Fisch's L18- enigma, AKA Project possum-Custom Paint! Pg2

[fisch]

Well I am psyched to report I bought a new engine for oildrop 521! L18 baby! It was hopped up in the 80's. Doing engine swaps is no big deal to many of you pros, but this is the first time I have ever owned an engine that wasn't already in a car!

The story from the owner is that this engine has been sitting under a workbench for over 20 years!! When we pulled it out from its hiding place there was a dead possum next to it who had to be almost as old.

This is a one owner l18 from a 620 that was bought in 1974. At about 40K he yanked the motor, and took it to a dealership in CT who had a well known race team ( I am guessing it was Bob Sharp as they were the biggest and in CT.) Then he put an additional 24k on it before he sold the truck due to rust issues. But he put so much love into the engine, he wanted to keep it and there it sat till I came a knocking. He turned it over a couple times a year for the first decade or so. And it still turns over. Nothing frozen.

It has a total of 64k on it and only 24k on a bottom up rebuild!

-Has the a87 head

-Offy manifold and a holley carb.

-Cyclone headers, that he had to have specially made at the factory to fit a 620 truck. (So I assume they will fit a 521.)

-Mystery cam. He took the head to a datsun dealership that had a racing team (I am guessing Bob Sharp in CT.) and he had them choose a cam and do the headwork. What cam and what headwork are a mystery.

-Pistons? These are a mystery too, he can't remember if he used the stock ones or went with something else.

-4 speed trans.

Essentially he said he used an issue of minitruckin from back in the day as a guide. I guess it was a nice rig at one point. Big ass cap- round window- sunroof- and a walk through cab. Said he had it all painted up in ol skool minitruck fashion.



So where do I go from here? What would be your laundry list for this engine project?


-Can I tell what cam it has if I pull the valve cover? I am guessing it was mild cause it was a daily.

-I will prolly not use the Holley as it is beat and I have a weber 32/36.

-I will use the offy intake, cause it is just cool.

-I would like to use the Cyclone headers, cause they are cool too. But I'd like to have them temp painted or jetcoated. Anyone with experience here?

-Is the l18 4speed the same size as the 521 4-speed? The design seems to have a lot less slop than the 521.

-i don't think it is worth it to pull the head just to check what kind of pistons are in it. Am I wrong about that?

Oh and the best part. I paid $150 for everything! Then I picked up an engine stand and hoist for a total of $170 he next day. Gotta love craigslist!

On to the pics.

As bought- damn what 20 years of sitting under a bench can do!


After a few hours of Simple green and elbow grease. You can see he really had it painted nice at one time. It will get totally redone. Prolly red. Pinstriping, eyeballs in the freeze plugs, you know how I like to do it!


The above picture also shows the Cyclone headers. Here is an ad form '71. Totally not Datsun though! They are now extinct I believe.


Other side with the A87 showing.


Elephant cap! My first! Cool!!


Offy


Holley


Finally, the 4peed, which was also painted.


Rock on guys. Look forward to your insights and wisdom on this adventure. All I know is they guy said it was a FAST truck.

Edited April 3, 2015 by fisch

[motavated]

I once got an engine that was left outside for a while. I just installed it because my father said it was ok. After a while, coolant started leaking from the rear head. Then later it blew... First check compression and if ok just do an overhaul just with new gaskets before something bad happens. With the head off you can check the cylinder walls.

[datto510]

Cool score Fisch!

 

Pull off the vavle cover and look on the aft end of the cam. There might be some markings to identify the cam.

 

Did the old guy throw in the possum with the deal?:blink:

 

Edit: Yes, the 4 speeds are the same, this one has less slop because it has less use, look for a dogleg! They are the same length as the 4 speed! Also, I would pull the head to change the head gasket, while its off you can inspect the pistons.

Edited June 5, 2009 by datto510

[athoose]

Good score!

[fisch]

Thanks guys! Gonna sound stupid, but can I do a compression test with no starter attached and it up on a stand? I've never done a compression test before. Will a wrench on the front pully bolt do the trick? Will I have enough force?

[motavated]

Well you can turn the engine with a crank over and over. But I dont think that would work. Some one cut up an extra transmission so they could mount a starter too check the compression? I just cant find the thread... Well you have and extra transmission.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Motavated

[motavated]

http://forum.ratsun.net/showthread.php?t=5374

[fisch]

The past owner did test the compression, sort of... he only had a battery charger handy and before we pulled the trans he cranked it with that, but he guessed it wouldn't get enough juice to get a proper reading. The reading was like 60 on all cylinders, which seems really low, so I'm hoping his theory is right? The good news is they were solid pressure matches on every plug.

 

Does this theory hold up?

[DISLEXICDIME]

if i where you i would buy a full engine gasket set and replace all of them

[datzenmike]

Edit: Yes, the 4 speeds are the same, this one has less slop because it has less use, look for a dogleg! They are the same length as the 4 speed! Also, I would pull the head to change the head gasket, while its off you can inspect the pistons.

 

FS5W63 doglegs are the same length as the 510 4 spd but not the same length as the 620 F4W71B 4spd. shown.

[datto510]

FS5W63 doglegs are the same length as the 510 4 spd but not the same length as the 620 F4W71B 4spd. shown.

 

 

 

Mike = 1

 

Erick = 0

 

:(

[]2eDeYe]

if i where you i would buy a full engine gasket set and replace all of them

 

X2.

 

Gaskets once used (even for a low amount of miles) and then stored, will leak like a mutherfucker :)

 

Nice score :cool:

[Icehouse]

The compression will read low because the cylinder walls are dry. It's hard to say what I would do in your situation. Like Hainz always says, do a full rebuild and have it ready for a back up engine. Then When the time comes your truck needs the motor or you feel like doing a swap the down time will be minimal.

 

Sweet score!!! You need some side drafts for that bitch!!! My L16 was faster than franks L20, the only difference was I have dual 40's. They sound cool to :D

 

Truely if I was you I would EFI it, but when people have other cars as daily drivers it seems they don't mind carbs on there rig.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Awesome deal Fisch! Im happy for ya. For that price i think it's well worth it.

[datzenmike]

Put a couple of spoons of oil in each plug hole and re-test. It'll come way up.

[datzenmike]

Your 4spd has a newer design 'B' type shifter mechanism. The 521 used the 'A' type well known as the 'Monkey Motion' shifter.... and yours has less use on it. :D

[bonvo]

nice score i want the valve cover bad lol

[SRSANDS]

2eDeYe;168209']X2.

 

Gaskets once used (even for a low amount of miles) and then stored, will leak like a mutherfucker :)

 

I agree buy a gasket kit just for a piece of mind but I disagree with that statement. My motor sat for ever and now not a leak. All I replaced was the oil pan gasket since I had to pull the bowling ball size sludge ball out :)

[hang_510]

The compression will read low because the cylinder walls are dry.

 

Like Hainz always says, do a full rebuild and have it ready for a back up engine.

at least it turned freely!

 

its easier to do it now than to have to pull it.

 

2eDeYe;168209']Gaskets once used (even for a low amount of miles) and then stored' date=' will leak like a mutherfucker :)

[/quote']

the LZ24 sat for 10 years. nothing leaked.

[dat521kid]

nice score i want the valve cover bad lol

 

i gots one free for you bonvo just pay the shipping

[Farmer Joe]

thats the same header tat i had on my 620. i had to cut it up into like 6 pieces when i switched to the manifold tho. i would have had to pull the torsion bar or the engine to get it out in one piece.

 

so word of advise. if that header will fit the 521, youll have to set it in the engine bay before the motor goes in.

 

anyway, cool find man! hope it works out for ya!!

 

oh yeah! thats the same holley i have on my 620. they work real good! since i got a better lower half with non sloppy thottle shafts, ive had nothin but good times! hell even when it was all sloppy it still ran like a raped ape. just had a little vacuum leak around the throttle shafts.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Farmer Joe

[SIXTY-NINE-DIME]

 

Sweet score!!! You need some side drafts for that bitch!!! My L16 was faster than franks L20, the only difference was I have dual 40's. They sound cool to :D

 

uh oh:( lol

[fisch]

thats the same header tat i had on my 620. i had to cut it up into like 6 pieces when i switched to the manifold tho. i would have had to pull the torsion bar or the engine to get it out in one piece.

 

so word of advise. if that header will fit the 521, youll have to set it in the engine bay before the motor goes in.

 

Good to know farmer!! Glad someone else has had experience with these headers!

 

OK what the heck do I do with the short little pipe that comes off the back of the rear most down pipe? What does that hook up too? It is threaded but does not open into the main pipe. More of a dead end. My guess is I do nothing with it!

 

[]2eDeYe]

That pipe is probably for the carb pre-heater. You could run a hose to a stock air cleaner...or do nothing with it.

 

and I've got lucky on one or two motors not leak after sitting also, but more often than not they leaked. Your dice, you toss em :D

[Madness]

Looks like that manifold should have been opened up a bit for the Holley. Nice project, That color is sweet, it may grow on you before you can get it painted red. I need to throw my 1600 on the stand and get it all ripped apart and cleaned up.

 

What im doing with mine, even though it looks like it has been gone through before i bought it, is pull it all apart, get all the holes honed, get the head re-surfaced, put in all fresh seals and gaskets, and trow some new bearings in it.

 

If you go through rock auto you can get a "re ring kit" for 144 bucks that consists of new rings, a whole new gasket set including valve seals and all of the rod bearings. all that you need to buy after that is main bearings and machine work. The timing set should be great in your motor although a new tensioner would be a good idea. You don't want to do this all over again in 20k miles because you cheaped out. As any old mechanic would say "If you're in there you might as well replace it"