What have you done to your car today?
- Thread starter mattyprice4004
- Start date
Imagine if that worked. Havoc!
Soldato
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I started a thing today. Ignore the manky bit at the end, that was just testing.
Underboss
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major Service
£313 lighter
£313 lighter
Soldato
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Started work again on this. Now to order some more parts...
Associate
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IMG_0788The other night I cleared the snow and ice off of my car to do a shop run, got in and flicked the wipers on to clear the loose stuff off the window. Unbeknownst to me the wipers were encased in ice (they tuck in under the edge of the bonnet when not in use)
When I flicked the wipers on, the motor strained for a moment, then all the dash lights illuminated and the car stopped charging...
Naturally the wiper motor fuse didn't blow, but something else did.
Did all my troubleshooting, checked the power fuse, checked the fusible link, checked continuity between alternator and battery, checked the voltages on the three pin alternator plug etc, all fine. Checked the voltage directly at the alternator, fluctuating between 11.4v and 7v, up and down, up and down.
So I guess it blew the regulator! Took the alternator off to investigate...
By the way, if you do this you don't have to worry about the aux belt falling off and having to re-route it. Makes life easier. Belt is fairly recent hence not using the opportunity to replace it. (Also I don't have one)
Alternator out. Fairly easy. A tonne easier than the LS400. Hardest part was finding a gap to squeeze it through.
She's the original flavour, 10 94 manufacture date I think.
Very manky inside...
At this point I gave up on my plan to fit a new regulator and brushes... The outer brush has worn through the spindle on the armature until there was no copper left!
No idea how that happened, the riding surface for the inner one looks fine, and both brushes have the same level of wear, and they both spring into the brush holder freely.
As an aside, really easy to access both sides of the fusible link on this! On the later GS and the LS etc, there are loads of fiddly clips you have to unclip simultaneously whilst pulling upwards, they are stiff, and like to break. On this, undo the nuts, unplug the plugs, take the positive terminal off of the battery and push some slack into the bottom of the box, and it just lifts right on out!
New alternator should be here tomorrow...
When I flicked the wipers on, the motor strained for a moment, then all the dash lights illuminated and the car stopped charging...
Naturally the wiper motor fuse didn't blow, but something else did.
Did all my troubleshooting, checked the power fuse, checked the fusible link, checked continuity between alternator and battery, checked the voltages on the three pin alternator plug etc, all fine. Checked the voltage directly at the alternator, fluctuating between 11.4v and 7v, up and down, up and down.
So I guess it blew the regulator! Took the alternator off to investigate...
By the way, if you do this you don't have to worry about the aux belt falling off and having to re-route it. Makes life easier. Belt is fairly recent hence not using the opportunity to replace it. (Also I don't have one)
Alternator out. Fairly easy. A tonne easier than the LS400. Hardest part was finding a gap to squeeze it through.
She's the original flavour, 10 94 manufacture date I think.
Very manky inside...
At this point I gave up on my plan to fit a new regulator and brushes... The outer brush has worn through the spindle on the armature until there was no copper left!
No idea how that happened, the riding surface for the inner one looks fine, and both brushes have the same level of wear, and they both spring into the brush holder freely.
As an aside, really easy to access both sides of the fusible link on this! On the later GS and the LS etc, there are loads of fiddly clips you have to unclip simultaneously whilst pulling upwards, they are stiff, and like to break. On this, undo the nuts, unplug the plugs, take the positive terminal off of the battery and push some slack into the bottom of the box, and it just lifts right on out!
New alternator should be here tomorrow...
Last edited:
Associate
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- 19 Dec 2017
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Gave it a clean, which was a bit of an all day saga.
Pipes to the tap were frozen, tap it's self was frozen as was the hose pipe. A combination of a heater, blow torch and some hot water and 4 hours later I was able to start
Untitled by mikehhhhhhh, on Flickr
Pipes to the tap were frozen, tap it's self was frozen as was the hose pipe. A combination of a heater, blow torch and some hot water and 4 hours later I was able to start
Untitled by mikehhhhhhh, on Flickr
One of the things I hate on the Nissans I have experience of - a lot of things are well thought out but when it comes to fuses and relays, etc. what a mess.
Yes, if there's one thing this weather has done, it's confirmed my suspicion that our outdoor tap has a slow leak...
Associate
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Yes, if there's one thing this weather has done, it's confirmed my suspicion that our outdoor tap has a slow leak...
Haha, that made me chuckle.
Gave it a clean, which was a bit of an all day saga.
Pipes to the tap were frozen, tap it's self was frozen as was the hose pipe. A combination of a heater, blow torch and some hot water and 4 hours later I was able to start
Nice work man, but I'd hate to be your postman tomorrow lol, tell him to bring his iceskates lol
Soldato
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Took wife’s Mini for MOT. Failed on rear tyre and a brake pad. Doh!
Soldato
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Do you need to pre emptively change the clutch?
13 year old Focus, 91k miles, afaik original clutch. No signs of anything wrong with it though. Do they gradually get worse, and then once I notice any problems change it? Or will it just 'go' and it's better to change it now/soon?
Also would it be just the plate that is changed or the whole thing (whatever that is)?
Sorry for the noobiness.
13 year old Focus, 91k miles, afaik original clutch. No signs of anything wrong with it though. Do they gradually get worse, and then once I notice any problems change it? Or will it just 'go' and it's better to change it now/soon?
Also would it be just the plate that is changed or the whole thing (whatever that is)?
Sorry for the noobiness.
A clutch will tend to show signs of wear before failing, manifesting itself as slipping usually.
Get up to a moderate speed, say 30mph, stick the car in 4th or 5th and plant your foot on the throttle. If the revs rise without any change in speed, or you get a short rise then fall in revs whilst the speed catches up, then it’s beginning to slip.
Get up to a moderate speed, say 30mph, stick the car in 4th or 5th and plant your foot on the throttle. If the revs rise without any change in speed, or you get a short rise then fall in revs whilst the speed catches up, then it’s beginning to slip.
Short answer, no. Long answer, no. Replace when it no longer does its job properly. 
Even then, you can drive a car with a slightly slipping clutch for years if you learn to drive around it.
You might find its got another 91K in it if its had careful mechanically sympathetic drivers its whole life.
Even then, you can drive a car with a slightly slipping clutch for years if you learn to drive around it.
You might find its got another 91K in it if its had careful mechanically sympathetic drivers its whole life.