Looking for a head gasket

[legacyelectric]

Hello everyone I'm new to this forum and it seems like it is a wealth of info in here.
I have a 82 sedan maxima with the ld28 that I just bought. I put new glow plugs in it and it still is hard to start and has a lot of white smoke, the radiator was showing signs of air bubbles with the cap off. So we (my brother who is the mechinac) decide the head gasket needs replaced (should of checked availability first) So we take it all apart and then look for the head gasket I can't seem to find any place that has or can even order one I have checked with autopartsauction.com and surplus auto parts nothing but nismoparts.com said they could get one (only one the whole country) the 1.3 mil gasket I don't know how many notches that is, but the gasket I took off only had one notch in it. Any help would be apreciated
After reading a lot of the posts I see the timing is probably off as the previous owner had been fooling around with the timing of the car with the help of a mechinac and they never got the white smoke; low power; hard starting,to go away either.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Larry

[asavage]

Hello, Larry, and Welcome!

You might check NAPA for Fel-Pro gaskets.

• Cylinder Head Gasket Set FPG HSU8929 $89.99
  Head Gasket Not Included w/ PermaDry Molded Rubber Valve Cover Gasket w/ Premium Valve Stem Seals Head Gaskets Not Included]
• Cylinder Head Gasket FPG 8960B $60.19
  w/ 0 or 3 Notches 1.280mm Thick Piston out-of-deck over .573mm
• Cylinder Head Gasket FPG 8957B $58.99
  1 Notch 2 Notches 1.120mm Thick Piston out-of-deck up to .478mm

Ignore any NAPA part numbers beginning with "NGA", as those indicate Victor-Reinz and NAPA has dropped them, though the numbers are still active in their system.

Other useful Fel-Pro gaskets:

• Valve Cover Gasket Set FPG VS50215R $17.09
  w/ PermaDry Molded Rubber Gasket
• Exhaust Pipe Gasket FPG 23589 $3.69
  Flange Type Pipe to Manifold
  
• Oil Pan Gasket Set FPG OS20076 $7.59
• Rear Main Seal Set FPG BS25023 $12.49
  Rubber 1 Piece
  
• Timing Cover Seal BA 0523366 $4.99
  
• Water Pump Mounting Gasket FPG 25569 $1.09
  

The Intake/Exhaust manifold gasket and Plenum gasket is not available from Fel-Pro. NAPA lists the NGA number but can't get them. I have found a source for the Victor gasket set, MS16052, not from NAPA. Figure about $19-20 for one. It is supposed to come with the Plenum gasket. I am trying to verify that.

[legacyelectric]

Well http://www.autopartswarehouse.com said they had a head gasket for just under 70.00 so I ordered one. Napa said they couldn't even order one anymore. So we'll see if they actually have one or not.

On another note the timing issue of the car. I have still needs to be checked out to see if the timing is off as I'm pretty sure it is. What can I do to check the timing? Did Dr. Jones ever report back what the timing was for a mechanicaly timed IP using a Dial Indicator so the tachn'time tool can be used with that data and have a correct timing of the IP
Al your tachn'time you offer to loan out for the cost of shipping is it still available?

[asavage]

Napa said they couldn't even order one anymore. So we'll see if they actually have one or not.

NAPA can't get the Victor (NGA) gaskets; they should still be able to get the Fel-Pro (FPG) gaskets. Did you specify? Maybe I've got that wrong.

What can I do to check the timing? Did Dr. Jones ever report back what the timing was for a mechanicaly timed IP using a Dial Indicator so the tachn'time tool can be used with that data and have a correct timing of the IP

No, he seems to have disappeared.

Al your tachn'time you offer to loan out for the cost of shipping is it still available?

Yes and no. I have two Tach-n-Times, they are both available for loan, yes you'll pay shipping both ways, but you'll also have to pay a hefty deposit unless you've been posting here a long time. Figure US$250 deposit. I want the units back, and I don't know of another way to ensure that that will happen. I've had one bad experience loaning one, and that's enough experience for me.

But they are certainly available to loan, yes. And you can probably buy them still. I got both of mine from eBay over the years. Philip bought one on eBay too. And every once in a while I see the Snap-On MT257(a) up for auction. I've bought an OTC version, and Ferret makes a very similar unit too. But if you are only going to time a diesel once, it probably doesn't make sense to buy one, unless you get a screaming deal.

[legacyelectric]

Well all I know is the Napa guy I talked to said they couldn't get any head gasket at all, but I will try Napa again if autopartswharehouse don't really have one.

the 250.00 deposit I understand, but let me pick your brain a little more first Al, will the Tach-n-Time do enough to set the timing instead of using the dial indicator? I imagine it will or you wouldn't be loaning it out to people

Do you know if a snap-on mt2500 scanner work with the proper attachments? I do happen to own one of these.

[asavage]

the 250.00 deposit I understand, but let me pick your brain a little more first Al, will the Tach-n-Time do enough to set the timing instead of using the dial indicator? I imagine it will or you wouldn't be loaning it out to people

You can set the base timing with the Tach-n-Time, but we don't know that the number to set it to is. I still have not performed a by-the-book timing using the dial indicator to measure the plunger lift, and then immediately checked with the Tach-n-Time. My '82 measures about 8° BTDC @ 800 RPM using the Tach-n-Time, but I have no idea if it is "in time". I have not checked the '83.

Do you know if a snap-on mt2500 scanner work with the proper attachments? I do happen to own one of these.

Absolutely not: The MT2500 is designed to primarily use the vehicle's own sensors, and there is no diagnostic connector on the Gen1 Maximas. AFAIK, you can't use the MT2500 at all with the LD28.

(However, I envy you; the MT2500 is a very nice unit. I used to use one daily, but I didn't own it.)

[legacyelectric]

Yea I didn't think you could use the MT2500 tool, thought I would ask. I bought it off e-bay for my 1997 6.5 td I run on straight used veggie oil as a work truck (electrician).

Hey I just had a brain storm, if you were willing and I had enough money for the deposit, and that was let me use your dial-indicator and your tach n time and set the timing on my 82 nissan and compare the two so we could have the numbers needed at least from one source and if you done it on yours we could compare the #'s to have something to base things off of.
Does any of this make sense to you Al
Thanks

[asavage]

I have the dial indicator but I have not chopped up the adapter to be short enough to fit yet -- heck, it's only been a year!

I can put it all in a box and ship it off (Tach-n-Time, dial indicator, adapter -- unmodified). If you're willing to chop up the adapter. I don't know that the "hose-clamp" method he used is the way I'd glue it back together, but I suppose it works. I've got just a few too many things going on right now to attempt to take that one on myself.

[legacyelectric]

Hey that sound fine by me, between my brother and myself we can cut and weld or jb weld the pieces together and get it done. I need to wait till I get all the parts together and a time for my Brother to come out and put it all together. So when I get the time arranged (the car is striped down in my garage right now) I'll get in touch with you again for all the details (paypal account address, give you my address and such so we can get this done.

Between my brother and myself we have 3 of these cars 2 sedans ones a 5 spd. and the other is automatic and 1 wagon that is a 5 speed and also one spare engine.

ps. I need a rear axle (right side) for the wagon (I think it's an 83)the bearing went out and scoured up the shaft on it (rusty car 37 mpg thou)

[asavage]

Between my brother and myself we have 3 of these cars 2 sedans ones a 5 spd. and the other is automatic and 1 wagon that is a 5 speed and also one spare engine.

Wagon 5-spd? Is that one a diesel too? Is it a conversion? My info is that Nissan didn't sell the MT behind the LD28 in a Wagon in the US.

I need a rear axle (right side) for the wagon (I think it's an 83)the bearing went out and scoured up the shaft on it (rusty car 37 mpg thou)

I had the RR brg go bad at about 90k, and it's making intermittant noise again at 165k. If I find a Wagon in a JY, I'll yank the RR axle for you, but I haven't seen one in two years. The gasser axle should be the same, but naturally it has to be a Wagon.

[legacyelectric]

I bought the ld28 diesel wagon a few years ago, the guy said it wasn't the factory engine, however he said it was just a newer engine, so the car might be (now that I think about it) a 82 and the engine I think is a 83. But either way the car was defiantly a ld28 factory engine and the car sure looks drives and feels like it has a factory MT now wither it was a factory 5 spd or a 4 spd
I can't be sure.

[83_maxima]

Datsun never made a 4 speed for the maxima.

You can tell if it's a factory MT by looking at the tunnel from under the car. They are made differently to accommodate the MT or AT. I had to fab up a bracket to carry the trans in the back when I converted my silver car to a MT.

[legacyelectric]

I'll have to look under the car to see the tunnel, but the car isn't at my house right now, so it may be awhile

I just got my email last night that the warehouse that I ordered the headgasket from said they didn't have any of the one I ordered, but they have one with a different thickness so I said send me that one, we'll see if they have it eitherjavascriptemoticon(':?')
Confused