1990 Nissan Stanza Head change How-to With pictures - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

merkerguitars · 01-19-2005, 04:36 PM

Ok, I thought I would just make a whole new thread on this topic. This is all the pics with descriptions of my progress.

This post was created using Kreskin's Post Generator located on the web here

This is the factory engine, a KA24E engine, known for being reliable but this one supposedly has a blown head gasket.

The car all jacked up and ready to be worked on.

Valve cover tore off, not to bad looking under there, besides a little water. Tore the heat shield off too.

Close view of the engine with the valve cover off.

Took the distributor off, the cap was shot, but they are cheap and I wouldn't reuse it, that would be like reusing a condom.

Exhaust manifold taken off, really easy to do, the one emission pipe wouldn't budge, even with heat on it, so I too the easy way out and cut it.

Hmm, time to take the alternator out.

Valve cover all nicely sandblasted clean, what an improvement!

Alternator taken off.

More brackets to take off.

Crankshaft pulley taken off.

Nice mess huh?

Head off and timing chain cover off.

Cylinders, look at the small chunks missing it in. Probably can't rebore it...

Valve cover painted.

Pulleys painted.

Exhaust manifold painted

Valve cover finished

Head all cleaned.

1slOwCD8 · 01-19-2005, 08:33 PM

Cool, keep us updated. Are you gonna paint the heat shield and put it back on, or just leave the header without it?

merkerguitars · 01-20-2005, 07:00 PM

Well the engine is totally shot, so I found a good used running junkyard engine. Only $350. I'm going to start picking up parts this week, like fuel filter, cap rotor, etc.

Scorps · 01-22-2005, 02:15 PM

I guess you didn't think the block was going to be that bad did you?

Are you going to check the newer block's crank and everything, better off to just so you don't drop a piston 5K down the road!

merkerguitars · 01-22-2005, 02:23 PM

I didn't figure it would be that bad....I knew it wasn't gonna be pretty but that block just isn't worth it.
Well the engine i'm picking up in a couple of weeks will be most of the way disassemble (except taking the head off) I will pull the oil pan off and then I can check the rod/main clearances and maybe pull off a main cap to make sure the bottom end is ok. If worse comes to worse i'll just rering the engine. I'm trying to dumb as little as money into and not half ass it.

Scorps · 01-22-2005, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merkerguitars

I didn't figure it would be that bad....I knew it wasn't gonna be pretty but that block just isn't worth it.
Well the engine i'm picking up in a couple of weeks will be most of the way disassemble (except taking the head off) I will pull the oil pan off and then I can check the rod/main clearances and maybe pull off a main cap to make sure the bottom end is ok. If worse comes to worse i'll just rering the engine. I'm trying to dumb as little as money into and not half ass it.

Always safe to check everything, thats what I did with my 350, didn't replace any piston or bearings(didn't need to). and the engine runs great now

I guess that car is going to remain stock?

degrawj · 01-22-2005, 04:39 PM

Man, that does look pretty bad. It was looking pretty good until you took the head off. That's pretty awesome that you're doing it yourself though. I love working on cars. And since you're doing it yourself, you should be able to put a nicely running engine together with not too much money. Keep us updated Merker!

merkerguitars · 02-07-2005, 10:21 PM

Well got the block pulled, to any of you that is going to a nissan engine of this year...do the engine and tranny as one...much much much easier

GetRdone · 02-08-2005, 01:48 PM

Ouch, those pistons looked really really nasty. Correct me if im wrong but u could but the BlueBird Sr20det into that car. That would be fun...alot of fun.

merkerguitars · 02-14-2005, 09:40 PM

\tore the block down..crank is good....pics show the rest of the story

01-19-2005, 04:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	1990 Nissan Stanza Head change How-to With pictures Ok, I thought I would just make a whole new thread on this topic. This is all the pics with descriptions of my progress. This post was created using Kreskin's Post Generator located on the web here This is the factory engine, a KA24E engine, known for being reliable but this one supposedly has a blown head gasket. The car all jacked up and ready to be worked on. Valve cover tore off, not to bad looking under there, besides a little water. Tore the heat shield off too. Close view of the engine with the valve cover off. Took the distributor off, the cap was shot, but they are cheap and I wouldn't reuse it, that would be like reusing a condom. Exhaust manifold taken off, really easy to do, the one emission pipe wouldn't budge, even with heat on it, so I too the easy way out and cut it. Hmm, time to take the alternator out. Valve cover all nicely sandblasted clean, what an improvement! Alternator taken off. More brackets to take off. Crankshaft pulley taken off. Nice mess huh? Head off and timing chain cover off. Cylinders, look at the small chunks missing it in. Probably can't rebore it... Valve cover painted. Pulleys painted. Exhaust manifold painted Valve cover finished Head all cleaned. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

01-20-2005, 07:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	Well the engine is totally shot, so I found a good used running junkyard engine. Only $350. I'm going to start picking up parts this week, like fuel filter, cap rotor, etc. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

01-22-2005, 02:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	I didn't figure it would be that bad....I knew it wasn't gonna be pretty but that block just isn't worth it. Well the engine i'm picking up in a couple of weeks will be most of the way disassemble (except taking the head off) I will pull the oil pan off and then I can check the rod/main clearances and maybe pull off a main cap to make sure the bottom end is ok. If worse comes to worse i'll just rering the engine. I'm trying to dumb as little as money into and not half ass it. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

02-07-2005, 10:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	Well got the block pulled, to any of you that is going to a nissan engine of this year...do the engine and tranny as one...much much much easier __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

02-14-2005, 09:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	\tore the block down..crank is good....pics show the rest of the story __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

01-19-2005, 08:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
1slOwCD8 Psycho Location: chicago, illinois	Cool, keep us updated. Are you gonna paint the heat shield and put it back on, or just leave the header without it?

01-22-2005, 02:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	I guess you didn't think the block was going to be that bad did you? Are you going to check the newer block's crank and everything, better off to just so you don't drop a piston 5K down the road!

01-22-2005, 04:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
degrawj I'm still waiting... Location: West Linn, OR	Man, that does look pretty bad. It was looking pretty good until you took the head off. That's pretty awesome that you're doing it yourself though. I love working on cars. And since you're doing it yourself, you should be able to put a nicely running engine together with not too much money. Keep us updated Merker!

02-08-2005, 01:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
GetRdone Psycho	Ouch, those pistons looked really really nasty. Correct me if im wrong but u could but the BlueBird Sr20det into that car. That would be fun...alot of fun.