l20b manual swap

[SBDT_DatsunSlides]

Sup guys. i have a 1978 datsun 510 hatch with a l20.

Just bought the beaut but shes automatic :yawn:.

I want to swap out the tranny as soon as possible but im having trouble finding one.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Im looking for coils too if anyone knows whats good with those.

[SBDT_DatsunSlides]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/img00020c.jpg/

I cant figure out how to post the pic but here is proof this thing actually exists

[datzenmike]

Assume you want a standard?

 

Well the PL510, 710 and early 620 L16 F4W63 4 speed will fit the L20B and be right for length so you don't have to shorten the driveshaft. (the HL510 you have came with them)

 

The FS5W63A dogleg 5 speed from a '77-'79 S10 (200sx) will also fit for length and motor. Your HL510 also had this 5 spd as an option, so look at the A10s too.

 

The '77-'83 280z and zx, '77-79 620, '80 2wd 720, '79-'84 810/Maxima all had 5 speed options that will bolt to an L20B motor but you will need your driveshaft shortened about 5.5" and the rear mount modified.

 

Why would you swap in coils?

[SBDT_DatsunSlides]

Hell yeah thank you. Ill be checking those out.

 

I want some coils so i can slam it and get rid of the body roll.

I'm looking to make this thing a drift machine

eventually id love to stick a sr20det into it but i don't have the funds right now

[datzenmike]

Well I suppose you could convert to a long 5 speed but you will have to shorten the drive shaft again when you do the SR 5 speed. A short 4 spd. or the short 5 speed dogleg would avoid this.

 

You can only lower safely a few inches with a shortened spring or you risk bottoming out the strut on a bad bump and ruining it. To get really low you need a shorter strut or get shorter shock cartridges and shorten the strut tube to match them.

[SBDT_DatsunSlides]

I think ill just rock a short 4 speed, but there really not easy to find haha.

 

Id love it to be sitting somewhere around here http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/4945/datsun510.jpg

Do you think lowering springs would drop it that low?

Any recommendations on lowering springs? Stiffness is my main concern.

[hobbes_the_cat]

4-speeds are EASY to find and usually given away. I sold my last one for $20. Place a wanted ad and one will pop up.

[datzenmike]

Id love it to be sitting somewhere around here http://img268.images...5/datsun510.jpg

Do you think lowering springs would drop it that low?

Any recommendations on lowering springs? Stiffness is my main concern.

 

Pretty sure I answered this...

 

You can only lower safely a few inches with a shortened spring or you risk bottoming out the strut on a bad bump and ruining it. To get really low you need a shorter strut or get shorter shock cartridges and shorten the strut tube to match them.

 

 

 

I doubt this 510 is this low simply by using shorter springs. It likely has shorter/shortened struts and probably coil overs.

 

Have a look through this article by Mklotz..... http://community.ratsun.net/topic/6776-strut-modspic-heavy/page__fromsearch__1

.

[Boaty]

Agreed.

 

Cutting coils is fine if you just need a small trim, but coilvers is where it's at. Spendy, but worth it.

 

Techno Toy Tuning has some great setups, but only if you want to spend that kind of money. They do quality work, and you can buy the C/O kits and camber plates from them as well, all you'd be required to do is shorten the strut if necessary, and you'd be doing the welding for the spring perches.

 

www.technotoytuning.com

[SBDT_DatsunSlides]

Thanks fellas

truly appreciate all the help

I <3 you all

[Kathos]

I know this is way later, but I wanted to add this for anyone searching.

 

http://www.the510realm.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=15565

 

Postby datzenmike » 11 Oct 2010 16:26

Easiest to measure along the bottom from where it joins the motor to the drive shaft. Hold tape level and make best guess. By the serial numbers, its a floor shift 3N71B made in January of '72 so probably the stock 510 auto and will be 26" long. This is good to know and would indicate that the drive shaft is also stock and hasn't been shortened.

The '77-'79 200sx manual transmission is also 26" long and will fit without the need to alter the drive shaft. You will need:

A set of clutch and brake pedals including the clutch master push rod, any mounting bolts washers, cotter pins, springs and plastic clips. The gas peddle is also different but you can probably get by with the automatic one.

A clutch master cylinder. Get a new one.
A clutch slave cylinder. Get a new one. May come with push rod, if not you will need one.
Buy or make a hard line from a pre-made brake line with proper metric fittings on the end. Measure from master to slave with large bends and but the next largest size. Form the bends around a can of peas or similar.

Buy a hydraulic flex line from body hard line to the slave cylinder.


The 200sx dogleg 5spd may come with the following on it, but if not, you will have to source them separately....
Clutch arm with clip spring to attach to pivot ball.
Clutch arm boot.
Release bearing sleeve clip spring. Holds bearing sleeve to end of clutch arm
Release bearing sleeve. Holds release bearing
Release bearing. Presses onto sleeve... get a new one.
Gear shift lever.

If an L20B a 6 bolt flywheel. The 6 bolt can come in three sizes 200mm, 225mm and 240mm. 200mm are usually from cars and 225mm from trucks. All flywheels are more or less the same except the bolt pattern that holds the PPs, this determines their 'size'. A 200mm flywheel only fits a 200mm clutch, a 225mm only a 225mm clutch, so decide first what you want. The 225mm truck clutch is now about the second strongest with the 200mm Roadster pressure plate the best. It is stiffer to use though. If you wish, any 200mm PP will do, it doesn't have to be from a Roadster.

Flywheel bolts are different length than the auto flex plate bolts which are, I think, shorter and may not thread in far enough on a much thicker flywheel.

Once the auto is removed and the starter ring flex plate, there is a spacer on the end of the crankshaft. This needs prying off or the flywheel will not fit on.

If the L20B was always an automatic, a pilot bushing must be tapped into the end for the 'nose' of the transmission to ride in.

The rear transmission mount will need modifying to fit the dogleg which is slightly further back.

The speedometer cable is on the other side and also slightly further back. A 200sx, 280z or 620 truck cable is longer if the stock one can't be routed around.

[yenpit]

..........also for those swapping out ANY L-series automatic...........the 5 bolt L16/L18 and the 6 bolt L20B (and Z car L24 L26 L28) FLEX PLATES have some value!  As far as I know, the 5 bolt L16/L18 flex plates are NLA.  I think the 6 bolt L20B L24 L26 L28 flex plates are still available.  Although there ARE people still running the automatics, often needing to replace the flex plates, we actually use the later 6 bolt flex plates on our vintage race Z's with manual tranny's, using a Quartermaster 5-1/2in clutch assembly,  Bottom line, don't throw away those flex plates!!

[datzenmike]

I think you can still buy the starter rings.

[Kathos]

Thats actually what I am looking for at the moment Yenpit. A flexplate for my l20b.

What do you mean by starter ring mike?

[hobospyder]

Ring gear on the outside if the flywheel. Or I'm guessing flex plate on the auto, I don't know what the ring gear attaches to on automatics. Starter gear engages with on the ring gear to start the engine

[datzenmike]

On an auto, the ring gear is welded on in 8? positions around the rim. Seems like you could have it ground off and a new one welded on.