6th Feb 2013, 23:15
Can you tell me what vacuum lines, including the plastic ones, you replaced? Please send to... Rexmaster6183@gmail.com
22nd Apr 2013, 01:21
I own a Lumina Z34 1993 with a 3.4L DOHC V-6 engine. Although it is 20 years old, it only has 75,000 miles. The previous owner was my mother.
The timing belt is due for replacement. The more I read about the problems replacing this belt, the more nervous I become. Special tools are needed, access is difficult, and I have read many negative comments regarding the actual task of replacement. I am not a mechanic. The local mechanic says he can replace this, but it is difficult. Okay, my question. Do you trust a local guy with many years of experience, or do you go to a dealer who will charge you more, but one assumes he has the correct tools and knowledge. Service departments at dealerships are notoriously staffed by younger guys learning the trade. Where do I go?
Is this task so difficult that trusting a local guy is stupid? How do I know he has the correct tools? Do you absolutely need the correct tools?
uzpeep@gmail.com, Martinsburg, WV
25th Apr 2013, 18:27
Most mechanics use "difficult to replace" to jack up the price, & most times they are! If you accept the price, well they'll do it!
However IF you are mechanically inclined, your fears are bigger than the actual process!
Wanna save money? Spend it on the tools you need! First buy the book that the pros use from Helm Publishing. They may cost up to $300.00 for the set, but if you plan on a hobby (which this car is) it's well worth it!
I've replaced mine 3 times! But I have 3 Z34s & 1 EURO SPORT 3.4 Sedan!
It's easier than replacing the darn alternator, & if you do have to, PowerMaster has the best for this car, because of the high RPM this car achieves (7000). It's built for speed, and not only that, but with the goodies you add on to this car (wires, coils, chips, music, etc) I buy the 140 amp model; these car require a lot of energy to perform well. I use Bosch; it has the most amps per price.
11th Jul 2014, 04:43
I realize it's been a few years since this post, but where is this vacuum canister in the dash that you resolved for $100? I'm having the same A/C issues under acceleration, where the air blowing out of the vents is diverted to the floor.
Thanks. Howsthatgrabya@verizon.net
11th Aug 2014, 12:36
I've just purchased a 93 Z34, and since I got it it idles to a 3500 "rev limit" till it warms up, but just recently it has stayed at 2000 to 2500 RPM even after it warms up. Just wondering if you knew what the problem may be, or any options I've got for getting it fixed? Thanks in advance.
19th Oct 2014, 02:09
No clue on how to fix, but my Grandma had a mid 90's Regal that did something similar, and her mechanic was baffled.
23rd Dec 2014, 18:26
You know, I love my Z. My main problem is with dying and not restarting. Maybe 24 hours, maybe two days... suddenly it fires right up and runs great, then POW... anywhere, anytime the engine would start to misfire... then die. Over and over.
I replaced everything... crank sensor, TPS, MAP... anyway... it is, and always has been the ICM. Behind the coil packs. Even tested good on a bench. It's the ICM on these cars that gets hot and flexes the board... cools... board comes back together. The parts guy had to run the test 4 times to get the ICM up to temp to get it to fail.
22nd Jul 2012, 07:06
I love mine, but it is not cheap to keep, and if it breaks down out of your comfort zone, they can really rake you over as far as prices to fix whatever goes wrong. And if it has more than 60k miles, it can be little things like belts and hoses, which at home may not be a big problem.
But when it comes to taking your family on a long trip, I think the car is too temperamental, and I would give a lot of thought and research before making a purchase intended to use as you have described. For your family and pocket book, I believe you should be looking for a more simple car, not one of the first of its kind.
I too was taken in by its before its time look, and the feel of the way it drove, but I found out it has its faults, just like any other, but unfortunately this model has a few more than its share.
The 3.1 engine is a much better choice for a person looking for this car, but in a more dependable and far less costly to maintain type of Chevy. I have always been a GM man, and this is only my opinion, and I am not a mechanic, but when I hear a job that I used to do myself using junk yard parts costing $10.00, and when taken to a pro, I get estimates that start at $500.00 for same exact part installed, it has to make me wonder if I let the looks and feel of a new one, make my judgement unclear about future cost down the road.
I do NOT recommend this car as a reliable source of transportation, unless you have plenty of money and time to not have to use it as an every day car! I wish you the best of luck, and I have been researching about mine for years now, and this is my conclusion overall. If your main concern is keeping your family safe, this is not the used car for you.
I hope I was of some help, and I hope you make the decision to keep your family safe, rather than the great looks of this car, which is and was one of the first of its kind! I say this as one who has had one sitting in driveway, now useful to me only as a paper weight, until I find out if the outlay of the funds is worth it.
Make no mistake, they are planned by GM this way, and they will go no matter how well the car has been maintained. It is just the way of doing business in the automotive market today, and in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, etc.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU & FAMILY. Hope this helps, or is not just way too late, as I don't know how old these posts are.