brutis75 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 looking to do all new motor rebuild or replace. I want to make this truck a cool custom daily driver but need it to be reliable. any suggestions would be great appreciated. I live in corona ca so any advice or help or shops would be great. thanks in advance. new to this 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Nice to meet you Brutis and welcome to ratsun. We have a huge 520/521 following. Take a look through the member's build threads. As always... post some pictures of your truck. 1 Quote Link to comment
505plus5 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Welcome!!! Yes, pics please. Just like cash, they also speak louder than words! Lol 1 Quote Link to comment
brutis75 Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks all really appreciate all the good words. I will post pics asap. Going to try to start this project this week if I get garage organized again hahaha....thanks again pics hopefully tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment
yellowdatsun Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Whats your skill level? If you want a reliable truck that you can easily daily drive on the freeway, put in a newer fuel injected motor. The problem you have is space in a 521's engine compartment, it's small. Sure the old L-series *can* be a reliable motor, but a modern engine will be *more*reliable. Plus, if it does break, you can get parts for a modern engine at any parts store anywhere. Parts for the L-series are getting hard to find. A KA24DE is a great motor, and parts are available anywhere. 1 Quote Link to comment
74datsun620 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Welcome to Ratsun!!! 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 The 520 is a tough one, you can get an L block in there if you have the skills, but it is tight. I have never been towed home in my L block powered trucks because of the engine, ever, I have had issues, but have always been able to get it home, or close enough to home to be able to walk home, get the part I need and ride my bike back, put the part on(fuel pump that time), and drive it home. I have had to be towed home because I put a dogleg 5 speed transmission in my truck and used it as a truck, I will never use one of them piece of shit transmissions in any of my trucks ever again, I could not drive it home because that POS locked up solid. The issue with the new engines is that you need to know what you are doing, you have to know wiring, and when it won't start, well it's a modern engine, good luck with that. If your J13 will run, get it going and drive it with that engine for a while, then decide what you want for a power plant, get everything you need, then take it apart and do the conversion. 3 Quote Link to comment
74datsun620 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I am with wayno, there is nothing wrong with a L motor!!! They always get you home, they just need more nut and bolt checks them modern motors. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Welcome! Pictures please. I own a 66 520 and am still rebuilding it, over 6 years now. Listen to Wayno he knows what he is talking about. read through Wayno's builds and please read my build and others before you make any decisions. The 520 is different in ways people that do not know them do not see. It takes owning and working on a 520 to learn its subtle differences from the 521. Quote Link to comment
brutis75 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 http://instagram.com/p/j5NgZsjnUK/ Quote Link to comment
brutis75 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 http://instagram.com/p/j5L2B8jnRU/ Quote Link to comment
brutis75 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Thanks for all the awesome words hoping to start this weekend on ripping it apart. Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I cannot get these photos to copy unless I save them and put them into one of my photo hosting accounts, otherwise I would post them for you. It's a nice looking truck, looks like you have had it for a while(11 months?), does it run? I seen your message, but no time to answer right now, will get back to you later today. BTW, reliable usually means stock, but a vehicle can be reliable modified, it just kinda depends on what type of modified one is talking about. http://instagram.com/p/j5NgZsjnUK/ http://instagram.com/p/j5L2B8jnRU/ 1 Quote Link to comment
RatVonDude Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Some reason my L 16 decided to go faster. I love that motor. That's funny wayno that the 5 speed , dogleg set up was a bust, couldn't agree more if you want to use it as a pickup. Quote Link to comment
yellowdatsun Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I am with wayno, there is nothing wrong with a L motor!!! They always get you home, they just need more nut and bolt checks them modern motors. The things is, that it will take almost as much work to put in an L-series, as it would a modern engine like a KA24DE. You'll have to do motor and transmission mount swaps, driveshaft mods, probable tunnel mods for the shifters, etc, for both of them. The only extra is the efi wiring for the KA (or any modern engine). Not worth putting in another old engine, if a little more work could get you a MUCH better motor. The problem you'll run into with both the L and KA, is space. The 520 is shorter than the 521, so even the L-series is a tight fit. You'll want to make motor mounts that get the engine as far back as humanly possible. Notching the firewall would be beneficial, and well worth the time for something like a KA. Easy to do, and gets you a lot of much needed space. Disregard my first post, I was thinking 521. The 520 had the J-series, which is stupid hard to find parts for. I know, I had 2 of them. Finding simple things can be impossible. There's no way I'd keep one in there if I was toying with the idea of an engine swap. I mean really, go to your local parts store and see if they even have one single part for the J-series. You'll end up searching forklift suppliers for parts, and even then it's really hard because the engine is so old, most parts they carry are for more modern motors. I've been down that road and it sucks, bad. 1 Quote Link to comment
datrod Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 Welcome to Ratsun. I posted on your IG acct. Nice little truck. There are a couple of us from Corona area on here. You'll fit right in. We also have a local meet on the third Saturday of the month. Next one on 1-17-15. In Moreno Valley. If you need any help sourcing parts or a motor for your truck send Mr Bigtanker a PM. 3 Quote Link to comment
datrod Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 I see you found me on IG about 2 minutes ago. 1 Quote Link to comment
brutis75 Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 Thx datrod really appreciate it I need to post pics I am still learning this site lol Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 Nice little retro rod. Welcome to Ratsun. 1 Quote Link to comment
brutis75 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 how can I post pictures Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 That is a hard question to answer, it kinda depends on what you are using for forum access. I have a desk top and opened a photo hosting account, then post the IMG code in my replies, I have google chrome. how can I post pictures Quote Link to comment
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