Craigslist score. - Page 3

Weldangrind · 05-17-2009, 12:15 PM

If you intend to flush the cooling system (which is a good idea), make sure you use low pressure. You don't want this job to include a new heater core as well.

I take off one of the heater hoses and figure out how to connect a garden hose to it. I've used various barbed fittings, depending on the heater hose size. You can often buy a cheap stepped fitting at an auto parts store that will accept hose bib thread at one end, and you then cut the other end until the plastic tube fits the heater hose.

As iMoose pointed out, glycol is poisonous to dogs, cats and kids. Don't worry about using glycol after you complete repairs. At this time of year, you can safely run just water in the cooling system while you check for leaks and overheating. Once you are satisfied, drain the water and replace it with 50/50 water and antifreeze for year-round use.

katoranger · 05-17-2009, 07:03 PM

Well. It already needs a heater core. It has been bypassed due to a leak there.

Since the heater lines enter at the top it would make sense to use them and flush down.

I will try to catch it all in a bucket as I go. Not much glycol left in the system either. I plan to just use water until I am sure I got it fixed.

Thanks for the tips.

Allen

SpudRider · 05-18-2009, 11:19 AM

Nice find, Allen! You got an amazing bargain for $150! The photos look great.

Spud

katoranger · 05-21-2009, 12:16 PM

Title arrived today. Time to get started on it. Needs to be ready by August 2nd. Can't drop my daughter off at school on the lifan.

Allen

katoranger · 05-28-2009, 01:35 PM

Well. Got to work on it today. Put it back together with a new thermostat. Ran it to get the air bubbles out. Never got hot. Seems to run pretty good. Took it for ride to the junkyard to see what parts are available there. Need an exhaust pipe.

Crack open the cap and vented out some more bubbles and topped it off again. Still not hot.

Maybe the thermostat and a good burp is all it needed.

Allen

katoranger · 05-28-2009, 07:04 PM

Okay. Still getting hot. I got it up to temp and I can stop the fan with my hand. It spins freely when warm.

Also I am wondering if the water pump may be weak. Might pay to just go ahead and replace it.

Allen

Cal25 · 05-29-2009, 08:39 AM

I work with pumps all the time. they really are pretty simple. If the impellor turns, it is going to work. The problems are bearings and the seals. Loose either and its gonna leak.

All the symtoms you describe sound like the fan clutch to me. Might not be that much more work to do the water pump while changing the clutch. The pump on my Nissan was only about 15 bucks and took about 20 minutes to change. Spent most of a Saturday once changeing the pump on a Crown Vic. I guess I would depend on how long you plan to use it.

katoranger · 05-29-2009, 08:56 AM

Thanks. I think the pump is alittle more involved, but the clutch would be easy. It has four bolts that I can easily reach with minor skin loss.

Think I will go get a clutch and a new radiator cap while I am at it. I am planning to drive this truck for awhile. Also planning to see if I can import a Mazda RF turbodiesel to put in it.

Allen

VinceDrake · 05-29-2009, 08:32 PM

Hi Kato!

If you can stop the clutch fan with your hand when the radiator is good and toasty, and it doesn't hurt, that clutch is *definatly not working.* With a hot engine, and a hot radiator, engine borderline overheating, you should hear a noise from the clutch, like a jet aircraft taking off, and it should be moving a metric fork-ton of air.

They make very little consideration for noise when designing the rad fans on any vehicle, it just has to move a whole schwack of air.

Usually I keep a couple of Nissan clutch fans in stock, as they are notoriously unreliable. They seem to either not work at all, or engage all the time, making a terrible noise at highway speed.

If a clutch fails to resolve the issue, some super-cheap after market pumps use a *plastic* impeller. Whoever thought of that should be shot. What tends to happen, is the plastic impeller cracks, and then spins on the pulley shaft, so instead of a impeller turning at 3000rpms, you get an impeller turning at maybe 500rpms, or whatever it feels like at that moment. Some of the worst ones will slip when the coolant is hot, making the plastic expand.

Usually the symptoms of cheap, crappy water-pump disease are almost exactly the same like a blown headgasket, but without the white smoke, or cloudy oil.

Nissans of that era, usually used a tin impeller, but if someone at some point in time already changed it, it could have been one of the awful ones.

Hopefully this is of some help...
--Vince

katoranger · 05-29-2009, 10:13 PM

Thanks, I ordered a clutch from napa. Should be in in the morning. Also picking up a new radiator cap while I'm at it.

I replaced a water pump on a ford 300 6 that the impeller fell off. The china replacement pump I found was of much better quality than the one I removed.

Hopefully the fan clutch fixes it and I can drive it. Just need to fix the exhaust leak. The whole pipe if rotted out under the cab. There is one in the junkyard. I don't want to spend $50 for it new.

Allen

katoranger · 05-30-2009, 12:26 PM

New clutch. I can still stop it by hand, but it does not get hot now. It idled for 30 minutes in the backyard. I put a new cap on it too and it wasn't bubbling out of the new cap. I also didn't hear the hissing noise.

Temp never got above halfway on the guage and would drop back when the thermostat opened.

Just need to drain some water and add antifreeze now. I think the cap may have been part of the problem.

Allen

katoranger · 05-30-2009, 02:05 PM

Did all that and I went back out to check the water level. Started it up and it started smoking white. Looks like the head gasket went.

Going to find me a replacement engine. Maybe even a JDM turbodiesel

.

Since it already had one headgasket odds are that it probably has some other issue too.

Allen

katoranger · 05-30-2009, 08:08 PM

I am going to pull the head and take a look to see what the previous "gasket replacement" was like. Only thing I will be out is time.

Allen

TurboT · 05-31-2009, 01:30 AM

Check for gasket flutter on the block. If it's etched you will need to get it surfaced or it will just keep blowing gaskets. These Mazda's are terrible for that and I'd be 'shocked' if it didn't need it.

katoranger · 05-31-2009, 02:26 PM

Found me another truck that is ready to roll. Going to part this mazda out and make some funds off of it.

Ford Rangers are much easier to find parts for.

That and I like Fords. They didn't accept the bailout money.

Allen

05-17-2009, 12:15 PM	#31
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	If you intend to flush the cooling system (which is a good idea), make sure you use low pressure. You don't want this job to include a new heater core as well. I take off one of the heater hoses and figure out how to connect a garden hose to it. I've used various barbed fittings, depending on the heater hose size. You can often buy a cheap stepped fitting at an auto parts store that will accept hose bib thread at one end, and you then cut the other end until the plastic tube fits the heater hose. As iMoose pointed out, glycol is poisonous to dogs, cats and kids. Don't worry about using glycol after you complete repairs. At this time of year, you can safely run just water in the cooling system while you check for leaks and overheating. Once you are satisfied, drain the water and replace it with 50/50 water and antifreeze for year-round use. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	0

05-17-2009, 07:03 PM	#32
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Well. It already needs a heater core. It has been bypassed due to a leak there. Since the heater lines enter at the top it would make sense to use them and flush down. I will try to catch it all in a bucket as I go. Not much glycol left in the system either. I plan to just use water until I am sure I got it fixed. Thanks for the tips. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-18-2009, 11:19 AM	#33
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	Nice find, Allen! You got an amazing bargain for $150! The photos look great. Spud __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
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05-21-2009, 12:16 PM	#34
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Title arrived today. Time to get started on it. Needs to be ready by August 2nd. Can't drop my daughter off at school on the lifan. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-28-2009, 01:35 PM	#35
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Well. Got to work on it today. Put it back together with a new thermostat. Ran it to get the air bubbles out. Never got hot. Seems to run pretty good. Took it for ride to the junkyard to see what parts are available there. Need an exhaust pipe. Crack open the cap and vented out some more bubbles and topped it off again. Still not hot. Maybe the thermostat and a good burp is all it needed. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-28-2009, 07:04 PM	#36
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Okay. Still getting hot. I got it up to temp and I can stop the fan with my hand. It spins freely when warm. Also I am wondering if the water pump may be weak. Might pay to just go ahead and replace it. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-29-2009, 08:39 AM	#37
Cal25 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Terrell and Grapevine Tx. Posts: 1,585	I work with pumps all the time. they really are pretty simple. If the impellor turns, it is going to work. The problems are bearings and the seals. Loose either and its gonna leak. All the symtoms you describe sound like the fan clutch to me. Might not be that much more work to do the water pump while changing the clutch. The pump on my Nissan was only about 15 bucks and took about 20 minutes to change. Spent most of a Saturday once changeing the pump on a Crown Vic. I guess I would depend on how long you plan to use it.
	0

05-29-2009, 08:56 AM	#38
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Thanks. I think the pump is alittle more involved, but the clutch would be easy. It has four bolts that I can easily reach with minor skin loss. Think I will go get a clutch and a new radiator cap while I am at it. I am planning to drive this truck for awhile. Also planning to see if I can import a Mazda RF turbodiesel to put in it. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-29-2009, 08:32 PM	#39
VinceDrake Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Saskatchewan Posts: 491	Hi Kato! If you can stop the clutch fan with your hand when the radiator is good and toasty, and it doesn't hurt, that clutch is definatly not working. With a hot engine, and a hot radiator, engine borderline overheating, you should hear a noise from the clutch, like a jet aircraft taking off, and it should be moving a metric fork-ton of air. They make very little consideration for noise when designing the rad fans on any vehicle, it just has to move a whole schwack of air. Usually I keep a couple of Nissan clutch fans in stock, as they are notoriously unreliable. They seem to either not work at all, or engage all the time, making a terrible noise at highway speed. If a clutch fails to resolve the issue, some super-cheap after market pumps use a plastic impeller. Whoever thought of that should be shot. What tends to happen, is the plastic impeller cracks, and then spins on the pulley shaft, so instead of a impeller turning at 3000rpms, you get an impeller turning at maybe 500rpms, or whatever it feels like at that moment. Some of the worst ones will slip when the coolant is hot, making the plastic expand. Usually the symptoms of cheap, crappy water-pump disease are almost exactly the same like a blown headgasket, but without the white smoke, or cloudy oil. Nissans of that era, usually used a tin impeller, but if someone at some point in time already changed it, it could have been one of the awful ones. Hopefully this is of some help... --Vince __________________ "Sometimes it is better to say nothing, and let people think you're an idiot, than to open your mouth and prove it."
	0

05-29-2009, 10:13 PM	#40
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Thanks, I ordered a clutch from napa. Should be in in the morning. Also picking up a new radiator cap while I'm at it. I replaced a water pump on a ford 300 6 that the impeller fell off. The china replacement pump I found was of much better quality than the one I removed. Hopefully the fan clutch fixes it and I can drive it. Just need to fix the exhaust leak. The whole pipe if rotted out under the cab. There is one in the junkyard. I don't want to spend $50 for it new. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-30-2009, 12:26 PM	#41
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	New clutch. I can still stop it by hand, but it does not get hot now. It idled for 30 minutes in the backyard. I put a new cap on it too and it wasn't bubbling out of the new cap. I also didn't hear the hissing noise. Temp never got above halfway on the guage and would drop back when the thermostat opened. Just need to drain some water and add antifreeze now. I think the cap may have been part of the problem. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-30-2009, 02:05 PM	#42
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Did all that and I went back out to check the water level. Started it up and it started smoking white. Looks like the head gasket went. Going to find me a replacement engine. Maybe even a JDM turbodiesel . Since it already had one headgasket odds are that it probably has some other issue too. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-30-2009, 08:08 PM	#43
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	I am going to pull the head and take a look to see what the previous "gasket replacement" was like. Only thing I will be out is time. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

05-31-2009, 01:30 AM	#44
TurboT Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Surrey, B.C., Canada Posts: 2,185	Check for gasket flutter on the block. If it's etched you will need to get it surfaced or it will just keep blowing gaskets. These Mazda's are terrible for that and I'd be 'shocked' if it didn't need it.
	0

05-31-2009, 02:26 PM	#45
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Found me another truck that is ready to roll. Going to part this mazda out and make some funds off of it. Ford Rangers are much easier to find parts for. That and I like Fords. They didn't accept the bailout money. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0