1983 R30 5 Door Hatch

[RiCkY TuTtY]

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...

indeed i have tried but its just black.....

damn i wish i had an LED torch!

[Daewoo]

indeed i have tried but its just black.....

damn i wish i had an LED torch!

eat more carrots...

[RiCkY TuTtY]

eat more carrots...

HAHAHAAHAHAHA!!!! nice call!

btw i just had a sqiz at the tensioner.... im gonna have to pull the front of the mototr apart

the tensioner piece that rests against the chain is just flopping in there like dildo unfortunately, fortunately the piston and spring is still behind it so pray that when i take the front housing off that that, will stay put....

if not i will scream like a little girl.

[RiCkY TuTtY]

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...

i cannot find this flap.... all i can see is the tensioner guide, piston and spring but to no luck any 'flap'

Edited May 25, 2010 by RiCkY TuTtY

[RiCkY TuTtY]

pic of wat i can only see

[coupe72001]

From memory mine didn't have a flap, just a tensioner head on a spring that crams into a housing.

[RiCkY TuTtY]

From memory mine didn't have a flap, just a tensioner head on a spring that crams into a housing.

how did u go about getting it back in?

[jrh001]

Hi,

This link was posted a while back by 'alexunder'. http://xenons30.com/reference.html

First link on that page is:

Model L20A, L24 Series Engine Service Manual- Complete 10.9MB PDF

It's an old manual but has pics of the timing chain and tensioner on several pages. 

JH

[coupe72001]

how did u go about getting it back in?

With the timing cover off its easy. Squish the tensioner home with your thumb on your left hand and pop your cam sprocket on with your right hand! Without the all the junk in the way its the easiest job in the world, it's just removing all that junk which is time-consuming and irritating.

Start at the grill and burrow forward till you see timing chain. I forgot to mention, to get your crank pulley completely off you'll need a crank pulley puller (a cheap and nasty from supercheap will do). Pretty much everything else comes off with a 10/12/14mm spanner or socket or a screwdriver.

The timing cover might need a bit of a knocking to dislodge it, but don't start tapping away at it till you are certain every last bolt is out, including the one hidden behind the oil pump.

[RiCkY TuTtY]

With the timing cover off its easy. Squish the tensioner home with your thumb on your left hand and pop your cam sprocket on with your right hand! Without the all the junk in the way its the easiest job in the world, it's just removing all that junk which is time-consuming and irritating.

Start at the grill and burrow forward till you see timing chain. I forgot to mention, to get your crank pulley completely off you'll need a crank pulley puller (a cheap and nasty from supercheap will do). Pretty much everything else comes off with a 10/12/14mm spanner or socket or a screwdriver.

The timing cover might need a bit of a knocking to dislodge it, but don't start tapping away at it till you are certain every last bolt is out, including the one hidden behind the oil pump.

i managed to have all this done, i *think* i did the timing chain right but not 100% sure.... due to i am stuck AgAiN!!! the timing is waaaaay off i think 40degree BTDC! it barely would even run (200rpm i think lol) but i think this would be due to incorrectly fitting the pump-to-distributor rod... gonna have to (when i get time on the w'end) to remove the pump and re-fit the rod eventually

[RiCkY TuTtY]

is anybody able to help with finding which way/where the marks on the timing chain to set it right? i got no idea and that manual says on the lines "theres 42 links inbetween" something on the lines of that

[Daewoo]

is anybody able to help with finding which way/where the marks on the timing chain to set it right? i got no idea and that manual says on the lines "theres 42 links inbetween" something on the lines of that

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...

[coupe72001]

Like what Daewoo said.

I think that you may have the spindle from distributor to oil pulley wrong (I certainly did first time round.)

1. Get number one to TDC.

2. Check the timing mark on the cam sprocket.

3. Have a look at where the distributor is pointing. It should be pointing at number one lead on the distributor cap.

If the distributor is NOT pointing at number one, drop your oil pump, drop the spindle, and rotate your distributor to number one. You can now start poking the spindle back up there till it clicks home into the distributor in exactly the right spot. Now all you need to do is replace your oil pump. Of course it wont fit because the spindle is in a new position! However, you can stick a screwdriver into the slot for the spindle in the oil pump, and rotate it until the slot is at the same angle as the spindle. Then it will cobble back together.

Or remove the distributor and check the position of the spindle this way:

http://www.pape.ws/allan_and_rosanne/Z-Car...lpumpshaft2.jpg

[Ghostrider]

If you need front timing case gaskets, I have a sh!t load of them. Cost you about $5 + postage

D

[Daewoo]

I think that you may have the spindle from distributor to oil pulley wrong (I certainly did first time round.)

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

[RiCkY TuTtY]

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...

there is 2 sort of shiny links on the chain but im not sure if this is correct on mine due to there's only 35 links going from each mark on the cam/crankshaft

i had to pull the hole front of the motor and start again...

i will try and get to it 2mora hopefully just every things hectic and doing it on my own is becoming difficult to time restrictions and other events getting in the way....

Thankyou guys so much for all ur help so far i cant believe how much u guys have helped! wouldn't of gotten anywhere without u guys!

now i have do de3al with my thumb playing up from previous surgery

Edited May 31, 2010 by RiCkY TuTtY

[Daewoo]

there is 2 sort of shiny links on the chain but im not sure if this is correct on mine due to there's only 35 links going from each mark on the cam/crankshaft

i had to pull the hole front of the motor and start again...

i will try and get to it 2mora hopefully just every things hectic and doing it on my own is becoming difficult to time restrictions and other events getting in the way....

Thankyou guys so much for all ur help so far i cant believe how much u guys have helped! wouldn't of gotten anywhere without u guys!

now i have do de3al with my thumb playing up from previous surgery

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

[coupe72001]

Thankyou guys so much for all ur help so far i cant believe how much u guys have helped! wouldn't of gotten anywhere without u guys!

Pleasure. The memory of this horror of a job is all too fresh in my mind. You'll certainly know a lot about front ends, timing and swearing at your car by the time you get done!

[RiCkY TuTtY]

Pleasure. The memory of this horror of a job is all too fresh in my mind. You'll certainly know a lot about front ends, timing and swearing at your car by the time you get done!

HAHAHAH theres no doubt about that!!! i will probably know how to do any timing chain now since its taken this long to do it on mine! next on the list is front coilover conversion!

already have hubs, knuckles, brakes, etc (and 1 LCA, but need another LOL) just need coilovers for the front and lower the rear to compensate (OR get rear coilovers with front S13 tophats to suit tower) and bobs ur uncle! BUT i wont be going BOSOZUKO style trust me!!!! so there should be any problem with tie rod inclination

then after that rack'n'pinion hopefully i hate BOXES!!!!!!!!!!!

OH! i forgot to mention but will look into the mounting of the s13/R31 caster arm brackets that mount to the radiator support so i can run adjustable caster arms aswell (i'm aiming for increased caster (as much as possible without issues) aswell as around 1-1.5 Degree (AT MOST) Chamber aswell)

as i am a qualified underbody specialist/Wheel Aligner (but not as current job ) thats wat would be good for around the streets for cornering at a respectable ride height without chopping tyres (depending on the r30's reaction to these dramatic changes with adjust toe to suit but would be around 2-3mm TOTAL toe)

Edited June 1, 2010 by RiCkY TuTtY

[Ghostrider]

is anybody able to help with finding which way/where the marks on the timing chain to set it right? i got no idea and that manual says on the lines "theres 42 links inbetween" something on the lines of that

Am I missing something here?

To me it doesn't matter a toss where the chain is mounted because the timing marks are on the sprokets, not the chain. The chain is simply the tool that connects the 2 (camshaft & crankshaft sprokets) together.

I'm using an Kameari hardened chain & Kameari adjustable chain tensioner and I can assure you, there is no shiny links in the Kameari chain whatsoever, not even the joiners.

And the timing marks must be set with the engine at TDC on #1 cylinder.

D