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1974 Datsun 620


Andrew

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Hi everyone!!!! Glad to be able to be apart of a very cool group of folks. Ive seen alot of different builds and ideas for this truck. Now, to give you some insight on mine..."Does not run, carb(WAS, I have one now)missing. Really nice body to restore. Drove from California to NC back in 2003. Clear NC title. Comes with 1.8l 4 cyl motor, 4 spd manual trans, and power brakes." Its a old San Marco company truck, lettering is on both the doors...faded..but you can see it plan as day. ? So I got it to the house an low and behold...she was locked up. My friends made fun of me for my so called poor choice, but I love the hell out of this little truck. An to top it off, it has a L16 from what I read on the side of the motor...but the firewall reads-1974 L18...so I believe it's been swapped once already. Anyways, I drained the oil pan...and the first..I'd say 1/2-3/4 of a quart was water?, then oil and didn't have any more water come out after that. Took the value cover off, timing chain looked like it had been replaced (said my more mechanically inclined friend), so we flushed it with kerosene and more oil...then I put a lot of marvel mystery oil in it, let it sit for about a week while slowly wiggling the crank back and forth to try and free it. It took about 4 days of me wiggling the crank bolt back and forth, but she finally broke free!!! ? What to me seemed like a victory, my friends didn't believe so at all. So I then (while the spark plugs was removed) turned the crank and tried clearing more gunk (jelloy subtence, smaller than a booger lol) that shot out the holes of the spark plugs. I then put the plugs back in, put more mystery oil in it. An it's sat from here on end, because it needs the carb cleaned with a spacer fab'd and installed, it needs a battery, new hoses, etc...an that's aside from the possible blown head gasket (have not confirmed) but my friends told me to stop with that motor all together and just swap it. Now my question to anyone who would like to share their knowledge with me...am I better off rebuilding what I have? Or do I go the route of a complete swap, which the one that interests me the most is the L28 swap $1,400 (motor, 5spd trans)..I'd be more than happy to take more pics apon request (should have more posted tommorow anyways on my profile) Hope to learn alot, as this being my first vintage truck. Im not the best mechanic, but iam a hands on type learner...all I need is the knowledge. I have more of a paint and body background myself, so when it comes to the rat/vintage look....I'll have that covered all day long. I just need help getting her rolling!!. (An a little help on how to upload pictures to this post)

Thanks y'all, Andrew.

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The L28 does not fit! It's two cylinders longer so no room for rad or cut out the firewall and move it back. Get frustrated and scrap the truck. Don't go this route.

 

Get a 4 cylinder engine to swap. Best would be the L20B... it's the same engine and will drop right in using everything you have now, transmission, rad mounts. If brave you can put a D21 Hardbody KA24E or DE in, it's much more involved but fits the truck. Keep it simple. 

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Thanks for your input Mike, yes I have looked at the l20 and the ka24 as well. I guess I'm not looking in the right place, because I cant seem to find one in my area..? I know it's very little to go on...but from my described above post, what do you think about the current L16....an it could possibly be a 18...I'm not 100%. Is it worth trying to save? Cause my LS guru type friends think it's not worth it, an I would rather hear from someone who has experience with these trucks. I don't mind going all the way so to speak, it will just take me a little longer to build the appropriate  funds to make it happen. If you need more pictures posted to help me figure out about said above I will do so....just don't know how to post them to the thread yet. Thanks again! ?

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First of all check the serial # of the engine in your truck against the little VIN tag that attaches with 4 phillips head screws.  The engine numbers on on the block just under the head between #3 and 4 spark plug.  If the engine number matches the VIN tag then that is the original engine and you have a numbers matching truck.

 

Second your LS buddies do not have the appreciation that you have for your little Datsun 620 truck.  You will have to butcher the truck to get an LS in there and I admit this can be done very well by skilled and talented craftsmen.

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From the outside the L16/18s are identical. Look behind the dip stick handle for the engine size. Use a wire brush if you have to. There's a raised flat boss with the numbers clearly stamped on it. The L20B is 3/4" taller and at a glance is the same but has a few defining features that separate it from the L16/18. Myself, I would find and rebuild an L20B block for simplicity sake. It will cost the same to rebuild an L16 so why not a larger engine?

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Alright, yeah I definitely didn't want a ls in it....thats just them. Ls/diesel heads, which I can appreciate as well. But your right Charlie, not what I have in mind for the truck at all. Im looking for a good reliable rebuild, which ever route it may be...(which is still in question). So to answer about the #'s. I have looked at the fire wall and it says L18 on the badge. But you go down to where y'all are talking about,(which I did spot as well, took some research but I found it before)....it's just really faded, an even after some cleaner and a rag...cause I didn't want to put a brush to it(how hard it is to read)...it looks to me like it makes out to be a 16....you can hardly even see the L part...so I've read about the vertical notches in the back of the motor to tell the difference, but I myself...don't really know exactly what I'm looking for...so in my opinion, I have a L16 by what my eyes have seen(be it may faded to hell) that has sat for 15yrs or so since last it ran...was locked, which is now unlocked, turns, but i say needs to be flushed probably 2 more times just to smoothen it out more...then possibly split the head to inspect why I had water coming out the oil pan first....so can either of you point me in the direction of a L20 or a ka or since I and my friends haven't even heard the thing start up yet, should I try to clean the carb(Fab a spacer) put it on and see what it does before I go swapping? Or is it a waste of $ in y'all's experience?...

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What head is on the motor?

If it had the 210 head then it probably is the L16....

I would do a compression test before you bother going to much further with it.... but if me I'd try to start it... they are resiliant little motors.... and I love the way they sound....

the biggest reason people do a motor swap is more power for the money....

I put a bunch of money into my L16 in my 521.... probably could have done 2 motor swaps for the money and got double the horse power.... 

But if you can get the L running for now to enjoy the truck I would... then you can plan the motor swap.... 

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I hear ya crashtd, that's where I honestly am...but my friends don't even think it's worth the time to get to the compression test because I have to clean the carb which looks to be what should be on it. (Has a glass front face with the float you can see inside it) an it's actually not in bad shape...just needs cleaned. Need a battery, and some new hoses, an carb will more than likely need to be tuned...but all my "mechanic" buddies are against me on it saying it's not worth it. An I honestly feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now....but I'd love to post more pics for y'all....but how do I get them on here?! I'll take a ton as soon as I get home...(heck I have a few I could post now) I've took a green breasal pad to mostly all of it, I'll prob do it one more time...before I lock this sweet look in time...but just don't know how to upload them. ??

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An I'm not sure on the head, but I will find out for you. Thanks for all the help and input so far guys, heck I've had it almost a month. An just this little bit means the world, an is actually more progress made then me begging my friends to just help me(as in supervise cause like I've said, I'm no idiot...but I'm not ashamed to admit when I don't know how to do something) and I'm the type that's a hands on learner..but really thanks. ?

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And I'll agree with your friends its probably not worth it if it needs a full rebuild, but I got hooked on the sound of the L series when I heard my first 510 start up....

Really the only reason I built my L16..

 

My guess is you had stuck rings and probably some rust in the bores... I'd still try and fire it but that's me.... 

 

Oh if you go for a motor swap try to buy a complete runner, depending on what motor you want, others here can suggest a donor... but the more complete of a set you buy the easier it will be..... good luck....

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So that was pre-wash(it looked rough), along with me getting all that concrete off the back bumper without scratching it all to hell...but here is what I have. I'll start with a around and work my way under the hood. It is a L16, pics below.

Edited by Andrew
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Well....... that's her. I know it doesn't look the best, but to me...it looks like the shiniest pearl I ever saw!! Haha. But I'm sorry to make a bunch of posts out of it, I'm just now realizing I probably could of put them all in one...? Sooooo, what do y'all think?.

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This may come as a surprise but you can post more than one picture per post. Also get a picture hosting sight that allow us to actually see a picture rather that just a link. Links suck. I moved them into one post, I think I got them all but with links it's hard to tell. 

 

 

 

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Utter fail...?. Sorry, i don't have a computer and I'm trying to navigate all of this on my phone, which to me was a streak of luck that I even go it to work...I actually am decently tech savvy...just not so much when it comes to forums. The RC forums I follow don't have this type of function. But I'll get it right eventually. Sorry again for the inconvenience. 

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I will try to figure out how to get the pictures to just show up. While I do that, I have another question. Please don't get offended cause I believe what I'm about to say might be offensive to a guy/gal who has been in the Datsun scene longer than myself. But I showed your comments to my friends and we are going to get the compression tester on the L16 tommorow to see what we have. (When there's smoke, you get fire!! Thanks guys?) But if it doesn't seem like the L16 is "good", what about a 22r in it? We have a good 5spd trans for a 22r, I'll just need to find a motor...which in my area is alot more abundant (an better priced) than ka's and sr's an even L motors for that matter. I have had no luck with any of them, unless I'm just not looking in the right places. But for the fundage I'm working with, I could have it on the road by next 2-4weeks with a 22r vs 2-6mths saving an trying to find the others. So just be gentle, I'm the "newbie" remember. Thanks again

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