itsaprothing Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 I was driving home from work going about 80-85 and I heard a loud CLICK then my headlights went dim, my dash said my handbrake was up, and that a door is open. No idea what was going on so I pulled over, The car was not over heating and in fact was not even hot at all but that cooling system thing turned on (the plastic turbo looking thing). I turn the car off and on to find that suddenly my car is overheating like crazy (temp gauge is all the way up). I then called triple A to bring my car home. The next day I tried to figure out what was going on. The first things I noticed were that my clutch felt very soft and had a hard time springing back up, it sometimes even stayed pressed down and had to be pulled up by my foot. Also, I had just gotten new rear brake pads and rotors and my handbrake that had been very stiff and hard to pull up is now easy to pull. I called some people that have more knowledge than I do in the automotive field (auto teachers, friends, local shops) and they said that I need a new clutch or maybe the linkage of the hydraulic system on the clutch disconnected. Right now the car is semi driveable (I've been moving it across the street to avoid street cleaning days). But the car jumps forward (or backwards if in reverse) with very little gas and very little lifting of the clutch. The handbrake light and open doors light still stay on whenever the car is on, and the car is not overheating but I have not kept the car on for longer than 5 mins since the incident so I don't know if it would start to over heat or not. Anyways, any ideas would help greatly. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83zed owner Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 I was driving home from work going about 80-85 and I heard a loud CLICK then my headlights went dim, my dash said my handbrake was up, and that a door is open. No idea what was going on so I pulled over, The car was not over heating and in fact was not even hot at all but that cooling system thing turned on (the plastic turbo looking thing). I turn the car off and on to find that suddenly my car is overheating like crazy (temp gauge is all the way up). I then called triple A to bring my car home. The next day I tried to figure out what was going on. The first things I noticed were that my clutch felt very soft and had a hard time springing back up, it sometimes even stayed pressed down and had to be pulled up by my foot. Also, I had just gotten new rear brake pads and rotors and my handbrake that had been very stiff and hard to pull up is now easy to pull. I called some people that have more knowledge than I do in the automotive field (auto teachers, friends, local shops) and they said that I need a new clutch or maybe the linkage of the hydraulic system on the clutch disconnected. Right now the car is semi driveable (I've been moving it across the street to avoid street cleaning days). But the car jumps forward (or backwards if in reverse) with very little gas and very little lifting of the clutch. The handbrake light and open doors light still stay on whenever the car is on, and the car is not overheating but I have not kept the car on for longer than 5 mins since the incident so I don't know if it would start to over heat or not. Anyways, any ideas would help greatly. thanks really don't know how to help you but have you called ed over at precission z there number is 818 716 6744 they are located in canoga park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyuri Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 For starters, I think you have an electrical problem. Get out the FSM and the multimeter. Then keep the FSM out and start inspecting things: parking brake cable, brake pads/rotors, brake hydraulic system, clutch hydraulics, clutch/brake linkages, clutch assembly (I'd leave this until you eliminate everything else, personally), etc.. If all the linkages check out, I'd flush or at least bleed both. Did you check the fluid levels and condition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.svoboda Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 make sure you didn't bust a fan belt. Lights could be alternator bad. Clutch could be just bad luck and master/slave went out. My son and I had the z31 up on jackstands changing the alternator and we let it down clutch wouldn't work. Wass up we said looking at each other stupidly. Just coincidence. Put in new master everything okay in the clutch dept. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newby92 Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Yeah the dummy lights coming on and it suddenly over heating sounds like you lost an alternator belt. This belt also runs the water pump. This just happened to me earlier in the week. From the time I lost the belt to the time I shut the car off was maybe a minute and it was almost over heating on the gauge. With no water circulating it doesnt take long. As far as the clutch goes, it may not be related at all and just bad luck/timing. Open the hood and make sure you still have an alternator belt, if you do, i dont know what to tell you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevespeed Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 I would also have to agree that it is most likely an electrical issue, have you checked the basic things such as dirty battery terminals? I had a similar issue in my SX when it would not idle for anything and several other similar issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboboost Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Sounds like you snapped a belt to me. I'd check that to start with. Perhaps the belt also flung and hit something to cause your clutch problems as well? Just thinking out loud here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m4xwellmurd3r Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 yeah, but he said he heard a "click" last time I had a fan belt snap, it went BANG WHAP WHAP WHAP WHAP WHAP till I shut the engine off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsaprothing Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 I was moving the car across the street today to avoid a street cleaning ticket and its the first time i've done it at night. I realized that my headlights are still turning on dim and the volt meter is reading just about at the top of the yellow part above 10. usually that battery is around 14, what could be draining the car's power? *i'm also waiting on clutch replacement parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 have you checked the belt yet?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsaprothing Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 roger, newby, and turboboost, you guys were completely correct . I had time today to check it out and the alternator belt is definitely severed. Anybody have a link to which belt it is that needs replaced? I can't seem to find it on the MSA site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
100dollarZ Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 Just a belt from any local parts store tell them your car and model and all that. Shouldnt be more than 15 bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgoodson@pacbell.net Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 A few stories, First I had a problem with not being able to drive more than a couple of miles before the car would come to a complete stop and couldn't be moved an inch! It would cool down for 15 or 20 minutes and then I would be able to go another 2 or 3 miled before stoppind again. Problem? Brake Master even though I had already replaced it from Kragen Auto. If this is happening to you and you continue to drive under power you could haved burned your clutch, Second. Blowing a belt is not required. It may look fine at a glane b ut closer inspection might reveal cracking on the inside and therefore probably a slipping belt. A recent brake job? Was it done right? Rear brake seizing = clutch burn. From the way you decribe your hand brake operation, I would pull the rear drums and check for proper installation, if you can get them off that is. That's all for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Mine Motors Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 It sounds like your problems are just about solved, but I thought i would post this for future searchers. The same thing happened to me three times. Each time it was the harmonic balancer. So if your having these problems be sure to check to see if the rubber on it has worn out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsun79z Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 Itsaprothing; I believe 1goodson@pacbell.net is correct in stearing you towards a brake issue here. If the rear brakes are replaced and adjusted incorrectley they will drastically heat up. So much so you cannot even touch the rear wheel due to excessive heat. This can put such a load on the clutch as to do damage to it, also causing the the engine to over heat. The hand brake would be affected as well. If the rear calipers need to be replaced, DO NOT use rebuilt. Use BRAND NEW NISSSAN CALIPERS. They are more expensive at the time of purchase, but a much, much better value in the long run. I speak from experience. Let us know how things work out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsaprothing Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 The brakes and rotors both came from MSA so I expect them to be fine. but thank you for the warnings, i'll be doing a lot of inspection before I start using the Z to commute again. i'll get the belt asap and report back my findings, hopefully it'll solve a lot of the problems if not all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 if you let the brake or clutch master cylinder lose enough fluid to expose the orifices in the unit, you might have to completely remove the system and bench bleed it. that could be the only way to remove the air in the system, but you could try using a pressurized bleeder or a vacuum bleeder to help in taking the air out of the clutch and brake master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 maybe itsaprothing got lucky. Maybe his belt just happened to snap and make it's way out of the engine bay without slapping a whole bunch of other stuff? Either that or he got lucky in the way it snapped and got caught on something? As for the overheating thing, if you've ever noticed say when you turn your car off after a drive and come back just a few short minutes later usually the temp gauge will be alot higher than when it's running, and once you start the car it'll very quickly come back down. So you lose your cooling system, keep driving for a few moments, start to heat up and finally shut the car off. It doesn't take long to overheat. Especially at freeway speeds/higher RPM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsaprothing Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 the belt was actually somewhat still on there. just a tad shredded up (had to cut it off). anyways, I replaced the belt and now the car runs great, only problem is now I have this steady knocking coming from the power steering reservoir at idle and while the car is in motion. it even spits out little droplets of power steering fluid. I put my hand on the reservoir and can even feel the knocks. anybody have any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsaprothing Posted November 8, 2008 Author Share Posted November 8, 2008 power steering needs a new bearing in the pulley. which is where it's also leaking. temporarily I took the power steering belt off until I fix the problem. power steering is such a luxury , never realized it haha. I also figured out the clutch problem and why it was all soft. the slave cylinder has a leak and needs to be replaced, and the clutch lines needed to be bled. I filled the master cylinder and bled the clutch and will be changing the slave cylinder soon, but for now i'll just keep adding fluid from time to time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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