Daewoo

What I have come across so far, this is the only real hassle... Crank - I remember someone posted on here that they thought the crank was different, which would have gone against any other Datsun I have worked on - When you take off the Torque Converter and Flex plate, there is a small plate over the end of the crank, which wouldn't allow the flywheel to mate up against the crank surface... just lever that plate off with a screwdriver... the crank is no different... the Flex Plate & Flywheel bolts are identicle so can be re-used... make sure you get the plate that sits between the flywheel and the engine when you get the flywheel/clutch... and remember to put in one BEFORE torquing up the flywheel, and clutch (or even worse getting the whole GB into place.... lesson from you youth... Tail Shaft... you need the tailshaft yoke for a manual box (different to an Auto)... If you use a 'box from an MR30 (Short box) you need a manual tailshaft as the short section is a different length to the Auto one, and the yoke is different... If you are using a '240K box' or simillar, you can re-use the shorter Auto Tailshaft complete, and just change the yoke at the Uni Joint... Cross member... The Auto Cross-member would fit with the longer 'K box', but you would need to find a gearbox mount to fit, or maybe some mods to the cross-member... (grinding the plate that makes to too wide to fit into the mount, and drill holes to match the mount... Speedo Cable... The Speedo Cable enters the MR30 box on the opposite side to the Auto and all other Datsun boxes, so you probably need the Manual Speedo Cable Assembly as well... Clutch Pedal & Cylinders... I think you need to grab the pedal AND the bar that it pivots on at the top of the pedal box... I would grab the brake pedal from the manual as well... although for a while we considered a wide Auto Brake pedal as a good rally mod... you can fit two feet on it when you think you are going to die... :lol: ... the firewall has a plate blanking off the hole for the cylinder, just remove it... Gearbox Bolts... You need the bolts from the manual car, as Auto ones are shorter, and you can not but the correct length ones with a 14mm head... The cross member if the only thing that will throw out a 'weekend' conversion, and only then if you use the short MR30 box... If you sort everything else out in advance, (especially the tailshaft) you would still knock it over in the same time as any clutch change (45 mins - gearbox out, 30 mins - clutch in place, 1 1/4 hours gearbox back in)... My secret weapon is an old Main Bearing Cap that you jam in the ring gear against the dowel in the block... stops the flywheel turning when you are unbolting/bolting the clutch/flywheel... Personally I am thinking of changing to a 'K' box as they are stronger, and it means I don't need to fabricate a crossmember... but the gearstick will sit about 100mm further back than standard, and the standard gearstick is already bent forward at a less than ideal angle... Cheers, Daewoo

Trying to fit an MR30 'box into an auto body, and neither Auto mount nor manual one is anything like close to fitting... The Auto body has a very wide transmission tunnel, so the manual crossmember doesn't gp close to toching the floorpan on either side... the Auto crossmember crosses the gearbox about 10cm rear of the gearbox mount, and the gearbox mount won't fit over the cross member... Also, the auto crossmember sits over two bolts in the floor, but unlike the manual, they are at two different heights... Any ideas??? I know I can fabricate a crossmember, but it isn't like Datsun Lego to have things that aren't interchangeable... Cheers, Daewoo

I think Ghostrider is in the same boat as me... the shinny links are of no importance if the bottom and top are on TDC... I guess they just help you confirm that you have it set right, and I guess further down the track might help you know if the chain has slipped or something... I think they are only important when assembling the engine without the timing case on, so you don't know for sure that the bottom is on TDC... You don't need to change the castor rod brackets to adjust the caster, just make the current rods adjustable by cutting the thread longer and adding an extra nut... Daewoo

OK... Didn't realise you had taken the front off the motor... but I would still ignore the shinny links, or at worst, line them up for future refference... First job is to line up the oil pump to distributor drive shaft... it is easy to get this out by one tooth... With the engine set to TDC as explained earlier; Pull the the distributor out, and looking at the hole from directly in front, get a marker or liquid paper to mark the edges of the round hole that the distributor mates against... If you think of the hole as a clock, the oil pump needs to be set so it is where the big hand of a clock would be at "11:25", so divide the hole into 4... ie 3, 6, 9 and 12... divide the top left hand quarter (from 9 to 12) into 3 (then you have lines for 10 and 11)... divide the section between 11 and 12 in half... that is 11:30, so a little bit back from 11:30 is 11:25... The shaft has a bigger semi-circle on one side of the centre drive, and I think the larger semi-circle is the side away from you (towards 1 o'clock)... with the timing chain, if you can see the 'shinny link' one goes on the tooth of the bottom cog next to the dot on the gear... the other goes on the camshaft gear on the tooth with the dot on that gear... (the dot is a small hole like it has been hit with a centre punch)... The shinny links aren't really that important if you follow all the other instructions, just helps if you haven't got the bottom end exactly on TDC, which can happen now that you don't have the timming case and harmonic balancer in place to set it by... but if the bottom end isn't on TDC, it is not possible to set the distributor driver properly, so it is worth installing the timing case, and harmonic balancer (not a couple of bolts in the timing case is enough, none in the balancer, set TDC, then take them off again, carefull not to let the crank turn... or make sure you check the distributor drive once you have the timing cover and harmonic balancer back in place... Cheers, Daewoo

But you can't have done that unless you have taken the oil pump ooff... if you have, it is easy to put it back in one tooth out... I have never failed to get a Datsun to start following the steps I set out... Check Bottom is on TDC (not BDC), (a cheating way is to put a bit of rag of newspaper in the plug hole for cylinder 1... and just (click the engine over, click, click, click (not like trying to start it) it might pop out on BDC, but it will SHOOT out when coming up to TDC). Check Rotor is on lead to Cylinder 1, Check Camshaft is in hole 1 or two, and that the notch lines up with the slot in the camshaft retainer, Check ignition timing is about 15 Degrees Before TDC, (you can put the timing light onto each other lead and make sure it flashes for each cylinder, or pull each lead and check each sparks against some metal bodywork)... If you know you have ignition in the right order, camshaft is timed correctly, and it still won't start, the problem is fuel, or the AFM. Let us know how you are going. Cheers, Daewoo

As I said, shiny links, schminy links... that only works if the engine is out of the car, and you can see the bottom gear at the same time as the top... First set the engine to Top Dead Centre (TDC)... line up the mark on the harmonic balancer with the "0" on the plate on the side of the timing cover... check that the rotor button would line up with the number one plug lead if the distributor cap was on... if it is under the number 6 leap spot, turn the engine over until the mark points at TDC again, and it should be under number 1... (the timing mark passes the pointer twice per cycle, TDC and Bottom Dead Centre (BDC) i.e. when the rotor button is under lead 1 and lead 6)... When you know the engine is set to TDC, the dowel in the end of the camshaft goes into hole number 1 if it is a reasonably new timing chain, or hole number 2 if it is old... The Inlet and Exhaust lobes on the camshaft should both be pointing upwards, and almost even, making a "V"... WITH THE TENSIONER WEDGED take the camshaft pulley off, and shuffle one tooth either way until the wedge at the back of the camhaft pulley lines up with the groove cut into the camshaft retaining plate... Make sure you put the leads back on in the right order (firing order) 1-5-3-6-2-4... Set the ignition timing with a timing light (15 degrees before TDC)... Job done...

eat more carrots...

Can't really see anything from the picture... You need to look between the left hand guide, and the very left hand side of the timing case...

Further to what coupe72001 was saying... When you are building the engine on a stand with all the covers off, and good vision, I think that there are shinny links on the timing chain, which you line up with a dot on the crank gear, and one of the numbers on the cam sprocket... shinny links schminny links I say... Fist job, get the tensioner back in... don't worry about the chain (but don't let it fall in so fat that you can't reach it)... with the spring off the tensioner, it shouldn't pop out again, so you don't need to jam it back too hard... Jam a spark plug socket, broom handle, or proper wedge like this in there to stop it moving back out, but without a spring, the timing chain should be able to turn with the crank, or just let it fall off the bottom gear so it doesn't come into the part of the setting up at all... Set the engine to Top Dead Centre (TDC) by turning the crank backwards and forwards a little bit with a screw driver in number one spark plug, when the screw driver stops going up, and starts going down, that is TDC... Pull the chain back up tight so it seats properly on the bottom gear... (make sure the two rows are over the two rows of teeth)... Insert the gear under the chain... Line up the wedge cut out of the cam sprocket with the tiny line cut into the camshaft retaining plate... shuffle one tooth at a time either way until it lines up perfectly... turn the camshaft backwards and forwards with a big shifter on the lugs about half way along the camshaft... rock it backwards and forwards until the sprocket lips onto the pin like a finger in a bum... Job done... Daewoo

I like to think I learned not to do this the first time, when, at 17 with my first Datsun 1600 it too 8 weeks to do a headgasket change... I didn't have a Datsun for 13 years, but still had the wedge shaped bit of wood in my toolbox... Daewoo

Couple of things can cause this... How much is it missing by??? Did you jam a spark plug socket or block of wood down the timing case before you removed the chain from the camshaft??? If it is only missing by a couple of mm, it will most likely be the sprocket and camshaft are a little out of alignment, and you need to leaver it on as best you can, and then turn the camshaft a little each way until it pops on... If it is more than a few mm, it is probably because the tensioner has poped out (because you didn't jam it up with a spark plug socket or piece of wood)... look down the timing case on the left side of the motor as you are facing it... there is a little piston that pushes against the chain guide to keep pressure on the chain and stop it flopping about... it can only slide out, and not in by itself, it has a little flap that locks it out... you push on the back of the flap to lift it up and let the piston slide back inwards... If it is still horizontal, you can fix it without too much problem... slide something down to put a pressure on the tensioner so it can't pop out any further, and then undo the bolts on the outside, left hand side, of the timing case that hold the tensioner spring in... don't let the spring shoot out or it is hard to find... then use a long screw driver to lift the flap that lets the tensioner move outwards but not inwards... that will let the tensioner slide all the way back in again... Say a quiet prayer if you got out of it that easily... unfortunately, if it has completely poped out, you are in a world of pain... you can try and get it to line up again, remove the spring as above, use wire to tie the chain up and keep tension on the timing chain (to stop if falling off the bottom sprocket) while holding it against the right side of the timing case to give you room to work.... then get a hook of coathanger under the tensioner, and try and lift it up and get it started in the hole... then use a long screwdriver to keep pressure on it while you use another screwdriver to lift the tab and let is slide all the way back in... Make sure no little kids are around to hear your swearing, 'cause this a very frustrating job, and very difficult... if the tenioner pops out and falls into the sump, you are screwed, and you need to remove the timing case, which also means removing the harmonic balancer and the sump... almost impossible with the engine in the car... I tried to find a good photo so I could draw onto it the bits I am talking about, but alas, can't find anything... Best of Luck, Cheers, Daewoo

The next Khanacross I was aiming for is the State round on May30th at Awaba near Toronto near Newcastle... but... I am also trying to get my other, undammaged MR30 ready for a Wakefield Park Supersprint on June 20th... so it very much depends how that is going whether I will go to Awaba... I missed the first 2 rounds of the State Championship already (Overseas for the first, and had trailer problems for the second) so I am pretty much out of the running for the Champs, and I want to see how one of these will go on the track... They are good fun in a Khanacross, despite being fat and underpowered... if you get them singing they are good value... Cheers, Daewoo

Neither car will be road registered... the locked diff and welded lower control arms put paid to that... the number plates are old ones that I never handed in... I just had them on the car when it was parked on the street to stop the council sticking a 'Tow Away' sticker on it... The white car is barely legal for competition - I always check with the organiser that they will let me run without a grill and headlight... other than that it is OK, no sharp edges which is something they are always obsessed with... The green car is a good car, and could be registered if I hadn't started doing mods that exclude it... but who wants to pay $1,000 per year for a car that is never driven on the road... you don't want to drive it to events, because you never know if you won't be able to drive it home :lol: For $500 each, I reckon they are bargains... definately had more fun with them than the $30K Pulsar sitting in my mates chook shed... Cheers, Daewoo

Sorry, both were brown... Auto's have a flex plate that the torque converter bolts to... I have the flywheel from the car I pulled the gearbox from... needs a bit of a clean up, as it got a bit wet in the shed when I had it stored... but it will do... Cheers, Daewoo

Hope it is the same, or I am screwed - don't think I kept the ECU from the manual car I had before I sent it to the big scrapyard in the sky...

Just a bit of an update... Our club is running our Wakefield Park Supersprint on June 20th. They won't let me run the white car because of the 'excess body damage' so I am going to try and get the green car ready... this is a car that has only been driven in the driveway since I bought it, so I have no idea what I am going to find... I have disassembled and reassembled the gearbox with help from my mate Warwick... only ended up replacing a couple of bearings, and the front housings... didn't put the Zed first gear in, 'cause I decided it wasn't worth the hassle, and with a 4.8:1 diff, the gap between 1st and second gears is less apparent anyway... I bought a ceramic button clutch for it, and have installed the clutch pedals, but that is about it... At the moment the car is on jackstands without lwer control arms, rear suspension, geabox, or diff The list of things to do; A Has to be done B Should be done C Would be nice D If you have time E Must be bored A Buy & Fit Fire Extinguisher A Fit 2nd Throttle Return Spring A Fit Clutch and Gearbox A Fit Diff A Fit Lower Control Arms A Wheel Alignment A New Exhaust A Fit Rear Suspension A Fit front say bar A Fit rear Say Bar A Mount Battery A Change Engine Oil A Upgrade CAMS Licence A Fit Air-box/Air Filter A Clean/Vacuum car A Swap tyres with Pulsar B Weld up 4.8:1 Diff and fit B Fit Shortened Steering Arms B Side Exit - New Exhaust B Bungs and plugs for removed pollution gear B Fit Aftermarket Front Sway Bar B Fit Aftermarket Rear Sway Bar B Change Brake Fluid B Fit Race Seats B Swap steering wheel from White Car C Fit Rear Wing to Roof C Fit Cresida AFM and Airbox. C Install Battery Cut-out switch C Mount Battery In Car C Get Harnesses back from Boob C Fit Harnesses D Lower Seat Mounts D Remove Body Deadener D Paint Bonnet D Change Wiper Blades D Rain-ex Fog-ex windows E Paint Bottom half of car black and buy stickers Cheers, Daewoo

I just googled SuperPro to check my mameries were right and found their online Catalogue... It is good, because you can search for the part for your car (LHS of screen), and then switch from 'Instructions' to 'Vehicle Details' (RHS of screen) and find what other cars you might scab parts off... http://203.31.191.243/fulcrumCat/ Cheers, Daewoo

D, When I was buying bushes for mine, (SupaPro) they listed 3 bushing sizes 23,25,27mm I assume that the 27mm would be aftermarket bars, but 23 and 25 probably standard depending on year or body type or maybe whether it is a GTS or something... Cheers, D

Peter - PM Sent. It is a 4 speed i.e. has overdrive. Cheers, Darryl

Probably won't be here that long... I don't have any garageing... all work is done in the driveway, and I don't like the place looking like a wrecking yard... send me a PM about it if you like... BTW - how freaking heavy are they... ditching that weight is a performance mod on it's own... Cheers, Daewoo

Was the motorkhana on dirt??? Plough understeer and snap oversteer (where it goes from plough understeer to massive oversteer) is always a problem for big heavy cars with single spinners... I probably wouldn't recommend a thicker rear sway bar with a single spinner, 'cause it will only make the inside wheel spin more... Adding some negative camber to the front end will probably help... you can cut the lower control arms and lengthen them by 10mm per degree of neg required... totally illegal for the road if that concerns you... you might be able to get some adjustable pins for where the control arm bolts to the front cross member... but they can usually only give you one degree... Maybe adjustable castor rods so you can get some additional castor as well... and a little bit of toe out on the wheel alignment... The drift guys will be able to tell you the best settings, but I run 2 1/2 degrees negative camber, 3 degrees of castor, and 2mm of toe out on my 1600 on dirt... I am bloody hopeless at motorkhanas, and always seem to be understeering everywhere... I always complain about the set-up and then someone who knows how to drive gets in and has it slidding perfectly everywhere... it might be your driving style like it is mine... don't touch the handbrake until the car turning, because it needs the momentum to make it slide out... otherwise all you are doing is taking one hand off the wheel that would be better employed grabbing more lock... Same same with the throttle pedal... get the car turning then stomp on it, rather than too early... Cheers, Daewoo

As the title says. Only replacing it 'cause I am doing a manual conversion. I've never driven the car with it in so can't guarantee anything. Money back if it doesn't work Southern Sydney - If you want to organise freight to pick it up from my house, know yourself out. Otherwise pick up any evening. Cheers, Daewoo

I think the scrub radius will be the same... The distance from the line through the ball joint to the strut top to the centre of the wheel is the same... to change the scrub radius you would need to change the line... I think 240K/180B Steering arms have the ball join centered in the middle of the strut... R30/R31 Steering arms have the ball join set outwards in the strut... changing from a 240K to R31 Steering arm would change the scrub radius... but that offset is the same for R30/R31 that is swapped between... Is that right??? Cheers, Daewoo

Not sure about the scrub radius... I lengthened the control arms by 25mm to get 2 1/2 degrees of Negative Camber, I guess it would have widened the track by about 60mm... normally you would want the rear track to be wider than the front, so ideally would swap the rear wheels to something with a deeper dish, but I won't bother... Since the ball joint remains in the same location relative to the strut, wouldn't scrub radius remain the same??? I went 2 1/2 degrees because of the locked diff, 2 degrees would be plenty without that... it has helped enormously with turn in... At the same time I went to R31 Steering arms to quicken the rack up (effectively shortening the steering arms by about 12mm), so with the effect of that on the Ackerman, I can't be sure of what would have driven any change of feeling... Instead of lengthening the control arms, the ideal would be using 240Z tops, and smaller springs, and relocating the bolt holes at the top, so you could get the Neg Camber without widening the track... but that is a lot more money than the car is worth... I was going to use R31 Lower Control Arms so I could replace ball joints, but I would have needed to lengthen them by about 75mm, and there didn't seem to be an easy way to do that... One day, I will probably get the caster rods machined up to be adjustable so I can adjust the caster... Cheers, Daewoo

No - Buggsy is a cheat - he has a manual gb - cheater I have a weight advantage, cause I don't have a grille or headlights and I'm not a fat bastard That said, I am on my way to Karella Gearbox Factory (what we call my mate Warwick who is pretty good with gearboxes), with my MR30 box with a f^cked front housing, and a 240Z box with good housings and good ratio gears but f^cked synchros to see what magic he can weave for me... I have some DVD Footage from the weekend, but it is in .VOB format (video) and I think I need to convert it to post on YouTube... Cheers, Darryl