Racer X

Before I changed the race Z to separate master cylinders with a balance bar I was running a stock cylinder setup. During a meet over at Spokane Raceway Park one of the rear flex lines failed, while breaking hard at the end of the front straight (almost a mile long straight). I nearly didn’t get the car slowed down enough to avoid catastrophe, still going off the outside of the turn as the rear stepped out. After I gathered it back up and tried to soldier on, it was clear the car was undriveable with only front brakes. The race was almost over so I continued, lifting way early and coasting through the corners.

Its called Jinglish.

Sure. Again, unless the engine builder did poor work, or you have introduced something to the crankcase that doesn’t belong, there won’t be much to see, or do.

Sump pump? I have no idea what this means. A house I lived in once had a sump pump in the basement. Your L series engine has an oil pump. The pan doesn’t have to be removed to take the oil pump off, it bolts to the lower right front corner of the timing chain cover. Four bolts, drops right out. You may have to take the front stabilizer bar loose to get room.

I told you. A friend of mine has a cam cover that he cut the top off of, only over the valvetrain, so the upper chain sprocket and chain don’t throw oil across the shop. Then he fitted a piece of lexan as a window. He only uses it to verify cam and valvetrain lubrication. Glamour photographers smear Vaseline on a filter screwed on the lens to make a soft, blurry effect. I don’t think that’s what you have tried to do here Wally. It is great that you post pictures and videos to help us understand what the malfunction may be, but honestly, it isn’t easy to see anything here. Too blurry. I recognize the things in the images, cam, towers, followers, etc. I see there is oil there, but the poor image quality makes it difficult to accurately judge if there is, or is not, enough oil. I assume you are using a cell phone. No worries , it is possible to coax a reasonably executed picture to share what you see. A clean lens is important, and also, consider the direction of light around the things you want to take snapshots of. Any light source, sunlight, fluorescent shop lighting, desk lamps, if they are in a position that the light falls directly on the image sensor in the phone, they cause glare, partly because of the low quality plastic lens, and the cover over it, and partly because the tiny image sensor can’t resolve such strong light directed at it, and compromise an already marginal image quality. I find the best light source is a bright sunny day, and the sun is coming from over my shoulder (right or left, doesn’t matter), not from behind me, if I see my shadow in front of my, the light is not coming from the side.

The cylinder block deck has a bushing (if memory serves it is brass) pressed into a counterbore at the oil passage from the block to the head. Some people like to open it up a bit when hot rodding the L series engine. They think it will aid in getting more oil into the cylinder head (cam, followers, etc). I dunno. My kid brother was “helping” with an engine build once and he oversized it a bit, against my wishes. I had to shim the pressure relief springs in the pump to get the oil pressure back where I wanted it. Besides, I wasn’t, and never did have, lubrication troubles with any L series engine I’ve built. Could you explain to me what you hope to find? If the engine was properly cleaned prior to assembly, and if it was assembled correctly*, and you haven’t introduced anything to the crankcase that shouldn’t be there, what will that achieve? *During assembly, some people use silicone sealer in places it isn’t needed**, in amounts that far exceed the amount needed. I have seen where excessive squeeze out of the sealer has later come loose. These chunks of sealant then can get ingested into the oil system and cause problems. This is easy to verify, without removing the pan. Simply observe the parting line between the pan and the lower crankcase rail. It there evidence of sealant use? If so, how much? The amount seen outside should be about the amount that would also be squeezed inside. **The correct oil pan and cam cover gaskets do not require any sealant to be use to ensure no leaks. I use them on all my L series engines, with no sealer, and no oil leaks.

I know Steve, but others have recommended non automotive gauges. Additionally, it looks like Wally was using a cylinder compression gauge. Certainly not an appropriate tool for the job.

First, why are you guys recommending a pressure gauge for a water system? Buy a good quality oil pressure gauge like Stewart Warner or Autometer. These can be had at local auto parts stores. Next, the recommendation to check inside the cam cover through the oil cap is a good one, as indeed the oil can be seen, but it still does give any idea what the pressure is. Running the engine with the cam cover is not a good idea, even when taking precautions to catch the oil that will get thrown about, and, you still won’t have a clue about how much oil pressure the pump is producing. And even with measures in place to catch the mess, you will have engine oil on the ceiling of your shop. Don’t ask me how I know. Once it is determined the oil pressure is inadequate, the cause needs to be determined. The only way to do that is to remove the pump, disassemble it and inspect it for wear or damage. The shop manual details the inspection process, inspection of the gerotor for defects and damage, and clearances. It is possible the spring in the bypass valve has broken or become weak. It is also possible that the oil passages weren’t fully cleaned, and something has clogged a passage. Something as small as a human hair can block enough oil flow to cause lubrication failure.

The Police, Danzig, Eileen Barton. Like me, you have a broad musical palette Cliff.

Oh. Sorry, eh?

The market is all over the place. This one failed to sell in 2015 at $19,750, but sold a couple days ago for $73,240. What a difference seven years makes. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-datsun-240z-264/

Teg?

Danzig. Haven’t heard Danzig in a long time.

Are they round cross section, or square?

Possibly nitrous oxide (NOS). Also possibly water vapor injection.

Sorry, I missed that in your description of the trouble. What he said. I would either exchange it for another, or if that isn’t possible, then disassemble it, and if the seals aren’t oriented correctly, set them in the correct orientation and reassemble it. As Zed mentions, the seals have a specific orientation, and the cylinder may be bypassing internally.

You mention it is wet under the reservoir. It is possible that there is a small bit of something is caught between the boss on the master cylinder and the inside of the reservoir where it is clamped, or a burr or other imperfection in either part, resulting in a small leak. Brake fluid has a fairly low viscosity, and atmospheric pressure is enough to push it through any orifice. Also, you have inspected the entire system for leaks, correct?

Use the other finger Cliff.

Not really a scoop. More of a vent, with an attractive cover.

Jeff Beck, RIP.

High pressure, or high volume?

Smellivision.