1990 NA auto

Not sure if these are all connected?

The aircon has always been a little tempremental. Dried out all electrics and changed aircon dash console, which seemed to do the trick, but today I noticed no aircon. It comes back on if I hit a bump brake? Also if I turn the ignition on (no aircon) press brake pedal relay clicks to release auto gearlever and aircon activates.

Also the alternator is boiling battery, I can measure constant 10A but anything from 14.6 to 16.6 volts. There has been an intermittent belt squeel.

This lunchtime I have tightened the aircon and alternator belts, but :confused: there still seems to be a high pitched scream on bringing up the revs. Unfortunately on my own so couldn't listen to where the exact noise was coming from because couldn't rev and hold ear to a tube/screwdriver...

Also plugged and unplugged all engine looms near relay/fusebox, swapped all relays around and cleaned lefthand sensor conections near top rad hose.

Still no different.

I have recently had the autobox changed and the ignition button isolated, would these have any effect?

Car drives OK but not really liking the bad egg fumes from the battery.

Is it the alternator failing or is there another relay or regulator somewhere else?

With that voltage i'd say your alternator needs to looked at first and then go fom there. The alternators are internally regulated. Electronic circuits react to wrong supply voltages in different ways so I'd say sort the charging first then check other faults.

Sounds like the reg/rec has failed.

Sounds like the reg/rec has failed.

the what now?? :confused:

Sounds like the reg/rec has failed.

 

the what now?? :confused:

 

Regulator/Rectifier ?

This will kill the battery if there's not already a dead cell causing this.

Regulator/Rectifier ?

ah cheers mate :D

ah cheers mate :D

Already swopped battery from my TT slick top so I know batterries are still serviceable. Going to get another alternator and see what happens then !?

By the way has any other member fitted a 1 piece prop from the states that works OK? i.e no vibration

Pete - Richard (SuffolkZX) is about to fit a one piece prop to his auto NA. You've heard my story - it's not the one piece prop that's to blame, it's something else - I'm still looking, when I find it I'll let you know. I've an MOT coming up in a weeks time and I know the tester ...going to pick his brians, if I haven't got the answer before that.

 

Cheerz

 

Jack

Already swopped battery from my TT slick top so I know batterries are still serviceable. Going to get another alternator and see what happens then !?

By the way has any other member fitted a 1 piece prop from the states that works OK? i.e no vibration

I have a one piece prop that was completely satisfactory on my old SWB. IMO there is no need for a complicated two piece prop on a 2 seater. May be a different story on a LWB tho. I have no experience on that score.

The main problem with a one piece is that it takes all the absorption facility out of the drive train(ie the rubber carrier) so it instantly emphasises any other slight wear in the drive train.

Many of the one piece props are made by "unskilled or at best semiskilled" labour down Mexico way. Hence tolerances may be well outside those originally laid down by Nissan.

I take your point and yes I have a lower mileage SWB slicktopp TT which is fine now... But surely if the supply of useable new UJ's has dried up (on back order sometime never!?) then it is in all of our interests to find a long term economical solution. I was advised that the way to go was 1 piece prop, but what was that based on? Supply and demand/ guess work?

 

I have a one piece prop that was completely satisfactory on my old SWB. IMO there is no need for a complicated two piece prop on a 2 seater. May be a different story on a LWB tho. I have no experience on that score.

The main problem with a one piece is that it takes all the absorption facility out of the drive train(ie the rubber carrier) so it instantly emphasises any other slight wear in the drive train.

Many of the one piece props are made by "unskilled or at best semiskilled" labour down Mexico way. Hence tolerances may be well outside those originally laid down by Nissan.

I think price is one of the main reasons many people go for one piece props due to the high cost of fully rebuilding the stock prop complete with the expensive "Nissan" carrier bearing.

In my case weight loss and rigidity in the drive train were the reasons which is why I opted for a ridiculously expensive Carbon fibre one piece.

perhaps the way forward in the UK is to find a company to produce a one piece steel shaft to high tolerances.

I would of had my original prop rebuilt had there been UJ's available. I was quoted circa £400 this didn't include centre bearing. So I had no option in the end (as second hand were just as knackered). At present I have spent close on £1000 trying to fix this vibe problem and seriously thinking of throwing in the towel. I have owned numerous Triumph 2000 2.5's over and still have one. They are notorious for prop vibes, but you can still easily fix them at home. Parts available and better engineered design.

I think price is one of the main reasons many people go for one piece props due to the high cost of fully rebuilding the stock prop complete with the expensive "Nissan" carrier bearing.

In my case weight loss and rigidity in the drive train were the reasons which is why I opted for a ridiculously expensive Carbon fibre one piece.

perhaps the way forward in the UK is to find a company to produce a one piece steel shaft to high tolerances.

Fitted replacement alternator (thanks to Bigmincey! for quick supply) last night (a bit of a tight squeeze!) and at last it looks like things are improving. No overcharging, no squeals, aircon OK and autobox changes happier. Just need to sort out 1 piece prop. Thinking of lowering autobox to see if vibes decrease? Anyone else done this with success? :hyper:

 

I would of had my original prop rebuilt had there been UJ's available. I was quoted circa £400 this didn't include centre bearing. So I had no option in the end (as second hand were just as knackered). At present I have spent close on £1000 trying to fix this vibe problem and seriously thinking of throwing in the towel. I have owned numerous Triumph 2000 2.5's over and still have one. They are notorious for prop vibes, but you can still easily fix them at home. Parts available and better engineered design.

I had vibes with my last box. This was partially cured by first replacing the centre prop support bearing then pretty much the rest of the way by packing the gearbox support to raise the tailshaft angle a bit. You can do it by carefully jacking under the box with bits of wood under the sump then as the slotted part in the rubber support opens up you pack strips of rubber in there. Obviously this is a bodge but it can quickly prove if its just a new gearbox mount you need. The tailshaft angle can be too low with the age sagged mountings.

 

My box later expired anyway and the replacement box and replacement gearbox mount has meant that there is not a trace of the 50-60mph cold vibes any more.

I really must finish this page http://www.300zxtt.co.uk/propvibes.htm one of these days about propshaft vibes. The short version is:

- gearbox mount

- centre bearing

- ujs

- the CV that connects to the diff.

Warning: the CV is different for NA / TT and auto/man so you have to get the right propshaft. DON'T do what I did and order a TT propshaft from the US to save money as they only have the SWB TT in the US and for some reason it won't fit the 2+2 :nelson:

 

Oh looky, and here's the pic with a link to reco prop who can both replace the CV AND lengthen propshafts to the right length.

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=451542&postcount=4

 

SInce then, no propshaft vibes for me :D

I had already gone through that exercise. New gearbox mount , centre bearing autobox etc (still plently of vibes). That is why after much advise went for 1 piece prop. I think I need to lower the box to make it more inline with the diff. Hopefully get less wang from the prop. The autobox certainly was a big contributor though.

 

I had vibes with my last box. This was partially cured by first replacing the centre prop support bearing then pretty much the rest of the way by packing the gearbox support to raise the tailshaft angle a bit. You can do it by carefully jacking under the box with bits of wood under the sump then as the slotted part in the rubber support opens up you pack strips of rubber in there. Obviously this is a bodge but it can quickly prove if its just a new gearbox mount you need. The tailshaft angle can be too low with the age sagged mountings.

 

My box later expired anyway and the replacement box and replacement gearbox mount has meant that there is not a trace of the 50-60mph cold vibes any more.

Pete - I think that you'll find that the standard route of new gearbox mount and centre bearing is fine for a 2 piece (ie 3 UJs) as the centre UJ takes a lot of strain from any difference in angle between the box and the diff and the centre bearing fixes the overall geometry (please excuse my poor terminology), but with a one piece, it looks like that as you lower the gearbox it'll reduce the angle between the box and the diff therefore asking less of the 2 UJs.

 

On the basis that it's potentially (haven't tried this yet) just a few washers between the car and the gearbox rear bearing support beam to test the theory, you should give it a go and let us know how you get on.

 

I'm tempted to do the same and add more spacers behind the centre bearing too, as it'll also improve the line (between box and diff) even on a 2 piece...

 

...all this of course is a bodge to rectify poor alignment brought about by age... but hey! ...if it works...

 

Good luck

 

Jack