Taoyota

Ok , so I rebuilt a 22R years ago, but farmed out the head to someone else.

Some of these might seem noob/well duh, but here goes:

1 - Should I be prepared to bust the seal on the head gasket, and if so should I have a new head gasket handy?

2 - Would like to use the rocker arm assembly from another somewhat lower-mileage engine. Are all 1st gen. head components interchangeable?

3 - I note that there are no separate bearings for the camshaft, just the cap and corresponding machined "journal" (am I using the right word?)on the head. I am replacing the old cam with an Engine Builders RV Crawler. I'm guessing it just bolts in without having to do anything for the "bearing" situation, yes?

4 - Is there anything else I need to be aware of before starting this project?

83

From what I remember (I had it all apart but didn't rebuild the head myself), there's no need to touch the head bolts to swap cams, so the headgasket shouldn't come into play. I'd send an email to engnbldr with your questions, he's always quick to respond.

xxxtreme22r

No need to remove the head to do cam, but in order to remove the cam, the rocker assembly has to come off, in order to take rocker assembly off, you have to remove the head bolts.

Doing it without removing the head is possible but risky. I have seen some people on here do it and they ratchet strapped the head down on the block to help keep it from loosening up the head gasket.

If I am not mistaken the rocker assemblies are interchangeable, but don't quote me on that.

83

Ah, I see. Yeah, if it were me I'd go ahead and replace the head gasket, then.

1stgenboy

I replaced my stock cam with a TRD cam when I bought my '81 at 122,000 miles. I did it in the morning after the engine had cooled all night. The problem I had was not with the head gasket, but the fact that the truck was sluggish from late cam timing so I wound up getting the adjustable cam gear a weak later...

Taoyota

Wow - Somehow there'd been several replies to this thread for which I'd received no notification. Hmm..

Anyhey, I kinda figured one had to remove head bolts and rocker ass'ly to do this. xxtreme, I like the ratchet strap idea, but yeah it sure sounds like I'd better be ready to run to the parts store for a head gasket. Draining the coolant would seem to be required as well in case of seal rupture.
Now, I notice that no one mentions this, but I learned from taking the head off of a nissan Z 4cyl ages ago, that one must carve a small block of wood to place inside the timing chain adjacent to the tensioner, so that when you pull the sprocket off the cam, the spring on the tensioner doesn't pop out and necessitate the removal of the front cover to put everything back together. When I ditched the good-for-nothing nissan and started running 1st gen. Toys, I kept on using the wooden block whenever I had to remove a head, but again as no one mentions this, is it really neccesary?

Thanks y'all - I think I'm almost ready to start on this, but putting a new roof on my house might slow me down a bit...

SC81YOTA

I dont remember a Nissan Z coming with a 4 cylinder engine from the factory. I could be wrong, maybe if there was a factory turbo in the 80's or something.??? Dont think so tho. When it comes to rebuilding an engine a block of wood or ratchet strap should not be in the same paragraph unless your talking about pulling it out. If only those old walls could talk. lol!

Taoyota

Yo SC81 - The Nissan Z engine is standard equipment in early to mid 80's Nissan pickups, not Z cars. If you're turning up your nose at ratchet straps and wood blocks, you're obviously not a redneck, and are also scornful of the art and finesse of redneck tech, which often saves countless $ in fancy-assed tools and gits 'er done.

83

Yes...there are some mickey mouse ways of doing things which really are a way of NOT doing it right...and there are some crazy ways of doing things which actually do work well and are legitimate. The trick is knowing which is which...

Taoyota

Having used the wood block in the timing chain to save me from hours of front cover and oil pan removal so I can press the tensioner in with my fingers while re-installing the chain, I'm here to tell ya that that one works. Ratchet strap on the head? Worst that can happen is that you break the seal and have to install a new gasket,like you would have had to do anyway if you hadn't tried the ratchet strap. Wake up dude, where's yer sense of ingenuity and adventure?

BURR2OF4

I have to agree. once me and my buddy used one of those scisor jacks that come with the spare in a new car, as the jack for a cherry picker to R&R the 350 in my K5