|
|
|
|
|
Engine
engine info
[ engine specs ]
engine swaps:
[ A14 engine |
A15 engine |
CA18 engine |
FJ20 engine |
Toyota 4AGZE engine |
L18 engine |
electric! ]
carbies:
[ Dellortoe carbies |
SU carbies ]
engine mods: [ A15 head on an A12 |
A14 modifications ]
Datsun Engine specifications
|
engine |
A12 |
A12 GX |
A12A |
A14 |
A15 |
|
bore: |
73 mm |
73 mm |
75 mm |
76 mm |
76 mm |
|
stroke: |
70 mm |
70 mm |
70 mm |
77 mm |
82 mm |
|
capacity: |
1171 cm^3 |
1171 cm^3 |
1171 cm^3 |
1397 cm^3 |
1488 cm^3 |
|
compression ratio: |
9.0:1 |
10.0:1 |
9.0:1 |
9.0:1 |
8.9:1 |
|
maximum hp: |
68hp SAE @ 6000rpm |
83hp SAE @ 6400rpm |
|
|
|
|
maximum torque: |
9.70 kg/m @ 3600rpm |
10.0 km/m @ 4400rpm |
|
|
|
Note: I've got more detailed specifications for the
standard A12 engine and the
A12 GX engine on my
1200 Specs page.
Installing a Nissan A14 engine
Nissan A14 engines are relatively easy to obtain. You can either get one
second hand from the wreckers (from a Datsun Sunny or Pulsar), or you can
get an imported Japanese engine.
You will need an A14 inlet manifold, as it has a few water channels,
and different ports than the A12 inlet manifold.
Although the 1200 exhaust manifold does fit onto the A14 block, get an A14
exhaust manifold if possible, as it is much larger, and allows a much better
exhaust flow. The A14 exhaust manifold flange (where the exhaust bolts up
to the exhaust) is different to the A12 exhaust manifold flange. As a result,
you will need to modify the exhaust flange to fit. An exhaust specialist
will be able to replace the first foot or so of your exhaust, together with
a new flange fitting to match the A14 exhaust manifold, for only about $40.
All the pollution control gear can be removed from the A14, if it is going
into a car from before 1978. Remove it all, and then weld up or otherwise
plug up all the holes in the inlet and exhaust manifolds.
The engine mounts of the A14 are in a different position on the block than
on the A12.
I believe that you can put a 120Y cross member into a 1200, and then the
A14 will drop straight in. According to Mikko,
you will need to move the crossmember mounts outward slightly as the
bolt spacing on the 120Y is different to that on the 1200.
Glenn says that if you use a 1200 ute crossmember,
both the A14 and A15 will bolt straight on.
However, it is easy enough to modify the engine mounts on the 1200 crossmember.
The easiest way to do so is to remove the 1200 engine, and drop in the A14
(using a winch or block and tackle). Bolt the engine to the gearbox, and
then lower the engine till it is in the required position. You can then
see how the mounts will need to be modified to fit.
One way to do it is to
weld a short length of angle iron to the side of the mounts on the block. Then
drill two holes in this angle iron so that the mount can be bolted to the block
through the angle iron. This will then move the mounts rearward, so that they
are in the correct position with respect to the crossmember.
Another method of modifying the mounts is to bolt a steel plate to the mounts
on the A14 block, and also bolt it to the rubber mounts on the cross member.
The A14 engine will fit into a 120Y with no modifications to the engine mounts.
The alternator on a 1200 engine is on the left hand side of the block, while
the alternator mounts on the A14 block are on the other side.
The 1200 alternator is perfectely adequate for the A14, and
it is a relatively easy matter to extend the wiring so that it runs under
the radiator, to the new position on the other side of the block.
The 1200 radiator is not really adequate for the A14 engine, unless it is in
excellent condition.
A Holden Gemini radiator is sufficient (and has the inlet and outlets in the
right position), and can be quite easily mounted. If you want a really
big radiator, a Nissan Urvan radiator will fit (only just).
A14 with Urvan radiator in a 1200 engine bay
The 1200 carby will fit onto the A14 inlet manifold. The 1200 carby actually
has bigger jets than the A14 carby, so you are probably better off using
the 1200 carby (or put a Weber or similar on...or a pair of SUs).
Andrew has bored his A14 out 120thou, with flat tops
with valve recesses, fully floating pins, balanced, linished shotpeened, etc
rods. The head has been ported to the max, and has actually been welded in
some places to allow more flow. He is using cut-down 1600 valves, and a 54/86
cam, as well as twin 45mm Webbers. It produces about 97 hp at the rear
wheels.
Installing a Nissan A15 engine
Phil has installed a late 1980's A15 into his 1972
Datsun 1200. His Datsun 1200 is an auto (his girlfriend drives it everyday,
doing deliveries), and since she "smokes clutches like cheap cigarettes," he
decided to stick with the auto box.
Engine mount adapters were manufactered, to sit between the rubber mount and the
cross member bracket. Phil used the right side A12 engine mount bracket on the
left side of the A15, and the stock A15 right side bracket.
The A12 flywheel/flexplate bolts right onto the A15, as does the crank spacer.
There is no need to remove the standard gearbox input shaft bushing, as the
spacer is designed to accept the A12 torque converter nipple.
The threads on the flexplate bolts are different on the A15, so you will have to
use the A15 bolts, or use something else that fits (just make sure that the head
on the bolts are 14mm low profile, else the torque convertor will hit them).
Phil used the A12 alternator, but because the A15 alternator brackets are on
the opposite side, the battery support limits the alternator belt adjustment.
As a result, Phil cut off the front innner corner of the battery support, and
is using a shorter battery. The alternator wires were extened underneath the
radiator to the right side.
Phil is using the A15 inlet and exhaust manifolds and carbie, and had to modify
the exhaust flange to fit the A15 manifold. The inner throttle cable was too
short, so that had to be modified. All the extra vacuum ports on the A15 carby
were plugged, and the EGR valve had to be removed so that the manifold would
clear the master cylinder (this is a left hand drive car, remember).
The circuit that runs the electric choke on the 1200 couldn't handle the
electronic fuel-cutoff solenoid, so a 20 amp fused circuit was run directly from
the ignition switch.
After discovering that the standard 1200 radiator wasn't quite up to the job
of keeping the A15 cool, Phil installed a Chrysler LeBaron radiator.
Installing a Nissan CA18 engine
Chris Shoesmith has a 1990 Nissan Silvia CA18 EFI engine
(same as Nissan Exa except for intake/exhaust mannifolds and computer/loom
and connector) in his Datsun 1200 sedan.
He had to modify the engine mounts, and heater pipes, etc. The fuel
system had to be changed with the addition of an EFI pump, filter
and surge tank. The intake on the engine had to be modified to fit
the airfow meter and airbox. The battery was moved to the boot to
get enough room on the driver's side. Chris has now turboed his CA18!
Have a look at the
photos of it.
He used a radiator from a 1988 Toyota Corolla. The gearbox is a Skyline
stubby 5 speed, with a Bluebird series 3 bellhousing. The gearbox
crossmember had to be modified and strengthened. The tailshaft is a
modified Monaro V8 tailshaft.
Andrew Denniss has now installed a CA18DET engine
(that's a 1.8L twin cam, turboed, fuel injected, intercooled engine)
into his Datsun 1200 coupe.
CA18DET
| |
custom mounts
|
Andrew is aiming for 250+ hp at the flywheel with his new engine.
He just cut the old engine mounts off the crossmember, and welded some
new plates on, with slots for the new rubber CA18 mounts.
Toyota 5 speed
| |
installed
|
The gearbox is a stumpy Skyline, with a CA18 bellhousing, and a custom
mount, made from a section of angle iron.
The exhaust is 3" upto the diff, and then 2.5" over the diff.
A VL turbo radiator has been used, with twin thermo fans. The intercooler
is from a Nissan Skyline 6 cylinder turbo, and was modified to suit
Andrew's car.
For more photos of Andrew's CA18DET engine swap, check out his pages
here
and
here.
Installing an FJ20 engine
Angus has installed an FJ20 turbo into his 120Y
coupe. He is running straight LPG through a Gas Research carby in an
intercooled blow through setup. The gearbox is FJ20.
His car is engineered and registered as such.
Installing a Toyota 4AGZE engine
Rhys tells me that a friend of his has fitted a Toyota
4AGZE supercharged 1600 DOHC and a 5 speed to his Datsun 1200 coupe.
It's controlled by a Link computer, and the supercharger is oversped 1.5 times.
It's blowing through a Supra intercooler and is currently running 18psi
boost.
The 1200 engine mounts were cut off the cross member, and new mounts were
fabricated to suite the 4AGZE engine mounts.
The new mounts use the Toyota rubber sandwichs to stop vibration and meet
land-transport rules. The new mounts were fabricated to angle the engine
towards the exhaust side of the engine bay, this gives the clearance needed
to stop the supercharger, plenum chamber, and throttle body hitting the
master cylinder and steering box.
The gearbox used is from an early model RWD Toyota Sprinter (4AGE Rwd).
The 4AGZE only came out in FWD but the 4AGE Sprinter gearbox bolts
straight to the block.
The driveshaft is simply a heavy gauge tube with the appropriate Escort and
Toyota universals to suit.
The transmission tunnel is completly standard as it all fitted straight in.
The computer is mounted up under the passenger footwell area of the dash.
All of the standard coupe instruments are used, so it can't have
been too difficult to match the 4AGZE loom with the 1200's.
The car has Skyline disks and 4-spots, an Escort diff,
and Pedders gas shocks.
The rims are 15x8" performance Minilights, and the rear leaf springs have
been reset 2", with 1" lowering blocks. Tyres are 225/50R15 Yokohama, and the
car has no trouble beating Holden Senators, peripheral port rotaries, CRXs, etc.
The car does 180 km/h at 5800 rpm (that's when the speedo stops), but he's
had it upto 7300 rpm in 5th gear.
Installing an L18 engine
Ben has heard of someone who installed an L18 engine
into a 1200. Then entire job was done by an apprentice mechanic. It was
a huge job, and involved deeply scalloping the crossmember, engine mount mods,
and reshaping the sump.
The engine runs custom extractors for clearance, with a 2.5" system and 3" tip.
Induction is twin 45 side draught Webers, which give an incredible throaty
roar under acceleration. The head was extensively worked, with maximum
porting, valve increases and a huge cam.
A factory EFI setup imported from Japan was tried, and found to be much
smoother, but too restrictive above 6000rpm when used with the cam.
The gearbox used is a reverse H Japanese race box. The radiator is a custom
5 core with a big thermo fan. The diff is a shortened 1200 ute diff.
The engine produced in excess of 170 hp, and was incredibly quick!
Electric 1200s
John Wayland has converted several Datsun 1200s
to be electric. He has a 1972 Datsun 1200 which he calls "Blue Meanie", as
well as a 1/4 mile electric drag car, called "White Zombie".
For more details, check out his web page (listed under
contributors).
Dellortoe Carbies
Many thanx to Matthew Cooley for all this info on
Dellortoes (he's got twin Dellortoes on his A14):
The Dellortoe carb is basically a replica of the Weber carb and comes in
varying venturi sizes, 38mm, 40, 45 and 48. There are also downdraft and
sidedraft. The later being the perferred. When running two of these
carbs, you are giving each cyclinder it's own carb and is fully adjustable
for mixture. The produce lots more power over the SU type carb, make a
beautiful sucking sound under acceleration and pump through hugh amounts
of fuel and air as you would expect. The manifold is cast aluminium and
comes in three styles, the first is for a single Dellortoe to
fit the standard Datsun head (round ports) and second is the same but for
twin carbs and the third is twin carbs to fit an oval port head.
twin Dellortoes
Secondhand you can get the manifolds for around NZ$50, but brand new from
Autoquip Marketing in Auckland will set you back NZ$200. Matthew has stuck
with the standard Datsun A14 fuel pump and seems to be coping OK. Most
people tend to use electric fuel pumps.
SU Carbies
Jason has installed two SU carbies on the A15
in his 120Y.
He is using home-made aircleaners to suit the XU1 triples standard cleaner
element.
twin SUs
Once Jason got them going properly (after some frustration...), he found
a much better throttle response, and a little bit more power, mostly in the
3500-5500 RPM range. Most importantly, he says, they make an *execellent*
noise.
For more info on SU carbies, including details on tuning them, have a look at this
SU Carburettors page.
A15 head on an A12
Steve Dunce has bolted an A15 head onto the A12 in
his 1200. He did so because the A15 head has bigger valves, and the intake
ports are much smoother internally.
Steve found that the exhaust manifold gasket was different - the A12 has less
studs. The excess studs were simply removed from the A15 head. He also
enlarged the ports on his side draft manifold, to match the enlarged intake
ports on the A15 head.
The A15 cylinder gasket is slightly different from the A12 gasket, simply
because the bore of the A15 is larger than that of the A12.
A14 modifications
Andrew Denniss previously had a modified A14 in his
Datsun 1200 coupe (he's now got a CA18DET in it - details can be found
here).
The A14 was bored out 120 thou, to a capacity of 1509cc. It had forged flat top
pistions, and a compression ratio of 12:1, requiring avgas to run properly.
On the street, Andrew ran super, and retarded the timing to 6 degrees.
When running on avgas, the timing was set to 16 degrees, giving a total of 34
degrees at full revs. The distributor was a modified electronic one from a
Pulsar N12.
The head is ported to the max, with cut-down 1600 springs, and double valve
springs. The cam is a Wade 58/91, and the engine really starts to make power
at about 5000rpm, and all the way upto about 7500rpm.
Twin 45mm Webers were used, and it had a mandrel bent 2.5" exhaust. The engine
made about 150-160hp at the flywheel.
A Toyota 3T split case alloy gearbox with a
Dellow bellhousing was used, together with a
Mitsubishi Scorpion diff with an L300 centre.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
