New World Datsuns...

I think the O2 sensor needs to be relocated .. it will hit your steering box, so you should find a threaded cap to plug the manifold

did you do the single belt pulley mod? with the right water outlet and custom spacer?

Yeah I see a lot of people just put the o2 sensor where the EGR goes. That puts it on the #4 runner though, is that a big deal?

In the middle of the single belt mod right now, all I really need is a spacer and a bolt to attach the alternator adjuster, I can't seem to find it from the dealer online and haven't seen it in the FSM at all..

It's really shouldn't belong on just one runner. It's just not a true representation of what's happening in the motor.

Agreed. It would be fine if everything was in u]perfect[/u] running order but any deviation from that could cause some frustrating drivablility gremlins. It would probably be easiest to plug both manifold holes and once everything is in place, and you know exactly where you have the space, weld a bung in the head pipe.

Dangit, I knew you guys would say that. ha

Valve cover bolts are the same as Subaru too! Okay, I think I'm done doing that for now. Speaking of the valve cover, 4/10 bolt holes were stripped out, plus one on the rear oil seal retainer (that one might have been my fault though) :/ Ugh!

I think I want to bend up my own sway bar. Anyone done this? Anything I should keep in mind? If I can find someone to measure the dimensions of one of the aftermarket front sump bars, I think it wouldn't be too hard.

Oh, and I'm feeling a little better about "freehanding" the crossmember cuts, but I'm still going to see if the neighbor will let me use his band saw first.

If you figure out bending a sway bar, I'll have to make a front for my car...

It's kind of hard to find good info online. Other than people welding mild steel up, and that's asking for broken parts unless it stays on the track, even then you'd probably have to at least repair the welds occasionally.

Another idea I saw is bending up the torsion bar of a truck, probably wouldn't be too hard to look around at the JY for something with the proper length and thickness/spring. I would probably try for something off a small/light truck, rather than a giant F350 or something...

I just feel like there has to be a cheaper alternative to to the $265 (plus $20 to ship?) bar from Futofab. It's weird that that's the biggest expense I have left, not including body/paint.

You should look up JesusNo2 on ratsun. He KA swapped a 510 wagon and used a 620 torsion bar as his sway bar.

I might be able to do something like that on my car. But because of all of my changes a front sway bar will be not easy to figure out.

Yeah, I'd guess the math that goes into it is somewhat crucial...

Related question: My current sway bar causes a ton of preload on the coilovers. Would longer tie rods fix that?

noflers wrote:Related question: My current sway bar causes a ton of preload on the coilovers. Would longer tie rods fix that?

Not sure I follow. Sway bar shouldn't have any effect on that.

Any chance of spacing the stock frame mounts down to clear the pan? You'll have to forgive me if that's a dumb question as I've never done a KA/SR/CA/VG swap before although I realize it's a front sump. I got lucky on mine in relation to the sway bar. The center link on the other hand...

DRIVEN wrote:

noflers wrote: Any chance of spacing the stock frame mounts down to clear the pan? You'll have to forgive me if that's a dumb question as I've never done a KA/SR/CA/VG swap before although I realize it's a front sump. I got lucky on mine in relation to the sway bar. The center link on the other hand...

Good news, I have the same question, but I figure there must be some reason people don't do it. It's also hard to guess without having the engine in to see what kind of space I'm working with...

And what I mean is, when I attach the ends of the sway bar, they pull the control arm up quite a bit. To the point that it compresses the coilover spring more than I'd like. This leaves me with very little upward suspension travel...

is it binding at the center where it's close to the crossmember?

Control arms like to sit where ever you tighten the nut for them at. Why I loosened the nut with the weight of the car sitting on them, and then retighten.

The sway bar really should not dictate any ride height. It simply connects the two sides so one side cannot go higher or lower than the other side too much.

That's good to know, I always assumed they had full range of motion and that everything else limited them.

It's been a while since I was under there, but next time I am I'll try and take a video of what I'm talking about to explain better.

Spent some time this morning cleaning and painting the trans, I think it looks pretty good!


Also started taking my engine bay apart. All that's left is to drain the fuel and pull the motor and trans out. Yes, wiring is screwed just like the rest of the car...



Should be a straight across swap.





To be clear, KA24DE+5-speed is going in the 510, and the L18+4-speed from the 510 is going in the 620.

I like the Silver on the transmission. Looks nice, and makes it easy to clean.

No, it's all fucked up now. I'll scrap it for you.



There should be a mandatory IQ test prior to Datsun ownership. Some of the sloppy repairs, and straight up hackery, is staggering. Noflers, your effort on this project is commendable. You've done a great job at setting this thing right. It's going to be pretty well sorted and reliable when you're done. Imagine how much farther along you'd be if you didn't have to undo all the previous creativity.

Previous creativity. Bwahahaha. Too funny, Jess.

Trans looks good.

And Jess is right; you have done a commendable job getting this thing sorted out. I'm glad you, someone who cares for it, has it as opposed to someone who's just going to drive it into the ground.

Hahaha, "previous creativity" is the most polite way I've seen it put.

Thanks for the recognition, everyone.

Reliability is key for me. by the time I'm through with it, I'll have touched every bolt on the car at least a couple times. That's actually a little scary to be honest, but it's probably going to turn me crazy and make me tighten every bolt three times when I go back through. ha

LOVE. THIS. CAR.