Would anyone be interested in a Twin cam head kit for the L series?
What are you willing to spend for the kit?
This is a EOI thread to be a guage for the people on this site who might make it work for us and a profit for their helpful efforts.
Zac
has shown us the way to an Alternative that avoids pollution gear in most states.
So please your honesty will be much appreciated for the L community.
sincerely
d.

Possibly, depending on price, induction, manifolds and other related items...

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Brindabella Motor Sport Club - www.bmsc.com.au
2007 Navara TurboDiesel UberTruck, 1973 180B Saloon, 1976 180B Rally Weapon.

yeah i'm with fro. i could put a new head on the z18et........

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1971 Datsun 1600 - Z18ET
1996 Suzuki RGV250 VJ22
1996 Suzuki RGV250 SP VJ23

I don't think you'll find many people willing to fork out for a twin cam head and a kit to fit it. Or a kit that includes a twin cam head.
The heads are just too expensive in the first place!

The twelve valve would be cheaper but wouldn't be homologated for rally people like fro. They don't mind spending money

Maybe for personal interests instead of racing?
The ka24de are common in the states and Japan. However sr20 turbo engines are used to replace them in many cases for ease of using a factory turbo engine (this I found to be the case from reading the American sites). Getting them here from there is the task but I found a few front wheel drive ka24de heads from 230 to 350au.
What 1600 road car wouldnt deserve what past OSGiken workers and customers used in limited numbers.
Maybe I should ask this question....
If a twin cam de L sereis hybrid was made available for 4500au would anyone be interested?
This would be a short block with custom weber type manifolds.
It sounds like a lot but it would still be a bargain. no?
130hpATW with well tuned 45s, pipes and regraphed bluey dizzy with the ke24e head and higher comp would not be an impossibility and neither would....
170hpATW with the same but the DE Head.

for $4500, it would have to be a long block and reconditioned everything.
$4500 is the same reason everyone here goes and fits an import motor...
I wouldn't buy it personally, I'd try and build it myself!

Head reconditioned of course with slight port mods to help flow and match poting to weber type manifold (manifold can have injector bosses as an option) $1800
Custom manifold $400 or $500 (as above options)
Block modified with 89mm bores using sleeves as Baz described with flat top pistons to suit, rods prepped and crank prepped $2000-2500?
Dizzy re curved and supplied $300-400.
custom sprocket, chain and tensioner mechanism $1000?
Cam choices from Tighe cams (on request)
4500 is too cheap for what it is and the work involved and remember it fits straight into your gearbox and engine bay...

there arent many cheque book datto enthusiast mate. sorry

"there arent many cheque book datto enthusiast mate. sorry"
Ok thanks for your e=mc spared statement.
but Im after people who are interested if you arent then dont just talk about cash because the people who do the work on engines and bring high quality products to us dont work for free and I dont expect them too.
I dont have the cash to throw around for anything. I wish I did and who doesnt when it comes to cars.
However I love cars so much that I`ve even starved myself to get what I want for my love and joy. However a completely tuned 6000 dollar twin cam engine that performs close to a LZ and fits the datto straight in isnt a real crime. A 6000 dollar hybrid L to get 2.4 liters is the other option but I know which one Id choose.
Even if the end result is 8000 grand with an engineers itll look better than a later engine setup.
Can you think of an SR20DE or ca18de conversion that looks like a factory fit costing less and performing better than whats been discussed?
Do the maths and if you arent interested thats ok but I just want to see if there is anyone interested thats all.
regards, d.

its just way too expensive.

NA sr20 with fitting kit is cheaper, faster, looks better and is more reliable. Parts are aplenty.

What about warranting your kits? You will get claims that will thro you out several hundred/or a thousand bux.

Perhaps, just as a sugestion, you could work on fabricating custom user parts in bulk, so that DIY types who can do the majority of work themselves, but cant fabricate, can buy the parts they need.

Just my 2c...

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Cheers,

Aaron

Aaron
I wouldnt be interested in making or supplying any of the parts or complete engine.
I just figured the costing as a safe estimate with quality workmanship (well it might no be enough or it could be too much?).
As for insurance no one can really ensure a performance engine.
As long as its broken in via the procedure as per the Mototune website
[url]http://www.mototuneusa.com/think_fast.htm
or recommended by the suppliers specs you shouldnt need anything else. I dont know anyone that guarantees or should guarantee a race or performance engine beyond its "break in" dyno session.
If parts (eg as mentioned by Beef: custom crank sprocket, chain, tensioner and front cover) can be supplied by someone it would surely be easier to do the KA24DE conversion. I supposed Im so excited at Zac`s effort that I would like to make sure that I start with what would work best and look best in a retro datto.
I have to disagree however with an SR20 looking better than an L series with a twin cam head and twin carbs.
Nothing looks better in a retro classic than a clean simple engine with no pollution gear, wiring and tubing all over the place like an SR20 would have to have to be legit on the road.
After looking at the dyno specs of the engines in that link I supplied in previous post (and if you look at the factory power listings) the performance of the Ka24e head seems superior to the SR20 and with 400cc less it would be questionable if the SR20 can do better.

I think it's worth pointing out that the cylinder head costs are perhaps a bit optimistic. I shopped around a number of places in Adelaide for the DE heads, and I found it hard to find one, let alone a cheap one. Make sure the wrecker knows your after a TWIN CAM head from an EARLY NINETIES BLUEBIRD (can't stress that enough). A number of wreckers I spoke to got confused with the SOHC head, which are of course worth much less.

Also, when I did find one at a decent price (which I bought), it was missing the rocker cover, upper timing cover, idler sprockets, cam sprockets, upper timing chain tensioner, and several cam caps. I've since bought most of those pieces from here & there (taking several months to find them all), for a total of $140. In addition, the missing cam caps mean that when the new caps are fitted, the whole lot should really be line-bored afterwards. More money again.

Beware of missing cam caps - they need to be removed before the head comes off (the cams cover the head bolts) - so they might go missing at the wreckers - like mine did.

FWIW, if anyone has any KA24DE cam caps I'd be interested to hear from you (only parts I still don't have).

d,

If you really can find cheap DE heads around your way, is there any chance you could find a stuffed (overheated / warped) head on the cheap? I'd be interested to cut one up for porting info. If you can get any cam caps I'd really appreciate it. Christ knows it's hard over here!

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Recommended trading: datto-510

Almost worth looking at getting the head from US. I was looking around before I got my KA24e. Seems like they are dime a dozon over there.

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I'm not sure what it would cost to freight one over??

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Recommended trading: datto-510

I only have one bag. I can bring back a complete head if you guys want to organise somewhere in Fresno, California that I can go get it. Or buy it from somewhere else and ship it to me here. I fly back on Oct 7th.

Dave

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USA Daily: 2014 Nissan GT-R, very minor modifications for the track
USA Project: 1978 280Z, minor suspension upgrades, VK56DE conversion in progress. SOLD
AUS Race Car: 1973 240Z, L28ET, Autronic, GT35R. SOLD
AUS Project: 1972 1600, 3200km old S15 SR20DET, ground up rebuild. SOLD