ruby (510 wagon L20B 5-speed driver build)

[tr8er]

It's too bright.  I was planing on going a shade darker in the engine bay to just make it a little different from the body.  I kinda wish I had done this. Not sure though.  Having it all one color is clean.  The paint went on quite easily.  No drips or rough spots.  Epoxy had a few drips though.  Filler primer took care of it.  This kinda shifts this project from progress leaves her looking worse, to progress leaves her looking better.  Weekends over, time to earn.  

[tr8er]

Folks.  I need a coolant bypass hardline.  The metal is going oxide on me.  Do you have one lying around?  doesn't need to be perfect, just good enough that some cleaning/sanding/painting will make it look good.  

[tr8er]

So most of the bolts on my L are looking beat and rusty.  I'd rather look at some nice allen head bolts, or at least nicer clean bolts.  Any advise on what not to use?  I'm not looking at head bolts or anything internal.  But I am looking at the timing cover, water pump, and valve cover, and two bolts bolting the head to the timing cover.  I believe i should avoid stainless.  Do I want hardened bolts?

 

[tr8er]

More shining. Tedious.

 

 

 

 

[KyushaKai]

You can try soaking them in gas or vinegar.  My buddy did that to his old bolts, came out looking decent.  Not brand new, but decent.

 

And congrats on getting the paint down on the bay, it looks amazing!  I think it's better that the bay is gonna be the same shade.  If it were a slightly different shade, it'd look like you ran out of paint and had to get more mixed.

[tr8er]

I'm thinking of socket bolts

They make them in Titanium! only like $25 a bolt, what a bargain. So I'm thinking not Titanium. But I'm concerned with the soft nature of Stainless steel. I'm looking at engine blocks trying to identify some stainless hardware, but even then it may be a bad idea.

 

Research time.

 

Oh and a worthy link

http://www.tastynuts.com/

[tr8er]

I just did the calculations on my driveline and I may be timid off the line.  But I will be cruizing 60 at 2500rpms in 5th.  

 

195/70 R15's with a 3.889:1 and a first year ZX 5 speed ( 3.321 / 2.077 / 1.306 / 1 / .864 ).  

 

I found a site with a nice graphical way to play with your set up ratios:

http://vexer.com/automotive-tools/speed-rpm-calculator

There is no 5speed option, but I just skip fourth gear as it is 1:1.  

 

Looks like I'll shift into second around 25-30, then third around 45-50, then fourth around 65-70, then I'll cruize fifth in the 90's at 4000RPM.  

 

Any opinions or experience with this set up?  I truly do appreciate fuel economy.  But I'm concerned with my ability to deliver power to the wheels.  And really, without a roll cage, I shouldn't and likely wont explore too much of fifth gear with a 3.889.  That said, perhaps there is much fun in the lower ratios that I shall not deny myself.  

[jrock4224]

WAIT chaged my mind about the flywheel ..... your wagons is too nice for my parts   lol

[tr8er]

So, I've been waiting on the shop to get to my drive shaft re-tubing with patience.  They are the only shop in town that does this.  They call me today to tell me the $120 quote is no good, and the new quote is $440.  So I'm thinking, WTF.  He essentially needs to make me an entirely new shaft because the yolk ends are too narrow to just re-tube (something slightly below 2"OD yolk ends).  He thinks I will warp the shaft at that small diameter.  The next option would be to machine the yolks to a larger diameter OD to accept standard tube diameter of around 2.337.  This means a machine shop expense on top of re-tubing expense.  Or I have the shop make me a new drive shaft from scratch.  Not what I need right now.  Time is not my friend, and I need to get this car moving again.  

 

Ratsun, is a 2" drive shaft going to be to weak for my L20B wagon?  I'm not the type to race, but I will have a lightly modified L20B with a 5 speed for the first time.  This may mean testing the waters after I get it all together.  I'd presume my worst case scenario is warping a shaft and having to re-tube it again.  But something tells me that I'll never warp a drive shaft with a 2 liter four banger running a downdraft 38 weber.  What say you?  Should I tell the shop to do it anyway and I'll deal with it if I do?  Arghhh.

 

Welcome to Ratsun tr8er! :thumbup:
We'll get you sorted.
Regarding driveshafts:

here are four with some specs:

top : sedan shortened for z 5spd - 37 3/8" between yoke centers (~5 3/16 shorter than stock)
next : sedan stock - 42 9/16" between yoke centers
next : wagon shortened (and re-tubed) for z 5spd - 43 11/16" between yoke centers (5 3/16" shorter than stock)
bottom : wagon stock. - 48 7/8" between yoke centers. Note larger diameter than sedan

It's a bit of a stretch to use a stock sedan driveline on a wagon with a long tail 5spd.
--carter

  

Carter, was your wagon with 5speed shaft modified yolk?  or small tube?  what did you do?  

 

 

In other news, I did get some welding done over turkey death weekend.  Got a new passenger floor pan repair section welded in.  And the passenger rocker welded in.  I've seen better welds, but I tried.  Got the inside POR15'd, and used some weld through primer on my overlaps.  I pray that this does not rust again for a while.  I'll be driving in rain far less after this labor.  

 

 

 

 

and the best beer I've had in a long ass while.  Lifetimes in fact.  

 

[Eagle_Adam]

dude, i dunno about that. 

 

i gave my guy a blown (stock) drive shaft and got back a one piece all new shaft and it was like $285 

[tr8er]

Bump- cause I need to hear from someone who has either warped a driveshaft, or has been fine with a narrow drive shaft.  

[Eagle_Adam]

i see how it is.... don't base your decision on one crazy guys experience  :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:

[tr8er]

It's not me, it's you.

[Eagle_Adam]

ive heard that before :/ 

[tr8er]

dude, i dunno about that. 

 

i gave my guy a blown shaft and got back a shaft and it was like $285 

 

I'd say you paid too much.  

[opalbeetle]

 

 

In other news, I did get some welding done over turkey death weekend.  Got a new passenger floor pan repair section welded in.  And the passenger rocker welded in.  I've seen better welds, but I tried.  Got the inside POR15'd, and used some weld through primer on my overlaps.  I pray that this does not rust again for a while.  I'll be driving in rain far less after this labor.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking good!  I'm enjoying following your progress!

[Just Joel]

2" tube on my driveshaft with no issues at all. They actually turned the ends down so the tube would sleeve in like it should. The shop that did mine is well known in my area for their knowledge and quality work.

[reese]

All of your bolt options can be found here: http://www.mcmaster.com/#screws/=po3euk

[carterb]

  

Carter, was your wagon with 5speed shaft modified yolk?  or small tube?  what did you do?  

 

 

Drivelines NW "re-tubed" mine.  This is typical for wagon driveshafts.  They can't shorten them for some reason so they replace the long, large OD shaft with a shorter, smaller OD shaft.  I think it turns out to be the same size the sedans use but I never measured.  Re-tubing is more expensive than just the standard shortening but that's all relative.  I don't believe I was charged to replace the yokes or anything like that.

The large OD wagon driveshaft is necked down at each end where it attaches to the yokes.  I wouldn't be suprised if they used the same yoke for the sedan and wagon and just changed the tube.

--carter

[tr8er]

According to the shop that is retubing, the yokes are less than 2"OD. That could still work out to fit a 2" OD shaft, but I am uncertain of this. Somewhere in that ballpark though. He wanted 2.337"OD yokes. Said that would be what is stock for most Nissan stuff of this length. I'm looking at a bill for around $50 to get the yokes to that diameter so it might be a good idea to just do it. Good to have a job that requires occasional machine shop work. Now the machine shop gives me deals on fun side projects. And we all get a writeup in return.

[Doctoraudio]

Tr8er:

I have taken many 510 rear ends out.
Racing in the pineapple fields.
I have never warped a drive line with a L20B.
I think I was told that the stock drive line can take 200-250 Hp before warping could happen.
I can't be exact.

 

[tr8er]

Thanks. It's being made 2". Should have it next week.

[Doctoraudio]

Yo, tr8er:

I am always listening to the 93.1 Da Paina.

[tr8er]

102.7 the Beach right now.

[Doctoraudio]

I like that too.

How long does it take to do a drive line?
When took 3 days.
Mine turned out great and bigger than what I needed. They messed mine up and replaced it with a new one thicker.