Tech Tips
Six Valuable Tips For Your 300ZX (Z31) Part 2
- I continue to see cars that have not been modified as part of the factory fuel injection recall campaign. Folks, there have been a number of cars that burned to the ground as the result of a leaking fuel injector and or related fuel hose(s). Nissan continues to offer a FREE recall program that addresses this problem-please take advantage of their largess before it is too late! You do not have to be the original owner to take advantage of this program. If you have recently purchased an 84-89 300ZX and are not sure if the campaign has been performed call your local Nissan dealer. Once armed with your vehicle identification number (VIN) they will be able to tell you what recalls have and have not been done to your ZX.
- Do you see a puddle of red liquid on your garage floor? Is the puddle about one foot inboard of your front tire? If the answer is yes then you probably have a leaking power steering rack. There are seals at the ends of the power steering rack shafts and after years of service these seals will eventually leak. The fluid leaking past the seal will slowly fill the power steering rack boot. Finally, the boot will yield to the corrosive effects of the fluid and spill its contents on your garage floor one-drop at a time. The only long-term fix is replacement of the power steering rack with a Nissan unit. Yes, there are rebuilt units available but it has been my experience that the aftermarket can often be a crapshoot.
- More than 30 years of Z car experience has taught me a lot about what will work and won’t. I’m talking about what constitutes a long term, craftsmanlike repair and the replacement parts that help lead to that destination. When it comes to brake parts I am a Nissan fanatic. They fit and work-period. In the case of the 300ZX there are other advantages to sticking to the original stuff. Early cars had a problem with front brake rotor thickness variation, which will manifest itself as a pulsating pedal. The replacement Nissan front brake rotors are machined to tolerances unheard of in the aftermarket. Of course, we are always going to replace ALL of the brake pad hardware everytime we replace the brake pads. The factory hardware kit contains everything required.
Michael McGinnis
Banzai Motorworks
