Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 7:41 pm

Sam I'm using one of these knuckles in my brumby

I believe it is an outback Knuckle I'm pretty sure it would work in your wagon as well.

Excuse the really good anti rust paint job on the chassis rail and subframe ... and everything else

TOONGA

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:10 am

I was about to say nice spray job Jules!

Sam, what brand is that cruise control unit? More importantly have you worked out where you're going to mount the control pad/stalk?

The way the cruise holds speed up hills depends on two main factors:
1/ How the system is tuned/setup for that vehicle
2/ engine performance and gear selection for hills etc.

I can cruise around town in 5th at 60km/h in Ruby Scoo on cruise no worries, put a hill in that mix and I have to intervene...

You'll love it once you've got it set up properly

One tip: create a bar off the back of the gearbox to mount the speed pickup sensor then fit the magnets to the tail shaft. It's a good idea to measure and mark the tail shaft to get the two magnets exactly 180 degrees apart.

I'm surprised to hear you're not painting in the lounge room - it's far too cold to be painting else where!

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:51 pm

Thanks for the tip Jules, Phizinza also has a similar knuckle in his Brumby. Now I will definitely be on the lookout for an Outback at the wreckers. One question though, is it a bad thing to not have the rubber disc in there any more? As for the tip top paint job, looks like someone sneezed in your engine bay

Bennie, the brand is Equus (American made) model 9000-B or something like that. It is quite old, funky retro looking control panel for inside

It only has the control pad and the vacuum can, no other black box to mount anywhere (all the brains are inside the vacuum servo) Think I've found a good spot for the controls under that little storage bin thingy on the right hand side of the steering wheel, below the vent. If everything still works as it should it has a few adjustments that can be made with dip switches etc to suit different cars. Can run the magnet/sensor OR hook up to negative side of the ignition coil for speed sensing and prevent over-revving. If I can get my twin coil pack with it's two negative sides combined to one negative then that option will work instead of the magnet. Also the assumption is I will only use the cruise control when on longer open roads in top gear only.

Here's todays progress shot, can confirm VG30E Maxima alternator is a direct fit for the MY with no mods required, very nice

Charging system is all done now, next time I start the engine I should be able to see 14 volts at the battery. Once I get all the right belts that is, haven't looked for them yet hoping they're all still easily obtainable. A/C compressor is in for the last time too, just need to make some mounts for the condenser and I can seal the system up.

Post by **Bantum** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:37 pm

Awesome work Sam ...

One query - What type of plug did you end up going with on the back of alternator ?

Cheers, Bantum ...

Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:44 pm

Looking really good Sam ... as for the rubber it stops vibration through the steering column I don't get vibrations in this vehicle but in my last brumby I did. I never got around to putting the rubber plate back in.

If you look around the forester knuckle has a rubber disc in it, so does the later model impreza. It is just a matter of finding the right length knuckle.

The paint was applied with a WD40 nozzle, a layer of kill rust grey then a layer of cheap white paint it took 2 days to dry. I did it when I was waiting for a replacement gearbox to show up. it was still tacky when the box went in

TOONGA

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:07 pm

Bantum wrote:Awesome work Sam ...

One query - What type of plug did you end up going with on the back of alternator ?

Cheers, Bantum ...

Just bare spade terminals for the moment, have one of these on the way - hoping it is the right connector, it looks right from the photo at least. Also a nice big copper cable lug crimped properly for the main power connection.

Jules, I'm not sure if all of these different models of differing years use the same splines as the MY? If I can get one like in your pic I'll see how it goes, maybe I won't need a rubber disc. Would power steering in general resist vibration more than a manual rack? Same as power steering doesn't follow the troughs and holes in the road like my manual rack does.

AusTas75 · Post by **AusTas75** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:50 pm

That must be the best EA81 engine I have ever seen nice very nice

Post by **Bantum** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 9:52 pm

Jeepers, nearly 20 bucks for one small plug ...

My touring wagon has power steering - can't recall if it had the rubber disc though ...

The disc usually takes all the smaller bumps out of the system - so it wouldn't hurt if left out, you'd just feel all rattles in your system more though ...

Cheers, Bantum ...

Proton mouse · Post by **Proton mouse** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:48 am

Getting so so close now to being on the road!!
My 84 wagon ran power steering for 12 years without any rubber between the uni joints and had no discernible vibration.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Jul 02, 2016 10:22 pm

Another little progress report for this week; the alternator plug arrived and was the right one, hooray!

$16 for one plug may be a bit steep to some but for one-off's like this to make everything plug and play, I don't mind. Same story with the connector for my Audi crank angle sensor. The plug came with two wires already in it, I got them out and put my own wiring in the plug for that factory finish.

Also got the two little brake lines that go on the RX rear discs copied in stainless braided this week, which allowed me to complete and seal up the brake system for the first time. Might put some fluid in it next week and attempt to bleed the system...maybe...

Also slightly un-related but in the coming week I might hopefully be getting my hands on that new welder I've been after for some time, dedicated TIG machine with AC capability so I can weld ally amongst other things

Can't wait to hack up that pair of old cylinder heads I've got for some experimenting

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Jul 02, 2016 11:02 pm

Very nice work and once again close attention to detail. Outstanding work SB!

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Jul 09, 2016 8:12 pm

Steering knuckle is sorted

I pulled it out of a Liberty sedan, perfect length and perfect fit.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 2:01 pm

Nice one mate.

I think you'll have to paint it

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 7:32 pm

A little more progress today - I took the rad out for the mods to the top mounting holes so while it was out I decided to fit up the A/C condenser. My car didn't have the 2 little angled brackets on the bottom support for the locating pins on the bottom of the condenser. The Brumby has these brackets, I find it strange that the wagon didn't have them (never had A/C from factory) when every other hole and bracket for the A/C system is present throughout the body. Anyway I made up 2 little brackets and attached them with rivnuts (no welding on the painted body!) I'll remove the whole lot again to paint the brackets and get the condenser tested for leaks, once it's all back together those brackets will never be removed again

I'll be taking the rad to work to use the AC tig welder there, since the first shipment of new machines (one of which I had my name down for) were sold out before they even landed

Now have to wait till August for the next lot.

Yes the condenser is touching the center light assembly, will have to space the bottom of the light bracket out a few mm to get some clearance.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 6:53 pm

Belts!

All my drive belts arrived this week (bought 2 of each for spares) so I put them on today, looks like spaghetti junction in there now! Also welded the ignition trigger ring on the crank pulley properly and painted it. Removed all the rest of my custom brackets for painting too, now they are done and I know they don't need any more work. Still need to get a plug made for the dizzy hole and think of a way to hold it in there.

Also now thinking about how to make one good (twin carb) air cleaner box out of 2. The original twin carb air cleaner box is all beat up and has big holes in it, and I have 2 regular air boxes in perfect condition. Will cut the center part out of the beat up one and weld it into the center of a good one while still using the twin carb air box lid. I'll need a special cutting tool to cut these out neatly.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 7:33 pm

Finished off the heater/coolant hoses this afternoon - found my heater tap in the single cardboard box I hadn't looked in (thought it was full of garden stuff

) in typical fashion found it the same week I bought a commodore one off ebay...

Also bought a silicone 90 degree elbow with 16mm internal diameter for the hose that goes from the water pump to the heater pipe. Couldn't bend a normal straight piece since it would just kink. The silicone hose did an awesome job

And lastly the little bendy 6mm bleeder hose that goes from the heater pipe to the bottom of the carbie(s). Found a piece of hose online that was Z shaped, cut it in half and used one of the elbows to get to the heater pipe hose barb, and bent the straight part around to the carbies - works a treat.

Start off with this

Measure, test fit, cut, measure again, cut again, end up with this

Almost as good as a factory part

Note the little 6mm hose in there as well
And my rust coloured water pump pulley

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 10:08 pm

Quietly watching your build up and envious of you being able to do this.
Wish I had the time and money to do the same.
I am wondering about the alternator.
From one of the previous posts it is a 90A from Nissan VG30E Maxima.
Did it end up bolting straight in ?
Were there any mechanical mods needed to make it fit ?
Did the original pulley fit or did it need to be modified ?
By the looks of things the wiring was the only this that did not fit straight in.
If there are no major mods I may go the same way with my car.
Otherwise I will look for a like for like original alternator or maybe just one out of an L series which I think are the same.
Looking forward for more of your updates.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Aug 07, 2016 9:53 pm

Cliff, re the Maxima alternator; Yes it did just bolt straight in, the pivot bolt and mounting ear line up perfectly. The two wires that go to the stock Hitachi alternator are the same for the Maxima Alt, just with a different plug. You could remove the female spades from the stock plug and just plug them into the Maxima alt - one is constant 12v + and the other is for the charging light, gets 12v+ with ignition (from the instrument cluster) I would be more in favor of crimping on new insulated spades, if you don't want to spend the $20 on the Nissan plug like I did. This alt is internally regulated, if your wagon has an external voltage regulator (like mine did) the wiring could be more complicated. I couldn't help as I threw my old wiring in the bin.

As for the pulley, the stock alternator has a spacer ring behind the pulley which you will need to grind down and re-use (using it as is will put the belt alignment out, go without it and the pulley will hit the Alt body) and the stock pulley (more like 2 x pressed steel discs) will go on the Maxima alt shaft but with a little slop. I got the pulley discs aligned pretty good with Mk. 1 eyeball and did the nut up as tight as I could.

If you're going to use the stock charging cable, be careful on how many accessories you run. Since the new alt will be able to pump out more amps than the stock wiring to the battery can handle. Only really a problem if you are thinking of having a bajillion spot lights etc.

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sun Aug 07, 2016 10:20 pm

Awesome, thanks for the info.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 6:57 pm

Well the eBay cheap alloy radiator is in...kinda

Not really happy with it so I think it will be replaced eventually, I'll see if I can get my hands on a decent quality original replacement radiator so it will just drop in as it should. This eBay alloy one did not fit from the start, it is just too tall from the mounting holes at the bottom to the holes at the top. They must have one sized core that they use to make all different radiators, and this core is about 10mm too tall to work properly with this car.

As it came out of the box, when the bottom pins were in their locating holes, the top threaded holes in the rad were about half their diameter out of position for the holes in the body - no way were the top bolts going through. So I ended up cutting the section out of the rad that had the riv-nuts in it and welding in a new piece of angle with the idea of putting my own riv nuts in the right location. It didn't really go to plan since the "right location" was so far down I couldn't get one of the riv nuts in the hole. Long story short I'm not keeping this rad

But it will suffice for now so I can put some coolant in it and get the engine running properly to test things and iron some bugs out.

I tried TIG welding on this rad, it did not go too well. Not only is this material some kind of alloy concoction hitherto unknown to man that is full of crap that bubbles up soon as you put an arc to it, also because it is such a heat-sink it was impossible to get a decent puddle going. I ended up blasting it with the pulse-MIG machine at work which ended up working quite well, these things must be all MIG welded at their factory. Still didn't ending up looking too pretty

It's in the car...for now