Cylinder Head Replacement, without removing the engine 1990 Nissan 300zx NA

+ 60K Service, Fuel Injector/harness replacement, and other recommended procedures during a reb

Nissan VG30DE: 3.0L DOHC 24v 60-degree V6, Iron block, aluminum heads, variable intake valve timing, direct ignition

Disclaimer: Use this document at your own risk. This document is not intended to be a complete step-by-step guide, but only as a kind neighbor supplement to the factory service manual in which can be purchased from Nissan. The necessary torque values and torque sequences in the manual are not disclosed in this document as it is expected you already have a factory service manual. I take absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for the consequences of following these instructions. If you have aftermarket head studs and your cylinder heads can't be lifted off of the head studs while still in the car, this procedure will not work for you. While it is not recommended by some to do the work with the engine in the car, it was not required to take the engine out in order to perform the repairs properly. I performed the procedure as was stated in the 1990 factory service manual. While these instructions for the 1990 model might be helpful for all NA 300zx 90-96 cars, there are some minor differences between cars of different years. Preliminary tasks and recommendations before you begin tearing your car apart: 1. Make sure you have a Nissan factory service manual. You will need it for proper torque values, torque sequences, assembly diagrams, specifications, and tolerances. Do not start this project without reading the service manual first. If you need a service manual on CD, visit the Courtesy Nissan site. 2. If you choose to do this job, make sure that you label everything! Use labeled zip-lock baggies to hold screws, bolts and other parts that you remove. Label every set of parts you remove and use a permanent Sharpie pen so it doesn't smudge. Cover ink with strong clear tape to stop smudging and fasten labels well so they don't fall off. This is especially important for fuel injector and ignition coil connectors and other engine harness connectors. You don't want to be guessing on these connectors when you go to put things back together. 3. Always follow this rule: Dont continue past a step until you are 100% confident that it has been

done correctly. This should be the case whether the step is listed here, in the service manual, or in your own head. Use all available resources available to you: Twinturbo.net, motorhead friends and family, and other Internet resources to help you feel comfortable with each step. If you don't have patience, then I dont recommend that you try this procedure. This job took me 2 months working on weeknights and weekends. You don't want to have to do it all over again, so you will want to take your time and do it right the first time. 4. If you are not able to get around well or if you don't have the proper tools listed below, then this procedure is probably not for you. This job can be done with one person with the right tools, but it can be very tricky at times. An assistant would have come in handy in a lot of cases, but I did not actually require one until I bled the brakes at the end. If you don't use an assistant, you will have to lift each of the two 60lb cylinder head/exhaust manifold assemblies out of and into the engine bay by yourself. I did this by sitting in the front of the engine bay and using an old chair to climb out and into the engine bay. 5. This is a good time to replace your fuel injectors and the FI harness. In case your wondering, if you upgrade your fuel injectors, you will also have to upgrade your ECU. 6. This is also a good time to add NA headers if you have the money and the desire. I opted to clean, sand, and paint the OEM exhaust manifolds as they seemed to still be in decent condition. Introduction and why I performed this procedure: This documents the work I performed on my 1990 Nissan 300zx NA (normally aspirated or non-turbo). The work was done to fix the known problem of the "1990 improperly machined cylinder head." See the Nissan Technical Service Bulletin here. I wanted to post this document on the Internet because many of the z32 cars were made in 1990 and there seem to be many 1990 cars experiencing the 2500-3000 RPM hesitation problem that cant seemed to be cured by anything else. When I talked with Nissan corporate and we broke the VIN # down, it appears that all 1990 models are affected. If you have a 1990 300zx (and your serial number is referenced in the above TSB), you have tried everything on the twinturbo.net hesitation FAQ (besides sell your soul), and you still have the same hesitation at 2500-3000 RPM, then welcome to my 1990 Z nightmare. First of all, just because you have these symptoms doesnt mean this IS your problem. Don't perform this prodedure just because you have a 1990 Z. A 1990 Z is 13-14 years old now and you might not even have the original motor and/or heads. If you don't have a 1990 left cylinder head left, then you are not prone to this problem unless you replaced your left exhaust camshaft with an already worn camshaft from a 90 model. If you havent tried the simple stuff in the hesitation tech, it would just be plain dumb to endeavor into this project. If you eventually decide to rebuild like I did, at least I you wont have a pile of old parts when you start. Before the rebuild, between the previous owner (Cinzy) and I, we had replaced all 6 ignition coils, new battery, new TPS, new coolant temp sensor, used CAS, new fuel pressure regulator, new fuel dampener, new fuel filter, new fan, new o2 sensors and probably more items that I cant think of right now. Cinzy had also installed the Courtesy Nissan SS cat-back exhaust, TT rear wheels, POP Charger, Intrax springs, KYB AGX shocks, ASP UD pulley, and new shifter bushings. This car was ready to rock, but it still had this annoying hesitation around 2500-3000 RPM! Read on to see how I convinced myself to what the problem was and what I did to fix it. My early production NA (made 3/89) had 95k miles at the time of this procedure. The car had a seemingly terminal hesitation after the car warmed up, a slight misfiring upon acceleration, around 2500-3000 RPM. It was really annoying and most noticeable when you needed to casually accelerate, like during stop and go traffic. When you would get up and go and keep the RPM above 3000, the hesitation didnt seem to be noticed as much. Driving on the highway seemed to be fine, but the problem was realized anytime when dipping below 3000 RPM in 5th gear and then trying to accelerate (while still in 5th gear). The phenomenon I am trying to explain was not violent by any means. As far as drivability and functionality go, it was more of an annoyance than a loud knocking or extreme crippling effect. However, the sound of the phenomenon and the feel of it when driving were distinctly noticeable and very annoying. I knew something wasn't quite right.

How did I figure it out? First, I scoured the twinturbo.net FAQ and tech forums for information and posts that address hesitation. I performed all of the items in the hesitation FAQ that were even remotely related to the cars ailment and explored all other avenues that seemed reasonable. After exhausting all other possibilities, I started investigating the TSB (link above). There are also many tech forum posts about this 1990 problem on twinturbo.net, but you have to search for them. Twinturbo.net members Eat rice? and Carp are the members that seemed to have a lot of direct experience with this matter. Both of them were very helpful as were several other tt.net members that had good knowledge about the subject. After awhile, I started to be convinced that this was my problem too and it all started to make sense. My base ignition timing seemed to drift when I tried to measure/set it with an inductive timing light. I just couldnt seem to get it set properly. I did some data logging with my ConZult and my timing looked a bit wild when I graphed it, especially right after the shift points. I also noticed that the CAS was turned all the way counterclockwise just to get the timing close to spec. These effects were all attributed to the improperly machined cylinder head in which caused the camshaft to run very slightly off center inside the cylinder head. Over time, this undo stress causes the spline (or indexing peg) on the camshaft to wear against the CAS shaft. When this happens, there starts to be some play in the CAS/camshaft connection and as the spline keeps wearing over time, things get worse and worse and the car behaves even more erratic. For grins, I was able to put some high temp silicone inside the CAS/camshaft connection and detect some improvement. This effect seemed to wear off after a little while, but I have to admit though; it was this ghetto rig procedure that was critical in helping me decide that I really had the problem and to go ahead with the cylinder head work. There are some quick band aid fixes like just replacing the CAS, or just the left exhaust camshaft, but the real fix is to replace the left cylinder head with the new part #. Nissan wanted $2800 to just replace the left head! I was able to do both heads, install new fuel injectors, and install many other new parts for about half that. Plus, I it allowed me to take my time and clean/paint engine parts and clean my engine bay. I did have to buy some new tools along the way to do the job, but at least they are coming with me to the next job. Download a slideshow of the rebuild here(~15Mb) this is a virus-free EXE made with FotoAngelo slideshow software. It will take a second to load when you run it. The screen will go blank for a few seconds and then it will start up. For best results, download it to you hard disk and then run the EXE. The background music is Red Barchetta by the mighty Rush, so crank up those speakers! View pictures of the rebuild here - thumbnails are nice for dialup, click on the thumbs for the larger picture (~50-150k) Recommended Tools: You might be able to get by with a lesser arsenal than this, but this is the recommended tool list for this job. I did not use any air tools for this job. While I have used and enjoyed air tools in the past, I actually feel that they are too aggressive for what people end up using them for. They might be a nice to have, but they are not required for this job. Sometimes, I kind of think air tools just take the Zen out of it if you know what I mean.
1. Twinturbo.net FAQ, Tech , Search , very useful. In particular, I used the Dallas Damon Zs Timing Belt Tech and the Twin Turbo Zs of Arizona Fuel Injector Tech to aid in removing the plenum and replacing the fuel injectors and their connectors.

2. 3.

Nissan factory service manual, mandatory, no excuses. ConZult diagnostic software for the 90 -95 Nissan 300zx (or you can use a real Nissan Consult or a Techtom). Contact Phuong (tt.net member got rice?) at GR Racing to purchase a ConZult unit. I guess these diagnostic tools will be considered optional by some folks, but if you want to correctly monitor your engine before and after the rebuild, I highly recommend using these or equivalent engine monitoring tools. Digital camera optional, but very useful. I took over 400 pictures as I went along; most of them were taken on teardown for reference purposes. Compression tester - to test compression before and after the work. 16mm adapter. Torque wrench - low to medium torque 5ft/lb -90ft/lb

4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

Torque wrench high torque - 25-250ft/lb Inductive timing light, connect to PTU loop (or spark plug #1 with an adapter wire). The PTU loop always works great for me, so I never bother with the other way. Ratchets 1/2" Drive, 3/8" drive large, 3/8" drive medium, 1/4" drive small 1/2" drive breaker bar 1/4" drive screw driver Metric box wrench set 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm Metric stubby box wrench set Metric crows foot set 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm Metric 1/2" drive sockets, deep and normal - 14mm -22mm 27mm socket (crank pulley bolt) Metric 3/8" drive sockets, deep and normal - 6mm up to 16mm Metric 1/4" drive sockets, normal, 6-14mm drive screw driver Universal adapters, 1/2" drive and 3/8" drive Socket extensions 1/2" drive, long, medium, short Socket extensions 3/8" drive, long, medium, short Pulley puller. A large 2 or 3 claw pulley puller is a necessity to remove crank pulley without damaging anything in the process. Spark plug socket, 16mm Allen head sockets, Metric (10mm Allen socket is needed for head bolts. I used a 3/8" drive 10mm Allen head socket with a 1/2" drive adapter and it worked fine.) Crescent wrenches, small and large, handy for different jobs. Vice grips, small and large Wire stripper/crimping tool Large piece of pipe ~1.5 ID - use as an extended cheater bar for even more torque. I used it to get the crank bolt off and to get some of the head bolts loosened. Screw drivers, assorted, stubby, small, long etc. Dremel - optional, but I wouldn't have wanted to get by without it for cleaning, polishing, and sanding jobs Putty knife - for cleaning off the old cylinder head gaskets from the block and plenum gasket from the plenum and lower intake Rhino ramps - good for low clearance vehicles, hold up to 6000lbs Jack stands(4), a floor jack that raises to 20, wheel chocks(2) Bucket and a wide oil catch pan

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

26. 27. 28. 29.

30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

37.

Battery charger/starter It is nice to have a strong battery when starting it back up

38.

Magnetic retriever mandatory, I m serious.

39.

Trouble light or other portable light source.

Parts and Materials:

1. Reworked NA cylinder heads (Nissan engine VG30DE). I did not rebuild my old heads because the left one was improperly machined by the factory I purchased my reworked heads from Z1Motorsports and have been very happy with the parts and their service. Here are the part numbers that prove there was a problem with the left cylinder head. These serial numbers are stamped on the outside of the cylinder head casting, the side that connects to the exhaust manifold. The left head serial number is near the front of the car, the right head serial number is near the back of the car. Make sure that you get hold of the new part # for the left head. 2. 3. 4. 5. Left Head (drivers side) - improperly machined part # L30P-2R , New left cylinder head part # L30P -2L Right Head - (passenger's side) - part #R -30P 2L (part number did not change)

New Nissan OEM cylinder head bolts and washers Do NOT to reuse Nissan TTY (torque to yield) cylinder head bolts. New Nissan OEM spark plugs(6) New Nissan OEM PCV valves(2) New Nissan OEM timing belt and auto-tensioner and other associated 60K accessories. New Nissan OE water pump and gasket, thermostat, 2 front water hoses, etc. Accessory drive belts. If you have an aftermarket UD pulley like I do, make sure you get the right belts. I used NAPA belts (manufactured by Gates), good prices. New Nissan OEM water bypass hose kit

6.

7.

8. 9.

New Nissan OEM PCV hose kit New Nissan OEM VTC springs. I reused my VTC solenoids because they seemed to be functional. Test these solenoids using the service manual and/or the ConZult. New Nissan OEM fuel injectors, o-rings, and insulators (new injectors are optional, but they highly recommended if your injectors are original like mine were). New OEM Nissan oil pressure sending unit (optional) New oil filter. I used a Mobil 1filter because the filtration is supposed to be superior than OEM, but it also still allows for the proper oil pressure. New Nissan OEM knock sensor and its connector harness. Optional, but highly recommended for an old car. I opted to do it now and not mess with a bypass since I didn t have to. Nissan OEM Valve Regrind kit - cylinder head gaskets (2), intake valve cover gaskets (rubber)(2), intake manifold to head gaskets (metal with rubber lip)(2), plenum-to -lower intake gasket (1), balance tube o-rings (3), camshaft oil seals (4), and many of other small replacement parts. New exhaust manifold studs and nuts, 3 each side. Got mine from AutoZone. High temp paint, 1200 degree ceramic (aluminum color) High temp paint, 600 degree (flat black) Engine degreaser, citrus based and petroleum based both come in handy high temp replacement fuel hose from AutoZone Replacement vacuum hose from AutoZone, 4mm ID thick-walled, high temp
New c oolant; 50/50 PEG coolant/distilled water mix, ~2.5 gallons (I also added some water wetter)

10.

11. 12.

13.

14.

15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.

DOT3 brake fluid, 2 qt. (64oz.) to flush and bleed the brakes 4-5 quarts of engine oil. I used just over 4 quarts, a bit more than a normal oil and filter change. I used Mobil 1 10W -30 full synthetic motor oil.

24.

Permatex Blue (sensor-safe) silicone gasket maker, up to 300 degrees (water pump and other water connections in the front and rear of the engine.) Permatex Copper (sensor-safe) silicone gasket maker, up to 700 degrees (exhaust valve covers, EGR connections) Vaseline (mandatory for walking fuel injectors into the fuel rail) PB Blaster penetrating oil - stubborn fasteners and bolts (especially exhaust manifold bolts) WD40 - cleaning and lubrication Electrical circuit cleaner and dielectric grease for ALL electrical connections. Do it religiously for all connectors you touch! Wet/Dry shop -vac Tons of rags and paper towels Electrical tape, high temp Sharpie pen, p aper labels and strong clear tape. A few replacement metric bolts from my local hardware store (as needed).

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34.

Taking it apart:
1. With the emergency brake on, jack up the front of the car and place on jack stands. See the service manual for jack stand and jack service points. Follow all instructions and safety precautions in the jack, jack stand, and Nissan service manuals. Check out Steve Chong and Andy Woo's "Jacking up the Car" for more details. Jack up the rear of the car and place on jack stands or ramps. Perform a compression test. I was lucky because I hadn t blown a head gasket or overheated the motor. If you have bad compression numbers before you start, identify the source of the problem by performing a leak -down test. You had better know if it is a head gasket, intake valve(s), exhaust valve(s), or worn piston rings. Replacing the cylinder heads wont fix thing very well if your engine block is the source of your problems. I was quite impressed on how well the 14 year old pistons with 95k looked after I cleaned them free from carbon buildup. I tied the hood to a large wood beam on the ceiling of the garage in order to open it all the way to have better access and to not have to worry about it falling. I also mounted a 120W incandescent light (with a big metal reflector) above the engine bay so that I always had good light coming down into the engine bay without having any wires in the way. Disconnect and remove the battery. Store the battery on a wood block or wood counter, not on a concrete floor. Remove the balance tube. Remove the coil packs and their connectors (6). Label the coil connectors for each cylinder. Don t forget to start labeling everything and put separate parts in baggies! Drain the brake fluid. I sucked out most of it with a turkey basting device. Remove the master cylinder. Be careful and have plenty of rags to catch any brake fluid that is left. There will be some. Depressurize the fuel system. I just loosened the gas cap. Disconnect the bottom connector fuel hoses that lead to the fuel rail for the dampener and fuel pressure regulator. Be careful to catch the extra fuel that may come out. With some rags. Lift the tubes upward so that any excess fuel is caught.Remove the black metal fuel line apparatus on top of the plenum and pull it all back towards the driver s side. I secured my fuel lines and the metal apparatus inside a very large baggie. It wrapped up nicely with a rubber band on the left (driver) rear corner of the engine bay. If you loosened it to relieve fuel pressure, tighten your gas cap so that moisture doesn't get into the tank. Disconnect the fuel injector connectors. Label them! Learn your cylinder numbers from the manual now if you do not know them! Remove the throttle cables, primary cable (left) and cruise control cable (right). Pull each cable back towards its side of the engine bay and secure underneath or around something. Remove the plenum. I used Mike Hageali s TTZ s of Arizona Fuel Injector Tech to aid in removing the plenum, fuel rail, and injectors. Remove splash cover underneath the engine.

2. 3.

4.

5. 6. 7.

8.

9. 10.

11. 12.

13.

14.

15.

Remove the radiator and the front engine hardware just like when doing the 60k service. No need to reinvent the wheel here, I used Dallas Damon Zs Timing Belt Tech from the Twin Turbo Zs of Dallas for step -by-step detailed instructions. The engine should be set at TDC when removing the timing belt and should be kept at TDC when removing the heads. Piston #1 will be at its highest point. The right head camshafts will want to fall towards the left, sometimes in a scary sudden motion. If you are at TDC, don't worry too much about this because the valves are just coming to rest. Be prepared for this to happen and allow it to happen as gently as you can. Just a llow them to fall left until they come to a rest. The left head should be OK if you are at TDC, i.e. these cams should not be spinning on you because they are already at rest. One more tip... I loosened the camshaft gear bolts slightly before loosening the timing belt so that I wouldn t have a problem with the camshafts spinning on me. Remove the crank pulley, 27mm socket, breaker bar, and a pipe extension. It really doesn t have to be removed, but I wanted to remove mine because I planned to be sitting in the front of the engine compartment much of the time and I didnt want to damage it by having it get hit with falling tools or by my stepping on it. Watch out for the woodruff key (half moon) when you pull the pulley off. Mine went bouncing off and I had to fish for it in the dark with my magnetic retriever. Remove the upper idler pulley connected to the lower intake manifold. Remove the rear vertical water tube behind the left head (drivers side) and remove the PCV, water by -pass, and vacuum tree connector apparatus that hangs over top of the EGR valve and behind the heads. You will have to unhook some hoses and the bracket bolts from the back of the left head to accomplish this. I had to do some creative spinning by trial and error in order to wiggle the apparatus out from behind the heads. Be careful not to break it by bending it too much (if that is possible). Loosen the back 2 long EGR bolts that connect the EGR to the lower intake manifold in the rear. This is tough and takes a while since you are working so close to the firewall. Take your time, it is doable. These longs bolts must be unscrewed out of the intake manifold in order to remove it. Remove the lower intake. Detorque in steps in the proper sequence (see your service manual). Remove the EGR valve. I disconnected the side plenum tubes, disconnected it from the exhaust manifold and lifted it out by twisting and turning it a bit. The EGR side arm on the passenger side stayed laying in there until I allowed it get a free ride out on the right cylinder head. At the factory, the EGR tube had been threaded right through the main water pipe that connects on the right cylinder head. See below for putting it back together the same way. From under the car, remove the exhaust manifold tubes stud bolts (3 bolts connect the exhaust manifold to the exhaust tube on each side). Get ready to remove the cylinder heads. The cylinder head bolts should be loosened in stages in the proper sequence. Only turn each head bolt turn or so at a time for the first couple loosening steps. There are eight (8) 10mm allen cylinder head bolts (one short head bolt and 7 long head bolts) and 1 small (outside the block) 10mm hex bolt on each cylinder head. The small bolt on the right side (passenger) is behind the head. The small bolt on the left side (driver) is on the front of the left head up under a lip. Neither of these bolts are in a good position, but they both were easy to get out with the proper tool. Remove the right (passenger) cylinder head. Loosen head bolts slowly in reverse of torque down order (see the service manual for torque order). If you loosen in the wrong order, or if you loosen too much at one time, you can warp the aluminum heads. After all of the head bolts have been removed (don't forget the small one mentioned above), you may have to tap the head loose with a rubber mallet and/or a 2x4. Just keep tapping around all sides of the head and don t get overly aggressive. I had to persistently tap for a while and eventually the right head broke loose. I allowed the passenger side EGR tube and water pipe attached to the cylinder head to ride out along with the right head and exhaust manifold. Remove the water tube and the seemingly stuck EGR tube from the left cylinder head. Remove the left (driver) cylinder head. I left the oil dipstick in place and lifted the cylinder head and manifold up over the oil dipstick. I removed a small bracket from the dipstick to make it easier to lift the manifold over it. Remember how the dipstick was positioned because you will have to install the cylinder head and exhaust manifold bracket down over the dipstick when you put it back together. Cover the block with something to keep moisture out and to keep falling debri from falling into the cylinders. Stuff rags into the exposed exhaust tubes on each side to keep stuff from falling in.

16.

17. 18.

19.

20. 21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26. 27.

Engine Bay and Parts Cleaning/Prep:

1. Clean piston crowns -or- rebuild the cylinder block if damage is found or suspected. I didn't alter my engine block; I just cleaned the piston crowns. With only 94k and good compression, I figured this would make good economical sense if I could pull it off. It turned out to be a good decision for me in the long run. Clean cylinder block mating surface. Cylinder Head Prep. I did not rebuild my old heads because the left one was improperly machined by the factory . If you are reusing your heads, now is the time to take them to your machinist to get them reworked (and ported if you so choose to do so). I did not opt for the porting, but I know many will want to do this. If your machinist does their job properly, then your job is to keep them clean until the install. Keep the heads wrapped in plastic until you are ready to install them. The lifters should be coated with molybdenum lube or a thicker engine oil when they come back from the machinist. Clean the plenum mating surface. If you were having major idling problems before the rebuild, it may be a good idea to replace the

2. 3.

4.

IAA that was most likely still attached to the plenum when you removed it. I decided to give mine a good cleaning with WD -40 since I was not having any idling problems before the rebuild. Make sure all the hoses on the IAA are in good shape. 5. Clean lower intake manifold mating surfaces (2 bottom surfaces, 1 top surface). My lower intake came out looking pretty good, not much if any gasket was stuck to it. I cleaned the manifold intakes with carb cleaner and then I used some steel wool to remove any carbon left. I finished by using my dremel carbon steel bit to remove any last bits of oxidation. Clean the EGR valve and oil the valve mechanism. I dowsed and lubricated the valve and mechanism with PB Blaster and tested the valve for normal function. I pushed the valve up and down a bunch of times to lubricate it really good. I decided that my EGR was functional and solid and decided not to replace it. Clean the EGR side tubes. Mine were nearly blocked with a black carbon resin on both sides where they connect into the plenum. I picked out all of the black resin with a small screwdriver being careful not to accidentally plug it. After that, I piped some hot soapy water through the EGR tubes and loosened a bunch of black soot that just kept running out for awhile. I see why folks are tempted to remove the EGR system, it is a major PITA, but it was not a choice for me as I want to be able to pass emissions if I ever have to. My goal was to keep the engine as original in build and look as was possible. Install camshafts into cylinder heads and torque camshaft bracket bolts using the proper torque value and sequence. Use a tiny bit of high temp anti -sieze compound on these bolt threads. See the Z manual for specific instructions. If you take off all the brackets for the camshafts, don't get them mixed up. The machinist should have stamped them A,B,C,D, etc. amd the heads should have the matching A,B,C,D to keep them from getting mixed up. Make sure that you use high temp silicone gasket in front camshaft bracket spots as recommended in the Z manual. There are position indicators on the front of the head that will indicate the correct position of the camshafts for installation when the motor is at TDC. The left head is easy to get perfect out of the car, but the right head should have the camshaft position indicators to the left of the indicator marks because they are in a relaxed state. It is easier and safer to adjust the camshafts after installing the head on to the black and after putting on the cam gears. The camshafts should be positioned just like they were when taken out of the car. When you put them back in, it will be like they never moved. Install new camshaft oil seals (4). Clean engine bay with engine degreaser and then the citrus based degreaser and water. Drain old engine oil and replace the oil filter. Clean parts (valve covers, lower intake manifold, plenum, CAS, radiator). First use regular degreaser solvent, wipe clean, and then clean parts off with citrus degreaser or cleaner. Install new water bypass hoses on the underside of plenum. Some folks will opt to bypass these water hoses completely, but since I live in a cold climate, I decided to rebuild everything back to original specifications. They were tempting to reroute, I can see why people that live in warm climates choose to do so. Paint exhaust manifolds, exhaust valve covers and fuel rail, CAS, front aluminum water pipes (very high temp 1200 degree ceramic aluminum paint to keep them original). Install new PCV hoses on intake and exhaust valve covers. Paint timing cover, fan shroud, and intake valve covers (high temp flat black to keep them original). Assemble fuel rail. I replaced the cross over fuel line on the front of the fuel rail and also the uplink fuel lines that go to the fuel pressure regulator and the fuel dampener. Install new injectors into the fuel rail with new o-rings. Use generous amounts of petroleum jelly to walk in the injectors being very careful not pinch any o -rings (2 per injector). If they don't slide in easy, use more Vaseline. The vaseline will dissolve in the gasoline almost instantly when the gas hits the fuel rail. Make sure all harness connectors are cleaned and labeled while they are easily accessible. Assemble heads to the exhaust manifolds using new gaskets, torque properly. I also installed the O2 sensors and let them be part of the head/exhaust manifold piece. You will have to have the head sitting on a counter or table and let the manifold hang down over the side. Install the water pipe on the back of the right (passenger) cylinder head with Permatex gasket (copper or blue). I also inserted the EGR tube for the right side through the water pipe before tightening it down to the head. I had taken it apart this way and I was determined to put things back without bending and breaking anything. This proved to be a neat trick. Place small rags in the intake manifold to prevent stuff from falling in during/after the install. Splice/solder in new fuel injector connectors.

6.

7.

8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

13.

14.

15. 16. 17.

18.

19. 20.

21.

22. 23.

Reassembly:
Important: follow all torque values and sequences as stated in the manual. I recommend using a torque wrench to install

ALL parts where torque values are listed in the service manual. Do this whether you think you can guess the proper torque or not. This is a time for precision, not guesswork. If you haven't cleaned your work area, do it now. You will want to keep everything clean during the head gasket installation; clean rags, clean tools, clean floor, clean hands etc. Be careful at all times, during and after the heads are installed, that you don't drop any debri or tools down into the heads. Stuff clean shop rags into the intake and spark plug holes to prevent stuff from falling in while you install them. Do not reuse the old TTY (torque to yield) cylinder head bolts as they have streched and have lost some of their clamping force due to design. 1. Make sure that the engine block mating surface is clean and straight as stated by the tolerances stated in the service manual. Make sure that ALL of the old head gasket material has been removed. Likewise, make sure that the cylinder head mating surface is clean and even. If your machinist did their job properly, then your job is just to keep it clean during the install. Use a quick drying solvent and wipe down the block and the head mating surfaces one last time. Keep all dirt, grime, and oil away from the head and block mating surfaces during the install. I used a shop vacuum to suck up any loose dirt that was left in the engine bay and on top of the block. Lay down new cylinder head gaskets. Make sure they are lined up correctly using the 2 metal guide pins sticking up out of both sides of the block. One of these pins came out with the head and I had to extract it from the old heads with vice grips. Make sure that there is no dirt and grime left on the mating surface and/or the gasket one more time. No liquid gasket should be used with the OE head gaskets, just the gaskets themselves. Install the left Cylinder Head/Exhaust Manifold in one piece (driver side), the one you assembled above without the water pipe attached. Attach to the left exhaust tube, but don t torque the exhaust tube all the way down yet. You will have to lift the manifold down over the oil dipstick. The dipstick goes through a bracket on the left exhaust manifold. After the dipstick is sliding in OK, let the studs on the exhaust manifold down into their 3 holes on the exhaust tube. Get the nuts started but not all the way tight. Torque down the cylinder head bolts in stages and in the proper sequence as specified in the service manual. Lightly coat the threads and seating surfaces of the head bolts with engine oil as stated in the service manual. The position of the short head bolt in each cylinder head is specified in the service manual. Don't get the short bolt in the wrong hole. Make sure that you torque, de -torque, and re-torque the cylinder head bolts as noted in the manual. Always tighten and loosen in the correct order in stages. Don't forget the small left front head bolt on the left head (driver side), 10mm (under the front lip). Finish the torque down of the left exhaust manifold to the exhaust tube (3 bolts). Install the right Cylinder Head/Exhaust Manifold in one piece (driver side) along with traveling EGR tube and already attached water tube on the back. Attach it to the right exhaust tube, but dont torque the exhaust tube all the way down yet. Get the studs inserted into the 3 holes on the exhaust manifold and get the nuts started but not quite tight. Lightly coat the threads and seating surfaces of the head bolts with engine oil as stated in the service manual. Torque down cylinder head bolts in sequence specified in the service manual. De -torque and re -torque cylinder head bolts as noted in the manual. Dont forget the small right rear head bolt (passenger side), 10mm (long or 3/8 inch drive extension is your friend). Finish the torque down of the right exhaust manifold to the exhaust tube (3 bolts). Properly gap and install the spark plugs. Use high temp anti -seize compound on the spark plug threads. They will help seal things up and help to keep stuff from falling into the cylinder. I also used a shop vac to suck out any dirt or debri that may have fallen into the cylinders during the install. If you got good compression, then you will be able to create a nice vacuum and suck just about anything small out the cylinders. Install the EGR valve along with the 2 riding long bolts that attach to the intake manifold. Assemble the EGR side tubes. Fasten the EGR exhaust inlet to the left exhaust manifold just above the O2 sensor. Leave the 2 long back bolts that fasten the EGR to the intake loose against the firewall for now. I used a thin layer of high temp Permatex copper gasket on the EGR tube gaskets to make sure a good seal was made with the valve. Install the new knock sensor and its harness. Hook the harness wire to something on the firewall (if your harness is pushed back still) so that it doesn t get lost when you put the intake manifold over it. The harness wire will still need to stick up and out from between the heads and under the intake. The harness will need to come up over top of the EGR valve and the firewall hoses to be clipped into the harness and the clip holder. Install Lower Intake Manifold, but first remove the rags you stuck in the head intake first. Use new gaskets (2). Torque the bolts (2 hex, others are allen head) in proper sequence. Screw in the 2 long back EGR valve bolts. These bolts will take some time to get in, just take your time. I used a small stubby box wrench. Install the large water metal tube (vertical to ground) to the right of the EGR (if standing in front of engine), use silicone gasket to seal the connection. Install the metal tree apparatus behind the heads that connect water, PCV, and EGR vacuum tubing. Connect all appropriate hose connections. Use the vacuum, water bypass, and PCV diagrams in the service manual in order to get everything connected properly. I found the linked diagrams from Courtesy Nissan's site to be very helpful. Connect all water bypass hoses, identify hoses that will reach to the plenum and make sure they are labeled, or at least accounted for and understood.

2.

3.

4.

5. 6. 7.

8. 9. 10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18. 19.

Install new knock sensor and harness. Clean the engine harness connector that the new knock sensor harness plugs into. Oil the camshafts with thick engine oil at each camshaft lobe. I used Mobil 1 10W -30 synthetic after the machinist had already used moly -lube during the head assembly. I had lifter tick upon startup, but it wasn t too bad and it promptly went away in about 10 -15 minutes of run time. This is common, but we just want to avoid any unnecessary metal on metal friction when the engine is started for the first time. Install exhaust valve covers. Use a nice bead of high temp silicone, Permatex Copper (orange). Use high temp anti-sieze compound on the threads of the valve cover bolts. Try to use use a bit of anti -sieze compound on the threads of all bolts going into the aluminum heads. Install VTC solenoids on the back of each intake camshaft; use high temp silicone on the bottom of the solenoid for a good seal. I cleaned the solenoids a bit with PB blaster in hopes of lubricating and refreshing the the mechanism a bit. Install PCV hoses on left exhaust valve cover with hose clamps. Connect the back PCV tube to the metal tree apparatus behind the heads. Install intake valve covers. Use new Nissan OEM rubber gaskets. Dont forget the little rubber washer/shock protection pieces that go with the screws for the intake valve cover. It probably wouldn't tighten enough without them. Replace these phillips head screws with allen head or hex screws if possible. Refill engine oil. Put in 3 5/8 quarts for now. It will take about 4 quarts or a bit over after a cylinder head job. Check the oil after the engine runs for a bit and top it off then. Some people don't believe in using synthetics after a rebuild or in a new motor, but I decided to keep using Mobil 1 10W -30 full synthetic. Mobil 1 claims that running synthetic is fine in a new engine or after a rebuild. In fact, Corvettes come with Mobil 1 5W-30 right from the factory now. Install plastic/rubberized middle spark plug cover inserts. I know there is a better name for this partThere are rubber gaskets that keep this plastic part from rattling against the valve covers, so make sure that these gaskets are in place. Install the rear timing belt covers, left and right. One side has a tongue and one a groove. Make sure that you install the piece with the groove first, not the tongue. It will be be apparent that one side needs to get installed first. Install the idler pulley on the front of the lower intake manifold. Look at the service manual or the tt.net 60K tech for proper torque values. Consider replacing the 2 idler pulleys (timing belt and A/C) if many miles are on them or if they appear worn or damaged when spun, or if they have a hefty number of miles on them (120k +). Follow Dallas Damon Zs Timing Belt Tech from the Twin Turbo Zs of Dallas to get the front engine back together; new VTC springs, cam gears, t-belt, auto-tensioner, lower t-belt cover, CAS bracket, upper cover right, inlet and outlet water pipes, upper cover left, fan/fan clutch, drive belts, radiator, fan shroud) Install the CAS if you haven't yet (3 bolts) and set it near the center for now. Bring the front harness extension across that connects the PTU, coolant temp sensor, coolant temp gauge, and CAS. Attach wires to their wire clip holders on the timing cover so that the harness wires can t get into the path of the fan. Use dielectric grease on every connection. Fill the radiator with 50/50. Drain the engine block if desired. I had flush and filled rather well not to long before, so opted against draining the block. Install the fuel rail with new injectors. Don't forget to lay down the new insulators on the lower intake before setting down the fuel rail. The fuel rail has its own ground; don t forget to connect it to the top of the lower intake manifold in the right rear. Install the solenoid brackets on the outer side of each cylinder head (EGR right head, PRVR left head) and connect all vacuum connections. Use the service manual for the vacuum line schema. I found it very easy to follow. Install new PCV valves into the plenum. This is easier when the plenum is out of the car. Install Plenum using new plenum gasket. Seat the plenum on top of EGR side tubes and connect all PCV, vacuum, and water bypass hoses before torque down. I used Mike Hageali s TTZ s of Arizona Fuel Injector Tech to help with the installation of the plenum. I always used the service manual to make sure that I hooked things up correctly. The digital camera was also a godsend when it came to remembering what order things came apart. I did not bypass any water hoses as I live in a colder climate. Clean and c onnect the 2 AAC connectors using dielectric grease. Double check all the water hose connections behind the plenum (2 on the right side and 1 on the left side, and 2 in the middle). The left one (drivers side) that is curved is a pain to reconnect to the bypass hose metal connector under the plenum. Connect the main harness grounds to the back of the plenum. There are at least 3 of them that I can remember. Lay the metal fuel tubing apparatus across the engine and connect the Fuel Pressure Regulator and Fuel Dampener to the fuel rail tubing connections. The regulator is to the right of the fuel rail if you are standing in front of the car . The dampener is the other one.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29. 30.

31.

32.

33.

34. 35.

36.

37. 38.

39.

Install the throttle body soft intake pipes and attach vacuum and PCV hoses (2 hoses right side, 3 hoses left side). Get the vacuum tube diagram out again and double check all vacuum line connections. A couple of connections will still go to the balance tube. Identify those connections now. Install the brake master cylinder. Then, flush and bleed the brakes with fresh DOT3 brake fluid. 6 six bleed points in this order: Left rear, right rear, left front, right front, rear ABS, front ABS. The service manual shows you how to bleed brakes if you don't know how. This is the only time that I needed a helper, so my wife was quickly elected! The pedal should be really stiff at the end when all the air is removed from the lines. Attach the brake booster hose to the plenum. Attach the fuel injector connectors (6). Use dielectric grease on all the connectors and make sure that the wire connectors are engaged properly to hold it on. Mine were new, so I didn t have to clean them. If you are reusing your connectors, clean them really good with electrical parts cleaner and pick at them with a tiny screwdriver or jewelers tools. Slightly crimp the female ends of the connector together so that they are sure to clamp down and make contact with the male end. Connect the Fuel Temp Sensor connector near injector #4. Clean and use dielectric grease on the single male connector. Install the ignition coil packs and attach connectors (6). Clean connectors or replace, and then use dielectric grease. Install the balance tube and attach left over vacuum lines. Again, use the vacuum line diagram in the service manual to make sure vacuum lines are routed properly. Install the throttle cable and tighten to take out the slack. Dont over tighten the cable or the throttle plates will open, create a vacuum leak, and raise the engine idle. Install the throttle cover. Install the battery and connect positive and negative terminals. Clean the terminals if you have any corrosion before you install the battery. Turn the ignition to the ON position (do not start the car yet) to pressurize the fuel rail. Check for fuel leaks around the fuel rail, fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, and fuel dampener. If fuel leaks were found, turn off the power immediately and try to locate/fix the problem. Install and adjust the TPS.Adjust base throttle position to somewhere between .4-.5v (use a ConZult, Consult, Techtom, or a plain old digital multi-meter). Mine feels good at .44V. Range goes up to 3.95V at WOT (wide open throttle). Double check everything one more time. Take your time and think about what you have left out or forgot to do, if anything. Start the engine and let it run for a bit. It will run a bit rough at first (within reason) and then it should quiet down if everything is OK. Try to keep the RPM up a bit at first to build oil pressure in order to properly lubricate the camshafts and hydraulic lifters. If you hear any loud or very strange noises, or if you see or hear any leaks, shut the car off immediately! While the engine is running, carefully shine your trouble light under the hood and underneath the car and check for oil, water, or other leaks. Stop the engine right away if any problems are detected. If the engine seems to be doing well, rev the motor a bit to increase oil pressure, but dont over do it. 2000-2500 RPM or so is fine at first. Lifter tick is common right after the engine is started and usually goes away once the lifters and cams are coated in engine oil and all the air is expelled. If the lifters were left in oil and replaced properly, the less chance they have for having any kind of tick. I was worried about mine for a bit, but they eventually came around. They kept getting better and better and pretty soon the engine was nice and smooth after 15 -20 minutes. The next day when I started it up again, it was unbelievably quiet, even quieter than before. When you shut the hood, you should not be able to detect any ticking from the lifters or the injectors. With the hood open you should be able to hear the quiet but detectable ticking of the injectors. Install engine splash cover and the fan shroud. I left them off until this point. I figured if something went wrong, it would be bad enough taking everything else back apart.

40.

41. 42.

43. 44. 45.

46.

47. 48.

49.

50. 51.

52. 53.

54.

55. Check the oil and top it off. Start the car again, warm it up and adjust the base idle to ~750RPM by adjusting the idle screw at the IAA. I had to disconnect the TPS for about 15 seconds to reset the ECU, then I got the idle to drop down nicely. If all is well, take it for a drive and heat the engine up for a while. P ull over and check for leaks every so often. I was fortunate and had no leaks. 56. Break in your engine slowly and check the oil frequently just to be safe. Dont overwork the engine until it has had a good chance to lubricate. Since I didn't touch the lower part of my engine and since I am using reworked heads with used camshafts, my rebuild break-in time should be very minimal. Even then, I would recommend taking things easy at first and also plan on changing the oil/filter again in 1000 -2000 miles. Go have a beer, you deserve it!

57.

Results: I am happy to say that the hesitation is completely gone between 2500 and 3000 RPM. The car

now performs like I think it ought to. The engine is now much smoother upon acceleration and also during normal daily cruising. Now, the CAS is no longer turned all the way counterclockwise and it was much easier to set the base timing to 15 BTDC and not have it waiver on me. What would you add or change? Please email me at mike_cain@buckeye-express.com if you have suggestions for additions/changes for this guide. Mike Cain or cainmt(Toledo,OH) Last Edit Date - March 31, 2003