Putting it back together after 2 years....

[ramsesosirus]

Hi all,

I used to be a member here, but had to sign up again since I was unable to recall my login after 2 years... anyway...

I threw a rod and put a hole in the block 2 or 3 years ago.  76 280z, auto trans.  Sourced a used 78 or 79 L28 motor.

I have a few misc. questions that I have been unable to find answers for utilizing searches:

Where do these smaller heat shields go?  There are 2 of them that are nearly identical, and they are not the ones under the intake.   (See photo)

I have 3 vacuum lines bundled together coming from the firewall, passenger side (asssuming HVAC).  Do these go to the vacuum tank can (white bottle)?  Anyone have good pictures of their engine bays?

The motor I am installing has a broken exhaust stud, the furthest towards the front of the car near thermostat.  It is flush with the head.  Should I even attempt to fix this?  Any advice?  All other studs are intact.  Speaking of which, how do I tighten/insert a stud, there are no flats on them? 

I know an auto is less desirable, but it worked fine and actually squealed the tires upon the 1-2, shift, so I'm leaving it for now (I have a 5 speed for a later conversion).  The shifter was always kind of "loose".  Now it will not go into park.  The lever moves into park, I removed the cover plate to verify the shift selector is all the way forward and i the "notch", but I can still push the car around.  I assume it is a problem with the linkage since it did work properly before.  Any good advice or pictures of the auto linkage and how to remedy this?  

Also having trouble getting the passenger side engine mount to line up.  The other side is good, and it is bolted to the trans. ??

Need to replace a leaky rear brake cylinder (I think) also.  

I miss the sound of the car, as well as the scent that came factory with the car.  I'm talking about the exhaust fumes.  I like to think of it as a cologne for gear heads.  "What kind of cologne are you wearing???"   It's called Datsun Fume'  

I do own (and read... ok I just look at the pictures...) a Chilton's manual and have the FSM downloaded and available.    

And a pic of the car... not too bad of shape for 40+ years old!!  Some rusty floors, a little on the door, a little on the frame:  the usual.  I installed the 240z bumpers.  Rear louver.  I kind of like it with and without the louver, but it does keep the heat out, and the paint under the louver brackets is not great, so it stays for now!   Not sure where the wheels came from or what they are.  I don't think they're stock.  But I like them for now.  

 

[sweatybetty]

nice car!

[ramsesosirus]

Thanks sweaty!  I'm very excited to be working on it again after 3 years of "life" issues... 

This will be the second "classic" car I've partially restored, and the first engine replacement I've ever done. 

Had an 87 Monte Carlo SS for 12 years, then wrecked it. I loved that car, but it attracted too much of the wrong attention (gangsters like those G-Bodies).  But it was a "Hot Rod" to me, and I learned and did so much work to that car.  More than I'd care to do again...  

Here is the aftermath:  lucky to be alive.  My head did that to the windshield.  At least I didn't brain my damage.  Haha

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[siteunseen]

Those heat shields go in front of the brake fluid reservoirs I believe.  You can put two nuts onto a manifold stud and tighten it down.  Put one on and run it down about a half of an inch then put the second on, tighten it next to the first on then use it to tighten the whole stud.  You could center drill the broken one then get a reverse thread E-Z Out, or put a nut on top and have a welder fill the center of the nut to the stud.  Back it out with a socket.

 

[Zed Head]

14 hours ago, ramsesosirus said:

Where do these smaller heat shields go?  There are 2 of them that are nearly identical, and they are not the ones under the intake.   (See photo)

I have 3 vacuum lines bundled together coming from the firewall, passenger side (asssuming HVAC).  Do these go to the vacuum tank can (white bottle)?

The motor I am installing has a broken exhaust stud, the furthest towards the front of the car near thermostat.  It is flush with the head.  Should I even attempt to fix this?  Any advice?

Also having trouble getting the passenger side engine mount to line up.  The other side is good, and it is bolted to the trans. ??

Need to replace a leaky rear brake cylinder (I think) also.  

My 76 has what looks like two broken plastic mounts by the brake and clutch MC, as site suggested.  Might go there if you're talking about your 76.  If they came with the 78/79 motor, they might bolt on to the bottom shield, like the small one on the 76 bottom horizontal shield.  There are drawings in the Engine Mechanical chapter, disassembly section.  Looks like a vertical shield, not horizontal.

Those hoses would go to the "magnet valves" (solenoids) for the AC.heating system.  The vacuum bottle supplies the valves, which then control the system.  IF the hoses still have their little tags on them, with letters, leave them on.  They tell you what's what.  In the 1976 AC chapter.

With the motor out and in front of you stud extraction shouldn't be too hard.  Just work slowly and be careful.  Start a drill in the center of the stud and get a good hole drilled.  If I was working on one, based on my last experience, I'd fabricate a drilling jig to guarantee the hole was square to the head.  My eyeballing just isn't that good.  People have had good luck with reverse direction drills.  Worst case you just drill bigger and bigger until you end up peeling threads from the hole.  That's how one of mine went, in the car, working sideways.

If you loosen all of the bolts on left and right you can get enough wiggle room to get everything in its hole.  Then tighten and torque.

The rear cylinders are spendy for the early cars.  

 

[S30Driver]

The small heat shield in the picture looks like the one that sits between the exhaust manifold & the pcv hose to protect it.  Mounts vertical under the main intake heat shield.  It is reversed in your picture, goes on the other way when viewed from the driver side.  The one for the brake MC area is larger and more square.  You can see a good picture of it in Rossiz's recent injector parts for sale thread.

[siteunseen]

2 hours ago, S30Driver said:

The small heat shield in the picture looks like the one that sits between the exhaust manifold & the pcv hose to protect it.  Mounts vertical under the main intake heat shield.  It is reversed in your picture, goes on the other way when viewed from the driver side.  The one for the brake MC area is larger and more square.  You can see a good picture of it in Rossiz's recent injector parts for sale thread.

Completely forgot about those! 

You the Man.

[ramsesosirus]

Thanks for the replies, some good info.  I think I will try to drill the bolt out on the exhaust.  I successfully did the same to an S10 starter bolt. 

The vacuum hoses aren't labeled, just 3 bundled together from the firewall.  And there are 3 coming from the vacuum can/tank.  So as long as they are just HVAC related, it will be ok for now.

As for the heat shields, I'm pretty sure they were parts I removed from the 76.  I disassembled 3 years ago thinking I would remember.  I didn't anticipate it being 3 years though.... haha  

The actual pieces are just like this image, but one is the reverse of this one, not exact, but same general shape.  (there are two total).  I'll look again and see if they will work by the PCV or brake area.

Thanks for the feedback; 

Oh and any advice on the auto trans issue?  Of not going into park?  Linkage most likely?

Edited April 4, 2016 by ramsesosirus

[Mike]

18 hours ago, ramsesosirus said:

Hi all,

I used to be a member here, but had to sign up again since I was unable to recall my login after 2 years... anyway...

Nice car!  Hey send me your old information in a PM and I can merge your old account.

[siteunseen]

I can tell you more later when im sitting down and using my laptop. But here's some pics showing small vac lines going to the white bottle. 2 pull vacuum off the intake and one goes through my firewall. 

[siteunseen]

Looking back, one pulls vacuum off the intake, the other goes to the fast idle actuator for the A/C.  The one through the firewall I suppose helps open and close the flaps inside the cabin???

If I'm on the wrong hoses put a picture of your's up.  We'll figure it out. 

[ramsesosirus]

Great info siteunseen.... I had thought to just take the 3 from the vacuum tank to the 3 bundled going to the firewall...

However, your comment made me realize that would do no good:  The vacuum tank needs a source of vacuum to store it!   Some pics from now:  (stock '76 Z automatic trans.  Using the stock '76 intake manifold on the '78 or '79 N47 head)

Showing situation by the vacuum can (passenger side)

And here is the situation on the Driver's Side:

I should mention the white vacuum fittings/connectors were added by me to make sure all hoses were plugged when driving 3 years ago.  They are probably not correct FYI.  Basically I have 4 unused vac tubes on this side.  2 from the engine (from the can thing and the trans nipple) and 2 from the firewall.

And here are the actual heat shields I was referring to, can't seem to find any mounting points by the Brake MC.  

Thanks

Edited April 5, 2016 by ramsesosirus
Added new photos