Newbie questions

[Jimblyb]

Hi All,

I think I've already found the answer to one of my questions;

1995 Mistral TD27 - assume the TD3 engine. Fires fine from cold, then shortly later coughs, splutters, white smoke, dies or can just-about keep going. If I leave it running for a while before using, seems to be OK. Threads seem to suggest air in the fuel, so will fit some clear pipe either side of filter to check and if necessary, replace fuel lines.

So, question 1 - is there an off-the-shelf fuel line kit available or just fabricate from raw materials?

Question 2 - can anyone recommend somewhere to buy service items - fuel/oil filters, for example - please?

Question 3 - the auto transmission seems all over the place - super-sensitive kick-down with loads of noise at around 3500rpm but not much else - certainly no grunt. Is this just how it is and you need a lighter right foot? My old Landie 300TDi was archaic and you had to be brutal with it to do anything...

Probably enough for now - thanks all and I promise I'll try not to ask too many dumb ones...

Jim

 

[Banshee]

Hi All,

I think I've already found the answer to one of my questions;

1995 Mistral TD27 - assume the TD3 engine. Fires fine from cold, then shortly later coughs, splutters, white smoke, dies or can just-about keep going. If I leave it running for a while before using, seems to be OK. Threads seem to suggest air in the fuel, so will fit some clear pipe either side of filter to check and if necessary, replace fuel lines.

So, question 1 - is there an off-the-shelf fuel line kit available or just fabricate from raw materials?

£5 posted will get you 2 lengths of clear 8mm I/D pipe from me that you can use in place of the ones connected to the fuel filter in the engine bay, that will show you if you have any air leaking into your system, then follow the pipes back down the length of the car and find the hole!!!!

Question 2 - can anyone recommend somewhere to buy service items - fuel/oil filters, for example - please?

Milner Off Road :thumb2
Reply in the thread below and PM me as per the instructions and you will then be eligible for forum discount :thumb2 one of the perks of being a paid up member :thumb2
http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19504&highlight=milner

Question 3 - the auto transmission seems all over the place - super-sensitive kick-down with loads of noise at around 3500rpm but not much else - certainly no grunt. Is this just how it is and you need a lighter right foot? My old Landie 300TDi was archaic and you had to be brutal with it to do anything...

Can't help you on the auto box but there are plenty of auto owners on here :thumbs

Probably enough for now - thanks all and I promise I'll try not to ask too many dumb ones...

Jim

Also welcome to the forum buddy, get some pictures up of the old girl

 

[rustic]

Can't help on the auto box, but some would say check the auto transmission oil level, oil should be cherry red not brown, and not smell burnt.
Might need an oil change, but not all comes out, so might need a second a week or so later.
For example,
If only half comes out, then 50% is new oil 50% old oil
another oil change will give you 75% new oil 25 % old oil.
a third oil change will give you 87.5 % new oil, 12.5% old oil
etc etc

I would wait for better advice from Auto owners though.:thumb2
Rustic

 

[Jimblyb]

Banshee, have signed-up for discount and PM'd you re clear pipes - thanks.

Rustic - worth a look at eh fluid in the first instance, I guess. I'll be under it this weekend so will see what sort of color it's in (if it can be read off teh dipstick).

Bit of a voyage of discovery this weekend!

Thanks guys,

Jim

 

[Blocky10]

Can't help on the auto box, but some would say check the auto transmission oil level, oil should be cherry red not brown, and not smell burnt.
Might need an oil change, but not all comes out, so might need a second a week or so later.
For example,
If only half comes out, then 50% is new oil 50% old oil
another oil change will give you 75% new oil 25 % old oil.
a third oil change will give you 87.5 % new oil, 12.5% old oil
etc etc

I would wait for better advice from Auto owners though.:thumb2
Rustic

Welcome.
That's good advice.
I would drain out what you can, when it's warm, and replace with the same amount. Give it a run and see if there's any change. As said you'll need to do this 3 or 4 times to be sure you've got most of the old oil out.
Checking the level on the dipstick seems to be an art. Not sure how easy it is on yours but mine, 3ltr, is a pig to get out without dragging it up the side of something, smearing the oil! I've never been entirely sure if the level is ok but it's been well behaved since I've owned it replacing with the same amount.



Ian

 

[micktheshed]

Welcome.

Checking the level on the dipstick seems to be an art. Not sure how easy it is on yours but mine, 3ltr, is a pig to get out without dragging it up the side of something, smearing the oil! I've never been entirely sure if the level is ok but it's been well behaved since I've owned it replacing with the same amount.



Ian

Relieved to see I'm not the only one who thinks LOL. I've resorted to sucking excess fluid out with small-bore pipe before now! Yuck!!!!

When checking level I have found the only method that stands a chance is to bring up to correct level 50ml at a time & check several times after a good run. It's much easier to add more than remove excess !!!

Once the correct level is obtained (if ever LOL) further changes are best done by measuring amount drained out & refilling with same amount.

 

[briggie]

you probably have it in " power " or " sport " mode .... maybe the od is switched off too ....... the power / eco switch should be in the middle position for normal driving ..... if you try to accelerate too quickly you wioll put it in power mode ( red light on switch )

and yes check the atf level

 

[jonela]

Can't help on the auto box, but some would say check the auto transmission oil level, oil should be cherry red not brown, and not smell burnt.
Might need an oil change, but not all comes out, so might need a second a week or so later.
For example,
If only half comes out, then 50% is new oil 50% old oil
another oil change will give you 75% new oil 25 % old oil.
a third oil change will give you 87.5 % new oil, 12.5% old oil
etc etc

I would wait for better advice from Auto owners though.:thumb2
Rustic

That is all correct rustic. the box holds, I think 8.4L and you need to to drop the fluid three times to call it a full change. each change is roughly 4.5L so you need about 15L to do a full change. make sure you put in exactley the same amount as you take out and then check the level when the fluid is hot. you need to give it a good run in between changes so as to allow the oil left in the flywheel to mix with the new.
It is very important that the level be correct.

 

[jims-terrano]

Welcome aboard, I've just got a project truck on the road and that's an auto. Great drive, was worried about mpg but when I checked it was 25 mpg which in fairness is not much less than my manual. Yeah gets a bit of getting used to. I find stick the switch in sports mode for going up hills otherwise it seems to faff about changing up and down. First motorway drive tomorrow. So I'm told it's 3 speed box too which seems a bit low geared to me but will see. I do like it and makes a change to driving a manual truck.

 

[firebobby]

Some auto boxes have a filter inside, not sure about this type, but worth checking as you maybe able to change the filter too.

 

[Jimblyb]

Thanks all for the replies. Having trouble finding a dipstick for the gearbox, to be honest. I can see the engine one (lefthand rear, looking at the engine from the front, behind/below the injection pump/distributor) but can't for the life of me see a 'box one - anyone give me a steer where to look? It might have fallen out of course but too wet to get underneath at the moment.

Think I might have sorted engine running - changed the fuel filter and what came out of the old one got darker and darker until it looked like old engine oil. Seems happier now and unless my maths is well off, got 32mpg on the first full tank... If that's right, I'm well happy...

More to come but thanks in the meantime...

 

[briggie]

the dipstick for the auto box is near the bulkhead ..... its low down might have to look hard

 

[Jimblyb]

Thanks Briggie - assume the same side as engine tube - inlet, not exhaust? It's an oldie...

Generally leave the trans in middle setting - get the 'Power' light on occasionally but maybe just need to be a bit gentle with the kickdown. Flicking the Overdrive off seems to drop it down into third rather than just out of OD.

Am I right in thinking it's a four speed 'box plus OD? You can feel it go up through the four gears, then the converter lock-up when it drops into OD and speed rises while revs stay constant for a while...

 

[briggie]

Thanks Briggie - assume the same side as engine tube - inlet, not exhaust? It's an oldie...

Generally leave the trans in middle setting - get the 'Power' light on occasionally but maybe just need to be a bit gentle with the kickdown. Flicking the Overdrive off seems to drop it down into third rather than just out of OD.

Am I right in thinking it's a four speed 'box plus OD? You can feel it go up through the four gears, then the converter lock-up when it drops into OD and speed rises while revs stay constant for a while...

looking from the front of the truck , its on the right hand side of the engine bay , after the engine block , but its low down near the bell housing , its in a tube ( which you use to fill the box )

 

[Barrbeast]

Thanks Briggie - assume the same side as engine tube - inlet, not exhaust? It's an oldie...

Generally leave the trans in middle setting - get the 'Power' light on occasionally but maybe just need to be a bit gentle with the kickdown. Flicking the Overdrive off seems to drop it down into third rather than just out of OD.

Am I right in thinking it's a four speed 'box plus OD? You can feel it go up through the four gears, then the converter lock-up when it drops into OD and speed rises while revs stay constant for a while...

Assuming it's like the Trol auto box it could be 3 + overdrive but I could be wrong as I drive a manual myself!

 

[Jimblyb]

Bit of an update and a bit more brain-picking...

Trans dipstick - found it and oil seems OK. Will change anyway ASAP. However, have started leaving trans in 'Hold' and it's a lot more relaxed - engine uses low-down torque instead of constant down-shifts and power-less high revs. Will this damage it at all though? Doesn't seem to use first and don't want to burn-out any clutches...

MPG - my maths was right but the speedo is reading around 25% over - displayed 85mph at 70mph on GPS speedo. Also blue dial against rest in white. Clearly replaced at some point - anyone know where I could get a secondhand speed and if they are easy to fit? Consequently, as it's massively over-reading, it's not 32mpg... Still, good reason to get to Costco...

Engine misfire. Got some clear pipes on the filter head, changed the filter, fuel coming out was minging. Primed, stopped and air bubbles formed from the top of the pick-up pipe and traveled back - to me, this feels like a leak at the filter head rather than further back? Anyway, start and run from cold fine. After 5 mins, starts to mis-fire. No air in fuel either side of filter. Eventually clears and runs sweet as for the rest of the day...

Any ideas? A friend suggested a seal in the fuel pump/distributor that nips up and seals when it gets a bit warm (apparently he had that on a Shogun) - anything to that, does anyone think?

Told you I would be pestering...

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Banshee]

Bit of an update and a bit more brain-picking...

Trans dipstick - found it and oil seems OK. Will change anyway ASAP. However, have started leaving trans in 'Hold' and it's a lot more relaxed - engine uses low-down torque instead of constant down-shifts and power-less high revs. Will this damage it at all though? Doesn't seem to use first and don't want to burn-out any clutches...

MPG - my maths was right but the speedo is reading around 25% over - displayed 85mph at 70mph on GPS speedo. Also blue dial against rest in white. Clearly replaced at some point - anyone know where I could get a secondhand speed and if they are easy to fit? Consequently, as it's massively over-reading, it's not 32mpg... Still, good reason to get to Costco...

If you have the older dials I'm sure the needles just pull off their respective splines and can be adjusted somewhat, try that first, also worth checking what size tyres are on it

Engine misfire. Got some clear pipes on the filter head, changed the filter, fuel coming out was minging. Primed, stopped and air bubbles formed from the top of the pick-up pipe and traveled back - to me, this feels like a leak at the filter head rather than further back? Anyway, start and run from cold fine. After 5 mins, starts to mis-fire. No air in fuel either side of filter. Eventually clears and runs sweet as for the rest of the day...

Swap the filter :thumbs

Any ideas? A friend suggested a seal in the fuel pump/distributor that nips up and seals when it gets a bit warm (apparently he had that on a Shogun) - anything to that, does anyone think?

Told you I would be pestering...

Thanks,

Jim

Pestering is the best :lol

 

[Jimblyb]

Changed the filter while I was at it - seems OK but poss leaking - tried priming again the other day and got D on my fingers, so poss that's the leak. But still all good fluid when mis-fires.

Am sure it's a dud speedo - error is consistent %-wise throughout, ie 15mph out at 70 true and 10mph at 50mph true.

And then there's the rear wiper, jammed-up passenger window, battery drain...

Thanks though - appreciate any input...

J

 

[Banshee]

Changed the filter while I was at it - seems OK but poss leaking - tried priming again the other day and got D on my fingers, so poss that's the leak. But still all good fluid when mis-fires.

Am sure it's a dud speedo - error is consistent %-wise throughout, ie 15mph out at 70 true and 10mph at 50mph true.

And then there's the rear wiper, jammed-up passenger window, battery drain...

Thanks though - appreciate any input...

J

It could be a knackered primer head then, check the seals again and re-tighten.

Is yours a digital dash or is yours one of the older cable fed dashes?

What's up with the rear wiper?

 

[solarman216]

Some on here have had problems with some makes of filter sealing properly, but if it clears this seems unlikely, as does a leak at the priming bulb, so your mates answer could be correct, unfortunately it is not an easy or cheap fix, injector pump out and send for refurb, If it was mine I would be putting a Facit electric pump on the line to the filter, (connected to ignition) what this does is keep the IP on positive pressure instead of the filter side of the pump being on negative pressure, the Facit only needs to be a low duty one less than 5 psi, Rick