Zak's Z

Well, if you can't find one...I'm not gonna be able to find one. Thanks Carl.

Looks good! You better get to work, May is right around the corner.

The car is in the body shop, and the guy doesnt want to remove the fenders after he got them on if he doesnt have to. I saw in the microfiche that theres an "L" shaped gasket that goes between the headlight bucket and the fender. I have never seen one before and neither of my Z's had them. I suppose I dont need them then? Also I assume the headlight (acorn) assembly with the rubber gasket on it just goes in from the inner fender side, complete as is. I took mine out 3 years ago and thats what I remember. Thanks guys, Zak

Hey nice to see you survived. Now you got her out and all shined up. Now you just have to watch out for the Los Banos Blue-Datsun thief.

I was just looking at these when I read your post. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-240z-280z-280zx-Water-Pump-Mounting-Bolts-NOS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6763QQihZ011QQitemZ320239872415QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

We cleaned the pistons, installed new rings, new connecting rod bearings and started to put the short block back together. Next is to bring the head to a shop and clean up the front pieces.

Chris, where are you located? Im in Toronto area and theres several local resources to help you out (if youre in the GTA).

26th, I get a "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms." when I click the link.

For sure you have to do some investigation on this. As Geezer said, likely its an urban legend...but imagine if you're the guy who discovers the Datsun-find of the century!

Tonight we honed the cylinders with 320 grit. Any slight ridges are gone now and it feels uniform. Cylinder 1 had to be hit with 220 then 320 because there was a slight rust ring from sitting. Then we sprayed it all out and brushed out the bottom. I'm pleased with the fact that theres nothing I can observe that went wrong. That will be left to see, of course. I didnt do it, I left this part all to someone more skilled than I am. Didnt want to risk 'learning' on it because it's my baby and I sure dont wanna have to pull the motor after a while to fix my mistakes. Tomorrow we clean the pistons and replace the rings and bearings.

Ya, I bet it was! Thanks for the info. It's not just missing the threads, its got a different cap to it. The plastic fan w fan clutch fits on, so I guess it's all good then. Thanks for the info.

I was fortunate enough to meet up with another member BEEZEE, who had a great oil pan and oil pump for me. I also got a '71 water pump because my fan clutch appears slightly bent. When I removed the '72 water pump, it is slightly different from the early one. The early one has bolts threaded into it already, and the front is slightly different. The '72 fan clutch fits on it and looks ok, but I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion on using the early water pump with a later fan clutch. I'd like to keep the early pump I got because its in great shape. Thanks again, beezee. Zak

Tonight I used a ridge reamer to get rid of the slight ridges at the top of the cylinders. The first one I 'borrowed' from Canadian Tire was no good, the cutting surface was chipped, so I returned it then went to a different store and got one that was new. I leveled the top with the cylinder top, making sure the cutting surface was under the ridge, and gave each five turns. After that I couldnt feel the ridges, and I suppose thats the what it's supposed to do. There was a very small amount of shavings I wiped off the blade after each one. Tomorrow I'm going to hone the cylinders if I can find the finer stones first.

Thanks for the info, NISSANMAN. I took the piston into the local datsun mechanic, and he advised also to just leave it. I got a honing tool, but it has 220 grit stones. Ill have to find finer stones. THAT is damaged, I don't feel so bad now.

Thanks for the advice guys. This is my first attempt at it. Im getting help from someone who has done it all before though. I had planned on taking the head in to a shop, but so far was planning to do the honing and replacing the rings and bearings ourselves. Why is it that the honing is'nt as easy at it sounds, and what are the problems with it? I'm only asking these questions because I don't know, thanks for bearing with me. I'd rather avoid getting 6 new pistons...why is it that you wouldnt replace the pitted one, NISSANMAN??

So I broke off 3 head bolts getting the head off...but they came out with some heat and vice grips...whew. Then I cleaned all the old gasket off and looked at the piston tops. #6 is pretty badly pitted, the rest look pretty smooth. I guess I have to replace it. While I do that, I'm going to replace the rings and the main bearings. The journal/connecting rod bearings appear very new, so Im going to keep those. Theres some bolts I didn't label that I'm going to ask for some help on later , I thought we got them all but then found a few sets on the floor and now now I can't remember where they're from.

Nice! Can't wait to see the pics when you get 'em back. Are you going the red in your Avatar?

Your weather is perfect. But I'm not nearly man enough to deal with the Drop-Bear threat.

NO. We much prefer living up here and complaining about it to everyone else all the time. Where am I gonna go?? I'm in CANADA! Im an hour away from our southernmost point. I'm 8 hours south of where I grew up, and winters now are child's play compared to when I was a kid. Best I can do is go to Florida once a winter and marvel at how clean the streets are and how warm it is. If I lived in Minnesota....well, I'd pack my bags and head south for sure.

Don't listen to 'em Jared. The winter we just had would ruin Arkansas...and you do it every year. It takes a real man to live up north.

I feel for you brother. This is the first nice week we've had all year. Take a deep breath...nice weather is on the way.

Just had to cut the oil pump right off. One of the bolts was rusted to the shaft and the head snapped off then it wouldnt even budge. No damage done, just need another oil pump now. Maybe someone will bring one to the swap meet this weekend!

I took apart the bottom and used plastigage to check oil clearances, and the main bearings were all within spec and one was just at the loose end of spec (according to the rebuild your datsun engine book). The journal bearings were all identical and within spec. I took some pics and if anyone has any input or comments, id like to hear.

Good to hear you're back safe. I may have missed a post, but where'd ya go?

I used plastigage to check the clearance for the main bearings and I found the specs in the How to Rebuild Nissan/Datsun engine book, but when I went looking for the specs for the clearance for the bottom piston area here, I couldn't find it. Anyone know what it is? Also need the torque for the nuts too.