WHICH L28 OIL PUMP DRIVE?

Hi I'm building an L28 engine.  I have a new turbo oil pump to be fitted.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the oil pump-distributor drives in the following two photos. Photo is of where distributor bolts on. 

One has a flat head screwdriver type top and the other has a spline type top. 

What's the difference?   

I have a new 240Z type distributor converted to electronic to fit in. 

Both photos are F54 L28 engines.  The splined drive is on a flat top piston engine and the flat head screwdriver drive is on a dished piston engine.

Any information appreciated from L engine expert/officionado so I supply the right one to the engine builder.

First one - the spade drive.

BTW, don't be a cop-out! Build the engine yourself!

How do you know all this stuff Lurch, all hail the orical.

Okay what's the difference in the spade drive and the gear drive?  Is the spade the most common that you'd use with a 240Z distributor?

Was it for different distributors? Like Patrol 2.8 etc

I think you've just found an easy way to distinguish a flat top f54 block without pulling the head off.

The spider drive I have not seen before.

The spade drive is the most common & it what the 240Z dizzy will fit.

I suppose if I remove the oil pump the distributor drive will slide out.

Of interest the "spider drive" shaft came in a late engine 7###### series L28. I have attached another photo of the sump breather tube which has a branch in it.  I will be using this block and hope my MSA type ALLZPARTS extractors will clear it.

Here's a photo.

I think you've just found an easy way to distinguish a flat top f54 block without pulling the head off.

RB30X is that from your own experience or from this thread?  What sort of distributor goes on the spider/gear drive type oil pump/distributor drive?  There must be a simple explanation for the two different types. 

I was just browsing a thread called "L28et Turbo Distributor" in the Electrical Systems section.   It was posted by "zzzzed"

On that thread it has a photo of a distributor/oil pump drive shaft with the spider/gear end on it.   It comes out of a 280ZX turbo engine or an L28ET engine if you like.

They have their own special distributor and are used with 'megasquirt systems" or similar.  Here's a photo of the shaft taken from the thread.  Looks like I'll be doing a changeover of my distributor drive shaft to match the common L6 distributor.

The L28ET distributor is quite rare and difficult to source parts for in Australia anyway.  I will play it safe and stick with more common parts.  I have sonverted a brand new ex USA 240Z distributor to crane electronic ignition and external multispark control module.

i was going to reply but you already found it 

Scrumpy

do you need to use that particular oil breather vent (as per your pic) , or can it be capped off & made redundant..Ive got that same breather vent detail on my L28 which is up on a stand.

Youve now got me worried about extractor clearance.. :-\

also where is the series of the L28 stamped, mine starts with 23.....but I know for a fact its a 82 build..

I'd be stoked if Ive got flat tops in there 

Yes it is a bit of a worry.  I suppose it could be cut off short back about an inch and a half out of the block if really necessary; but I don't want to cut it if possible.  Will need to do a test fit of a head and the extractor pipes.

To the best of my knowledge you CANNOT block off the sump breather pipe.  The sump MUST breath I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. 

Most photos of Z L series engines get a K&N breather or similar fitted to the end of the breather or it gets plumbed into the rocker cover breather.  Anyone run with a blocked of breather.  May well spew oil out of the dipstick hole and upset sump pressure.

With the passage of time a lot of these engines have had lots of little changes made as they age and parts wear out.  You really should take the head off to be sure; but you may also be able to take a peak through a spark plug hole to see if you can see a dish piston or not.

oil breather thing ?

I have extractors ( rod_mph ones from ebay ) and my breather has a an extra take off. It is bent to be horizontal to the main breather hole. Clears perfectly. I dont know how the msa extractors look but you could bend the extra pipe to be horizontal.

also :

I have the extra pipe blocked off and a small filter ( make sure you get one that can be taken apart - monza make one at supercrap auto ) on the big pipe. I built the engine myself and the way i saw it was if nissan designed it like that then there must have been a good reason.

If you oil up  or the sponge inside gets oily for whatever reason this filter can get clogged and then you get smoke out of it. Hence the reason for one that unscrews and allows for a clean .Cool fun when you are in traffic and people look over and there is smoke puffing out of the bonnet vents !

Here is a picture of my branched oil breather.  I found if you tap it gently side to side with an rubber mallett it slides out. It's press fit.  So I can stick a standard single pipe in it or rotate the one I have.

Went to Nissan today to see if I could buy a new one.   NLA

Anyone got a spare standard undamaged single pipe for sale?

Yeah I've got both if you want one..

I got mine out by putting a piece of rubber around it and using a small pipe wrench.

You're right I've bought a set of those ebay extractors and it does foul on both types of block vent pipes like yours shown, as well as the coolant housing???

Most photos of Z L series engines get a K&N breather or similar fitted to the end of the breather or it gets plumbed into the rocker cover breather.  Anyone run with a blocked of breather.  May well spew oil out of the dipstick hole and upset sump pressure.

Bit late to comment in this one, but definitely don't block it off....  Will cause every single oil seal in the engine to leak, as there is nowhere for the positive pressure produced in the crankcase to be released.