madkaw

If you see my car, you will see me

So I stop by the machine shop because he wants me to check the wipe patterns. He nailed it on the cam side , but the lash pad doesn't show a wipe all the way across the pad. Sorry no pics since I was on the way to work. I had him swap out lash pads from another valve that swiped good and no difference. We swapped out the rocker , then swapped out the retainer; none seem to alter the wipe pattern. It seems that the rocker is applying more pressure to one side of the lash pad , though you can see a faint line all the way across. All this was done with a light test spring if that makes a difference. The problem valves are the intakes that we just got. So if it's not the rocker, lash pad, or retainer, what could be off? I think he did just barely skim the top of the valves. Curiously enough it seems I am right back where I started with uneven wear on the lash pad surface . I've been searching everywhere but the conversations always pertain to centering the cam side

I'm with Dizeased here. Seats are a bit of a job, but brass seats are soft enough to get out easy. Usually most people go bigger so it's a matter of over sizing the hole . Hardened seats are another story. I also agree that cold and hot tolerances shouldn't make a big difference in the noise department.

I remember reading your thread and was confused by the build. You say that replacing seats would be too costly but than a few lines down you said you replaced with new seats. Maybe you meant guides. If you didn't replace seats then you probably will continue to have issues. Should have spent the money for steel seats , sorry to say. Those original seats are probably about ready to fall out- mine were. Sorry to hear this news. Hope you figure it out.

I'm hoping for a cool spell. Don't know if I can hack it if it is 100 everyday.

Can't imagine putting in Manley valves and not doing the seats. There's a good thread on Hybridz about noisy valve trains and lash pads that don't allow the rockers to seat properly. My rockers were noisy because my rockers were not seating on the lash square.

Hard to find good chrome bumpers and they are expensive. Black looks good but look better if all the trim was blacked out too-imho

We are all learning some valuable lessons here, so I don't mind the posts. The local guy to me is actually the better choice. He can't do anything fancy like replace valve seats, but he does seem to know how to do a valve job okay. Word on the street, which I wish I knew earlier, is that my problem is I am dealing with a kid with nice equipment. He doesn't know how to run a business and I think he has a pride issue. These Datsun motors require a little more work and someone that wants to deal with the geometry needs of a solid lifter cam. Next head will be a Rebello cam kit complete with proper lash pads and the experience of a Datsun engine builder. So done with my current 'builder' He did say that the head will be mine tomorrow. He bragged about fussing over the minor details of cleaning the head up. All I wanted was to have it DONE! I don't even want to think about the invoice. I might be telling him to sell on ebay

Found that in Philly?! Wow. Nice ride. Like the orange too.

I thought the same thing-head in my hands in a wrong way:) Hopefully today! Probably should have finished the Maxima head.

C'mon Ryan, where's your sense of adventure? Throw the new engine in and go! Actually, I understand. I remember driving to Zcon 2010 on a fresh resto with new engine and all, it was dam nerve racking, and I only had a 4 hour drive. 20 hours is a looonnnngggg time. The crazy part is that it is happening all over again for me-well almost. if I get my sh!t together and make it - it will be on a fresh motor and trans.

Well I really thought I would have a head in my hands this weekend, but not yet. Last I spoke to the machinist he was shaving the head for 39cc chambers. At that time we talked again about valve guide seals and the importance of getting them on right. With the high lift cam I use the Ford seals on the guides and they are very finicky. After that conversation I didn't hear from the guy the rest of the weekend, so I'm thinking the seals became an issue. Maybe Monday

If you had a lift, that definetly would be an option

I plan on mounting the trans in its mount before the engine is installed, then there isn't much back time . The trans mount will be all bolted up with the front of the trans sitting on its trans jack. I will then make sure the input shaft is level and measure it's height. When I drop the engine in I will get it level with the trans. I will pre- measure the height the engine needs to be to match up with the trans and mark that on my jack. All this to get it as close as possible and then hopefully it's just pushing the engine on to the trans. Very little work under the car and I don't need as much room to swing the engine. I also don't have to tilt the engine so no chains or straps to swing in to my carbs

As I get older my eyes stray less from the Z. I would like to have a 911 turbo pretty bad. Not an old one either. I had a lot of cool muscle cars when I was younger, but don't really yearn for them again. don't think I ever want a big car again. I bought my daughter a 2007 Subby WRX wagon which is pretty cool. Very nice performance oriented family wagon. It is small and very quick and I like the way it handles. I've never been able to afford the high end stuff, so I don't dream about it too much. Pretty damn happy to own a Z!!

Some progress! I did wind up making a puller using an old main cap and some head bolts. Nothing fancy but it worked. I studied the "how to.." book and read some posts and redid the rear main seal. Thanks Jeff(dizeased) for all your helpful hints. I realize that previous installs were not quite right , so maybe thats why I was always fighting rear main leak. One thing that didn't done right before was getting the stakes all the way down. I made sure that happened this time. My head should be done today, so this last week i have been prepping for it. I realized that I wasn't as organized as I thought. I started going thru all my hardware and next thing I know its 8 hours later . I want the head install to go smoothly and not stopped every hour to find a particular bolt. I now have all accounted for and cleaned. I have my loctite standing by and my torque wrench. Everything is assembled as far as I can go with many bolts just screwed in place until final assembly. I am running out of time. The intake valves came from Courtesy. MSA also had them but almost 50% more expensive. But 14$ a valve for Nissan is still not bad. I will say MSA got some valves to me in 2 days to Indiana! MSA didn't even realize they had the valves until I called. The guy went to the warehouse to check since the web site said they were out. They infact had 25 valves on hand. Strange to run a business that way. The machinist is supposedly fitting the intakes and should have lash pad numbers for me to order-ASAP. I will at least get the head back to start assembly-I hope. I assembled my Mikuni's and mounted them on my spare L28 motor. I plan to assemble the motor as complete as possible and then drop it in. I think I'm going to set the trans in place on a trans jack and just drop the motor by itself. I would really like to mount everything on this motor without leaning over a fender, that's the plan-subject to change

I was actually trying to be funny about worrying about using a torque wrench on the trans in a pinch.. Tight will get you there. Not saying you shouldn't use one if you can.

Torque wrench? Transmission bolt torque value= tight!

Sorry guys but that project derailed for several reasons. One big reason was a good enough dash for a mold. I do have that now, next obstacle is money. Probably 1500$ to get the first one made. I started this thread before my daughters wedding- bad idea. Now my son is starting college , so I will see how that goes this fall

Don't know about anyone else, but I use standard American thread bolts for my engine stand. They go in nice and easy. But I do use the metric for assembly

So while you have the degree wheel mounted your not going to degree the cam?

You could have used a .010 set and filed them. That's about the limit, don't ask me how I know that. Glad they are sending the right ones

You guys are a hoot. Hope I get to meet you all

I like that idea - simple and fast. Thanks

3pm is about normal. I actually called someone about buying a 83zx. I thought I would drive it down there and maybe sell it. I could say I drove my Datsun.