Any Micro-Mini Datsun/nissan Owner/experts Out There?

[zero]

I just bought a 1984 Dastun/.Nissan 20 footer. 84K original miles and truck itself looks like new. I posted about it previously. Seller was asking $3500. He finally refused my $2000 offer and I figured I'd never see the rig again. He called me this morning and I bought it for $1800 because he cannot keep it running.

I'm trying to find out if there was a well know intermittent ignition failure problem with this vintage 2.4 liter engine (Z24). I have little experience with this specific truck and since it's a 160 mile round-trip every time I go there, it's getting to be too much going back and forth, trying to figure out the problem.

It really feels like a fuel starvation issue but I verified today the carb is getting fuel when it dies. Note this is an electronically controlled carb with a electrical fuel-mixture solenoid. Whether IT can cause these problems, I have no idea. I'm thinking maybe it can but not sure. I once had a 1989 Subaru with the same electric-controlled carb that I think had the same issue. But not sure since it was a long time ago.

I may try to find a way to tow tomorrow instead of trying to fix anymore, so far from my home.

I met a guy who claims to be an expert on these Nissans. If he really is, who knows?? He claims that mid-80s Nissans were well known for an intermittent ignition failure problem. Symptoms are - starts fine when cold. Once driven for 15 minutes or so, it will start to sputter and finally die. Then no restart until it cools off for 15 minutes. The self-proclaimed expert said the problem is the distributor that MUST be replaced. That makes NO sense to me unless there is an electrical component inside the distributor that cannot be purchased as a separate part. So I checked. I found out the electronic ignition control module is inside the distributor and IS available as a separate part. Not sure it's worth the cost though. A new module is $125. For $110 I can buy a totally rebuilt distributor BUT it likely will NOT have a new module. Just a used "tested" module.

Being an intermittent problem makes it awful hard to test. So I was hoping for some input from someone else who has heard of this sort of issue. I found MANY people with the exact same problem. But none that I can find ever got any useful answers on the NET - not even from a place that supposedly has certified NIssan techs.

If I find out it's the electronic mixture control solenoid in the carb ($140 part), I think I'd just eliminate the carb and oxy sensor and computer control and just install a Weber replacement. But at this point - I have no idea what the problem is.

[Donnie]

Maris, what I would do to try & separate the Ign module from the mixture solenoid is: if the truck has an AM radio & an external antenna...Both are required for this diagnosis......Take a 10 or 12 foot piece of 16 gauge insulated wire, size not important....wrap about 20 or so wraps around a long #2 philips screwdriver....what you are doing is making a "coil" that you can slip down over your radio antenna.....I know that you see where I'm going with this, but I'll continue for all to see............then take the other end of the wire & wrap it a few times around either a spark plug wire or the coil wire...I like to use a spark plug wire as the noise is more perceivable at say 1500 to 1800 rpm's.. whichever you like....try both....THEN turn on the AM radio to a non station at the LOWER end of the dial.. start the engine & listen to the ign fire thru the radio....Run it until the problem appears.... you will be able to tell if the fuel stops & the ign is still firing or the other way around.. I found this to be a half decent way to find out "fuel or ign."............donnie

[zero]

Good ideas for isolating the problem. I didn't want to waste any more time or mileage so I towed it home yesterday. Took a little "creativity" to get U-Haul to rent me a car-dolly. My equipment trailer is 800 miles away so I couldn't use it.. When first mentioned "micro-mini-motorhome" to the U-Haul lady - she said "no", no matter how small it is. So I said, OK, make it a 1984 Nissan 720 pickup. She put it in her "rental computer" and could find NO Nissan trucks. Weird! I then told her put in a 1984 Toyota pickup and that came right up. Said it weighed 2800 lbs. and I needed at least a 4400 lb

[zero]

I posted that by accident before done (hard getting used to doing this with my left hand).

Got it home safely, now parked to my other Minicruiser. New 1984 Datsun is 14" shorter then my 1988 Toyota.

Good ideas for isolating the problem. I didn't want to waste any more time or mileage so I towed it home yesterday. Took a little "creativity" to get U-Haul to rent me a car-dolly. My equipment trailer is 800 miles away so I couldn't use it.. When first mentioned "micro-mini-motorhome" to the U-Haul lady - she said "no", no matter how small it is. So I said, OK, make it a 1984 Nissan 720 pickup. She put it in her "rental computer" and could find NO Nissan trucks. Weird! I then told her put in a 1984 Toyota pickup and that came right up. Said it weighed 2800 lbs. and I needed at least 4400 lbs. I was driving a 1995 Ford 4WD F150, standard cab truck and they say it only weighs 4200 lbs. and is not allowed. I then asked about my 1994 Ford F250 4WD extended-cab diesel truck and THAT was fine. Problem was I had it parked 100 miles away. Oh well. So I had to take a trip just to get my truck out of winter storage (opposite direction of the Datsun motorhome).

Note the car-dolly has a max weight rating of 3900 lbs. so it was more then enough to handle this little Datsun RV with just the front on it.

So I kind of lied to U-Haul, paid $35 for the rental, and towed it home about 140 miles. It was a real nice almost spring day. Sunny, 40 degrees F and most snow gone. I used 16 gallons of diesel in 220 miles of driving so got 13.75 MPG with the truck - most with towing the motorhome.

I found out last night that my new Datsun does NOT have the convoluted electric-venturi carburetor so the problem cannot be the carb.. I am VERY glad of that. Seems the HD Nissan cab & truck chassis in 1984 is exempt from certain EPA regs if not sold in California and as a normal mechanical carb.

I also found out that the "expert" Nissan tech told me about the electronic distributor not being repairable is complete BS. The module is inside the distributor, comes out pretty easy and cost $110 from Rock Auto (Over $400 from Nissan!).

So it's now safe in my barn. When it gets warm again, I put a $35 repair kit into the carb and a new ignition module in the distributor.

I drove the rig long enough to get a feel for how it drives (about 2 miles). Goes nicely at 55-60 MPH in 5th OD. Has a 4.375 to 1 rear-axle ratio.

[shibs]

JDE good to see you made it home, I like the dolly idea to tow it, did not know you could tow toyo rwds like that,

so did ya just put the trans in Neutral?

[zero]

JDE good to see you made it home, I like the dolly idea to tow it, did not know you could tow toyo rwds like that,

so did ya just put the trans in Neutral?

It's a manual trans. If it was an automatic I'd pulled the driveshaft off first. Even with standard trans - it's hard to know for sure if the trans gets enough lube to prevent damage. Gear transmissions are designed to have the input shaft spinning to splash oil to lubricate. So when towing, no engine running and rear driveshaft spinning it's questionable for many gear transmissions. In this case, I stopped every 20 miles and started the engine up for a minute -to "relubricate" the trans. Can't say if that was necessary or not but I call it "cheap insurance." I drove it when I arrived and it ran fine. No leaks and no noises in the trans. Of course - as described before, it will only run for 10 minutes and then sputter out and die.

[Donnie]

Looks like a pretty good deal from the outside, if the rest of it looks like what I can see...I'd say "you done good" excuse me Mrs Corson

[zero]

I can't see where I can go wrong for $1800 (famous last words). Truck itself looks like near new. No visable wear anywhere and no rust. I've wanted a Datsun/Nissan RV for along time to compare with the Toyota. Inside is clean but several things do not work. I don't like the AC refrigerator and will put in a 3-way right away. I've got near a dozen of good working 3-ways, so that's a non-issue.

I like the idea that Nissan equipped it with a 5 speed trans and a 4.375 to 1, full-floating rear. In 1984, they were certainly ahead of Toyota in that regard. Seems as years went on, Toyota got more dedicated with upgrading their cab & chassis trucks and Nissan did not. Like Toyota adding special hubs in front so the wheels off the rear full floater also fit the front and one spare tire fit anywhere. As far as I know, Nissan never did that. And the 6 bolt Nissan pattern is an obsure one. I've never seen it used on anything else. The Toyota 6 bolt pattern is an old one that was used in the USA for many years.

[linda s]

Nissan just stopped making the cab and chassis long before Toyota. 1988 is the last year. Rear lug pattern is unusual. I could only find it elsewhere on farm tractors and trailers. I had to move my 86 Nissan recently to storage until my daughter put in a new parking surface on her property. Hadn't been even started up in over a year but popped a new battery in and it ran smooth.

Linda S

[zero]

Back late 60s, early 70s where I lived in northern NJ, the Datsun "Lil Hustler" trucks were the rage and seemed to be everywhere. People beat on them something awful and they kept on going. I don't think I'd even heard of a Toyota pickup back then. One of my best friends got a graduation present from his parents when he graduated high school in 1969. It was a brand new, four door, Toyota Corona. This at a time when us "cool guys" were driving 55 Chevys with 265 or reworked 283 V8s. Although this guy Tommy was the only kid we knew with a brand new car, he got picked on because it was a 'foreign piece of junk." Worse yet - it was Japanese. Most of us had fathers who had fought the "JAPS" in WWII, so having such a car was kind of frowned upon. Well that poor car got beat on something awful for years and often looked like a clown car with 5-6 beering drinking kids in it, joy riding all night, every night. Ended up to be an amazingly durable car and outlived everyone else's American made junker.

Back to Nissan/Datsun. The rims on the full-floating rear are 6 lug X 6 11/16". The old man I got this Datsun Minicruiser from gave me two extra rear rims for it. Both made by Topy of Japan, just like the FF wheels on Toyotas. Nissan 6 lug rim is marked: 14 X 5J DOT TOPY 312 84 F3.8

Full floating dually rear is a Nissan H-190.

[linda s]

Can't re-measure my rims cause it's far away but I was sure they were 6x6.5. My axle is the H233B. Come to think of it I have to be near there in a few days cause I'm taking a girlfriend to Reno. I will stop by the storage lot and re-measure. Center of lug to center of opposite lug, right?

Linda S

[zero]

Here are the measurements I took.

7 ¼” center-hole, lug holes 15/16” ID. Center-center between #3 and #6 stud-holes is 6 11/16. One hole to next center-center = 3 3/8”, #1 hole to #3 hole center-center = 5 13/16”
So, 6 X 170 mm (6.6875”), 184 mm center-hole Offset – raised dish on outside to first outside edge of rim = 1 ½”. To other outside edge or rim (farthest one) = 7 5/8” Wheel marked: 14 X 5J DOT TOPY 312 84 F3.8

[zero]

I got the H190 axle designation from Nissan parts when I typed in my VIN; But maybe that H190 is just a reference to the center-section that holds the ring & pinion and not for the entire assembly? I know next to nothing about Nissan trucks.

Whatever it is, the bearings are slightly smaller then what the Toyota full-floater uses and so are the Nissan rear brakes.

[rad wolfe]

you may have already looked for info at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/nissan_motorhomes/info

although it doesn't look very active.

[linda s]

you may have already looked for info at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/nissan_motorhomes/info

although it doesn't look very active.

I run that group and no it's not active at all. I do try to post Nissan and Datsun motorhomes I see for sale but there just aren't many out there. I took over from the previous owner just to save the info that is there and not let it get to be spam central.

Linda S

[Derek up North]

You mean like the Toyotamotorhome Yahoo Group?

[zero]

Can't re-measure my rims cause it's far away but I was sure they were 6x6.5. My axle is the H233B. Come to think of it I have to be near there in a few days cause I'm taking a girlfriend to Reno. I will stop by the storage lot and re-measure. Center of lug to center of opposite lug, right?

Linda S

Here's one of the extra rims I got. I double-checked. It is for sure 6 X 6 5/8" (or maybe 6 11/16") pattern.

[linda s]

You mean like the Toyotamotorhome Yahoo Group?

No his link is to the Nissan group.

Linda S

[ZIGZAG]

Zero

 I have the same rv only mine is a 1985. Do you have any idea what the light switch on the wall to the right of the sink on the side of the closet is for? Just got it and trying to figure everything out. Thanks

[ZIGZAG]

Zero or anyone else that shares my interest

I have the same Nissan Citation motorhome only mine is a 1985 and classed as a 21 foor. Do you have any idea what the light switch on the wall to the right of the sink on the side of the closet is for? Just got it and trying to figure everything out. Thanks

[linda s]

This thread is from 2015. People move on. That said all of these RV's share a lot of the same features in the coach section and usually the same appliances. Yours looks like it's in very nice shape.

A switch next to the sink could be for the water pump. Is there water in your fresh water tank? Does the sink turn on? 

Linda S

[ZIGZAG]

Hi Linda

 The switch for the water pump is on the panal that shows battery level, water level etc as seen in the attached picture. He guy I bought it from only had it for a few months because his wife can't drive a standard. He is going to see if he still has the number of the older gentleman that owned it for almost 25 years. I'm very happy with it. It only has 30,000 miles on it. I just got it and plan a bunch of upgrades before taking it on the road. I read that it might have different bolt patterns on the front and back wheels. I will check in the morning. I hope not. I don't want to have to carry two spares. Please let me know if you find any source of information on the cabin or owners manual. I have had no luck so far. It was built by  General Coach out of Oliver British Columbia Canada but went out of business in 2007. Thanks for contacting me.

[ZIGZAG]

6 minutes ago, ZIGZAG said:

Hi Linda

 The switch for the water pump is on the panal that shows battery level, water level etc as seen in the attached picture. He guy I bought it from only had it for a few months because his wife can't drive a standard. He is going to see if he still has the number of the older gentleman that owned it for almost 25 years. I'm very happy with it. It only has 30,000 miles on it. I just got it and plan a bunch of upgrades before taking it on the road. I read that it might have different bolt patterns on the front and back wheels. I will check in the morning. I hope not. I don't want to have to carry two spares. Please let me know if you find any source of information on the cabin or owners manual. I have had no luck so far. It was built by  General Coach out of Oliver British Columbia Canada but went out of business in 2007. Thanks for contacting me.

 

2 hours ago, linda s said:

This thread is from 2015. People move on. That said all of these RV's share a lot of the same features in the coach section and usually the same appliances. Yours looks like it's in very nice shape.

A switch next to the sink could be for the water pump. Is there water in your fresh water tank? Does the sink turn on? 

Linda S

PS I know the thread was from 6 years ago but I was hoping either Zero might still have his rv or might at least remember the switch and what it does. I am 70 years old and still have cars in my collection from over 15 years ago so it is possible he might still have it. Finding information is next to impossible. That is why I am reaching out in different forums. Any information you can dig up would be appreciated. Thanks again

 Gary

[linda s]

He's not here anymore but his Nissan was a Mini Cruiser, not a Citation. Your camper was one of the few made for the Canadian market. If you just bought it can you ask the person you bought it from? If not you could try asking a local RV place if they can show you how stuff works.  Post a pics of the switch? Did you check my water pump idea. 

Linda S

Ok I missed your post where you explain a lot of this stuff. Yes all Nissan's have different lug patterns front and back. I carry a spare for the front only. You can drive with one tire on one side in the back for a long way as long as you remove the flat one. Please start your own thread for more questions. This one is too long and too old

[ZIGZAG]

42 minutes ago, linda s said:

He's not here anymore but his Nissan was a Mini Cruiser, not a Citation. Your camper was one of the few made for the Canadian market. If you just bought it can you ask the person you bought it from? If not you could try asking a local RV place if they can show you how stuff works.  Post a pics of the switch? Did you check my water pump idea. 

Linda S

Ok I missed your post where you explain a lot of this stuff. Yes all Nissan's have different lug patterns front and back. I carry a spare for the front only. You can drive with one tire on one side in the back for a long way as long as you remove the flat one. Please start your own thread for more questions. This one is too long and too old

I will when I figure out how. Thanks Linda

[5Toyota]

some of the old nissan trucks and they where aways 6 lug as far back as 1962. i had a 1962 L320  was very old when i had it . was told the 6 lug rims for a chevy LUV would fit it . and they did on the back anyway as i had a pair with snow tires on them .so the Japan made chevy Luv truck rims 6 lug fit some of those nissan Datsun trucks what all year i am not shure 

[ZIGZAG]

Are you saying they are the same front and back?

[linda s]

No you have the dually rear. The front and back are different and Nissan never offered adapters so the front and back could match. Always different and no fix as far as I know. I guess you could have custom adapters made but then you'd have to find 2 more wheels. Not easy to do

Linda S

Both front and back do have 6 lugs but different lug pattern. Much bigger in the rear

[5Toyota]

some of the old nissan trucks and they where aways 6 lug as far back as 1962. i had a 1962 L320  was very old when i had it . was told the 6 lug rims for a chevy LUV would fit it . and they did on the back anyway as i had a pair with snow tires on them .so the Japan made chevy Luv truck rims 6 lug fit some of those nissan Datsun trucks what all year i am not shure  sorry i ment the standred truck . maybe those luv rims would fit the front. maybe not.

[ZIGZAG]

Hello everyone

 I am a new owner of a 1985 Nissan Citation motorhome that I bought from an individual who owned it for only a few months and is unable to put me in touch with the previous owner of 25 years. That being said, I want to change the fluids in the manual transmission and rear end. Does anyone have any information as to what  transmission and rearend are in this RV or what fluids to use? All I know is that it is a full floating axle. I have been unable to track down any information on it. Thanks for any help you might offer. Happy travelling

[john*thomas]

 I would use this.

 

 https://www.redlineoil.com/mt-90-75w90-gl-4-gear-oil

  

I believe the trans takes roughly 2.5 quarts. I believe the fill is on top also and you have to have a pump to fill it. I have seen where people can fill from engine compartment IF you have a long enough piece of hose. 

 

 You can use the same in the rear though many will argue to use GL5 (the above is GL4).  1.5 quarts I believe. Do NOT use GL5 in the transmission. 

 

 And btw........the information is the exact same as looking up 1985 Nissan truck. If you look up 1985 Nissan Citation Motorhome you most likely will come up empty. 

[ZIGZAG]

54 minutes ago, john*thomas said:

 I would use this.

 

 https://www.redlineoil.com/mt-90-75w90-gl-4-gear-oil

  

I believe the trans takes roughly 2.5 quarts. I believe the fill is on top also and you have to have a pump to fill it. I have seen where people can fill from engine compartment IF you have a long enough piece of hose. 

 

 You can use the same in the rear though many will argue to use GL5 (the above is GL4).  1.5 quarts I believe. Do NOT use GL5 in the transmission. 

 

 And btw........the information is the exact same as looking up 1985 Nissan truck. If you look up 1985 Nissan Citation Motorhome you most likely will come up empty. 

 

[ZIGZAG]

Thank you. Are you saying it is a stock Nissan diff? The only difference is a dual floating axle? So any info would be obtained in a Haynes manual.

[john*thomas]

24 minutes ago, ZIGZAG said:

Thank you. Are you saying it is a stock Nissan diff? The only difference is a dual floating axle? So any info would be obtained in a Haynes manual.

 

 A Haynes manual will be an excellent investment. I have one for my 87. The cab and running gear is all Nissan. 

[linda s]

I don't know what differential was used in the 710 DRW models and I am have difficulty finding it. I know the V6 D21's like John and I have used diff only used in the DRW heavy duty models and the 4x4 King Cab.  If you can tell me how many bolts on your diff rare cover I might be able to figure it out. There are quite a few other anomalies in the dually. My speedometer gear that plugs into the transmission was broken when I got it and found out it was a dually only one. Luckily I found a Nissan parts guy who searched the nation and found me one. 

Linda S