17” Alloy Wheel Choice - Birthday Treat

[Martin Sullivan]

My zed hasn’t got a front end at the moment. I was putting it back together but found a stud for the power steering cooling loop is broken. The only way I can see to fix it is to remove the front bumper.
I caught my arm one of the horns too. It broke.
The other side is knackered so that’s to be some as well. Doh!

I kept an alloy on the passenger seat of my company car until this evening. I do a lot of miles, it made for good company!

 

[Dakar Z3]

Hi Martin,

I'm sure I saw comment regarding the exhaust on your car but can't find it now, removal of the exhaust from the manifold/cat's, I have the same issue with my car. The nuts are so badly corroded they don't even resemble nuts now. Adrian (Synclare) told me the studs are a press fit and they can be removed to replace with new studs and nuts, which is exactly what I need, I'm taking my car to a friend who has a garage as I'm sure you will need heat to remove the old studs, problem is I can't find replacement splined studs to replace the old? Worst case I will get him to fit new bolts and nuts.
I'll keep you updated, does your car have the twin manifold/cat then a twin system to the back? I'm sure it will have.

John

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Had the rusted nuts problem on mine a while back, the studs came out with heat but you'll have to be careful, the flange started to split around the holes. Got round it with washers but a bit fiddly all the same.

 

[t-tony]

You do need to get the flange at least red hot but then they come out easily.

Tony.

 

[Dakar Z3]

Had the rusted nuts problem on mine a while back, the studs came out with heat but you'll have to be careful, the flange started to split around the holes. Got round it with washers but a bit fiddly all the same.

Thank you for your much needed comments.

John

 

[Dakar Z3]

You do need to get the flange at least red hot but then they come out easily.

Tony.

Thank you Tony, much needed tips, I will not be carrying out the work but my friend at the Garage will be pleased with the additional info.

John

 

[Martin Sullivan]

Hi John,

yes, we had a chat about it over the alloys and I PM’d you a link to another thread which in turn had some more useful links.

I have that same exhaust and I am in the same position.
So far my plan is to come up with a plan
The previous comments are useful!

I suspect I’ll go to a garage for help. My local independent is mega busy and said he’d rather not get involved.
Does anyone have any recommendations for Cambridge?

 

[Martin Sullivan]

This is the link I referred to:

Need help with exhaust flange bolts on 3.0L!!

I'm trying to take my exhaust apart below engine bay after catalytic, but all four of the bolts on the flanges are rusted. If i grind the bolts off are they replaceable or are the bolts welded to the flange on the engine side of the joint?

zroadster.org

which includes this link by @mrscalex, the whole read is interesting but see page 5 for the exhaust bit:

2.2 engine replacement project

Small correction and expansion on my earlier message about the perished vacuum connector. It was connected to the fuel supply as I thought (well the pressure regulator) but it's to the black hard plastic pipe as it comes up off the chassis and not the blue one which it's tied to. As it comes...

zroadster.org

 

[mrscalex]

There is a way of doing it without the torch. Though I've only done it out of the car. It involves cutting a relief slot with an angle grinder in each of the 4 bolt 'ears'. That allows the spline a small amount more wriggle room to knock out - once the nut is also cut-off. It works well and does not compromise the gas seal. I've done it previously with no issues.

Funnily enough I'll probably be having a go at doing this on the car sometime in the not too distant future. I'm going to practice on an arrangement off the car first to see if I can get in properly when it's on the car. Luckily I have a spare exhaust with the manifold cut beyond the flanges off a scrap car to practice on.

But don't hold your breath! The Z3s have had to take a back seat for many months now and I'm only just starting to think about getting back on them.

 

[filipeSRZ]

Dear all, I have a black 3.0i facelift model, also with style 64 wheels.
Perhaps just like Martin, I feel that the wheels seem too small for the arches.
Can this be compensated with spacer? If so, which ones should I put?
thanks
Filipe