$500 350z Revival
#1
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$500 350z Revival
Just picked up my second Z!!!
I picked up this car from a guy who needed to get rid of it quick. He didn't have a title and it didn't run. He said the engine was "recently rebuilt" which to me is code for the engine needs to be replaced. I was expecting the car to be stolen, but he had shown me photos from when he installed the exhaust and he looked way younger in the photos and that restored my faith that it was his car.
The good: It's a 2004 6 Speed DE with a K&N intake, borla headers, test pipes,, Y pipe and a borla catback, and a viper alarm system, body condition 9/10, saw a video of the guy doing a street pull in the car about 300 miles ago per the odometer and it sounded great.
The bad: doesn't start, since it had no battery, no stored codes.
Upon taking it home, i saw that the 120a battery fuse was blown, so i swapped it over from my other Z to see if it would be a simple fix, but no dice. Took out the Viper alarm system, every associated wire was connected with T-Taps, so it was relatively easy to remove. I checked all the fuses in the 3 locations and they were all intact.
After connecting a battery, I turned on the ignition. I could hear the fuel pump prime and when i fully turn the key, it doesn't click repeatedly, but once. Pretty hard thump. Figured even with rod knock aat worst, it would still turn over.
I don't want to dig too deep into this. But figured I could throw a few parts at it before just sending the ECU off to get re-flashed to get rid of nats and throwing in a fresh motor.
Let me hear your thoughts!
I picked up this car from a guy who needed to get rid of it quick. He didn't have a title and it didn't run. He said the engine was "recently rebuilt" which to me is code for the engine needs to be replaced. I was expecting the car to be stolen, but he had shown me photos from when he installed the exhaust and he looked way younger in the photos and that restored my faith that it was his car.
The good: It's a 2004 6 Speed DE with a K&N intake, borla headers, test pipes,, Y pipe and a borla catback, and a viper alarm system, body condition 9/10, saw a video of the guy doing a street pull in the car about 300 miles ago per the odometer and it sounded great.
The bad: doesn't start, since it had no battery, no stored codes.
Upon taking it home, i saw that the 120a battery fuse was blown, so i swapped it over from my other Z to see if it would be a simple fix, but no dice. Took out the Viper alarm system, every associated wire was connected with T-Taps, so it was relatively easy to remove. I checked all the fuses in the 3 locations and they were all intact.
After connecting a battery, I turned on the ignition. I could hear the fuel pump prime and when i fully turn the key, it doesn't click repeatedly, but once. Pretty hard thump. Figured even with rod knock aat worst, it would still turn over.
I don't want to dig too deep into this. But figured I could throw a few parts at it before just sending the ECU off to get re-flashed to get rid of nats and throwing in a fresh motor.
Let me hear your thoughts!
Last edited by Kevin Skene; 09-15-2019 at 08:52 PM.
#2
350Z/370Z Tech Moderator
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It has "tumor tailights". Ick.
A steal of 5 bills so long as title isn't an issue.
A steal of 5 bills so long as title isn't an issue.
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Cracka350 (09-16-2019)
#3
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#4
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Fun little project, I bet the motor is good
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Kevin Skene (09-16-2019)
#5
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Not sure what you've gotten and it could be a money pit, but how did you meet the original owner in the first place? It's got some useful mods if you want to turn it into a time trial or racecar. Why do you want to get rid of NATS if you've still got the original keys?
Last edited by dkmura; 09-16-2019 at 05:02 AM.
#6
so eager to toss in a motor.
put a breaker bar on the crank pulley and see if you can turn it over..
then remove the plugs and look for physical damage and drain the oil and check for metal.
I am sure it could use new plugs and an oil change any ways.
If nothing un usual going on with the plugs and the oil looks okay that comes out. and you can turn it over with a breaker bar.
pull the starter and check it at the local parts house.
then report back.
put a breaker bar on the crank pulley and see if you can turn it over..
then remove the plugs and look for physical damage and drain the oil and check for metal.
I am sure it could use new plugs and an oil change any ways.
If nothing un usual going on with the plugs and the oil looks okay that comes out. and you can turn it over with a breaker bar.
pull the starter and check it at the local parts house.
then report back.
#7
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Did I read this wrong or did you literally say you only paid $500 for the car? If so, the market value on these things plummeted alot faster than any of us ever anticipated.
Last edited by WYZIWYG; 09-16-2019 at 07:17 PM.
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#9
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I was on facebook 350z groups looking for people who may be selling a front fender & door, as i put my drift Z up against a wall, got a message from a guy saying he'd sell me his whole car for dirt cheap!
#10
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#11
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Yep, 500. It's worth way more. I just found a guy who needed to get rid of it quick. Seemed to me like he was looking to fund some other, self-destructive habits.
#12
New Member
Thread Starter
so eager to toss in a motor.
put a breaker bar on the crank pulley and see if you can turn it over..
then remove the plugs and look for physical damage and drain the oil and check for metal.
I am sure it could use new plugs and an oil change any ways.
If nothing un usual going on with the plugs and the oil looks okay that comes out. and you can turn it over with a breaker bar.
pull the starter and check it at the local parts house.
then report back.
put a breaker bar on the crank pulley and see if you can turn it over..
then remove the plugs and look for physical damage and drain the oil and check for metal.
I am sure it could use new plugs and an oil change any ways.
If nothing un usual going on with the plugs and the oil looks okay that comes out. and you can turn it over with a breaker bar.
pull the starter and check it at the local parts house.
then report back.
Last edited by Kevin Skene; 09-16-2019 at 09:28 AM.
#13
New Member
Thread Starter
Plan A) Register it if possible and make it a basic drift car. Angle and a hand brake.
Plan B) Cant register it, motors blown: strip it, cage it, put a basic LS in it with a standalone setup.
Plan C) Keep the Fenders, Doors, and A pillars to put my drift Z back together and part out the rest.
Either way, i just have to wait a week or so till I move before tearing into it.
Excited!
Last edited by Kevin Skene; 09-16-2019 at 09:42 AM.
#15
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Subbed.
#16
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Thread Starter
This is good.
Well, I moved into a new house, tore down a sketchy "add-on" that was on the house and was left with a nice slab to move the $500 Z to. Today was the big day!
Slapped a wrench on the crank pulley bolt and it wouldn't budge. So I got down on my back to get a bit more leverage and saw this!
Calling the JDM import/engine shops tomorrow!
Well, I moved into a new house, tore down a sketchy "add-on" that was on the house and was left with a nice slab to move the $500 Z to. Today was the big day!
Slapped a wrench on the crank pulley bolt and it wouldn't budge. So I got down on my back to get a bit more leverage and saw this!
Calling the JDM import/engine shops tomorrow!
#17
New Member
Not cool
ahh wait now I see why the car was $500 and why you are calling the JDM import (I thought it was to yell at them, not to order an engine)
ahh wait now I see why the car was $500 and why you are calling the JDM import (I thought it was to yell at them, not to order an engine)
Last edited by CFAUVEL; 10-21-2019 at 05:26 AM.
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CFAUVEL (10-21-2019)
#19
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#20
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Agh.. right?? Only "concern" is that I'm not sure whether or not the ECU was tuned. I could take the ECU from my 03 and throw it in this car.. Does the ECU have to match any other components of the Z?