I thought i'd drop you a link to a slideshow of all the progress on the car so far plus a few new photos to show you where it's at at the moment.

 

Just having a mass ebay then ordering new parts in the next couple of weeks.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/600zx/

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was gonna post a message earlier saying I dont know you but been following this from the start, its the first thread I always check for updates and have been waiting in anticipation for the finish and was proper gutted when i read about the block cracking.

 

However, just read the good news and keeping my fingers crossed that its all gonna go well for you!

Just read what's happened. Didn't know what to put as a reply felt really gutted for you, but it looks as though you're back on track.

Got my fingers crossed for you.

Thanks for your support guys, I feel I owe it to you all to finish it now and for all the guys and gals with 300zxs around the UK. Let's hope this is another car that'll put us on the map :)

Thanks for your support guys, I feel I owe it to you all to finish it now and for all the guys and gals with 300zxs around the UK. Let's hope this is another car that'll put us on the map :)

 

Thats more like it Nick we are with you all the way:clap:

Unlucky with the block mate, but great to hear you have a new one coming, all the best for the rebuild and it coming back better and stronger.

there we go a little bit more hard work and £450 lighter but what a result you will have in the end

there we go a little bit more hard work and £450 lighter but what a result you will have in the end

 

Not quite unfortunately:

 

New block: £450

As it's a 4 bolt main the studs won't fit so a new set is: £96

If the crank is for an older style block i'll need a convertor to change the end seal: £98

Head gaskets: £55

Gasket set (complete): £100

10 litres of oil: £50

Oil filter: £10

Engine paint: £10

New freeze plugs: £16

 

Total: £885 :(

 

I think i'm going to have to take a second loan to get this done unfortunately and HSBC are ****ers so that'll be fun :(

Okay a few things since my last post. I've found out that the block i'm buying is still a 2 piece rear seal which is a lifesaver as the crank is set up for 2 piece rear seals. I can re-use the studs on the new block and just use the bolts for the outside bolt holes which will save me 100+ quid.

 

So realistically all i need is a new set of head gaskets (£100) and i might just have enough left over gaskets that i don't need to buy in any new ones. Halfrauds sell black gloss enamel paint for £5.99 so i'll get some tonight on the way back with the new block.

 

Okay so progress? Well i've done quite a bit. Both heads are off, all the exhaust is disconnected and dropped, gearbox is drained, prop removed and everything slacked off and ready to pull the engine tonight.

 

Hoping to get the engine out tonight, the other one on the building stand and painted.

 

Plan is to remove the gearbox off the current one then suspend it in the air with the hoist, pull off the sump and remove the pistons, give them a wash off with the compressor and white spirit then oil them before wrapping them up in order. I'll blast the interior out with white spirit to remove any excess oil then flip the block over on its heads to remove the crank on the floor.

 

Still trying to work out in my head the best way to remove the flywheel and crank but might be able to just lift it on the crank because of the way it's attached.

 

More updates as i get any further but hope to have the whole bottom end of the new block built and sump back on by tomorrow but might have to buy a one piece rubber sump seal to combat the crappy oil leaks i was getting.

Good work Nick, keep looking forward mate

Cheers buddy, I'm going to use my magic powder/epoxy around the seams of the sump to seal up the oil leaks i've been getting while i'm at it as well as give it all a damn good paint and polish.

 

This engine will look the business by the time i'm finished just wait and see :)

Okay so yesterday i went to pick up the new block. It was in great condition, freshly bored and honed and ready to go. Checked everything (and i thought i meant everything).

 

Got it back, went to unload it and guess what - the dipstick's on the other side! :headvswal

 

So have to take the sump over the gelscoe motorsport and get them to cut and weld the relief into the other side. Luckily everything clears the bulge but have to cut my dipstick down in size to clear the sump correctly unfortunately (or buy the correct dipstick holder!)

 

And to get the engine in and out i've cut out the centre section so i can just bolt and unbolt it to gain access to everything alot easier.

 

Back to work!

 

You dipstick Nick:tt2:Easy to do mate you check everthing and miss the obvious:)

Nick, im really sorry to hear about the cracked block, was this a result of the recent extream weather. I put neat antifreez in all my engines now after a problem I had many years ago. I dont think we will ever see a -32 winter, well I hope not anyway as I will be off to warmer countrys

Edited January 15, 201114 yr by gruntpa64
typo

You dipstick Nick:tt2:Easy to do mate you check everthing and miss the obvious:)

 

It's an obvious one to miss, the block the looks the same and you check all the important bits then you miss an obvious one. Oil filter hole - check, dip stick hole - check, wrong side - fook!

 

Not to worry we're going to weld a shortened dip stick tube onto the wing of the sump (about 2" long) and also take the time to weld in a bung to screw in the temp sender while i'm at it. Then just to finish it i'll coat it in 3 coats of enamel and bake it off then on to the block.

 

Nick, im really sorry to hear about the cracked block, was this a result of the recent extream weather. I put neat antifreez in all my engines now after a problem I had many years ago. I dont think we will ever see a -32 winter, well I hope not anyway as I will be off to warmer countrys

 

Sorry to hear you're off soon mate, i haven't seen you in 2 years at least!

 

Yeah, i'll be putting neat antifreeze in the block straight away - i'll not let it dip below 50% from now on having found out how sensitive those chevy blocks are now! Just glad there wasn't more damage and i've ended up with a stronger block and a second chance to re-route everything in the engine bay now i know it all fits and where everything goes.

Oh and update:

 

I decided after the hassle i usually have removing the engine i'd do something i'd thought about at the start and never did. This usually resulted in me scratching up the bulkhead and front bonnet latch etc.

 

So i've removed the centre section of the top beam inbetween the lights for easy access. The fans will be attached to the rad directly and the original panel section will bolt back in again using the rad bracket. This meant that it was waaaay easier to get the tail end of the engine/box out and means it's actually worth painting the engine bay now.

 

More to come tomorrow:

 

 

:thumbup::thumbup::wink:

Okay so engine is out, pretty much finished stripping it down to the crank and cam. Just having some trouble removing the power steering pump bracket and finding my damper puller. I didn't get much time on it over the weekend.

 

Off to Gelscoe to get the sump welded up tonight then on with the build.

 

Should hopefully have the pistons and crank in tonight even if i don't have the rest done by the time i get to bed. After that it's a case of grinding in the reliefs for the bolt heads and we're ready to get the new sump on.

 

I'm aching all over like i've been through 5 rounds with mike tyson but i'll keep going till I get it done!

 

Plan is to reassemble the whole engine with heads on, spark plugs and manifolds in place, everything sealed and torqued up before it goes in.

 

I need to start tidying up the loom and see if i can get rid of the main thick wire that goes under the rad in some way if possible and reroute a few things to tidy up the look of it. If i get chance i'll try and tidy up the paintwork with some fresh paint before it all goes back.

 

More to come as it happens!

Nearly finished stripping the old engine down, just the crank to go and we're ready to start building :)

 

 

The new block ready to go. Just needs a lick of paint and the grease cleaning out the bore

 

 

(un)Organised chaos!

 

 

And the finished sump, just one more side to paint and we're done!

 

Keep it going Nick and tidy that garage before you trip over something and fall into that V8:thumbup:

Cheers guys, i'll be working away tonight again on it getting the last few bits and bobs removed from the old block then onto painting, cleaning and reassembling on the new one :)

 

Still got to order some gaskets from Real Steel today but should be looking good to reassemble toward the end of the week. Grinding out the clearances is the last time consuming job to do before i can put the sump on but it's not too bad.

 

I've got to do it UNDER the block to make sure all the metal filings drop out the bottom and don't stick to the cylinder walls like last time(!)

 

Can't wait to get this all painted up and looking good :hyper:

Bit more painting last night, just need to clean up the faces then i can start on the block:

 

 

 

lol, no chance but the engine should be built to the point where i can put it back in again :)

 

Just getting the prep work done first so i can literally just whack it all together. Ordering the gaskets today at lunch which should be here for Friday.

 

I've ordered some lockable aero-catches and some fan mounts which should be here today. It means i can get rid of all the girder work on the front end that holds the fans on so i can take the rad and fan assembly out in one go in the future and do away with the stupid heavy bonnet latch.

 

More to come as i get there :hyper:

Finished stripping the engine last night and some good and bad news.

 

The crank is fine, it's stainless anyway so i wasn't expecting any problems but the cam suffered a bit with water droplets sitting on it and it's eaten through the surface of one set of lobes. Not bad enough to scrap the cam but it does mean i'll have to keep an eye on wear. Oh well, looks like i'll have to start saving for a bigger badder cam for next season and see how this one holds up.

 

Anyway so that's it now for parts off the old block, everything is cleaned and bagged up ready to be refitted now so i'll get the clearance of the new block done tonight and give it a first coat of enamel. I'll also roder my new gaskets to be delivered tomorrow.

 

I'm off friday, saturday and sunday and apart from a mortgage signing, a funeral and a band practice i've got the rest of the time to devote myself to the rebuild.

 

All being well the engine should be finished and lashed up by Sunday evening and ready to fit.

 

I did a bit more work on the inlet last night and refitted the shiny bits to see how it looked and tidy up any unpainted areas and it's looking good :)

 

More to come as i get there folks! :hyper:

 

Gaskets have arrived! :)

 

Instead of the standard leaking 4 piece felt gasket i opted for a mr gasket rubber one piece affair. Fits like a dream but not cheap.

 

 

A test fitting of the sump shows everything matches up with is good news:

 

 

I've replaced the standard side mount pipe with an edelbrock banjo connector which means the air filter now sits on properly:

 

 

 

And ready in a box for the shows is the chrome edelbrock matching top (i'm such an edelbrock whore i really am! :lol: ):

 

 

Just transferred the crank over and measuring the bores to see if i need to gap the rings again before assembling. More news shortly :)

Nice one. Keep 'em coming bud.