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Mike Self

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Everything posted by Mike Self

  1. Mike Self
    The whining you heard was either armature bearings, or brushes down to their nubs. Presuming you can't find a parts generator to cannibalize (bet it was used on other German cars, like pre-alternator MBs)...You'll have to dismantle the end plate, and take the pieces to a welding shop that specializes in welding cast iron. They should be able to weld it back together--after all, cast iron engine blocks are welded all the time. mike
  2. Mike Self
    The two "ski-shaped" trim pieces that go along the sides of the trunk lid have stud plates at both ends, while the trim piece that is on the trunk lid's trailing edge also has a stud plate at both ends. The reason is that it allows you to slip the bridge piece (that covers the seam) over both side and end pieces and get it in position, then tighten down the stud plate nuts. With clips only the job is much more difficult with the danger of bending something expensive. mike
  3. Mike Self
    You can make an adapter by cutting 12mm or so off the end of the translucent fuel line at the other end of the rubber hose... mike
  4. Mike Self
    Someone sure went crazy on speakers for your rear package shelf! Best that they be covered as they're a prime source of exhaust fumes in the passenger compartment when sucked into the trunk. As for the front valence--your best bet is to find someone on the FAQ with a stove in nose panel--usually the damage is up in the grille area, not way down low, so you might find just what you need. If no one on the board has a crunched nose, you might check with the folks at 2002AD; they have lots of California (so [relatively] unrusted parts cars that may have the bits you want. mike PS regardless of where you source the pieces, be sure to enlarge the drain holes at the bottom of the outer panel/radiator support where they join. The OEM tiny drains are the primary source of rustout at that joint. They're smaller than the space between the grille bars, so pebbles entering through the grill will wedge in and plug the drains. Bet the factory didn't think of that!
  5. Mike Self
    When you replace your ball joint,before reattaching strut housing to steering arm, pack the space with wheel bearing grease. The next owner (or you, 15 years from now) will thank you. mike
  6. Mike Self
    Ken, drop me a PM or email--I think your problem may be either a broken (yeah, I know it's a new switch) or hanging up "anti-repeat" piece inside the starter switch. It prevents you from turning the key to start more than once unless you turn the ignition all the way off. It broke some years ago on my 69 and I figured out how to dismantle the switch and repair (or you can remove) it--and wrote a column about it. Cheers Mike PS--looking forward to more 02 gatherings this winter...
  7. Mike Self
    But you'll know it's there and take secret pride in it. Like the hand polished rocker arms on my Renault 4CV engine--all done with a file and sandpaper during my spare time in Vietnam (yes, I took the whole cylinder head over there with me to work on). mike
  8. Mike Self
    +1 on doing some thorough cleaning and rust removal around the opening that receives the sender unit; that area is pretty skanky. The bubbled up paint and rust right where the rubber O-ring is supposed to seal is not gonna allow a good seal. I'd also guess you're getting a leak from around that hose where it attaches to the pickup nipple. Someone's tightened down the that little clamp A LOT, indicating the hose's ID is greater than the nipple's OD. Oh, and you can use a little slicone grease on the sealing O-ring when you install it. That, and a clean, unrusted surface will allow the sender to be properly tightened in it's opening. mike
  9. Mike Self
    The Luddite in me, creeping out of my late father-in-law's pre WW II Craftsman tool box and wielding an equally old Industro wrench, would tell you to wire brush those castle nuts and install with new cotter pins once they're properly torqued with the car on the ground. Same with safety wire vs locktite on the lower steering arm bolts at the bottom of the struts. Guess I'm just leery of plastic in those applications. But that's me. mike
  10. Mike Self
    On most if not all two barrel carbed US spec cars (roundie and squarelight) there is an unused (and hot with the ignition on) wire that terminates in the vicinity of the carburetor. Apparently it went to something on Euro cars but not on US models. It is handy if you have an idle jet solenoid or get an electric choke Weber. IIRC it's black ending in an insulated terminal. mike
  11. Mike Self
    Thanks, everyone. 10W-40 it is. I'm partial to Pennzoil, and apparently they no longer make a 10W-40 synthetic, so will most likely go with Castrol or Mobil 1. Cheers mike
  12. Mike Self
    No interior or engine pictures makes me a bit suspicious, as does a lack of VIN and a sparse description. Incorrect outside mirror and wheels. However, it does have the slanted vent window posts (not vertical as on sedans) so it doesn't appear to be a "converted" sedan. They're scarce enough...wonder where this one's been hiding... mike
  13. Mike Self
    If there are any small vacuum ports on the rearmost manifold, inspect 'em carefully for leaks. As was pointed out, it doesn't take much of a vacuum leak to really mess up the fuel/air ratio. Also...check both idle and main jets in the offending carb for trash... mike
  14. Mike Self
    The manual calls for 10W-40, but it's getting increasingly hard to find, especially full synthetic. I can find 5W-40, but I'm an oil Luddite and am leery of 5 weight oil on anything other than door hinges. Since I rarely drive the car in below freezing temps, how about 20w-50? TIA mike
  15. Mike Self
    A 2002 with OEM diameter tires (165/80 x 13. 185/70 x 13 or equivalent rolling-diameter 14 or 15 inch wheel/tire setups) with a 4 speed (1:1 4th gear) and a 3.64 differential is going right at 74 mph when turning 4000 rpm. WRT octane ratings: early US (68 and 69) 2002s originally had 8.3 compression; later cars were 8:1, and all did well on regular gas. Euro tii's had higher compression ratios than US cars (thus the difference in hp), and need a higher octane--same with US cars fitted with 9:1 or higher compression ratio pistons. mike
  16. Mike Self
    An even more insidious cause of pedal bucket rust out is a leaking clutch master cylinder. Brake fluid will strip the not-so-great paint off the inside of the pedal bucket in a trice, then go to work on the metal itself. If you notice a drop in the brake fluid reservoir and don't see a leaky caliper or wheel cylinder, use a pencil or popsicle stick as a dipstick--insert next to the clutch or brake pedal arm. If it comes up wet,your next weekend project awaits you. mike
  17. Mike Self
    At least some of the earlier NK sedans (4 door cars that preceded the 2002) had gold anodized roundels and badges, but the badges would have been 1600, 1800 or 2000. So at least your 2002 badge has been replated. No picture of the roundel so can't tell. New roundels with the raised letters and crossbars are available, or you can repaint your old ones--Testors model paint #1110 is a dead match for the original blue, and both white and black are easily sourced. mike
  18. Mike Self
    Yeah, my 73's date from 1981 also, and have something over 200k on 'em. When I compare their dampening ability to those on my '69 with less than 10k miles, I really can't tell the difference. The rear shocks on my '69 are DeCarbon--a French company that actually invented gas-filled shocks, and licensed the process to Bilstein. I installed them at 74k miles; now 227k. I actually wore out the rubber mounting bushings at the bottom and had to replace 'em. But the shocks are fine! I don't know about newer Bilsteins, but those on my two cars have a lifetime warranty. I kept the receipts when I bought 'em, and the nice folks at Bilstein said "lifetime warranty." They may just outlive me! mike PS--The KYB gas adjusts on my '69 were gone at 35k, and, although it was probably an outlier, one of my Konis installed on the '69 after the KYBs failed froze up at about 40k miles...
  19. Mike Self
    Have you tried W & N in Germany, or Mike McCartney's shop in England? mike
  20. Mike Self
    When 02 ignition switches get worn from lots of use, you can remove the key in other than the accessory and off positions. What you may not remember is that when the key is in the run position, it's upside down from its position when you normally remove it in the off position. Try that first...and if it doesn't work, let us know and we'll do some additional head scratching. mike
  21. Mike Self
    Do y'all have Formula 409 in England? It's been effective for me. To really get those seats--especially the dimples in the center sections--really clean, you should take 'em out of the car and do the cleaning in your driveway so you can (carefully!) hose 'em off once they've been scrubbed. If you try to wipe the seats down after cleaning, you'll never get all the dirty water (and thus dirt) out of the dimples. A small, stiff bristle brush (like a fingernail brush) is ideal for cleaning the seats' center sections. And most any good spray-on cleaner will do an effective job. mike
  22. Mike Self
    Impressive! Now if only someone would 3D print the rubber seal that goes between the trailing edge of the door glass and the B pillar--the (only) part of the door seal that actually goes bad... mike
  23. Mike Self
    Presuming you have the original 35 amp alternator in your '68, it does have an external regulator with a set of points inside. Modern external regulators are solid state. But as John pointed out, make sure you're getting that 14.3 or so volts measured at the alternator's output terminal. If so but output voltage on the regulator is significantly less, the problem is most likely the regulator, all other things being equal. And...make sure you have an incandescent bulb in the charge light socket in the instrument cluster. And LED won't work there and will prevent the alternator from charging. mike
  24. Mike Self
    My Dec 72 production 73 had a round left (driver's) side engine mount. And this one, by its serial number is the 201st from the last US roundie tii off the line...shouldn't it have an 008 dizzy? But yeah, without some documentation as to what's been done to its innards, you're kinda buying a pig in a poke... mike
  25. Mike Self
    That's a US spec car by its VIN; perhaps delivered in Europe if it has non-sealed beam headlights. What's your car's original color? AFAIK the tobacco door panels and tan carpet went with tobacco seats. So it's possible that a PO swapped out seats. The tobacco interior accompanied a number of '73 colors: Sahara, Malaga, Agave etc. That being said, there are known situations where a buyer wanted--in your case--black seats and prevailed on the dealer to swap 'em with another car. However, that usually meant the entire interior--seats, door and quarter panels and carpets--were swapped, not just the seats, so my guess is that was a PO swap. mike
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