Gaaa! Can I at least make it to work ONCE this month without trouble?

[datsunaholic]

Still fighting the "trucks won't start in the rain" problem. The deluge last week did not help. Well, I think I have it licked now on one truck. Only to have another, completely unrelated problem crop up on the middle of the freeway.

 

 

So, my January of Pain began on the 3rd. I drive the beater '74 to Sears to get a new pair of steel-toe shoes (the last pair were falling apart after 3 1/2 years use). So I get the shoes (they still carry the exact ones) and go to head home... start the truck, smell burnt electrical. Smoke from around the radio. Great, so I turn it off. Get about half a block from the mall and I notice that I have no dash lights. Look in the mirror, I have no running lights. Oh, good. At least sunset isn't for another 15 MINUTES. Creep home on backstreets, look under the dash, sure enough the park/tail fuse is blown. Along with the fuse the fuse BOX is melted. Joy of joys. Half the fuse circuits are already bypassed around the box because of burned out fuseholders (there are circuit breakers in their place, so it's not like they're unprotected, but still).

 

So I buy another box of fuses since I can't find any except 1A radio memory fuses and put one in... got find the short. Doesn't blow. But no lights either. I put a meter on the fuse box and ZOT! the fuse blows and smoke comes out the dash under the radio.

 

So, Sunday the 4th I tear the dash facia out... find nothing suspect. Start tracing wires... find a burnt wire on the aftermarket oil pressure gauge illumination. The GROUND is burnt. Better yet, the light sockets themselves are wrapped in masking tape (how did I not notice this in having the truck 8 years?) as a way to isolate the bulbs from the gauge frame. I suddenly realize I had this same problem with my Mom's '73, I couldn't hook up a normal ground to the gauge lighting circuit or it'd blow the fuse. So I just yank the whole harness section feeding the aftermarket gauges (they were tapped into the right-hand heater light) and try the fuse again. Lights work, no blown fuse, though keeping the fuse in place with the melted fusebox was trouble. It starts snowing again, so I leave reassembly of the dash for another day.

 

Monday Morning. The KC won't start. The 4X4 won't start. NADA. Crank fine, plenty (almost too much) fuel, checked spark with a spare plug, seems to have spark, but no go. 45 minutes trying to get either one to fire. Nothing. Go back to the '74 and reassemble the dash and head (now over an hour late) to work. Didn't turn the lights on except to test that they worked.

 

 

Monday Evening. Leave the parking garage at work. First speed bump outside the running lights go out. It's 7:30 at night and VERY dark. Crap.

 

Check fuse... it's NOT blown. Still have the multimeter and everything in the truck, so check fuse with the meter... tests good. Put fuse back in. Has 12V on both sides of the fuse, but the lights still don't work. About to try to jumper-wire the running lights straight to the battery but decide to trace where I have power, so check the back side of the fuse box. No power. Hmm. Check the fuse CLIPS instead of the fuse... nothing. So I jam the meter lead across the fuse and the clip (you'd think metal to metal wouldn't be an insulator... lights turn on. Turn off as soon as I remove the probe.

 

SO I try putting the fuse in different ways. The lights work ONLY if the fuse is resting on, but not clipped IN, the fuse box. So I leave it clipped halfway in and head home, praying the lights stay on (they do).

 

AS soon as I get home I try starting the 4X4 and KC. The 4X4 lights off the instant I hit the starter. Damn thing.

 

The KC, a little harder. It was badly flooded but it did start. Cleared it out by running around the neighborhood. Go to bed.

 

Tuesday the 4X4 won't start again, but the KC does and I drive it into work. It's like driving a boat in a storm. Needed a rudder, not tires. At 11:30PM I headed home... rain is even worse, hit a couple freeway puddles that threw water over the hood. Hit one puddle that blew the (nonexistant) floorboard in soaking ME form the knees down with muddy, oily freeway water. Truck stays running. Well, until I stopped for the first red light I encountered. The engine dropped below 1500RPM for the first time since I'd hit the freeway that night and plain shut off... since I was stopped I couldn't throw it in a lower gear to spin it up to 3000 to keep it going. Dies right there on the freeway offramp 3/4 mile from home. A good samaritan pushes me off the ramp and into a muddy lot.

 

Try for 20 minutes in the pouring rain to get it to refire. Nothing. Like it's out of gas or no spark. Check fuel at carb, it's getting fuel. Not iced up. Getting spark... it's strong at the coil. The same good samaritan goes and gets his tow dolly (he lived all of 4 blocks from me) and we load the truck, only to find his dolly has a flat tire. Well, ARCO is a block away so fill the tire and continue the 8 blocks to my house. Get there, the dolly straps have slipped and the truck is being held solely by the safety chain that I threw on at the last minute (thank God). Get it off the dolly, thank the guy, it's now almost 2AM. Go to bed.

 

Pray that the Station Wagon will start. It hasn't been driven since November. Other than being absolutely saturated inside (the windshield leaks) it did start, though I had to keep a squeegee handy the whole drive in because the windows kept fogging up. Managed to make it the rest of the week driving the Wagon. The Wagon has it's own troubles that make me not want to drive it much, but it does the deed. I try Wednesday, Thursday, AND Friday, neither the 4X4 or the KC will start.

 

Saturday, it's time to figure out why the trucks won't start. Naturally the KC fired right up. I don't NEED it, see, so it runs fine. The 4X4 spits a couple times but won't start so I grab the set of cheap generic store-brand clearance sale (but marked "Datsun 4") plug wires I had in the garage... open the box and in the box is a full set of NGK blue Silicone wires. What they were doing in the generic no-brand box I dunno, but they fit. Truck lit off pretty quick.

 

So I head to B&B, only to find B&B is no more. It's now CarQuest. Well, that's still better than Schucks so buy the last Standard Brand brass-tip cap and rotor they had (they now stock Wells brand, I don't know) and put a set of wires on order (should get 'em today). Put the cap/rotor on the KC. It still starts... not that I can tell any difference.

 

Monday (today) see if the 4X4 will start. Amazingly, it does. Maybe the greasy, 8-year old plug wires were the problem... head for work.

 

At the Spokane St interchange I have to downshift for traffic. Get over to the right to get on I-90 and it won't shift. It's in neutral. Slowing.... and the shifter goes flop. Oh crap. I can't get in any gear, the shifter is loose. Roll off onto the 4-foot wide shoulder, pull the boot, the shifter pin has departed. The circlip is still there clinging to the road grime, but when I touch it it falls to the concrete. Well, I ain't getting out to retrieve it. Never find it anyway, and I'd need the pin which could be anywhere in the last 40 miles (but more likely 200ft behind). Think... quick... grab a screwdriver bit from the tool kit, that gets the thing in 2nd gear at least, so I roll off and look for a wider shoulder at 25MPH (can't go that fast in 2nd, and now I've dropped the screwdriver bit too). Find a wide shoulder at the exit.

 

Time to dig, and unbelieveably find a 8mm x 2" stainless bolt, with nut and lockwasher, in the glove box. It's a spare I keep for in case the transfer case linkage pins fall off on the trail, but I forgot it was there until now. It fits in the shifter... sloppy, but workable, and with the lock washer I could tighten it down so hopefully it won't fall off driving home. Then I get to go hunt down another shifter pin and c-clip, plus the hat bushings that also fell out. Hopefully there's some longtail-trans Datsuns in the PaP.

 

It's been a fun month already.

 

Just in case, I filled up the Deuce with fresh Diesel last night.

[]2eDeYe]

Why I finally said f' it and bought a car with a warranty. Now I can play Datto/Jeep all I want and still get to work everyday ;)

[datsunaholic]

Don't think I haven't thought about it. There's so many flipping rebates, sales, special offers, etc. I could get a new Sentra or Versa for under $17k. Hell, Bruce Titus Nissan has a 5-speed '09 Versa for $10,995. Well, it's the "Loss Leader" and probably already sold but still. I mean, if I have to get a commuter it'd have to get damn good mileage. Only problem is it's made in Mexico.

[]2eDeYe]

....at least it's not made in china :lol:

[datzenmike]

Thanks Doug. After reading that I realize I'm not that bad off. Motor froze up on me because it got cold about a month early up here. Managed to get running in spite of the smoking fan belt. Once thawed out I pulled the rad drain and left it. Checked it yesterday and now the water pump drain hole is pissing water. If that's all I can live with it.

[ggzilla]

What a frustrating experience. Reminds me of the saying "when it rains, it pours".

 

 

> Only problem is it's made in Mexico.

Autoweek has an article this week about "which is the most American car". Interesting points:

* It is the Crown Victoria, highest american-made parts content at 90%. It is built in Canada.

* Toyota Sienna, built in America, has as much or more american-made content than any GM vehicle.

* Hyundai Santa Fe is 39% "american" content compared to Chrylser Crossfire coupe at 0%

 

... and getting back on topic, 2008 Nissan Sentra is 26% american content. Versa is not listed, presumably it is 0%.

[mklotz70]

Thanks Doug!! I not glad you're having all the probs, but makes me realize that mine aren't even close to yours!! :) Been having grief with Paula's Caravan....been driving the 521. Paula's pretty proud that her little old truck has never let us down! :) It just doesn't have any room when you run errands or go shopping :(

[datsunaholic]

Adding to my misery...

 

The 4X4 has now picked up a vibration that feels like some part of the drivetrain is falling off. I can't find anything loose, but when starting from a dead stop there's a hammering I feel through the seat and the floorboards (and can hear it, thud thud thud thud) that goes away over 10MPH but over 20 becomes a vibration you feel through the seat, shifter, floor, everything EXCEPT the steering wheel. When it started it honestly felt like the transfer case had come unbolted, but all the bolts are there and nothing feels loose. SO I'm not going to drive it anymore until I find what the heck it is. Could be a U-joint, I suppose. That vibration is probably what made the shifter pin depart yesterday.

 

So I'm back to driving "Old Smoky".

[ggzilla]

Could it be the big rubber bushing that goes around the driveshaft center bearing?

[datsunaholic]

It's a 4X4. It has no carrier bearing. The driveshafts are custom Spicer units, except the stub shaft from the transmission to the T-case.

[moparvwfreak]

damn. and i thought i was having issues. the datsun, clutch is gone. my marquis (a FLAWLESS runner for over a year with NO issues) ate teh water pump,, and my rabbit pickup is giving me fits while running. that leaves teh Pathfinder, which my wife needs to get to work. and teh rest of my stash either needs major work or to be smogged and tabbed. and insured. the Jetta is the closest thing to running but the interior is in peices and i just fixed the brakes yesterday.

[freaky510]

If it has tits or tires its trouble :lol::lol:

[moparvwfreak]

especially when it has a VW in its grille. :D

[mike]

Are your hubs disengaging in the front? Open them up and clean them out if theyre all nasty and dried or pasty. Dont pack them full of grease, just make sure everything has a liberal coat on it. Think pre lubing a cam with assembly grease.

I dont know Dana 20s... Is the T case in 2 or 4? Is your Tcase linkage tight/adjusted right?

Check your rear axle pinion angle also, Angle of the driveshaft should be equal but opposite for t-case and rear pinion if you dont have a double cardan on both ends. Check your ubolts too did you lose a shim or something?.