Elephant oil cap

[Victor Laury]

What is up with this elephant oil cap. I see them on ebay, being touted as if they were they holy grail. What's the story on these? did they only come on a particular year? Or are they a non North American market item? I have one in my spare parts collection. Should I shine it up and put it on? Right now, I have one of the super-rare 710 caps on my car. It's neat. If you look at it up-side-down, it says "OIL" isn't that cool?

[Bambikiller240]

I don't know a lot about this cap, but a 1971 Z that I had came with a Oil cap that had an elephant on it. I went to use it on a valve cover from a later engine that came with the regular "OIL" cap and discovered that it will screw onto the valve cover, BUT there is a slight difference in the valve covers.

The valve cover that is made to have the "OIL" cap uses an O-ring that is recessed into a groove on the valve cover to seal the cap to the cover.

The "ELEPHANT" cap uses an O-ring that fits onto the cap itself and the valve cover that came with this cap has a flat surface where this O-ring will contact the cover instead of the groove.

Not sure if this difference will cause any problems with sealing if you mix the covers and caps, but I ended up keeping the cap with the valve cover it was intended to be used with.

Note: The two O-rings are not the same diameter.

...and I don't believe that they are too "rare" as I have seen them on eBay frequently for at least the past year, often selling for not very much $.

Maybe mbrandy or 26thZ can tell us if the "ELEPHANT" oil cap came on their 1970 240Z's. I've had 72 and 73 Z"s that had the "OIL" style caps.

(My poor grammer corrected by EDIT this AM)

[abas]

my 1970 z has the plain 'oil' cap on the nissan 2400 ohc valve cover.

[Z Kid]

My Australian Spec 73 240 has the elephant oil cap, and looking at the car, it doesnt look like it would have had someone who loved it make it "cool" by putting an elephant oil cap on it.

[26th-Z]

My car has a Nissan 2400 ohc valve cover and an OIL cap.

I have a couple of caps I purchased on ebay "bottom fishing" as I call it. I'll have to compare them and file a report. One has Japanese script around the outside of "OIL", the "Elephant" cap, and the "710" cap is peculiar to Australia, Victor. I read on Ebay, once, that the "Elephant" cap commemorates the East African Safari Rally. I also understand from Ebay research that there is an "India Elephant" cap as well as an "Africa Elephant" cap.

[Z Kid]

Maybe in a moment of total boredom we should all post pictures of our oil caps, its too cold and dark to do it now, but I will try and do it during daylight

[sblake01]

I don't think they are "rare" as I have several of both types in my parts bin. I have two types with elephants on them as shown in the picture. The one that says only 'OIL' on it I believe was an aftermarket replacement. (not shown)

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by 26th-Z

..............the "Elephant" cap, and the "710" cap is peculiar to Australia,.................

My 71 Z wasn't an Ausssie car, and it came OEM with an Elephant cap.

I still have the engine out in the shed sitting on wood blocks, I'll have to go out there and see which of the two types of elephant cap pictured by sblake01 that I have. I think it is the one with japanese script around the edge but I'm not sure.

[civ104]

My '70 just has the plain OIL cap.

[Daniel]

Man!! Thanks guys for clearing that up. Do you have any idea how long you must puree' elephant in a blender to be able to pour it in that small valve cover hole!!! :stupid:

[mdbrandy]

Originally posted by BambiKiller240

Maybe mbrandy or 26thZ can tell us if the "ELEPHANT" oil cap came on their 1970 240Z's. I've had 72 and 73 Z"s that had the "OIL" style caps.

I never really paid attention to this detail yet, but from my picture stock, I see that mine just says "oil".

[2ManyZs]

Wondered how many replies it would take before someone caught the "710" cap...

Now ya got me curious Victor, guess I'll have to go out to the garage and check all of my valve covers to see which ones I have....:cross-eye

[sblake01]

I'm done with this thread!

[mdbrandy]

There's an elephant oil cap on e-bay right now, where the seller purports that:

"This was made to celebrate Datsuns South African Safari Win in 1969."

Any ideas of whether this is BS?

oil cap link

[Bambikiller240]

Maybe someone who can read the Japanese charecters on the cap can shed some light on this. There are a lot of charecters to just say "OIL" so maybe there is a clue on the cap itself?

Alan? Kats? anyone?

[Zvoiture]

It say: "We like put 710 on oil cap but George Bush come kick our arse so put elephant on".

I'm done with this thread too....

[jeffs73z]

My 73 originally came with the "plain oil" cap from orig. owner. Cap was beat. When I first had car serviced 5 yrs ago, they "suggested" I get a new "oem" cap. They put a new elephant oil cap on. They put a new Nissan radiator cap on too. Now my Z never forgets......

[Rusty1]

I have one that will trump you all,

My 74 Z has a 710 cap on it but... wait for it....

The elephant is upside down...

Since this is obviously as rare as, I will consider selling it. I will consider any offers over $10,000 au. Note the car is not included...:stupid:

[280zx Fever]

mine is differnt again !!! i have jspec one on my 280zx fairlady.

[mdbrandy]

I was interested enough to send the seller a question about where he got his info, and he said:

I found the info in a Japan magazine on the history of the Bluebird. It covers the BRE, Rallly, SSS as well as other 510/bluebird info.

FWIW

[sblake01]

Remember, there are also magazines that credit Goertz with the design for the Z. (Or anything else for that matter!)

FWIW

[kats]

Hello,

I have 2 oil caps, the one is just"oil" on it and the other is unique for the elephant picuture and japanese caution.

I can see the "just oil" cap on the first U.S. brochure.But I do not know about elephant oil cap for U.S. model.

Here is a photo of my oil cap march 1970 240Z.

http://www.geocities.jp/datsunz903/details.html

http://www.geocities.jp/datsunz903/240zmore008.jpg

And I interpret this elephant oil cap I attached here,

let's begin from north-hemisphere,from the left to the right

"Elephant oil Wo,"

Wo is specifying (or I can say requesting) "elephant oil"

then south-hemisphere,from the left to right

" Chu-Nyu Shite Kudasai"

Chu-Nyu means "pour",Shite Kudasai is polite saying"please do"

So,it is not difficult,just saying "please pour elephant oil"

Elephant oil was a genine oil for NISSAN's engine.

kats

[Bambikiller240]

Thanks for the translation and information on "Elephant" being a brand of oil

I was just looking at the two oil caps that I have which are of the "Elephant" type. It seems that there are at least two varieties of "Elephant" cap.

One is made to be used with a Valve cover that has a completely flat mating surface. This cap has a place for an O-ring to be installed on it's lower sealing surface.

The other variety of "Elephant" cap is made for use with a Valve cover that has a groove in the valve cover for an O-ring to be seated, and the cap's sealing surface is completely flat.

I have not idea which was used first, or second, or if they were intermixed in usage.

[kats]

I add this photo from the owner's manual of fairlady-Z.

This description is for an auto matic transmission.

But the photo of oil can,you can see the elephant on it,

it is basicaly same for the engine oil can.

kats

[HS30-H]

Nissan's "Elephant" brand oils and fluids were indeed named after successes in the East African Safari Rally.

They predate the Z car by some years.

They used several different versions of the elephant logo over the years.

Here's one that they used in Factory parts manuals;