The Nissan S30 Group is an actual useful online group-and braking issues with my Datsun

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
08/20/2020 at 13:14 • Filed to: Datsun 240Z

I’m now a member of a S30 facebook group, s o far so good, these folks know their Datsuns like none other. They remind me of the oppo community and don’t trash talk or act like dicks.

I’ve been having my right front tire lock up before my left front, so the right front is doing like 70% of the braking compared to the left front at threshold braking, it will also jerk the wheel hard to the right in certain circumstances. Looks like I need to blow out my brake lines yet again and replace the right brake caliper to fix the bias. I have already replaced the left caliper, brake master cylinder, and flushed the lines several times.

Otherwise the car is running great, the new wheels and tires are fantastic. I’m driving it about 3-4 times a week and enjoying every moment.

DISCUSSION (23)

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:25

Do you have a sticking piston in the one caliper? With the line pressures to the front, usually the force is pretty evenly applied— unless of course you have a disparity in pads or rotors.

I’m looking at a big brake kit in my ‘76 since we put the bigger motor in it.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
08/20/2020 at 13:29

Not that I can tell, I am going to pull off the other caliper and check it out to rule out a faulty caliper. I am about 75% sure there is a line blockage with derbies since the other caliper I pulled off I could move the piston with my fingers, it certainly was not a caliper issue.

RacinBob > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:34

Out of curiosity I looked up the calipers to see if they are single or double piston. I see they are single. I also see you can’t get any from Rock Auto. All are out of stock.......

Kinja'd!!!

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:38

Interesting... and a little scary if the line’s impaired. Would be interesting to put high pressure meters on both sides and see how much differential there is at moderate pedal pressures.

I’m resigned to a very expensive larger master cylinder on mine-- needed to actuate the bigger calipers once I install it.

Tripper > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:40

Classic car groups FTW. Seriously classic car heads in general. Early in the spring I pulled up on a 124 on the side of the road when I was in the 02. He needed a little coolant...I had a little distilled water.

Meanwhile, some other dude in an MGB pulls up and asks if were ok. We all chat, check fiat guys car and get ready to depart...in PERFECT form MGB does not start. So me and Fiat guy pushed him down hill till he could start it via the clutch.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > RacinBob
08/20/2020 at 13:41

The last one I bought was from autozone, it was about $35. The Datsun only website carge $70-80 for the same thing.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
08/20/2020 at 13:43

The 1-inch wildwood master cylinder would be the way to go. For my car, unmodified the OEM braking system is fine considering how I drive and don’t race. I had some shit come out of the rear lines so I suspect the same in the front.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:45

Yeah, that’s the one. I love my old-timey wheels, so am sad that when I go “big” the wheels are also a casualty. It’s just one thing after another...

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Tripper
08/20/2020 at 13:46

The British and Italian sports car folks are the true hero’s. Their cars were shit to begin with, the Datsun’s and BMW’s etc.. were actually quite good from the factory and reliable by even today’s standards.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
08/20/2020 at 13:48

I am really liking the 16x7 Konig rewinds with modern tires. You can also go with a 15x8 and maybe a 215 or 225 50 R15 and use some better wheels. There are many options that don’t put modern looking wheels on the car and still open up the possibilities for a good tire choice.

HoustonRunner > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:48

Ooh, that is what I need, some B&W pictures of the E28.... (T hat and something other than my potato to take them with).

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HoustonRunner
08/20/2020 at 13:49

Old cars look great in B&W, also taken with an ipotato 7s, so..... yeah a real camera would be better.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:55

Your car is white so it might help, mine is orange so it could look like almost anything. I never had this issue with the car but we did all the brakes and put disks on the back so it’s all new. I would like the bigger front brakes and an LSD and I would feel like it’s done. Silvermine Motors has some big Wilwood front kits. I think I got my rears from them but I don’t see the 80's Maxima disk kit on there right now.

sony1492 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 13:57

Is replacing the hard lines in the cards?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
08/20/2020 at 14:03

The LSD is great if you are really hustling or doing auto cross. Before my dad put an LSD on his car we burned so many inside tires at autocross races . My car being stock 150 HP I’m not really spinning the tires, especially the way I drive . I wouldn’t mind more brakes but at 2300 lbs the stock brakes work fine for what I use it for, I don’t live in california and have to emergency brake 4 time every time I drive my car because of dub asses . I think the toyota 4 piston upgrade is the go to these days over the maxima kits as the toyota is more available.

Tripper > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 14:06

Yeah I try not to brag because I dont want to jinx myself but the M3 fails to start more often than the 1502. *E46s have a fuel pump problem where they don’t work for a sec when you go to start the car when its been sitting on a hot day. When it stops starting all together I will deal with the fuel pump

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > sony1492
08/20/2020 at 14:08

If I need to I will replace the hard lines, it’s just a lot of work and I’d probably have to fab them up from scratch. From the exterior the look to be in good shape. I’ll say the brake fluid I took out of the car looked near original so there could be some internal corrosion and flakes of rust.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 14:23

I don’t do autocross, we have a specific issue here, wet hairpins on the mountain. In the Redwood forests it never dries out, ever, moss can grow on the road even! So the LSD would help, I don’t really have to do it but if I could I would. All the valleys, coastal and mountain roads are much better with lots of brakes. They cooked my stock rears just going over Mt. Tam to Stinson Beach. I would stop there and let them cool. The rear swap helped a lot, it’s what I found a few years ago. I would feel the rear move around more like it wanted to pass the front, it was a lesson in brake balance, I understand these F1 drivers now. My front brakes are probably ok the way they are but I wouldn’t mind some serious stopping power for these areas.

sony1492 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 15:04

Brake fluid being hydroscopic id be afraid of the internal rust and thin spote , but like you said thats a large project. More of a time sink then particularly difficult though

RacinBob > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 16:24

That’s great. Some of the old opel and BMW calipers are getting hard to find. Glad that isn’t a problem for you.

onlytwowheels > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 17:00

https://classictube.com/product/datsun-240z-brake-line-kit-oct-1969-june-1972-1969197019711972-2/

https://zcardepot.com/collections/brake-lines-and-hoses

http://brakefuelline.com/tag/240z/

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > onlytwowheels
08/20/2020 at 17:10

I can do a lot of flushing for $305. I have actually bought some of their SS lines, they are very nice. SS is so soft that if it’s not quite right you can field bend it with your fingers.

onlytwowheels > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/20/2020 at 17:17

It would be nice if they sold the kits as individual pieces and/or as front/rear sections. If the car was not on the road and engine out, I would do it, because they’re 50 years old.