jmunky90 Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 Picked up a beautiful 73 620. She's a standard cab, 2wd, auto with the L16. Engine would run good, if i could get it started... The flexplate is stripped on 2 sides and apparently there is no getting my hands on a replacement one.... Does anyone have a flexplate for an L16?!?!?!?! Anyone know of anywhere i could have one made? Otherwise, i may have to just start with the original reason for purchasing this truck. I've got a mint rb26 sitting in my garage that i brought back from japan ten years ago. Already have all kinds of accessories for it and even the rb25 trans. Only real problem with that set up is how light the rear of this truck is... No traction... Anyone have any better ideas? Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 if the diameter of the rigs are the same you could buy the 6 bolt one i have and weld the ring gear to your existing 5 bolt set up Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted September 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 whats your measurement? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 The only differance between the L16/18 and the L20B flexplates is the 5 or 6 crank bolts. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 we have a winner!!!!! so if you can weld then ur good to go man. I have a 6 bolt flex plate i can sell you Quote Link to comment
Alec 720 Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 A RB26 would probably work better in a 240Z... Is it the RB26DETT? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted September 18, 2013 Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 Otherwise, i may have to just start with the original reason for purchasing this truck. I've got a mint rb26 sitting in my garage that i brought back from japan ten years ago. Already have all kinds of accessories for it and even the rb25 trans. Only real problem with that set up is how light the rear of this truck is... No traction... Anyone have any better ideas? It won't fit. The two extra cylinders will put the rad into the grill or you will have to butcher the firewall and remove the heater. Oil pan will need to be modified for rear sump. This isn't a great idea and really rough on a 620. A 240/260/280z is perfect for this. 1 Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted September 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 How much for the flexplate? I am aware of the complication involved in the swap, I have done days worth of research and measuring. That is also reasoning why I have not started cutting, I just dot have the time for that size of project. I've actually purchased several cars in past years for this project only for me to decide against the marriage and sell it off or park it out back. If i could find an early z that was worth a shit and didn't cost a fortune i would jump on it. But another thing.. its been done a million times, I want her in something that no one would see coming. I want to build the ultimate in sleepers, even thought about getting the AWD trans set up again and shoehorning it into an NX pulsar, now wouldn't that be some funny shit. Quote Link to comment
Eagle_Adam Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 PM me an offer Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 So my 73 620 that i picked up for a steal turns out to NOT be all original. I originally picked her up to tunnel her out and stuff my RB26 in it. I know its a huge project and there is a lot of reinforcing to be done to make it feasible. I am also very sentimental when it comes to classics so im not super eager to cut up something this rare. But after disassembling the engine for a rebuild, i measure pistons and find them to be 85mm... Wait a minute.. So i check the crank stroke, 78mm... this can't be right... Scrape the shit out of the side of the bare block to get down to metal and guess what i find.... Yep, L18.... So even though its an original automatic truck, its not worth as much because the engine is not even the right size, let alone numbers matching... So what do you guys think i should do? A. Put it back together and drive it as is... or B. Gut and cage this bitch for an RB26. I recently made a pretty good investment purchase, that when sold should fund the finish off the RB engine set-up just fine. The rest of the chassis build can be pieced together as i go. Or i could just throw a new set of pistons and gaskets in the 18 and hope that auto trans is gonna work properly. What do i do??? Quote Link to comment
yellowdatsun Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Wait, what? Your plan was to stuff an RB26 into it, and your sad that the truck isn't original? The early 620's came with L-18's. It wasn't until the later years that they had the L-20's. So it's likely the truck IS original. It's up to you what to do with it, but throwing a RB26 into it will not make for a good street driver, since you'll be butchering the firewall so the engine can fit. Putting a straight six into a 4 cyl Datsun never results in a good vehicle. If you want a drag racer, the RB would be fine. If you want a street driver, pick a shorter engine, or stick with the L-18. Quote Link to comment
r0p0doe Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Put it back together and drive as is while you stack parts for the swap... Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 73-74s were L18 stock. I think you should just rock it. Stick the RB somewhere else. Quote Link to comment
Farmer Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 '72-'73 came with L16 '74 w/L18 '75-79 w/L20b Put it back together drive it until your ready for the swap. Just make sure once you start tearing into it, finish it! 3 Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 '72-'73 came with L16 '74 w/L18 '75-79 w/L20b Put it back together drive it until your ready for the swap. Just make sure once you start tearing into it, finish it! exactly, this one came original 16, Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 But the problem is, why put several hundred dollars into rebuilding a stock 18 when i could put that money into the swap? is anyone going to want to buy the 18 when i pull it back out? Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Are you really going to be able to do what it takes to put an RB in the 620 vs. getting an L18 running? Why was the L taken apart? Sould be real easy to get it running again. Very few Datsuns anymore have their original motor. Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I definitely agree, its the simplest of engines, we pulled her apart to check bearings and replace gaskets since i had them and she was out for a flex plate anyway. We found terrible build up on the pistons and crud resembling dog shit on the number 3 and 1. Rings were seized on the #3 and the #4 for some reason was ring-lipped to hell and therefore is requiring an overbore. Pistons and rings are going to cost me around $400 for the hp ones or $300 for basic. now i need a new head gasket, since i bought the kit for the 16 and i still dont even know if the trans is gonna work properly. Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 16 and 18 use the same gaskets. EDIT: But different HGs. Quote Link to comment
ArchetypeDatsun Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Your gonna make your life easier to stick with what you have or acquire another L18 or L20B. Fix it, drive it and enjoy it! Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Most head gaskets are the L18/L20B size, you'd have to be pretty specific to get an L16 head gasket nowadays. The rest of the gaskets are the same between an L16 and L18, in fact the Felpro kit is for both. The transmission was identical, as is the flexplate (an L20B one OTOH would be different). It's vary rare for any Datsun to have the original engine, and 1974 was about the last year they even put the engine serial number on the dataplate anyway. For it to even be worth considering as a "numbers matching" truck it'd have to be pretty pristine. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 You can put the two extra cylinders in the glove box. 2 Quote Link to comment
jmunky90 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 My colleagues here are suggesting i fix it and sell it. An extended cab is what i actually wanted when this one fell into my lap and would make my life way easier with the swap. Especially if i can find one with 4wd. Anyone know of one for sale, and maybe someone who would want mine when she's working again? Quote Link to comment
tr8er Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 You can put the two extra cylinders in the glove box.Isn't that about standard on these RB swaps? Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Isn't that about standard on these RB swaps? Wouldn't know. They never get finished. 2 Quote Link to comment
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