DadAndLadZ

@Zed Head and @w3wilkes thanks for the heads up on these issues. We will need all the guidance we can get going forward! lol

@nowak1981 Here are pics of both the blocks in our possession. The top one (blue) is the one we are pulling; the bottom is the "new" engine we are about to swap in. Both are from later 280Z models. @Zed Head Yes, I should have been clearer. This 260Z has a later 280Z engine in it already. We are taking that one out and replacing it with another 280Z engine. My main concern is that I plan to bolt the dual-carb intake manifold up to the fuel-injection heads on the "new" engine, and I was basically just hoping a) that will it work with the flange from the intake covering the injector holes which are not present in the carb-intake head; and b) that someone in here could point me to the correct gasket.

To be honest I have assumed that was just what this 2.8L Nissan block was called generically, if I am wrong I would love to be set right so I know better in the future. I have spent 40 years wrenching on old cars but almost none of them have been Japanese so it's a whole new world of nomenclature to me.

@siteunseen THANK YOU! This is the kind of info I was looking for. Much obliged.

Hi: We are working on a family '74 260Z project, and finally about to pull the L28 engine with the cracked block out of the car and replace it with another L28. The donor engine had fuel injection, but we are going to replace it with the dual-SU carb setup from the old engine. Someone told me a while back to use a specific set of manifold gaskets in this swap, and I feel like they said it was from an earlier engine, but I have now lost that piece of advice and just wanting to hear from some of you folks who know better than me before I order anything. Check this short video? Thanks in advance! Michael Project Z ICT

Thanks for that! Much obliged! You too @grannyknot!

Hi folks: It's been a minute since I was on here last, but after much dithering the boys and I *finally* got our rebuilt harmonic balancer installed on our '74 260Z. My question is... How do you know it's seated where it needs to be on the crankshaft? It *looks* about right but is there a surefire way to know? Our latest video: Thanks in advance, MC

Thanks for the tips, everybody. If it wasn’t so deep down in there it wouldn’t be such a quandary

So, after about a month's break, we are back out in the garage working on our 260Z. Put on the new water pump and everything went swimmingly — until this long, skinny bolt snapped ALL THE WAY DOWN INSIDE as I tightened it. How the hell am I gonna get the broken piece out of there, so deep inside the block? UGH!!!!!!!!

Story of my life. lol... Well, the whole point of this was to teach the kids some mechanical stuff, so mission accomplished!

I appreciate you all digging up older related threads, as I am new to these forums and haven't been digging around that long yet. Much obliged for all your help, insight and guidance!

@Captain Obvious and @Racer X I have sourced a used replacement from @Terrapin Z and will be sending it in for refurbishing. I got a strong light in there and bumped the engine around with a remote starter to inspect the end of the crankshaft and don't see anything obviously chewed up, will get in there and do a thorough cleaning/inspection before proceeding any farther. And yeah, someone has done A LOT of updating on this car in the past... The balancer is a later model, the carbs are from a 240Z, there is a five-speed transmission(!)... I wish I knew who had done all this work years ago just so I could pick their brain about what else lies in store. LOL...

Dang, thanks!

Here's a video I just now shot! Also now that I have a used one on the way (thanks to @Terrapin Z!), does anybody know who rebuilds these? The only company I have seen advertise this service is Godzilla Motorworks out of Texas and they charge $350.

The seal itself looks fine, though we plan to replace it while we have all this apart. We probably managed to break it taking it out. 😕