Nissan in Alpine

[bashby]

Bill, thanks but yours is NOT a junkyard dog, you are just more intelligent. The "bikini" top is a custom one, using a soft top front rail, composite tent poles (down the center, the sides and across the rear) and the roll bar (with cam-loc rafting straps for attachment) for a rear attachment point. I have attached a photo of it which shows it better.

 

[bashby]

As I have installed the front coil overs, changed the rear coil over spring rate and changed the ride height I decided to have the car re-weighed on 4-point scales.
The rear has 275#/in coil overs and a triangulated 4-link, the front has 550#/in coil overs.

without driver, 14 gallons fuel: 2,510# F/R 1,199#/1,311# 47.8%/52.2%.
LF: 599#
RF: 600#
LR: 645#
RR:666#
with driver, 14 gallons fuel: 2,683# F/R 1,265#/1,415# 47.2%/52.8% with 49.0% cross-weight (LR+RF/total weight).
LF: 665#
RF: 602#
LR: 712#
RR: 703#

 

[bashby]

I am relocating to Albuquerque NM, moving the Alpine there in a few days leaving at 0330 and 460-miles later ... hopefully without incident (and I will be very pissed off if there is one). I have yet to install the door and window gaskets, perhaps I can get to it soon. I have lived in CO for more than 30-years, but know Albuquerque a little Will miss driving the mountains and miss those I have met through the Forum.
-Bill

 

[dtbaker61]

Will miss driving the mountains and miss those I have met through the Forum.
-Bill

you'll have NEW mountains to drive now! around the back of the Sandias, up to the ski area, or north on NM14 the 'back way' to santa fe! personally I am thrilled to know there will be another 'beamer in the area.... I probably will need some sage advice once I really start on mine. Once you get settled, and consider a road trip up to santa fe, let me know....

 

[bashby]

I know of NM14 through Madrid, and of Sandia, Jemez and Sangre de Christos I will get in-touch once I am settled.
-Bill

 

[bashby]

I have been able to take her out for drives here in ABQ, just need to keep an eye on the weather and the wind. Since she is in storage and not as convenient I have had an issue with the battery keeping a charge, started disconnecting the + terminal which helps a I am fairly certain that the battery was draining by feeding back through the alternator (even though I have a master relay switch). I am in-process of installing a battery cut-off switch (I will be putting it on the -negative side), one of the problems with an Odyssey battery (I have the PC295L) is that once they get down to ~50% you have to use the Odyssey charger to put a charge into them (I have had this issue previously when the body shop left the turbo oil pump on). Was out for a drive earlier this week and went from 13.4 volts to 12 volts while driving. Hope it did not eat the alternator (I know to not check the alternator by disconnecting the battery while running... internal-electronic regulators do not like it and the magic smoke gets out...). I am awaiting cables from Bohannon battery, brackets from Focused Light and a new Odyssey PC925L from Stored Energy Products.

 

[bashby]

I am fairly certain that the battery has gone bad, with a full 100% charge I leave it disconnected and within 16-hours it is down to 70%.

 

[RootesRacer]

For that kind of discharge rate, I would expect to see some sparks when you remove the positive battery cable (with ignition off).

If you see that, there is a legit discharge and the battery is not 100% the reason its flat overnight (may not be the battery at all).
If you dont see sparks, you could connect a DC ammeter between the removed battery terminal and the battery post. Be sure the ignition is off.
The current read should be very low, certainly less than 1ma (not ampere).
If you have an alarm it may be a bit higher, but not much.
Your ECU may also have a clock calendar in it but it should not consume more than 1ma.
Any electronics that are wired direct to the battery or hot unswitched circuits could be the culprit. (IE alarms, Stereo power backup ECT).
Disconnect anything that is not on the ignition switch and see if current goes towards zero.


Sometimes wiring issues come into play and cause such problems.

A failed rectifier in an alternator can cause that very issue, yet still be able to charge the battery when running.

 

[bashby]

The battery is disconnected from the car (actually sitting on the kitchen counter...).

 

[bashby]

Installed the new Odyssey PC925L and Flaming River battery cut-off switch today. All works well and running great
BMW 135's are quick...

 

[bashby]

Replacing the Ford 8" rear axle as the current one was shortened incorrectly and am running ~1" offset under the car (currently have15x6 w/ 4-5/8" BS ~29mm? offset) under the rear. I ordered a new 8"using and axles from Currie (!$860) and will be measuring and for setting pinion angle this weekend. I have all of the new brackets necessary for my existing triangulated 4-link and coil overs on hand (the old axle tubes are 2.5" the new ones are 2.75"). Will be using the 3rd. member from the existing Ford 8" (4.11's and Auburn LSD) in this new Currie unit. I will be offering the old 8" housing and axles for sale once completed. I have an occasional stutter when driving, usually when pulling hard, think that it is the fuel filter (10-micron at the injector rail) will know once all of the changes are completed. She runs well ~16k on the clock and running well.

 

[Bill Blue]

Bill, you say the axle was shortened incorrectly. Is the offset wrong for your car? I can't even remember how much offset (if any) I have!

Bill

 

[bashby]

Bill, they made it too narrow and did not correctly offset the pumpkin (the pinion is not centered) therefore while the right-side wheel is the correct distance from the fender the left-side wheel sits 1" inboard.

 

[dtbaker61]

Bill, they made it too narrow and did not correctly offset the pumpkin (the pinion is not centered) therefore while the right-side wheel is the correct distance from the fender the left-side wheel sits 1" inboard.

bummer they are not BOTH 1" inboard... that would leave room for fatter rear tires. My alpine is sitting waiting for conversion to electric; not running because I broke off a carb jet over-tightening to fix a gas leak.... sigh. Its going to have to wait though as I am only half thru converting a nissan altima at the moment.

 

[Bill Blue]

Bill, they made it too narrow and did not correctly offset the pumpkin (the pinion is not centered) therefore while the right-side wheel is the correct distance from the fender the left-side wheel sits 1" inboard.

If the axle was shifted 1/2" to the left, would that aggravate the offset problem?

Bill

 

[bashby]

Yes it would but then the yoke (pinion) would not be centered. Could this housing be modified to be correct? Yes, then shorten the axles and change the backspace (offset) on the wheels. I did not want to go that route.

 

[RootesRacer]

Thats #2 for you huh?

What impact would such a small error in pinion offset be?

 

[bashby]

I do not like how it looks under the car, one wheel properly spaced and one wheel inset 1", I know that it is an expensive 1" but never-the-less. Takes left handers better than right's but driving is not a circle track...
Technically it is the 3rd... when I bought the car (and one of the reasons I bought it) it had a "new" Ford 8" (with 3.31's) but the PO had them center the pumpkin therefore when you turned right the driveshaft rubbed the tunnel.

 

[RootesRacer]

I do not like how it looks under the car, one wheel properly spaced and one wheel inset 1", I know that it is an expensive 1" but never-the-less. Takes left handers better than right's but driving is not a circle track...
Technically it is the 3rd... when I bought the car (and one of the reasons I bought it) it had a "new" Ford 8" (with 3.31's) but the PO had them center the pumpkin therefore when you turned right the driveshaft rubbed the tunnel.

But why not do what Bill said and offset the rear so the wheels are centered.
The pinion offset should not cause a problem unless the driveshaft rubs the tunnel.

 

[bashby]

As it would put the driveshaft 1/2" from the tunnel and assuming that it would not rub when driving a windy road, the cost of 2-new wheels with different backspace was almost equal to getting a new housing and axles. I already have the Currie housing and axles it is simply a matter of welding the perches and upper link mounts. The main reason is that I just cannot tolerate that the right-side rear tire-fender is really visibly different than the left; and that it is simply not correct.