Back in December, Edmunds asked the question,
Quote:

I said bring back the Datsun 1200, among other posts were, errr non-mechanical types challenged me to my statements.

Anyone wishing to read them, here's the combination, [I hope]

1- Edmunds
2 - On the Blue bar, click "Forums"
3 - Click "If I were an auto manufacturer, my New Year's resolution would be...
Read how our members finish this sentence!
Full Discussion

My post regarding the Datsun 1200 is no. 28

Postings regarding my opinion regarding the A-Hole US Corporate butchering of the auto industry and other thoughts are;
Posts No. 10, 11, 26, 30

[I tried 5 times to post a direct link, but THANKS to Edmunds, they have weird code that don't work in the URL world that EVERYONE else uses!

Read no further in THIS thread, unless you wish to hear the rantings of a Mad Man :)

You may note my postings regarding the TBI injection system.
Some years back, I saw a vid of the "Presley" Formula 1 Engine Fire-up
dunno if it was a Peugeot, Renault or who, possibly Pressley was the owner or engine builder.

Anyway, it was a V-8 w/ Eight TBI injectors, the throttle bore looked to be 2" or better. Just like the GM TBI system, at idle a minute funnel of mist hit the outside of the throttle plate.
A blip of the throttle, resulted in a garden hose of fuel blasting into the engine.

A stuttering idle of 5500~rpm to 17,500rpm took a micro-second
Before seeing this, I thought F1 cars were powered by Four Cylinder Engines !
Here's a vid of some F1 engine, I DID NOT WATCH IT as I'm on dial-up, I hope it is something relevant to my theme.
Formula 1 Engine Fire-Up, I HOPE !

My assertion of the TBI is that there is TIME for the fuel to atomize, unlike port or direct injection systems.

Wth the injector far away from the valve, port volume, mixture velocity, rebound variances, and torque curve can be modified simply by making the runner longer, shorter, smaller or larger.
[example, 50's Chrysler Cross-Ram tuned manifold w/Side Draft Carbs]

One designer put it this way.
"GM's TBI system is TOO Reliable, Too Simple, Too Easy to diagnose so it Had to go"

The next system was the CPI [Central Port Injection] [4.3 W-Motor],
This unit fired ALL injectors at One time,, just how is that an "improvement" ?

BANNED in California for horrible emissions, and economy only the 4.3 Z-Engine was allowed in CA.

My allegation at Edmunds, is that Corporate America has One objective, making money, damn the life of the vehicle, damn the environment and who cares about economy

Very Rusty Wrench

Your 1200 looks Great..

Listen Up Guys, I'm a old "Fossil" and a benefit of age is having the honor of driving these cars when New.

I'm not gonna list all of them, like the elderly-drooling Old Man that I am, however I will say these few words.

NEVER has anyone designed and manufactured a more well-built, durable, powerful, economical and vibration free vehicle.

I have a 1971 BRE 510 with a 1800 engine and magnesium wheels , sure it'll smoke the tires in 3 gears, pull .89g's on a skid-pad, but the Jag style rear end is overkill and heavy for such a car.

I find the live axle in the 1200 and the "total-package" to be more suited for aggressive driving.

Earlier today I was attempting to count the 1200's I've owned, I cannot recall but it's about 5-7, maybe more.
One sad example of a 72 1200 still lives with me.
Several 510's [still have one "71 BRE]
one 280Z
and my "Project" 260Z that has been "resting" in my climate controlled basement for over 25 years
[I know, forgive me, for I have sinned]

Yellow_Feva, you've made me smile, for there are still people who have a complete and active set of firing neurons :)

Rusty Wrench

Been lusting for a 1996-2006 GMC/Chevy 4x4 p/u
Today I drove the one that I was "sure" I was gonna take home..

Beautiful, Black w/Black Leather, Ext Cab w/3rd Door, Stepside, top-of-the-line

So OFF I go, of course it's EMPTY, $5.00 us buys 1.5gl
It cranks easy, runs smooth, no bumps in the tranny, KEWL, MY NEW TRUCK !

Then I found just a couple of problems.

1. Drivers seat wouldn't lock, 1" travel back on gas, forward on brakes
2. Outside Mirrors don't work
3. Security Warning Light Flashing
4. Both rear window latches broken
5. Bad rattle in dash
6. Squeak or looseness in 3rd door
7. Warped Brake Rotors
8. Radio don't work
9. Chipped Windshield
10 Passenger window binds, trips breaker 4 times before going up
11 No Parking Brake, to the floor
12 Glove Compartment Door stuck closed
13 Vinyl Dye peeling off dash
14 No Spare Tire
15 No Horn
16 Hood Misaligned
17 L Headlamp missing screws
18 AC Compressor don't run
19 Voltmeter 2 volts too high
20 Oil Cooler line leaking, looks like R.Main Too
21 New Paint inside R door jamb
22 R Door Gasket falls off
23 Right Frame Rail bent inward slightly
24 R. side of bed is 1" higher than Left

All that is so-so, this is the icing on the cake

#25 Reaching under the dash panel on the flat area, out of sight, rubbing my fingers and what do I find, MUD !
Even inside the fuse box were tiny signs of Flood Damage.

D00de had the nerve to say.
Quote:

I told him,Quote:

I handed him my list, which did Not include worn out tires, Big Deal there, just $800-$1000 for a set.

He asked if he could keep my list, I said "Yeah, I made it for YOU"

The Feds are warning against Water Damaged Vehicles, and YES I DID run the VIN

It came back clean, now I can't find the URL for the .gov site to report flood damaged vehicles.

WOW !
Quote:
Here in the states we were stuck with the 1600cc truck, which obviously was the yucky OHC engine.

It sucked Gas like a 350 Chevy, rode rough as the old lady after sayingQuote:

In its defense, I do think it would haul a full Ton though, it sure rode like it..

Man, EVERYBODY here who got one of those early junks hated them.
When they came out with the twin-distributor, 8-spark plug, 2200cc pickup, then things changed.

Better ride, decent fuel economy, and OH MY MY, they were Powerful !

Loctite products, like CRC's, perform as advertised.
Here's a couple of links to clear up confusion, I do have an advantage as I've used them for well over 30 years.

Loctite 641, 660, 635, 638, 680, 620, 668, 603, 609, 648 Cylindrical Retaining Compounds

*Example, Loctite® 620 Retaining Compound
My usage, "Spun" brake rotor bearing cup
Temp 450°F, shear strength 3,800 psi on steel.
secures metal cylindrical assemblies up to 0.015" clearance.
Loctite® Retaining Products Benefits List:


GM reccomends 243 Blue on intake manifold bolts to retain oil/coolant leaks.
Loctite 272 high-temperature up to 450°F
Loctite- Wicking, penetrates- Pre-assembled parts (M2 to M12)
Loctite Threadlockers,220, 290, 242, 243, 248, 222, 262, 268, 271, 272, 277 ...


Loctite Thread sealers

Loctite Gasket Sealers / Gasket Eliminators

Loctite Primers,

The Full Product Range

Free Loctite Application Guide (Threadlocking, Thread Sealing, Gasketing, Retaining)

Loctite FAQ, become an expert.

FYI, most Loctite thread sealing products are "anaerobic" which means they only cure in the ABSENCE of oxygen, is why the bottles are never full.
You may have seen bolts on the shelf with loctite already applied, they will never set up until assembled.

I'm on dial-up, this was tedious, I hope someone forwards this to another auto site for their info.

Rusty Wrench

Quote:

Me too, until I went to a class on fasteners..
All threaded studs or bolts must be tightened no more than the "stretch" component allows.

IF you pull the "stretch" out of a fastener, then the assembly is subjected to HEAT, the fastener cannot then stretch any more, failure of the assembly may result..

On flywheel bolts, I suggest Grade 8[
Au = grade 12.9]
US GR-8 will be Gold in color and have SIX marks on the head.

US and Metric Bolt Torque Guide

I suggest Red Loctite, upon removal, simply use a propane torch for a few seconds on the head, and the loctite will let go.

Fastenall Bolt Specs

BigV and A14 both have ideas feasible to me.

Lemonhead's 680 loctite is a Cylindrical Retaining products, not designed for threads.

680 Loctite

Quote:
Is it beat up or what ?

Quote:
No Kidding, we got stuck with the B-210 in 1974
An ok car, it ran, slowly, used more gas, uglier [sorry B-210 fans]

WOW, a 2007 Datsun/Nissan 1200

Did it Look like the Original Car ?

Quote:

Good info to know, most of my stuff doesn't require diff oil changes except about every 200k miles or so,, I get little work in that area.

It is GOOD to know there's specialty "Gear-Oil-Resistant" RTV

Now if we can just get the bulk of the "techs" to realize there IS a Oxygen Sensor Safe Rtv out there.

Rusty Wrench

Quote:

That is exactly where the carb would not press the gasket.
You may note the bolt holes and threaded bosses are pulled away from the mating surfaces, this means only the edges are pressed tightly.

Most wrenches don't realize those tiny screws only need a couple pounds of torque.

BTW, If I haven't mentioned it before, I think the Datsun 1200 to be the best designed vehicle of its time.

A "Perfect" Vehicle today would be this EXACT vehicle.
A Push-Rod, Cam-in-Block
Cast Iron Block
With 14-18" Runners each with a tiny TBI
and One O2 Sensor per cyl
Like the Cruze ECO, 3-Overdrive Gears

Who actually NEEDS Power Windows, Seats, Mirrors, Steering etc etc

Datsun Z-Cars drove fine with a non-power Rack/Pinion
The 1200 did fine with a recirculating ball system

[Anyone EVER take a recirc. ball system apart and get ALL the balls back in ?]

I hope the English-US to English-Au isn't too much of an issue..

Just noticed,
Australia = Gold,
the Periodic Table of Elements,
Au-Gold,
1220#/cu/ft
MAN, you guys must really feel HEAVY :D

Rusty Wrench

Quote:
Thanks.

During my entire stay with Datsun,
I NEVER saw a "New"
Carburetor,
Master or Wheel Cylinder
Short or long block engine. head etc
I even repaired windshield wiper motors.

We rebuilt everything, my "Bench was 16' long, and underneath were masses of extra "you-name-it" parts.

Now us "old" mechanics call today's "Technicians", "parts-replacers"
Swap parts till the symptom goes away.

My Mentor, Jimmy, was a Citroen, Lotus, Maserati and Lamborghini mechanic at Atlanta Gaddis, in downtown Atlanta Ga.

He was so sick of Atlanta that he quit a $45/hr job in 1971 to come work on Foreign cars at a Datsun dealer in NW Ga.. We'd work on ANY foreign car that did NOT have a local dealership.

When the Dealer closed, we had 4 hrs notice.
I spent my last paycheck, some $275~ on Datsun parts.
They sold them to us for some pittance, I forget, maybe 2-5 cents on the dollar, I forget.

After that I'd work at "Your-Home", tune-ups, head gaskets, didn't matter, I had parts and a good reputation.
My Dad worked at Berry College, one professor told him, Quote:

I told Pop, most shops called a "tune-up", points, plugs and "maybe" timing.

Our Dealer did those of course and these in addition

Valve-Adjustment [DUH, who doesn't?]
Clutch adj
Brake adj
Door Lube
Carb Adj, check Choke dashpot etc
Lube Vent Window
Fan Belt adj
Coolant and Vacuum Hoses check
All Fluids checked & filled
The car felt "New" again with quiet doors, full brake pedal, proper parking brake, clutch releasing near the bottom, not at the TOP, etc..

When I started there in 71, I had already worked on many engines at home.
Rebuilt my VW Beetle engine many times
[the thermostat "is" REQUIRED on VW's BTW, or rebuild every 50k mi]
Plus 2 years at a lawnmower shop,
9 months at a Chainsaw shop.
TWO years at Auto Tech Trade School, "free" work for pals, and Mom & Pop of course.

About my 4th year at Datsun, a light bulb went off over my head.
Quote:

I had been building engines, carburetors, tune-up's, brakes, electrical work, stereo's, TV repair, etc for some 5~yrs or so,

Fact of the matter, I was dumber than the dirt between the tread of the vehicle I was working on. Why ? because I THOUGHT I knew something.

At THAT Exact Point, I "Began" to learn, to pay attention to minute details, to listen to even the "village idiot" who one time actually had a good idea, to sit back and think, before jumping in.

Quote:

Anyone who watches the show, "the Big Bang Theory" may have seen Sheldon resolve his perplexing issue by taking a menial job so his mind could rest and work out the issue.

One guy who'd seen my mechanical & electronic "fixes" at Southern Company, made a comment. Quote:

Quite a compliment considering the brilliance of the source.

Thanks for attempting to decipher this mess, maybe the NSA, CIA, TSA or Homeland Security can assist.

from a Very
Rusty Wrench
thanks