720 Rocker

Thanks for the tip on Imugur.com I am looking now at hosting services, and that one appears worthwhile.

Thanks, everyone, for your quick and thorough replies. You have pretty much confirmed what I already suspected, and have been experiencing for months now... these exhaust parts are simply not available / not readily found. So, I have decided to take it to a local muffler shop I've used in the past with other vehicles. I'm sure they can custom make the back part of the system to look original. That's likely going to be the quickest / best solution at this point. I will keep the CAT since there's nothing wrong with it and everything from the CAT forward to the head is already replaced (including manifold). I will do as suggested and have them retain the bolt-on flange at the back side of the CAT. I've used this truck for many years, and intend to use it for many more. And, with the help of this forum, I think it that will be very possible. Thanks again! BTW, I now realize I will need to use an image hosting service to post pictures. Will get that done, and add pictures for future posts.

I found a new exhaust manifold and (front) downpipe for my '85 720, and the original CAT is still good. But, I still need the intermediate pipe that goes from the CAT to upstream muffler pipe (truck is a long bed), and the muffler/pipe assembly to complete the system. I know I can have the exhaust done at a local muffler shop, but I vastly prefer the original bolt-together system than patch-work cutting and welding. The problem is, I can't find the aforementioned intermediate pipe and muffler/pipe assembly anywhere. The BRExhaust / Bosal tail pipe/muffler assembly that I need has the part number BOS 283-903. And, the BRExhaust / Bosal Intermediate Pipe part number is BOS 782-903. Can't find them anywhere.... remember, it's a long bed, so needs the long intermediate pipe. I tried emailing Bosal in Canada directly, but no response after a month, so far. "Genuine Nissan Parts" websites show all the exhaust parts as "Discontinued." Anyone know where I can get these parts?

60 ft pounds it is!

Thanks! Will re-torque as you suggest, datzenmike. BTW, I just now replaced the original 720 exhaust manifold (cracked on the backside), and noticed the downpipe was toast, too, with a big hole in the metal at the convergence of the fork between the two exhaust ports. I assume this is a common place for failure. I already ordered the BRexhaust version of the OEM downpipe, but it doesn't appear, from pictures online, to have the shield hangers built in, like the original. Any reason I couldn't run the exhaust without the shields? Are the shields there for heat control/deflection, or for protecting the pipes from road rocks and debris, etc.? Are the shields necessary? Of course, I will keep the shield on the original catalytic converter.

Hi, New to the forum, but I've been looking in for a few years now and greatly appreciate the opinions and advice given here. I've had my 1985 Nissan 720 for about 15 years now, and have done 90% of the work on it myself. The head gasket finally blew recently, causing a great cloud of white smoke as I drove down the Interstate highway to the next exit, where I had it towed home. Luckily, it never overheated. In fact, the truck has never overheated the whole time I've owned it, and I've put about 100,000 miles on it since I got it. It currently has 178,000 miles on it. I just replaced the head gasket (and intake and exhaust gaskets, of course) with a Fel-Pro kit after days of cleaning the head and block surfaces meticulously. I did not resurface the head, because I figured it didn't overheat, so, probably okay. I rolled a round bar over the surface slowly looking for any light between the bar and the head surface, but never saw any light, so, again, I figured I would just clean it as good as possible and replace the head gasket, which I did. I have a factory service manual (FSM) and followed the torque sequence exactly as specified. I re-used the old head bolts, but like I did with the head and block surfaces, I cleaned the head bolts meticulously, using a wire brush on the end of a drill with brake cleaner squirts in between. Then, I put a little light oil between the washer and head of the bolt, as suggested on this forum by DatzenMike, whose opinion and advice I trust greatly! Anyway, after burning out the oil I put on the cylinder walls, no more smoking tailpipe! Yeah! After driving it for a couple of days, I checked the compression with the engine hot, and it was at 150, 148, 149, and 149 (Cylinders 1-4, respectively). Lower than I expected, but very tight numbers / consistent readings, so cylinders appear to be well-sealed. BUT, I noticed a slight drop in my coolant reservoir for a few days. It went from the "MAX" level to about halfway toward the "MIN" level marker. So, I added coolant to reservoir. I did this twice in a couple more days of driving. Since then, I haven't noticed that it no longer drops, and seems steady at hte "Max" level marker. Is this normal? Was there just some air in the cooling system, perhaps, that worked it's way out? Should I worry?