1973 Rebuild

[Matthew Abate]

Made a quick graphic comparing the charts for the various Sanden AC compressors I am considering:

Edited October 13, 2022 by Matthew Abate

[Matthew Abate]

The other day I downloaded the schematics for 104 of compressors from the SD range that Sanden makes with a v-belt clutch pulley. After looking at all of the gauge line measurements have determined that the one that best fits the 280zx AC compressor bracket is the SD5H14FL6674. The pulley on this model puts the ears of the compressor between the ears sticking out of the bracket while staying aligned with the idler pulley, thus aligning the whole thing with the crank pulley.

This is a happy coincidence because I was leaning in the direction of a 5h14 anyway (see my previous post with the performance diagram, red lines). I have not yet looked into the clutch pulley diameter and how close that is to the crank pulley or original Hitachi compressor pulley diameters. This Sanden has an outside pulley diameter of 122mm and a maximum RPM of 7,000 (6,000 sustained).

I am not certain (because I don't yet have my engine in my hands and haven't found definitive photographic evidence) if the bracket lines up with the back or front groove in the pulley. If it is the back one, I am going to have to figure out if there is a belt out there that can wrap around the water pump, alternator, crank, idler pulley, and compressor, but if not I can always look into moving the alternator forward and remove it from the equation.

Edited October 21, 2022 by Matthew Abate

[Matthew Abate]

Winter solstice presents came early!

👆🏻 Full stainless twin-pipe exhaust and LHD header by Spirit Garage (dog for scale).

Edited November 4, 2022 by Matthew Abate

[siteunseen]

I have to ask...is he a Boxer?

 

[Matthew Abate]

11 minutes ago, siteunseen said:

I have to ask...is he a Boxer?

Har har har. 🙄

She’s a Scotch Collie

Edited November 4, 2022 by Matthew Abate

[Patcon]

Looks like a good helper!

[Yarb]

Nothing like a hound around to keep you company!!!

[Mark Maras]

She reminds me of my Australian Shepherd. She wanted to hang out with me no matter what I was doing, even when I was welding.

[Matthew Abate]

On 11/5/2022 at 9:35 AM, Mark Maras said:

She reminds me of my Australian Shepherd. She wanted to hang out with me no matter what I was doing, even when I was welding.

Exactly. Mine is 98% Velcro.

[Matthew Abate]

Okay, quick update foreshadowing my thanksgiving week plans:

That would be a crate containing one complete and test run 2.9 liter L-series Nissan engine, which arrived from AZ on Thursday morning.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Matthew Abate

[Matthew Abate]

Progress! with a few snags…

Here’s the engine on the hoist, ready to go.

This is my engine builder, A.K.A. my dad, former sprint car crew, retired Air Force jet mechanic and crew chief, current fox-body mustang hot rodder, and now L-Series engine tuner.

 

The engine went in like butter… after we realized we had two left side mounts on it and swapped the right side for the correct mount. That only wasted two hours.

👆🏻 This is my BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, MESMERIZING left-hand drive header from Spirit Garage, courtesy of Jesse Streeter of Streeter Corporation.

…and here it is in place. No steering clearance issues so far. The back of the engine is sitting high because the transmission isn’t ready and I have it in a support.

—-

Okay, so the snags…

1. There are many more studs than there are holes in the header. Eight to be exact. I’m not sure what I am supposed to do with those. Is there a part that I am forgetting that these studs would clamp down onto? I looked at the L24 exhaust manifold and it just has eight more bosses to use those studs. I looked at the headers made by others and they don’t have them. I don’t understand how you get a good seal without something using those. I’ve dug around online but haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere. Am I spacing something obvious?

2. I forgot to buy a clutch release sleeve for the transmission and the one in my 4-speed is too long. I’m not worried about figuring out which one fits and getting one (I think it’s one of the 225mm ones), but it does mean the transmission is either not going in this week or I’ll have to put it in temporarily until I have the sleeve.

3. The bottoms of my N36 intake manifolds are hitting the headers. The red circles in the photograph below show where I have contact. I am considering filing them until they have enough clearance, but I’m not sure what is in that spot and how thick that material is. I don’t want to puncture the water channel in there, or the air channel for that matter. I also have a set of E42 manifolds that I could use if these won’t work, but I don’t think they will have any better clearance from what I can tell so far.

Edited November 22, 2022 by Matthew Abate

[HS30-H]

6 hours ago, Matthew Abate said:

1. There are many more studs than there are holes in the header. Eight to be exact. I’m not sure what I am supposed to do with those. Is there a part that I am forgetting that these studs would clamp down onto? I looked at the L24 exhaust manifold and it just has eight more bosses to use those studs. I looked at the headers made by others and they don’t have them. I don’t understand how you get a good seal without something using those. I’ve dug around online but haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere. Am I spacing something obvious?

There are studs (six I think?) that are shared to clamp both in the inlet and the exhaust manifold. They use a dedicated washer (Nissan called it a 'Yoke') that is thicker and wider than normal, and with a distinctive dish shape. They bridge the inlet and exhaust manifold flanges, using a single stud for clamping force. You should still have them if you took the engine apart?

The usual problem with these 'Yoke' washers is that aftermarket inlet and exhaust manifolds sometimes have differing flange thicknesses. The solution is either to machine the flange thicknesses so that they match at the shared stud locations, or to machine/grind a step into the 'Yoke' washers on the manifold side. I've used the latter option successfully in the past but the former is undoubtedly a better solution.

7 hours ago, Matthew Abate said:

3. The bottoms of my N36 intake manifolds are hitting the headers.

That's not ideal. Quite apart from the interference in fit, you'll get a lot of heat transfer from the exhaust manifold into the inlet manifold. Could lead to fuel percolation problems. A heat shield might help that, but with so little clearance you'll struggle to fit one.

I would investigate the possibilities for moving your inlet manifold up slightly, and the exhaust manifold down. A little clearancing of stud holes and flanges might allow you a few mm of shuffle without too much in the way of port misalignment? Every little will help. You could certainly shave some material off the inlet manifold casting at the points you indicated too. The casting is fairly thick at those points.

Spirit Garage 'tacoashi' looks great!