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Datsun 521 L20B


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Had a coupled days at home, took advantage by pulling an L20 out of a farmers Datsun collection. 

 

Anyone need 620 wagon parts?

 

 

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Here are some photos I snapped during this years tour, building relationships :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great picture right there. 

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There really is no such thing as a 620 wagon, some folks over in Japan made a couple of them but Datsun/Nissan never made them as far as I know.

There is such a thing as a 610 wagon, lots of them were shipped/imported here.

 

 

My mistake, I did some research and they are 710 wagons

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  • 6 months later...

I decided to dive back into this. I knew there was an issue with my clutch setup, it's clear the release bearing failed. I'm not sure if it failed because I had the wrong setup, installed incorrectly or part failure. 
I had a clutch kit for a 620, which included the release bearing, clutch, pressure plate. I am using a 4-speed out of the 521 along with the fork. 

 

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I am planning to swap in a 5-speed out of a 280z, can someone verify the combination of clutch parts I should have so I don't make this mistake again?
I would like to re-use my clutch, flywheel and pressure plate. If I use the 5-speed (out of a 280z) do I need the release bearing designed for the fork(280z) or for the pressure plate(620)?

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There is far too much 5spd swap information to get reposted here. Use google and your subject followed by ratsun. Here is a short clip that i collected and stored in my notes. I can’t give credit to the author but it is ratsun.net material. “ou use the fork that goes with the transmission, you use the throwout bearing collar that goes with the clutch cover(pressure plate), the disc should match the clutch cover.” ...the slave cylinder should also match the trans and fork.

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Bad news. 

I did a leakdown test on the "new" motor, that came out of a 620 camper. Speaking of which do these motors have an upgraded cam? The previous owner mentioned this but I haven't found any truth behind it. Nonetheless it seems I am leaking from the exhaust valve, I triple checked all of my valve adjustments and I suspect a burnt valve. I picked up an engine manual and timing chain wedge tool and was doing some research on cam timing and started tinkering a bit and I seem to be a little confused. I have set cylinder one to TDC and my understanding is I need to line up the "sprocket timing notch lines up with the right end of the plate's timing groove". My issue is, call me retarded but I can't seem to locate the timing groove. 

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Did you actually start and run this engine to get it up to operating temperature.  If the engine will run start it up let it get to operating temperature and runt he rpm up to 1500 to 2000 rpm and hold it there trickle a little water throught the top of the carb maintaining the high rpm trickle a couple ounces of water through it.  let it run a little after you finish trickling the water through the carb.  This de carbons the head and pistons eliminating any foriegn material that might hold a valve open.

 

Retest for leakage.  A leak down test is the same as a compression test in that you need to run the engine before performing to get the engine lubricated.  Running a compression or a leakdown test on a dry engine is not going to produce good results.

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I did not start the motor, when I originally did my valve adjustments I noticed cylinder one was so out of adjustment that it was leaving the valve open on the compression stroke. I did some research and it seems that's a common way to burn a valve. When I originally made my valve adjustments there was so much pressure being lost through my exhaust valve that I had trouble verifying if it was on the compression stroke (put my fingers over the spark plug hole) in comparison to the rest of the cylinders. I already ordered all the new parts and I'm already this deep into it, that is good knowledge for future reference but for this situation I will be pulling the head and inspecting. Will update with pictures
 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mother in-law has been in town for the past few weeks so I haven't had much time to work on the Datsun but I did manage to get some garage time this weekend. I'm happy I pulled the head, cylinder one exhaust valve was badly warped and there was some pitting on cylinder two's exhaust valve and seat. 

I went with a 5-speed out of a 280z, I have been doing some research on the swap but have had trouble finding pictures of how guys modified their trans mounts in the past. Would anyone have photos I could use for reference? 

 

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So that's your picture I have for the piece to remove? I've used it for years, thanks.

 

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Definitely a pre '80s L series transmission with z car mount at the back and single reverse light switch. Be sure to replace the rear seal in the back.

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The picture was another members and I took it drew the lines on it and noted it to help him and many others do this mod. The yellow pictures are from another members writeup that I lost track of but had saved his pictures and I have re posted his pictures over the years to help other members.

 

You know people say how frustrating Ratsun is but if it is so frustrating why do they keep coming back or stay stay members on Ratsun?

 

Anything I post is up for grabs. One thing I liked about PhotoBucket was I could set my albums to share and people could save anything they wanted. I have not figured out how to do that with PostImage.

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Charlie - Thank you very much, couldn't have asked for anything better. 

Mike - Good call, the transmission came out of a 77 or 78 280z. Should I be concerned using this trans? I have never replaced that seal before. Any tricks or advice?

I did not document with any photos today but I spent the day tinkering, sorted a bunch of odds and ends in the interior and finished the day by removing the carrier bearing, it didn't go so well. The nuts sheared off flush with the mount. There is barely any access, looking like I'm going to cut the mount off, fix and weld it back together. Definitely not what I wanted to do.. 

 

 

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Pry the old seal out with screwdriver, don't scratch the inner side of trans. Grease the seal lips on the new one so it doesn't start up dry. Place in place and put a 2x4 over it and hammer in evenly. A large socket will also work.

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Charlie, the last seal I got was thinner than the one I pried out so I used a wooden dowel to carefully seat it all the way in. Old Chev replacement front main seals a like this also. I was told the replacement would go in deeper and seal against unworn crank. Seems legit.

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I understand Mike they have made the seal fit more applications by making the lip thinner. I had a 50 willys 2 wheel drive truck that if I drove the tailshaft seal in all the way it would leak. if I drove the seal in flush wirth the end of the tail shaft housing it did not leak. I sold this truck when I was unable to fithe 3 speed with overdrive transmissions. I put 9 transmissions in the truck.

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