My first datto - 1976 620 aka Dotty

[Hoodieburnholes]

Picked up my first Datsun a little while ago. Long time forum lurker and excited to finally have a build on here.

 

Details

Location (Portland, Oregon)

1976 620

L20b

4-speed manual

 

Currently it has a blown head gasket and (hopefully) minor wiring issues. I've been soldering up a 30/40 Bosch "hot start relay" to replace a faulty ford 4-post style relay. The head gasket gets done this week sometime. Hopefully you guys enjoy Dotty as much as I do.

 

[lbrooks6174]

sweet truck 

[bananahamuck]

If it is your first Datsun,, i would have to assume it is your first "Datsun L-motor head gasket replacement,,,,, may i ask if you have one of these??  Or something similar ?

 

http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648831-Nissan-Timing-Holding/dp/B0002Q8TV4

 

 

 

[Hoodieburnholes]

If it is your first Datsun,, i would have to assume it is your first "Datsun L-motor head gasket replacement,,,,, may i ask if you have one of these??  Or something similar ?

 

http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648831-Nissan-Timing-Holding/dp/B0002Q8TV4

 

 

 

 

I've seen h2theizzo's "L-series head gasket" replacement videos about 45 times.

 

I made a wedge block of wood from someone's build thread on here . Thanks for the tip, seems like dropping the tensioner = the end of the world.

[Hoodieburnholes]

Here is a glimpse into my last couple weeks.

 

 

Pounding out the devils tar paper with about 30lbs of dry ice. I'd recommend this technique to anyone wanting to strip cabin down.

 

 

 

I ran into a good amount of rust on the floor panels. I've heard of a guy on the east coast that sells panels for pretty expensive. I'm just going to ignore it until it gets annoying.

 

Seems like the rust is being caused by a small gap in the windshield gasket. Bought some flowable silacone to patch it until winters done (Oregon winters are no joke in terms of moisture).

 

Adding to the list of small purchases, I had to rekey the ignition cylinder because I lost the one and only orignial.To do this I had to pull the passenger side lock cylinder and had a key matched. When I put the brand new key inside the ignition to turn it something happened (my guess is that it sheered some of the wafers on the inside). All said and done about 2 days and 30$ later I had a new ignition cylinder with brand spanken new keys and 2 door locks with their own set of keys.

[Draker]

Do you have any pictures of the floors after they are all cleaned up? you might consider just sealing them with Zero Rust or Por15. (for now)

[Hoodieburnholes]

Do you have any pictures of the floors after they are all cleaned up? you might consider just sealing them with Zero Rust or Por15. (for now)

I'll snap some pictures of what they look like as sitting when i get a chance. I shot them with some flat black rustoleium with rust inhibitor to make me feel better but I'll look into the por15 and zero rust options. Thanks for the tips.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I would loosen the crank pulley bolt also just in case you have the front cover off..

so put the a big adjustable on the center 2 square lobe things in center of cam  turn motor counter clock wise till it hit the head bolt(will locl up the motor) then loosen the cam sprocket then loosen the crank bolt. then turn motor back to TDC on crank then start tearing apart.

 

hopefull you hav a 100alleem that fits a breaker bar and a good 100pount torq wrench

 

 

no need to solder a Boesch relay as it used crimp connectors

 

there are people in Oregon that may help

 

 

asl help also when trying to get cam spocket back on. also mark it with a INK pen.  I usually turn the cam in direction I need to go to get some slack in chain

 

as this is where Datsuns go to the dump

[banzai510(hainz)]

M Klotz had a head gasket vid I thought just doing the headgasket.

 

I just did one yesterday and I still forget things. I forgot the heater hose in back and then the 2 10mm bolts to take off but otherwise it when smooth.

My head is fucked as the water passage up from enlarged due to Electrolosytes. I ut a better Jap made gasket and seems OK now but I need the head welded up. The Felpro headgasket isn't the greatest and also the intake gasket also. They all seem to blow out in the center exhaust.

 

PS Buy the blue timming wedge. its flexable and you Jam the fucker down in there then push on it with a big screw driver to make sure the tnesiner in all the way

[Hoodieburnholes]

Few updates for ratsun.

Had a great new year only to be followed by icepocalypse the week after. Movement has been at a crawl due to weather but here goes.

 

Tore into the head only to find the valves were seized and completely fouled.

 

My cams had surface rust plus some deep seated rust on the rockers.

 

My cylinders were swimming pools.

 

 

At first I started to think that a rebuild was going to be the best option, but then I scraped my old head gasket off and kept feeling a raised surface between cyl 2 and 3. Inspected it further and found a crack between exhaust ports and water channel.