I want to rebuild the J13 in my 411

[MikeRL411]

 

 

While we're on this subject, I had the valve cover off my J13 the other day to adjust valves, and I happened to find a small piece of thin crumpled up metal sitting between the #1 and #2 rocker on the flat part of the head.  Where the hell could that come from?  It was thin aluminum or tin,

 

Maybe to PO's makeshift feeler gauge?

[KFunk740]

Maybe to PO's makeshift feeler gauge?

Hmmm, too small for that, but could be a piece of one.  Accidentally leaving something under the valve cover seems like the best explanation, and whatever it was probably got beat to death by the valve springs.  Whatever it is must've been in there for the past 18K miles, so I've hopefully made it past any real damage. 

[Lunatik]

I've been saving up money in oder to do my J13 rebuild. The thing is, it's better to tear down the engine and have a look at everything before buying parts. That could make this a longer process since I might have to wait for some things pieces to become available. I hope to start the process in the next couple of months.

I am going through rebuilding a J13 as well for my Truck, I might have a set of piston available that I wont be using, are 0.75 bigger. 

 

Let me know

 

[Rushnracin]

Arias pistons can make you a set of pistons. They already have a Cad model for a set .060 over with a small comp. increase. I'm running them.

[jfbrink]

Hello, 

 

The other Jesse, here. I am joining this (relatively) recent J13 rebuild thread to ask a question about my own rebuild. Should I use these fancy valve seals to replace the o-rings that were on the engine. The manual says it's an "option" but why wouldn't I use it: 

 

 

I am lucky, in that I got a block that had the cylinders bored and new pistons already. Of course, it had almost nothing else. I got a new oil pump, gasket kit and oil filler cap from Mexico (eBay) and a new fuel pump from Thailand (eBay). I got the front and rear plates from the engine in my sedan, which just lost rings on piston #3. I bought ARP head and crank studs for a 3-main MGB. I've ordered a high-end (Payen) MGB head gasket to see if it is better then the Mexican kit one. I'm fabricating new brackets for mounting the engine because all three sets of stock mounts I have are broken and such a pain to install. 

 

I'm going to try to get this done and in the car by the end of the year, at which point I'll use my busted engine to mock up an Aisin AMR500 supercharger installation, which I hope to have ready by February. 

 

Best,

Jesse.

[MikeRL411]

 

Hello, 

 

The other Jesse, here. I am joining this (relatively) recent J13 rebuild thread to ask a question about my own rebuild. Should I use these fancy valve seals to replace the o-rings that were on the engine. The manual says it's an "option" but why wouldn't I use it: 

 

 

I am lucky, in that I got a block that had the cylinders bored and new pistons already. Of course, it had almost nothing else. I got a new oil pump, gasket kit and oil filler cap from Mexico (eBay) and a new fuel pump from Thailand (eBay). I got the front and rear plates from the engine in my sedan, which just lost rings on piston #3. I bought ARP head and crank studs for a 3-main MGB. I've ordered a high-end (Payen) MGB head gasket to see if it is better then the Mexican kit one. I'm fabricating new brackets for mounting the engine because all three sets of stock mounts I have are broken and such a pain to install. 

 

I'm going to try to get this done and in the car by the end of the year, at which point I'll use my busted engine to mock up an Aisin AMR500 supercharger installation, which I hope to have ready by February. 

 

Best,

Jesse.

 

Those look like the valve seals from a PAYEN kit [like for my R1600 engine]! They are very good!

[jfbrink]

A note to future J13 engine rebuilders. I've been using the engine gasket/seal kit sold by Datsun Kentigo on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/usr/kentigo?_trksid=p2047675.l2559). I've been happy with the kit, but there are two exceptions so far.

 

One, which is not the biggest deal, is that it does not include a seal for where the rear plate meets the block. I just ordered one from Moss motors, instead. 

 

Two, is that the rope seals for the rear main bearing are very wrong. At first I thought I was just a fool who couldn't deal with 100-year-old "technology". But, when I got some Nissan OEM seals (12279-09400) from TVH Parts (a forklift place -- Nissan dealers in LA claim NLA) it was clear that the Kentigo seals were just wrong. The main issue is that they are just too big. Much too thick and tall to fit in the crevice. The Nissan seals slip fully into the slot; no amount of care or effort was getting those Kentigo seals in.

 

A secondary issue is that the Kentigo seals are cardboard with a woven sleeve, while the Nissan seals are stranded something-or-other with a woven sleeve. Thus the Kentigo seals are hard and unconforming (even after soaking), while the Nissan seals are super supple.

 

I hope this information will help someone in the future. 

 

Jesse.

[jfbrink]

Hey, all, 

 

I got my wagon stopping well enough to take the J13 I rebuilt for a test drive.

 

Loud valves, but it runs beautifully and has much more pull than my un-rebuilt J13. 

 

 

Jesse.

[whatwouldjessedo]

A note to future J13 engine rebuilders. I've been using the engine gasket/seal kit sold by Datsun Kentigo on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/usr/kentigo?_trksid=p2047675.l2559). I've been happy with the kit, but there are two exceptions so far.

 

One, which is not the biggest deal, is that it does not include a seal for where the rear plate meets the block. I just ordered one from Moss motors, instead. 

 

Two, is that the rope seals for the rear main bearing are very wrong. At first I thought I was just a fool who couldn't deal with 100-year-old "technology". But, when I got some Nissan OEM seals (12279-09400) from TVH Parts (a forklift place -- Nissan dealers in LA claim NLA) it was clear that the Kentigo seals were just wrong. The main issue is that they are just too big. Much too thick and tall to fit in the crevice. The Nissan seals slip fully into the slot; no amount of care or effort was getting those Kentigo seals in.

 

A secondary issue is that the Kentigo seals are cardboard with a woven sleeve, while the Nissan seals are stranded something-or-other with a woven sleeve. Thus the Kentigo seals are hard and unconforming (even after soaking), while the Nissan seals are super supple.

 

I hope this information will help someone in the future. 

 

Jesse.

Thanks Jesse,

Thats' really great info. I just received my gasket/seal set from Kentigo this week. I'll go look for those other one you bought to round out the set. I'm hoping to have time today to go talk to a machine shop about doing work for this rebuild. I'd like to get it happening soon!

 

I

[difrangia]

Call Ivan at 'Import Auto Parts of Ft. Worth' (Texas) with a list of what you need. I got some stuff from him for the E1 I'm building.

 

Couple phone numbers for Ivan:

817-966-6165

817-921-3944

 

Lots more on Ebay, Rock Auto, & others. I gathered parts over a year's time and finally got enuf to do the whole thing. A good number of British stuff will interchange. Here is a link to an E1 rebuild thread on NICO forum: It was very helpful to me. The daddy of this thread has six 320's and is always tinkering on them. Does a lot of study on Britt-Datsun interchange. He's close to Victoria British in KC Kansas and visits them all the time digging in their parts bins.

 

http://forums.nicoclub.com/running-on-a-budget-63-pl-320-t586738.html

 

Visit my 320 project thread on Ratsun when you've got a minute:

 

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/64874-mighty-mouse-engine-rebuild-upgrades/

[difrangia]

Forgot to add in last post:

 

http://www.farm.net/~mason/datsun/datsun-parts.html

 

Very helpful interchange suggestions.

 

Steve

[ppeters914]

the oil pan would need to be modded on the r16, cant run the roadster pulley as it will be 3 inches into the radiator and the same with the water pump. like i said its not a straight drop in, oh the motor mounts on the actual crossmember are way different between r16 and j13/15

Not only are the motor mounts different, how they bolt to the front crossmember is also different. Basically, two different front crossmembers.

 

Btw, the R16 motor mounts for a 411 are totally different that for a roadster (SPL311) and totally NLA. I believe Tana had the last set in existence, and sold 'em in 2014.