Covid has had some serious impacts on supply chains, automotive parts included. It has taken forever to put together all the parts for this engine build. The last piece of the puzzle was main bearings. They were hard to find and cost way too much..but at least we can get on with it. I'm stoked to get this engine built and in the car.
Ski season is over so I've had a bit more time to work on the car. While I'm waiting for the machinist I have been trying to get ahead of the things that will slow me down once I get the engine back.
The driveshaft should be ready tomorrow. Ended up shortening by 5 3/8", pretty close to Mike's 5 1/2" suggestion.
I put an old head on the dummy block and fitted up the back carb to measure clearance for air horns. Total gap is 2". I've ordered horns that are 1" and ITG sock filters, will see how they fit. Linkages for the carbs are a work in progress. Looks like I can get the stock throttle rod/ pivot to work with the Cannon linkage but might still opt for a cable set up. Any suggestions?
Got the remote oil filter mounted.
Battery installed and ready to hook up.
I've been looking for a strong (steel and compact) solution for distributing oil to the cam spray bar, mechanical oil pressure gauge and oil pressure cut off switch for the fuel pump. Found this stainless distribution block from McMaster & Carr, looks like it will work nicely.
My bumpers are really ugly. Rust with fibreglass patches, pitted, bent...sad. I looked into re-chroming them and it would cost more than buying reproduction bumpers ...which you cant do right now because nobody has any. With covid I couldn't use a mail service in Washington State so shipping would be unreal anyway. So, I decided to patch them up and paint them black until I can get my hands on a chrome set. I also have a buddy who has a sign shop that does vehicle wraps. He has some leftover chrome wrap; I think I will give it a try since these will be temporary. Anybody tried it?
Sadly nothing too exciting to report. Things have been slow on the engine build, so I have been chipping away at the little stuff and going down a couple of rabbit holes along the way.
The block has been decked .017 to get it square. The work has been super slow but I have been promised an engine for the end of May.
I opened the drivers door and the hinge went bang. The straps that hold the spring had reversed and the door was jammed open. The culprit was worn rivets and holes.
The only set of replacement straps I could find to buy was over $100US from a euro website, so I decided to make a set. I now know a bit more about solid and semi tubular rivets (which are hard to find in Canada). If anyone needs either, let me know as I had to buy 100 of each...just postage.
Works like a charm.
While I had the old block and transmission installed, I found out that the steering box needs to be removed to fit a Troy Ermish header. The steering box wasn't as smooth as I remembered, so I took it apart. Finding seals in Canada was a challenge. I sourced the worm gear seal from Motion Industries in Kamloops and the Sector Shaft Seal from McMaster Carr. Once I confirmed that I could get seals, I also took a spare box apart. Both boxes seem to have good worm gears and sector shaft gears. The biggest problem with both boxes is that there are some flat bearings in the lower sector shaft bearing that give a pepper grinder feel to the box. The sector shaft bearings are Koyo BM2425A; nobody has that size on file. NSK list a 24x31x25 drawn cup bearing PN NFH-222A but it isn't available in North America and Baz at Datsport can't find any either. Would bushings work as a replacement for the sector shaft bearings? Anyway, both boxes have been cleaned up, re-lubed and have new o-rings, seals and fresh oil with a splash of Moly. One is much better, the other only slightly improved.
Fitted an extra boot under the shifter cover...used an old inner tube.
While the header was on, I took a look at the crank case vent. I need to get to a catch can on the passenger side firewall. There isn't much space for
a threaded fitting, so I did a bit of nip and tuck on the original vent tube, extended and re-directed.
Then I decided to try my hand at sewing. The old steering wheel has a rubbery grip that is cracked and looks crappy. I decided to try recovering it with leather. I found a very informative how to on the interwebs....its only 3 hours long!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODcGWn9 ... QfFtTmvgLL There are also some great videos on different types of stitches.
I'm just waiting for my waxed thread order to arrive so I can do the final trim and start stitching..
Doing this stuff gives me an appreciation for how talented the specialists in the restoration business really are. The latest on that list is upholsterers after my attempt at recovering a steering wheel. It looks OK from a galloping horse and feels good but is a long way from perfect.
The top seam has a small gap where I didn't allow for shrinkage from stitching. I figure that one of those yellow steering wheel orientation strips will cover it perfectly and add at least 5 hp.
Heel plate to try and keep the heat down and a test throttle pad.
Connected the battery tonight and tested a few circuits. Missing a few things and haven't had a chance to dig too deep. I have marker lights and high/ low beam together but no low beam. No turn signals yet.
Tail lights, brake lights and side markers work. One reverse light comes on with the tail lights and no reverse switch in place? I'm happy with the license plate light bolts.
Thanks to Stu for the excellent write up on how to re-clock the Integra wiper motor to adjust the park position. With the 510 arm and adjusted trigger, the wipers move straight up from the park position.
Last post I had identified but not solved a couple of electrical issues. The problem boiled down to should have done it right the first time. One of the only corners that I cut was to visually inspect and re-wrap old harnesses. When I started testing and isolating problems, I realized that I should have just rewired the entire car from the outset.
I also realized that the 2 post battery shut off switch mounted in the dash did not isolate the alternator. It has now been changed to a 4 post switch that disconnects battery and alternator.
The wiper wiring was burnt out and had shorted into the reverse switch wires. Amazing that the wipers still worked. I took the opportunity to completely rewire the wipers and route the wiring under the dash.
While I was at it, I decided to eliminate redundant wiring for old relays, chokes etc. There was also a short somewhere in the dash to tail light harness which has been replaced. Now everything except the dome light works.
Progress on the engine remains painfully slow. Took some time to source Japanese/OE timing gear. Nismo cam sprocket, TRW chain and OE crank sprocket.
Mounted an Element fire extinguisher within arms reach in front of the drivers seat. I like the compact size and the reviews on them seem great but I'm not convinced enough for it to be the only option. I will mount a traditional extinguisher elsewhere in the car where there is more space.
I missed your post from this past spring about bearings. I use the Datsun 6 cyl sets of Cleveland Michigan 7 bearings. The mains are still steel shell, the rods have moved to aluminum. Still one of the best bearings available. Unless someone else chimes in However the 4cyl sets are off the books, so 6 cylinder sets are the way to go, and just toss the extra parts I guess. That what I had to do on the last build.
Hope that helps, and that it’s not too late.
Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
I went through this last year. The top and bottom bearings on the pepper grinder are the same. I took apart three boxes to scavenge the bearings out of. All had bad bearings on the bottom, so I just took the top bearing to rebuild the box in my car. I suspect that this is where moisture ends up, and this eats the bearings over time. And face it, there’s been some time since these were made! And no one (except Keith) changes their steering box oil! In fact I’d say that changing the oil completely with the box in the car is near impossible.
New seals would have been nice… I should source them as you did. Thanks for your write up.
Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
Again, for what it is worth.....My How to Adjust the box post.
Here is my post on trying to adjust the steering box...
Roll the car forward a few feet, to make sure the wheels are pointing forward.
Then, take a wrench and loosen the jam nut on the top of the steering box, AT THE SAME TIME, put a slotted screw driver into the slot in the top of the screw, AND HOLD IT IN THAT POSITION! Now, carefully screw the screw down in the box, till you feel some resistance. ( you may have to back the nut off a hair more, to keep it from tightening up) Then, go grab the steering wheel and wiggle it back and forth, WHILE WATCHING THE WHEELS. You want to see the wheels move, with the steering wheel movement. IF not, tighten a bit more. When it seems ok, hold the screw in that EXACT position, and then you tighten the jam nut!
Now, this is whre you find out if your worm and sector gears are bagged beyond adjustment. You have to drive the car, to see if it wants to return to center, AFTER you try to turn a corner. IF it is sluggish, or just plain TOO TIGHT, you have to back OFF the adjustment, till it turns ok, but, if you loose the on-center tightness...YOUR BOX is dead. You will either have to live with that vague steering, try and find a better box, or, try to find a good HL510 box and put that on.
So try a few points , test drive.....GOOD LUCK!
While you can turn the wheels statically, I do recommend you actually drive the car to really see how it's working, and BECAREFUL when you first turn, as you may be surprised at how tight the box can become, past the on-center feel.
I've recommended too, that the stock oil needs to be cleaned out, and a gear oil put in, with some Moly-G. If the box has survived, you want to keep it in good shape, and give it the better lubrication.
Be very careful, when you test drive...as the steering could be sooooo...tight, that you might have to reef on it to get it to come back. A PERFECT box, is one that has virtually NO on-center slop, turns well, and, depending on castor, should come back to center by itself, if you let go of the wheel.
Keith Law
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan
Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
However the 4cyl sets are off the books, so 6 cylinder sets are the way to go, and just toss the extra parts I guess. That what I had to do on the last build.