Wynona the wagon's resurrection!

[DRIVEN]

It almost acts like it has a vacuum leak.

[HRH]

Yeah, I think it's a combination of fuel bowl level and the cam that's in it. Runs out fine though. There's no vacuum leak as far as I can tell, but I will double check it. I've certainly had about everything fiddled on it.

[Taterhead]

Aww yeah. I love it. I don't know as much as you guys but it seems like it has pretty good throttle response.

[HRH]

So I haven't gotten around to the wagon yet, what with the Hawaii honeymoon vacation and all, and the reception this weekend. But I did get a super sweet item in the mail today. Kameari adjustable cam gear from MSA, aww yeah!! And I think the wagon problem is the fuel pump. Too low pressure, I think it's emptying the bowls. So I have a higher pressure pump and regulator I'll try as soon as I find some freakin' time!

[HRH]

[wayno]

So pretty, where did you get that gear?

[DRIVEN]

Sweet. I was just wondering about this car.

[HRH]

http://www.zcarparts.com/

Motorsport Auto, they had a price drop, couldn't say no! For $160, that's a steal. I can see how to replicate it but I can't do it for $160 of my time. It's pretty nice.

[wayno]

I can see how that gear would make it easy to fine tune the cam for HP or torque depending on preference.
I don't even use the marks anymore when installing a cam, I just know what it is suppose to look like when at TDC.

[HRH]

Yeah, with reground cams, there's a lot of difference between the sweet spot. I'm close to where it needs to be right now with my offset dowel, but another 2 or 3 degrees might gain another 5-10 hp and in a different rpm range. Well worth dinking with it. Not for a stock motor of course, that's just set on 3 mark and forget it.

[HRH]

Well I'm back on it. Have the new fuel pump in, pressure is just below 3.5 running, which should be great. I can't get it to idle below about 1000 rpm, which isn't too bad, but then if you give it a wad of throttle, on going back down it dies. Can be kept going if you blip the throttle. Going to put a vacuum gauge on in a second to check for leaks, rather doubt it.

Have both carbs 3.5 turns out right now, which is a bit more than it should be. Haven't installed the new cam gear yet. Beginning to wish I'd left the stock cam in for ease of tuning, then changed it and adjusted. Anyway, I'm also suspecting float bowl level may need to be adjusted, but either way, after dinner I'll clean the garage and then put the car on the ground for the first time in a long time, that way I can properly set the bowl level, or at least try. I really wish the SU bowls had a little glass site in them like the old Hitachis. Would have made it a snap for adjusting bowl level.

Looks like SU says the 1/8 rod underneath. I'm wondering if I have my floats set too high. Would make sense. After dinner I'll adjust the float level first, then check for vacuum leaks. If that doesn't provide anything, I'll try something else. As Ace Ventura says, "If I'm not back in 5 minutes....just wait longer!!"

[HRH]

Ok, after a scare about the head gasket leaking water, I have the car running well, but not idling well. The thermostat housing had a sensor in the front I never tightened apparently, and it had a plug that was leaning against the timing cover, and it was just barely sliming down and pooling in the head gasket crevice and then leaking down. I re-tightened the head studs since I thought it was the gasket, then realized it was oozing along the top of the timing cover where the head meets. Anyway, tightened that fitting and no more leaks, which was nice. Couldn't figure how the head gasket would be leaking coolant.

So I have it responding well and idling about 14-1500 rpm now. Problem is below that won't work. And when I hit WOT, if I let it go, it dies. If I give it little blips, then it will idle happy. I've adjusted the fuel pressure to around 2.5-3 pounds, the floats were readjusted about 1/8 inch, which should be correct. It may well be the cam is a little too advanced for the taste of the SUs, and I can certainly change that with the adjustable cam gear. Anyway, when it does idle down, it goes to 800 rpm, then jumps up to 1600, then back down for about 3 times before it evens out at 1200 rpm. I haven't figured that out yet. Adjusting fuel pressure doesn't seem to do anything. Screws are out about 3.5 turns or thereabouts.

[HRH]

Figured out one thing yesterday after talking to the Datsun guru. I have vacuum for the vacuum advance from the balance bar, need to pull off non-ported vacuum.

[wayno]

That is like using the manifold for vacuum signal, way back some were made that way, but it has been a long time since them days.
One of your SUs must have a vacuum advance port/source, if not you should be able to drill your own, but you have to get it spot on.

[HRH]

Yeah, I read a Hot Rod Magazine where they were setting them up like that, but I guess that's the difference in theory between a V8 and an L motor. I'll have to re-read the issue. I'm sure depending on the weights you can do it, but probably better the way Nissan intended it. I'll switch it and go another round of fiddling this weekend.

[HRH]

Ok, so I finally got the carbs pretty well set but after I hooked up the exhaust, I heard timing chain noise. So I figured I'd take off the valve cover and take a look. To my annoyance, I found an empty hole where the tensioner was supposed to be. I got the timing cover off fairly quickly, found the spring right at the bottom in the pan, but sticking out. I have a new tensioner assembly, the only tricky part is getting the oil pan to seal back up without leaking. However, I have a small issue.

If you look at the witness mark of RTV on the head gasket right below the head, you'll note the head gasket is to the right and out farther. I had to bang the cover pretty hard to wrench it loose. Wasn't too worried about it, but now what I'm worried about is could the head gasket have slid forward? I know it has head dowels which should locate it, but I don't see the metal is stretched to allow for that 1/16" or more out of place.

What do you guys think? I'm debating whether I should set up the chain again, then yank the head and re-seal the HG? I wouldn't think it's possible to pull the head gasket forward slightly, I think it would be more likely the metal in the front cover area would stretch once the cover was wrenched out. But I'm just not sure and I already have the timing cover off. Not too much more to yank the head to save having to do the job twice.

[wayno]

It doesn't seem like it could pull out from under the head and block as there is a head bolt right there, but right on the other side of that head bolt is a water jacket hole, at least on my L block heads there is, can you see between the head and block, there has to be a gap somewhere as I don't see that material stretching.
When ever I remove the timing chain cover I loosen all the oil pan bolts except for the 4 rear ones, this allows the oil pan to drop a little and sometimes it saves the oil pan gasket.
If it were me I would likely remove the head, put the timing cover on with a partial oil pan gasket, then do another head gasket, one of the reasons is to find out where the head gasket gave up at.
Have you tried pushing it back into position?
I am wondering how the tensioner got out in the first place.

[DRIVEN]

Run it. No leaksd = no problem.

[HRH]

I screwed up the tensioner. I wasn't using my normal chain holder tool (favorite screwdriver) and it popped out. Thought I had it back in, but apparently not. Or it may have been the last time fiddling with the cam gear. Never had any problems before, just had an off day. Done a million cam gear adjustments, never had the tensioner pop out. With the adjustable cam gear I'm putting in though, won't have to worry about that anymore!

I did try to push the gasket back into shape, it's not budging. I'm surprised it would have had enough leverage to yank the head gasket out, but I can't afford to take the chance, so I think I'll be yanking the head again. I checked the underside with the camera just now, can't see any dinks in the metal gasket, so sliding movement is about the only option I see. Bah. Oh well, at least it's a lot easier with the carbs to do that now. It's only been heat cycled a few times.

[HRH]

Ok, so tomorrow when the wife is at work, I'll be in the garage, yanking the head on Wynona and checking the gasket. Then hopefully all back together in one fell swoop. Going to have to start a fire out there early though, get that place warmed up. Brr.