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What I need to do to my rig 'today' or before I can drive it!


sar4x4

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Similar to the "What did you do to your rig today' thread!

I need to do the following to my Scout before I can drive it on a regular basis.

1) Fix LR tail/brake/turn light. Previous Owner (PO) wired a new bulb socket incorrectly (switched the tail and brake or signal light wires) resulting in the left rear turn signal not working if tail, brake and signal light are all on at once. And of course a really bright tail light and a dim turn/brake light.

This is a safety hazard when turning left while stopped!

2) Test/install a new battery. PO said the battery tested at 70%. And with the 'hot start' (low voltage at starter issue) having a good battery is crucial.

See Item #3.

3) Upgrade the starter wiring layout. From the factory the wiring for the starter goes from the battery in through the dash, through the ammeter (you don't see that anymore for many reasons), through a relay from the Neutral Safety Switch, back out through the firewall and down to the starter. With barely adequate wire size. If battery and electrical connections aren't perfect, the resulting low voltage at the starter solenoid makes a no-start condition. Especially with a bit of heat soak in the solenoid when warm. (Stuff a 345 cu in V8 in tight quarters!) This is well known issue with these vehicles and a shortfall in the OEM electrical layout. And an easy fix.

This is a MAJOR issue with my truck, no 'turn over' when warm. Even my booster pack won't turn it over. But a boost from another running vehicle and she starts with a turn of the key, just like when cold.

4) Fix the drivers side window crank. To properly seal the doors inside the soft top you must close the doors with the window down. And the crank was really stiff. And after a few days of use - it just flat out busted last night. With the window up. I'll have to warm the soft top to flex it enough to get the door open and then close it with the window up.

5) Get the Antique Plates and remove the Temporary Permit. On Friday evening the RMV computers were down and they were only handing out yellow Temp stickers, and they weren't that keen at first to give me that!

6) Fill the Fuel Tank. That's twice I got caught already, in the two weeks I've owned it.....................

7) Change the lubrication fluids! PO has owned it 20 years and never opened a diff, and it hadn't been inspected in 10 years so I suspect the engine oil is that old........

8) Reattach the inside rear view mirror. The Scout II Terra style mirrors on the A pillars don't give the best visibility, and the doors hit them. I may also put limiting straps on the doors.

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Despite the above, she runs really really well, and the no-start condition doesn't happen every time, and we've had a lot of fun already!

And she sounds wonderful with the dual exhaust V8!

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good call :)

my list is pretty extensive right now.. but for the sake of sanity, I'll start with;

1. Derek and I ran the pipeline the other night, and the next sub-zero day I discovered my rear end locked up, presumably iced up. IDK if it was caused by the rear brakes frozen on, or ice in the drum, or frozen water in my rear axle. There is a clue.....I can hear grit in my rear brakes now it's defrosted, so I'm hoping it's just caked mud that got into the rear drums and froze up!!

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Hmmmm, let's see.

  • Replace centering ball on front driveshaft
  • Figure out what's worn out causing sloppy steering
  • Fix e-brake
  • Get tires balanced (going to try beads)
  • Reseal leaking tires (stupid flaky chrome rims!!)
  • Replace noisy a/c compressor
  • Change leaky valve cover gaskets
  • Change front and rear diff fluid

I think that's enough to start with. :D

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Uhm, nothing, it's a Nissan :P . Aside from waiting on part delivery within a day, I've never had it "sidelined" (on road). Now, for off-roading, just have to wait for the TIME to re-install the skids and I'll be GTG!

Eugene, is there a 1 wire alternator & more modern starter that can be installed? I thought that I read a while ago that the "inner cabin" wiring can be by-passed by doing this. You have to run 2 (or 3) new wires from the ignition to the starter.

Early Broncos had a similar set-up and I believe that running the main 12v wiring straight from the source (battery to alt, battery to starter) fixed the problems. The heat in the engine bay causes issues with the solenoid on the starter, especially with V8 engines!

To confirm, cross the solenoid points on the starter when the engine is warm and won't turn over on it's own power.

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Yes, that is basically the fix. Mount an appropriately heavy relay on the firewall. Battery to relay to starter. The 'binder' forums even cross reference the relays by manufacturer, and one is similar to the old Warn winch relays I think! Similar era Fords used a similar relay and folks often call it a 'Ford' relay. There are dozens of types of course, such as continuous duty, intermittent duty and a dozen other parameters but it is really very simple. Though these are metal and considerably heavier than a headlight relay! I need only a relay, which I have one at the garage from another project, battery cable the right length, I probably have at home, and a 3 inch jumper cable for the solenoid terminals, which I can make at home.

And a good clean up of electrical connections will help!

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I knew there was something more about your suggestion there Devin. I haven't drawn it out yet, and I do have the Service Manuals, but if I'm correct the reason IH buffs suggest not running the battery wire directly to the starter solenoid is to retain the ammeter function (except when starting) by using the relay. All the positive feeds come off the battery wire post on the solenoid just like my Chev. On the Chev I've always wanted to move those feeds to a distribution block on the firewall. By installing a relay on the firewall/fender only for the heavy draw of the starter on the Scout, it not only retains the ammeter function but gives an easier place to reach for that positive feed. Until I install a distribution block as well!

And of course my original post said the battery feed goes through the NSS switch relay, which probably only the solenoid power wire goes through the relay, but it doesn't matter.

You smart man / good memory Devin! I don't have the truck right here to look at (I can only have one parking spot here), but it is the good style starter / solenoid and yes you can actually reach in by the tire and cross the battery and 's' terminal on the solenoid. I always had someone near to boost me but that wold have been my next try if I was really stranded. It is just a bit hard to work in there, and I didn't need to dead short against the frame or engine block, weld the tool, and burn out the wiring/cause a fire. I've crossed the posts many times to test a starter but while working on a bench! And 35 years ago I've done it outside as well. Not so much with newer cars anymore!

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1.) call wheelers offroad (somewhere in oregon) and find out when my upper control arms ship out.

2.) wait and drink beer since im laid off ;)

3.) install said control arms (they are aftermarket upgraded ones :) )

4.) mount studded winters, balance, alignment.

5.) hang out a few more weeks then back to work, im driving back out west this time, its been nice to be back these past few months but I really cant handle all the flying.

This be my new spare tire, last season i had an all season spare and 4 studded nokians. Coast tire hooked me up 180$.

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