300ZX Z32 timing belt service,any gotchas I should know about?
my z32 twin turbo is due for a timing belt service at 100,000km. ive heard this is one of the most labour-intensive jobs on any japanese car because of the engine bay layout. is this something i should attempt at home or should i just find a specialist? and are there any related items i should replace at the same time to avoid doing the job twice?
the z32 timing belt service is legendary for how much has to come off to get to the belts. the radiator, fans, power steering pump, ac compressor, and alternator all have to be moved or removed. at home its a 2-day job minimum. while youre in there replace the water pump, all the idler pulleys, and the front main seal. a complete kit with all the components is about $600 from z1 motorsports. labour at a specialist is $1500-2000 which is honestly reasonable given the work involved.
The 7M-GTE timing belt is a similar level of effort on the A70 Supra. My advice for any complex timing belt job: take photos at every stage of disassembly. Label every connector and hose. And don't try to save time by not removing components fully. Trying to work around things that should be removed is how you break expensive parts. If you have the tools and patience, it's doable at home. Just give yourself a full weekend.