Tried to start it..

[KZJonny]

Tried to start the OBW and move it off the street. (has plates, but no PLPD insurance.)

Nothin. No starter click, and it was just running a couple days ago. Battery is a little low, so threw a booster pack on it. Still nothing.

Checked starter wires and sure enough I'd not tightened the main cable going to the starter, tighten that and check the other connection. All good. Nothing. Fuses all check out, and the hatch brake lights are fine. 

 

I'll get back into it after work tonight. Hoping for a loose connection somewhere after the engine was pulled and replaced for head gaskets. Nothing else comes to mind, but we shall see.

Edited September 25, 2023 by KZJonny

[xt2005bonbon]

My bet is worn out starter brushes.

This happened to both of my cars. You could try hitting the back of the starter with a long socket extension or something. It may help. In any case, it is a cheap fix if that is your problem. You do not need to replace the whole starter. $$$.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by xt2005bonbon

[KZJonny]

18 hours ago, xt2005bonbon said:

My bet is worn out starter brushes.

This happened to both of my cars. You could try hitting the back of the starter with a long socket extension or something. It may help. In any case, it is a cheap fix if that is your problem. You do not need to replace the whole starter. $$$.

 

 

Thanks dude.

I’ll start with the concussive repair and see if it gets me anywhere.

Strange, as it started just fine a few days before to pull it out into the street, but at 260k kms, and 19 years old, I won’t be surprised if the starter is giving up the ghost.

I think I’ve got a spare starter somewhere….? Rebuild kit it is. Might as well get one for the alternator from the GT that also died last year while I’m at it.

Edited September 19, 2023 by KZJonny

[xt2005bonbon]

Same for me. It happened out of nowhere. Went to the store to run some errands. Came out, no start nothing! Did the normal troubleshooting like you and could not figure out what was wrong. Had to push start the car to get home. Did more troubleshooting at home thinking it was relays, bla bla bla... It was none of these. Now, you still have to confirm that is the case for you, but I think that would be it if you know the battery is good, terminal connections are good, relays are good.

Edited September 19, 2023 by xt2005bonbon

[KZJonny]

Well, it was raining last night, so I didn't feel inclined to be out in the street hammering on or replacing a starter. I'm not driving the car right now anyway, so it can wait. It does need the second half of a brake bleed, since the pedal is ultra mushy after I accidentally blew a piston out one caliper while doing a general brake inspection and cleanup. Hah!

Ordered a couple of starter rebuild kits from maniacelectric and an alternator rebuild kit as well. I figure for the price, it's not a bad deal to just take the old one apart and replace everything, rather than figure out how to test the individual components. Give me a change to make it clean and paint it as well while it's apart. Not that I'm into engine bay bling exactly, but the alternator is kinda front and centre on these cars, and mine is rusty and ugly, hah!

Starter rebuild looks pretty basic. If it goes well for the OB, I'll likely pull the starter from the GT and at least inspect and regrease it. If the brushes look worn down, I'll throw in that second rebuild kit. I might be fine tho, despite it's age the car only has 166k kms on it. I hope to triple that, give or take... before they stop selling gasoline.

Edited September 19, 2023 by KZJonny

[xt2005bonbon]

Technically, mileage does not really correlate with starter brushes wear. It'd be more related to the number of times you start the car. But it is almost impossible to figure that out throughout the life of the car.

In my case, I fixed that problem on the 06 and literally a month or two later, the 05 did the same thing!

[KZJonny]

Figured it out. Went to have another go at starting it by moving the gear selector to neutral. Starts fine.

Go to change gears, and….

Gear selector has no resistance, just slides around. So…. Broken shifter cable.

Car is in the street, 30m from my freshly built garage, and a lift. No way to get the car into the garage tho…

 

fml.

[xt2005bonbon]

oh automatic.. I keep thinking everyone drives sticks

At least, you'll know in the back of your head that your starter may act up one day.

Edited September 20, 2023 by xt2005bonbon

[KZJonny]

My GT is a manual. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

My Datsun 510 wagon. Also stick.

 

The NA wagon winter beater is an auto…. I’ve thought about getting a manual to replace it, but I’ve generally taken such good care of it, I’ll never get a price close to what it’s worth due to age, etc…. So, it just stays with me. *sigh*
 

Good thing I have a starter rebuild kit for it tho.
 

Now to try and fix or replace the selector cable in the street. In sight of the garage…. *le sigh*

 

[KZJonny]

Found a shockingly clean 06 OBW at the local Kenny U-Pull and helped myself to the shifter cable, as it was in good enough shape.

I do not recommend doing this on the street on axle stands, but can at least confirm it's possible. Only thing that *had* to be removed was the front exhaust heat sheild to make room to reach up with a crank handled wrench and labouriously remove the 12mm head fasteners holding the cable under a bracket.

I'd also say that at the age most of these cars are, if you are doing the same job, I wouldn't try to remove the cable underneath the car if there is any meaningful amount of corrosion at all. It get completely seized in with the c-clips that are meant to be removeable. I just took apart the shifter inside the car and swapped over to the much less corroded bracket from the donor car. If that wasn't an option, I would think some time with a wire wheel or a bath in Evaporust would be *needed* to take the thing apart.

Just in case someone comes across the same problem in future.

[xt2005bonbon]

So, problem fixed now? Car runs?

[KZJonny]

Yes it does. Runs as well as a 19 year old base model Outback is likely to.

Without full insurance I haven't had a chance to get it out on the road and heat cycle the engine a couple of times thoroughly.

So, the head gasket job I did last month still has a chance to fail gloriously.... 

[kzr750r1]

Gahhhh... You had me at 510 wagon. Had one in high school. Mainly because my uncle had one new and I loved the car.

Back before I picked up the OBXT was contemplating buying another 510 and build it. Opted for the OBXT instead, just didn't have the time or energy with the new lifestyle.

Well I was just reminded from FB about my last motor install, has been a year now. First time I rebuilt it was just after my divorce.  Still love the car to the point I'll probably never get rid of it.

[KZJonny]

1 hour ago, kzr750r1 said:

Gahhhh... You had me at 510 wagon. Had one in high school. Mainly because my uncle had one new and I loved the car.

Back before I picked up the OBXT was contemplating buying another 510 and build it. Opted for the OBXT instead, just didn't have the time or energy with the new lifestyle.

Well I was just reminded from FB about my last motor install, has been a year now. First time I rebuilt it was just after my divorce.  Still love the car to the point I'll probably never get rid of it.

Totally get loving my stupid GT to the point of not getting rid of it. I’m in for the long haul now.

I’ll start a thread in ‘Other Cars’ at some point and post up some pics of the 510 ‘goon. My original plan had been a VG33 swap, or perhaps one of the other high performance modern I4’s that are being swapped in, but as you say, I hardly expect to have the time or means to do so.

So, until it’s no longer possible to get parts for it, Ima hang on to the L20B that is in it. Simple and reliable, if not especially powerful. I figure that the Legacy is a much safer platform to make ‘fast’… airbags and all that. Lol!

Of course, I was only supposed to be replacing the rusted out exhaust on the GT last year, which got a little out of control to say the least.

[KZJonny]

Old Datsuns and 70s KZ’s eh?

My kind of scum….