My "L29" build.

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
I've been assembling an album of photos of my engine build over last couple of months, so I thought I'd share it here, just in case it's interesting to anyone contemplating something similar.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B3uvIDVhd1sJVmlnOW9oWlR5VjA?usp=sharing

It's not finished yet - last weekend I f****d up the cam tower threads by following the pictures in 'how to rebuild your nissan OHC' and torqued them to 33ft-lb :eek:

So the head's with a friend being helicoiled. Should get it (and the sump) back from him at the end of the week.
If I don't screw anything else up, it should be in the car within a couple more weekends.
 
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MaximG

Well-Known Forum User
What are you saying it should be? I've rebuilt a couple of heads using that book and never had a problem.
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
It's 10-12. The book has a table at the back listing the right torque, but the text with the pictures is wrong.
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
I've finally got my engine finished and installed - can't wait to put a few miles on it. I haven't taken it over 3250 rpm yet, but it feels very strong.
Final spec: 2915 cm3, C/R 11.3:1 with my old E88 head and Kent P284 cam.

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Bonus is that I finally put the polyurethane steering coupler on that I bought from Mike a few months ago and it's fixed my slightly twitchy steering. I'm a bit sad that I changed EVERY other bit of rubber in the steering or suspension first trying to hunt it down.
 
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SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
Bonus is that I finally put the polyurethane steering coupler on that I bought from Mike a few months ago and it's fixed my slightly twitchy steering. I'm a bit sad that I changed EVERY other bit of rubber in the steering or suspension first trying to hunt it down.

Glad that you can enjoy that engine - you'll become addicted to torque now.

THAT has been THE part to change if nothing else on a Z since the late '80s - did you not hear the advice ?:D
 

candy red

Club Member
Looks great John hope it goes as well as it looks or better, well done come round would love to go for a spin ;)

Derrick :thumbs:
 

AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Nice album JB! Most impressed !!

How long did it take you to do from pulling eng to putting her back in?

Also, did you do all the work in a lock up?
 

jonbills

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Bought the l28 engine back in August 2014 , so taken since then. It's been pretty leisurely!
Yes, all in my metal single garage.
More space would be nice.
 

AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Good man!!!

Would love to rebuild mine in my garage, which is not too dissimilar in size to yours - but with two toddlers and a longish commute, time is a premium and I fear I will forever be looking at a pile of ever rusting parts ;)
 

Geoff-R

Club Member
That looks fantastic, out of interest, hope you don't mind me asking what does that rebuild stand you in at?
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
About £3k total, breaks down as:
£1000 pistons & rods
£1000 engineering work - skimming & boring block, skimming head, measuring up for boring, cleaning everything properly, baffling the sump a bit better, helicoiling the cam tower etc
£600 seals, gaskets, bearings, timing kit etc
£150 for the used L28
£100 for the adjustable cam sprocket

can't remember where the rest went :)
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
So far so good! A number of people have helped a lot with advice. It's idling nicely now, and no oil leaks which is a relief.
 

atomman

Club Member
Looks lovely,

can I ask why they heli-coiled the cam towers ? did you strip a thread or was it just an update for more strength ?

I remember I heli-coiled my old porsche super 9 case because the heads studs tended to pull out,
 
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