Dave WM

after video

its all back together, MUCH quieter, posting up a video now. will have to see if any miles on it effect things but right now there is NO noise and NO slop (top bottom shake) at all. Very pleased with the outcome, but the garage is a disaster zone. I always seem to have way more tools out laying around than I need. Guess that is the sign of diy vs a pro on general repair. I backed the car out so I can do a compete cleanup. Part of the issue is the way I have things stash in place due to limited room. I would like to think if I had a bigger shop with roll around tool chest ect.. it would not get so out of hand.

I will post up some video of the old bearing later, it does make some odd noises like a vibration when spun (still has the old grease in it, I know better to spin a dry bearing). the stub axle went in as well as could be hope for. all night in the freezer, then a space heater on the hub (not too hot of course, prob about 110f), it dropped right thru the 1st bearing and with some light hand pressure it popped thru the second. So now on to tighten up process I will reinstall the tire and with the flat on the ground will use the new torque wrench to factory spec. After that I will be on familiar ground (reinstall the assembled strut). The other side I think I will just start with the strut removal.

well that turned into a cluster REAL FAST. the issue as the dang grease seal. it was not coming out, normally I can pop them out with out resorting to a "seal puller tool" guess I was wrong about that. anyway I was beginning to question the whole idea of trying to do this on my back so I went ahead and pulled the spindle pin and removed the entire strut assembly. I was finally able to get the seal out with a slide hammer and drywall screw after several attempts. from there. I stub axle was removed before pulling the strut with a slide hammer, a couple good wacks and it was out. I drove out the inner bearing using the cast in notches in the housing, a bearing puller was used on the outer bearing (it stayed with the stub axle). Since I had the strut out I used the press to install the bearings and new grease seal after lubing up all the needed spots. So now the stub axle with no bearings on it is in the freezer for the night. the 100 watt bulb is gently heating up the housing, I will check on it later to maker sure its not cooking out the grease by getting too hot. if all goes well I will hopefully drop in the stub axle, at least far in enough to get a shot at fitting the splines of the companion flange lined up. From there I will press on the companion flange and the outer side of the hub where the wheel studs are installed. if it does not get that far I will just have to hunt up some pipe that will let me press on the inner race of the inner bearing until I can get enough of the shaft thru the bearings to engage the companion flange. I am trying to make sure that the pressure to pull the axle shaft into preload position is all done with out any pressure to the balls or races of the bearing.

oh yea and I popped for a 250ftlb torque wrench too

removed the old 27mm nut. I did NOT uncaulk it per fsm term I presume for stake) I seemed like a pita to do and I tend to go with the FSM recommendations. my technique was to use a 1/2 breaker bar on the nut, with the wheel back on the hub lower the car off the jackstands and roll it backwards. the break bar jambs into the control arm, locking the nut, rolling backwards unscrewed the hub threads. works great. I check the thread by seeing if I could re attach the nut, no problem. The treaded part of the thinned nut where the stake is just bent open. So now I await the arrival of the slide hammer from mr amazon. The plan is to install the bearing into the hub pressing on the outer races with some sockets and all thread to do the pulling. this is after applying grease to the areas per the FSM (the sealed outer bearing from Nissan already had some grease there but I would like to have a bit more. I will make sure I don't over pack the center section and make sure the inner race are clear of grease so as to not cause any possible hydro lock (if possible doubt it) when the entire assembly is preloaded back with the nut. then the new seal. To install the axle the plan is to put it in the freezer overnight, put a 100 watt light bulb near the hub (but not so hot as to have melted grease get everywhere just enough to heat up the bearings to about 90f, hopefully that will allow for a light slip fit of the axle into the bearings. The FSM was not real helpful on the assembly just reverse the removal. if I followed that literally it showed the outer bearing installed on the axle shaft (guess it stays on during removal). reversal would be to press on the outer bearing inner race on to the stub axle then insert the stub axle/bearing into the hub. I don't know how to do without pressing on the inner race to press into the hub, that would stress the balls and races. So hopefully my process of installing bearing in hub the axle slip into bears will work.

Our other car is a 2001 chevy suburban. 205k miles, never had the MIL come on, never changed the trans fluid, Only issue is a fuel gauge indicator that kinda works, you just have to know that at 1/4 tank indicated you are really on fumes in the tank. Its really been quite reliable, and it looks like new. Its got a slight bumping noise in the suspension that is hard to track down, but drives great. I think it living in a garage for 21 years when not driving is the reason it looks practically new, as far as why it has never had an issue (opps well it did need a rear main seal at about 150k) maybe it was one of those trucks made on a good day at the factory. IIRC is still has its orig brakes (tires have been replaced a few times). the brakes are due to the way we drive, brake can last for a very long time if you time lights and drive in a way that tries to save gas. With all the sunshine on this forum, perhaps a "your other ride" section would be in order...

I am hoping I don't have to fight it too much, this car has very little rust, most of the time things come off without too much of a fight.

copy that guys, I ordered parts (Nissan OE). So that was pretty bad right? 43210-E4100 inner or outer 43215-E4100 inner or outer 43232-E4100 Seal 43262-21000 (nut)

I discounted the external VR as an issue (stock system) since I got the exact same behavior after switching to a backup new VR. I could accept a bad VR even a bad second VR but for the identical pattern, "ok, then high charge then low charge then return to normal" exhibited by both. So since I know its not a meter malfunction (much brighter head lights during the charge event) and the behavior is the same regardless of a different VR, that leaves me with 3 options Bad battery (somehow influencing the charge/discharge cycle). Wiring (I checked for good ground and good connections thinking the VR's may be sensing a low voltage) but the recurring pattern seems odd for that. Alternator somehow confusing the VR's, this was the most likely although hard to figure the exact fault. My assumption is the alt was having an intermittent fail, be it loss of internal ground of the diodes, intermittent open of one or more of the diodes, winding faults of the stator or field. Again not exactly how but it seemed the next logical thing to replace. After replacing the alt I made the 400 mile return leg with out a recurrence of the "charge/discharge/back to ok" cycle. there remains some very small events I noticed at idle but it was a very different event, no pattern and a much smaller scale (amps not 10's of amps flux), and more of a ammeter needle vibration than a sustained 2/3 seconds long event. this event is not constant either, just every now and then when I am sitting at stop light the ammeter would vibrate a bit. I suspect something is still not 100% correct, I should have just rebuilt the OE part with some bearings and a new diode pack (I kept the OE alt from years ago when it shorted the diode, and I replace the alt back then, did not give it back as core). So the presumed bad alternator that I replaced on the trip was the autozone one with about 5+ years and about 25k miles on it. Maybe that's about what to expect with a reman... I did order some new OE Nissan green fuse links, since the one in there looks like it got hot. and after going out to take a ride around the block to test again, I have a FLAT TIRE, thanks to a well place nail, argh...

Those headlights were getting quite bright. I know it was not just a meter twich now.

another data point, the OE Nissan green fuse link looks like the plastic heat shrink on the female spade terminals cooked itself off. Ordered some new ones. The wire is still intact but I suspect it got hot... I have searched on intermittent over follow by under charge then return to normal in google, nothing came up. there was something on shorted windings but it was a blocked site for me.

so after all my 70 mile trips and all good, I start out on my 400 mile trip (800 round) about 200 miles it I notice my headlights getting much brighter (more white than yellow) while the ammeter is acting up again.... so we really do have a excess voltage causing excess charge current. Here is the symptoms (I had 200 miles of night time driving to panic about it, lots of observation going on). there was a pattern, high charge for a couple seconds, between 2-3 seconds I would guess, followed by nearly as much of a discharge for about the same amount of time. Charge then Discharge, then A.OK for a variable interval of seconds to minutes.. My guess is the alternator was at times overcharging causing the VR to kick down the field winding current throwing alt into a discharge as soon as the intermittent overcharge would stop. How would alternator actually do this? again a guess if one or more of the diodes in the alt was failing open, then I presume the overall output would be less, the VR tries to compensate by increasing the field current at which point the intermittent open diode begins conducting again, now with excessive field current, suddenly the over charge, the VR sees this, cuts the current and then the diode goes open again now with reduced field current therefore reducing alt output going into discharge mode. the actual cycle starting on over charge. So the diode is mostly open but will momentary conduct throwing the charge cycle into the charge/discharge mode. Just a guess. I was able to get a reman alt on the road, swapped it and the problem ceased. I still get a little jumpiness at idle but its only a fraction (maybe a few amps tops) and only while sitting at idle a completely different situation. will go back and review the my connections as the swap was done in the field with not my best tools. again the pattern was Normal reading (center) then a sudden charge for seconds of 30-40 amps, followed by discharge close the same amperage and time the return to center on the scale. pause for seconds to minutes to hour...random time between events, but each event lasting approx. 4-6 seconds (2-3 charge, 2-3 discharge). due to circumstances beyond my control I was NOT able to have them test the alternator that I replaced. so will never have a definitive test to know if that was indeed the issue. I know typically SS devices fail either open or shorted, but perhaps its not the diode but rather the connection of the diode? Its some kind of top hat looking diode soldered into a mount (multiple diodes that is).

also make sure you have GOOD battery cables, Stock and in good condition FUSE LINKS, make sure spade connectors are in good condition where every you find them. Good Grounds are essential too. Its a process you are fighting nearly 1/2 century of possible corrosion that will limit current flow.

Exactly, my guess as well, after 150+ miles not a hint of a problem...

I ended up buying a DC clamp on probe, has a 6ft lead that I can connect the a dmm. Will do a video when I get it of course :)

Yes! I like it. I was going to hook up a old school ammeter that I have laying around but it was only 30amps, would have to figure a good point to test. This is much Cleaner. I guess the best place to test would be right on the battery cable itself. I wonder if extending the wires long enough to get it in the cabin would be an issue? The wires on the test that is, not the battery cable although that would work :)

where I was going with the load comment was if I was indeed flowing 60 amps into the battery, I don't think the voltage would spike to the point of electrical destruction. That is once you go beyond 14v THEN it would become a big load. Not sure if that is correct but it was why I assume a voltmeter test while driving would still work as there would be a large increase in voltage (but not so much as to fry things) if there was an actual 60 amp charge going on and not just an indicator problem. IF indeed I did have a 60 dump into the battery I can say for sure the ECU did not self-destruct, I don't know the max voltage it would take for that to happen.

intermittent is the worse part of it. Well after 150 miles of testing and NO spurious +/- amperage to report I am going to have to call it. Just no way to trace it down. IF it continued I think I would get a voltmeter on the battery and see if the voltage varies with the indicated charge/discharge. The battery is a big load/supply so I figure it would absorb the flux well but still 60 amps would have to show up on the voltmeter. That way 2) could be confirmed or denied.

That seems logical, but not sure why the ammeter worked perfectly after disconnecting the VR (thereby preventing the alt from charging) seems like a defect that would allow less shunting of current thru the man bar would still be there and present as intermittent large discharge amounts as well. There is not a lot to it so I agree seems like the only possible explanation. Perhaps the intermittent nature of the defect just did not happen while I was driving home with the VR disconnected. Needless to say I will be keeping a very close eye on it. will make another 70mile run later today to see if it happens again. One point to note was the shunt did have two very small fuses built into it as part of the circuit that drives the gauge, so it must have been a consideration (that the shunt could some how fail in a way that you described) otherwise why would the engineers bother with adding those fuse to the gauge circuit.

took the car out for a drive, while on the road constant speed smooth highway, the ammeter starts going nuts, 60+ then about -30 amps. then settle down then starts up again, lasting several seconds. I heard NO odd noises (but a 70mph prob would not hear over road noise anyway). No other indication of problems (radio fine, lights seemed normal (I turned on the HL to soften the charging down to about 30 amps indicated). I was not far from home so just disconnected the VR and drove on home, no more intermittent anything, just a constant to be expected discharge rate. Installed a new backup VR that had been tested on a running engine, same thing random wild swings but mostly, like before. I tried unplugging the connector from the back of the alt, shot it with some deoxit, same with the shunt (actually removed it to inspect the wiring inside, pretty basic the shunt IS the plug no way it can have a solder issue) the plug for the meter is soldered to the shunt, all looked good. I moved the small fuses around inside the shunt that I presume are there to protect the gauge. reinstalled everything, checked over the battery ground (wire from batter post to fire wall) and the engine harness ground (wire from harness that goes to the alt, has a ground lead). All seemed good and clean. checked the wire that goes from the starter positive back to the engine harness, that looks a bit suspect, some rust on that nut, will give that a good wire brush treatment. made sure the E and B connections at the alternator were solid. oh forgot also deoxit the spade connectors of the two fuse links mounted by the VR. Anyway after the above (but for the last large wire at the starter), took it for a test drive (70 miles, lots of revving, lots of rougher roads to shake it up) I had NO more jumping around +/- like before, and yes the ammeter is working as I will show a drop when loaded momentary until the alt adjust for it back to center. If it happens again I will take the time to install a lead at the battery terminal to attach a volt meter to. IF it truly was seeing a 60 amp charge I would expect there to be a noticeable increase in battery voltage. Frankly I doubt there was a 60amp charge as I was only turning about 2.5k when I noticed it. I should have thought to push in the clutch and drop the RPM to see what happened, I doubt the alt could make that kind of power to a load at idle, heck it will not do that when testing and the VR is bypassed. The battery is a napa legend 24f less than a year old, test good with a digital tester (not the carbon pile type, the Internal resistance type) resting voltage is about 12.65-12.75. the batter cables looks good, have molded on contacts, no corrosion and are on tight. I really should have gone to that white lead on the positive side of the starter. From what I read, the VR looks at the voltage of the battery (as determined by this connection for the positive) and the body ground (that mid point ground lead I presume for black ground lead of the VR), to establish an overall state of charge, then cycles a zero/med/high field current thru the VRs contact point, one side is high, one side is zero and when off both contacts there is a voltage divider that sets up a med current flow. Pretty neat. But if it "sees" a voltage that is low (presume a poor connection at that starter or ground) then it would assume a low state of charge and attempt to correct by cycling max field current. Still I don't see how it could swing SO much, but that is the nature of intermittent faults. Oh I did a through visual exam of the wire harness looking for any rub thru ect… I am lucky this car is totally unmolested as far as PO work to the electrical I all seems fine and well supported with the correct tie downs etc. I looked at the plug in connector of the VR to harness, it looked fine, no corrosion was noted, but I still should have hit it with some deoxit. will go back and do that as well, and reinstall the orig VR as a test. I don't the VR was the issue after all.

update

coming attractions.. Actually I pressure tested this morning could hear a leak, air, top of the rad hose at the T stat housing, yep screw not very tight. Hopefully the leak I have been chasing is just a end point for a leak at the T stat housing. I know leaks can be sneaky and origins can be far from end points. So will be testing again. I did hold up my mirror to the TC weep hole and saw no dampness at all while under pressure. I have a few videos of the unboxing of the rad, but have not reviewed them yet, that is if anybody wants to see an unboxing video of a stock rad. I am very happy with the aviation Permatex sealant. will be using that for now on.

nope its on the side under the water inlet, above the weep hole on the pump. the TC has a weep hole that is part of a channel that surrounds the block to TC cover coolant passages. I presume the idea is of any coolant gets past the gasket, it get into that channel and weeps out. Its is directly under the water inlet.