New member to the Ratsun club

[PennyPincher720]

It seems like the roller isnt turning freely and getting stuck halfway up from the load on it. 

 

The window worked for a few days when I first got the truck lol. 

 

The felt sliders or guides fell apart on both sides so the windows jiggle and clunk around. Probably have to just rip both doors apart.  

 

Gonna order the gasket in a few, hope to have the truck running again by monday!

[PennyPincher720]

Gonna get some sleep and when I wake that Datsun is getting torn down! Gonna rip the exhaust and intake manifold off. Want to get head ready to come out so when those gaskets come in itll be ready to rock

 

Gonna tinker with that damn window too... 

[datzenmike]

Is the head gasket blown? Again if not there's no gain in re-newing it. It won't run any better and you risk breaking a fastener or loosing something.

 

 

But if you must here's a suggestion.... Remove what's needed and get help to lift the head and the intake off as a unit. Keep reasonably level so the sediment in the carb is not disturbed. Now it is much easier to remove and install the intake manifold and carburetor and work on it. Easier and no chance of a lost fastener dropping in the engine bay. There are two dowels in the block that align the head properly. They look like 1/2" long 1/2" copper water pipes that two of the head bolts go through. Make sure you look for them and keep. You'll need them in the block so that the head lines up when it's installed.

[PennyPincher720]

Yeah I'm guessing the gasket failed right by one of the outer water journals. The truck runs fine, oil and water didnt mix, but once it's running it trickles water right above the rear exhaust manifold section. With the coils disconnected you can crank the engine and see a little bead of water start to pool and drip. 

 

I retorqued the head and it didnt help the water leak, and now the valve cover leaks pretty good. I'd imagine the cover has never come off, I had to beat it pretty good with a rubber mallet to pop it.

 

I want to lash the valves while I'm in there, but that will be last after the new gaskets are on. 

[datzenmike]

Yeah some people (closet GM mullet-mobile owners) glob RTV and sealers on their valve cover gaskets.

 

Be sure to check the head surface for flatness. Overheating is the major cause of a warped head. If you can slide a 0.004" feeler gauge under a straight edge placed lengthwise or diagonally across the head it needs to be trued up. Trust me if it's warped it WILL blow again and it will always be wrong time and place, or when you can't work on it or broke.

 

Block and head surfaces should be clean enough to eat off of. Have a care on the aluminum, it's very soft and will gouge easily. Clean the bolt and block threads thoroughly and borrow a good torque wrench.

[PennyPincher720]

I'm hoping, but also very confident the head is still nice and flat. The truck didnt run any differently since this happened. I'll definitely clean it up good and feel it out with a gauge. 

 

The gasket should be here tomorrow but the tensioner wedge might not be here until Sunday unfortunately. It'll give me time to clean everything up nicely then. I slept all day today and have work in a few hours but right after work I'm gonna jump into tearing down the engine. 

 

I miss driving that thing lol. It needs a clutch soon...

[datzenmike]

Here's other tips.

 

ALWAYS remove one of the battery cables from the battery.

Place in neutral set the parking brake. There's less chance of leaning against the body and bumping the engine forward or back while chain is blocked.

Loosen the cam sprocket bolt before setting to TDC and putting the tensioner wedge in.

Mark the cam sprocket to the chain so it goes back together as it came apart.

On the Z series unbolt the exhaust from the head but take the intake and carb off with the head

 

[PennyPincher720]

Really? So ease up the cam sprocket first, then set tdc... I have to look at the manual but cylinder one is frontward towards the radiator?

 

And I was thinking I would take the intake manifold off just because I have a new gasket coming, but if it makes the procedure go easier I'll install the new gaskets while the head is off.

 

 

[datzenmike]

If you set TDC and set the tensioner tool it's likely the engine will jump around when you start to loosen the cam sprocket with a breaker bar. All you need do is snap it loose. After things are set then remove it fully.

 

The intake bolts are a bitch to get at and worse putting back on holding a new gasket in place. I just think you will find it easier this way..

[PennyPincher720]

Sound advice for sure, I was looking at the intake side thinking it was gonna be a real pain. I'll just do it while its off

[PennyPincher720]

Gaskets arrived, didnt open the box yet lol. 

 

Got the power steering pump out of the way and the alternator is almost off. Removing a lot of crap under the hood that the truck doesn't necessarily need. Rad hoses are off, still have a few vacuum lines and cables to disconnect them I suppose I can pop off the valve cover and release the torque on the head and get it ready to pop off. 

[datzenmike]

Only need the top rad hose off and the alternator need not be removed. Only the head is coming off.

[PennyPincher720]

Yeah I may have jumped the gun in a few things but it looked like the alternator bracket was attached to the head. 

[PennyPincher720]

The new gasket is installed. It appeared to be the wrong gasket because towards the rear of the block there are supposed to be two large holes for the coolant and this gasket only had one. I used a drill to make the hole so this is going to be interesting.

 

Head fought with me to line up, I'm hoping there isnt too much contamination on the gasket but its torqued down so there's no going back now...

 

Dropped one of the rubber valve cover half circle plugs down the front of the engine. Gonna put my camera down there to see where exactly it went. I'll try and push it into the oil pan if I cant get out back out through the front.

 

Camshaft is scored pretty bad. This engine needs some love.

 

But as of now it's almost 5 am. Gonna wait till the sun is out to jump back on it. Gotta clean up the exhaust manifold and get that back on. Gotta attach some hoses and cables and replace some hose clamps and it should be ready to try and run again.

 

Wish me luck folks, please.

[PennyPincher720]

Finished it up earlier today around 4 PM. Truck runs pretty damn good other than the idle problem it always had. 

 

The rubber plug was stuck down in the engine and seems to not be an issue. I drove the truck to work on the highway and nothing went wrong yet haha... 

 

Glad to have the truck running again, need to get a set of gauges, running it blind right now. No oil pressure or water temp...