Just bought an 86 hardbody, clutch/shifter issue?

[delux68]

Hi, I just got home from buying an 86 pickup. It's a 5 spd with the Z24 engine with 72,500 miles. It's only been driven about 3,000 since 2008. On my short test drive everything was great. On the way home (30 minute hwy drive) I noticed that it was very hard to get into any gear. This happened twice and then all subsequent shifts were just a bit harder than earlier (during test drive) to get into gear. After arriving home and shutting the truck off, I decided to straighten it up in the driveway and expierenced the same problem of it not going into gear at all. Finally I got it into 5th and was able to creep up a few feet.

I am compltely new to Nissans but I do have experence working on my own cars.

Any help diagnosing the problem is greatly appreciated!

i also posted this question to another forum, so i f you see it elsewhere, i apologise.

[Rev_D21]

How is the fluid level in the clutch master? If it is full then I would bleed the system...two fittings. Then I would turn my attention to the transmission fluid. It must be GL4, not GL5. GL5 will eat the syncros. Get some Redline MT90 or MTL in there. Nice looking truck! Welcome to NICO!

[delux68]

Thanks for your quick reply! I checked the level today and it was a little less than a 1/2" low. I got in to drive and had a very hard time getting into gear again, I had to start several times in 2nd. Then all of the sudden it started shifting great. A little while later I picked up some DOT 3 brake fluid and topped it off. It shifted fine the rest of the day.

[Rev_D21]

Weird. Did the truck sit for ant length of time before you bought?

[delux68]

I think so yes, the oil change sticker on the windsheild says the next one is due 1-8-10 or at 74,945, it's not even at 72,500 yet.

[Rev_D21]

I should have been more observant, you stated low mileage in your original post.I would say that maybe that slines on the input shaft may have been dirty causing the clutch to hang till all the cobwebs were blown out of her. Nice truck. I am jealous!

[delux68]

i was pretty happy to find it in such good condition, usually older trucks are very beat in my area.

But, the problem is back. i checked the fluid level again and it was low (between min and max). i looked inside the cab at the area where the clutch pedal goes into the firewall and it was wet with fluid. looks like i'll be at least replacing the master, do you think it's what is causing all my troubles?

thanks again

[Rev_D21]

Even If it isn't causing your troubles it's still something I would address quickly. I'd say that it would likely be 90% of your problem though. You will need to replace the master, if you can afford the slave go for it. You will already have the system open. Bleed both clutch line fittings and see how that helps.

[delux68]

thanks for all your help. i orderd a new master. didnt think about the slave cylinder.

i was going through the truck today and found all the service history and even the original window sticker from 1986! this truck was well loved by its past owners. Im gonna try to call the original owner to thank him for taking such good care if it over the years.

[Saudade]

Nice find! I have the same year/model although yours is in *much* nicer shape. My son drives it now but we're the original owners.

We had a similar problem but noted that the clutch pedal easily sank almost to the floor. It too would work better sometimes and not at all at other times. Rapid pumping seemed to help. Turns out there was some contamination in the master cylinder that jammed up the check valve inside the piston. The MC was pretty cheap so we replaced it, but I disassembled and cleaned the old one and it seems to work well.

If you haven't swapped it out yet, make sure you flush all of the old fluid out as you bleed it.

[delux68]

i havent gotten th enew MC yet, i orderd it from rockauto. i like the truck alot but im definately having some issuses from it not being regulary driven. today i notice that the brake lights are'nt turning off, even after the engine is off. i just read that a little rubber plug in the pedal that the brake light switch contacts can sometime become brittle and fall out causing the button on the switch to not get pressed.

and the belts are squelling lke crazy!

[Rev_D21]

All easy fixes.

[Saudade]

i havent gotten th enew MC yet, i orderd it from rockauto. i like the truck alot but im definately having some issuses from it not being regulary driven. today i notice that the brake lights are'nt turning off, even after the engine is off. i just read that a little rubber plug in the pedal that the brake light switch contacts can sometime become brittle and fall out causing the button on the switch to not get pressed.

and the belts are squelling lke crazy!

Yep, had the light problem too. I found a plastic body panel plug lying around that fit. Look up along the brake pedal and you see the hole where it goes. You can reach up with your finder and press the button on the switch too in order to make sure the lights go out.

I'd replace the belts.

[delux68]

i havent gotten th enew MC yet, i orderd it from rockauto. i like the truck alot but im definately having some issuses from it not being regulary driven. today i notice that the brake lights are'nt turning off, even after the engine is off. i just read that a little rubber plug in the pedal that the brake light switch contacts can sometime become brittle and fall out causing the button on the switch to not get pressed.

and the belts are squelling lke crazy!

Yep, had the light problem too. I found a plastic body panel plug lying around that fit. Look up along the brake pedal and you see the hole where it goes. You can reach up with your finder and press the button on the switch too in order to make sure the lights go out.

I'd replace the belts.

i found the broken pieces of the plug lying on the floor this morning. i felt somthing hit my lag as i was driving yesterday and wondered what it was, guess i know now.

i taped a couple pennies to over the the hole just so i can drive aorund today.

[osegundo]

Nice truck...if you dont mind me asking... how much did you get it for?

[delux68]

The guy was asking $1500, I got it for $1200.

[delux68]

well, i've always heard that when you buy a vehicle that has sat for awhile all kinds of annoying things can happen. today i got into the truck and around 2000 rpm in every gear (im guessing, no tach) it bucks and will not accelerate. if i shift early it's fine. the past few days i have noticed a hesitation a few times when accelerating. any suggestions on where to look? im guessing a sensor.

thanks

[Saudade]

Define "bucking". Does it not rev at all over the point where it begins to buck? Does it do it in neutral? In any gear? When cold? When hot?

[delux68]

the problem is fixed! it was bucking in every gear and neutral, and it wouldnt rev past the bucking. turns out it was a broken wire in the main harness. there is two red/white wires that splice into one than back into two about 8 inches later (stupid). one of the commections was broken. I found a post on another forum from another owner who had the exact problem, they explained the repair well and took pictures of everthing.

I've put almost 2000 miles on the truck, get about 21mpg, and it's doing good except for an ocasional hard shifting still. I recently got the windows tinted, and replaced the speakers and radio.

[Rev_D21]

Awesome man! Enjoy your truck now.

[Saudade]

the problem is fixed! it was bucking in every gear and neutral, and it wouldnt rev past the bucking. turns out it was a broken wire in the main harness. there is two red/white wires that splice into one than back into two about 8 inches later (stupid). one of the commections was broken. I found a post on another forum from another owner who had the exact problem, they explained the repair well and took pictures of everthing.

I've put almost 2000 miles on the truck, get about 21mpg, and it's doing good except for an ocasional hard shifting still. I recently got the windows tinted, and replaced the speakers and radio.

That was me. Those are fuel injector wires. Glad you got it.

[delux68]

the problem is fixed! it was bucking in every gear and neutral, and it wouldnt rev past the bucking. turns out it was a broken wire in the main harness. there is two red/white wires that splice into one than back into two about 8 inches later (stupid). one of the commections was broken. I found a post on another forum from another owner who had the exact problem, they explained the repair well and took pictures of everthing.

I've put almost 2000 miles on the truck, get about 21mpg, and it's doing good except for an ocasional hard shifting still. I recently got the windows tinted, and replaced the speakers and radio.

That was me. Those are fuel injector wires. Glad you got it.

thanks! im glad you found it first, i was really getting frustrated.