While I'm Here, What Should I Do?

[Threehz]

So I've pulled my engine and today I plan on giving it a deep cleaning, the car sat for around 8 years until I purchased it in May. I haven't started it yet I've simply gone straight in to remove the engine and clean everything up thoroughly and replace everything that needs it.

Now since the engine is out is there anything that I should do to, maintenance/refreshment wise?

[Randalla]

Since making it look pretty is a high priority, why not install new fire wall grommets for plumbing, electrical, throttle, choke cables etc. All of these are much easier to install with the engine out and the little touches will make a big difference when everything is back together. I'm assuming you are also degreasing the engine and accessories while it is out as well. Also sooo much easier with the engine out. Obviously check and replace the engine mounts if needed. Access to front end suspension and steering components is also much easier with the engine out if they need to be refreshed. I'm sure I am missing some other obviously things but these were top of mind, as I just did mine.

[FastWoman]

I'd consider repainting the engine bay. There's no better time. Prep it, and drag it into your local el-cheapo auto paint place (Maaco?) to have it shot for a couple hundred bucks. Or spray it in semigloss black.

[Threehz]

Yes yes indeed, those are pretty much the two main reasons for me removing the engine. I want to clean and refresh all components and root out all the obviously kaputt parts and replace them, and then of course I want to completely clean and repaint the engine bay.

With the engine out I have seen many things that I wouldn't have even thought to check and now I see need replacing or at the very least an extreme refreshing! Not to mention all the things I found during the removal process heh.

My main question is there anything actual engine-wise to be done? Like any work that can be done to the actual engine while it out that is easier and would make a real difference?

[FastWoman]

In that case...

Well, if there's any chance you're going to R&R either the intake manifold or the exhaust manifold/header, then this is the best time to give it a go. Those studs can be cemented with corrosion into the head. Depending on how long you intend to own the car, you could save yourself a LOT of frustration, pain, anger, blood, and heartache down the road by breaking these things loose while you still can. MSA sells replacement studs, BTW.

I'd pull the thermo housing off the head, clean up the threads, and replace. When you chase out the threads, pay special attention to the forward most threaded hole. There's a chain guide just beneath it. You can pull off the valve cover and watch the backside of that guide as you screw the tap in. You don't want to bend it!

Perhaps the water pump? It's no fun replacing that with the engine under the hood.

How clean is your engine? This would be a great time to pull the oil pan and clean out your engine from top to bottom (sans the cylinders).

I assume you're also repainting the engine?

Other than that, everything is very easy to reach/service on a Z. I'd just fixate on breaking loose any corroded nuts/bolts/studs/screws, cleaning, and painting.

Edited July 2, 2011 by FastWoman

[Threehz]

Right now I don't see a reason why I would ever want to get rid of this car, ever. So I'm trying as much as I can to do things the right way. If I wasn't a poor college student then this would be much easier but someday I plan on giving this baby a complete refreshment.

Eventually I want to replace my header and exhaust system with the MSA performance system but getting things cleaned up and the car running has to come before any upgrading.

About the header and intake manifold, I've been looking at the engine and wondering what all I can remove relatively easily. I'd like to take as many parts off the engine for dedicated cleaning as I can, which will also make getting in all the engine's nooks and crannies much easier.

Check! on the water pump!

Engine is very dirty on the outside, inside wise, oil that has been sitting inside for 8 years looks surprisingly fine however I'd like to clean out the whole engine. I'm definitely going to clean out the pan. How does one go about cleaning the engine top to bottom? I was just thinking of dropping the pan and pouring in some clean oil from every plausible hole?

As for painting the engine I saw some threads about this and matching the original Datsun color, it's tempting but I'm a little reluctant because it seems a little frivolous (paying for college comes before painting the bottom of an engine). If it turns out that painting it is incredibly cheap then why not, does anyone have any estimates or how much did painting their engine cost?

Thanks for all the good tips and advice!

[5thhorsemann]

New stainless steel hard lines to everything. Brakes & fuel, I assume you pulled the tranney as well, great time to get after them.

[Threehz]

I have not pulled the transmission aswell, but to do everything I want to do I think I'll have to. All I really have to do to remove the tranny now is disconnect it from the rear diff and I can just drop it down?

[Rainman]

Considering you are in college.. I suggest cleaning the engine and engine bay as best you can without spending too much cash.

My main focus would be fixing any/all oil leaks and making it mechanically reliable. Replace the rear main seal, remove and clean out any residue in the bottom of the oil pan and reseal it. Don't worry about pouring oil through the engine while it's out. I've found the best way to clean the internals of an engine is replacing one quart of oil with a quart of ATF (automatic transmission fluid), drive it a day or two then change the oil and filter again and you will find the engine will be nice and clean after that. Have the radiator boiled out, replace all the hoses in addition to the previous comments about the thermostat housing (replace the thermostat as well) and replacing the water pump.

Definitely replace the engine mounts now as well. I had an issue with this when I woke up my 260Z after it sat for 11 years.. I missed a shift at high RPM and the engine moved (or in combination with the fan flexing and the sloppy transmission mounts) enough to take a chunk out of the radiator creating a decent leak. So after the money spent in boiling out the radiator, I still had to have it recored after the missed shift incident.

Have fun and enjoy getting to know your Z!

[Healey Z]

strip the engine down, wire wheel, prep, paint everything to taste. Have your exhaust manifold sandblasted, use POR manifold paint.

alternator after being cleaned up...vs. area it came off of.

[FastWoman]

Paint is cheap, if you want to throw some paint on your engine. It's mostly elbow grease. You can de-rust with a medium strength solution of muriatic (hydrochloric) acid. Wear gloves, apply repeatedly with a paint brush, and let the acid slowly do the work. Rinse well, and then apply Ospho (phosphoric acid), which will convert any flash rush and render the surface paintable. Both of these products can be found at the hardware store. Then use your choice of engine paint, available in a spray can at your local auto parts store.

FAIW, leaks are fairly common in these older Z's between the manifolds and the head, particularly around the #6. They often slip by inspection. An intake leak will cause poor running, and an exhaust leak is both noisy and potentially dangerous (CO entry into the cabin). Anyway, if you DO have an intake/exhaust manifold R&R in your future, it's a lot easier to do it when the engine is removed. You'll have better access for drilling out studs, turning studs with vice grips, etc. It CAN be a miserable process having to do all this with the engine in the engine bay. (Your back will get quite a workout.)

If it helps you to size up the job, a local Z specialist quoted me $800 to R&R the manifolds. This price would have included re-using whatever studs didn't break. His expectation was that he'd have about 3 that would break and require removal/replacement. The problem with this approach is that it leaves mostly weak studs cemented in place with corrosion, particularly if there were any oozing coolant connections nearby (e.g. around the #1). It's best to extract all the studs and start fresh. I'd say that approximately doubles the work.

So if you choose to take this on, I'm guessing it would probably be about a 2-3 day job for you. Tools would include an ordinary hand tool collection with a couple of long 3/8 extensions, a propane torch, and a good/new pair of vice grips. Supplies would include PB Blaster or Kroil and some nickel antisieze (available from a nut/bolt supplier, approx $20). Parts would include the gasket and a new stud/nut/bolt set (from MSA), which I think would run you under $100.

You'll also have to learn some Japanese metric curse words, BTW. The American SAE curse words sometimes don't work.

Edited July 3, 2011 by FastWoman

[Threehz]

Luckily I'm taking Japanese next semester so if I learn those curse words now I'll have a head start

Thanks for all the good advice guys and Healey those pics are a definite inspiration!

As for the manifolds it definitely sounds like a worthwhile job, however when you added that I'd need a propane torch some strange ideas popped into my head. What exactly is the torch for? Also does the FSM give a solid outline for removing the manifolds? (I also have the book, "How to rebuild your nissan/datsun ohc engine" which I'm guessing has some info on that.)