We are heartbroken and are sending all our love and thoughts to Ken and the family at this time.

Words & Pictures - Papasan (Forum) & Kevin Fagan

You may find that your Figaro is idling too slow or fast. Engine idle setting should be set at around 850rpm.

The unit allows you to set up idle, electrical and AC loading. Looking at the unit, the first screw on the right is the idle speed. The middle screw is for the electrical load (i.e. headlights) and the left one is for AC load compensation.

Generally, you don’t need to tinker with the 2 compensation screws but here’s how to adjust everything.

1) Take the car for a spin and get it completely warmed up.

2) Set the parking brake and block the wheels so the car can’t creep.

3) Next put the car into Drive (or Reverse). Your choice but the car has to be in gear because the compensation circuits don’t operate in Park. You may need someone to sit in the car whilst you do the adjustment.

4) Adjust the idle speed. Aim for around 850rpm but the goal is to have the car idling smoothly – not shaking or rough. If the car is better a bit faster then so be it.

5) Next turn on the headlights. The compensation solenoid should kick in and the idle will momentarily change. Check the speed. The idle should be close or may be slightly higher than with no load. Adjust so that the car isn’t shaking or rough. TFS recommend screwing all the way in and then 5 x turns out.

6) Next turn on the AC. Adjust the third screw when the AC compressor cycles on. Check the speed and adjust so that the car isn’t shaking or rough.TFS recommend screwing all the way in and then 2.5 x turns out.

7) Turn off the headlights and AC and put the car back into Park. You’re done.

Pictures and Words Keith Evans

I am an ex-pat Brit now living in California. I had never seen, nor even heard of, a Nissan Figaro. Then, on a trip back to the UK, I saw this cool, quirky, retro car passing by, “What on Earth is that?”, I asked my sister. “No idea”, she replied. But I was smitten and went on a mission to find out what was this mysterious car. Eventually, I discovered it was a Nissan Figaro, and I had to have one.

Of course, the Figaro was never sold in the US, but cars older than 25 years can now legally be imported, so no problem I thought. Wrong! California has the most restrictive vehicle emission controls in the country, and just because a vehicle is Federally legal does not make it so here. In fact, to be road legal in CA, an imported car must not only be more than 25 years old but must also be certified compliant by the CA DMV (the equivalent of the UK DVLA). In the case of the Figaro, this means making some modifications to the vehicle fuel and emissions systems and being inspected by the State Referee.

To further complicate matters, this work can only be carried out by a single certified shop in the whole state, it takes months, and costs $$$. As a result, while Nissan Figaros are popping up more and more in other US states (there is a shop in Virginia with a warehouse full of them!), in CA they are still as rare as hen’s teeth. I decided I was unwilling to endure this frustrating and costly bureaucratic process to import and certify my own car, so I began looking for Figs that were already registered in CA. This was several years ago – but they are so rare here that finding one already legalized and for sale is almost impossible. The car has also now developed something of a fan base in the US, so whenever one did appear it was snapped up before it even hit a listing.

Also, parts of the car retain water leading to corrosion so need to be hand dried. In this video, I show you some important tips and tricks to keep your Figgy looking beautiful.

When the battery is left connected to the car and not driven there is still an electrical drain happening. This can be down to items such as the Clarion radio, clock and other parts of the car.

There are many reasons for the drain and some can be very hard to rectify. One of the options is to simply disconnect the battery terminals, however, doing so can wear out the terminals and connectors and can also be fiddly and messy to keep doing. A better solution is to install what is known as a Battery Disconnect Isolator Switch. The switch mounts directly to the negative battery posts. To disconnect the switch turn the wheel a 1/4 turn anti-clockwise. To re-connect turn the wheel clockwise until the wheel is tight. For added security, the wheel can be completely removed.

The first thing you need to do is measure the negative diameter of the battery stud as these can come in two sizes. These can be 13mm but sometimes 17mm.

Remember, as a club member you have access to lots of DISCOUNT CODES across a range of Figaro products and services. Click the link below and enter FOCMDC