so to update on my 280zx i bought few months ago.
i have the interior completly dismantled.
now im about to do my first engine pull and i wanted you guys to double check make sure i have everything right.safety first!

so after a lot of reading and searching i found out my Z had its two front and rear engine lift brackets or 'eyes' removed or it jsut never came with it.
so im attaching the L brackets that came with the cherry picker directly to the engine. ill be pulling out engine and transmission together.

i attached one bracket to what i think was the original hole for the lift eye at the front passenger side of the engine (see picture) by the first cylinder head top of the spark plug with 1 GRADE 8 BOLT AND WASHER (m8 1.25 20mm)

the other L bracket i attached it to the last bolt of the exhaust manifold (see pic) using the washer and nut that was already there.

according to everything i have read so far just these 2 tiny screws will hold it fine. lol

if you guys who done this a million times give me the thumbs up then its on to the engine removal.

by the way im still in amazement how this engine has little to no rust after 30 years.

no pics cuz forum wont let me upload pics.

 

I wouldn't attach it to any "one" of the manifold bolts / studs... it will snap before the engine is completely lifted. I have no idea why Nissan put the back eye hook there... it's an uber weak spot. You could attach it to two or three manifold studs if you have enough chain, or wrap the chain around the EGR mount on the intake.

 

Dunno if these are on your engine or not. Used them for two pulls and two installs, did just fine.

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NOpe those 2 brackets are completely missing from my engine. i looked at every auto shop here and online for maybe a reproduction bracket but nothing. would be nice to have them but pretty much impossible to find and is not an item you would even find on ebay. this is why im looking for other points i can unscrew and attach the cherry picker. i don't wanna break anything.
i wish i was back in LA one trip to junk yard and ill be set but where i live now iv'e gone to all the junk yards and there isnt 1 single datsun.

 

Nothing special about that bracket. It would be super easy to make something out of a piece of plate steel..... two bolt holes for the head and a larger slot for the hook.

 

if you have enough chain just loop one end around the bellhousing and hook it to itself, then get a grade 8 bolt and washer and use one of the holes for the power steering bracket. Or cheat and just unbolt the crossmember and lift the car over the motor.

 

yeah for now i dont care about the hooks im missing maybe maybe it would be nice to make some for later when i put the engine back on so that i dont scratch up paint etc. i think i have a pretty good idea where to hook it now from you guys thanx.

i though i was ready to just take off the 4 bots of the drive shaft and go on the next part of taking the engine off and omg i was so freaking wrong!

i didnt know taking off the 4 bolts for the drive shaft was going to be such a huge headache!

i am literally stuck. i have taken 1 bolt and the other 3 with all my might and after two full days of trying and a wd40 they just wont budge and its in a place where air gun wont fit or not even a racheting wrench will fit in there so im guessing the only possible way to take those 4 bolts is with elbow greease and a 12mm wrench. one is closely to stripping i just cant figure out any other way taking those bolts off. You guys got any tips on that? its in such akward position its so hard to work if it was just two inches foward it be so much easier to work.
also is there a way i can rotate the drive shaft manually to get a better angle on the back bolts?

i cant believe these few bolts are holding me up to taking the engine off for so long now.

any ideas plzzzzzzzzz send me my way.

 

With the engine off, roll the car forward in gear.

 

dang i was hoping another way since i would have to put the shift back on and take the car down etc lol but if that helps just to rotate it ill do that still, i wish they made enough room to at least stick the racketing wrench in there. this just incredably annoying at least none of the bolts are rusty they just wont budge at all!

 

put a ratchet on the crank pulley and turn it.

 

Just have easy access to the shift lever. And put it in neutral, than spin the driveshaft where you want it. Put it in gear, loosen the bolt, and then start the process over again. It is uber easy man. And I can actually remove those four bolts in 10 to 15 minutes. You have to get the 12mm end wrench on there just right. You have 4 half moon bolts with the nuts and washers on them. It is really not too difficult. You can do it man. I have faith in you.

 

Sorry man, you gotta cut the driveshaft...

 

That's so wrong man. lol On so many levels.

 

Pb blast is your friend bud. So much better than WD-40.

 

lol thanx wild im gona try this and let you guys know how it goes.

 

thanx a lot for all the tips guys finally!
rotating the shaft helped a lot but the original bolt that gave me a headache still took me for ever it was stripped so i grabbed my pressure calipers and after some bloopy knuckles it finally came loose.
ill have to go buy new bolts when i reinstall it but thats super cheap.

so thanx guys finally the shaft is off and tomorrow or day after that im off to taking the engine off!!!

ill let you know how that goes

 

do you guys know how heavy is the l28 engine?

i have a 750lbs engine stand hope thats enough?

 

It should be okay, if you just have the long block. (without the manifolds, and outside parts.) The engine weighs between 650 to 700 pounds or so. I am kind of guessing. Anyway, you should be alright. Good luck man.

 

you know you didnt even have to do that right? you can leave the driveshaft bolted to the diff flange and still pull the motor. you can even put it back in that way to. the prop shaft slides right out of the tranny.... hahaha! I have done it many times.

 

Yeah i know ultimately i could have left it there but for one i really want to know every inch of this car and second i think i might take apart the rear components also and send the car to get sandblasted jsut as bare bone.
long time ago i had a friends car sent to get sand blasted and they did all the work and when we got the car back everything seemed fine, but as time passed by and we started to upgrade different thing we realized half the car was missing bolts and screws here and there even the drive shaft had 3 bolts on instead of the 4.So after that i said never again i will always try to do most of the work myself so its done right. And since i want this car to be mine until the day i die lol i want to fix or replace parts now that im taking it completetly apart.

 

to avoid that I now disassemble the entire car. all things are completely removed other than the wiring harness and fuel/brake lines.

 

I took off the engine today
whoohooo!!!
no real problems except next i'm going to do it outside because i almost hit the roof door of my garage lol.
i really used everyones tips thank you for all the help,tomorrow ill take off the transmission and mount the engine to the stand.
and then on with taking more and more stuff out of the car.
its getting really close to getting it ready to start looking for a really good body shop around here.

ill keep you guys posted.

thanx everyone!!!