1978 323 wagon

timmy201 · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2012 4:30 am

You'll be the first to know Greg if I ever do! Don't plan on parting with them anytime soon though

timmy201 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 5:50 am

The car has been running really well the last few weeks. So well infact the daily has been in the garage for three weeks, and when some parts turned up 2 1/2 hours away I thought "why not?".

In preparation for the trip I thought I'd change the water for coolant (water is recommended when putting a new head gasket in) and see if I could work out the rattle in the engine. I was pretty sure it was the timing chain not being tight enough, as it was only noisy at idle and and when coasting in gear. I pulled out the radiator out to access the timing chain guide adjusters and I borrowed a small socket set to fit through the timing cover. At least the socket fit through the adjusting ports on the spare timing covers I had out. Apparently the timing cover in the car has smaller holes compared to the spare ones :???:

The timing chain was tight anyway. The oil pump chain was another story..There is no adjustment or tensioner so it just must be stretched and in need of replacement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50AiPkNrkd0

So I put it all back together and drove off the next morning. Although the temp looks good in this picture, it has never ever been this high before. Turns out there must have been some air in the system, but I had the rest of the coolant bottle in the boot, just incase. At least I know the temperature gauge works! (and I'm so awesome I can drive and take photos)

So a slow and steady 350km later and I was back home

My passenger on the way home

The bit I was most interested in is the electronic dizzy. I've got to work out the wiring and then I'll put in on the current engine. The engine is a D5, which was the final 323 rwd engine. It is a stroked version of the UC which I've currently got, so it is 1.5L.

And tucked away for another day...

myold323 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 1:57 pm

Was that the motor and 5 speed box from Penrith? :lol:

When are you going to drop that motor in, you will then get rid of the rattle :tu:

good luck with it Tim,I still have 2 crack free dash tops :wink:

Cheers Greg

ewokracing · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:27 pm

Those D5's are little torque monsters.

timmy201 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 3:11 pm

myold323 wrote:

Was that the motor and 5 speed box from Penrith? :lol:

When are you going to drop that motor in, you will then get rid of the rattle :tu:

good luck with it Tim,I still have 2 crack free dash tops :wink:

Cheers Greg

Yep it was from Penrith. Fingers crossed the internals are in good condition.. It seems to have strong compression but it's a bit dirty inside the rocker cover. I swear no one ever does good matinence on these things!

The problem with the dash is my car spends most of its life out in the sun, and I wouldn't want to wreck a good dash.

ewokracing wrote:

Those D5's are little torque monsters.

The hybrid UC/TC on it now is a bit of a revver. Tacho says we go past 7000 rpm. It's got nothing down low at the moment though!

Oh and the best news of the last week? The clock has started working again! Sure it looses 5 minutes a day and it ticks so loud you can hear it at idle but I at least know what time it (approximately) is

timmy201 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:29 am

Caught a cool sunset the other day

Only had my phone for photos though..

ewokracing · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:00 pm

I like the last shot.... I have a penchant for sunsets.

timmy201 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2012 1:39 am

Centrecaps... Fixed. They don't fall off now!

And looking good

myold323 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:02 am

Hi Tim good Idea :lol:

you can also use a heatgun just heat them up slowly(the plastic tabs on the back) and gently bend them out to make them tighter :wink:

thats what I did on my simmons caps as they were a bit loose also.See you in a few weeks on the vmoc cruise :tu:

Cheers Greg.

timmy201 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:21 pm

Errrr usual drama the day before I planned to go to a car meet (JDMST EOMM 30th June).

About three weeks ago whenever I turned a right corner, the brake fluid level sensor would flash as the fluid moved away to the left hand side. It happened more frequently till it just stayed on untill I filled it up at the reservoir. Didn't seem too much of a deal because I'd done 10,000km or so.

Last week the same thing happened, but it was alot quicker to go from sometimes on to always on. I filled it up again.

The car had been in the shed being checked out since Tuesday and I started it up this afternoon and the brake light was on again. Fluid level at MIN

so where is all my fluid?

Maybe it is here?

And all around here and in the guards too. I couldnt get the drums off to have a look inside, they seem to be ceased.

So I left it. Not much I can do on a Friday night! I'm guessing the brake cylinder has crapped itself, which might not be surprising given its most probably the original one.

Guess I'll just take up the daily then

myold323 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:01 am

Bugger

this might sound stupid Tim but you did release the hand brake didn't you b4 you tried to get the drum off? Just take out the screw and use a mallet and hit the shit out of it all the way around the drum it will release :tu:

there not hard to change.I hope you get it done for next Saturday?
Cheers Greg.

timmy201 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:18 am

Yep I had the handbrake off and loosened the adjusters too just incase. I don't have the screws in because they hit my black rims!

Bash bash bash with a hammer and the drum finally gave in. Might need a new set of brake pads too... And it's about time I invested in a brake pipe spanner

Yuck!

See all the fluid on the ground!

I tried the local parts shop for new cylinders but they didn't have any in the Sydney warehouse. I'm going to try some brake shops tomorrow in the hope of getting some and a set of pads. Also looking for some new U-bolts for some lowering blocks I bought that don't really fit. Also dropped off gold rims for straightening in the hope it all comes together for the VMOC cruise next weekend!

ewokracing · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:28 pm

drums use shoes, not pads.

The brake cylinder should be about 7-15 bucks. 323's I think have the nice and easy drum brake system too, unlike 1300's.

bugger about the timing though!

myold323 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:53 pm

How did you go Tim ,did you get the parts you need? :tu:

timmy201 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:05 pm

Yep, the shop called me back Monday to say that they found some brake cylinders. One of them was $17 and the other side $22, and I got a new set of shoes $49. They said 2-3 days, so hopefully that means Thursday, and I have enough time to get it back together for Saturday.

Doesnt look to stressful to change, other than getting the springs back on the bloody brake shoes :wink:

I was just lucky the car was in the shed and not out on the grass. I wouldnt have noticed the leak...

ewokracing · **Posted:** Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:55 pm

A pair of pointy nose pliers and copious swearing usually gets the springs back on. For the love of god though, wear some eye protection. Trust me on this!

Have you got a good brake line spanner? Those nuts are really easy to round off.

timmy201 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:46 am

I don't have a brake spanner yet but I will get one when I pick up the parts.

The brake pads and shoes were literally the first parts that were replaced on my car. Which was about 2 years ago when I had no tools and my mates came around and gave me a hand because I'd never worked on a car before. This time I get to do it alone...

ewokracing · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:28 am

make sure you get a really good brake line tool, not a cheapy one. I can't stress this enough!

I choose pnau as the band you should listen to for your brake work. :tu:

timmy201 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:27 am

I havent got much choice really, radio or nothing in the shed..

timmy201 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:49 pm

Still confused. Went to look at the car today and it was dry under the brake. And the fluid reservoir was still filled up to the MIN level. So I'm thinking that it might only be leaking when the handbrake is on?

The brake cylinder was full of black sludge and had some scoring inside it too.

1978 323 wagon

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