New at engine rebuild L16

[Richie]

The first picture the sprocket wasn’t on all the way. And I took off the sprocket and noticed the cam shaft need to be realigned. 

[datzenmike]

Without marks an L20B should be on the #2 hole, it is from the factory. If your head was milled down to remove a warp or swapping an unknown head on the cam timing should be checked. If the notch has migrated over to the left you can move to the #3 hole to correct. In all the time at Ratsun I have never seen or heard of a stretched chain or worn sprockets. People just change them even though Nissan intended and provided an adjustment hole to move to. The two guides are another matter, and the plastic covering on them and the tensioner can wear right off.

[Richie]

31 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Without marks an L20B should be on the #2 hole, it is from the factory. If your head was milled down to remove a warp or swapping an unknown head on the cam timing should be checked. If the notch has migrated over to the left you can move to the #3 hole to correct. In all the time at Ratsun I have never seen or heard of a stretched chain or worn sprockets. People just change them even though Nissan intended and provided an adjustment hole to move to. The two guides are another matter, and the plastic covering on them and the tensioner can wear right off.

Yea the shaved some off the head after I asked them not to. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I've seen worn sprockets and stretched chains, but they are rare (on OEM parts).

 

With all this controversy over different kinds of upper sprockets, with and without notches, I stand by my advice that cam timing should be checked with a dial indicator. You can do it with feeler gauges if you don't want to spend $35 on a brake rotor runout gauge. https://www.harborfreight.com/clamping-dial-indicator-63656.html

[banzai510(hainz)]

99% of us dont know know who to degree a cam in the back yard by the tree putting this motor back together so we can go to work the next day.

I just like the Tsubaki sprockets(nissan) with the notch in the spot it belongs. For the novice to get the motor back running with in factory specs. and best way is use good parts.

I seen OSK become less than satisfactory over the years . Mine had everything correct but the dowl hole was larger than the dowl pin which cam make the cam look advance or retarded slightly depending how I tightem the cam bolt. Not a big deal but now they dont put the notch on the back side sprocket. Alot of people could get it off a tooth but if you have the brite links then just put it on the dimples and your good. Just later if things wear one might want to know. I only like the OSK cause its made in Japan and hope the metal is better.  Mellig and or Cloyes I dont like cause they put the inspection hole in wrong spot and no notch if you can even see it . Most of those kits the chains dont have the Brite links and people could get if off a tooth being in a rush ect(one needs to use old chain links to transer over with a ink pen).....  more like chain is Taiwan /Thailand with not brite links. When I see$ 40-70 timming set I get leary.

 

I had the Tsubaki set I got long time ago and got spare but Im trying to keep up where people get the good sets. but the L20 sets seem the hardest to get. I see mostly OSK for the Japanese brand.

 

But your right I hardley see any chain wear besides the the upper sproket the teethe start to get sharp and the slack side guide and tensioner wear. If anything anytime one take off the front cover just do the slack side guide and tensioner will keep it going good.

 

as for adva the cam . I did this on my L16 521 and I could not tell the difference on a 4.375 gear ration little truck. If anything I want cam more retarded to get power later for the freeway. I dont know. These are puny motor and to get a noticable HP increase out of these is cam ,head Porting and sidedrafts, good distributor

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

What is happening here to Datsun owners has happened to many other vehicle brand owners over the decades. Ford flathead guys were probably the first bunch that needed to advance their knowledge to be able to keep up with the aftermarket parts and lack of OEM supply. As the vehicles age, and fewer and fewer OEM parts become available, the responsibility of keeping the car running right falls to the owner and/or enthusiast clubs. Less shops are out there that know anything, and good parts supplies are rarer every day. So while I agree with your philosophy, understand that it's an outdated one. It only harms those of you not willing to learn the extra steps.

 

On the subject of cam timing, it's such an easy process. The only special tool you need is that $35 gauge I linked above. With that knowledge, you can set up a cam without any notches in the sprocket or brite links on the chain. If I had time (and an L motor laying around) I'd make a video showing how easy it is. Maybe Hainz could come up to the Gold Country and be the star of the show... And add that to his video collection.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I think Im pretty much done with the datsun stuff I got to learnToyota 22REmotors now.

to really degree a cam in one needs the specs dont they?  degreewheel? well really Im not doing anymore anyways. I got a RD 350 to work on next.

 

the basic L motor vid vedio is out there and it helps most novice people to do timing chains OIL PUMP DIST TIMING and gets them driving down the road and not another datsun in the backyard rotting away.  Just think how many cars(ALL BRANDS) would head to the dump if it wasnt for YOUTUBE saving them

 

I got the idea from 2 GUYS GARAGEback in the day how they fix a car in half hour!!!!. Insead of explaining to a kid over the computer to fix a timing chain he drop just takes to long. or he put the oil pump in wrong ect.....

Edited May 28, 2021 by banzai510(hainz)

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

No special tools other than that gauge I linked above. You use the TDC pointer, and no, you don't need cam specs.

 

22REs are point and shoot. There's not a lot you can do to them, since they run pretty well in stock form. I deleted all the emissions stuff from the one in my ROver, and all that I removed was a handful of hoses and a couple vacuum valves.

 

The RD350 is a fun bike. My buddy brought over his RZ350 a few weeks ago and let me take it for a spin. Brought back memories.

 

So yeah, not special tools required, except the wobbly arm dial indicator. You can even do it with feeler gauges, but that's a pain.

[Richie]

Hey. So are the little seals supposed to the flush in the block? The book doesn’t specifically state they are supposed to be flush, he just leaves them out like this. Thank you. 
 

https://imgur.com/a/oWl8bDr

[banzai510(hainz)]

now if those stuck out how the oil pan going to seal.

 

those seals should be down further , I havent done any I give those to my block builder. the nissan seals are one pc go in either way. the after market ones are 2 pc with a metal bend spring to push on the side. I fotget how those go in also

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

No, they are not supposed to stick out that far. They usually do stick out a tiny bit, but that won't do.

 

I use gasgacinch to help lube them up and allow them to slide in place. Once the glue dries, it helps them seal up the corners.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Gasgacinch-440-Gasket-Sealer-Dressing/dp/B0012TTDN8

[Richie]

1 hour ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

now if those stuck out how the oil pan going to seal.

 

those seals should be down further , I havent done any I give those to my block builder. the nissan seals are one pc go in either way. the after market ones are 2 pc with a metal bend spring to push on the side. I fotget how those go in also

That’s what I was thinking but the book has then sticking out

[datzenmike]

What book? They should go down between the main cap and the block till they bottom out. If not sure, take the main cap off and put the seal in place. If it sticks out then you can trim it off with a knife, but I've never seen them stick out that much. Be sure to put a small dab of RTV on the end and push it all the way in.

[Richie]

4 hours ago, datzenmike said:

What book? They should go down between the main cap and the block till they bottom out. If not sure, take the main cap off and put the seal in place. If it sticks out then you can trim it off with a knife, but I've never seen them stick out that much. Be sure to put a small dab of RTV on the end and push it all the way in.

So I have already put RTV in it before and they won’t go down anymore. Can I take off the rear main cap without messing up the crank measurements and all that?

[datzenmike]

Yup. Pop it off, clean out any RTV and check how far the side seal actually fits down in there. I think you'll find that it fits very close to flush at the top.

[Richie]

1 minute ago, datzenmike said:

Yup. Pop it off, clean out any RTV and check how far the side seal actually fits down in there. I think you'll find that it fits very close to flush at the top.

You just saved me from a nervous breakdown. Thank you. 

[d.p]

23 hours ago, Richie said:

You just saved me from a nervous breakdown. Thank you. 

Even if they don’t go all the way down you can simply cut off the the section sticking out past the block.  

[datzenmike]

The seal has to go all the way down in beside the main bearing cap in order to seal. I've installed several sets and I don't remember them sticking out like that. Can't see anyone making them longer than needed.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Who knows? It seems aftermarket parts are getting worse and worse. Maybe it was meant to be cut, like a rope seal.

[Richie]

So is this good to go? I can’t get the seals to go all the way flush. 
 

https://imgur.com/a/gKHvWAA

 

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Richie
Link

[Draker]

The side seals never seem to sit flush. Razor blade and some RTV should take care of it. 

 

18 minutes ago, Richie said:

So is this good to go? I can’t get the seals to go all the way flush. 
 

https://imgur.com/a/gKHvWAA

 

 

 

[Draker]

The rear main, looks like it could go in a bit more, but it would be just fine the way it is. I usually take the old seal, put it on the new, tap lightly with a hammer. Make sure it's sitting even all the way around, then send it.

[Richie]

8 minutes ago, Draker said:

The rear main, looks like it could go in a bit more, but it would be just fine the way it is. I usually take the old seal, put it on the new, tap lightly with a hammer. Make sure it's sitting even all the way around, then send it.

so I put them in without the rTV to measure how far they go down and they barley stuck out. I put a bead of rtv in the grooves. So what I should do now is push the metal pin down more in order to razor blade the tops of the seals so they are flush? Just want to make sure I do this right 

[Draker]

1 hour ago, Richie said:

so I put them in without the rTV to measure how far they go down and they barley stuck out. I put a bead of rtv in the grooves. So what I should do now is push the metal pin down more in order to razor blade the tops of the seals so they are flush? Just want to make sure I do this right 

 

That's what I would do. Likely the RTV has collected n the bottom and is not allowing it go in any further. Although the RTV has probably hardened several hours ago, if you can get the metal bits to go in more, you should.  

[datzenmike]

If the seals are not down to the bottom, how do you know it will seal and not leak????? This is not a loose fan belt that can be easily tightened later. If this doesn't seal it will seep oil all over the flywheel and it's a bitch to get at. 

 

Take the main cap off and clean all the RTV goo off of it. Get a new set of side seals and measure how far down it goes to hit the bottom and how much it sticks out, if it does stick out. Put a small dab of RTV down at the block/main cap joint and oil the side seal and push it in. If you can't get it in all the way to the RTV it won't seal.