Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Greg can probably help you clinically with your OCD but I can probably help you prevent financial ruin... your OCD will tell you the car needs a full restoration to be right (and it probably still won’t be) but these cars need to be driven. Make that To-Do list, but prioritize it to what is critical and what is “optional” It’s one of the reasons why I still haven’t fixed my headlights but have done a ton of mechanical stuff. It helps ease th burden and allows you to keep putting miles on the car and grow that connection between you and your Roadster

Chapter 5.

The Game Plan.

Eight months have past and I haven't pulled the trigger on any major repairs or enhancements to my 311. I had an overseas trip that required all my excess funds. The trip went well. Many long hours on the plane and many drunken nights in the orient, helped me figure out a game plan to tackle this restoration. After the new year, the restoration will have to begin if my pilgrimage to Solvang were to ever be realized.. I decided to break it down in 5 phases and to prioritize each phase according to the rebuild...

The engine, the frame, the drivetrain, the wiring and the piping, and the body.

Subsequent to reading the many roadster articles and posts, I've come to realize the U20 can be a very special engine if properly assembled and maintained. I once thought of myself as a purist. After reading all the innovations many vendors have created for improving this car, that may not be true anymore. A handful of days over the last months of 2018, I began prepping the engine to be pulled out. First the twin carburetors came out and sent away for a tune up. Then the intake & exhaust manifold dismantled. The Intake will be vapo blasted for a cleaning, the exhaust manifold may have to be discarded or swapped out for a newer ceramic coated header from DatsunParts.. The flanges were split. I'm not sure by old age or did the PO have reason to split them. Either way, they're in terrible shape. see pic below.

The Heart and Soul of this 50 yo Fairlady was pulled out today and placed on an engine stand. My excitement builds. I never thought it was that easy to pull an engine. Disconnect some bolts, out comes the drive shaft. The U-joint seems sturdy with no excess wobbling. The spindles on the drive shaft look worn. I asked my mechanic Chava, and he said they were fine. What do you all think?

We proceeded to disconnect the transmission and engine mounts. During the removal of the tranny mount, I notice the area around the clutch slave to be wet. The transmission housing was put back together with blue silicone/epoxy. Possibly Permatex??? Same stuff I notice on the front timing plate by the alternator.
When i disconnected the shifter, the pin that holds the softer to the transmission just slipped out. Is that normal? see pic below. Surely a cotter pin of some kind should fit in there?? I sent a pic to datsunparts and they don't have the part. Time to be resourceful....
So far so good... Removing the engine gave me a closer look at what was needed to be done. I was quite happy with the overall shape of the under belly. Not much corrosion to be found. I definitely have to replace the drivers side floor pan. More on that when phase one is 85% complete...

Chapter 6


With the U20 extracted, I had plans to have it rebuilt by a reputable engine rebuilder. I reconsidered just because the engine rebuilder will have to catch up on all the research I have already done. I also wanna have control over the rebuild making sure the little details are done. I realize I have resources at my disposal that will assist me in this rebuild. The members of 311s.org, my friend's garage with power tools and a lift, mechanics to assist both in answering questions and understanding mechanical concept. I decided to muster up some confidence and lets give this a shot.

Fresh out of the engine bay., I dropped the oil. Came out blacker than I expected. I was searching/feeling for any debris in the discarded oil. None was found. That’s a good thing. Next, I removed the right side alternator from JT, the 1-2-3 Dizzy & the valve cover that was recently polished to a mirror shine. Those parts were quickly secured. Quick log of the bolt sizes, bag and tag. I will order new zinc coated ones and replace. Once the valve cover was off. We inspected the cam and discovered atlas, that it was a B cam.
Further observations noticed that a center spacer that should support the chain guide was missing.
Another out of place observation was made when my Chava noticed the chain guide had another hole to brace the chain guide to the #1 cam stand lacking a bolt. However, there was no screwhole for the bolt.
It was discovered the cam stand with a screwhole was in the #2 position.
A email was sent to JT to confirm my suspicion. JT advised me since the engine was out., make the necessary corrections and inspect the cam stands and caps for any galling. I am quite excited to see what other mistakes and corrective measures I can encounter and fix.

Prior to mounting the U20 on the engine stand. I had to remove the clutch and flywheel. I was looking forward to this part of the rebuild. I had plans to replace the FW and Clutch with JT chomemoly 225 LW FW and Dakin clutch anyways. Well, look at what I discovered..,
During our many test drives., Chava and I felt the clutch was slipping. After making these observations to the clutch assembly, we concluded this FW must not have been flat.
Notice the outside perimeter of the clutch was apparently grabbing while the inside was not. I’m baffled???

Oh, so someone put #1 cam tower in the #2 spot Eh? You will find all kinds of info out there that you can't remove the cam towers etc, but that's not true, they just need to be reinstalled properly and carefully. They should all have locating pins. The concerns will be if the cam is able to spin freely by hand once the caps are tightened down. Assuming the towers are workable, it's a matter of progressively tightening the mounting bolts and caps until all is tight AND the cam turns without binding. Weird deal on the flywheel clutch issue.

Greg... was that you who replaced your Nissan B cam with an Isky cam equivalent to the Nissan C?? I have my notes here somewhere... Isky cam #Z197. ??? High compression 11:1. I wonder how the acceleration feels?? Does it just keep pulling? I know I have a B cam, but I still don’t know how a good working B cam engine would run when set up correctly... sigh.. I’m going to eventually make the necessary corrections on those cam stands. And depending on how the Cam looks., I might have to replace it.

Now., I’ve just had a conversation with JT.., I feel like an idiot that I did not realize sooner but that pic was the evil L..
. It looks worn. I thought I read somewhere that we can just hack the L off and it would be fine??? Is this correct? Does someone have a pic on what this front sprocket and cam stand area should look like so I can have an idea??

Shamus.

The wear to worry about on the evil L is when the chain rubs on it and eventually wears it so thin that it just breaks off and falls into the timing gears. You can't see any wear in your picture, but you can't really see the point where the wear occurs either. It will wear on the horizontal area closest to the chain. If it doesn't show any wear than I would leave it alone, as it is quite handy when changing the cam or the head. Some go ahead and cut it off just in case, but if you remove the inspection plate and check it every so often you should be fine.

Chapter Six..., The Discovery.

As I have already stated, my roadster was purchased at the end of last March. I explained during the long drive home with her in tow, I was pondering on what I wanted to instill in my roadster to make driving her more in tune with how I drive and ofcourse, how I wanted her to be seen while being driven. Prior financial obligations hindered these plans. This year, I'm still hobbled financially, but it forces me to learn to fix some of the repairs myself. Fast forward to present day, I am at that stage where I needed some professional help to get the heart of my roadster beating correctly again. As I have said before, she wasn't running right. I was contemplating on sending the whole engine down to JT@Datsun restorations.

Unfortunately, though the shipping costs were not out of line, the money was better spent on the engine. I contracted Paul@Integrity Automotive Machine to do the work. A very nice gentleman with a very good reputation for rebuilding specialty engines, whom I put in touch with JT for consultation and parts order. I have decided sometime this past summer, I want J.Tylers parts in my roadster. IMHO, I believe him to have outstanding knowledge in these cars and his parts are created to outperform and outlast the OEM. So as not to dismiss any other vendor who may be reading this post, my disclaimer would be “this is purely my opinion.”

While on the subject of vendors, there may be many favorites out there for everyone in the 311s realm. My experience with DatsunResorationProducts and Datsunparts have been very positive. However., a big thumbs up to Jim Tyler for taking the time to answer my emails and finding the time to talk with me about how I want my engine built. Besides designing my Harley., this is my first vintage car restoration experience.

The engine was totally stripped apart. I figured it was the only way to properly restore the engine. After all., it is a 50yo engine and the heart of what will make this roadster go. Like all hearts., I wanted to be sure the arteries weren’t clogged anywhere and a magnaflux of certain internal parts were needed to insure the health and power of this engine for future years to come.

The first signs of trouble came with the jackshaft... the lobe that powers the fuel pump was severely galled and gouged.
Research began that night. I had three options. #1. Buy a new jackshaft? Rallye had some. I would imagine they’re new however., I was advised that finding a used one would be suffice and more economical. #2. Have a cam grinder repair the lobe and reuse the original. That would be as expensive as getting a new one with no guarantee that metal would be hardened correctly. Sigh... definitely coming to grips with the reality of this whole endeavor. In for a penny., in for a pound. #3. Find a good used replacement. As fate would have it., the roadster gods we’re looking down and grinning at me. There are (3) 1969 U20 jackshafts for sale on eBay. I chose what I thought was the best of the three and I felt comfortable with the seller since I had purchased items from him before. It still may not be suitable.. I was advised to have it magnafluxed for stress cracks and such. The jackshaft discovery was the least of my problems as I was about to soon learn.

The head came off and piston # 4 was noticeably discolored. It was apparent the piston had very bad carbon buildup on top.
A closer look revealed a very large Knick on the piston top.
An even closer examination of the cast piston discovered very small cracks on the top and carried down the skirt. Very very bad..
It was concluded that a bolt or rock entered the the piston sometime and wreaked havoc. Who knows how long it’s been that way?? I was determined to be a dead piston. This was the reason why I couldn’t get the roadster over 45 prior to

Sorry everyone. I accidentally press submit while try to add pictures.

Here are the pics to the jackshaft. Notice the gouge from the fuel pump lobe.
This really bummed me out.

Chapter 6A. Discovery continues.....

... this was the reason why I couldn’t get the roadster over 45 prior to installing the 1-2-3 dizzy. So I thought. Though it ran better it still wasn’t running right. Now I know why.. Paul and JT agreed a catastrophe was pending and lucky this was discovered before more damage was done.

Paul discovered more problems with the head itself. Apparently., the 4th combustion chamber had a severe gouges and several nicks on the exhaust valve seat.
The fun of discovering the mechanical history of this roadster Just became disparate ...
What I had once thought I must re-evaluate. This roadster May have been somewhat of a runner in her earlier years. But based on what I have seen., there was some neglect and most likely., someone who may not have know what they were doing when it came to taking care of her.

The caps were removed as well as the cam stands and the only good news I gathered from this rear down was the B cam was fairly new. No galling to the shaft or lobes. The cam itself was just tight. So it may be from over torquing... stay tune to see how I figure a way to fix this mess.

No fun to discover these things, but nothing here is disaster. I'm gonna guess that #4 ingested something like a nut that got pounded. My engine was as bad when I got it... you should have seen the rod and main bearings! Glad you were able to get another jack shaft. Probably could have used the one you have by switching to an electric fuel pump as the other two functions are gear driven (oil pump and dizzy). Still, it looks like regular oil changes were not given to this poor motor, so all will be suspect. The cam tower alignment is a big deal but usually doesn't require "line boring" like the manual says if you remove the towers, especially when original. Work with your team, you'll get it right. Hopefully the cylinder bores will not require new sizing/pistons, and I bet you can scare up a good used piston to replace #4, and if the others are still in spec for size and ring grove, hone it and re-ring the motor, fixed (best case senario).

For the moment, stick with the B cam... it is a great cam, a known quantity, and will not require different valve springs etc so as long as yours are still good (very likely). Be sure that they note the wear pattern on the pad for proper wipe, and keep the rockers numbered to the valve/cam since they have worn in together (your team knows this) or they will have to be resurfaced. Later you can mess with different cams and timing. Hopefully the head doesn't need too much, but typically it's guides, seats and valves, some may be reusable for years to come. Will be interesting to see what your timing gears look like, but mine (which have gone many many miles) turned out to be exactly like the new set I just bought, such that I won't even waste the money to replace them (the new set may become available if my friend Bill does not need them).

Bummer to find all this stuff, rewarding when it all comes together and she fires up!

That's a shame about the piston. I see them ln Ebay occasionally and JT has some nice forged pistons.
Dan

Intermission...

After a few days of sulking about my present dilemma, I started scanning this site and stumbled onto many stories on the trials & tribulations of roadster ownership. I have come to realize at this current moment., these are my trials & tribulations. More researching., a few emails & phone calls resulted in a plan being hatched. Paul discovered that this engine had been machined to .040 over already. He suggested we go to .060 over. A parts list was devised after consultation with JT from Datsunrestorationparts.com. BTW.., yes Greydog., the forged pistons crafted by JT were ordered. After the #4 piston cracked and I was moments away from a catastrophe, I concluded it was worth the extra insurance of replacing an intricate part with a higher quality part. . This is where the OCD begins to kick in. Lol . At least I’ve learned to identify it.

New bearings., a new (used) jackshaft arrived., both upper & lower timing chains., tensioners., an adjustable timing gear and chain guides., a connecting rod., SS intake & exhaust valves, and a new oil pump. After all this., my 50yo U20 will be running like a new colt eager to run. My excitement brews. The engine was overwhelming at first because it was a can of worms. I didn't know what the PO's had previously done. What parts were in need of repair? What areas/systems required correcting? The big take away from this experience besides money., LoL , was everything will get evaluated, determined either to be repaired or replaced and in doing so., done correctly. This will ensure future driving enjoyment & peace of mind. I'm one who hates having to do anything over. It's money and time lost, as well as unnecessary aggravation. The discovery of these repairs just came all at once. Thinking about it now, I realized this is the best outcome that happened. Most of you who work on your own roadsters, understand the patience and willingness to solve problems so as to keep these cars running and running well. What is most aggravating and deflating is fixing a problem only to discover another problem should have been fixed as well. Every problematic moment I encountered has led me up to this present moment. I'm having a great time learning about the mechanical history of my roadster and what it takes to keep her running. But my time and skill goes so far. I've had to retain assistance.

This last week in January ., the country went cold., where I live, (Chicago), is the center of a polar vortex. Not much getting done here. Not one to waste time., I built a small workshop in the basement of my house many years ago as a place to tool around with my toys. I didn't anticipate using it for any roadster work, but did I mention how cold it was today?? -17 with a wind chill of -44. For my fellow members on 311s, let me say it's Friggin cold to be working in any garage anywhere in the midwest today. I am tearing down a pair of 26mm Z32 brakes today. I purchased these front calipers at the end of summer after an email conversation with Mike Spriso. I've decided that a big brake conversion will be needed for added stopping power. I plan on removing the seals and pistons today, soak the calipers in some mild degreaser and scrub off what I can. A trip to the powder coater for a nice finish. Then honing the cylinder walls, re-installing the pistons and new seals. Then they will sit on my parts shelf awaiting a spriso big brake kit that will come later in phase #4... What started out as a sense of being overwhelmed is concluding with an organized plan of rebuilding this U20. Parts are arriving every day to my glee. I will be meeting with Paul to make minor adjustments on this build. The Twins are due to arrive home from a nice clean and tune by Eiji at Datsun Spirit. All in all, I'm quite happy with the progress. This wasn't so last week.

I was forewarned by a few members about engaging in a frame off restoration. It can it did become a vortex. I learned that first hand after discovering all the repairs needed for the engine. It was a whirlwind... whew., I'm glad that has subsided. Let me say, you have to develop a plan when restoring any project. A house, a motorcycle, a car... once that plan is developed, PRIORITIZE and stick to the plan... Also, read your plan over and over, making minor adjustments as you go along. Doing this, helps keep each phase of the project controlled and attainable. This assists in determining what will be needed for repair or replacement in future phases of the restoration. Keep an eye out and acquire those parts for future repairs or enhancements you may be scheming. Parts you may eventually need and may not have the opportunity to find later. Talking with a few members during the week help me out of my despair quickly. "Greg672000, theunz and JT", thanks for your advice and comments to guide me along. Your support is most appreciated. In the meantime., I'm waiting for JT's pistons which will be a few weeks. My budget was drained quickly. I have a few jobs to attend to that will replenish that budget... For now, I'm going on a self imposed intermission until the U20 is completed.

BTW., I have not begun the Frame off., I have been thinking.... A revitalized U20, the twins are due back soon, the 5 speed will be inspected and refreshed if needed, I have that 3.9 rear diff. that will be installed, SUMMER IS A FEW MONTHS AWAY.... should I reassemble and tear thru Chicago metro??? I am so eager to drive her. Greg672000 describes driving these roadsters as pure pleasure. Very intoxicating. I can continue the next phase after summer. Opinions and comments are welcomed.....

My .02 worth....
Leave the body on and the interior in.
Continue with the drivetrain rebuild reinstall
Check and repair/replace any suspension bits that are worn.
Stock brakes are pretty good if in good order but if yours are not up to par, do the big brake swap.
That'll keep you busy until you can drive her comfortably.
Drive it all summer and into the fall.
Once the cold starts to sweep down from Canada, you can decide what to do about the frame off.
Dan

I always recommend the project timeline that allows drive time and bonding with the Roadster, it's much more rewarding, plus you may find that you want to change additional things, or NOT change some things based on your driving experience.