I have a wrecked insurance auction coupe I am rebuilding. Here some of the process and build.

 

Good work so far, probably toss on some adjustable FUCA while you're at it.

 

 

 

Thanks, I still have multiple issues to sort. I have it back together without a bumper reinforcement because I am waiting on parts for bumper reinforcement brackets to bolt it back on. The old ones were tweaked from the accident so I while I was pulling the frame I had connected the chains to the old ones.

Still to be done:
-Bumper reinforcement & brackets install
-pull for driver's side fender to align it better
-Engine Overheating & heater not working - need to bleed more coolant
-strange leak under car from rear driver side brake lines? (no idea how to fix this, I think the lines rusted through?
-car is missing the A/C belt?
-brake rotors & pads need to be done

 

Probably the rear flexible line that's leaking yes? Pretty common for those to fail with age. If it's the hard line that's odd, but it's a $20 part for the Geniune Nissan Parts one so at least it's cheap. If it's an aftermarket flexible line then I'm DEFINITELY not surprised its leaking.

Definitely air in the lines if you have no heater hot air, turn the system to max heat max fan speed until it burps. Probably going to have to drain the coolant back out and start over again though, the trick is to add the coolant VERY SLOWLY so the air bubbles can work out during filling, once it's spilling from the purge valve in the heater hose put the cap back in and keep adding coolant VERY SLOWLY. I'm talking no more than a rate of about 1 gallon per minute, just let it trickle in. Once it's full do a little warm up to get some heat in the engine and when it's almost up to temp hop in a drive it down the road and back doing full WOT pulls in 1st/2nd gear with the heater cranked to max heat/max fan. It'll burp.

Between my G, the neighbors G and his two friends with G/Z I've bled coolant probably 2 dozen times and the last 5-6 I've used this method and it works perfectly, after the quick run down the street let it cool off, top off the radiator and reservoir, go for a real drive. Don't turn the heater off (or the fan speed down) until you're on the real drive and 100% sure you got all the air out.

Since the car was wrecked it wouldn't surprise me if some kid took the AC belt off because... racecar lol.

It's looking great though, makes me happy to see people resurrecting a wrecked G. What are your plans for the car, daily or weekend fun?

 

Thanks, I need to check the rear caliper and see if it is the caliper line, it could be a rusted out hard line. I have not had much time to look closely at it to track down the actual source. I found some fluid on the ground in my garage and it was brake fluid so that got my attention lol.

On the coolant system bleeding, do you like to jack up the front end when doing the initial coolant fill? When I attempted, I was not jacked up at all. I do think I may have filled too quickly on my first gallon. When I put in the first gallon, I opened the rear bleeder, the car got to temp, I saw the coolant level drop in the radiator cap and I added a little more, maybe a quart. but then it started overflowing from the rear and I had to shut car off because it was steaming like crazy with all the overflow going down and hitting the exhaust I assume. Weirdly enough, I shut car off and then when I went to restart it a minute or so later....nothing. No lights, totally dead. So I jumped it and all is 100% normal again. Strange.

I have heard of the AC belts on G35s just "disappearing" aka snapping and falling off with bad belt maintenance. It's winter now so not too concerning at the moment.

I appreciate the info. This will just be a fun car to have for awhile, probably have it til this summer. I'll list it in my local tuners group to see if anyone wants it as a daily or drift build down the road.

 

I've jacked up the front before but honestly I don't think it makes a bit of difference. I suspect that revving the engine puts more fluid pressure from the water pump on the system and the aggressive driving gets water to surge into the bubble area and is getting water to splash on the back of the thermostat. Once I've switched to this method it's been quick and easy to burp, you know when it happens because it starts gurgling LOUDLY in the cabin. Usually the first rip down the road does it and it's gurgling right after I get on the brakes and turn around. I only end up driving about 200 yards total.

A lot of folks have had great success with the Lisle funnel if this method isn't feasible.

 

Sorry last question, When you get back into the car to rip it down the road to get it to heat up, do you have the all the caps back in place and on tight?

 

Yeah everything back together, radiator ends up being a little low on coolant once it burps. Throw a fan in front of the grill to cool it off quickly. Takes about 15min for the needle to be back down to the low/cold mark if it's a big fan, then top it off with coolant in the radiator. Refill the reservoir to the cold mark, put the caps back on and go for a real drive, just watch the coolant temp for a while to make sure there's no problems.

 

OK big thanks to you! I'm trying this weekend---- the weather should be in the 50s and 60s---- cant wait!!!

 

Looking good.