KA on L series project

[BerKo]

Hey guys,

Im new and from Australia. I've just picked up a KA24E head (hence why I stumbled on this forum). The plan is to mate it to a L16 (yes thats a 1969 Datsun engine).

The problem I have is I only have access to a FWD head/plenum etc.... Has anyone modified the FWD to suit RWD application... This means swapping the throttle bodie from the rear the front.

I guess your asking why would you bother, the main reason is to be differant. A guy over here has already completed the conversion and is making very close to 200rwkw. The head which is on the car at the moment is a non-cross flow 8v. so having the cross flow will give me lots more room to play with!

So far I've got:

550cc RX7 injectors - luckly are perfect in the KA manifoldWRX Sti Turbo - will be sand bending a custom turbo flangebig 600mm front mount

I'll just update this thread as I do more. It could be a tight squeeze in the 700kg Datsun 1200

[BerKo]

Oh at the moment I'm preping the head and working out timing chains which will work with the L16 block.

I've calculated the CR to be 7.1:1 which is very low - good for Turbo apps

I'm currently recoing the head, which will include a bit of a clean/debur. I think I'll take the 2nd set of butterflys off the manifold too!

How do the stock CAMs go? I've got no real choice with CAMs as no one in AUS makes any bits for them.

[LukeTownsend]

7.1 is way to low that things gonna feel terrible off boost. Try to get the cr around 8.5+ Good cams are found on s13 240sx, search around

[SloMoe]

Good cams are found on s13 240sx, search around

If your thinking about the 248 S13 exhaust cams those will only work on a DOHC head, not a SOHC.

[WDRacing]

deck the head down 2mm, check the valve clearence..roll on two baby.

[deviousKA]

You will have to plug a passage in your l-series deck. It comes much to close to one on the ka, water/oil dont play nice together. I dont have any pictoral reference to offer, just inspect very thoroughly.

If you were to start with the Z bottom end (say, z18, z20) you would not have this problem.

edit: a couple other things to be aware of.

Small bore of the l16 will create massive shrouding of the 2.4l valves, you may even have interference in that dept. (I dont usually work with the 1.6l but 1.8+, you will have to check)

You cannot use your small bore l series gasket, the ka head without modified chambers will not compress on the proper portion of the headgasket. Go with a z series gasket or custom.

I suggest you dump that small deck height l series block and go to the medium ht 227mm like a 2.0 (l/Z). You will save a lot of time going with the z block. Also, z series timing chain setup is what you will want to use, the deck>camshaft height on the z series is same as the ka24e you are using, so as long as you have matching deck heights from whatever you use, it will bolt right up with the z hardware.
Modified by deviousKA at 7:04 PM 7/28/2005

[SSS]

berko, contact Zac on http://www.performanceforums.com, he did a similar swap with a SOHC head onto a L20 block.

As for SOHC cams, contact Wade cams in melbourne, they do billets. Otherwise check out the cams available from http://www.antrx.com, we get them done through Wade's also (either reground or new billets).

[BerKo]

berko, contact Zac on http://www.performanceforums.com, he did a similar swap with a SOHC head onto a L20 block.

Yep thats who gave me the motovation to do this. He's in the UK at the moment and his website has been taken down, but hes still replying to my messages on ozdat.

Thanks for your help about the CAMS

[BerKo]

You will have to plug a passage in your l-series deck. It comes much to close to one on the ka, water/oil dont play nice together. I dont have any pictoral reference to offer, just inspect very thoroughly.

If you were to start with the Z bottom end (say, z18, z20) you would not have this problem.

edit: a couple other things to be aware of.

Small bore of the l16 will create massive shrouding of the 2.4l valves, you may even have interference in that dept. (I dont usually work with the 1.6l but 1.8+, you will have to check)

You cannot use your small bore l series gasket, the ka head without modified chambers will not compress on the proper portion of the headgasket. Go with a z series gasket or custom.

I suggest you dump that small deck height l series block and go to the medium ht 227mm like a 2.0 (l/Z). You will save a lot of time going with the z block. Also, z series timing chain setup is what you will want to use, the deck>camshaft height on the z series is same as the ka24e you are using, so as long as you have matching deck heights from whatever you use, it will bolt right up with the z hardware.

Modified by deviousKA at 7:04 PM 7/28/2005

Thanks heaps fot the help. I've spoken to zac and he reakons I could have the same problem with the valve clearances. He used an L20 which has a 85mm bore, the same as the L18. So I think I will go with that, as they are cheap. I've heard the z18 is the go, but they are hard to get around here.

I was planning to use the KA24 Head Gasket. Aparently the story is you use a z18 frontcover, timing chain and tensioner in the L series.

The reason I want to do a L16/18 shorter block is:

1 because it has to fit in a 1200, and L20b are too tall!!2 Cant be legally engineered in Aus without alot of work3 More RPM, as there is less stroke

thanks again for your help, i've heard u've even done the twin cam head conversion... I've seen some copied posts on ozdat, which is what bought me to this forum.

[deviousKA]

The l series timing chain system and cover can be made to work. You may need a custom length timing chain as the deck>cam height on the l is different from z/kae. Dual row 06 (british standard) chain is easy to come by, mercedes half links may also come in useful to do some length adjustment. Rollmaster chain is easier to come by in your neck of the woods, might want to look into that as well.

The l series use those old looking cast upper timing gear, a z series steel version would be a nice addition (or an aftermarket adjustable one). You can get adjustable gears from japan (kamenari (sp?)and US (arizona z car), probably others as well locally.

The l series front cover doesnt mate up perfectly to the ka24e unlike a z cover, but it is not far off. If z series engines are rare you might as well put a little time into making your l series one fit and seal. Your l-series lower gear and tensioner/guide system is perfectly usable as well.

Is your L16 crank a fully counterweighted version? You might want to try source a US datsun racing l16 crank, quite a few floating around. Probably just as easy to come across Z-series parts, Im not used to those limitations we have all kinds in US that can be had for scrap price.

Most of my hybrid engine projects are clouded in secrecy, so you probably didnt hear a whole bunch about them , Im glad to help tho.

Sounds like a cool project your 1200, have fun!

[deviousKA]

Kameari part links

http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~kyuusya/index-3.htm

http://www.logic.ne.jp/kameari.htm

[BerKo]

A guy here in Melbourne does Adjustable cam sprokets for z/L series

http://www.datrats.com.au/ENGI....html

Very reasonable at $130AUD which is aprox $100 USD.

Fair enough to keep the hybrids a secret. Do you have any figures on what they are putting out? They KA heads seem to have good potential.

The cam in the KA sits alot lower than the L series. Do you know if its the same position as the Z18? If so it should just be a matter of using a z18 timing chain (which are still easily bought new here).

Thanks again.

Richard

[deviousKA]

I know that ka cam sits at the same height as z20,22,24, not sure about the 18 as we never got these in US. I assume it is the same as a round port 4 plug z20 head, so yes.

I have thousands of dollars left to invest in the two brother hybrids I have to get them in a chassis, they are basically oldschool formula replicas with a few modern twists. As far as output, will have to wait and see.

Best of luck!

Gabe Z, aka deviousKA