Yes we started this channel to show the restoration of an old Mini. But it's turned into a place for me to share knowledge, answer questions, help customers, find solutions, have some fun, and generally explain some of the mysteries of life. Mostly about cars, but sometimes about a new iPhone that might be possessed!
Sometimes it might be why and how a transmission crunches into gear. Or how to get a clutch to work. We might build a race engine or show how I modify a cylinder head. We'll profile other interesting cars, some amazing survivors with decades of history.
We might take on some products that we feel need improvement. Or ones that should NOT have been! We'll share our experience, good or bad, so you can see what might work for you. We hope you will comment and ask questions, and enjoy your visit to Cooper Road.
Thank you for your info, but my transmission is making that grinding noise on every gear even after putting it in gear and i do not have difficult to put it in gear, is it possible that my sliders are loose or something?
I have a 998 bored to 68mm to accommodate Calver ST pistons, giving 1220cc, with a Calver 295 head....it drives like a dream , with lots of low end torque and 80bhp
Uncle had better video quality 10 years ago than most instruction videos today. Also uncle is still doing youtube and he doesnt look a day older mashallah, may Allah give him more and everybody leave a sub!
Worked for my 1999 Nissan Pathfinder! Last night I was looking at some other RU-vid videos and I happened to open this video you posted 9 years ago. I ended up watching all your related videos that explained the solution you used on your Xterra. My driver's side rear door has been locked shut for the last 4 years. It had that exact same floppy exterior door handle that you described in your video. I always figured I'd end up taking it into a body shop for an expensive repair and I never bothered to do it. We just quit using that door as if it didn't exist. My Pathfinder is now 25 years old and it works perfectly except for that darned door! This morning, I immediately attempted your repair trick. I could not see the little part that you described so I just sprayed the crap out of everything I could hit through the little hole in the door handle. I sprayed it with PB Blaster and also Silicone spray. I poked around with a coat hanger rather blindly and nothing happened. Crap! Disappointed, I went back into the house for breakfast and coffee. I came out an hour later because I just wanted to try again. I sprayed it again and poked around with the stiff wire and still nothing. Then I remembered some of the folks used a rubber mallet and hit the door frame to jar it loose. I didn't have one of those so I just started to give it a hard hit with the palm of my hand all around the door frame and door handle. After each hit I would feel the door handle to see if there was any change. After about 10 hits, I felt the door handle and it felt tighter. I held my breath and pulled it and couldn't believe my eyes when the door opened after being locked for 4 years. Now that it was open, I pulled off the interior door panel and I wanted to do your spring repair. Well, it was a surprise for me since the 1999 Pathfinder is totally different from the Xterra in your video. The Pathfinder does not have cables since it has the old school metal rods. I could not find any way possible to get at that little mechanism where you put your spring. At least now I had access to the rods and had my hand jammed all the way up into the door as far as it would go. I hosed everything down with another 1/2 can of silicone spray and moved every rod back and forth while locking/unlocking the door and pulling on the door handle while I sprayed silicone. I never did see anything that I was spraying at since I was just going by feel with my hand inside the door. Finally, I figured that was as good as it was going to get and I would just accept my fate as to whether it will work or not. I then put the door all back together with the inside panel and screws. I stood outside the door with by fingers crossed and locked and unlocked the door several times. It worked properly every time! I have no idea if it is permanently fixed because could never see the root cause of the problem. All I know is that it works today for the first time in 4 years. I had pretty much given up on ever using that door again. Thank you for the inspiration to tackle this repair on my own!
Theoretically yes. I skip to gear 4 in my Camaro to save gas BUT… and this a huge but because my Camaro is tuned to skip to 4th gear from 1sr or 2nd for gas economy so maybe it’s an exception. I’m going to suggest if you attempt it and your car is not tuned for that you should rev your RPMs high when shifting up from 1st to 3rd. That way you can skip 2nd and land on 3rd without stalling or experiencing and jumping/jerky motions. Personally I’d just wait for the new gear box.
Had a Webber on my mini back in the olden days with the speedometer repositioned further into the car with an Aluminium saucepan as a 4 inch spacer with the bottom cut out and painted matt black which worked well and got a nice light show when the carb spit back and illuminated the speedo.
Nice Video Jemal!! I Bought the Front and Rear Kit From Clint Last Year. I'm Finally Going to Install Them on My 1975 Porsche 911 Targa/Cabriolet. I Noticed You Mentioned You Bought New Rear Carrera Rotors. I Remember Clint Said the Old Rotors Did Not Have to Be Changed Out. I Thinking the Difference Is Gaining a 1/2 Inch Diameter In Stopping Power vs. Loosing About a 1/10 of an Inch In Hand Brake Area. How was the Improvement Over the Upgrade? Thanks, Scotty
Thank you for this! I would love to know WHY my trans sometimes doesn't ingage into 2nd, and falls into false neutral, ESPECIALLY with how you just explained syncros. Thank you for what you do!
My father in law and i have exactly the same car..... VW Golf MK4 1.9 TDi...... He has a ring gear that is worn out so the starter dont engage.... I saw the square teeth is now pointy..... I have been pondering about why his did this and mine not.... Thought maybe coz the old people crank too long when starting causing wear on the teeth..... But now u have given me another angle to investigate whether he has the correct starter installed.... Since i think i remember him saying he replaced the starter.... 😊
Jamal, I totally agree that the original design of the rear main seal is superior to the upgraded version if installed properly. From a machinist's (not automotive) standpoint is all about precision and accuracy, plus as you pointed out, breathing. The desire and passion we have does not always overcome the lack of knowledge of specific tasks and results in the dumb decisions we sometimes make. I include myself in that. Great instructive videos from someone who actually knows what he's talking about.
Jemal, what about if you fit and torque up the main caps first, then fit that half-moon cap last, pushing hard down on the lower half of the rear main cap, you could not fit it too proud even if you tried, and therefore it would be a perfect seal with the rear main cap?
This information is indispensable. I’m currently building a sloppy street 1275 with lightened rods and custom machines steel strap for the Center main cap. Do you disagree with ARP’s torque specs for main caps at 80 ft/lbs? I torqued mine to 70 ft/lbs and the crank felt tighter on the main bearings. Could just be my imagination.
No way 80 is way too high. The threads are only 7/16 and the correct number is 60. ARP usually gives lower numbers when using their magic thread lube! Aftermarket 4-bolt caps usually use studs so careful with fine-thread nuts! I've used the MED main caps and follow their recommendations. They use regular oil on the threads and flanges.
Jemal describes the difficulty of long term manufacturing holding repetition tolerance, then describes the engineering target of design and a solution to make the reality of manufacturing meet the design requirement. While I have a mini, I also have every other mechanical contrivance and they all need this approach. I'd be horrified to think of my local garage doing this conversion especially as no shim pack is supplied with the brg kit.
Jemal I hope to get some help here. Your videos are so informative. I have my left driver's back door stuck shut. I've opened the door panel and the ball rod isn't attached to the latch at the handle anymore. I can not get to the area to unscrew the lock actuator because it's closed. I tried releasing the patch from behind the exterior handle like you've shown but it isn't working for me. Anything you could suggest here ? Thank you !!
As a matter of fact I'm in the process of getting a motor built that has to travel 2000 miles across the country when ready. I would be interested in learning the specs on the crate. Looks impressive.
You should have mentioned that you turn the lug in the direction of forward wheel travel. Always. Which means driver and passenger wheels are actually opposite. Drivers side would turn clockwise, as in your video (I'm assuming left hand drive for US) and passenger would be anti-clockwise. This catches many people out. And mainly because the drum still tightens even going the wrong way. But as soon as you place foot on pedal the shoes will go loose inside if adjusted wrong way, and you be back to crappy brakes again.
Very very helpful video, these trans are rare birds for me. Where do you get your parts? I am in need of springs, balls and the dowels or bullets. I tried moss but they only had the balls. Thanks
Mine finally did this for the first time today. Thanks for the videos, I'll try these things out. So do you recommend removing that spongy material around the cable? Has anyone found a permanent fix for this new development?
In most cases the outside handle gets dirt build up that causes the handle return spring to bind. That binding will put the mechanism in the halfway point where neither handle will work. If you gently use the inside handle to snap back (opening the handle all the way and letting it loose) it will work the outside handle spring. Once the spring works back you will be able to open the door from the outside if the handle isn't broken. The tell tale sign that the outside handle is going to lock up is the handle starts to flop around. When the return spring is fully loose the handles will shut tight. Remedy...... When the handle start to get loose this is an indication that the return spring is binding.....You should spray WD40 on the mechanism through the little holes on the door where you access the nuts that hold the handle on the door. As you spray WD40 snap the outside handle and you will see it tighten up.
Used it today and worked perfect! I had to open the other side rubber gromet to see better what was going on and practice with the good door. Thanks much!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. I’m about to fit turbo tie rods with the rack on the car. The comparison between the two racks has helped me immensely. I have to say you must be a magician to get the rack out and back in without messing with the suspension 👍
Ok, I just did this and it worked perfect. After I pulled the rubber grommets off the door I then sprayed some wd 40 and loosened it up. Thanks again.l
Dude, I just bought my son a 2007 xterra, Really good shape, low miles, and just yesterday, the back door did this. I'm trying this now. Thanks so much.
In the actual door latch mechanism itself. You keep saying push up or down. Not specifying if up or down is towards the front or the back of the car. To unlock do I push the mechanism forward towards the front of the car or backwards towards the back of the car?
Yo J, that would have gone in with the whole cradle at the factory, but unless you have a hoist, going back out is exceedingly dangerous. And that look far more complicated than the hundreds of Toyotas I've done at work. Props to your perseverance.
