boxboy Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Does anyone out there know if there is any possible way to remove the front cover without removing the water pump? Or the radiator for that much? I just want to replace seals and gaskets on the front cover. The water pump looks fairly new. But from what I am seeing I will have to remove the water pump just to get at one bolt on the front cover. If there are tricks to get around this let me know. I have the fan off, but haven't taken the radiator out or drained it yet. I was hoping to avoid it. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Remove them both, you will save time and money in the long run and a water pump gasket is 89 cents. There's nothing like you wrench slipping and poking a hole in the rad, I know. Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted February 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I figured as much. I was wondering if anyone can confirm for me that a J15 front cover will fit on my J13 engine. I am assuming it is the same bolt pattern and all. What I am after is the neoprene seal over the felt I have now. I know where I can get one and would like to do it if it is just a bolt up swap. Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted February 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 So I have the radiator out fan off and grill out too just to make things easy. (well, I have to buy new bolts for the grill since the others were rotted.) I have found that I can indeed get to the front cover without removing the water pump. Not so worried about the gaskets as I have them, just that the pump looks pretty new and i would rather leave well enough alone at this point. Anyway, still wondering if what i am thinking with the front cover swap is a good idea. I have a felt seal from my Victor Reinz gasket set, but really would feel better about a nice rubber seal. I just don't want to spend $40 bucks on a cover to find out it doesn't fit. Quote Link to comment
Brian D Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 The J 15 cover is the exact same minus the rubber crank seal. Much better route, don't have to worry about the shitty felt seal Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted February 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Thanks Brian! Do you know where I could get a new rubber seal? Quote Link to comment
Brian D Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Still available from nissan. I can't remember the part number. You can look at the factory parts manual @ www.olddatsuns.com and it is the newer seal in section w/ the part #'s Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted February 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Thank Brian. However, all I see is the felt seal in that catalog. I called Nissan Wilsonville about a month ago to find a felt one and they never got back to me. Norlift has the seal for the J15, but they want $27 for it. Doesn't that seem like a lot? Or am I just cheep? Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted February 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Never mind. I found the part number. 13042-B3000 if anyone else is wondering. I will have to call Nissan tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
Brian D Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 There was only one felt seal available about 3 months ago. The guys at wilsonville nissan are great. They will spend quite a bit of time looking for stuff for me usually Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted February 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I have a felt seal. I got it with my complete set from Victor. It is the rubber one that i want. Nissan W-ville says they have it. Just going to be expensive. It will have come from Japan. Although he did say if I got him measurements he thinks he has one from another application that will work. Quote Link to comment
roadwarrior Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 I really need to find that felt seal to complete my j13 build. Is there any available or should I consider a different cover? Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted March 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I had no luck finding a Nissan felt seal. Like I said above, if you can find a Victor gasket set, it will be included. I am going with the new front cover because I have heard that the felt seals don't hold in the oil for very long. A cover came up for sale that had a neoprene seal and I jumped on it. I believe the front covers were only on the J15's, or J13 that were produced after 1970 in overseas markets. You might try a used forklift dealer or wrecking yard, or watch ebay. As for the felt seal, someone on here like Zed1 or others may know if one of the MG seals will work and where to get it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment
zed1 Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 I purchased both the Nissan and (BMC) Metro felt seals. The Nissan was a little thicker, so I installed that one. My local Nissan dealer ordered me the neoprene 13042-B3000 seal. I have yet to pick it up from them. Once I get it home I will take some measurements to ensure it will fit. I'll post the results. Keith Quote Link to comment
roadwarrior Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Thanks Zed1, My seal is on order from Nissan. Can't wait to drive it. Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Today I received my front seal in the mail and installed it in my new timing cover that is machined for the rubber seal. I put a thin coat of sealant on either side of the gasket and installed the cover, snugging the nuts down with a 1/4 inch drive socket until I could see a little of the sealant squeezing out. The book says 4 pounds, and I don't have a torque wrench that reads that low, so I just did it by feel. Anyway, my new problem is, when I went to install the pulley, I noticed that the new covers timing pointer extends out over the entire pulley. So I can't see the timing marks that are on the inside edge of the pulley. I guess I need to get a Dremel and cut her back a bit? What do you guys advise? Quote Link to comment
ppeters914 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 What do you guys advise? Pics. Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 No pics at the moment. I can get some this afternoon. Really not hard to visualize though. The original pointer is short and points to the inside rim of the pulley and the new pointer is long and extends out over the entire width of the pulley. They are in the same location though as far as I can tell. Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Pics. Ratsun unspoken rule. Actual necessity isn't relative. :lol: Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 In the meantime til I get pics up:rolleyes: how tight do I tighten the crank pulley bolt? I am assuming not real tight, but how crucial is it? Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 The crank pulley bolt? Don't have the J manual, but on most it's like 80 ft-lbs. You don't want the pulley flying off. As for marking, why not just scribe a new timing mark on the outer rim across from the inner mark? Quote Link to comment
boxboy Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 There is a washer that bends up and holds it in place, plus the engine turns the opposite direction, so it shouldn't ever come loose. It took a couple of mediocre blows with a rubber mallet to the end of the wrench to get it off, so I don't feel like it was very tight. 80ft/lbs sounds like a lot. I couldn't find the spec in the manual, but I can check again. Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I checked the manual now. There's no spec for it listed in the manual (factory) one I have. But 60-80 is not uncommon. Even with a lock tab. Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 On the Datsun A12, it is 108-116 lb. ft. torque for the crankshaft pulley bolt. Very tight. That's double the head bolt torque! It's an M16 bolt, high strength steel Quote Link to comment
roadwarrior Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Does anyone know the exact dimensions of the felt seal for the front cover of the j13? Quote Link to comment
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