Al Savage's 1983 wagon

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Carimbo
Posts: 467
Joined: 18 years ago

#46

Post by Carimbo »

asavage wrote:Both inner tie rod ends loose.
I have not seen the inner tie rod ends yet. Can you describe them? There is a definite clunk in my steering (SOMETIMES while first moving the steering wheel somewhat aggressively at rest/very low speeds/certain attitudes) but have not been able to identify it. Driver's side outer tie rod end "marginally" loose but not that much...
asavage wrote:The trip meter is just as dark and hard to see at night as my '82's.
The illumination path to the trip odo is weak, but I think the number wheels also get dirty. Mine is hard to see during daytime! Esp. the tenths.
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asavage
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#47

Post by asavage »

Carimbo wrote:I have not seen the inner tie rod ends yet. Can you describe them?
I have a rebuilt rack at work with a frozen inner, and a new replacement inner. I'll try to remember to take a pic of it tomorrow. It requires a thin 24mm wrench to remove it, to hold the rack IIRC. I bought a Snap-On 24mm crowfoot off eBay and spent considerable time grinding it narrower to fit. I haven't gotten around to actually removing the frozen one and installing the new one, but it looks to be a piece of cake with the rack out. With the rack installed, you'll need to round up a new boot too, of course, and alignment is necessary afterward.

I bought the inner from another eBay seller, they seem to be widely available and not very expensive.
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

#48

Post by glenlloyd »

Al
Does the '83 send out a plume like the '82 when you "pour on the coal"?

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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#49

Post by asavage »

I haven't driven it during daylight ever, but judging from the nighttime rear view last night, I think it does, yes. The opacity is hard to judge at night; our highway isn't busy enough to be lit.
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.
goglio704
Posts: 726
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: East Tennessee

#50

Post by goglio704 »

If it was closer, I'd still like to have it. I'd pull the carpet, patch the holes from the inside by whatever means I could figure out. If it looked like hell, I'd probably build a wooden cargo box to hide the carnage. Use it like a little covered pickup until the wheels fell off. I know, I have a problem. :roll:
Matt B.

83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles
82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD
glenlloyd
Posts: 640
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Des Moines, Iowa

#51

Post by glenlloyd »

goglio704 wrote:If it was closer, I'd still like to have it.
Didn't you just get another one?? Your problem sounds similar to mine!

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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#52

Post by asavage »

In the short term, it's certainly fixable. There's enough solid flange on the bottom to attach to, and the area to be patched is flat. I was thinking about it tonight, it could be done with pretty minimal effort.
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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asavage
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#53

Post by asavage »

Carimbo wrote:I have not seen the inner tie rod ends yet. Can you describe them?
Some pictures (click on any image for larger).

This is one end of the steering rack:
Image


This shows where the inner tie rod end mates to the rack. The rack has two flats; the tie rod end four.
Image


New boot, new tie rod end, lock plate, nut, o-ring (for what?), and the rack holding tool I modified:
Image
Image Image


The Snap-On 24mm crowfoot that I severely ground thinner. It doesn't look like much, but that represents a lot of bench grinder time:
Image Image
(no, I'm not naked while taking that last pic, I'm merely fleshy)
goglio704
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Location: East Tennessee

#54

Post by goglio704 »

How important is it to hold the rack? When I changed mine they weren't all that tight. The movable part of the rack doesn't turn in the stationary part. Is there a risk of damage if a second wrench isn't used?
Matt B.

83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles
82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD
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asavage
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#55

Post by asavage »

Yes. There is a high chance of damaging/deforming the rack if you don't take up the torque with a backup wrench. Which is why I made the tool (following the FSM on that one).

They don't need to be monster tight, but are supposed to have a lock plate to prevent major loosening. Note that the "rebuilt" rack shown above, with the water-damaged/rusty/frozen inner tie rod end (one side only) has no lock plate :roll:
Last edited by asavage 17 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
Carimbo
Posts: 467
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#56

Post by Carimbo »

OK, thanks, yes, now I see it-- the inner ball joint, shown in the '82 FSM p. ST-20 "Side rod inner ball joint." Thought I had studied this before.

That's going to be hard to identify as the source of the thumping sound in-car.

For reassembly, FSM calls for threadlocking agent and bending the lockwasher over the inner socket (the flats on the inner tierod end?)

Guessing that o-ring
asavage wrote:(for what?)
is replacement for the one on what they call the inner tube (diagram SST428, p. ST-20).
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asavage
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#57

Post by asavage »

Today, the '83 Wagon sucked up the whole thing.
asavage wrote:Oh, the CC doesn't work. The console light lights up, but no action. Most likely another vacuum leak to sort out.
Hose was off the vacuum tree on the top of the vacuum pump. Haven't tested it yet, but I'm guessing that will fix it.
asavage wrote:Balljoints are tight, no zerks. Both inner tie rod ends loose.
Boy, was I wrong.

I had both front tires off today, swapping on alloys. Right inner tie rod end is bad, the boot's bad, and the rack is leaking on that end (I've said all that before).

However, both balljoints are loose, and the left one is very loose. How I missed that one, I don't know. Outer tie rod ends are good.

All the v-belts are new. More on this . . .

I began today by planning to swap on two different tires to the front, then drive it to ascertain if the vibration at 50+ diminished. I never got that far, however.

First, I swapped on two alloy wheels/tires. Found the balljoints issue. Adjusted tire pressures, locked up shop and backed it out to go drive it on the highway. Bang, the PS belt snaps. Let this be a lesson to you: don't try /(as I did) to shortcut the correct way to change the LD28 PS belt. Last year, I had jammed/forced it in, instead of removing the fan clutch and water pump sheave. And the belt lasted about ten miles.

Image


So I walk over to the parts store, get a new belt (Gates, in stock!). At first, the counterman said he didn't have it and then I said, "you didn't ask a key question.". He looked at me and said, (altogether now, you've all heard this one many times by now) "It isn't a diesel, is it?". When we got that straightened out, he had the correct belt after all!

Walked back to the shop, pulled the fan clutch, sheave. Tip: leave alt. belt on to provide tension to aid in removing fan clutch nuts (10mm wrench). Use ratchet/22mm socket on alternator nut to turn engine over to get each nut to 12 o'clock.

Image Image



Installed new PS belt, reinstalled sheave and alt. belt, put all four fan clutch nuts on one at a time, got distracted by a customer coming round to the back of our (closed) shop, and when I got back to the job I had forgotten that I hadn't tightened the fan clutch nuts. Yup, you know how this story ends you think, but it's worse than that even . . .

Meanwhile, I keep looking at this major leaking valve cover gasket, and thinking how easy it would be to solve that oil leak while I've got the time and the gasket in hand (have had the VC gasket for over a year, Fel-Pro).

Fel-Pro VC gasket VS 50215 R (box says, "Replaces 13270-V0702")
from RockAuto.com, $14
from NAPA online, $17

Victor VS38333 (NAPA NGAVS38333)
from NAPA, $19

OEM 13270-V0702
from nismoparts.com, $26

So I pull the VC. One hose to the Crankcase Depression Regulator (or whatever Nissan calls it), disconnect accel cable to IP at the cable sheave and move it off to one side, and eight 10mm head bolts, cover comes right off.


Image

A bit of work with a couple of cans of brake cleaner . . .

Image Image

BTW, this is where that special valve adjust wrench comes in handy, if you're adjusting the valves (which I didn't). Or, use a 17mm crowsfoot adapter, as Matt mentioned.

Image Image

And a whole lot more work (like 40 minutes) on the valve cover itself, mostly with the Castrol SuperClean, and finishing up with a can of brake cleaner . . . .
Image Image

Next problem: the VC bolts have rubber seals in the washers. The FSM doesn't show them very well, but the Parts Catalogue does. They are 13275-V0700, $2.58 each.

Image Image

The Fel-Pro and Victor VC gaskets do not come with those seals, and they're hard as a rock on this Wagon. FLAPS had no suggestion, so I went to the hardware store and got creative: faucet washers, "1/4M", 0.39 ea. and in stock.

Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

Had to remove the sholders of the hard-as-a-rock OEM seal washer material, so the faucet washers would have a flat sealing surface. A 15/64 bit run through the center of each washer makes it just thread on the bolt -- don't over-drill.

Those washers "squish" well when installed. They are not terribly oil resistant, I'll bet, so I don't expect them to last years and years.

With the VC back on, I locked up the shop for like the fourth time and drove it to the car wash, hosed down the engine of all the loose oil from running with the leaking VC gasket over the past year. Also determined that the wiper blades aren't, anymore.

Drove 1/2 mi. to the biodiesel trailer, was able to force two whole gallons ($7.50) of BD into the tank, slopped some on the side of the Wagon too. This Wagon had a full tank of fuel when I got it, I've used less than two gallons in the 14 mos. since I got it. The fuel is years old, and I wanted to mix some BD in it.

Drove away from the BD trailer, got about a mile, and the fan came off into the radiator. Tore up the fan shroud too, swiped a bunch of radiator fins but no leaks --I don't know why not. Eventually got it back to the shop, walked to the FLAPS again, picked up a studs kit to replace the four bent and mangled studs on the water pump (and one wiper blade, they only had one). An hour later, I had the studs replaced and the fan back on.

Lock up the shop for like the sixth time today, get in the Wagon and glow it, and "click". Dead starter. If you know the beginning of the saga of this Wagon, you know that Myrna had several people try to help her get it running, and at some point someone stole the starter. It got replaced but I had noticed that it was through-bolted at the top. Well, I had to remove the starter now, and I found that it was through-bolted both top and bottom.

Worse, when I got it out, it turns out to be not an LD starter! I'm guessing here, but my guess is that it's a 2.4l or 280Z starter. And worse yet, one of the correct starter mounting bolts is hanging in the trans cooler lines, and when I clean it up, it's got aluminum thread bits in the threads. So the trans' holes are likely stripped. Hence the through-bolts. Sigh.

Image

I get it up on the bench, and yup, this is the fourth bad solenoid on Nissan starters that I've had in, what three months? Sigh.

So, I spent all day on this Wagon and never did get to test the cruise control nor determine if tire balance is my high speed vibration. And now the Wagon will have to suffer the indignity of being pushed out of the shop tomorrow, because I need the bay for real, paying work.

Steve, I tried man, I really tried. I'll get to it, eventually.
Last edited by asavage 17 years ago, edited 3 times in total.
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

#58

Post by glenlloyd »

asavage wrote:Steve, I tried man, I really tried. I'll get to it, eventually.
I know...we all have days like this when one thing compounds into another. Just sorry to hear about the distractions and the extra work from the fan debacle.

Also sorry to hear that the ball joints were not as expected. They aren't horific to replace but as you recall my car needed them as well, and although they weren't totally shot it wasn't worth running around hoping that they wouldn't fail.

The car that provided my donor strut housings was buried beneath a pile of other cars to be crushed. I had to dig out the lower control arms and cut themwith a hacksaw. When I pulled the passenger strut assembly out the chunk of lower control arm that was still attached just fell off...now that's a bad ball joint!

I'm kind of sorry myself since I pointed you to this wagon in the first place!

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!
goglio704
Posts: 726
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: East Tennessee

#59

Post by goglio704 »

I have some of the valve cover sealing washers on order from Nismoparts.com. I'll be curious to see what a new one looks like. I can't place it now, but I think they may be included in a full gasket set from Felpro. They normally list individual part numbers in the documentation that comes in a kit. With such a number, maybe these can be bought individually from Felpro? I have never seen an electronic catalog for Felpro. Anybody else?

Al,

Did you do something to prevent the brake cleaner and grunge from the cam case from draining to the pan? I have a theory that a little brake cleaner will probably flash out of the oil rather quickly, but I have lots of theories. :roll:

Is "FLAPS" shorthand for friendly local auto parts store? I thought it was a chain. :oops: :oops: I can be slow. :oops: :shock: :?

I have cut a set of lower ball joints out of the control arms and replaced them before. Not fun. They were without grease fittings, and after the rubber boots dry rotted away, they didn't stand a chance.
Matt B.

83 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 5 speed, white, 130k miles. My original Maxima.
83 Maxima Sedan converted from gasser, LD28, 5 speed, 2 tone blue, 230k miles
82 Maxima Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, 2 tone Gray/Silver, 140k miles
81 810 Sedan, LD28, 3 speed auto, rust, rust, and more rust!

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD
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asavage
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Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Oak Harbor, Wash.
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#60

Post by asavage »

goglio704 wrote:I have some of the valve cover sealing washers on order from Nismoparts.com. I'll be curious to see what a new one looks like. I can't place it now, but I think they may be included in a full gasket set from Felpro. They normally list individual part numbers in the documentation that comes in a kit. With such a number, maybe these can be bought individually from Felpro?
The VC gasket shown above is a Fel-Pro, and no, there were no other parts listed on the package/box (I looked a the box again this morning). I also have a new Victor gasket, and it too has no separate parts.
Did you do something to prevent the brake cleaner and grunge from the cam case from draining to the pan? I have a theory that a little brake cleaner will probably flash out of the oil rather quickly . . .
I used two full cans to do a passable job, not removing anything like all traces of soot. Temperature about 60°F, and the stuff evaporated completely within 20 minutes. I made no attempt to prevent the brake cleaner from entering the sump, and it does not worry me. The first time the oil comes up to temp (180-200°), it'll all be gone in a hurry.
Is "FLAPS" shorthand for friendly local auto parts store?
Yup. First time I heard it was from Carimbo ;)
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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