Before you assemble the engine components make sure all the threads are in good condition and clean. You really don’t want old rust and grime getting into your fresh motor.
There are a lot of great resources out there on Engine Building here are some ones we found useful and also specific books and links for the Nissan / Datsun L-Series motors.
With all the modifications and upgrades complete on the engine block it was time to get rid of that horrible looking outer surface and give it a fresh coat of paint.
Using a scale you can mix and match the various piston assembly parts (piston, rings, gudgeon pins and retaining snap rings) to get the weight balance close and then modify the pistons by removing material to fine tune.
The next step in our Datsun Engine build series is to set the piston ring gaps. Gapping the piston rings is important to the performance and reliability of the engine.
We unbox the mighty Robello Racing 3.0L Kit for the Datsun L-Series engines. We discuss the various components, specifications we choose and the work ahead to turn our new motor into a beast.
The next step in our Datsun Engine build series is to clean out all the old rust, grinding dust, grease, oil and grime that has built up from the previous work.
Before you can start modifying the engine block you need to know what you have. During the disassembly process measure the engine parts and compare them to the Nissan specifications.
Intakes are typically cast and consequently can end up with casting flash and misshapen ports due to mold shifts. If you are porting your cylinder head you already have all the supplies you need to also port your intake.
One big area for improvement on the L-series heads is modifying the intake and exhausts ports. Here is a step-by-step guide for porting and polishing the ports.
Key to increasing the performance of an L-Series motor are modifications to the cylinder chambers. This article covers CC'ing, unshrouding the valves, valve set transitions and chamber polishing.
Disassembling a Datsun Cylinder Head is straight forward with a few unique tools. Once the head is dissembled and cleaned you can begin making performance modifications.
Some older Zeds have cooling issues in traffic this can be caused by a clogged cooling system. Installing an aluminum radiator provides an improvement in cooling and enhances the overall look of the engine bay.