My Engine Build

[EuroDat]

Ben: how did you removed the electrical harness holders? those flexible ones..?

Hi Koalia,

If you are talking about the re-usable Tye-rap ones, see photo's, you need to squeeze the two tabs on the other side of the panel, which can be a real pain to get to sometimes. Otherwise you will break the tabs off.

There is another type as well. Its uses a strap with round holes to hold the harness. It has a pin which fits snugly in the body panel. They are really hard to fit in good condition. The thin strap breaks very easy.

Hope it helps:)

[Ben's Z]

Update: ZCurves comes over to mi casa and tells me to "not settle" on my paint not matching. Out comes the red scotch brite pads and I have scuffed the engine bay again. Ordered 3 rattle cans from these guys http://www.automotivetouchup.com/, they will be here Monday. I talked to a friend and my old high school body shop teacher. I should be able to spray this urethane over my acrylic enamel just by scuffing it.

My shortblock is put together.

Painted my valve cover with VHT wrinkle coat. It kept getting spots that would not wrinkle, this is pissing me off to no end. I think I will need to blast it all again and start over.

Technically cam #3 is toast. Cam 1 that came in the motor in the parts car was rusted. Cam 2 was lost by "Newman" at the USPS. Cam 3 was good then the other night I noticed it looked like it was dropped off a 10 story building onto the cam dowel. Dowels can be replaced but the hairline crack in the dowel hole to the edge of the cam is another story. Anyone have a good P90 cam they can sell me?

[ninjazombiemaster]

Dammit Newman...

[hr369]

Did you ever fix the bearing problem? What brand of bearings are you using?

[Ben's Z]

Did you ever fix the bearing problem? What brand of bearings are you using?

Yes I did, I had to remove the crank. All the block bearings were correct, just had 1 and 2 on the cap side swapped. Short block is done! Machine shop is starting to aggravate me. They didn't give me back all of my part, so I called and they said they were still there. I go to put in my ballpivots and adjusters and find out I have 12 ball pivots and 11 inserts. I need to call these hillbillies and see if they have it.

[EuroDat]

I was wondering how you got on with your bearings. Good to hear that problem is solved. Sounds like a dodgy repair shop you are using. Id steer clear of them and find another shop in future.

Did you have any luck with another Cam?

Edited October 22, 2012 by EuroDat

[Ben's Z]

I was wondering how you got on with your bearings. Good to hear that problem is solved. Sounds like a dodgy repair shop you are using. Id steer clear of them and find another shop in future.

Did you have any luck with another Cam?

No luck on the cam. Got some leads over on hybridz. Sent my rockers to delta cam in Tacoma Washington o get resurfaced. Just going to take my other cam and make a table lamp out of it.

[EuroDat]

Anyone have a good P90 cam they can sell me?

You dont need a P90 cam. You can also use one out of a head with internal oil system (N47, P79) and regrind. If your not going huge lift, the base circles should be alright with standard lash pads and maintain the right geometry. Make sure its a original nissan billet. You can see by "japan" stamped on the end.

Goodluck searching.

[EuroDat]

Ill probably cop a lot of slack from my last post. Ive noticed in over forums that some poeple have strong opinions about what can and cant be done with regrinding and lash geometry.

Wahat I was trying to say is the more lift (above standard) you want the more you need to take of the base circles to achieve it. The more you take off the more you need to compensate with larger lash pads. And calculating the size is a pain:stupid:

WTH, i jumped out in the open, shoot me then :dead:

[Ben's Z]

Long time, no post! A lot of down time waiting for parts... I mentioned before I was not entirely satisfied with my original paint match in the engine bay, it was too dark. I bought some paint from www.automotivetouchup.com Zedy had used them and if he was satisfied I knew I would be. I ordered 3 aerosol cans of 306, but only needed 2. I just had to rescuff the engine bay again, I didn't need to seal the enamel. I bought a cheapo Harbor Freight HVLP touch up gun and sprayed the clear conventionally. Urethane is the only way to go when it comes to paint. The color is obviously darker than my 1979 respray but is lighter by a few shades than the original color I sprayed. I also got a new booster and sprayed that. I have also been media blasting and painting small items like wiper arms, the little metal pieces around the firewall A/C lines and the tubes for the heater core. I also did the bracket that holds the voltage regulator and fusible links. I completely dissembled my grill and resprayed that and it is now back together.

Before

After

The short block is together and I am now waiting on my rocker arms to come back from Delta Cams for resurfacing along with cam #4 since this project started.

I have tried wrinkle coat painting the valve cover twice now and it still looks like crap! Followed VHT's instructions to the letter and no dice.

Bought a used 240mm Turbo flywheel and it is at the machine shop being resurfaced. I am too loyal this machine shop, they have lost a head alignment dowel and one of my ball pivot inserts for the lash adjustment.

Still need to either have my turbo rebuilt, or source a good used one.

That is all for now, I don't think I will be done by Thanksgiving, just too many set backs especially with the cam.

Edited November 1, 2012 by Ben's Z

[Ben's Z]

As posted at hybridz

My god, can this build can any worse. So I got my Heli Coil in today with my cam towers and my N47 cam spun great on the P90. Reused the rockers from the N47 and kept them in order. I put permanent marker on all the rockers arms in prep to check the wipe pattern. Anyhow, I got all the rockers in and start setting the lash. I quickly found out even on base circle I couldn't get ANY feeler gauge on the rocker arm on ANY of the exhaust valves. The adjusters are all the way down. I was able to adjust all the intake valves and usually had about 1/2 to 1 full thread sticking out on the ball pivot past the jam nut. I spoke to a knowledgeable forum member who thinks the shop cut the exhaust valve seat too deep. .0015 was taken off the head by this shop and they felt as much as .0010 was taken off in a previous life. Holy crap I am getting weary of this...

If they cut the seat too deep can they still use my valves and take some off of the stem or will that make the lash pad compress the spring retainer and not the stem itself? Are we look at custom valves on the exhaust side at the very least?

What do you guys think?

[EuroDat]

Ben, Sounds like you might have exhaust valves from a N47 head. If so that is a PITA. They are 0.80" (2mm) longer and will cause that problem. Those valves are used in a P90 if you go NA, shave 0.80" of the head and shin the cam towers.

Are they new valves? If so try to get hold of the originals and compare them with the ones in the head. I cant remember what the total length is. Maybe someone here can tell you.