# My poor Z.........



## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Well, after getting all the bugs ironed out, my car apparently decided it doesn't like being fixed. Timing belt let go earlier today. Brand new belt, brand new tensioner. Undoubtedly there is valve damage, so I think it's time this car was put to bed permanently. Since I bought the motorcycle, I don't have money for an engine, nor would I have any place to install it anyway. So all the good stuff is being removed, and the rest is going to whoever will come get it...... I've got my eye on an 84 turbo now. It's auto, but that can be remedied at some point, and it's super cheap at $400. Blown turbo, easily fixable. Swap mine in, and it'll have boost again. The 84 is in great shape, only 96,000 miles, that's pretty unheard of on this old a car. Might have other issues, but they can't possibly be worse than what I went through with the 85........


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

That sucks to hear. Do you still have the rear interior panels undamaged? I need two extras to cut for when I install the cusco rear brace. I don't want to cut up mine that are perfect originals.

How bad did the belt break? Any pics? Or did it just throw teeth...?


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> That sucks to hear. Do you still have the rear interior panels undamaged? I need two extras to cut for when I install the cusco rear brace. I don't want to cut up mine that are perfect originals.
> 
> How bad did the belt break? Any pics? Or did it just throw teeth...?


 Everybody wants to know if I have those rear panels........  Nah, those were the first to go, so many moons ago. They were cracked anyway, just shredded when I pulled them out to replace the rear shocks. 
Not sure what happened to the belt, the car is still sitting up on the highway about 2 miles from my house. Just cruising along and slowly lost power and died. Fuel pump works fine, I can still hear it kick in when I crank it. However, the telltale sign is that it sounds exactly like it did when I had all the plugs out for the compression tests I did. Sounds like there's no torque behind it at all. So, either broken or stripped teeth, it's all the same to me. Just figures that I spent all afternoon yesterday putting my nice catback on there, getting everything aligned just right. Now it's just so much garbage. Oh well. Hey, I have an Exedy clutch kit and a brand new set of stem seals if anybody needs them.


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## z31 (Oct 19, 2004)

why don't you keep the clutch and swap the 5spedd stuff into the $400 car?

fwiw, my 85t lost a timing belt at idle - I put a new belt on and it started right up. The valves may have been tweeked, but not bad enough for it to not make any compression. Unlike my audi, that mangled all 20 valves when the belt shredded...


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## SATURNTERMINATOR (Nov 12, 2004)

my belt lost teeth at about 20mph, put a new belt on and started right up runs fine, it didnt break a thing, id try fixing it first since putting the new belt on is only like 15 dollars in parts plus renting a puller and only a few hours of your time.

Brandon


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

z31 said:


> why don't you keep the clutch and swap the 5spedd stuff into the $400 car?
> 
> fwiw, my 85t lost a timing belt at idle - I put a new belt on and it started right up. The valves may have been tweeked, but not bad enough for it to not make any compression. Unlike my audi, that mangled all 20 valves when the belt shredded...


This was on the highway though, rpms was around 2500. That's not the point though. The point is, is that I've pretty much had it with this car. It's not worth the money I paid for it, it's a rust bucket, and I've already spent way too much time on it with little returns on my investment. It's somebody elses turn now. The reason I'm getting rid of the clutch kit is because if I do eventually do a 5-spd swap, it'll be to the 87-89 tranny, the FS5R30A. Which means my clutch kit won't fit.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

SATURNTERMINATOR said:


> my belt lost teeth at about 20mph, put a new belt on and started right up runs fine, it didnt break a thing, id try fixing it first since putting the new belt on is only like 15 dollars in parts plus renting a puller and only a few hours of your time.
> 
> Brandon


Yeah, I hear ya, I'm just sick of the car.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Well, fine. Heres the deal. I'll take it home and tear the front end down and see what the problem is. If it's anything other than a straight belt replacement, EI: seized camshaft or something else freaky, then I'm getting rid of the car. If it's just a belt replacement, I'll keep it.........


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> Well, fine. Heres the deal. I'll take it home and tear the front end down and see what the problem is. If it's anything other than a straight belt replacement, EI: seized camshaft or something else freaky, then I'm getting rid of the car. If it's just a belt replacement, I'll keep it.........


Don't tell me your avatar is your kids... You set em up. One of these days you'll have to show them

Yeah I already decided a long time ago no matter what happens this thing is going to be considered a boat. Pour a bunch of cash in and never get it back. It's not worth it to sell it.

Hopefully it's just a replacement, but 2500 RPMS... I dunno.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

♣AsleepZ♣ said:


> Don't tell me your avatar is your kids... You set em up. One of these days you'll have to show them
> 
> Yeah I already decided a long time ago no matter what happens this thing is going to be considered a boat. Pour a bunch of cash in and never get it back. It's not worth it to sell it.
> 
> Hopefully it's just a replacement, but 2500 RPMS... I dunno.


Yeah me neither. And yeah, that's my youngest.  All I can do is see what happens. If its real bad, I'll just park it for a while. Either sell it, or get a W-series engine later on. It's a project, it's always been a project......


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> It's not worth the money I paid for it, it's a rust bucket, and I've already spent way too much time on it with little returns on my investment. QUOTE]HAHAHA You see I just don't let that bother me. My dad used to say it was a waste I would never get anything out of it, but the reality is for me money isn't the issue. I don't care what the car is worth I'm not selling it. So I may have spent several times what the car is worth, but it isn't about the money to me.
> 
> Though yours used to have to run so your in a different situation. Mines a garage queen.
> 
> ...


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## Marc Z31 (Jul 25, 2004)

Sorry to hear about the loss... It will not be your last Z31. There is always a next Z31, I have met VERY few that have had only 1 Z. You will be back on the road soon. Do not replace parts... upgrade them.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Marc Z31 said:


> Sorry to hear about the loss... It will not be your last Z31. There is always a next Z31, I have met VERY few that have had only 1 Z. You will be back on the road soon. Do not replace parts... upgrade them.


It's not gone yet. Gotta get it back to the house first and then we'll see.  Might be life in the old girl yet.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

Lets not make any assumptions before you know what's wrong for sure. After all, it might not be so bad.  Also, at 400 dollars, having a donor/backup car isnt all that bad of an idea. I can't get a Geo Tracker for 400 dollars, let alone a Z. So either way, I'de buy it. Also, if you are serious about being the quarter mile machine, an auto is not going to hurt you at all.

BTW: what pets do you have?


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

NickZac said:


> Lets not make any assumptions before you know what's wrong for sure. After all, it might not be so bad.  Also, at 400 dollars, having a donor/backup car isnt all that bad of an idea. I can't get a Geo Tracker for 400 dollars, let alone a Z. So either way, I'de buy it. Also, if you are serious about being the quarter mile machine, an auto is not going to hurt you at all.
> 
> BTW: what pets do you have?


 Meh, I think the auto Z is a lost cause. Guy kinda wanted to part it out anyway, and it had a lot of electrical issues. The dash didn't work at all, and the lights were rigged up on switches with holes drilled into the lower dash..... And the brake master cylinder was toast. And my interior was in way better shape. 


Pets? I have 2 dogs, 4 cats, a hamster and a newt.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> Meh, I think the auto Z is a lost cause. Guy kinda wanted to part it out anyway, and it had a lot of electrical issues. The dash didn't work at all, and the lights were rigged up on switches with holes drilled into the lower dash..... And the brake master cylinder was toast. And my interior was in way better shape.
> 
> 
> Pets? I have 2 dogs, 4 cats, a hamster and a newt.



Eh...that is a good bit of work. But hey, you can barely buy a hooker for 400 bucks let alone a car. That sounds like a boatload of animals to care for! Newt's are pretty chill...I was really into owning exotic reptiles and amphibians for a while...still own a few.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

NickZac said:


> Eh...that is a good bit of work. But hey, you can barely buy a hooker for 400 bucks let alone a car. That sounds like a boatload of animals to care for! Newt's are pretty chill...I was really into owning exotic reptiles and amphibians for a while...still own a few.


Yeah, this is a Japanese Fire-bellied newt. Black on top, got a bit of orange on the bottom. She's about 10 years old, which is 5 years longer than most newts like this are supposed to live.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

Any new information?


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

JAMESZ said:


> Any new information?


Nothing yet. I either need a remote starter device or another person to crank the engine to see what's going on with my timing belt. I'll probably get it figured out this weekend at some point.


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## jbraun (Mar 2, 2005)

if the engine is blown i might be interested in buying it. what state is the car in? how much would you want for it? can you describe the car to me?


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

jbraun said:


> if the engine is blown i might be interested in buying it. what state is the car in? how much would you want for it? can you describe the car to me?


Keeping the car, actually. Thanks anyway.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

♣Zen31ZR♣ said:


> Keeping the car, actually. Thanks anyway.



Good thinking.


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