2007, I used to show the Shiro in local shows and won the stock class with it once. I plan on lurking, learning and relearning for a while. I'm going to start with the 2+2, hopefully next month. I'm on disability retirement and money is an issue but I can only do this right the first time once. Pretty soon my sons (age 7) will be old enough to help but for now I hope to get them interested in these great cars from the back seat. I have owned one Z car or another for an uninterrupted 31 years. My first was a silver 73 240Z. I still have some of the old Z Car of America news letters from the 70's. Thanks again, I'm glad you are here and I found you.

zxguy1986

Welcome to ZDriver! Nice collection of Zs. Unusual, too.

Make sure you get hold of your Factory Service Manuals at XenonZ31 Reference if you don't already have them.

My best understanding of the belt-sitting-stationary-for-years problem is that the belt IS ALWAYS in tension, is flexed at its contact points, and is not moving at all, for years. Does it age/degrade more quickly at those points where it is flexed than at other points? Does it 'harden' into that shape? Once it starts moving again, are those points where it was fully flexed for years now weaker than other points?

If you think that rubber/rubberized components still 'dry out' over years, you will want to change the belts. If you have faith that they stay young and flexible for years, you will leave them. The main problem is that a timing belt change is a serious time-taker and costs a lot when a shop does it. If you can do it yourself, not such a big deal. The secure feeling you get from replacing a belt makes it worth the labor. It's a Z owner's call.

krudell

Thank you for the welcome an more detailed counsel about the reason for the belt change. I did the belt change on the 87 myself with an experienced Nissan mechanic available in the shop in case I got into trouble and I did. He bailed me out and explained what I did wrong, I think it was counting teeth. It ran real rough when I first started it up, He had me turn it off and fixed my mistake while I made a parts run for him on another car he was working on. He is no longer available to me. Back then the FSM's were just becoming available on line and I have a paper OE FSM for each of my 300's. I don't think I want to try that again at my age and condition. Maybe somebody in the local Z car club would be able to help me, I've kept my membership active but haven't gone to any meetings or events except for the annual show and I do that as a spectator not an exhibitor. Almost the whole club has changed since I was there last, I only knew one person at the last show. I'm going to think about this and maybe talk to a few people locally, my mechanic is pretty good with my Cummins Diesel, I'll ask him about his comfort level working on an old Z car and the cost. Again, Thanks!