Got my 'Vert - Problems/questions

[amarokorg]

Picked up the convertible from here:

zerothread?id=125811

Nowhere near mint as claimed (I wasn't expecting it to be), but *absolutely* worth the asking price.

Immediate problems:

Door chime (like key-in-ignition-reminder) whenever drivers door is open, whether or not key is in.

Broken drivers side window switch housing (the big plastic piece with the pocket/handle)... cracked in half

Horn doesn't work

Cruise control doesn't work - light comes on in switch

(I assume the horn and cruise are related to the wiring at the steering wheel)

Front end shimmy under hard braking (but doesn't feel like rotors)

Pull to the left

(Shimmy and pull possibly worn bushings?)

Worn carpeting and seats (expected)

Minor rear-end collision has bumper pushed in slightly (will post pics later)

Driver's side quarter window doesn't always roll up

Belt squealing under full-throttle

Suggestions/comments on the above?

Again, lest it sound like I'm complaining, nothing here (except maybe the door handle/switch housing - which probably ought to have been disclosed on a "mint" car...) is out of the ordinary or beyond what I expected. I'm very happy with the purchase.

Glad to be back to 240 ownership! The 'vert will be my daily driver (when I get the kinks worked out) to keep the miles down on my '04 Titan (already at almost 30k!).

- Dave

[AZhitman]

Dave -

Sounds like most (if not all) of those things are DIY, and most are easily diagnosed / fixed.

Rear quarter windows in the vert had an issue with the "plate" they attach to. Conveniently, I have a bid in on an OEM set on ebay this very moment. I will NOT be upset if you outbid me, I was buying them to have on hand for a needy NICO member. Search "240sx Convertible" and you'll see it.

Belt squeal is likely the tensioner, mine was bad. Adjust, then replace if that doesn't fix it.

Key chime is poss related to horn / CC issue.

Front shimmy and pull worry me, I'd get it up in the air ASAP and check it out. You're more of an expert than you let on (), you know what to look for. Tension rods, rotors would be my first targets.

Carpet kit can be replaced for $100.

Seats - I put S14 seats in mine, I'd look for a ratty set and have them reupholstered.

Door handle should be EASY to find here in the Classified forum - post up a WANTED ad.

Sounds like a typical 'vert. Glad you're "back in the saddle".

[amarokorg]

Yeah, it's going up on stands this weekend to poke around the front end. I'm looking at Don's replacement control arms and TC bushings... with new TC bushings, control arm bushings, and ball joints - there's not much left in the front end that can wear - except steering parts, and I'll get those ends changed out soon enough too. Figure it's all par for the course on a 14 year old car.

Actually already resolved the horn/CC issue. Turns out they actually both worked, as long as the steering wheel *wasn't* straight at 12:00. Pulled it apart, and the copper strips had a slight detent at the 12:00 position (presumably from years of pressure from the spring-loaded contacts). Pushed the strips out slightly from the back, now they work in all positions.

Where are you getting carpet for $100? Best I've found so far is JC Witless for $180.

I've got a call into a local junkyard for some S14 seats - they're asking $75 each for them, they're sending someone out to check their condition. What did you pay to recover yours?

Door chime stops when I disconnect one of the two harnesses coming out of the ignition switch. Not sure if I'm just interrupting the whole circuit (haven't traced it out on the diagram yet), if that's really where the failure is. Someone else suggested that the switch inside the ignition switch that determines if the key is installed is stuck closed. With that harness disconnected, the chime doesn't run, but it also disables the shifter interlock (so I can't shift out of park).

So, all in all, lots of little things, but nothing major. Plenty of time to do it all (now we'll just see about the money!).

- Dave

[AZhitman]

Well, you can disc the chime now, since you won't need shifter interlock with 5-sp.

I did S14 seats front AND rear... Trust me, you don't want to try the rears.

Mine were in good shape already, but I got an estimate to do ALL the seats in "leather" for $460 (there's some material used by hotrod guys that's actually preferable to leather).

[Hijacker]

Dave, I have an extra window switch bezel you can have, just email me your mailing address and I'll send it out. Do you need both or just the driver's? (cause I have both)email is [email protected]