Datsun B310 turbo coupe, A15 project

[Atomic]

Knock knock, who's there.. ConRod #4. So I warmed up the engine to test the relay system for the fans. The engine warmed up slowly and then reached its operating temperature and the fans triggered on automatically, cool. So I maintained a steady temperature for the engine, but there was still a small knocking sound coming from the motor. I shut down the engine, rechecked the valve clearances, 2 valves needed a slight adjustment, were off by 0.05mm. Started the engine again, still knocking.. Oil pressure had dropped down to 0.6 bars when idling at 800RPM @ operating temperature of 87-90C. I opened up the oil pan and the ConRod 4 was movable by hand a tiny bit so I took the bearings out:

 

The ceramic coating was worn off a bit, revealing the original surface beneath, nothing major had happened what I can tell. Other rods were not moving even a slightest when I tried with hand. I have a theory that when I was assembling the engine back in 2013, I had the old torque wrench that uses the needle to tell the torque rating. The same one that I used later to snap a bolt because the reading was so off. So I might just have the torque spec incorrectly on ConRod 4 and that's how it got loose. I never rev the engine above 3000 RPM. The crankshaft journals look superb and no other damage is visible anywhere. So I just re-ordered new set of conrod bearings and a new kit of ceramic coating. They will arrive during the next week. I will take all the other bearings from the conrods too just to inspect them. I will re-torque everything down with my new torque wrench that has the clicker.

 

I'm glad tho that this happened now and I took the actions immediately to avoid further damage. I will have a 2 week holiday starting after the next week. I'll be planning to get the car tuned then and will be prepping the doors and panels.

 

 

[Lonestar]

On 3/16/2019 at 3:06 PM, Atomic said:

Got the other side on too:

 

That's hot!

That, right there, you stole my idea and dam does that look bad a$$. I want to mod the taillights on my 210 (B310 US ver) but I wanted to keep everything I was going to use to be retro parts from other Nissan vehicles. Looked at the Skyline model taillights and got a pair from the 72/73 Skyline but then I saw those 70 model Camaro Taillights and was like...Yes...this will look so freakin awesome. I need your parts list, your pulling off stuff I want to do my 210, keep up the good work man!

[Atomic]

3 hours ago, Lonestar said:

That, right there, you stole my idea and dam does that look bad a$$. I want to mod the taillights on my 210 (B310 US ver) but I wanted to keep everything I was going to use to be retro parts from other Nissan vehicles. Looked at the Skyline model taillights and got a pair from the 72/73 Skyline but then I saw those 70 model Camaro Taillights and was like...Yes...this will look so freakin awesome. I need your parts list, your pulling off stuff I want to do my 210, keep up the good work man!

I should have a parts list in excel format somewhere in these pages 🤔

[Atomic]

I changed the conrod bearings, the clack is there still. I'm now suspecting a piston slap, so a worn out piston pin. I'm probably going to buy a set of forged pistons while at it and put the beefy H-beam forged rods which I bought earlier. I'm having a holiday for 2 weeks and if I can get the pistons I'll be expecting to finish the job in a week. I'll be pulling the cylinderhead off with the intake and exhaust manifolds still on it so I just have to swap the head gasket. What a journey.. 😂

Edited July 6, 2019 by Atomic

[datzenmike]

Plasti-gage the crank rod bearing first. Start off knowing if it is, or isn't, the cause. Might as well do them all.

[Atomic]

4 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Plasti-gage the crank rod bearing first. Start off knowing if it is, or isn't, the cause. Might as well do them all.

The crank was machined to 0.25 oversize and it had new bearings. I changed all of the conrod bearings now and it was still claking. I sure need to find some plastigauge too 

[Atomic]

I'm pulling the engine out. I'll be boring the engine cylinder to a larger size and order a custom set of forged pistons. I'll be using the beefy H-profile conrods too this time. During this week I'll be focusing on the bodywork tho. I'll be pulling the engine out during next week. The set of forged pistons will be around 800 euros for set of 4. I will be using the same compression ratio as I have now and with the same offset dish design as the original. I try to pull the cylinderhead with intake and exhaustmanifolds still on it. I have already ordered a new set of head gaskets. I just want to do everything correct this time, get the engine to 1-1.5 bar boost and buy a set of larger injectors while at it. I moved next to the garage also, so I'll be able to work full time on the car after office hours nowdays too. 

[Atomic]

Oh, it just occurred to me, what if the crankshaft has been machined incorrectly when I had it machined back in the days, and there is too much rod side clearance that causes the knock? I need to confirm this later. I recall that the rods were moving quite a lot sideways

Edited July 8, 2019 by Atomic

[Atomic]

I went back and checked the bearings i pulled out from the conrods. It seems like all of them had worn out sides, wouldn't this indicate that there is too much side play with the conrods?

[Atomic]

Here is the picture of the ''old'' conrod bearings

 

I'm also trying to finish the rear panel and get the lights in their final places. I welded some M6 hex key bolts to the back side and was able to secure the tail lights:

 

I might wanna build a rear diffuser in the future, and maybe try a rear spoiler also. I should also check what I can do to the front of the vehicle to make it look a bit meaner. 

[Atomic]

Glued some 80 grid sandpaper to my 140 mm saw drill to round out the tail light holes.

 

got good progress with the rear panel, I decided to cut out the section where 3 body plates meet up:

 

here are also the welded studs at the back to mount the tail lights:

[Atomic]

Painted the rear panel from the inside with 2k gray industrial paint, I still need to finish the welds from the seams so didn't paint it all the way. I will try to prep the outside soon too so I can start painting the acid paint and after that put some bondo over it.

 

also the plastigauge set arrived:

[Atomic]

Wiseco forged pistons ordered, it will take around 4 weeks to arrive.

Specs: 

Diameter: 77 mm (I will bore the block to larger size)

Piston pin dia: 19 mm

Comes with piston skirt coatings

Has the same offset dish as original pistons

CR of 8.9:1

I gave a HP wish up to 320 hp with 2 bar boost pressure.

 

Lets do this *throws money to the engine bay* 😂

 

Pistons were custom ordered from flatlander-ipp.nl, they also mentioned that they same some high compression ratio pistons made previously for A15 engine, also something for turbo application.

[Atomic]

I think I made a good call when I decided to cut the rear panel, the shavings were quite rusty and would have caused trouble in the long run anyways:

 

I have been prepping the car for first layer of base coat acid paint:

 

[Atomic]

Started to disassemble the motor, took the head out in 2.5 hours:

 

Seems like some smutch had gotten into the motor while assembling it last time. And the hone that I did could be much better. So It's fairly good that I will rebuild the motor yet again with more knowhow than last time. But everything else looks good as it should, no bent valves or hitmarks on the pistons or anything like that. The ceramic coatings seemed to be all intact on all pistons and on the cylinder head too.

[datzenmike]

 

Not really good enough and really not good enough for a turbo engine. I applaud you over boring and going to over size pistons.

 

 

As to rod side clearance, I don't think a shop would add any. As long as the top of the rod is centered on the press in pin everything should line up and self center.

[Atomic]

32 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

 

Not really good enough and really not good enough for a turbo engine. I applaud you over boring and going to over size pistons.

 

 

 

As to rod side clearance, I don't think a shop would add any. As long as the top of the rod is centered on the press in pin everything should line up and self center.

 

 

Yeah I dodged one bullet right there I think.

 

And we'll see, maybe the clacking was from the 3rd conrod this time. I'm picking up the motor hoist tomorrow and hopefully pulling out the motor too and having it on a motor stand. 

[Atomic]

Borrowed a engine hoist from the friend of mine because it's compact enough to get to the front of the car without moving it:

Everything else is disconnected from the block and I just need to either pull out the transmission first or leave it there. I'll be waiting for a transmission lift that I have in other storage hall that my father will bring me later this evening. So maybe by tomorrow the engine is off, time to tinker the block next a bit.

 

[Atomic]

The transmission lfit was a true lifesaver in this disassembly, only thing that would be great to have is to have lower minimum height especially in a hole like this

And off we go to lift the engine:

 

And then roll back under the car to get the tranny moved a bit, this took like 4 times back and fourth:

I was so exited that I jazzed some ATF fluid over my pants when I got the tranny out 😄 (the right upper corner with a bolt is leaking as seen from a picture)

Left with a messy engine bay, geez that's a lot of wire, vacuum hoses and waterlines.

But I'm happy I got it done as for now. I'll be trying to get the motor and the transmission again together since this felt quite painful this way of pulling them separately out. Now I'm waiting for the 3D files for the pistons for me to confirm those and off they go to production. I'll probably tinker around with the oil pan a bit, I have couple of things in mind for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

 

Must have missed the description of the transmission. What is it? I don't recognize it at all. Love the remote shifter.

[Atomic]

34 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Must have missed the description of the transmission. What is it? I don't recognize it at all. Love the remote shifter.

It's the Volvo M47 5 speed manual. It has a bigger version of M90 also for the future. They share the same housing, so I could use my custom adapter to swap M90 later on if I have troubles with the M47. 

[Atomic]

I went into a shopping spree, bought an oil cooler based on info here:

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/document.asp?DocID=TECH00133

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pdfs/SetrabApplicationSuggestions.pdf

 

chose the: 50-144-7612 with the HP range. That product was equal to 44 row oil-cooler with quite minimal pressure difference for the system about 1 PSI. Well I was looking for next In line since all 44 row oil coolers were 200 USD range or so. So I settled with 40 row cooler with AN10 fittings. What's the location I'm able to cram that humongous cooler you might ask? Under the hood where the battery used to sit. I'm going to install some hood vents to both front corners of the hood. I Also bought an electric fan for the oil cooler, so I can trigger the oil cooler fan again via thermoswitch and the cooler will be pulling fresh air from the hood vents into the engine bay. I'll be posting some mockup pictures later. Here are some photos of the bought items:

I really like the oil filter adapter since it has also 1/8 npt thread plugs for oil temp sensor etc, really handy.

[datzenmike]

 

F350 diesel Ford cooler. Free. There's a second fan behind it pulling air in. Really don't need it but it does remove engine heat. A turbo engine has to have an oil cooler, it's a must. 

[Atomic]

4 hours ago, datzenmike said:

F350 diesel Ford cooler. Free. There's a second fan behind it pulling air in. Really don't need it but it does remove engine heat. A turbo engine has to have an oil cooler, it's a must. 

 

I noticed while even idling up the oil turns into low viscous fluid and you can hear the oil droplets splashing back to the oil pan after dripping from the piston skirts etc when the engine is off. Other this is that my bearing clearances could be too tight with the ceramic coating and thus heating up the oil really fast too. But yeah, I think it's a good thing to get an oilcooler sooner than later

[slowlearner]

I just finished an aircooled VW turbo project. They need more oil for a turbo setup. Either with a bigger pan, a cooler or both. I did both because I live where it gets to 100F pretty regularly. I'm a little mystified why you'd need that cooler in Finland. How hot does it get there in the Summer?

 

P.s. I'm enjoying your build though. 🙂