kgrantkey Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 After doing a mock up on my L20B the new-used KA oil pump is installed as close as right I think,,,see picture.... Now when I place my distributor so it meshes with the drive stem from the oil pump the matchbox is on the exhaust manifold side. I think I read all I need to do is flip the L shaped bracket....... And that will turn my distributor 180. I'll need to move the spark plug wires accordingly but should be OK. Am I on the right track? Or should I dig out an older Dizzy and see if it's set up better? This one is in good shape as far as rhe ball bearings under the advance plate and I'd like to use this one Thabks for your help. Quote Link to comment
smoke Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 Yeah, looks pretty straight forward, as long as it does not hit anything when it's pointing the other way. Quote Link to comment
Guest Rick-rat Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Are you sure you are at #1 for the timing, make sure # 1 is at the top of the bore. Might just need to turn the engine over I turn. Could you package up that excess silicon and send it to me, I'm running a little low. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Assuming you are at precisely TDC on the compression stroke on #1 cylinder... You have to drop the oil pump and remove and turn the drive spindle 180 in order to 180 the distributor from where it is now. I think I read all I need to do is flip the L shaped bracket....... Maybe once the distributor is properly in position in order to have adjustment range but flipping that plate or the base won't do it. Quote Link to comment
kgrantkey Posted February 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Assuming you are at precisely TDC on the compression stroke on #1 cylinder... You have to drop the oil pump and remove and turn the drive spindle 180 in order to 180 the distributor from where it is now. Maybe once the distributor is properly in position in order to have adjustment range but flipping that plate or the base won't do it. Yes I started at TDC before I put the head on and have been very careful to keep it there. I have a homemade wire to put in the spark plug hole and with the front cover on I made sure the marks were correct with my piston floating at the TDC location. The piston wants to stay at TDC for just a fraction and the middle of that fraction is TDC for me. Of course the cam lobes are at 10 and 2 so I geass I'll rotate the KA oil pump 180 like you said Mike, Thanks for keeping me from running down the rabbit hole. :) Quote Link to comment
smoke Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Does the distributor only fit on that drive one way? I did not know that. Quote Link to comment
kgrantkey Posted February 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Could you package up that excess silicon and send it to me, I'm running a little low. The 1st motor I ever built I was 15 years old and it was a SBC 283. Back then the rear oil seal was a cotton rope like seal. That whole motor leaked like a fountain. I promise there is more sealent on the outside than was squished into the inside. Hi temp red/orange is my favorite unless otherwise called for, and just for You I'll wiipe off the excess next time. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Does the distributor only fit on that drive one way? I did not know that. Yes only one way. The 'screwdriver blade' is slightly off to one side so there is a small half moon to the front and a larger half moon to the rear. This is why only turning the drive spindle will allow the rotor to turn to a new direction. 1 Quote Link to comment
smoke Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 AH, now I see it. Thanks, good to know. Quote Link to comment
Guest Rick-rat Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 I have seen 1 engine that the distributor would go in either way OP definitely used enough force on it that made the tang the same size on each end, put another dist on it went 180 out too. Quote Link to comment
smoke Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 I'm mostly used to domestic, where you can just chuck it it about anywhere. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Later Z24i and KA use a spline. The screwdriver in slot is way too sloppy for proper timing control on an EFI motor with a CAS.. Quote Link to comment
smoke Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 What year did they do away with the distributor all together with Nissan? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 15, 2014 Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 Well they switched to CAS mid '80 (the late 280zx had it) and in one form or another I think it's still used. Some of the later KAs had a sensor that 'read' the flywheel. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Cant one just rotate the pedastal with the dizzy on it and rotate it on the front cover 180 and your done thern move the sparkplug wires. about 3 min job, The way you have it will work also. I really dont know if they get that hot to worry about it. as I have never ran a matchbox. Quote Link to comment
smoke Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Or just turn the rotor until it drops in (same idea) I'm not sure why not to be perfectly honest. Quote Link to comment
Farmer Joe Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 id do it like hainz said... unbolt the 2 10mm headed bolts that hold the pedestal rotate the pedestal with the distributor 180. redo the 2 10mm headed bolts that hold the pedestal. you will now have to take the plug wires off the cap and look at where the rotor is facing now to make it #1. and then hook up the rest accordingly. the tang that sticks out with the 1 10mm bolt in it for locking the timing should point forward anyways, so youre on the right track wanting to turn it around. Quote Link to comment
kgrantkey Posted February 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Cant one just rotate the pedastal with the dizzy on it and rotate it on the front cover 180 and your done thern move the sparkplug wires. about 3 min job, The way you have it will work also. I really dont know if they get that hot to worry about it. as I have never ran a matchbox. Done. Thanks Hainze. I knew it was simple. Sometime I tend to over-think things, I've got the lash set on each cam lobe and am very close to installing the transmission and dropping it in my truck, Looking forward to driving it around some. It ran good with worn out rings so it should run better with new pistons 30 over. The last time I re-ringed it I didn't have to even worry about ring gap with standard size rings. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Just make sure the the oil pump is full before start up. what head gasket you use? the Felpro HG is cutting is close and then your .030 the gasket edge is almost in the bore. Quote Link to comment
kgrantkey Posted February 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Just make sure the the oil pump is full before start up. what head gasket you use? the Felpro HG is cutting is close and then your .030 the gasket edge is almost in the bore. Will do on the oil pump and I am using Fel-Pro head gasket. The pistons came out of another motor and It had a felpro gasket. I laid it on top of the block after it'd been mashed flat and it is a close fit but the pistons do not seem to interfere with the gasket. They are stock L20b just a larger size. I do see what you mean, If the pistons were such that they came just above the sleeve it would be a close call. In the future what gasket would you recommend? I saw this posted....... Dime Dave 86mm is a .040" overbore on the L20B which is pretty typical overbore on a rebuild. Most any replacement gasket for an L20B will handle that amount of overbore. I've use FelPro, no issues with them. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Nissan used to make a 87mm bore gasket and I got some aftermarket ones from Datsport in Australia. They made in Japan but dont seem to sell them here. hopefully your fine. its just so you dont have a hot edge on the bore then the gasket fails prematurely Quote Link to comment
kgrantkey Posted March 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 I have changed my mind on the distributor Im gonna use. Its one I scavenged years ago and found while looking for all my dizzy parts. It uses the Chevy HEI which I've also had for years. Got it for a spare when I had a 79 620 than ended down here in Alabama. Didn't get the electronic box behind the passenger kick panel. When I dropped it in The rotor lined up right on the rotor cap with a line on it indicating #1 plug wire. The distributor is as tight as a drum no looseness or wiggle and the bearings seem perfect under the advance plate. One day I'll get all my distributors sorted out. I have noticed the screw hole on the bottom left corner has broken off on two of the matchbox modules. Now I just have to rewire it for the HEI module. Quote Link to comment
kgrantkey Posted March 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 Now if I could put about 3 of them together. I'm still finding dizzy parts. Quote Link to comment
H5WAGON Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 You can also just put the #1 plug wire where #4 was....and continue firing order. B) Quote Link to comment
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