jovial_cynic Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 I finally got my white 510 running. This is the one w/ the Z22 block, the L20b crank, early Z22 pistons, late Z22 rods, L18 A87 head, and shadbolt cam. In any event, it runs. I have a lot of tuning to do with the carburetor, and I've got some leaks here and there (in fact, I might need to yank the whole front cover and reseal it... boo!), but I can keep it running. This is the first engine I've ever built, having turned every bolt in it... and it's been an adventure. Once I actually drive it, I'll get some video and post it. Quote Link to comment
Jason Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Hey, that's great to hear Josh, congratulations! What did you end up doing for the dash? Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 ...dash? haha... what dash? seriously, though - getting the engine running has been priority #1. I've got about three wires to run the whole thing, and they're being held by aligator clips and a jumper cable right now. I haven't given any though to the interior at all. Quote Link to comment
Jason Posted April 9, 2007 Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Cool Josh, get the dash together, bolt in a couple of seats, bleed the brakes and whammo, you're set to drive a Ratsun! Let us have a few pics would you please? Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2007 Brakes and clutch bled, as of about 15 minutes ago... and I've had seats for a while. I got the engine to run nice and smooth, but only at higher revs... the car can barely hold an idle. I'll have to tweak around with the idle screw until I can set it high enough to deal with the big lumpy cam. Tomorrow, I'm going to actually do the wiring, so I can start the car from inside. So far, I've been using the old screwdriver technique and actuating the throttle by hand. I had to make a custom throttle linkage since I didn't have one available. If the weather holds up tomorrow, I may drive the car around the block. I have to wait for good weather since the car has no windows and no rear window seal (so I have to take the rear glass out every time I'm going to drive it)... fun fun fun. Man, once I get the rpms up, the car sounds so good. I have no exhaust pipe after the header, so it gets kind of loud. I've been wearing ear muffs each time I run it. haha... Quote Link to comment
Icehouse Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Nice to hear Josh :) you'll have to take me for a ride when I drop off the L18 :D Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Sounds good, man. You don't have any stock throttle linkages, do you? My fabbed one works, but it's not perfect. Also, I ended up welding up my own engine mount bracket (not perfect either), but that'll do just fine, I'm sure. fun fun fun. Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 WOO HOO!!! I drove the car around the block today! Man, oh man. It drives like crap at the moment, since I have a vacuum leak at the carb, and I still need to tune it properly. I've ordered a new gasket set to make sure I don't have any other vacuum leaks, and I'm considering taking the front cover off and putting it back on after sealing it up really good, since I have a couple of small oil leaks. But yeah. It runs! I'll take some pictures tomorrow and get a video of me driving around in it. I also have to weld together an exhaust pipe, since my exhaust gases are being dumped into the engine bay at the header. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Don't forget the round seal in the cover for the crankshaft, and there's 40-50 lbs of oil pressure at the oil pump gaskets too. Quote Link to comment
Icehouse Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Sounds good, man. You don't have any stock throttle linkages, do you? My fabbed one works, but it's not perfect. Also, I ended up welding up my own engine mount bracket (not perfect either), but that'll do just fine, I'm sure. fun fun fun. I gave the last of my stock linkage to Slodat, I will check around just to make sure :D Quote Link to comment
aappeexx Posted April 14, 2007 Report Share Posted April 14, 2007 Let me know if you still need linkage,I believe I have stock one here. Gary...... Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2007 Let me know if you still need linkage,I believe I have stock one here. Gary...... Thanks -- I fabbed one up that works perfectly now, so no need anymore. I appreciate it, though. I planned on getting some pictures and video today, but since I didn't end up working on it at all, it didn't happen. I spent about six hours last night working on an exhaust system, and have to go back and cut/weld a few more parts. I want to get the exhaust done before I drive it around my neighborhood -- I don't feel like having my neighbors call the noise police on me. It's pretty loud... Quote Link to comment
Icehouse Posted April 14, 2007 Report Share Posted April 14, 2007 Quiet exhaust is nice, that way you can hear other "important" noises, which can be worrisome on the freeway :D I guess that will still be a while, soon than you think at the rate you are going these days. Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2007 Hey Jeff - when do you think you'll be able to head down to make the trade? Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 You available at all today, tomorrow, Saturday or Sunday? Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted April 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 Well, my mother-in-law is leaving town Saturday, which is going to bring a screeching hault to my progress on my 510. She's in town because my wife and I just had our third baby two weeks ago, and she's around to help my wife watch the kids. Next week, my wife is going to be stuck at home to watch three kids (a 3-year old, a 1.5-year old, and a newborn baby) on her own while I'm at work, and I'm pretty sure she's not going to be too keen on letting me work out in the garage as soon as I come home. Boo. I'll try to go back to my before-we-had-this-last-baby days, and get up at 5 a.m. and work on my car while everybody is still sleeping, but since *I'm* not getting any sleep with this new baby in the house, it might be a while before I decide that waking up that early is worth it. In other news, I ordered a set of SUs for cheap, so I've got a stock carb and intake, if anybody needs one. Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted May 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 I started tinkering with the SU carbs today after Jeff dropped off a spare L18 for me (for trade for a 510 front clip). Man... taking things apart is sure easier than putting them back together. I managed to free up a spring that kept binding up on one of the throttle plate actuators, but I was a little worried I wasn't going to be able to put it back together. I need to get a couple of return springs so the throttle doesn't stay wide open... but after that, I should be good to go. Oh, yeah -- the gasket set I picked up on ebay turned out to be the wrong year. They sent me a 64-68 311 set, which won't fit. Ugh. Rotton. Hopefully they'll send me the right set soon. Quote Link to comment
Icehouse Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 Check it out dude, I got it out by myself :D Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted May 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 nice work! hope you didn't hurt yourself in the process... lots of sharp edges on that thing. :) Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted June 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 SHE LIVES AGAIN! Everybody in my neighborhood (and probably the two adjoining neighborhoods) is now aware that my car is running. That's what happens when you run WOT with a header that's dumping exhaust into the engine bay, on account of not having hooked up the exhaust yet. It's loud. I still have a bit of tuning to do -- it won't hold an idle yet... it won't run smooth until I open it up really wide. While that's fun, it's not desirable for regular driving. Anyhow, I had a few adventures this morning before I got the engine running. I mistakenly connected the coolant line to a port that apparently wasn't meant for coolant - I flooded my two rear pistons with coolant, and that took a while to clear out. Also, I failed to clamp down one of my other coolant lines, which resulted in the hose popping off and sending coolant 20 feet into the air. I guess my water pump works. Quote Link to comment
Duke Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 I was wondering if you are running a peanut head, and if you are, what kind of compression are you running? Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted June 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 It's not a peanut head... but even so, I'm running around 9.8:1 CR. I had the cylinders bored out a little bit, and I'm not using the stock internals on the engine; my setup raises the pistons up a bit, which is giving me my higher compression. Quote Link to comment
Icehouse Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Yeah buddy!!!! When do I get to go for a rid? Quote Link to comment
jovial_cynic Posted June 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Once I get the throttle cable hooked up, the carb tuned, the exhaust bolted up, and maybe some working lights. :) Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.