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Datsun 521 Project


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Hey Guys, I just got a 1972 Datsun 521 and I have a few questions on some stuff that i'm trying to get working. Idk how to attach photos directly onto here so click the link to see photos of what i'm referring to.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F7vzfCsH_4m_FxB9IHU0pdx_zNWSSIbOqiZDPEtDdZU/edit?usp=sharing

my first question, regarding the little quarter vent window: is the little button supposed to be able to be pressed in in order to open the window. Neither of my buttons on either side push in however my passenger side opens and closes just fine but on my drivers side, that latch that locks it in place will not move up enough to get the little window cracked. I was wondering what could be causing this?

My next question is regarding the windshield wipers and if they are supposed to wipe the window in the traditional way a modern car does, meaning moving across the windshield in the same direction or if the wipers move inward towards each as mine are doing? 

Last one for now is if you guys know anywhere I would possibly be able to get this spring for this door lock piece, as my drivers side door doesn't have it, causing my door not to lock, or if I would just have to find one by finding someone who is parting out a truck.Thanks!

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Buttons should push in to unlock the vent windows. Try WD-40 if stuck in or unlocked.

 

Wiper arms move together in the same direction. Wiper arms would have to be mounted farther apart so their tips meet if they were to meet in the middle. The '68 510 car is this way.

 

jBeu1tnHGQuXQ22HKuXME6LgGhouYlYcEQDbdBkI9dW2U5W9uhVGpwIlbbvNtt2aA6-QMY5QgG_soagduXlKPS2PmbcbMCISRpdBmTyN4FyQgDZus_gQf9LS1icpSVZ15bkDRKGi

Hardware or fastener store may have a collection of springs you could try. You can try an ad in out classified section but often keeping a classic on the road comes down to your own ingenuity.

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2 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Buttons should push in to unlock the vent windows. Try WD-40 if stuck in or unlocked.

 

Wiper arms move together in the same direction. Wiper arms would have to be mounted farther apart so their tips meet if they were to meet in the middle. The '68 510 car is this way.

 

jBeu1tnHGQuXQ22HKuXME6LgGhouYlYcEQDbdBkI9dW2U5W9uhVGpwIlbbvNtt2aA6-QMY5QgG_soagduXlKPS2PmbcbMCISRpdBmTyN4FyQgDZus_gQf9LS1icpSVZ15bkDRKGi

Hardware or fastener store may have a collection of springs you could try. You can try an ad in out classified section but often keeping a classic on the road comes down to your own ingenuity.

thanks, appreciated!

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I cleaned my engine bay yesterday and when I started it up after, the turn signals, and the fuel and temp gauges on the instrumental cluster no longer worked. I heard that these are wired to a gauge voltage regulator on the back of the instrument cluster, that is powered off a fuse. I want to check if I blew a fuse before changing the voltage reg. Is the location of this fuse in the box in the top left corner of the engine bay?

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I don't know. What I do is hold a quarter across the fuse clips. When the radio comes on or the turn signals start flashing I know that's the problem fuse. Fuses don't blow from washing the engine but they might stop making good contact. Sometimes wiggling them into a new position will fix the problem.

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14 hours ago, datzenmike said:

I don't know. What I do is hold a quarter across the fuse clips. When the radio comes on or the turn signals start flashing I know that's the problem fuse. Fuses don't blow from washing the engine but they might stop making good contact. Sometimes wiggling them into a new position will fix the problem.

got it thx

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My emergency brake does not work because it appears that I am missing everything after the front cable. After ordering this part-https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F7vzfCsH_4m_FxB9IHU0pdx_zNWSSIbOqiZDPEtDdZU/edit?usp=sharing -  looking at the owners manual the previous owner gave me and looking under my car, I feel like that horseshoe piece that I have on my truck is not the same one in the diagrams I saw in the book. Even if it is, I feel like the 2 cables I ordered are lacking a cable to loop around that horse shoe piece... Any insight on this or other parts necessary for this job that you guys know of are appreciated!

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Update: Put a multimeter up to battery while running and only was at 10 volts and pulled the positive off and the car stopped running so im going to swap the alternator.

 

Hey guys, so my 521 has been having this problem… She’ll start up fine first drive of the day but if I drive it for like 20 minutes, turn it off and then try to start it, it won’t start. I have to use a portable jumper after this and it starts up every time with that. At first I got the battery starter and alternator tested at Autozone and the alternators voltage reg failed so I replaced the voltage Reg but it didn’t solve the problem. I got the battery tested again today, a few days after the voltage reg was installed, and now it said the battery is bad. I’m thinking alternator but the first test showed it was fine and I couldn’t test the alternator again today cuz the battery was bad so it didn’t allow the test. I cleaned the alternator and battery grounds which didn’t look bad. I am thinking ill disconnect the batteries positive terminal while its running to see if the truck turns off, so I can figure out if the problem is the alternator or not. Any insight on this? let me know
 

Edited by njp.18
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buy this and not wonder what going on all the time. Its works and dont drain the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/ref=asc_df_B000EVWDU0?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80470559180558&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070138266025&psc=1

 

drive and then load the battery down by putting on the lights and heater and if the voltsage drops most liley the alternator is getting weak.

 

I would but the old volt reg back in if its a Japan made unit. I had issues with the Echling branded ones made in USA were they overvolt and cause the battery to ooze out fluid and bulge .

 

 

do not pull the cable off the battery !!!!!!!!!!!!!! They alwasy will die if the lights are on or soemthing small like that. I used to do that ck but dont do it. Get the Cig Lighter volt meter.

Autozone tester are mostly junk. I had a guy test say was good theh go back and say it was bad.  I LOAD TEST is really what is needed.

 

PS just check all the fuses and clean. lots of issues with 521 fuse boxes. Mostly corrosion making a weak connection but just enough to work

 

make sure the battery clamp didnt not crack if was overtightened.  clean batt contack/ post

Edited by banzai510(hainz)
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7 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

buy this and not wonder what going on all the time. Its works and dont drain the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/ref=asc_df_B000EVWDU0?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80470559180558&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070138266025&psc=1

 

drive and then load the battery down by putting on the lights and heater and if the voltsage drops most liley the alternator is getting weak.

 

I would but the old volt reg back in if its a Japan made unit. I had issues with the Echling branded ones made in USA were they overvolt and cause the battery to ooze out fluid and bulge .

 

 

do not pull the cable off the battery !!!!!!!!!!!!!! They alwasy will die if the lights are on or soemthing small like that. I used to do that ck but dont do it. Get the Cig Lighter volt meter.

Autozone tester are mostly junk. I had a guy test say was good theh go back and say it was bad.  I LOAD TEST is really what is needed.

 

PS just check all the fuses and clean. lots of issues with 521 fuse boxes. Mostly corrosion making a weak connection but just enough to work

 

make sure the battery clamp didnt not crack if was overtightened.  clean batt contack/ post

ok, thanks for the info. I ordered a alternator so gunna swap that in and hopefully it'll solve my issue as it was only reading 10V while running. I did clean all the fuses, fusebox, battery terminals/posts, and ground wires.

 

I just ordered this ignition switch https://www.ebay.com/itm/294075476128?epid=2002078570&hash=item447843a8a0:g:B~QAAOSw0PtfyhPr and then realized it says its for a 1200, but does have the 5 wire connectors in the back. I have a 72 521 which also has the 5 wire connectors but is a 1600 and am wondering if this switch will work or not?

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On 7/28/2021 at 7:24 AM, banzai510(hainz) said:

buy this and not wonder what going on all the time. Its works and dont drain the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/ref=asc_df_B000EVWDU0?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80470559180558&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070138266025&psc=1

 

drive and then load the battery down by putting on the lights and heater and if the voltsage drops most liley the alternator is getting weak.

 

I would but the old volt reg back in if its a Japan made unit. I had issues with the Echling branded ones made in USA were they overvolt and cause the battery to ooze out fluid and bulge .

 

 

do not pull the cable off the battery !!!!!!!!!!!!!! They alwasy will die if the lights are on or soemthing small like that. I used to do that ck but dont do it. Get the Cig Lighter volt meter.

Autozone tester are mostly junk. I had a guy test say was good theh go back and say it was bad.  I LOAD TEST is really what is needed.

 

PS just check all the fuses and clean. lots of issues with 521 fuse boxes. Mostly corrosion making a weak connection but just enough to work

 

make sure the battery clamp didnt not crack if was overtightened.  clean batt contack/ post

I changed the alternator, took it for a drive and it stalled on me and then wouldn't start. had to charge up the battery with a friends jumper cables to get it home. ignition light is still on. multimeter is reading 10 volts when the car is running. all grounds look fine and voltage reg was just replaced. Do you have any ideas on what the next thing to check would be?

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If the red charge light was on check the running voltage on the battery. If 10 v this would save yourself a tow home.

 

 

Has it occurred to you that the original alternator may be fine but the voltage regulator or something else may be the cause???? I don't suppose you kept your old alternator? Have the new alternator tested, they are crap these days and often 'bad in the box'. If bad take it back and keep taking them back till you get a good one. If there is a way to test the regulator do that also.

 

 

Borrow your friends battery! Or disconnect yours and connect your cable ends to his with jumper cables. Does the charge light go out now? Does it show a good charge rate?

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17 hours ago, datzenmike said:

If the red charge light was on check the running voltage on the battery. If 10 v this would save yourself a tow home.

 

 

Has it occurred to you that the original alternator may be fine but the voltage regulator or something else may be the cause???? I don't suppose you kept your old alternator? Have the new alternator tested, they are crap these days and often 'bad in the box'. If bad take it back and keep taking them back till you get a good one. If there is a way to test the regulator do that also.

 

 

Borrow your friends battery! Or disconnect yours and connect your cable ends to his with jumper cables. Does the charge light go out now? Does it show a good charge rate?

I checked the voltage on the battery when it was running and it was 10v. I had changed the voltage regulator before changing my alternator and the problem continued. I do have my old alternator, I was going to go get that tested today so I could see if it was even bad, because if its good, that would tell me that the problem is coming from somewhere else besides the alternator but I don't know where else it could be coming from. What would be the point of putting in another battery if the problem is coming from the charging system and not the battery?

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Do you have the old regulator as well? because anything replaced is suspect also. Just because it's new does not grantee it works. Could be your battery. Put old alternator and regulator back on if you have it still, disconnect at least one of your battery cables from the battery. Jumper cables from a friends battery to your battery cable ends and start it up. Light on or off? does it charge or not?  

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18 minutes ago, njp.18 said:

I checked the voltage on the battery when it was running and it was 10v. I had changed the voltage regulator before changing my alternator and the problem continued. I do have my old alternator, I was going to go get that tested today so I could see if it was even bad, because if its good, that would tell me that the problem is coming from somewhere else besides the alternator but I don't know where else it could be coming from. What would be the point of putting in another battery if the problem is coming from the charging system and not the battery?

What does the battery read when the truck isn't running?

Even a dead battery will read 12.5, a bad battery will read less. . 

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36 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Do you have the old regulator as well? because anything replaced is suspect also. Just because it's new does not grantee it works. Could be your battery. Put old alternator and regulator back on if you have it still, disconnect at least one of your battery cables from the battery. Jumper cables from a friends battery to your battery cable ends and start it up. Light on or off? does it charge or not?  

 

17 minutes ago, Crashtd420 said:

What does the battery read when the truck isn't running?

Even a dead battery will read 12.5, a bad battery will read less. . 

battery is fine, reading 13 volts when car is not running.

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1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

Do you have the old regulator as well? because anything replaced is suspect also. Just because it's new does not grantee it works. Could be your battery. Put old alternator and regulator back on if you have it still, disconnect at least one of your battery cables from the battery. Jumper cables from a friends battery to your battery cable ends and start it up. Light on or off? does it charge or not?  

and jus got the old alternator tested and it was good which means its Gotta be something else

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