Another vehicle 92 Nissan Sentra

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Simple green and a 2800 psi pressure washer but it still could use some more cleaning. I was more concerned with the grunge accumulation all over the car. Under the gas flap it had goop a 1/4 inch thick.

After the pressure washer I used a super fine polishing compound and then caranuba wax on painted surfaces.

The wife is starting to come around to the logic of this older car, just barely, but hey dear we can always take your car dear, you know, the one that has depreciated 40% or more in 3 years or right about what I paid for the Fiesta.

regards
Mech

LOL females! Can't live with Em, can't live without Em. And thanks, I think I'll pick a few gallons of it up sometime this week. I don't have a pressure washer but, I have one of those things that go on a garden hose that turns it into a 'pressure washer'. It seems to work ok, it should be enough hopefully.

[user removed]

A little more detail cleaning. I was going to set the toe this morning but when I checked it was right at 0, 53.25 inches front and back on the front tires. I visually looked like it was toed in but I think the rear track is narrower than the front which was confirmed with the measurement.

Looks like 38 MPG will be close to my avergae, a little lower in winter. Half of the miles are road trips of no more than 100 miles round trip. A thousand miles since purchase.

So far I'm at $750 total including DMV fees. Insurance is dirt cheap.

I like to get everything current. After that I can just focuson normal maintenance, which on this car is basically oil changes. Oil consumption is minimal, I need more time but the level has not moved and the oil is still clean.

The wife fell asleep in the car coming back from Va Beach Wednesday. I guess she can live with the Sentra and I added towing to my insurance policy for two bucks every six months.

A hot air intake will be easy with the exhaust manifold front.

regards
mech

[Daox]

Great build so far Old Mechanic! I look forward to more.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

A little more detail cleaning. I was going to set the toe this morning but when I checked it was right at 0, 53.25 inches front and back on the front tires. I visually looked like it was toed in but I think the rear track is narrower than the front which was confirmed with the measurement.

Looks like 38 MPG will be close to my avergae, a little lower in winter. Half of the miles are road trips of no more than 100 miles round trip. A thousand miles since purchase.

So far I'm at $750 total including DMV fees. Insurance is dirt cheap.

I like to get everything current. After that I can just focuson normal maintenance, which on this car is basically oil changes. Oil consumption is minimal, I need more time but the level has not moved and the oil is still clean.

The wife fell asleep in the car coming back from Va Beach Wednesday. I guess she can live with the Sentra and I added towing to my insurance policy for two bucks every six months.

A hot air intake will be easy with the exhaust manifold front.

regards
mech

Are you gonna get rid of the more expensive cars?

[3n3rgystar]

Tagging along, also have a 1992 Nissan Sentra XE with automatic.

[user removed]

I could potentially sell the;
Fiesta
Ranger (off insurance and tags now)
1989 Suzuki GS 500E (off insurance and tags now)

This would easily net me over $10-11K, which could be used for increasing my cash reserves or finishing the trike, even possibly purchasing another vehicle in the future.
As I have spent money on the tadpole project my vehicle inventory cost has basically doubled. This move would get it back to 50% of what it is now.

It's not that unusual for me. I did the same thing before when I sold the Altima coupe to my son in law and got our 99 Maxima back. Sold that later to get the Fiesta. Since I got the Sentra I have not driven or ridden any other of my vehicles, for close to 1000 miles. Today I rode the bike for the first time since getting the Sentra. I like to be in the position to jump on a deal when one becomes available and this would put me in that position.

I can't see the GZ250 ($650) going anywhere, or the Honda 50 ($250) Super Cub. With the $300 Sentra (original price), I doubt I'll ever have less money in 3 vehicles that are reliable, economical and fun. Even if I drive the Sentra 10k miles a year the difference in fuel cost would only be just over $100. I would save that in property taxes on the Fiesta alone. Property taxes on the Sentra are a joke.

regards
mech

[user removed]

Stepdaughter called today, she knows someone who is interested in the Fiesta. I have a trailer hitch in the garage that I can weld to the tie down brackets on the rear of the Sentra (each has 4@14 or 17 head bolts) which should tow the 3 wheeler or a fold up Harbor Freight trailer. Things are moving along nicely.

Max savings are selling the Fiesta now that the Sentra seems like it will fill that role. Now for the truck and bike and I get my garage back , or a good chunk of it.

regards
Mech

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Sounds like a good move.

[user removed]

Fairly cool this morning. I noticed it took longer to warm up, almost 5 miles. Stopped by the Nissan dealership and ordered a thermostat to get the warm up distance to just over 1 mile. Typical scenario with an old OE thermostat, they won't close completely.

That should help my MPG or at least mitigate the effects of lower temperatures. I'm beating on the door of 40 MPG in this $300 car. Thermostat is right up front right side, next to the exhaust manifold and easily accessible, might just loosen it up and let it drain there.

No measureable oil consumption in over 1000 miles and the oil is still clean, everything looking good otherwise.

regards
mech

[user removed]

Replaced the thermostat today and topped off the fuel tank. Mileage dropped to 36.25 on this fill. Today I took advantage of the opportunity to see how cool the car ran with the bad (old one was stuck open) thermostat. It was 5 miles before the gauge came off the peg, before it moved at all. If I coasted in neutral it dropped below 20% of the gauges range. The only time it got to the middle of the gauge was when I restarted the car after picking up the thermostat.

I thought the installation would be a breeze until I realized the thermostat was not where the top hose met the engine but buried on the backside with the ac and power steering lines in the way. I could only get my left hand on the three bolts holding the housing to the engine. No way could I get two hands near the thermostat housing. I had to slop the rtv on the housing then stick the thermostat in. Then slide the housing around until the thermostat slipped into its groove and pray it did not slide between the housing and engine where I would break the housing trying to tighten it down. Finally got it in and it seems OK, but I have to keep an eye on it for any leaks.

I ran the car for about 30 seconds the drove it out of the neighborhood. The gauge was off the peg and actually in the operating range before I went .3 miles to the main road, compared to at least 6 miles before it got to the same level on the gauge before the thermostat replacement. The gauge stayed precisely in the middle, right where it is supposed to be. Tomorrow I'll see how long it takes to warm up, probably less than a mile.

We'll see how this tank does for mileage with it running at it's proper operating temperature, hopefully 40+. The tops of my hands are beat to crap and it took almost two hours.

regards
mech