My Datsun Spirit L28 Build.

[Montezuma]

The Harbor Freight 1,000 lb moving dollies are about perfect for holding an engine. Add a few boards cut to width on the bottom, and a couple of 2x4s to hold it upright. The wheels on mine don't swivel as easily as they could but I've had an engine on one for about 8 months now, just fine. Easily rolled around and in to corners for storage.

I got the wooden one when they were only $18.

http://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/dollies.html

This what I use for my motors as well. They work perfect.

[Lazeum]

For information regarding discussions about choke size in triple carbs.

I let you go over the topic in the following link.

40mm carbs with 36mm get almost no venturi effect whereas 45mm caarbs with 36mm venturi get some, making driveability better with 45mm.

Edited June 25, 2012 by Lazeum

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Well increasing the choke size will also decrease your throttle response. While the volume of air is unchanged, with a larger choke the air is moving slower through the intake. This effects fuel atomization and I would think transition from progression to main circuit.

I currently run 30mm chokes in my webers, and plan to use those when I bolt them up to my L28 N42 head. If I start running out of juice at the high end, I will make appropriate corrections. I have a wide band, so if I start richening up at the top end, I know I have reached a flow limit. I personally think it will be fine. I would rather have throttle response over max HP.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Okay we got down to business last night.

I got the car up on jack stands and drained all the fluids. Then I drained the radiator, followed immediately by cussing and mopping up all the fluid that I completely overshot my bucket. 20 minutes of sweet smelling mopping later, I took pulled the radiator, and removed the alternator. Prior to doing all of this I took detailed photos and made drawings on the white board in the garage of where everything went. Naturally many sandwich baggies were used to collect parts, and a new bolt purchase list has been started to replace worn and tired looking nuts and bolts.

But on to the pics!

Before I removed anything:

As she sits now:

Old radiator. Debating if I should get it fixed or just source a new shiny aluminum one from MSA.

The "to be cleaned" parts counter:

[madkaw]

You know- if you plan on doing a big project like this you should try and get more organized

[olzed]

You know- if you plan on doing a big project like this you should try and get more organized

I agree. So untidy!!

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Well had to take a brake from car stuff for a couple of days, just found out that my wife and I are expecting for the second time! :laugh:

We are 7.5 weeks in and we have an ultrasound of a lima bean! HA HA

So I am thrilled. Back to the less important topic of Datsun Z cars!

Made some headway last night. I disconnected the starter and all the water lines from the passenger side of the engine, after making diagrams of where the wires go and bagging and tagging all the bolts. Then I removed the slave cylinder and just left it dangling.

Next up was the distributor wiring, and then the carb fuel rail and the three webers. I managed to lose one of the springs for the carbs so I am going to order some replacements today.

Next up is the O2 sensor and the driveshaft, and intake manifold. After that, just mounts and pull that bad boy. THIS IS CRAZY FUN!

And now for the mystery. I found this on the floor after working on the passenger side of the engine. I am not sure what it is. It looks like a shim of some kind. Possibly from the slave cylinder? I do not really remember seeing it. Any ideas?

IF you have any ideas that would be great.

So the pull continues. I need to order some anciliaries today. New cap and rotor, new spark plugs, etc. After I get the engine out, I will have to start sanding and painting the engine bay. I mean you sort of have to do that when you have the engine out. I think it is a Datsun Law or something.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Zedyone_kenobi

[madkaw]

That part is too rusty and nasty to come from your car- might check your other vehicles:)

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Well I managed to get most of the work done. The entire engine is unhooked. Motormount bolts removed, and exhaust taken out. I think I will use this opportunity to replace my old header. It has always had a bad height difference compared to my manifold. And I have thoroughly HATED my smog ports since day one. So my next set will NOT have a set of smog ports. So far the list of parts to be replaced is growing. And the to be cleaned table is also getting filled.

[Diseazd]

Zedy....Re the mystery piece. I'm pretty sure that is a shim for a fender or door. You loosen up the bolt holding the body part and slide those shims in from the side till the panel lines up. Then tighten the bolt or bolts. By the way.....isn't that radiator from an automatic tranny car? The outlets at the bottom are to cool the tranny fluid on an automatic car I believe.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Diseazd

[Montezuma]

In the aftermarket and later year cars the radiators were all the same. If you had an automatic you used the fluid lines, if it has a 4/5 speed then the outlets are plugged off. This a little experience/a little guess.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Well I know the radiator is not original as it is a three core. The PO told me he upgraded the radiator when the dealer put in the AC