2.9 Stroker build....TORQUE MONSTER

[A to Z]

 As you know, Nissan offered the 2.8 series 6 as a diesel as well. It has a longer stroked crank (83 versus L28 79 mm). Known as an LD28 or V07, they are now fetching over 1500 dollars each. Well, I got one out of Thailand for 400 bucks. So, I decided to build a stroker L series 6 engine for my Z car! I have the V07 crank, which has 83mm stroke, the L24 has 73mm. So I am gaining 10mm, of stroke! 99% of the guys are using this crank in a 280Z/L28 block to build a huge cubic inch stroker. If I did that, my freshly rebuilt SU 46mm carbs would be too small unless I spent money to have them bored out from 46mm to 50mm. So I figured, there is a way to get what I want...TORQUE, and use the stuff I have. Use an L24/L26 block instead of the L28/280Z block! Difference? L24/26 are 83 mm bore, L28 is 86mm bore. Since 260Z and 240Z use the same block, when given the oppurtunity to buy a long block L26 locally for CHEAP (REALLY CHEAP!) , I jumped! The stroker V07 crank is inbound, and Steve Bonk, well known in Z circles sold me a brand new set of forged H beam rods with ARP fasteners from K1 in the longer L24 rod size (L24 rod is logner than L28 by 3 mm! ). All that is left is pistons. They will be a custom made deal, as I want the bore to remain small, but still more than the stroke, so I maintain my bore/stroke ratio. 83 is the stock bore, and I am going to go 84mm which is barely larger than the 83mm stroke. Why not larger?? thicker walls mean more rigidity, more reliability and better seal, better everything! The pistons will work with the longer L24 spec rods and the V07 crank to get me right at 9.0 to 1 compression using the E88/260Z head with the Nissan head gasket. The E88 head I have, is .5 compression ratio lower, but has the 280Z exhaust valve already!I So I will use it. So, I got the long block today, and ran and got me a hoist and engine stand to do this. the bolts to hold the block in are NOT M10X1.5as everyone said ! I got those and they didn't work. I had to use SAE 3/8X16 bolts! That's right NOT metric but SAE! Were they tapped by a previous owner? Probably. I am OK with it. So, an additional run to the store got me some grade 8 botls, and I managed to get the engine off the ground and on to the stand! Then I commenced stripping it down. I think Nissan broke the Guiness book of world record for bolts for an oil pan....it seemed like there was 50 bolts holding it on! At any rate I got it down to a short block and rotating assembly. Next will be clearancing the bottom of the cylinders so the crank and rods will clear. A steady hand and my die griner and I hope to make the reliefs good enough that I don't have to do it again once the block is all clean and bored and ready to go. This will put me at 2750cc from 2393 cc ( gain of 350cc+). A L28/280Z engine is 2753....so Basically the same, yet, not. My engine more than likely will make more torque than horsepower, and that's fine. Why? Because I run an automatic transmission! Torque is king on the street, and especially with the auto trans. Keep in mind I still have a 510 torque converter for a higher stall and a Stage III shift kit I can add should I need to. With 3:54 open gears, it should really be great on the street! Cam selection is still up in the air....the C grind cam in the 260Z head is a great cam.....but I need to clean it up and see if she is good to go or not. Prior owner painted the block John Deere Green (why? ) Here are a few pics of my new headache.

Edited October 13, 2022 by A to Z

[A to Z]

My LD28/V07 diesel "stroker" crank arrived from Thailand today.  $400.

 

My 132.9" (L24 length) K1 H beam rods with ARP hardware have a scheduled arrival of Saturday

 

I ordered some pistons from Rebello Racing, forged and custom made, but went ahead and moved the bore out to 85.5mm.  So .020 under stock L28 bore. Essentially a wash giving me L28 280Z engine bore.  I will using my Early 1970 E31 head and matching "A" grind cam, but on the #3 hole, which provides more torque.  Dave Rebello and I went over it all and the pistons will be a nice forged set giving me 10 to 1 compression, and if I need more in the future, a .020 shave of the head will take it to 10.7 to 1.  End result is a 2.9 stroker engine.  I also ordered up the gaskets and seales and a new Timing set from Japan as well.  Z Car Depot sending that stuff.

 

I will get the crank in for work soon.  More than likely .010 under all the way across, chamfer the holes and micro polish the bearing surfaces, then magnaflux and balance

 

Here are some pics of the stroker cam as it arrived today.

 

[A to Z]

10-14-2022 UPDATE: Today my rods arrived for my stroker build. K1 rods I bought through Steve Bonk. 132.9mm long, factory L24 240Z engine rod length. Already balanced to within 1 gram and also come with ARP 2000 bolts.

[A to Z]

10-15-2022 UPDATE. My 2.9 Stroker Engine build ~ still gathering parts, I am awaiting a box full of gaskets and seals from The Z car Depot, A oil pickup tube and screen I bought from Harold Burroughs, and I have an Arizona Z Car aluminum baffled oil pan en-route as well ( yes they are available, a fresh batch just arrived! Hurry!). 7.5 quart capacity and is fully baffled. Below are pics of it I found online, not my car, posted just to look at. My custom 85.5 mm forged aluminum pistons from Rebello Racing are being made now, and now I need to clean up stuff and clearance the block. Of course I will provide pics of all this as it arrives.

Edited October 16, 2022 by A to Z

[A to Z]

10-16-2022 UPDATE: Today I started by cleaning all of the caked on dirt/oil off the timing cover. Even with the pitting, I really thought maybe I could save it, but it is just too far gone. Im going to source another one. Next I started on the crank. It was a dirty grimy mess. Using parts cleaner and an old toothbrush I stood the crank on it's end, leaned it against me, and just started dunking the toothbrush in the cleaner and then scrubbing and wiping...working by way down.....then flipped it over and did the same to the other side. That took quite a while, the crank looked like someone had poured 30 wt oil on it and then threw it in the bed of a truck and drove down dirt roads for 6 months! I then took some steel wool and started again on one end and worked my way to the other, flipped it over and again.... the counterweights came clean! That caked on grime on the counterweights, you name it....after this it was starting to look better. These Diesel cranks have a pin on the end that has to be removed when using it in a Z car engine, so a few minutes with my die grinder and good to go. At this point, I was able to take some180 grit Emory Cloth and I took a thin strip of it, wrapped it around one journal and pulled and pushed and worked way around the journal, checking to see if it was coming clean....then moved to the next. Next, I took some 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and tore it into long strips, and sprayed it down with WD-40 and did the same as I did with the emory cloth to smooth it out. After that I took a sock and some Mothers Mag and aluminum polish and put some on each journal and pull/pushed with the sock until each journal shined like chrome. Then I took a thin screwdriver I had where the tip had broke off, and being a round shaft it JUST fit into each oil hole. I was able to use it and a rag to clean out all the oil holes that went through each journal. After that came the carb cleaner with the little red straw that comes with it I blew out all of those holes going through the journals AND used the carb cleaner to throughly clean the entire crank. Once done it just glistened. All the oil holes clean as a whistle. So, 2-3 hours of work, but the crank is now good to go. What's next? I went after the block! I pulled the crank, and the rods and pistons out of the L26 block. I then cleaned the main bolts, the caps, everything, and made sure to keep the caps in the order they were in the block. Once that was done, I took the wire wheel attachment in my electric drill and cleaned up the block a bit then sprayed the block inside and out with carb cleaner. Then it was cleanup time which took a bit, but it feels good to get the dirty/nasty part of the job out of the way....mostly. Here are some pics:

Edited October 17, 2022 by A to Z

[A to Z]

10-19-2022 UPDATE. Mic'ing the stroker crank for my engine build. So, the micronometer I ordered on Amazon came in and I went ahead and masured my crank. All journals are within spec for standard bearings per the Factory manual under "EM Mechanical". I have attached a form showing my recordings which were right on for all 14 bearing surfaces and the crank snout. Because there can be the question on whether or not I didn't take it out enough decimal points, I attached another form, showing what the measurement would have had to be to step up to a thicker bearing for an udnersized ground crank. Sure, there will be some with the "but, but, but...." and I accept that, for an engine that is being built like a race engine with a redline in the stratosphere.....but mine is building build to stock specs and a 6,000 RPM redline. My cam maxxes out at 5600 RPM anyways (for horsepower, for torque around 4500 RPM). if I want more oil pressure, I just use the thicker 20W50 oil instead of 10W40.....just remember the ZDDP additive. So, here they are, think what you will.

[Derek]

So I'm going to be "that guy" that points out that's a caliper and not  micrometer. Also you really need a good micrometer and standards to ensure you have good numbers. I highly recommend you take the crank to a machine shop and have it checked. I like digital micrometers but I always have the appropriate standard handy to make sure noting has electronically drifted. 

[AydinZ71]

My V07 crank was off by 5 thou. Had it straightened for $200 by a "magician" (best way to describe it).

Based on your selection of rods (rod ratio), it does not strike me that you will be using this motor for racing so you might be OK. Does not sound like you will be spending much time at higher RPM's.

 

But honestly, I am happy to pay the $500 in labor for my local experienced machine shop to be doing the work you are attempting. Just peace-of-mind. They have much more knowledge, experience, and the proper tools that go well-beyond what the "how to rebuild" and "how to modify" books can provide (and I have read both several times). This is coming from a mechanical engineer, too. 

 

I certainly respect you doing it by yourself!

 

-Aydin

 

[A to Z]

10-19-2022 UPDATE:  Arrival of gaskets and seals, and timing chain for the build.  All Nissan parts and the Timing Chain is from Japan as well.  I don't feel good about using chinese timing chain components.....The Z Car Depot was able to fit the bill this time.  I additionally received my sleeves to go over the crank snout and rear main seal area(s) to ensure that I get a oil leak free seal.  My garage is getting full again.....Pics follow:

[A to Z]

10-20-2022 UPDATE:  My Arizona Z car aluminum oil pan arrived today as well as my Brass freeze plugs.  Couple pics and a video link to click on to go see.  Flip through the pictures the video is at the end. 

 

Link to video, click below:

(11) Facebook

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by A to Z

[A to Z]

 

11-4-2022 UPDATE.  I have ordered more parts for the engine build.  I got some NOS Nissan main and rod bearings, a cleaned up and restored front cover, New Nissan NOS oil pump, New NOS Nissan water pump, and in talking to Dave Rebello, found out that these V07 Diesel cranks don't "like" stock harmonic balancers.......He sells a single pulley variant of BHJ harmonic balancers which have been designed and are successful in handling the harmonics that the extra stroke brings to the table. He also stated that for some reason, 6400 RPM is a point where the engines show a great deal of harmonic disturbance, and that it is best if guys avoid that RPM, shoot right through it or shift before it, but make all efforts from doing anything that holds the engine at that precise RPM.  Food for thought.  He also said that racing and hot street engines, have shown that the factory torque specs for various parts is not near tight enough, case in point the harmonic balancer instead of being factory spec'd at 120 ft/lbs torque, should be 150!  Flywheel botls are another he mentioned......he recently had another guy lose his harmonic balancer, just fell off!  So, Dave Rebello at Rebello Racing woud be a good call for anyone doing a lot of high RPM stuff.

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by A to Z

[A to Z]

11-17-2022 UPDATE:  I found myself in the Bay Area for a few days, so I took some time and drove out to Antioch to meet Dave Rebello and his crew. Very nice guys, and the tips for building my engine were extraordinary. 50 years of doing this means a lot of good knowledge to gain. While there I picked up the Harmonic Balancer I need for the stroker crank and checked up on the pistons. Guys were so nice they took the balancer into the back and honed it.....for street applications, Dave said it needs to be honed.....when I told him I would hone it with my drill on my leg he handed it to one of his guys and they went and did it proper! Pistons almost ready. Amazing that the quality control is so good nowadays. The chief engine builder, Mark, was telling me the last 20 SETS of pistons from TRAUM, all rings were to spec, and DIDN'T even need to be filed to fit. INCRDIBLE! Also saw out front awaiting shipment a 2.5 stroker heading to europe, 13.0 to 1 compression race engine, Dave told me numbers and I don't remember but it was WAY more than 300.....almost 400. Mark said from idle to 8000 it is a beast! I also snapped a pic for a dyno chart from a 2.7 street build he did that showed torque way above 200 all the way across.....I hope, I hope!

[A to Z]

waiting parts.  Pistons to arrive soon.....I dropped the crank off at the machinist to check it all out.

 

[A to Z]

12-8-2022 UPDATE:  Ok, so I dropped off my LD28 Diesel V07 crank at the machinist to check out.  All of you who said I better do that?  You were right.  Crank has .005 of runout, and all rod and main jounrals need to be turned.  So, they are going ahead with that, and will take the runout to zero.  About 350 bucks and money well spent.  The oil seal journal does have a groove in it, but my speedi sleeve will handle that.  Pistons are almost here, then the block goes in for work.  All a process.

[A to Z]

12-29-2022 UPDATE. Big day! My custom pistons from Traum arrived. Time to send the block and these in for boring, etc.

[AydinZ71]

Cool pistons! What rods will you be running?

 

[A to Z]

K1 Forged H beam Rods with ARP 2000 bolts I got from Steve Bonk.

[A to Z]

01-01-2023 UPDATE. Happy New Year! I was able to use my new carbide burr bit, and get closer to having the block ready to go to the machine shop. Clearancing, clearancing, clearancing. Because I am boring so much, I can't fully clearance the bottoms of the bores until it is back, but I was able to finish the sides. Pics follow.

[A to Z]

1-28-2023 UPDATE:  Crank is done.  cut .010 under on all journals and no has ZERO runout.  Block was tanked and magnafluxed, came out great.  Is awaiting boring now.

[A to Z]

I went ahead and got a lower coolant piece from an L28.  Since I am going heater delete, this one allows me to put a flush threaded plug in the end, looks much better.  No longer available through Nissan, so I found them at JDM-Parts.com.  Not cheap, but.....

Edited January 29, 2023 by A to Z