Z20 / A87 head sits comically high in 510; need help ! WTF did I do ?

[71Ratsun]

Ok guys need some help.  Have an 81 Z20S block, with an A87 head and L20B front cover.  Using brackets from (I think) an L20B (not sure).  And the regular 1" rubber mounts.  I have about 3/4" oil plan clearance (I thought this was an L16 pan, but it's front sump - do I need a rear sump ?  Crossmember is not flipped).   Anyway, the front of the motor sits comically high in the engine bay - like 8" proud of the front slam panel.  Didn't even attempt to put the hood back on.  Are the mount brackets wrong ?  Second question - It has a 200SX dogleg bolted to it - and I am trying to use it with a ZCAR depot universal trans mount.  But the trans mount holes doesn't reach the bracket holes - it's like 2" short.  Do I have the mount flipped backwards ?     

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m55g97nfqfcl917/AABFSrYRauVtuf2BPE8vb_asa?dl=0

 

[datzenmike]

The Z20 is basically an L20B block (even has a U60 L20B crankshaft in it) so with an A87 it's... the same as the L20B.... and they fit.

 

If not sure what engine brackets you have I would look no further than them as the cause.

 

You need a 510 oil pan for proper cross member and steering clearance. 

[71Ratsun]

Thanks - is the 510 / L16 oil pan the one with the sump in the middle of the pan ?  And can u take a look at the mount brackets in my pics and tell me if they look odd ? The engine is sitting basically straight up, and I know some people have said that L20s should tilt towards the passenger side a few degrees.

[71Ratsun]

Well I figured out I'm using two 'driver's side' engine mount brackets - so that's at least part of my problem.  Found a correct passenger side mount and will put that in to see how much better things get.  Still curious if others have had issues mounting the FW63A dogleg trans.

[datzenmike]

Well if you have the wrong engine bracket the engine won't be tilted to the proper 12 degrees to the right where L series engines belong. If off over to the left, the transmission won't lay flat on the mount.

 

The 63A is an almost perfect  5 speed replacement for the 4 speed. Same lower 4 gears, same side speedometer cable and same length so no drive shaft modifications. I don't care for the shift pattern but that can be learned.

[bilzbobaggins]

It looks like if you flip that transmission bracket around 180 degrees it should line up with it.   But that’s just looking at pictures 

[datzenmike]

 

Definitely should be leaning over more to the passenger side.

 

 

 

Oil pan should be shallow at the front and back and deeper in the middle. Can't imagine what this is off of. 

 

 

[iceman510]

I have at least one spare 510 oil pan if you need one.

[Jesse C.]

You need to use the engine mounts, metal pieces that attach to the engine, and the oil pan off the L-16 from a 510, otherwise get ready to start making custom stuff. 

 

A local guy had that issue, and the stock L-16 stuff fixed the problem. 

[edekalil]

On 2/13/2022 at 3:24 PM, 71Ratsun said:

Ok guys need some help.  Have an 81 Z20S block, with an A87 head and L20B front cover.  Using brackets from (I think) an L20B (not sure).  And the regular 1" rubber mounts.  I have about 3/4" oil plan clearance (I thought this was an L16 pan, but it's front sump - do I need a rear sump ?  Crossmember is not flipped).   Anyway, the front of the motor sits comically high in the engine bay - like 8" proud of the front slam panel.  Didn't even attempt to put the hood back on.  Are the mount brackets wrong ?  Second question - It has a 200SX dogleg bolted to it - and I am trying to use it with a ZCAR depot universal trans mount.  But the trans mount holes doesn't reach the bracket holes - it's like 2" short.  Do I have the mount flipped backwards ?     

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m55g97nfqfcl917/AABFSrYRauVtuf2BPE8vb_asa?dl=0

 

Wow mane wrong motor mounts?

[datzenmike]

Motor mounts is rather a generic term. I like to call the metal parts, engine brackets and they are unique to every engine style and probably the vehicle used in. The rubber part or isolaters between the brackets and the 'frame' all look the same or at least similar and may even swap side to side and again perhaps between vehicles. I used 720 isolaters to mount a Z24 into a 620.

[datzenmike]

 

Until the oil pan clearance problem is resolved the engine is going no where near the actual rubber mounts.

[DARIN 510]

First issue I see is the passenger side motor mount bracket is wrong. Second you have a front sump oil pan you need a 510 oil pan or similar spec pan. The bushings I’m not sure if they are the same as 510 but Nissan still makes the bushings. Third not sure if you put the brackets in the right location. On the trans bushing I use a S30 trans mount on a similar bracket. But I am also using a 280zx trans.