WhtFairLadyZ

Hey guys (and girls):
I ve ran into a bit of a problem. I just bought me another Z, this one is a '92 TTZ. I ve never worked on a Turbo Z and being 17 I am on a steep learnin curve. I have two major problems that I would like for u guys to try and answer.
1) Does anyone have any secrets for removing the upper intake plenum. I have leaky fuel injectors gaskets and the onlt way to get to em and the fuel rail is to pull the plenum off. I ve done the basics of removing almost everything (god help me if i can put it back together), but the plenum is still not budgin. Someone has already mentioned removing the EGR, but that is going to be a chore. Any help here would be greatly appreciated, and any suggestions welcome.
2) My second question pertains to the removal of the pre cats. Are there any easy ways of removing them, I have an exhaust leak between the pre cat and the turbo on the left bank. So i figured I would just throw on Z1 split flange down pipes. Being a DIY, i ll be doing it on my back though.
3) Has anyone done their own Timing belt change, I ve done em before. I cant figure out the tensioner though. It says to put a suitablt M6 x 16 bolt into it. What i dont understand is where to put it. I think I may just toss it for a new one.
Again any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated, thank you for any u can give. And Merry Christmas and Happy New year if i do not talk to u before then.

91zxtt

1) For removing the plenum, check out this link....
http://www.twinturbo.net/ttnettech/plenum/plenum.aspx
It's not fun. Plan on replacing all of the coolant bypass hoses, PCV hoses, vacuum hoses, etc. Under the plenum reaches temperatures greater than or equal to the surface of the sun, so all of those hoses are very hard and brittle. It's easier to cut them.

Have you considered having the upper and/or lower plenum honed? Now would be the time. May want to consider 555 injectors. From experience, once one injector goes, the rest aren't far off.

2) There isn't really an easy way. This job is much easier with the tranny out of the car. Does your car need a new clutch/flywheel, etc.? Now would be the time. Check out www.specialtyz.com and checkout their downpipes.

http://www.ttzd.com/tech/precatstech.html

3) Check this out....
http://www.ttzd.com/tech/60ktech.html
You really shouldn't reuse the tensioner.
Here's a 60k kit.
http://www.courtesyparts.com/z32/z32-tbkita1.html
The location of that screw is hard to see. If you're looking at the front of the engine, the bolt threads into the tensioner near the bottom of the passenger side. The bolt winds up pointing towards 2 o'clock.

These links may help give you an idea of what you're in for. I've done the jobs you're talking about. There are a few other mods you may want to consider since you'realready doing the work.
https://www.zdriver.com/showthread.php?t=10728
https://www.zdriver.com/showthread.php?t=10952
https://www.zdriver.com/showthread.php?t=10596
https://www.zdriver.com/showthread.php?t=10462
https://www.zdriver.com/showthread.php?t=8083
https://www.zdriver.com/showthread.php?t=8005

WhtFairLadyZ

Thanks, yeah i am considerin having the plenum honed. I can do the polishing. Thats easy, just time consuming. As for the water by-pass hoses and vauum lines, I have been talking to Z1 about eliminating alot of stuff that isn't needed for where I live. I think I will leave the injectors alone though, cause money is a issue being a full time high school student. But I do like the idea about pullin the tranny when replacing the down pipes. It will give me a chance to give it a through once over and replace some things I know are bad.

Do you think it will hurt to just unbolt the tensioner since I will be replacing it anyway, I don't want to do this again if at all possible. I know the manuals says to run that bolt in, but I dont see why. I figured that part was in there for those who are planing on reusin the tensioner.
Thanks again!

91zxtt

If you're going to throw it away, then no, it won't hurt. How loose is the t-belt? If you can slide the belt off prior to removing the tensioner, then the tensioner would be at the end of it's travel.

WhtFairLadyZ

I knew something was wrong with that tensioner. Remember how I asked where the M6 bolt was supposed to go. I found out why I couldn't see it. The stupid thing broke off. The is why I couldn't see it. I ended up just sliding the belt off by hand, NOT GOOD! I bought a new one, and am now in the process of pulling the cam gears off so to replace the oil seals, VTC tensioner springs, and VTC oil rings before continueing w/ the timing belt replacement. I got REAL lucky the timing didnt jump on me, this thing would have been toast if it would have.

91zxtt

It didn't break...it was removed. That m6 bolt must be removed once you have the belt in place. Once you remove the bolt, it allows the tensioner to apply pressure on the belt. Without removing that bolt, the belt will be looser than when you started. Do not forget to remove that bolt; otherwise, you'll have to take a bunch of stuff off again to go in and remove that bolt.

WhtFairLadyZ

No No, the cast aluminum piece that is threaded for the M6 bolt to go into. The piece that is there after you remove the bolt...yeah that was broken off. I know the bolt is supposed to be removed, but the WHOLE section was missing. It allowed the tensioner pulley to swing about 270 degrees where it should only be able to move about 10-15 degrees. I ll try and get some pics up to show you what i mean.

91zxtt

Wow...you were really lucky then. That broken piece could've gotten lodged into lots of different places that would've caused some major problems. Be sure to inspect your 4 cam sprockets and your crank sprocket for dings and dents. If you find any, then you should replace that sprocket.

WhtFairLadyZ

Ok here is something that amazes me. I have replaced alot of stuff on this car in the past few weeks. And from what i can tell, it hasnt had any engine work since '92. The year the car was made. Look at these spark plugs!. They are the factory ones, how do i know this. Cause the guy couldnt afford to fix it and neither did his brother. The air filters had about a centimeter of dirt built up on them. So i trashed the whole air box for a POP charger

91zxtt

Those are sweet! From the looks of those plugs, it looks like your valves covers are leaking too.

WhtFairLadyZ

OHH yeah, they were! I fixed that, i replaced cam shaft and crank oil seals. i replaced the VTC oil seals too. I ve put about a grand into the motor just in parts bringing it back to *new * condition.

Riz Z Speed

Actually, the stock plugs are still the best plugs for a basically stock car.

WhtFairLadyZ

What do u mean Rizz? The plugs i purchased were the original type NGKplug. They are not those plugs, but the are the same. And the car isnt stock anymore. it has a JWT intake and a UR underdrive pulley *thanks to my N/A and a greddy turbo timer.

Riz Z Speed

what i mean when i say basically stock, is that the car isn't in such a state of modification that colder plugs are required.
If you replaced those with Nissan spec NGK plugs, then great.