banzai510(hainz) Posted June 15 Report Share Posted June 15 I just get the Walamt SuperTech anti freeze 6$ Buy 3 gallons have spare. Did we go from NON running timiming out truck to now adjustting the front end? Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 15 Author Report Share Posted June 15 27 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said: I just get the Walamt SuperTech anti freeze 6$ Buy 3 gallons have spare. Did we go from NON running timiming out truck to now adjustting the front end? Sorry hainz. No. Maybe I should have started a new thread with my question about the absorber adjustment. I have another thread on the front end alignment that I will return to if needed. I was waiting on the manifold gasket to come in. Autozone has one that was better made than the others I could find. It has the metal flanges that wrap all the way front to back. It came in yesterday. I started this morning at 6 AM putting things back together. When I dropped the oil pan, I needed to take off the cross members. These were the first things I put back this morning. I noticed that maybe I should figure out where the shock absorber looking thing should be adjusted to. (Image Attached) I finished putting everything back together but have not tried to start it. I just need to check all the bolts and make sure I tightened them. I'll get the fluid you mentioned and start it tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted June 15 Report Share Posted June 15 (edited) Im not familiar with that set up. look like a steering dampner. I never know early datsuns had these. Look more like a SHOCK Man ask Datzenmike I dont know. Maybe this is a hooky home made thing I just know the tie rods center link and steering arm Edited June 15 by banzai510(hainz) Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted June 15 Report Share Posted June 15 Might be after market. It can't be too stiff or steering effort is increased. Damps some of the sudden wheel movement that is fed back to the driver. I would just leave it off. There is a steering damper offered on the '84 and up 720 4x4. Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 16 Author Report Share Posted June 16 I have no idea WTF I did. After all that I did to get the timing correct, I still got it 180 degrees out. Tried to start it up and backfire through carb. Switched the wires 180 and fired right up. Hope I didn't screw anything up trying to start it 180 out. Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 Steering dampers go in the middle. Meaning, center the steering and leave it there. Then run the damper all the way in and all the way out and measure the travel. Divide by two and that's the center of the damper's stroke. Attach it to the drag link in the center of its stroke. It look awful close to the oil pan. You may want to rotate it down a bit or even mount it on the underside of that bracket. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted June 16 Report Share Posted June 16 your fine you didnt screw nothing up. Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 13 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said: your fine you didnt screw nothing up. Thanks hainz, I realized what I did. Even though (as I talked about in a previous post) my TDC rotor position ended up pointing back at the (traditional) #4 position. I had a brain malfunction and wired it as if the rotor ended up pointing to the front (traditional) #1 position. Seems to run fine now. The overflow is acting as it should. No bubbles. I had some water leaks from needing to tighten down hoses. The one that goes to the manifold under the carb is especially a bitch. I may need to find a wider hose clamp. Timing is OK to start and run, but I need to get my kid to return my timing light. Maybe Autozone loans them, if he lags. Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 19 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said: Steering dampers go in the middle. Meaning, center the steering and leave it there. Then run the damper all the way in and all the way out and measure the travel. Divide by two and that's the center of the damper's stroke. Attach it to the drag link in the center of its stroke. It look awful close to the oil pan. You may want to rotate it down a bit or even mount it on the underside of that bracket. Thanks SM, For the moment, I left it on as a placeholder. I may just remove it as DM suggested. When I cranked it all the way to cylinder closed position, it leaked fluid out the cylinder. Kinda means it ain't OK. I adjusted it so it is never comes close to the oil pan. I'll review your method and see if I did OK. I read that it could mask, suspension/front end issues, but a shop went through it when they aligned it before I knew how to align it myself. I replaced all the parts they suggested. I paid $200 for this truck 16ish years ago.(When I signed up for Ratsun) Someone's wife did not want it sitting in front of their house anymore. The head gasket was blown and I had it towed to my house. Over the years I've, 1. Replaced the 1600 with an 1800 from the JY. Rings, pistons, bearings. 2. Found a head at the JY and had it rebuilt by Motor Machine here in San Diego. 3. Took the tranny to Tecate, Mexico and had a shop rebuild it. I think they actually sent it to Tijuana. Tecate is easy for me to cross back and forth. Tijuana sucks. 4. Changed the carb out to a weber. My Hitachi was failing and I'm not a carb person so I took it to a carb shop. They had the ass backwards weber you see on the vehicle on the shelf and let me have it for $50. 4. Changed to pointless ignition. 5. Changed the charging over to a single alternator system from a later Datsun. I remember it initially having a separate item in addition to the alternator located on the wheel wheel. 6. Changed the seats to buckets and added a center console. It's still an uncomfortable bitch to drive for my 68 year old 6'1" body. Sometimes I think about getting something newer and more comfortable, but I only use it once or twice a month to make Home Depot runs. I think all this is in my Ratsun activity. I'm not sure why a steering damper was added. Maybe some previous owner thought it was a cool thing to add. It was wearing tires on the front a while back, but the toe in/out was way off, so I fixed that and flipped front to rear tires to see if it stops. Next task is to figure out why I keep loosing brake fluid in the front brakes. I've replaced the slaves/shoes a couple of times, but the slaves still somehow end up leaking. Radio/Windsheild washer upgrade coming, but that's secondary. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 Again I see no good reason for the steering damper. It's sure to add some small resistance to turning. Try it with it off and see. They didn't come on the 620. The by pass hose at the front of the carburetor has two different diameters, figures doesn't it? The intake end is slightly larger than the pipe end. Front brakes... You actually see wetness at the wheel cylinders? or the front circuit is just mysteriously loosing fluid??? big difference. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 I think the dampner is for rought roads so it dont jump out of your hand the steering wheel. Engine bay looks fine and stock looking. get a new fuel filter looks old later get the one piece end battery cables. those 3 pc one can cause proplems later. this is just me get some simple green and start cleaning the engine bay. will briten under the hood Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 4 hours ago, datzenmike said: Front brakes... You actually see wetness at the wheel cylinders? or the front circuit is just mysteriously loosing fluid??? big difference. Front circuit is loosing fluid, and wetness at the wheel cylinders. I'll post a picture when I take off the drums again to see what is going on......again. Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 17 Author Report Share Posted June 17 3 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said: get some simple green and start cleaning the engine bay. will briten under the hood Been using diesel fuel in a spray bottle and then hosing off. I'm kinda an OCD neat freak. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 1 hour ago, atkinson40 said: Front circuit is loosing fluid, and wetness at the wheel cylinders. I'll post a picture when I take off the drums again to see what is going on......again. New wheel cylinders shouldn't leak. Send back or replace and that should be the end of it. Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 3 hours ago, atkinson40 said: Been using diesel fuel in a spray bottle and then hosing off. I'm kinda an OCD neat freak. 3 hours ago, atkinson40 said: Front circuit is loosing fluid, and wetness at the wheel cylinders. I'll post a picture when I take off the drums again to see what is going on......again. I use Purple Power and a pressure washer. Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 18 Author Report Share Posted June 18 (edited) I think I'm screwed. I had the front plate welded to fix the corrosion between the pump chambers, but it is now, assembled there is a drip from the channel in the front cover. I should have taken hainze's advice and found a new cover, but then and now, my search, is turning up zero on the interweb for a replacement. What is that channel for? I see/saw corrosion around it, but didn't think it would get past a gasket. What would happen if I fill that channel with JB Weld from the outside? Edited June 18 by atkinson40 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted June 18 Report Share Posted June 18 The channel is there to warn you when the cover is corroded. You could fill the cavity with silicone, but if you're removing the cover to fix it, may as well get another cover. Or have that one welded again. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted June 18 Report Share Posted June 18 3 hours ago, atkinson40 said: What is that channel for? I see/saw corrosion around it, but didn't think it would get past a gasket. What would happen if I fill that channel with JB Weld from the outside? Here's a better view... If water escapes to the left it drops directly down into the oil pan. Not good to mix these. The channel provides a canal to drain the water outside the engine. It appears in your picture to be compromised towards the bottom. Compare it to mine. Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 19 Author Report Share Posted June 19 7 hours ago, datzenmike said: Here's a better view... If water escapes to the left it drops directly down into the oil pan. Not good to mix these. The channel provides a canal to drain the water outside the engine. It appears in your picture to be compromised towards the bottom. Compare it to mine. Thanks Mike You sealed my decision on what to do. Ebay. Ordered. Live and learn. Never too old for that. 1 Quote Link to comment
atkinson40 Posted June 22 Author Report Share Posted June 22 On 6/18/2024 at 7:35 PM, atkinson40 said: Thanks Mike You sealed my decision on what to do. Ebay. Ordered. Live and learn. Never too old for that. Part now supposedly now coming Monday. (ebay) I plugged the channel with silicon and a top patch of JB Weld for the time being. No sign of water in the oil. I'll monitor it after every use. Runs fine. Cooling system now acts like it should. Burped itself clean of air and drew enough from the reservoir (a must have) to top itself off. Not loosing water anymore. Temp needle goes up to about a needle width from center when moving. Sitting idling gets up to around center. I'm going to test it awhile before I tear it apart again. I want to make sure I'm only tearing it down for the cover plate. 1 Quote Link to comment
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