steering oil+battery

[chrissey]

Hey guys,

I am not good with mechanics but its been a bad day with my Safari so far. I have oil leaking out of a hose that is connected to a black container next to the battery on the right hand side. It seems to come out where the O-ring/ sealing ring sits.(is that oil for the steering) So my guess is that obviously needs to be replaced. :1087:
Apart from that it all started with an empty battery, when I jump started the car something started to smell like burned plastic and the air con + radio wont turn on anymore. I ve checked all the fuses under the steering wheel and under the bonnet but they were all fine.
As it is a 24V I thought maybe its down to the 12V jumper battery I used but I read this cant be the reason as it is 2x 12V batteries in line.
As well I rang the RACQ and the guy said the 2nd battery on the left hand side is flat and needs replacement but after driving around for a while the truck just starts fine.
Can you guys think of anything that will get my air con and radio working again. And do I have to be worried about the leak at the steering oil hose thing? Sorry I dont even know if the Nissan has got power steering?

Thanks up front for any help!!
chris

[the ferret]

Sounds like a loose fitting on the power steering reserviour or a failed hose.
Also sounds like you may have shunted 36 volts through her, or shorted the system, the two batteries are not in line as you call it, they are in series, giving 24volts. You may have blown one of the fuses under the bonnet, or you have fried the radio, especially as something smelt like plastic burning, probably your under bonnet fuses.
My sincere condolences!!!

[YNOT]

Photos would help to be sure but it sounds like one of your power steering hoses is leaking - all Y60/Y61 Patrols have power steering.
It does need to be fixed ASAP, if you run out of P/S fluid you can do expensive damage to the pump, and the increased steering effort poses a serious safety risk if it happens when you are not expecting it.

With the starting issues I would think RACQ are correct that you do have a dead battery. Driving the car around for a while will put a surface charge in the battery but it is unlikely the battery will hold the charge very long.

I'm not sure about the radio and A/C not working but it could be a burnt out fusible link beside the battery. Fusible link look like a short piece of wire (about 12cm long) connected to the positive battery terminal on one end and a plastic connector on the other end. I can't be sure because the wiring diagram I have is for 12v systems.

Tony

[chrissey]

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4254/photoci.jpg (http://img27.imageshack.us/i/photoci.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Heres a picture Tony, as you can see in the photo the oil has splashed the area around it. With the fuses, I checked the ones (big ones) behind the battery and the ones inside the car. I have got a battery charger thats got a recovery mode etc will that help my battery at all or do I really need to replace it? I' ll check the fusable link (is that the one called fuser with the long fuse in a white piece of plastic?), because there is another peace of wire going from the left hand battery with a fuse as well, both fuses look fine. I had problems with some of the dashlights, air con and speedometer before but that usually was solved by slamming the cockpit haha.
I will have a look tomorrow after work.
thanks so far guys,

chris

[Finly Owner]

No your battery needs replacing. I bet if you go out in morning and cold start patrol you won't start because dead battery has lost the surface charge Tony was talking about.

Your radio may be fryed inside as 36 volts through a 24 volt radio is not a good idea, worse if it's a 12v radio. The only way to prevent this for CB and UHF is to run fuses on both (-) & (+) feed wires to sets.

Tim

[chrissey]

Well I can replace the battery myself but how about the hose? Is that a job I can do over the weekend or you guys recommend taking it to tge garage? As long as the engine is of and I am not using the steering there shouldnt be to much pressure on it right? What oil do I need to get and is that hose or O-Ring a universal part I can get anywhere? I really want the car to be working asap as it is tge third time in 3 weeks something goes wrong:-)
Thanks guys!
Chris

[the ferret]

By the sounds of it, I would suggest taking it to the garage for the power steering problem or you could call the HOSE DOCTOR or ENZED to come and have a look, if it's a hose or 0 ring, they can fix it on the spot. The oil you need is automatic transmission fluid or power steering oil.

[chrissey]

I rang Enzed he said it will be about 190$, now I know why my parents always warned me and said bUy a German car haha.:) Anyways I hope he can get it fixed and I ll be back on the road tomorrow. I dont get why I have such bad luck with the car it has low k's and looks very tidy. So annoying when you are about to leave for a drive around Oz and have to delay it all the time...
Thanks for your reply!
Chris

[the ferret]

Well I think if it is a hose, you wouldn't get much change out of $200 anyway if you went to Nissans, then you would need to fit it!
Enzed would make a new hose and fit it. Just thinking, there may even be a crack in the reserviour.

[chrissey]

Well Enzed did a good job, 190$ not too bad.
Still cant figure out why the Air Con and Radio wont come up. How can I fry a radio without the fuse going? As it is a 24V car there must be a inverter somewhere because the cigar lighter runs on 12 Volt, strange isnt it? Are there any other fuses apart from the ones under the steering wheel and the big ones behind the battery?
Thank you,
Chris

[Bigrig]

Well Enzed did a good job, 190$ not too bad.
Still cant figure out why the Air Con and Radio wont come up. How can I fry a radio without the fuse going? As it is a 24V car there must be a inverter somewhere because the cigar lighter runs on 12 Volt, strange isnt it? Are there any other fuses apart from the ones under the steering wheel and the big ones behind the battery?
Thank you,
Chris

Hey Chris

Not sure of what's under the bonnet on a safari, but the fuses you mention behind the battery (relays) - are they the ones that are exposed (I.e. No cover over them?). And if so, do you have a mild steel covering plate (black) just beside the battery with a screw at either end holding it in place? If so, you have more fuses/relays under that cover.

[chrissey]

Hey Bigrig,
Yes I do have that black cover and behind the left battery the box with the fuses for tge starter headlamp etc. Do I have to check the relays as well? Because I saw some more beside the fuse box inside the car? Thanks mate!
Chris

[Bigrig]

Hey Bigrig,
Yes I do have that black cover and behind the left battery the box with the fuses for tge starter headlamp etc. Do I have to check the relays as well? Because I saw some more beside the fuse box inside the car? Thanks mate!
Chris

It looks that way mate - all the best with it - might be time to head to an auto sparky to see if something is earthing where it shouldn't etc ...

[Yendor]

When you jump started the vehicle where did you connect the jumper leads?

How are you checking the fuse and fusible links?

The best way is to use a test light and check on each side of the fuse or fusible link.

I think the fuses for the radio and A/C are in the fuse box inside the vehicle, with the ignition turned on use your test light and check the 4 fuses on the top left of the fusebox.

Does your test light, light up on both sides of the fuses? does it light up at all on any of these 4 fuses?

[the ferret]

Some how I knew you'd be along Rod.

[Yendor]

Hey Rod, Yeah I thought I would add my 10 cents worth. :smile:

[the ferret]

Hey Rod, Yeah I thought I would add my 10 cents worth. :smile:

Well mate, as far as I know, you are the Sparky amongst us and your advice has always been spot on, not that I'm stalk'n ya lol!!
Cheers Rod.

[chrissey]

Sorry for the late reply Yendor, I will check that tomorrow and usually I just check the fuses with a torch light and see if the metal part in there is still in one piece.
thanks so far