[Cache]

Ok, now, most of our original cars have problems, from the factory, that need to be addressed.

I'll list them, and wait for answers, because i'm not entirely sure how to cure all these.

Power steering- I've got problems, and I hear others do as well. I replaced the rack, and replaced the pump (refurbished) with no luck. Still very hard steering. But not completely Manual. Tried everything, no luck. Options? I'm open to suggestions.


Oil pressure Sending unit- Faulty, or is it the gauge? Or both? I haven't heard much on this subject, but I don't like not being able to tell if my oil pressure is low or not.


Clutch- Centerforce Dual Friction? Stock clutch is too gooey for me nowadays, and I'm also getting a rattling sometimes that I believe is coming from my clutch bearing (Throwout bearing?) It kinda sounds like the clutch noise of a gas wheedwhacker.


Transmission- Maybe the previous owner dogged it, but my synchros are horrible. Can't shift into 2nd from 1st at any RPM higher than 4k without hearing a horrible crunch noise. Rebuild it? Get a racing tranny?


Rear Differential- Is that what the knocking is when I shift? This is what i've heard, but what would cure this? I heard ONE person mention Nissan selling new Rear Differential Bushings for like, $43 per set.


Rear Struts- Is this why I get inner tread wear? I went to a place here in Tampa called Z-Fever, and Doug informed me of this. But I wanted to confirm this, here.


Fuel Pump- All I have to say is, Oh my god. This thing is SO freaking annoying. I've gotten used to it over the years, but jesus. What the **** makes this thing so loud!?!


Ok guys, just had a few questions. . Thanks in advance for ALL the help.

 

[Lee Smith]

The loud fuel pump It is gas starved, the intake screen is plugged

 

[jeffp]

Make sure you have ATF in the steering, I noticed a differance when I drained the power steering fluid (quaker state) and put ATF like the boos says. Loose the electric oil pressure gauge and get a manual one. Get another after amrket clutch made for the car, you will be much happier and it is not that much more expensive. I found my stock turbo clutch was just as good as the centerforce dual friction. Get yourself a T5 in the car, replace the Diff if it is making noise or just deal with the noise. Make sure somebody did not mount the fuel pump different then using the stock rubber mount.

 

[Avatar Rising]

Common ZX problem. RUST! Ehehe.

 

[JR]

ZXs tend to squat in the rear under acceleration. It's a function of their different suspension geometry than the first-gen Z cars. It also SEEMS to weaken the springs more quickly — ZXs are much more prone to get a permanent sag in the back than other Zs. Anyway, the proper fix is to renew the springs, although most people replace all four springs with aftermarket ones. This is also a good time to put poly bushings in. Gas shocks can also help support the back end, but then you might have the opposite problem. The KYBs in the rear of my '82 made it look like a spider about to pounce on something. I've since learned that I may have had the wrong part number shocks.

As for your tranny, can we assume you have checked the fluid and added the correct type if it needs it? If your clutch is going out, slight gear grinding could be a function of the clutch not fully disengaging. Are you having any probs with partial engagement when taking off from a stop? Normally these trannies are pretty bulletproof. If it is the tranny, you can have it rebuilt with all new synchros and it should be fine. Or as one of other posters suggests, you could swap in a different one. I personally DON'T like the Borg Warner unit (such as came in the turbo ZXs) as much as the regular Nissan 5-speed. The former is a brute, but shifts 'notchy.' The Nissan units shift nice and smooth.

Differentials in ZXs are bolted in there pretty good compared to early Zs. Knocking could be something else, such as universals in your driveshaft or halfshafts, or the halfshaft boots could have torn and allowed dirt to get in and wear the inner shaft.

Fuel pump — by annoying you mean noisy, right? Having owned 5 Zs and ZXs over the years, I can confirm that the fuel pumps on all of them make noise, some more, some less. Sometimes — not always — it is a function of the pump starting to go out on you. This happened to me once: the pump suddenly got louder than usual and finally went out. I replaced with an aftermarket one and was somewhat shocked to discover that it was almost as loud as the previous pump had been just before it failed. On other cars, the pump is not as loud. I now make it a habit of pulling a fuel pump or two on "half price days" at the local pick-your-part so I have some spares. I installed one of those in a '75 I'm putting together and it was the quietest of the bunch!

Anyway, the point that may interest you most about this is a post on this forum a couple of years ago. That person claimed that aftermarket pumps are just rebuilds and they are all noisy. If you want the QUIETEST fuel pump possible, he said to buy a NEW pump from Nissan. I hope to try this one of these days when I can afford one. Not cheap, but it might be worth a try for the peace of mind.

 

[Nicks 83zxt]

Fuel Pumps; On my previous 82 my FPR went out and killed my pump, it was very loud before it died, not knowing much about the car I took it ot a mechanic who told me the did not have the correct gauge to test the fuel pressure and that I should take it to nissan. He did not charge me anything and I took it to nissan where it got a new FPR and Fuel pump, very quiet.

I belive the cause of the inner tread wear in the back is due to negative camber that the cars were designed to have for handling purposes, two options; if your tie rods on the front are going bad you will have outter tread wear, rotate your tires. Option two get a camber adjustment kit from Motorsports.

 

[Kevin 280ZXT]

New Nissan pump was very noisy on my 83 zxt. Replaced fuel pressure regulator and it became very quiet.

Kevin