Always check your AC drain tube

Towards the end of 2023, new Z32 client gave the go ahead to replace a missing AC Fanbelt on Z32 VG30DETT that just had a heater-core swap and had the E85 tune “touched up” on a LINK Plug & Play setup.

The client was a bit miffed this ZX specialist was not interested in cleaning up a variety of defects on the vehicle but such is.

Besides the few 1% defects under the bonnet weren’t the big issues, however both the AC Compressor & idler bearings sounded like a spoon in a blender so the mystery of why no fanbelt fitted makes sense. Swap out the units, replace system O-rings & a re-gas and car was heating and cooling like a champ…then the idle starts running rough & hunting around…then real rough coughing sputtering… then 2 cylinders develop a hard mis…here we go!

Que the investigation – check connectors, check loom continuity, check ignition PTU & Coil units, check injector pulse which ultimately led us to finding the wrong kind of powder for electronics inside the ECU case!

This is a real world example of why you should clear your drains, condensation leaked out of AC Core onto – inside the ECU casing. Being this LINK was a board upgrade style unit, it had the same chance of keeping any moisture out like an OEM unit = not much.

Following the water lines left on the casing, gravity dictated where to inspect for the issue – An AC Core unit drain hose left unplugged (presumably when the heater-core was exchanged) and a client with a unsalvageable ecu situation.

This is an simple error that takes no more than 60 seconds to check (any Z32 owner should be aware of this phenomenon, specialist or not) that has caused several thousand dollars fallout to the client – disgraceful efforts…anyways moving forwards #ConceptAutoInd reconnected the drain and went to work finding a ECU solution.

General rule of thumb is “dont replace sh*t with sh*t”, with a replacement LINK unit being comparatively expensive as a Haltech Platinum Pro Plug In…we went the Haltech route because why wouldn’t you?

Drop the new unit in, threw a Haltech Flex Fuel Sensor on the fuel setup for safe measure, adjust a few base settings and this Z32 was purring ready for the tuners!

We ended up replacing all the engine soft fuel lines with replacement EFI clamps & a new fuel filter and arrived @ a fun 270kws @ Hubs.