wm_e_smith

A mind boggler -- picked up car for a mere $140.50. Was told that I had spark plugs that were not good enough -- the heat range was insufficient. This was a new thing to me after 26 years but I won't complain. The car is now running great - with power, zip, and smoothness. I'm elated that what I did didn't screw things up and it didn't cost me a bundle. Since I had just replaced the spark plugs with whatever CarQuest had sold me, they were not even a suspect. Next time I'll go by the book and make sure the spark plugs are the right ones. Although it's doing good today, tomorrow may be different.

Stephen, it was a nice looking 810. It's admirable. Jackboxxx, I'd sell you mine only that you realize that you would have to haul it from Ohio to Moreno Valley. I will guarantee you that it will be running smoothly at the time of pick up. The power steering fluid which disappears, the struts and rear shocks, and the looks of its outside and interior would be your problem, otherwise I myself am in love with it. Although, if you offered an amount where I could buy the cheapest new car on the market, regardless of how cheap it is, my car will be on its way back to God's country, southern California. Now come on, me and my car are getting old, have a heart! But then I'll say, for an old car which was once taken real care of, in recent years, the looks have been neglected but I have always kept it running top knotch.

I just knew that you were interested. I talked with an unknown repair shop. Explained that car would not start, left a note on front seat, and called towing company. Car was towed this morning but before I sent it off, I decided to check the fluid levels. Oil indicator showed that I was above the HIGH mark, smelled the dipstick, decided I had gas in the crankcase, immediately thought that the problem was flooding because of a defective cold start valve, added to the note that I had written what my thoughts were, and off it went. I called this evening and ask if they had a chance to look at it. I was told that they have been charging the battery all day, haven't done anything to the car yet, but they started it. So I'll wait until they do something. Their starting it boosted my spirits, and at this point, I still suspect the cold start valve which caused the excessive flooding and the inability to start the car. I'll let you know what they come up with.

Maybe when I changed the connector without disconnecting the battery I blew the control unit. While reading the Haynes manual, it talks of 'control unit' and also the 'transitor control unit'. I am lost. Would you recommend that, since I am obviously so dense on the subject, to take it in to a possible expert or keep on trying while bugging you guys?

I forgot to slip the boot onto the wires first before snapping on the connector so I replaced that connector. Connector was the one to the water temperature sensor. Some pulling of the wires was necessary to gain enough access to the ends. Since installing the connector, the car will not start and doesn't appear to want to start. After disconnecting the wire to the starter and trying to 'start', I can hear the fuel pump operating. I haven't performed a pressure check yet. Are there suggestions as to what might have suddenly happened? An after thought: It's been so long ago that I, myself, replaced the fuel filter that I had forgotten. During replacing it this time, when I removed the hoses, I expected the fuel to flow out until the line between tank and filter was drained. BUT, it never quit draining. I hurriedly installed the new one. Did this happen to me before? I don't think so, or at least, I sure don't remember. The tank was approximately 3/4 full.

I still have a few things to do before I can describe any farther problems that might still exist. But, I would like to ask some simple things that apply to my situation, unrelated to obvious problems -- 1) I have the air duct which extends from above the radiator to the air filter OFF the car. Is that bad? 2) The wire which runs from the pickup coil over to the ignition coil area is rather lengthly. How does one route that wire so that it doesn't interfere with anything? 3) What effect does NOT having the shroud for the fan installed?

It's beyond me. I haven't 'touched it' yet. I was, and I still am, confused because of what I read about power being supplied only when trying to start, then if it didn't start power would be dropped and cold start valve wouldn't dump the gas because of some simple heater within the thermotime switch which disables the cold start valve from operating. At this point, I'll say you are right -- that is, all is a function of the thermotime switch itself and all it needs is what you said. Now, I feel less worried about the situation. Thanks! I'll spend some time checking it out.

I'm disappointed that someone didn't suggest something to maybe give me an idea as to how to check the criss-crossing out. I suppose I can pull the wire from ignition coil to the center of distributor cap, remove the cold start valve, stick it in a glass, have someone try to start the engine, and see if gas is dumped. Then, if that doesn't happen, reverse the wires -- (I suppose this wouldn't work necessarily either) -- complicated by thoughts of a bad thermotime switch, a bad coldstart valve, etc. Am I wasting your time by asking such things that probably seem so trivial to you? So far I have replaced all the connectors, the fuel filter, the air flow meter and cleaned up the connector to the air flow meter. Because of recent work, vaccuum tubes seem ok, gas lines seem ok. Car is now running as should be except I have the new connectors on thermotime switch and the cold start valve 'not plugged in' because of those two wires to the thermotime switch that I may have mistakenly switched. I'm trying!

Question revised: Didn't mean 'easiest' -- really meant 'how would I?'

As a result of not thinking too clearly, I think I might have screwed up. What is the easiest way to determine if the two wires to the Thermotime switch connector are reversed? Also, once the metal contacting terminals are inserted into the plastic connector (Bosch), is it possible to remove them without damage? If so, how?

Extemes were taken to tune -- new ignition coil, new distrubutor w/ cap and rotor, new wires, new spark plugs, and timed to exactness. It then ran great -- smooth, lots of power and zip, then ... I have received the 10 Bosch connectors, and thanks to you, I now have better understand what the guy at atlantcz.ca was talking about. I am one to analyze before things happen -- so please, help me. The sudden sluggishness was farther thought about yesterday when I drove above 4 miles, stopped, smelled RAW gas, looked under the hood and saw gasoline around the area of the cold start valve. This has happened in the past but I just assumed it was from an untight hose to the cold start valve. Now -- my theory, correct me if yours if different. Could it be that an electrical pulse is being sent to a fuel injector but the connector is bad, resulting in high gas pressure and the 'fuel pressure' regulator is also at fault? Steve, I misread everything about the oem-surplus discount. I assumed a 25% discount but just found out the price is 25% of MSRP and less. What a bargain. I am ordering the Air Flow Meter because I have little faith in my solution to have mine 'rebuilt'.

Disregarding what has already been said -- My car starts but not too easily. I have to baby the excellerator then it'll start. I then have to keep it running by pushing the excellerator. Then it it runs but very slugglish -- like one of the cylinders is misfiring and the engine (car, in general) is imbalanced. I am driving it very little because of the fear that the problem might cause serious damage. Any ideas? Previous suggestions by S. Blakeney seem to right on about the water temp sensor connector, although a new connector is yet to be installed.

Another question which I have always wondered about -- I have always adjusted the valve lash while engine is cold or near cold. Specs give info for hot and cold. Is one better than the other? And, what would you define "hot" or "cold" to be?

My mind is wandering -- back to connectors. No local places could order the Bosch connectors, no near by junkyards, no near by BMV dealers, So I resorted to GOOGLE. Found a "telephone-order place" in Massachusetts that has them -- $9.50 each. I told him I need about ten, questioned s&h charges and he told me it wouldn't be much -- probably wouldn't weight more than 1/2 pound. If interested in the future it's http://www.idcparts.com/ .

Not familiar with acronynm MVAC? I suppose one of the reasons I am so impressed with my a/c is that it was serviced only one time, about 6 years ago, since I owned the car. And then I had it done because my brother told me I should have it done every year. He's probably right and I really lucked up.

I was adding an 'edit' to my last post apparently when you were send a reply. I've been lucky. It almost a must that a/c works.

I'm not gonna worry too much about it. The a/c is working now after my effort with a pair of long nose pliers yesterday. So, I'm happy. When it gives up next time, I'll run down to wal-marts and buy the parts. I'm still amazed that the a/c is hanging in. My rattling on should probably be on the chit-chit forum -- Adding to my thoughts about the a/c, Id like to clarify that the a/c compressor is not the original one. That situation is another story. When I bought the car in 1979, the a/c did not work. Two months later a snap-on tool truck darted throught a red light and I hit the heavy truck which caused quite a bit damage to my car. When the collision place fixed it up, the a/c compressor was replaced with a new one. So, this time I felt like I was the "rip-offer". Then a few years later, close to home, something started squealing and before I could find a place to stop, the squealing stopped. I stopped and noticed that the a/c belt was burnt completely through and dropped to the bottom. I assumed it was a frozen a/c compressor, took it in, they replaced it. After years of thought, I have decided that I was the "rip-offee". BECAUSE since, I discovered that the bearings in idler-pulleys can lead a novice such as I to believe that drastic problems have taken place. So -- I still wonder. But I'm still amazed that the old car has a/c.

This is more a story rather than a request for help -- prompted by comments by Steven Blakey and myself on another thread about windshield wipers. Many years ago, I would go across the Mojave Desert from San Diego to Las Vegas in the blazing heat. The A/C would suddenly die. I paniced, got out and checked the fuses. The 20 amp fuse for the A/C was shot. In desperation, I would do the old trick of wrapping it with the "tin-foil" of a cigarette package and make it back home in less misery. I became use to the problem and just kept replacing the fuse. After many years it finally sunk in to my slow thinking mind that I had better start analyzing. I noticed that the fuse that went bad was not "blown" but that the metal on the left side of the glass part just came loose, like whatever adhered it to the glass just melted away. Then I noticed the fuse box clamp thing on the left for the fuse was twisted from all the heat. I assumed, that I had been having a bad contact (less surface area) for the electricity to flow through resulting in extreme heat. Anyway, sometime ago, I must have twisted the fuse box clamp just right and the A/C hung in for a number of years. But, now, the problem resurfaced. I notice the area of the fuse box where the heat is obvious is melted. I'm now thinking about putting in an "inline" fuse thing for the fuse and forgetting the originality. Does anyone have a better solution assuming a new fuse box is non-available?

Stephen, All my connectors are looking bad. I'm surprised the car is running as well as it is. I couldn't find one connector that still had a metal clip on it -- it was simply pull off and push back on. So I'll see about obtaining some and replace them all. Will it be difficult to replace the fuel injector connectors without removing the gas supply piping that seems to cover the top of the intake manifold? Or is that an impossibility?

I didn't thoroughly read the info within the website http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/injectors/connectors/index.html to which sideshowbob referred me. Do the connectors shown on this site coincide with the ones you displayed?

Ignore Message. Testing changes to my profile, etc

And congratulations. I don't know about the other approximately 1990 of the posts but the ten or so for my benefit sure were helpful.

I'll eventually do this also. What would be the disadvantage of NOT soldering but using some kind of inline wire connectors to join the wires?.

Another question while gathering information -- About 18 years ago, my 810 would die on the city streets, on the freeways, or on the interstates, not often -- maybe like every 2 or 3 months. It would not start unless I let it sit for about 20 mintutes. Nissan could not figure it out. A service rep even drove it back and forth to work for 2 weeks. Then I was told he couldn't get it to fail so the "computer chip" was replaced. That did no good. Finally it died and was impossiible for me start. I had it towed in and they said it was the relays. The intermittent problem I was having never occurred again. What are the relays, are they a simple part or something complex? Are they easy to obtain and install?

Picture will be coming up as soon as I learn more about the how to's of this site -- it's ugly, in a woman's veiwpoint, (rusty and needs attention) but body is in pretty good shape. considering it's age, etc.