Author Topic: Attention: This Soffish Do Not Eat - Schizo's Second S12 (Read 8838 times)

SchizophrenicMC · « **on:** 05:10:36 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

So, on 1/20/15 I bought another S12, a 1985 XE automatic, for $400. Seized motor, dead battery, some kind of wiring gremlin, and a dead door handle. But it's a one-owner bone stock hatch, which is what I've been looking for.

I have some pretty big plans for this car.

Day One Photo:

Day One Interior:

First Order of Business

When I bought the car, the PO told me the head gasket had blown, so I went about pulling the head to swap the gasket- I'm willing to spend as much as $25 on a CA20E. Got the head pulled today, these were my findings:

Yeah, real blown that head gasket is. Right through the coolant jacket for cylinder 2.

I ain't even mad though. KA time.

rednucleus · « **Reply #1 on:** 07:44:53 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

That's a fine looking boat anchor my friend!

Basic · « **Reply #2 on:** 08:26:30 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

why are they ALWAYS missing the parcel shelf? I swear those things are like unobtainium.

JonB · « **Reply #3 on:** 08:27:22 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

Yea, looks boat anchor. That gasket also looks new, like really new, like it's still got that felpro blue on it, and it didn't fuse to the head and block like a years old gasket does.

I suspect they may have not followed the heat, and UN torque and re torque instructions that came with the gasket.

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #4 on:** 09:36:09 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

I'm beginning to think whoever rebuilt this engine didn't realize Nissans have a 5-step head torquing process. Of course, whoever rebuilt the engine did so some years ago, because they reset the odometer when they did it, and the oil change sticker in the windshield is dated in 2011, for about 1000 miles from where the odo is now.

Oh well, KA time.

Dave, do you want the block? You know, to anchor your boat?

rednucleus · « **Reply #5 on:** 11:45:42 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

Quote from: SchizophrenicMC on 09:36:09 PM / 23-Jan-15

Dave, do you want the block? You know, to anchor your boat?

No thanks, lol I still have my dead CA block gathering dust in the garage

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #6 on:** 11:59:31 PM / 23-Jan-15 »

Good man.

Basic · « **Reply #7 on:** 11:28:26 AM / 24-Jan-15 »

with two CA20 blocks you could have a pretty good coffee table...

rednucleus · « **Reply #8 on:** 03:29:37 PM / 24-Jan-15 »

If Schizo cleans his up & ships to me I'll post lots of pics of my creation

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #9 on:** 03:51:16 PM / 24-Jan-15 »

Maybe if things work out I'll be able to take that road trip up to WA. If I do, I'll make every effort to cram the CA block into whatever I take.

rednucleus · « **Reply #10 on:** 03:52:56 PM / 24-Jan-15 »

The beer will be cold and BBQ hot! Maybe even change the sheets in the guest room for you.

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #11 on:** 10:00:21 PM / 01-Mar-15 »

I started my KA swap this weekend, on the one weekend a year we get snow and ice. Fortunately, I got to use the Dallas Makerspace's facilities to effect the swap. Unfortunately, the Dallas Makerspace is almost 40 miles from my house.

What a spiteful, hateful, little engine

She's so wet

What I collected from the oil pan

Got the head out of the way (being as it was only held on by a few hoses)

Some disassembly required

The new engine's old clutch

The thing was just coming apart in shreds. Fibers everywhere.

Much better

Locked the keys in the car

End of Day 2

Engine and transmission are mated though. So I got that going for me, which is nice.

rednucleus · « **Reply #12 on:** 10:38:18 PM / 01-Mar-15 »

I just don't get why you are so hateful to that poor innocent CA? I'm on my 3rd one and they have kind of grown on me!

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #13 on:** 08:49:41 PM / 02-Mar-15 »

Got the stupid little CA out today

Basic · « **Reply #14 on:** 08:43:28 AM / 03-Mar-15 »

should be cake to get that KA in and wired and vroom vroom.

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #15 on:** 10:38:06 PM / 03-Mar-15 »

So that happened.

This is why you buy a hatchback

This leftover from my S13 has me waiting on McMaster Carr.

The transmission is much bigger than the engine

Look at that tiny, rusty whore

LOOK AT IT

Some kind of sketches for a transmission crossmember

Everything is storage space

So anyway I still need to fab up a transmission crossmember, wait for new bolts for my giubo to come in, source a clutch pedal, wire up the KA, and do some miscellaneous bits like fluids. And then I can try and fix whatever is causing all the lights except the headlights to not come on.

Modulus Two · « **Reply #16 on:** 10:04:36 AM / 04-Mar-15 »

Man, it looked like someone had eaten buffalo wings then took a $h!t in the engine oil.
I'm trying to go through a KA swap right now, so it's nice to see someone else going through the same pain.

What transmission do you have mating up to that KA?
Have you had any luck finding a wiring harness that isn't stupid expensive?

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #17 on:** 11:31:40 AM / 04-Mar-15 »

It's an S14 KA transmission (identical to an S13 KA trans). My KA swap came from a guy who pulled it all to swap an SR20DE+T into his S14. As such, mine came with engine, transmission, accessories, harness, and ECU. He also threw in his car's chassis harness because he had a spare, and his chassis harness had been a bit hacked up. I got all that for $300. Best deal I ever got.

That means, excluding gas, I'm into this car less than $900 right now.

Modulus Two · « **Reply #18 on:** 03:36:14 PM / 04-Mar-15 »

I kind of want to vomit at how much I've spent on just a rusty F'n roller and an engine with a chopped harness.
The midwest sucks when it comes to finding parts.
If you come across any more deals like that, I'm still looking for ECU, harness, and maybe Trans / bell housing.

SchizophrenicMC · « **Reply #19 on:** 09:15:43 PM / 04-Mar-15 »

This will somehow become a crossmember.