Does anyone have Electramotive L6 specs?

[Gollum]

Pockets don't need to be that deep.

Read carefully Don's comments...

 

 

I said relatively for a reason. Obviously you don't need 50k to do it, but what I've dubbed the "big phil" approach is far to common (no offense Phil, I respect you in the highest). Too often the approach of "fix as it breaks" is taken and people wonder why they're not getting to their goals. They put on a whiz-bang intake and are curious why there isn't a huge power gain, or think they need a fancy exhaust manifold they can't afford and blame that on their power.

 

If you really read that interview you should be left with what most of us say:

 

1. Sort the head out.

 

2. Build it as a SYSTEM

 

3. TUNE TUNE TUNE

For the ones who were looking for VG30ET power; and blaming the heads...The heads were the only japan castings they used!

 

Funny! I blame the heads as to why they didn't make MORE!

 

But yea, when I originally read that way back I thought "oh, that's how they got around all those pesky issues with the VG block..."

 

 

Oh, and for an interesting point, go find 2JZ motors making 1,100+ to the wheels, and try to find out what boost pressure they're running. Most I've seen are running 50+. In other words... even today you still need the same boost pressures to reach the same HP levels for a given head flow ability. The difference between the 2JZ and the L is that the 2JZ makes that power to the wheels instead of the fly on that much boost, oh and the 2JZ can easily reach more displacement. The difference today is how available the recipe is to get there. Many shops can do it if you just show up with a check book in hand, while back in the day most would have just laughed and shown you the door.

[260DET]

For the ones who were looking for VG30ET power; and blaming the heads...The heads were the only japan castings they used!

 

There are castings and there are castings, from what I've read the VG castings were special whatever that means. Electramotive certainly did not used standard sized valves for a start so it follows that other flow restrictions would have been attended too and perhaps the valve actuation system as well.

 

On the L series, given that these engines are still being widely used in competition I cannot understand why, instead of the secret squirrel business, all the old time expertise is not available for sale today. I'm not particularly interested in what it is but, for example, if it involves modifying standard parts then an exchange service may be appropriate. What is the problem?

[johnc]

Knowledge is worth money.  Anyone willing to pay the experts for thier time?  Not in the Datsun world.  I flew to Georgia in 2000 and sat down with Jim Thompson for a couple hours, bought him lunch, a beer or two at happy hour, and gave him $100  to get his thoughts on a well built NA 3L engine.  He said that I was the first and only Datsun guy to compensate him for his time answering questions.  I still am.

 

All of this knowledge was won with hard work, time, and money on the part of the folks that currently hold that knowledge.  Its worth something.

[ctc]

On the L series, given that these engines are still being widely used in competition I cannot understand why, instead of the secret squirrel business, all the old time expertise is not available for sale today. I'm not particularly interested in what it is but, for example, if it involves modifying standard parts then an exchange service may be appropriate. What is the problem?

 

I think the old time expertise is still for sale today.  A few shops come to mind.  I think the problem is everyone wants something for free. That it should be given to them.

[260DET]

We used to have the 'free' thing in AU too, it's only an old Datsun after all, not worth anything. There is still some of that of course but S30's are more popular than ever, it's amazing what scarcity courtesy of rust and smashes does to prices. Plus there has been an explosion in the numbers being used for competition, once there is a bunch competing together then money starts to circulate in increasing amounts

[BlackdogNY]

I believe that Nissan's NPTI program(vg) engines where built/developed by John Caldwell at Caldwell Development(Vista, CA). When Nissan left sports car racing, I think he developed Viper motors for Dodge's racing program. Last I heard he had closed shop. I would think that he had some former Nissan guys who worked for him, you may try to track some of them down. Very nice guy to deal with, sorry to see him go.

 

B&G

[Tony D]

Yes, lunch and a few beers to show respect for someone you want something from goes a long way. 

 

And after that, it's amazing how quickly some people pick up the phone to discuss and clarify your previous discussion.

 

A second lunch---maybe a dinner someplace? WOW! Where did you come from?

 

"Everybody else just wants this crap for free, and they don't even say 'thanks'!"

[260DET]

Pity that there are not more books written by the old school experts, the real experts, the blokes who got their hands dirty. The bare history by itself can be fascinating, the information in effect perpetuates their working life.

[johnc]

Correct info about John  Caldwell although he still builds various engines from time-to-time.  Before he closed shop in Vista a few years ago I was in there picking up a Viper engine for Erik at EMI Racing.  There were half-a-dozen L6 blocks and heads on shelves.  I asked John about them and he said, "Spares" and they are already spoken for.

[mutantZ]

I am glad to hear there are still people out there who knows what's what. I will definitely be in touch.