mxzlimbo Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 I bought a homemade log splitter and the motor that drives the hydraulic pump is a Nissan L20B w/serial #277023 with a W58 head on it. The owner told me it was a motor from the early 80's but didn't know an exact year. Now I need to change the head gasket because there is anti-freeze in the oil and 1 & 4 cylinders and need to order parts for it. 1. How do I find out the year of the motor? 2. Need a water pump. 3. Spark Plug #'s 4. Do I need new head bolts or can I use the same ones? 5. Is there a place to download a motor shop manual to rebuild motor? Thank you for help in advance. Will post pictures once I figure out how to. 1 Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 youl need to use a host like photoucket ect to post pictures. 1 Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 to answer a few of the questions when ordering parts for it order ones for a 78 620 you can reuse the head bolts 1 Quote Link to comment
converted_to_datsun Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Just tell them it's for a 1980 datsun 720 with the 2.0 motor. Should be able to get all the parts you need that way Here's a link to some helpful datsun motor stuff. Just look under specs for the L20b http://olddatsuns.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment
converted_to_datsun Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 78 works too haha 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 da fuck a log splitter with a 4 speed that is cool 1 Quote Link to comment
merlin Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 lol I own 3 woodsplitters.... you could replace all that engine with a 10 horse Briggs or Honda... might be cheaper than fixing the L20b... would drop your weight by 400 pounds at least. 1 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Fuck, what kind of logs are we talking about? 4cyl with 4 speed? I honestly thought this was going to be another buzz saw post.. lol 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 I wouldn't mind owning something like that, only draw back is you have to lift the rounds up there. 1 Quote Link to comment
converted_to_datsun Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 I've got one of those that hooks to the po shaft on a tractor. You can split logs in seconds that would take forever to split with an axe. 1 Quote Link to comment
Guest Rick-rat Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 My neighbor built a splitter years ago. Trailer mounted. Had a 350 olds engine for the pumps, A D-9 Cat blade cylinder for the ram, had a small hydraulic crane to load the rounds. nothing would resist that thing, only thing was it was as big as the pickup he hauled it around with. He had a lot of junk and time to play around with it 1 Quote Link to comment
crackerjack69 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Looks like an easy hg job with all those open angles. Maybe throw a timing chain on while yer in there. Cool toy :D 1 Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Add 2 more hydraulic motors and a seat and you can drive that thing around tank style B) 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 That thing is freakin' awesome! 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Be sure you know how to block the timing chain before removing the cam sprocket. If you don't know then ask because failure to do so will allow the chain tensioner to fall out inside the timing cover. The only way to fix this boo boo is to add 4 more hours to the job. W58 heads were used on all '78 and '79 S10 200sx and 620 trucks, '79 A10 HL510, '80 720 truck. Truth be told any L20B head gasket will work. Remove battery ground cable from head. Drain rad at least half way. Remove top rad hose from thermostat housing. Remove fuel pump. Loosen exhaust down pipe from exhaust manifold. Remove throttle cable. Remove choke heater and idle cut wiring from carb. Unhook the block vent hose to the PCV valve on back of intake behind carb. Disconnect the vacuum advance hose from distributor. Disconnect water by-pass hose from front of thermostat housing. Pull plug wires and remove distributor cap so it doesn't get damaged. Snap loose the cam sprocket bolt but DON'T remove yet. Place a long extension through the cam sprocket holes to lock the motor from turning. Don't forget to remove. Set the motor to TDC compression on #1 cylinder. Block timing chain tensioner so it cannot fall out. Mark the chain and the cam sprocket relationship so they go back together the same. When removing the head, leave the manifolds on. Saves trouble and parts. Just don't flip it upside down with the carb on it. Tilt up just enough to clean the old gasket off of it. Don't forget the four 10mm bolts around the front of the head that screw into the timing cover. Head bolts are 10mm hex or Allen head. Avoid rotating the cam once head is off. Clean head and block surface as clean as you possibly can. Put rags in the #2 and #3 cylinder to catch the crap. Clean bolt holes in block thoroughly. Head bolts are totally reusable. Clean and lightly oil threads. Head gasket goes on DRY!!!!!! Head bolts are tightened in a special order in three gradients. R A D 7....8 3....4 1....2 5....6 9..10 Use the above sequence and tighten all to 20 ft lbs, the same sequence to 40 ft lbs and the same sequence to a final 60 ft lbs. No need to re torque later but if you do only on a COLD motor and only one bolt at a time may be loosened and re torqued to 60 ft lbs. (any order) 1 Quote Link to comment
merlin Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 I like redneck tech, but this thing is retarded as a functional woodsplitter. this is a real practical woodsplitter i can have a crew of two working this thing and they can split wood as fast as an industrial machine... we did a side by side and we beat a 50k $ processor. Pull the engine, go to Harbor frieght or Princess auto, buy a side shaft 8 horse CHo(i)nda or CH(br)iggs, a rubber isolator set and sprockets like every sane woodsplitter, and have a woodsplitter that can be dragged around by two people not a truck... sell the datsun motor and likely make a profit on the conversion.... no battery, no gas tank, no rad... seriously! you are 91 HP into overkill land and the 8 hp will do the same job as long as your Hydraulic pump is properly sized, 1 Quote Link to comment
converted_to_datsun Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Well he might have a valid point... The harbor freight motor might be cheaper than the parts for the datsun motor and the datsun motor would pretty easily sell 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Changed my W58 head gasket three years ago and the total was $23 for the NAPA gasket. Guy wants info for fixing what he has. Even if he were to sell the motor and tranny he has to fix it first. 1 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Changed my W58 head gasket three years ago and the total was $23 for the NAPA gasket. Guy wants info for fixing what he has. Even if he were to sell the motor and tranny he has to fix it first. Thanks for bringing the this topic back to earth. Lets just answer the questions he asked. 1 Quote Link to comment
Sealik Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 1. Head gasket 2. Water pump. 3. Spark Plugs Probably under 100 bucks.....???......from Rockauto and or,............ US prices Looks like it's well built......and definitely has more splitting power than others on the market... :w00t: Remember...<.... Datsun engine!!!!.....add some side drafts....high lift cam....etc...good to go!!!.......................... :frantics: :D :D :D :D :D 1 Quote Link to comment
FiveSeventyZee Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 how sweet that would be! a log splitter with side drafts....ESP with a 1600 valve cover lol! 1 Quote Link to comment
dr.feltersnatch Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 i really want to see this thing in action! coolest log splitter ever 1 Quote Link to comment
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