Justin Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 ....And I'm fearing catastrophic engine damage. :hmm: I was down in (the next town over) and I heard some interesting noise from the engine bay (L16) and so I swung in the Wal-Mart parking lot to check it out. Several (2 or 3) of the rocker arms had swung off the top of the valves- I managed to get them back on and I thought everything was hunky-dory so I proceeded home. "Home" is uphill the whole way, and the truck was sluggish and acted shitty the whole time. Instead of pulling over for further inspection, I decided my 620 would get me home so I just "throttled-through"- About a mile or so before town I noticed severe power loss, heard some clattering shit followed by a "bang" and puff of grey smoke and then it suddenly died. Haven't pulled the head yet, but I'm expecting to see a valve or two stuck in the top of a piston... A few years ago a dude up here was unloading all his Datsun stuff super cheap, so I do have a few extra motor parts/parts motors, but it's shitty 'cause I have court this coming Wednesday and I can't decide if I should try to bust my ass to get the engine running again/do a motor swap, or just call it quits and sell everything and get a fucking scooter/take the bus/get a cab/some other option 'cause I'm sick of all this fucking shit. I dunno, for me the worst part is I wanted my 620 to be my driver, not my project. And with it breaking on me I'm starting to think that I should just sell it, and every other project, and get a gas-sipping scooter or a bus pass and focus all my energy on the '57 ford my grandpa gave me. But he's passed, the ford has a V8 (re: gas mileage) and it still needs a ton more work than the Datsun or the 'yota.... and, my step side 620 is pretty cool. (when it runs!) B) So...? What the heck should I do? :frantics: (smoke a blunt probably... But I got no WEED!!!!!) :crying: Quote Link to comment
Busta Nut Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 :console: Step 1. Get some weed... Step 2. Smoke a phatty.... Step 3. Rip head off and send to machine shop to replace all valve seats.....and possibly a few valves... Sounds like the seats fell out....happened to Skyblue521 awhile back....get them all replaced... Can't remember what the originals were made of but they tend to cool quicker than the head and just fall out when you turn the engine off and a valve is open.... ....it's really common....it's not just happening to you. Step 4. Sell everything but the Datto......and maybe the Ford....that probably has some sentimental value. Step 5. Put Datto back together because nothing is gonna be more satisfying.... Step 6. Smoke a celebration Phatty!! :thumbup: 2 Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Thanks bro, totally needed that! Quote Link to comment
Busta Nut Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 No problem, dude. If you were closer I'd come over and help ya out... .....with both issues. :D 1 Quote Link to comment
laotsu Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 No reefer in Paradise? Go for a hike, I'll bet you find some. 1 Quote Link to comment
Dawa Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 you and i have something in common i think, in that we tend to stress/worry and think the very worst has happened, but a lot of times in my experiences, the outcome isnt that bad. take some time to rip that head off. idk if youve done it before but it doesnt take long at all. check out whats going on in there. but here is your plan for court: assume the worst, first. assume the car is fucked (but know that you CAN fix it.) assume youre gonna need a ride to court (rental/friend/etc) and get that worry out of the way. in the mean time, bust your ass anyway trying to get that datsun back on the road. Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Dawa- Yea man, "Plan for the worst, hope for the best" is the saying I'm familiar with... laotsu- Good thinking! Triple240z- Hahaha, coolness! 'preciate that! Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Ohhhhhh.... F-bomb.... So I tried getting the motor to TDC- Wouldn't budge. Pulled the plugs, this is what they looked like: 1st plug: a little black 2nd plug: black, and the "hook" contact was mashed behind the center contact 3rd & 4th: contacts were completely obliterated.... And, my motor appears frozen. So I guess now I'm pulling the head w/o having it a TDC. Fearing the worst. And what time is it? NOT 4:20 <_< Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Ew. You crashed a valve or two. Did you ever adjust your rocker gap? Next engine you put it, make that a priority. Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 Well, I sure tried to adjust them cold, (that's the "feeler gauge" in between the rocker arm & cam, correct?) but never bothered to when they were hot... So, should I bother pulling the head still or should I just pull the motor? Looks like I'll be building my dang L20b now... Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 If your rockers fell out though...? Loose parts cause damage. It takes no time to pull the head. Maybe you'll get lucky. Quote Link to comment
Busta Nut Posted August 4, 2013 Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 Pull the head.....damage is done......can't really get worse if you don't run it.....and you HAVE to find out what exactly happened. Well, you don't...but now you got me curious.... Adjusting the valves cold is good enough.....unless something was loose.....it won't cause engine damage. I adjusted my valves cold and drove to Canby cause I didn't have time.....everything was fine.....you might get some tapping when hot...but that's the worst. Quote Link to comment
TENDRIL Posted August 4, 2013 Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 this your truck? 2 Quote Link to comment
HRH Posted August 4, 2013 Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 Fuck that motor. Even if you do pull the head, you've likely grenaded shit. Just find another L16 for $100. They're literally a dime a dozen. I have an old pos but rebuildable L16 in my garage right now. Actually, I have two. Can't hardly give them away. If you were closer, I'd let you have one, but you're not. Stop wasting your money on weed and buy a 20B out of pull and slave!!! :) 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted August 4, 2013 Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 Just find another L16 for $100. They're literally a dime a dozen. :poke: Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted August 4, 2013 Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 Damaged plugs are from something bouncing around in there. Maybe a small chunk of piston or foreign object though unlikely in two cylinders. Pull the head with the manifolds on. It will be lighter to yard the block out later. Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted August 4, 2013 Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 if rebuild is needed the motor needs to be in pieces anyways pull the head and take some pics these L series motors are pretty solid and durable but do fail sometimes I suspect what tripple said hopefully your pistons are ok but a picknpull motor is an easy fix if they are toast Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 Tendril- That's my ride, down at the flumes (before I re-indexed the torsion bars and stuck the back slider window in anyway)! HRH- Hella. It sounds like I need to shop where YOU shop, hahaha. And if I was blown' all my dough on weed, I'd have some, lol :D Well, started hacking into it- was hoping only the head would be damaged, but when I pulled the intake I noticed that that probably wouldn't be the case- (See the chunk of shrapnel in the 3rd port? Yeah, bad sign-) F***********************************KKKK!!! No #4 cylinder and water in the 1st Piston #4??? NO MOAR And, the bent valve culprit (and CHUNKS in the other cylinders preventing the valves from closing): So now I'm gonna post the blocks I DO have and see if I can get some advice on which one might be assembled with the least amount of effort.... Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2013 Yep! Don't see myself continuing to run this engine... Quote Link to comment
Justin Posted August 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Help me pick & choose: L18's (have timing covers, etc)- L20b's- *(not pictured: L20b with exposed, rusted crank) I'd like to just hone the cylinders and slap one of these together, lol How do-able ????????? Quote Link to comment
Dawa Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 lol holy shit! no cylinder! i have never seen/heard of that. not laughing at your plight, just the situation... 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Which of these rotate? That will be your starting point. 1 Quote Link to comment
TENDRIL Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 yea my buddy took that pic. he sent it to me , he lives in paradise as well Quote Link to comment
Dawa Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 :) if youre gonna get an L18 just get an L20. a little bit more sought after and so a little less common but im sure youll find one and itll be worth it. go buy that 'how to rebuild a datsun' book, its freakin awesome. 2 Quote Link to comment
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