I am just about done pulling a very nice condition L28 (F54 casting) out of a 10/81 280ZX - but a question's come up... I thought that the reason why the F54 L28's were the "strongest" ones (for the purpose of building 3.0L engines) was because the cylinder walls were siamesed.... I thought I had read that on at least two different "how-to build a 3L" websites...

Is this not the case?

Needless to say the L28 I am about to pull out does not have this... what gives? did i misunderstand something?

thanks,

-e

Well, that's what they say..... Truthfully, I doubt you will see the extra webbing between the cylinders as it will more than likely be in the block casting itself. Unless you take off the pan, and look inside, and find a difference in the casting around the cylinder bores.......Don't have one to compare to an L-24 block.

The extra "webbing", actually just a filler of cast iron, can best be viewed through the first and last expansion plug holes on the side of the block. (only if they have been removed, of coarse) On the F54 block you will see how the cly's are siamese'd or cast together at the very center of the block. on non F54 blocks, you will be able to see air space between the cyl's.

Phred

oooooh.... i see....

when i had read the article about the cyl's being siamesed i had had a totally different mental picture of something probably ten years too modern... i guess i was thinking i'd see a distinct water jacket around each pair of cylinder sleeves - I guess something akin to what you find on the Honda DOHC VTEC blocks.... never mind then....

BTW that same junkyard has 4 more F54 with roughly 175K to 225K miles on them... let me know if somebody wants one... with only hand tools to use it takes me about 3~4hours to pull one out...

-e

Eric, how much are these going for? I'm not too too far... Do you happen to know yet if they are flat top or dished?

the one i pulled out of the 10/81 280ZX has flat top pistons - the 4 others still have their heads attached and have between 175K and 225K miles according to their odometers... I don't know how to tell from the exterior if they have flat or dished pistons....

they charge US$60 for a shortblock + $25 core charge, it came out to roughly $95.- They are located in North Hollywood, right off of the I5 freeway... Let me know if you need specific directions or something?

-e

I don't know if its true, but

http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/2824/engine.html

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/2824/head.html

claims that (F54 block) P79 head equipped engines during 81-83 got flat tops ONLY of the L28 series.

Eric, sent you a PM

Thanks!

Mudge,

When I lived in the bay I found Z's in the East Palo Alto yards and occasionally traveled to Hayward or San Jose for parts yards. There are several F54 blocked ZX's here in Sacramento junk yards if you wanted to save the long drive to LA for something else. I don't know about non-US but, in the US all the '80 - '83 non-Turbo 280ZX's came stock from the factory with F54 casting L28 blocks with flat top pistons. These motors also "came" with P79 heads, ofcourse the internals and heads could have been changed but the ones I have seen haven't been touched.

Happy Holidays!

Royce, I am checking with local folks on a list I'm on, and am trying to find out if there is some stuff in San Jose, which is only 45ish miles south of me. Sac is pretty close, I head up there once in awhile. I just need to get off my lazy behind and go down to one sometime and look...