The Automotive (& other mechanized vehicles) thread

[BetterOffShred]

Air cooling an engine compartment is always a little puckering ... Yeah both AC pump and water pump probably run off the same belt .. did you verify the belt was still there? Is it a thermostatic fan clutch or an electrical type? Usually when the electrical type fail, they fail on. Highly suspicious that AC quit and then it started getting hot.. I'd be checking that belt and making sure everything is turning. Does it have a coolant shutoff valve to the cabin heater? I know some older vehicles would physically shut off coolant flow through the firewall during AC operation..

[Ghost Hip]

Came in here to vent that I am sitting at work ogling at this CLEAN Nissan Cedric Ultima and keep telling myself I need a solid daily driver before committing to a JDM car.

https://www.japaneseclassics.com/vehicl ... 32-ultima/

[Achtane]

Air cooling an engine compartment is always a little puckering ... Yeah both AC pump and water pump probably run off the same belt .. did you verify the belt was still there? Is it a thermostatic fan clutch or an electrical type? Usually when the electrical type fail, they fail on. Highly suspicious that AC quit and then it started getting hot.. I'd be checking that belt and making sure everything is turning. Does it have a coolant shutoff valve to the cabin heater? I know some older vehicles would physically shut off coolant flow through the firewall during AC operation..

Electrical type, and the whole engine is run via serpentine belt. The AC seems to put more load on the engine than it should, plus it doesn't blow very cold anymore anyhow. Both cars need some AC love, but I'm in over my head there. I'm not sure about the shut-off valve...
So the fan wasn't running even when temps increased, and it didn't kick in when I turned the AC on. I ran wires straight to the fan motor from the battery and it did spin. So I switched out its relay for another and...it works!
Two cars rescued from hell in half a day, and with very simple solutions. I'm still in awe. This NEVER happens, so I usually assume the worst, but...wow. kind of anticlimactic.
Thank you doods for the helpful suggestions. I'm sure more issues will crop up sooner or later but for today I'm happy.

CLEAN Nissan Cedric Ultima

MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[colin]

Came in here to vent that I am sitting at work ogling at this CLEAN Nissan Cedric Ultima and keep telling myself I need a solid daily driver before committing to a JDM car.

In my experience, solid daily drivers are overrated. Any car can and will give you problems, and you might as well drive what you want. If you can afford the Cedric, get it.

[Achtane]

I finally changed the clutch. What a pain in the ass that is. It keeps raining so I've had to take two week-long breaks so far, and I still have to put everything back together. Uggghhhh I just wanna be done with it.

On the plus side, I feel more able to tackle big jobs. I've taken apart so much of this car, things that were too scary to attempt before, that now it feels like not such a big deal. The worst part by far is reassembly.

I'll still never mess with exhaust parts unless absolutely necessary. Still don't have a good way of not stripping out those bolts...

I bought the $50 corded impact gun from Harbor Freight, not really expecting a whole lot outside of some convenience, but holy shit this thing is a life saver. Got the axle nuts off no problem, suspension bolts, the flywheel, the subframe bolts... I'm truly shocked and impressed.

[Chankgeez]

[Chankgeez]

Comin' back to the U.S. market:

[colin]

If I ever decide to get a bike, it would totally be something like one of those two.

[Achtane]

Super badass.

[Achtane]

On Saturday I took the clutch back off to change the rear main seal, because I know that if I didn't do it then, it would start to leak in like 5 miles. That's how that kind of stuff works.
I also changed the ancient fuel filter while there was still access to it. yay.
Then I spent the rest of the day trying to get the gearbox back on the engine. Man, that was rough. My arms were wrecked from bench pressing that stupid thing over and over, trying to get everything aligned. I could not figure out how to get the freaking alignment dowels to work -- if you got one on, the other wouldn't be in the right position. So off the gearbox came again. I smashed the back of my head into the concrete while dodging the differential that came swinging down when I thought the gearbox was mostly secure. Oops.

This afternoon I took the clutch back off for like the fifth time, neurotically re-re-re-re-realigned it and put the cover on. Then, I ever so gently slammed the gearbox into place. Perfect fit. The clutch had gotten shifted just barely out of place from all the times I fucked it up earlier. I never wanna do that again.
So it should be easy-ish from here out. I might work on it a little before work, each day. Just wanna get this thing back on the road.

[Achtane]

OMG it's so much better... It's like a brand new car. I can give it more than a feather's width of gas! I can go above 3500RPM without it slipping! Amazing.

Now I gotta relearn how to take off without it nearly stalling.

Also I want to save up for a motorcycle/gear/MSF class!

[crochambeau]

I haven't been able to find my inductive pick-up for my timing light in days, and today will see the end of my being able to put off going out into the world as a postal trip is crucial. I hate to tune my car by ear, she's pretty particular about what I can and cannot get away with.

Plus my #3 exhaust valve was out of whack. Early warning signs, but I feel like I should be able to get more than ten years out of a new set of valves.

[colin]

I sold my Golf, and bought another Miata. I need to get back to compulsively buying and flipping pedals instead of cars, that was a lot easier on my bank account.

[Chankgeez]

colin, you need somethin' like this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzhZdGY3efs[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzhZdGY3efs

[bigchiefbc]

My wheels rn: