Can anyone help me i.d. an L20b block/5-speed trans?

[620connor]

Hey guys, so i found an L20b engine with a W53 head and a 5-speed transmission attached to it. I have a 74 620 pickup with an L18 motor and 4-speed trans, and i want to swap it in if i can. I dont know what kind of datsun it came out of though, the L20b block i.d. number is 166026, and the 5-speed i.d. number is 5304 259. Can anyone tell me what i have here? Thanks in advance.

[hobbes_the_cat]

I have heard that the block ID number is useless to determine what car it came from. It shouldn't matter what it came from anyway. It's a L20b, it will fit. Any particular reason you need to know what car the motor is out of?

[datzenmike]

Engine ID is on the block just below the head behind the dip stick. It's odd that an L20B would have a W53 head so verify the L20B.

 

Tranny is best identified with a picture. The two most common 5 speeds are ...

 

FS5W63A 'dogleg' for the pecular shift pattern with reverse above first.

 

R 2 4

1 3 5

 

26 inches long. Front and rear aluminum cases with steel adapter plate sandwiched in the middle. Cases are smooth without ribs and speedometer is on left or driver's side.

 

 

Cover plate has 7 bolts around and one in the middle.

 

 

 

FS5W71B

 

Has regular H pattern shift with reverse below 5th gear over on the right. 31.5" long, front and rear aluminum cases with adapter plate in middle like the dogleg. Case has waffling or ribs cast into it and speedometer is on the right or passenger side.

 

 

 

Has 5 bolts holding the cover plate on.

 

If still not sure post a picture of it. http://community.ratsun.net/topic/691-how-to-post-pictures-and-keep-online-photo-albums/

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[ggzilla]

5-speed i.d. number is 5304 259

That is month/day code and line code. The ID code is big letters on the right side like "L71" or "63A"

[620connor]

Okay it's the FS5W63A dogleg 5-speed, I remember that for sure. Will it still work? Or is it too short. I wanted to know what car the engine came out of so I can order the right parts for it, or does it matter?

[datzenmike]

The shorter 5 speed will work if you can find the front half (or the whole thing, but you only need the front) of an earlier '73 620 driveshaft. The L16 equipped 620 also had a short 4 speed and that longer driveshaft is all you need. Well, the rear mount may need modifying to fit the different 63A mount.

[620connor]

If the transmission is 6.5" shorter then how does the shifter stick match up in the same location though? I'm kinda confused about that.

[datsunaholic]

It doesn't, it'll be 6.5" further forward. Really better to trade the dogleg for a normal 71B 5-speed that bolts directly in.

[620connor]

Thank you for all the help and info guys. Can I use any L20B parts for an L20B engine? Or does it matter?

[banzai510(hainz)]

L20s are taller

L20s six bolt flywheel L18 5 bolt

 

there soem difference. just what you want to know

[datsunaholic]

They're internally essentially identical. There are differences in smog equipment, cylinder head, and manifolds, but your engine of it has a W53 head is not stock anyway. Essentially 2 types: 1977 and older, and 1980 and newer. This determines what kind of manifolds have to be used, as the port design changed. The W53 has square exhaust ports, like the A87 that came stock on a 74 L18, but make sure it'd not really a W58, which had ROUND exhaust ports, and that would match a '78-80 L20B.

 

Flywheels are specific to vehicle type. Cars (610, 710, 200SX, and 78+ 510) used a 200mm flywheel and trucks used a 225mm flywheel. Your '74 L18 would have had a 225mm flywheel, but it's not compatible with a L20B due to a different bolt pattern. Oil pan is specific to vehicle- all had a slightly different one, but you would need a 620-specific one (along with the matching sump pickup tube). Those you CAN use off your old engine, unless you already have a truck type oil pan on the L20B (which is doubtful if it came with a dogleg, but not impossible).

 

 

As far as specific parts- everything internal is the same, except if you have a W53 head the exhaust valves aren't quite the same size (smaller) than stock L20B valves. Normal maintenance parts are the same- oil filters, dist cap/rotor (unless changed to an early small cap type, seen it happen). Water pumps are vehicle specific, but they all bolt on the same.

[620connor]

What year did datsun start producing the dogleg 5-speed on L20B engines?

[datzenmike]

'77 200sx.

[620connor]

Thank you for the help guys, I appreciate it.