jonesy510 Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 hello my ratsun family. after owning my goon for awhile this weekend is going to b the first long trip i take it on. Im plannin on driving it from my moms house to my apt which is a 3-3 1/2 hr drive from santa maria cali down to fullerton cali. i have driven my goon around for 3 plus hrs before but this is the first time its going to b on the freeway for a long time. anyways im going to drive my goon around today and make sure everything is working good and do a final check before i take it down to so cal with me to b my dd once again sense i put the new motor in. anyways i was wondering if any of u guys would b willing to help me out if i happen to break down on the side of the road between santa barbra and fullerton. i was plannin on taken it slow the whole trip and will have a couple of pit stops along the way. anyways it will b greatly appreciated if anyone would b willing to help me out if i get stuck in a city near you :P just shoot me a pm with ur number. wish me luck........ damn that made it sound like its a life or death situation. haha :rofl: :D Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I know the feeling. In a way it's like being an explorer, out there on your own without a net, problem solving and quick thinking on your feet. Preparation is key. Check all fluids and carry a few tools, parts like a spare fan belt and a manual. I've driven my 620 from BC to Ontario and back 6-7 times. If anything had gone wrong I know it would have been something unforeseen. Life on the road....it's the greatest adventure there is. Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 In the 1970's I used to pull a horse trailer to horse shows with my 521 pickup. I also sometimes used my dad's Ford F-250. I have had my Datsun and horse trailer as far south as Grants Pass, and far north as Vancouver, BC, as far west as Seaside, and as far east as Joseph, OR or Colfax, Washington. I have towed a boat with the 521 down to Lake Shasta, Bass lake in California, and back home, to Portland OR. The Datsun was more reliable on the road than the Ford. Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 haha thanx mike and daniel!! i have been to grants pass before thats awesome ur 521!!! and ya sense i have been driving my goon around town it seems alot more reliable then my s10.... damn i hate my s10... and my trip to santa Barbara there is a small hill and my goon actually pulled up the hill better then my truck!!! im just kinda nervous because this is my first project that i have done with the help of one of my friends and its been quite and adventure. the only other real project i have been really apart of was when my dad rebuilt his harley. and well it ran great but for his first trip he didnt have any rear brakes haha and he drove it to laughlin nv.. i think its about a 2 day ride but not entirely sure. Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 you will be fine i drive my datto from vacaville cali to seaside cali rather regularly to see my girlfriend (3 hour drive) you will be fine Quote Link to comment
74datsun620 Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Datsun's love trips! My 620 has gone from chicago to california with a miget in the back. I even tricked my wife to go on 7 hour trip to datsun museum ,cruised 80 all the way. I do carry tools and spares. Quote Link to comment
yellowdatsun Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Tools, bring plenty of tools. Make sure you have all your normal metric wrenches, 10mm to 19mm, some screwdrivers, channel locks, adjustable wrench, needle nose, vise grips, wire cutters and strippers, and so forth. Make sure you have your lug wrench, and I also always carry a flat repair plug kit on trips plus a can of fix-o-flat just in case. Extra oil, electrical tape, fuses............... I've had to fix my 510 in parking lots on trips before, and if I hadn't brought my tools I would have been screwed with a HUGE tow bill. Never had a problem so bad that I couldn't limp to a parts store to get what I needed though. Alternators seem to take a dump more often than anything else. Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Do Not Forget Duct Tape And Bailing Wire!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 haha ya well today i drove my goon all day and she is running great!! drove her up and down the freeway and i only found one problem. the problem is my temp gauge. i have been working on getting all the air out of the cooling system today and final said fuck it and by passed my heater. i drove it around after i by passed it and the gauge still reads hot. i put a thermometer in the water in the rad while the car was running and it wasnt over 160!! i think tops it got up to 170!! :angry: :angry: :angry: the thermostat is brand new when it opens the water flows beautifully and leads me to believe that maybe the gauge is bad and or something with the wiring... so tomorro im going to drive it around my local area before i head out and mess around with it a lil more.... im thinking ill stop about half way to check all my goodies to make sure everything is fine beacuse i really dont wanna run into problems when i get into la :( Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 This is from my service manual for a 521 pickup. Disconnect the wire from the temp sender on the engine, and connect a 40 ohm resistor to the wire, and ground. The thermometer should indicate approximately 176 degrees. I believe that is the line in the temp gauge. I am going to suggest that they would use the same temp sender in all the Datsun models, and so the same test should work with a 510. I got a 40 ohm resistor by going to a Radio Shack store, and buying four 10 ohm resistors, and connecting them together, in series. Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 i think you have a short to ground when you disconnect the sender wire and ground it the gauge should read full hot Quote Link to comment
gokiburix Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 haha ya well today i drove my goon all day and she is running great!! drove her up and down the freeway and i only found one problem. the problem is my temp gauge. i have been working on getting all the air out of the cooling system today and final said fuck it and by passed my heater. i drove it around after i by passed it and the gauge still reads hot. i put a thermometer in the water in the rad while the car was running and it wasnt over 160!! i think tops it got up to 170!! :angry: :angry: :angry: the thermostat is brand new when it opens the water flows beautifully and leads me to believe that maybe the gauge is bad and or something with the wiring... so tomorro im going to drive it around my local area before i head out and mess around with it a lil more.... im thinking ill stop about half way to check all my goodies to make sure everything is fine beacuse i really dont wanna run into problems when i get into la :( good luck, buddy! We'll hang when you and your goon are in town! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 ....the problem is my temp gauge. i have been working on getting all the air out of the cooling system today and final said fuck it and by passed my heater. i drove it around after i by passed it and the gauge still reads hot. i put a thermometer in the water in the rad while the car was running and it wasnt over 160!! i think tops it got up to 170!! :angry: :angry: :angry: :( A large air bubble would insulate the sender and it would read low as the heated water would not be in contact with it. If the gas gauge is fine then it isn't the voltage regulator in the dash. This leaves the temp meter itself or the sender in the thermostat housing. Easiest thing is to replace the sender with another. I think they are a 17mm socket size. Use some plumber's Teflon tape on the threads. Although you 'know' the real temp is 160-170 it's stressful to see the gauge reading high. For now whatever it reads on the gauge is now the normal operating temp. Just keep an eye on it and only be concerned if it climbs higher. Keep a wrench that fits it handy and watch for a wrecking yard and pick one up, maybe in your travels. The L16 is $15 at the dealer, L20B about twice that. Quote Link to comment
HRH Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Get a infrared temperature gun from Harbor freight or NAPA and spot the radiator. The last time that happened to me was in a previous wagon, and it was due to wirligig leaves in the radiator that I couldn't see. Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 i do have the sender from my l16 that i know is good... well it was good when i pulled the motor out at least.. so ill try replacing that. and i will check out harbor freight today too. i have a new vw rabbit rad in my goon so i know the rad shouldnt have a problem keeping the motor cool. but ill try everything u guys said and thankx for the help!!! Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 o and goki ill give u a txt wen i enter fullerton mayb i can stop buy and show u my goon real quick if ur not busy Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 i do have the sender from my l16 that i know is good... well it was good when i pulled the motor out at least.. so ill try replacing that. and i will check out harbor freight today too. i have a new vw rabbit rad in my goon so i know the rad shouldnt have a problem keeping the motor cool. but ill try everything u guys said and thankx for the help!!! did you accidently knock the temp sender at all? i removed mine to clean up my themostat housing and after that it stoped working had to replace it autozone unfortunatly is the only place that stocks them (i hate autozone) and it was about $11 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 They are cheap. Throw away for that price and run a new one. Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 i bought a laser thermomater and my water was perfect so i think the sender just finally went out. its a stock sender so the only thing thats left to check is the sender. i did the whole ground the wire and it was good so i will check replace the sender and see wat happens. and yea i hate autozone too!!!! every time i go in there i feel like i grow a lil dumber.... but for some reason they always have random parts for my car so i cant hate it to much.... Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 im about midway if ya need something... Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted February 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 haha thanx hang but i made it all in one piece!!! i decided that i will just keep going until it broke but it never did. i got kinda nervous wen i got into la i think it got a lil hot but when i got to my place a used the laser thermometer and everything was about 180 ;) u guys are right dattos love traveling!! there is a decent grade in between oxnard and thousand oaks and my goon pulled it better then my new truck!!! the goon was passing cars no problem going up it and i was taking it slow!!. once i got on the 5 south she seemed to wake up a lil more and seem to have even a lil bit more power in her...... or mayb i was just gettin on the gas a lil more haha..... all in all the goon ran like a top :lol: now to take it to carson on friday for the monthly meet :) Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 there is a decent grade in between oxnard and thousand oaks and my goon pulled it better then my new truck!!! i drive over that stupid hil 2x/day :angry: i got pulled over going 85 UP the conejo grade in the goon. the cop told me he clocked me 3X to make sure. then i got a 'no seatbelt' ticket instead! and i was wearing it!!! :cool: Quote Link to comment
jonesy510 Posted February 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 hahaha thats awesome!!! well minus the ticket part haha. im not sure how fast i was going cause i dont have my speedo hooked up :rolleyes: im not sure if my speedo cable is long enough but it should b... i mean arent the doglegs and the 4 speeds the same length?? Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 $10 ticket VS whatever 20mph over the limit is, anyday!!! i mean arent the doglegs and the 4 speeds the same length?? yeah, dont recall that being an issue... cant recall if the connection is at a different angle, or on the other side??? Quote Link to comment
gokiburix Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 haha thanx hang but i made it all in one piece!!! i decided that i will just keep going until it broke but it never did. i got kinda nervous wen i got into la i think it got a lil hot but when i got to my place a used the laser thermometer and everything was about 180 ;) u guys are right dattos love traveling!! there is a decent grade in between oxnard and thousand oaks and my goon pulled it better then my new truck!!! the goon was passing cars no problem going up it and i was taking it slow!!. once i got on the 5 south she seemed to wake up a lil more and seem to have even a lil bit more power in her...... or mayb i was just gettin on the gas a lil more haha..... all in all the goon ran like a top :lol: now to take it to carson on friday for the monthly meet :) STRONG WORK!!! Quote Link to comment
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