A Datsun Weekend

[Richard Clough]

Just finished what could only be described a Datsun Weekend.   Saturday afternoon, casually started to repair a simple blown head gasket on my sons partner's car.  Removed the head to find no apparent breaks in the gasket but water gallery corrosion in the head is close to the gasket metal surrounding the cylinder bore, suggesting may be water could be getting past the gasket. Discard the head.   Fortunately we have a recently acquired A87 L20B head which is sitting on the bench.  So lets clean it up and drop it on temporarily, despite the 7.5 to 1 compression.   Install head and, guess what, the timing chain wedge has come loose!   Out with radiator, off with the front pulley, water pump, oil pump, front timing cover, and reinstall the cam chain tensioner.  Reverse all removals, with new gaskets of course, and tension the head.  Replace oil pump and set it at 11.25, drop in the dizzy, connect the battery and crank, and crank, and crank. It has spark, fuel in the bowl but no fire! Its 9.30 pm, we're outside working with a small flouro light, its mid winter. Off to bed.   Today.  Assume compression is too low to get the fire started, so replace A87 head with a W 53 head currently on a recently acquired Stanza motor.  Off with the A87 head, chocking the chain very tightly this time. Off with the Stanza head, what a beauty, it looks like it's brand new!  The gaskets haven't even stuck to it.  Bolt it on to the 1600 block, bolt up everything else and, *&%$#, the original hardened heater hoses are splitting along their length as I try to install them. Fit new heater hoses and clamps.   Check all bolts are tightened.  Whats this?  A stripped thread in the thermostat housing and water is pissing out!.  Replace housing by canibalising spare car in shed. Finally ready!   Crank, and Crank, and Crank.  Silence. Sounds of spanners hitting ground hard and loud swearing.  Short think break.   Check timing, spark, fuel. Fuel? Yep the bowl is full, but hang on, is fuel is flowing down carb throat!  No. Place hand over carb while son cranks again.  A few coughs, then action! At last, engine settles to it usual very smooth idle.    Ask son what made him think he'd blown a head gasket. Answer, car wouldnt start and he figured as the head was "sus" and the engine was loosing water, the head gasket had blown!  He also thought there was water on no 3 plug.   Did I just do two head jobs for a blocked jet in the carb and a leaking heater hose? Who knows, but the car is purring again like a good datsun should.     --membersozdat------------------------------------------------------- OZDAT Mailing List Please Note:- Send (un)subscribe requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send submissions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] No unauthorised redistribution of this email http://www.ozdat.com/ozdatonline/index.htm http://www.ozdat.com/ozdatonline/listindex.html http://www.mail-archive.com/membersozdat@datascribe.com.au/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------