L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

General information about the first-generation Nissan Maxima in the US. What was the Datsun 810 became the luxury leader Maxima in the US in 1981.

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glenlloyd
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Re: L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

#16

Post by glenlloyd »

asavage wrote:It's clear now, both from the Owner's Manual description and the circuit diagram, that the OD console switch powers the OD "Cancel" solenoid when the switch is in the "ON" posistion. That really makes the OD "Cancel" solenoid an OD "Enable" solenoid, and without power to that solenoid, you get no overdrive.
I figured that was how it worked, same as my Dodge B250 OD switch. The switch is "on", no OD, switch "off" OD.
asavage wrote:Steve, I was down where my gasser '83 L4N71B is stored tonight, and I snapped a picture. I know, the lighting's bad (I was in there with a flashlight). If you want better pics & measurements, let me know and I'll drag it out from under the bench it's under and try to do a better job.
Al, what I wanted to see, and there's no rush on this at all, is the undercarriage of the 83 Maxi, and how the crossmember setup works, so I have something to compare to my car. Again, no hurry, you have other issues to work out.

SA
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asavage
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Re: L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

#17

Post by asavage »

glenlloyd wrote:I figured that was how it worked, same as my Dodge B250 OD switch. The switch is "on", no OD, switch "off" OD.
No, that's not how I see the '83 Maxi working. With the switch in the OFF position, no current to the OD Cancel solenoid, and no OD. That's backward from the '88 Dodge van I drove, where it defaults to ON, and you have to push the dash button to turn it OFF. Is yours different? Or am I confusing the Dodge B350 with a Ford? It happens, when you're in as many rigs as I am.

The OD light in the switch is completely independent of the switch, in that it's controlled by the OD pressure switch in the trans. Wayne, you want to weigh in on this?
Al, what I wanted to see, and there's no rush on this at all, is the undercarriage of the 83 Maxi, and how the crossmember setup works, so I have something to compare to my car. Again, no hurry, you have other issues to work out.
When I get it up to reconnect the driveshaft, I'll take some pics. There is a lot of dried mud under this car though, so some detail will be lost.
Regards,
Al S.

1982 Maxima diesel wagon, 2nd & 4th owner, 165k miles, rusty & burgundy/grey. Purchased 1996, SOLD 16Feb10
1983 Maxima diesel wagon, 199k miles, rusty, light yellow/light brown. SOLD 14Jul07
1981 720 SD22 (scrapped 04Sep07)
1983 Sentra CD17, 255k, bought 06Jul08, gave it away 22Jun10.
glenlloyd
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Location: Des Moines, Iowa

Re: L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

#18

Post by glenlloyd »

asavage wrote:With the switch in the OFF position, no current to the OD Cancel solenoid, and no OD. That's backward from the '88 Dodge van I drove, where it defaults to ON, and you have to push the dash button to turn it OFF. Is yours different? Or am I confusing the Dodge B350 with a Ford? It happens, when you're in as many rigs as I am.
Oh, well if that is how it works then it is opposite to the Dodge. On my van when you start it you physically have to turn the OD off, not on. When the OD light is on the OD is actually not available, so the light in this case on shows that you have the OD disengaged
asavage wrote:When I get it up to reconnect the driveshaft, I'll take some pics. There is a lot of dried mud under this car though, so some detail will be lost.
Again, there's absolutely no hurry, I'm just curious about the changes, and whether a conversion to the OD unit will require a change in the driveshaft, which at this point it looks like it does.

SA
97 Jetta TDI, 86 VW Golf D
89 VW Fox diesel, 92 MB 300SD W140

gir - won't the sploding hurt?
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asavage
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Re: L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

#19

Post by asavage »

glenlloyd wrote:I'm just curious about the changes, and whether a conversion to the OD unit will require a change in the driveshaft, which at this point it looks like it does.
I think there's a good chance that the '82 driveshaft may be used, but I still think the trans tunnel has to be enlarged. Maybe the pics will show what I'm talking about.
Regards,
Al S.

1982 Maxima diesel wagon, 2nd & 4th owner, 165k miles, rusty & burgundy/grey. Purchased 1996, SOLD 16Feb10
1983 Maxima diesel wagon, 199k miles, rusty, light yellow/light brown. SOLD 14Jul07
1981 720 SD22 (scrapped 04Sep07)
1983 Sentra CD17, 255k, bought 06Jul08, gave it away 22Jun10.
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kassim503
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#20

Post by kassim503 »

is the indicator light in the switch? whenever i had the OD engaged there was no indicator lights telling me somethings on. also i drive in a place where hills are common with a mix of unpredictable traffic so i frequently turn the OD switch on and off to prevent the OD engage/disengage surges that burn up the OD clutch pack, has anybody heard of this method wearing the switch or the cancel solenoid out?
'83 maxima sedan, l24e, a/t, black

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asavage
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#21

Post by asavage »

kassim503 wrote:is the indicator light in the switch?
Yup.
whenever i had the OD engaged there was no indicator lights telling me somethings on.
Reading the diagram, it'll only come on when the trans is actually in OD, so just turning it on won't light it. And, according to the Owner's Manual, it comes on with the rest of the bulb checks (key on, ign off; more correctly, key on, alternator not charging).
Regards,
Al S.

1982 Maxima diesel wagon, 2nd & 4th owner, 165k miles, rusty & burgundy/grey. Purchased 1996, SOLD 16Feb10
1983 Maxima diesel wagon, 199k miles, rusty, light yellow/light brown. SOLD 14Jul07
1981 720 SD22 (scrapped 04Sep07)
1983 Sentra CD17, 255k, bought 06Jul08, gave it away 22Jun10.
glenlloyd
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Location: Des Moines, Iowa

#22

Post by glenlloyd »

kassim503 wrote:also i drive in a place where hills are common with a mix of unpredictable traffic so i frequently turn the OD switch on and off to prevent the OD engage/disengage surges that burn up the OD clutch pack, has anybody heard of this method wearing the switch or the cancel solenoid out?
This is the exact reason why I'm leary about buying a used OD transmission. I know about my own vehicles but I don't know how others have driven theirs, and if this OD unit is fragile, the chance of a salvage yard unit being trashed is pretty good.

The reason they put the switch there is for the very reason that you use it. One has to understand when it's suitable to use OD and when it isn't. I turn my OD off when it's unnecessary and potentially harmful, but I know a lot of people who don't. My mother just puts her car into "D" or in her case "OD" and drives, not thinking that it really ought to be in "3" if she's staying in town.

SA
97 Jetta TDI, 86 VW Golf D
89 VW Fox diesel, 92 MB 300SD W140

gir - won't the sploding hurt?
zim - silence!
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kassim503
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#23

Post by kassim503 »

is it under the green part that says over-drive? because if it is mine dosent work
'83 maxima sedan, l24e, a/t, black

227K SOLD 6/7/2012
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asavage
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Re: L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

#24

Post by asavage »

asavage wrote:The larger problem is that I don't think that the OD trans can be backfit into the '82 and older chassis. I bought and own an '83 L4N71B from a gasser that I think will bolt up to the back of the LD28, but when I had my wagon up on a rack, I rolled the '83 AT under it, and took some measurements. The rear crossmember is in a different location but could be handled. The trans' overall length is quite close. But the back of the OD trans is fatter, and I don't think there's enough clearance in the trans tunnel.
Prompted by a good suggestion by glenlloyd, I checked the Parts Catalog.
glenlloyd wrote:Also, in your parts book does it show body parts? I'm interested in knowing if there actually is a difference in the floor pan from 82 to 83.
Wagon:

One No. for the front floor pan up to 6/82
One No. for the front floor pan from 7/82 (AT)
One No. for the front floor pan from 7/82 (MT)

IOW, the front floor is different, '81-82 and '83-84. Hah! Just as I'd guessed.
Regards,
Al S.

1982 Maxima diesel wagon, 2nd & 4th owner, 165k miles, rusty & burgundy/grey. Purchased 1996, SOLD 16Feb10
1983 Maxima diesel wagon, 199k miles, rusty, light yellow/light brown. SOLD 14Jul07
1981 720 SD22 (scrapped 04Sep07)
1983 Sentra CD17, 255k, bought 06Jul08, gave it away 22Jun10.
glenlloyd
Posts: 640
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Des Moines, Iowa

#25

Post by glenlloyd »

So we can assume from this that production for 1983 MY started in 7/82?

thx

Steve A
97 Jetta TDI, 86 VW Golf D
89 VW Fox diesel, 92 MB 300SD W140

gir - won't the sploding hurt?
zim - silence!
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asavage
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#26

Post by asavage »

That's what I'm getting from the Parts Catalog. It may not be that the MY changeover is July, only that the floor pan changed in July. That implies that if you have a July- or August-built 1982 model (if they exist), you could retrofit a L4N71B.

[VW Type IIIs were that way. Some Squarebacks & Fastbacks (and maybe Variants, I don't know) that shipped with ATs didn't have the tube in the floor pan for the clutch cable, and you couldn't retrofit the MT using stock parts. I know, my brother bought one with an AT and I lifted off the body and slid a JY MT floor pan under it, so we could convert it to MT. The garage doors never closed right again -- that was in about 1984.]
Regards,
Al S.

1982 Maxima diesel wagon, 2nd & 4th owner, 165k miles, rusty & burgundy/grey. Purchased 1996, SOLD 16Feb10
1983 Maxima diesel wagon, 199k miles, rusty, light yellow/light brown. SOLD 14Jul07
1981 720 SD22 (scrapped 04Sep07)
1983 Sentra CD17, 255k, bought 06Jul08, gave it away 22Jun10.
glenlloyd
Posts: 640
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Des Moines, Iowa

Re: L4N71B (OD AT, 1983-84)

#27

Post by glenlloyd »

asavage wrote:Wagon:

One No. for the front floor pan up to 6/82
One No. for the front floor pan from 7/82 (AT)
One No. for the front floor pan from 7/82 (MT)

IOW, the front floor is different, '81-82 and '83-84. Hah! Just as I'd guessed.
So if the OD trans cannot be shoe-horned into the early pan the only option we (1981 / 2) people have is to convert to manual gearbox, which you believe was not an option on wagon models for 1982.

Also, is the MT pan part number for 7/82 up the same as the part number for ALL up to 6/82?

Steve a
97 Jetta TDI, 86 VW Golf D
89 VW Fox diesel, 92 MB 300SD W140

gir - won't the sploding hurt?
zim - silence!
diesel-man
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Location: Elkton, MD

#28

Post by diesel-man »

Guys:
Ya'll just don't know the "fun" ya'll are tryin' to heap on your selves with these 83 OD trannies. Anybody hoping for one that lives on anything but flat land is gonna be like the kids after Halloween and Easter. (a belly full) Six months from now the longest Topic is gonna be 5 pages long...........

What I'm driving right now is 83 auto OD 158K with the tranny slipping the last 50K+. Probably looking at $1500. - $1800 to rebuild.

I told you so
glenlloyd
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Location: Des Moines, Iowa

#29

Post by glenlloyd »

diesel-man wrote:What I'm driving right now is 83 auto OD 158K with the tranny slipping the last 50K+. Probably looking at $1500. - $1800 to rebuild.

I told you so
Yes, we know, but we're all wondering how to get a few more mpg.

Is the problem in the transmission or the OD unit? If it's the trans I would think that all you would need is a good used 3 speed auto tranny from 81/82 to fix it. If it's the OD unit then that's a different story, but if it were the OD unit, just disengage the OD unit, and that should resolve that problem, shouldn't it? Then you'd be back to a 3 speed trans.

I'd prefer to convert auto to manual gearbox but it's still a hassle.

Steve A
97 Jetta TDI, 86 VW Golf D
89 VW Fox diesel, 92 MB 300SD W140

gir - won't the sploding hurt?
zim - silence!
diesel-man
Deceased
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Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Elkton, MD

#30

Post by diesel-man »

but if it were the OD unit, just disengage the OD unit, and that should resolve that problem, shouldn't it? Then you'd be back to a 3 speed trans.
I think it is time to go back and read this topic from the beginning. That is a wonderful start on thinking outside of the box, but the engineers that designed the car have installed a few potholes to short circuit your theory. Not being mean, but if I give the answers out again nobody will have learned anything....like cheating on a test. Ya'll are just going to have to do the open book test here and pass or fail, unless Al wants to save everyone from all that learnin. Deiseleliminator has spent weeks diagnosing his overheating problem (and maybe it will turn out the same) but overlooked what was asked like three times about his thermostat.

It isn't just the OD unit, it is also the torque converter. So ya'll are looking for two things in this topic.

I had a 83 Maxi wagon that I took to South Dakota in 1990, and an 82 Maxi wagon to South Dakota in 1991. Both cars were overloaded with a lot of weight, and they both got about 30 to 32mpg. I regretted forgetting that, when I went to Cincinnati OH in 2001 in a 83 Maxi wagon. (long hills)

How good all this candy (optimism) is gonna taste going down!!

** This sarcasm is not directed at any one person, only those that intend on driving their Maxi uphill or in a city.**

I met my wife 14 yrs ago and the first time she laid eyes on me was in my 1981 Maxi sedan (auto). I drove it about 60K+ and reverse has been out since I got it, for $300. You just don't pull into a space headed downhill. Anyhow after I told her later on that evening that I was an auto mechanic, she was thinking how the car had that "chuck" "chuck" "chuck" (diesel) sound and thought what kind of Mickey Mouse mechanic is he if he can't even keep his own car sounding right?

The OD trans may get you some better fuel mileage, but the cost will be greater than the benefit. Trans slippage, torque converter slippage, initial cost. In the end most will agree it is not worth it when some larger rear tires will offset the problem. The engine will not last an extra mile with one trans or the other.

When ya'll git done beatin' yo head (floorpans) agin the wall...I told you so :wink:
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