Valmont

so... 5f4 block, and p79 head... will i be okay buy some ebay gasket set, or one of the 12 black dragon full sets? Hard to figure out, as i don't know what year engine this really is.

No, I'm about 200 miles from benning in a little place called Kings Bay, about a mile north of the FL border, on the coast.

so... as a follow up, i ended up just kind of... asking the dude who packed up my house. And he said take it apart and pack it up.. and i did. and its here. So, here I am GA, and FL, new Z owner, trying to build a fresh engine... now I'm having problems figuring out what gasket set to buy. Any help there? (figured i'd ask here in lieu of a new thread) Val

So, a little update, I was able to convince the guy who owns the shipping company that the navy is subcontracting out to to ship everything, including the block. He came by today, and saw it all apart, and happened to be a straight six lover Speaking of thew tear down, I'll post pics in a bit, but oh my god, I'm so lucky. Everything inside is pristine. I think the block may be sleeved, but I'm not entirely sure. There is a definite metal color change, but this is my first time so.. i dunno. The cylinder walls still have their cross hatch scoring from honing (i think) which I'm told means the engine has less than 5k on it after rebuild. Also my pistons say "P 7" on them if that means anything to anyone. However, i can't get the crank out because of the center main bearing. I just can't get my hands in there to break it free because of the crank. We tried (we didn't want to) lifting the crank from the front end, which loosened it up, but not enough. And I haven't run into it yet, but I can tell the real oil seal/main bearing isn't going to move either. My "how to rebuild your Datsun OHC engine" book came in to B&N tonight, and it says it has a complete tear down/rebuild how to in there, so maybe my answers in there, but I figured I'd ask the seasoned veterans first. Like I said, I'll post pics in a bit just in case I don't know what I'm talking about. Thanks in advance Val edit: also, if anybody has any tips on how to prepare like new engine parts for shipping, that would be great.. I bought a crap ton of bubble paper, but I don't know...

Isn't that also a main factor of compression ratio? Hopefully I don't sound dumb, because some of these concepts are new to me, but rod/stroke affects piston speed, and there for chamber pressure..? Or, if you physically change stoke, that directly affects your comp. ratio? right? <--confused The shipping company told me they wouldn't ship a block period. Also, this is my first PCS move as a married guy, my last three living in the barracks, so no engine stuff, or even garage for that matter. I'm being told that anything that is pre boxed will either be checked in, or will not be shipped, as the shipping company cannot verify the quality of the pack job, and therefore cannot guarantee the items safety. As for the car, the only time now that the military will ship a car for you, is if you are going OCONUS (Hawaii counts too), or if you have a navy forced change of home port. (meaning your job is moving, and you don't have a choice) So, I just have to find a shipping company myself that will let it slide I suppose... Like I said above, now I'm paying to ship two cars. It must have been so much nicer way back, where if you moved, and you were in the military, if you owned it, they shipped it.. This is horrible news, cause where I'm at right now, i can be at any one of a dozen wrecked Zs in twenty minutes. Oh, and believe me, with parts so hard to find, you won't have to worry about me searching out other Z owners to try and find some help. Driving to Savannah is a small price to pay to not sell your car because you can't make repairs. Sorry by the way about going so long without response, but I was on duty. Thanks Val

don't mean to be one to hijack my own thread, but all this begs a few questions: when does a compression ratio require higher octane? (10:1, or higher?) are there any special tools, or just tips and tricks people know, for when i rip this thing apart this weekend? it looks like either way I'm going to be tearing it down, because even if I ship it seperately, I'll want to do it in pieces so it isn't this ungainly mess in a box. and i realy like the lawn ornament idea. I'll hide the pistons in my sock drawer, and put my crankshaft in my fishtank and hope no one notices...

which was exactly my plan in the first place, but i also assumed i could take it with me, no problem... Looks like putting it in the Z is in the lead in the polls... I might have a crappy saturday morning where i learn more about my engine than i intended to in a day...

Were you moving PCS, or change of homeport? I guess i mean, did the navy move your car, or did you? I guess its incumbant on me to find a shipping company that doesn't care what you have in your car... So I guess I'm hearing that the F54 is the block to have?

that's the most genius idea i've heard so far. One of my other questions, is this block and head worth dragging along with me? I mean, as choice one in the poll says, i could cut bait.. Val

Kings Bay, one mile from south east border (you may know it at St. Mary's, or Kingsland). So, I'm a little far. But pick me up on the way to daytona

So I'm in the military, and I've going to be relocated to southern georgia very soon (aprilish), and i just found out today that the shipping company Uncle Sam uses won't ship my engine. Right now, I've got a 77, with (I believe) not the original engine. I bought the car about a year ago, and have been daily drving it as is, and saving up money to execute the dream. I also dumpster dive in the local junkyards a lot, and pick stuff up when I can. So, not too long ago, i spotted what I think may be an 83 ZX, with an great looking engine in it, so i forked over some bills for it. I haven't had a lot of time to work on it (or money, yay me), but upon some further inspection, it appears this engine was freshly rebuilt before hitting the scrap heap. The valve cover is polished, the oxidation all over the litterally brand new spark plugs that are in it (like someone went over them with a wire brush), new wires, good looking "clutch" (what do you call it when it's auto..?), new looking timing chain, and looking through the holes for the plugs, decent cylinder walls. So, without having taken the head off, thats what I know. The only downside it a little cancer on the camshaft right underneath the oil cap. According to the junk yard guys, this engine sat for about a year or so, and ran when it got there. Their boss told them not to pull it, because it would never sell. Apparently the guy who donated it to the yard, did so unwillingly. He was a Z enthusiest, that, according to the county, had too many d@mn cars in his yard, and needed to get rid of some. This was one: Got my engine out of her and brought it home. I've saved about 4,000 or so, and my plan was to rebuild, and possibly turbocharge that motor, but do things slowly, and right. But finding out now that I'll have to spend more to get it over there than i paid for it, i just don't know what to do. So, you might be able to tell, I'm new to Z's, and to engines in general, and I don't know a lot of prerequisites for working on stuff like this, so I'm about to tell you some stuff I don't really get yet (but how to modify your datsun OHC is helping me understand): My new engine sitting on the stand is an F54 block, with a P79 head, and a webbed intake manifold that says W48 on it. The one I have in the Z is an N42 block (dunno if that's right? sounds wrong from what I've been reading), N42 head, and N47 intake mani with no webbing. So, the way I see it, there are 4 options, so help me out and pick one! And please, if you could cheat, and let me know flat out which head is "better" and why, or what the best combo of what i have is... or any advice at all, even it it's to take my 4k and buy an LS1 (better be willing to tell me some stuff (-: ), that would be great. Thanks in Advance Val

pics?

very nice. thanks for that. val

yes and no - all it means is that trapped exhaust gasses aren't going from the head, and back into the intake to get recycled. Alot of people just cap is off on the intake side, and put a filter on the valve cover side, like on this pic i stole from qwik240z.

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind for when I'm trying to pick one up this spring. Thanks alot! Val

how can you tell? Numbers, or just by looking?

I told him I didn't want it. Thanks to you guys that posted from saving me from a potential bad buy. I guess on that note, is there any one in the georgia , florida area wanting to sell a good condition 5 speed for my F54 block in about 6 months?

thanks for the advice, I'm about to go out to the garage and see if i can fab up something to shift with (maybe a bolt and flathead..?). But other than that, I'm having a hard time finding information on our trannies in general, that's dumbed down enough for someone who knows nothing to start with. I just don't understand what to look for, to identify a tranny that will work best with my motor. I'll keep this updated, but if the guy drops by today, I guess so far, I'm going with a no. Thanks Val

just found one on CL for 175 from a part out. Any idea on verifying 5 speed?

Normally I see them on Craigslist for closer to $200. What is best method to verify without being able to actually shift it? Thanks Val

I was helping my neighbor swap engines in his Datsun pickup, and his buddy brought over a 5 speed he thought he could use. It took two seconds of looking at it to tell it would never bolt up to his new 2.0L, but I'm considering buying it for my project L28 I have in the garage, but I haven't been Zing very long (i think i just made up a verb), so I'm not very good yet with what block goes with what head, what intake mani fits what, and... what tranny will bolt up. So, the engine I pulled from a ZX (unknown year, but the block is not original anyway) at the local picknpull. (http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=137935 the first car in this thread is what i pulled from) the Head is a P79 and the block says F54. Was mated to an automatic. Engine appears to be a fresh rebuild too, so i got pretty lucky i think. And so, the tranny... says "L2" and has the number 4 on it. He says that a Z mechanic friend of his gave it to him long ago, in a running condition, for a project 240 he's never managed to get off the ground. pics... so, he wants $100 for it, and I'm wondering if it will even work with my engine, if you guys think its worth as much in it's condition (rust, etc.), or what. He's coming by this afternoon for my answer, so fast opinions would help alot! Thanks in advance Val

I'm in the navy... so if anyone wants coveralls (with name tags to say whatever the hell you want) let me know, and I'll try and hook you up for price, plus shipping. Name tags cost more, and I won't get them for you with "u.s. navy" on it unless you can show me you're active, reserve or retired. Keep in mind, you'll spend 40 or so bucks this way, so the military surplus store is a best bet (although you may spend just as much there, but there you can get the flight suit from top gun too... so, choice is yours) Val

Did you keep the bare metal portions with vasoline or something, or did you rold paint them or what? Looks great btw. Val

You're an effing genius - I went back to look at pics from the junkyard and... And a better view of the number 4(or is it 3?) on the mani... That's exactly why that thread exists - thanks for making look like a moron, but saving me time.. my own thread.. bah! Val

Still got those pictures?