Getting to know your Zed

Whether you have just bought your first 300zx or had it its some time it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with technical terms and name`s associated with your zed.

This will help you not only understand many of the helpful tips and explanations on this site ,but will also add to the enjoyment of owning one of the finest engineered cars

If you have any questions about this page contents or need something explaining a "little bit more" then e-mail a short request by following the mail box below.

· Nissan 300zx ....................The UK official version, Twin turbo long wheel base only, targa top , mostly leather interior. manual and auto

· Nissan 300zx Euro.............The European official version, Twin turbo long wheel base only, targa top , spec split half way between an import and UK car

· Nissan 300zx Fairlady ........The Japanese version, available in many guises, Twin turbo, non turbo, long and short wheel base, targa and slicktop, manual and auto

· Nissan 300zx Convertible....Rare fully convertible version only available as an import and also only as short wheel base and non turbo

· Cas unit = Crank angle sensor...............This is the equivalent of the distributor and controls the ignition timing and injectors

· PTU..= Power transistor unit..................This is basically an isolation amplifier, it take the small output from the ecu and sends it to trigger the spark plug coil packs

· PCV = Positive crankcase ventilation .....The engine has two of these valves, when these fail to close at idle it can trigger smoke from the exhaust at idle

· TPS..= Throttle position sensor..............This unit informs the ecu of the throttle angle and speed of opening and closing

· AFM = Air flow meter............................Air flow measurements from here allow the ecu to fuel the engine correctly

· Detonation sensor................................This is an engine sensor designed to listen for pinking, if detected the ecu goes into safety boost , retarding the ignition and on

..............................................................turbo cars the .boost level, a failed detonation sensor can lead to continued low performance.click

· Turbo induction is a means to extracting more power from an engine by filling ( forcing )the cylinder with more air than would normally be pulled in, see the illustration below.

PTU Series l......... ...........PTU Series ll ...........................Throttle position sensor................Air flow meter.....................PCV assembly

The devices which in response to your brake pedal depressions clamps the brake pads to the brake discs, upgrades are available for your Z the most ..popular one been to replace your own calipers with one`s for the Skyline R34 GTR, with larger discs and correct grade pads also fitted this is arguably the .most effective brake upgrade available for the Z

The items that sit between the disc and the caliper, the high friction material is designed to be clamped by the caliper to the disc when you brake and reduce the spinning speed of the disc, high temp and upgraded material pads are available for your Z but need to be matched to you actual requirements , road, fast road or track use.

The device which when you depress the brake or clutch pedal transfers the movement by means of clutch fluid to the slave cylinder that in turn operates the clutch fork, this method increases the mechanical advantage which means you have less effort to input.

Often fitted to replace original rubber hoses to the brake calipers, the idea is to reduce ballooning of the hose and give a more direct fluid transfer to the caliper and hence better brake feel, the clutch rubber hose can also be fitted to give the same effect on the clutch operation

As the name suggests, the dampers as should be called arrest the springs bounce and controls your Z suspension, upgraded items are available for your zed but need to be matched to the springs and your requirements.

Springs are responsible for the ride height and the suspension travel which is essential to the design and are matched to the dampers.

These items allow the suspension to achieve all sorts of strange angles with complete control of the travel direction and compliance, but wear in these components can result in sloppy and at worse unpredictable handling, always best to check these soon as possible after purchase, both the front ..and rear have multi bush fittment but main area`s that can be troublesome are .......tension rods, anti roll bar, sway bars sub frame, steering rack bushes and both front steering and rear hicas arms

Although the internet and web site car forums can be an excellent source of information unfortunately it can often be difficult to seperate the fact from the fiction, bad advice on maintenance, breakdown repairs or tuning can at best be a wallet buster but at worse down right dangerous.

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