Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 It would appear that I've blown the head gasket on my L16 (foamy coolant, disappearing coolant). I have a fresh L20 but it has a manual fly wheel on it. I know I need an L20 flex plate but do I also need an L20 torque converter? I've done motor swaps before but never anything with an auto trans. Will the pilot bushing be the same from manual to auto? Are there any seals that I will need for the torque converter or anything? My plan is to just pull the motor and leave the trans in place. Truck is a '73 620 with 3 speed auto, not sure of the exact number on the trans but I can crawl under there after work and have a look if they came with different styles. Did the trucks come with trans oil coolers from the factory? If not would it be a good idea to install one since I'll have the motor out? Any help or hints are welcome Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Use the existing torque convertor. You only need to change the flex plate when going from 5-bolt crankshaft to 6-bolt crankshaft. Automatic does not use a pilot bushing, so no worries there. No seals are need. Unbolt the torque convertor before you pull the engine, it should stay in the transmission. Yes, the 1973 comes with an oil cooler standard equipment. That's what the lines to the radiator are for, it cools the hot transmission fluid down to 180 degrees or so. Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Stock torque converter, You need to take out bushing in crank (if it has one). The L16 has a 5 bolt crank, and the 20B a 6, so you need a different flexplate, pilot bushing and spacer. I got my Flexplate from a L24/8? Maxima, and the bolts work too. Everything other than the bolt quantity is the same. i'd bet the trans coolers came from factory, mine is integrated into my rad. Zilla beat me :sneaky: Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 It would appear that I've blown the head gasket on my L16 (foamy coolant, disappearing coolant). I have a fresh L20 but it has a manual fly wheel on it. I know I need an L20 flex plate but do I also need an L20 torque converter? I've done motor swaps before but never anything with an auto trans. Will the pilot bushing be the same from manual to auto? Are there any seals that I will need for the torque converter or anything? My plan is to just pull the motor and leave the trans in place. Truck is a '73 620 with 3 speed auto, not sure of the exact number on the trans but I can crawl under there after work and have a look if they came with different styles. Did the trucks come with trans oil coolers from the factory? If not would it be a good idea to install one since I'll have the motor out? Any help or hints are welcome Torque converters are the same on all L16/18 and L20B 620 3N71B automatics. No pilot bushing needed or used on an automatic. But be sure to get the two 6 bolt hole spacers that sandwich the flex plate No seals needed for the torque converter. The 3N71B does have coolant lines to the rad. Wow late to the party!. Quote Link to comment
Tristin Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Wow late to the party!. Youre just in time for the Lemon Party though... Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Thanks everyone for the info. Would this work? Shit, bad link, hold on Here we go http://www.ebay.com/itm/1982-Datsun-Nissan-280ZX-Turbo-flexplate-bolts-and-crank-adapter-Used-/160854482205?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2573ac9d1d&vxp=mtr Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Looks like it would, for $10 Why not give it a shot!! lol I paid $10 for the bolts!! Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Won't work. Care to elaborate? Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Oh, I see you modified your post. Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Oh, I see you modified your post. Oh the link, yeah I fixed it ;) Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Unbolt the torque convertor before you pull the engine, it should stay in the transmission. Forgive my ignorance but, how would I go about unbolting the converter before pulling the engine? I assume the converter is bolted to the flex plate? I have the shop manual at home, I'm just not at home at the moment. Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Forgive my ignorance but, how would I go about unbolting the converter before pulling the engine? I assume the converter is bolted to the flex plate? I have the shop manual at home, I'm just not at home at the moment. There is a plate that you unbolt from the bottom of the plate the sandwiches between the block and tranny. You just undo them with a wrench and turn the converter over until you undo all 4. Then you slide the tranny off, like literally pull the tranny off. Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 That black part Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Awesome! Thanks for the info Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 :thumbup: Get to it!! :lol: Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Just won the flex plate on the flea bay so it's on! Quote Link to comment
DAT510 Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Just won the flex plate on the flea bay so it's on! Woot :thumbup: :w00t: Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Follow up question, is there a difference between the manual trans radiator and auto trans radiator? I know there's a tranny oil cooler in the auto rad but is there also one that's not being used in the manual tranny rad? Reason I ask is I have a newish rad from a '79 620, but it had a manual tranny. I haven't really examined it to see if there are any plugged ports or anything. Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 yes, the difference is that the Radiator for automatic has an fluid cooler built it . The Radiator for manual does not have the cooler. Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Was afraid of that :/ Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 No the auto tranny rad has the cooler the man does not. Unless they were to have run low on man rads then an auto might have been used instead but not normally the case. There's a better chance that a PO replaced the rad with one from an automatic. If all you can find is a man rad, just get an inline trans cooler and mount in front of the rad. Quote Link to comment
Drummerboy4as Posted August 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 That's not a terrible idea. The trans coolers aren't terribly expensive on rock auto. Might mount an oil cooler at the same time.... Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Wrecking yards are full of them. I used to have an '82 Omni and only had a standard rad available. I pulled the finned condenser from an old air conditioner (or maybe a fridge?) and mounted it in front of rad. Drove it across the northern US to BC and all over. 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.