"The Goon" Build (KA Datsun)

[WagDatto]

Well the motor runs.. I extended the wiring for the Dizzy, hid it in the driver's frame rail and popped it out up by the radiator, so the wiring is VERY clean in the engine bay now!!

Bad news:

Clutch was feeling really weird last night, and today after the motor was done, I tried putting it in gear... No dice. It sounded like a skitting noise... I assumed it was the new T/O bearing knocked loose. Sucks, because I went through all the trouble of installing the motor without removing the transmission! Oh well!

Drained the tranny, removed and painted the driveshaft chrome, dropped the tranny (Thanks for the help, Kelly!), and it looks like the T/O bearing stayed in place just fine! The clutch line did have a little knick in it, but not to the line itself, just to the braided lining. Maybe that gave me the odd feeling, and I was overthinking the noise? Oh well...

We muscled the blue tranny in (it's going to look AWESOME!!), and FINALLY got it popped into the motor!! Such a pain in the ass on a 510, the tranny tunnel is JUST big enough for the KA tranny... Started trying to tighten down the bolts and it wouldn't go. The bolts would NOT pull the tranny into the motor!

After arguing with ourselves about wanting to drop the thing again... We pulled it and found that the aligning stud up top, and an aligning sleeve on the driver's side were still wedged into the holes, which was keeping it from slotting together... Pain in my ASS!!

I need to grab the easy-outs from Phil tomorrow anyway to fix the exhaust stud that broke off anyway, so I'll be able to get those out really quick and hopefully be able to pop the tranny in easier this time...

Then the driveshaft goes in, and we fill the tranny through the shifter before I put that all back together... Then hopefully... HOPEFULLY, my car will stop being moody and drive. The motor runs so smooth when you start it, and sounds great, and leaks no fluids, and it revs SO much faster with the new flywheel.... I want to roast the tires!!! I've got a set of 13" Datsun wheels just BEGGING to be slapped on the rear axle and burnt up....

Speaking of which, any break-in required for a Cometic MLS headgasket?