My winter project: L28 swap into my 240z

[blodi]

You guys are gonna make me get that breather working, aren't you? 

I'll look at it tonight. I don't have a hex bit large enough to get that plug out...I'm wondering how I'll get all that JB weld cleaned out as well. 

I just sent the crank breather filter I ordered back to MSA since I thought I wouldn't need it. But, I've seen them at local parts stores too. 

[Mark Maras]

I agree with madkaw. It may not need it but a vented crankcase is cheap insurance. Years ago a lot of pan gaskets leaked because of excessive pressure when the engines got some miles on them. In drag racing we used to build a windage tray. Just a flat piece of sheet metal baffle that bolted onto the main caps to keep the oil sump and the crankshaft separate. There is a lot of turbulence in the pan.

[madkaw]

Don't want to cost anyone extra work, maybe trying so save you some later. Being this is a performance build, you might need the venting more than the average engine. If you moderate blow by its all going to try and come out the valve cover breather.

[Zed Head]

One other benefit of PCV is that the vacuum, and the flow of fresh air through the crankcase, will purge moisture and any raw fuel from the oil.   I had a clogged PCV system on my Pathfinder and milky gunk started to build up on the oil filler cap.  Fixed the clog and it never came back. 

 

PCV has many positives.

[madkaw]

Many positives-ha!

Actually , I have been working on installing a catch can on my engine. I just thought it's not fair for me to have all the fun messing with pcv s

[blodi]

So do you guys suggest running a stock PCV hose and valve to the intake manifold or the K&N breather for my application? What about the valve cover breather? Should I just do the stock setup and route it back to the intake too?

[blodi]

Alright, got the breather tube off of the L24. Just a couple light taps with a rubber mallet and it came loose. 

To get that big hex plug out of the L28....I couldn't find a allen wrench large enough, but then it dawned on me to use a bolt. Just so happens that the two long headed bolts on the front the motor that hold the fuel rail on were perfect! So got it out that way. 

I'll start with two open breathers and cap the intake manifold, but might eventually go back to a pvc setup. 

IMG_5515 by blodi, on Flickr

IMG_5516 by blodi, on Flickr

[madkaw]

Nice work!

[blodi]

Got some bummer news...my trans won't be ready for a couple more weeks. Was hoping for it today or tomorrow. Trans shop is just backed up and the holidays aren't helping anything. 

I guess I have plenty of other stuff to do...carb rebuilds, fuel pump install, diff snub mount install, clean the crap out of everything. 

 

Oh, I went ahead and ordered a new lower breather hose and pcv valve from MSA. I can reuse the valve cover vent hose...it was still in good shape...but the lower hose was a replacement that was done with two parts and the bigger tube wasn't made for vacuum and was fairly collapsed looking. Might explain why I had smoke after the pull on the dyno. 

 

Is it difficult/impossible to install the engine with a 6-1 header on it? Can I install the carbs/intake on the engine, then install it in the car and then get the header on in the car? Just want to do what I can outside the car while I wait. 

[rossiz]

just a note on the pcv hose - it's in a very hot area near the exhaust, so you may want to consider some flexible heat shield to extend its life. they tend to roast out and it's pretty hard to see the problem when everything is installed. i've had better luck with the foil & coil style than the cloth type, as the cloth ones seem to unravel and fall apart. the foil & coil stuff seems a bit more robust and holds its shape well, follows hose bends without crumpling up. i used something similar to this on mine:

 

http://www.hawkinsspeedshop.com/heat-protection-products/3-thermo-tec-thermo-flex-aluminum-heat-shield-sleeves-heat-barrier-shield-thermo-flex-wires--hoses-s.html

[blodi]

^ Thanks for the tip!

 

So, I was researching the header install. I have the MSA 6-1 header and got their "performance" header gasket. Its sounds like a lot of people have had problems with the MSA gasket leaking in the past? Or is that an older design? What have you guys had luck with? 

[siteunseen]

Buy one of these at your Nissan dealership.metal against the header. And yes you can install the header outside the car.