Thinking about this Z34

[Tru2Chevy]

So I finally got a chance to go check out that Z34 that I was talking about a while ago. The interior is perfect, the paint looks good (except for some oxidation spots on the hood), and it runs well. However the vibration in OD that I originally thought was the lockup might not be. It has a definete shake from 1500-2100 RPM in 4th, and as soon as you go higher than that, it goes away completely.

It is also making a tapping sound unlike anything I've ever heard. The guy said it has been doing it ever since the engine swap (15k miles ago), and his mechanic doesn't know what it is. It is coming from the front of the engine, near the P/S pump. It is definetly not something in the bottom end. It's loud enough to hear outside or inside the car at idle, but not noticable at all when driving. The timing belt looks a bit worn, but it isn't shredding itself or anything.

I took the car out for a short drive, feels pretty good. This was my first time ever in a 3.4 DOHC car, so I really wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't get a chance to really rip into it, but I found enough highway to go 3/4 throttle up to about 6k and I'm hooked on the sounds of this engine already!

Anyway, here's some pics and a quicktime movie of the tapping. If anyone has any idea what it might be, let me know, because I need to make a decision about this car by this weekend.

http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010001.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010002.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010003.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010004.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010005.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010006.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010007.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010008.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010009.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010010.JPG
http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010011.JPG


Quicktime: http://www.njfboa.org/JustinImages/Z34/P1010012.MOV

- Justin

[foff667]

so your thinking of buying it? How much does he want for it?

[Tru2Chevy]

He offered it to me for $1,000 with the extra wheels and tires (total of 10 stock wheels - one set of blizzacks mounted, one set of BFGs mounted, one set of brand new Fuzion ZRi's unmounted).

KBB and NADA seem to agree on a value of about $2k in good shape.

I like the car, but that ticking noise kinda bothers me. The tranny doesn't bother me that much - I'll nurse it till I find another 4t60e, or gather all the parts for a 5 speed swap.

- Justin

[camaroracer1992]

save your money and put it into the camaro :lol:

[Tru2Chevy]

save your money and put it into the camaro :lol:

yea yea, I know. I need the DD though, and my Lumina has almost 183k on it (and I don't exactly baby it either). I like the Lumina, and after last night, I really like the 3.4 DOHC motor. Pulls pretty hard....

- Justin

[foff667]

how many miles does this car have on it and i havent heard the tick but between that and the tranny problems whats the difference between that and your car? lol i mean they both have issues right?

[Fasterthanyou]

I'm with Bill on this one. It's almost not worth the time trying to fix those problems and just beat on the Lumina until it breaks something big. Then find another daily driver.
My buddy has that motor in an oldsmobile (forget what model it is) and it's always been a PITA. Like right now, it barely made it through high school with him putting at least $50-100 in repairs ever couple months. For the past few years it's been sitting because the engine started to act up. I was going to buy it and beat on it but even I couldn't figure out which sensor(s) were bad :shock: and I had it hooked up to Diacom :? .
As for the vibration, that's the 1st major harmonic if it's violent and then goes away with higher speed. The axles are unbalanced BIG time if it's vibrating bad on a FWD vehicle! Probably a bend axle from improper length or weird suspension geometry (hitting a curb could bend it).
For $1000, I'd hold off for the time being just because of those 2 major issues. Doesn't help that it's fwd, missing 2 cylinders, and no power adder :wink: . That's just my opinion. If you plan on keeping the car for a long time as a DD and want to install a 5-spd then it might very well be a good deal. The ticking would worry me enough to crack open the valve covers and look at the buckets. Sounds like a shim is gone or a cam has worn it's bearings in the head (pulls the cam off the buckets so it ticks).

[Tru2Chevy]

The Z34 has just over 90k miles, the original motor lost a timing belt @ 75k miles. He replaced the engine with one from a '93 that currently has 70k miles. Several of the W-body guys seem to think that this noise could be something as simple as a bad bearing on the serp. belt tensioner. If the car was closer I would run back and pop the belt off to see if the noise went away.

I suppose it would be wiser to just patch up my car and keep driving it till it dies. Maybe I can see if the guy will sell a few parts (since he's planning on junking the car if I don't buy it).

- Justin

[foff667]

The Z34 has just over 90k miles, the original motor lost a timing belt @ 75k miles. He replaced the engine with one from a '93 that currently has 70k miles. Several of the W-body guys seem to think that this noise could be something as simple as a bad bearing on the serp. belt tensioner. If the car was closer I would run back and pop the belt off to see if the noise went away.

I suppose it would be wiser to just patch up my car and keep driving it till it dies. Maybe I can see if the guy will sell a few parts (since he's planning on junking the car if I don't buy it).

- Justin

You could always low ball him at like $500 and just beat the piss outta it...then swap all the working stuff onto your car or what have you...exhaust, spoiler, rims whatever you'd want to keep.

[Tru2Chevy]

You could always low ball him at like $500 and just beat the piss outta it...then swap all the working stuff onto your car or what have you...exhaust, spoiler, rims whatever you'd want to keep.

Yea I could, but I kinda feel bad offering a price that low to someone I know. On the other hand, no mention of the ticking noise was made until we went all the way to Philipsburg and started the car.

- Justin

[foff667]

You could always low ball him at like $500 and just beat the piss outta it...then swap all the working stuff onto your car or what have you...exhaust, spoiler, rims whatever you'd want to keep.

Yea I could, but I kinda feel bad offering a price that low to someone I know. On the other hand, no mention of the ticking noise was made until we went all the way to Philipsburg and started the car.

- Justin

if hes planning on just junking the car why the hell not...id be like look you and I both know the car has issues, hopefully I'll be able to fix them but as it stands the cars not worth more then $500 to me...maybe he'll say $700 and you'll have a decent deal & like i said it looks like alot of that stuff should be able to swap right over...worse comes to worse you could always sell the motor to the dohc nuts out there that are willing to pay $500 for that motor(they are out there)

[foff667]

edmunds says anywhere between $800-1080 for private party...id still say just offer $500 & go from there.