Project1 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) So tonight I got the mystery motor for $500. Guy just called me, said he would deliver it for 650 if I took it tonight, I told him he could keep the carbs and header and I'll give 500. Block is a F54 Head is a P79. I have the N42 head I can still build. I read a lot of conflicting things on which head is better. Idk. I'm not sure the specs, it's a mystery. It looks to have a metal head gasket. I'm not sure if the head has been ported on the intake side, or if that's stock. It looks pretty decent, the motor is actually power coated, not painted. I can post more pics later but here is what I took tonight. Any info or anything anyone notices is more than welcome. Ps. Sorry about the bad pics Edited January 21, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Looks like an 80-83 280ZX motor. The valve cover might be powder-coated but the block looks like factory paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) Looks like an 80-83 280ZX motor. The valve cover might be powder-coated but the block looks like factory paint.The head is powder coated a grey color. Did that look like the factory cam? It was probably woth the $500. I'm going to put it in and see how it does this is probally a better core than the other I have. I may get lucky too and be able to use the bottom end and just build a head. If you could choose, would you use the p90 or the n42 head. I read the p90 is better because the n42 has low quench chambers. I'll check today and look for shims under the springs. The good thing is I have several options to work with now. And I may beable to get the car running while I build a motor. Thanks as always for all the input. It's deffentaly appreciated. Edited January 21, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) Doesn't look like the springs have multi shims, but they could be longer springs. Idk but anyways, it will probly just remain a mystery.If it sounds like a good plan, i could rebuild the N42 head I have and put it on this block. Then move forward to the MS , exhaust, fuel, and such things. Edited January 21, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) All I'm saying, is one of these motors going to work. Edited January 21, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Look at the very back of the cam for a letter or some stamped numbers. It looks like a stock cam, by the size of the base circle, although I've only seen a few. It might just be a stock motor with some "performance" rebuild parts. The headers might be considered performance parts. Or the guy just spun (span?, spinned?) a story about a stock motor. Regardless, if it runs well it might be a fair deal, considering the difficulty of getting motors in your area. Not a big difference between the two heads unless you port them, From what I've read. Hardly worth a swap. If the P79/F54 engine looks in good shape, put it in and drive. You can always swap heads later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Look at the very back of the cam for a letter or some stamped numbers. It looks like a stock cam, by the size of the base circle, although I've only seen a few. It might just be a stock motor with some "performance" rebuild parts. The headers might be considered performance parts. Or the guy just spun (span?, spinned?) a story about a stock motor. Regardless, if it runs well it might be a fair deal, considering the difficulty of getting motors in your area. Not a big difference between the two heads unless you port them, From what I've read. Hardly worth a swap. If the P79/F54 engine looks in good shape, put it in and drive. You can always swap heads later. Thanks so much for your replys, I really do appreciate it. The back of the cam marked "K" I think to start, I'm going to order a header, and drop the motor in as is and see what happens. Then try and get MS figured out and maybe a few bolt ons. I am going to use the 4speed tranmission that is there now, it runs well. So I will have the 5 speed and a n42 block and head I can take my time and rebuild well. So I think that's the plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) I saw this page with stock cam letters. http://xenons130.com/cams.html But K was no an option. I read on a thread someone thought it was a MN47 I also read this tread NewZed posted in. But it didn't realli ID the K http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/104231-cam-identification/?&p=974764&hl=cam&fromsearch=1 Edited January 22, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 The K stamp has been reported before. Apparently it's a stock Nissan cam grind that just didn't make the internet lists. It's looking like you have a stock later ZX motor. Were I you I would at least bolt up the transmission and starter and spin it while you have the parts out. How far you tear it down to check it depends on how confident you feel about it, and your skills in taking things apart and putting them back together. Worst case, you install it and find out it's damaged. Or you tear it down while it's out and find out it's undamaged. It's a decision. Good luck. Your N42 exhaust manifold should work with the P79 head. The exhaust liners shoot inside the dimensions of the manifold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) Really awesome, thank you. I found this about the K cam. http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/80392-what-is-a-k-cam/?p=762764&hl=cam%20identify&fromsearch=1 Says the valve lift of 0.3985 and came from a mn47 maxima. So this motor was probably rebuilt with stock parts. Edited January 22, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Big picture-wise, I wouldn't be surprised if Nissan used the K in the Maxima and the ZX. M stands for Maxima, a fairly plain passenger car with a 2.4 liter L motor. 1980's era, when gas mileage and emissions were king. Overall, you have an L28E, that will push that Z car about the same as all of the other stock engine options. You just need to decide if you want something to drive while you're researching, and building, that real performance engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 That's exactly what I'm going to do. Drive this motor and build the other one. I just was trying to decide what head to build and which one to run now. If there really isn't much difference I guess I'll build the n42. If it's worth it, I can put the n42 on the F54 block and run that and build the p79. But it would probably be much easier to leave this motor complete and just build the n42. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryant67 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Hey, another K cam - my engine has one of those in it as well! I can't tell you anything about though, as my engine was built 2 owners ago and I'm reluctant to tinker with it when it's working properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Ryant67, I'm not sure, but I saw that post saying its a stock cam. What block/head combo do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) I opened Pandoras box and Googled N42 vs P79. I wounder if im better putting the stock n42 head on the F54 block for now. That way I can build the p79 head well. From what I read, the shaved p79 seems the way to go because of the combination chamber and quinch, where the n42 can cause some pinging maybe. Any thoughts? Edit: thought about it some more, I think I'll drop the f54/p90 in as is. And if decide to build a p90, I'll find a new one. Reason, simply because I'm not sure what has been done to this one and it looks worked on in some capacity. I'm probly better pulling one from a stock car in the jy. Edited January 22, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryant67 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 F54 block and E31 head. According to the previous owner it's a 3.0L stroker, but again, no way to be sure without opening her up. He had a LOT of money into other parts of the engine and car, so I give benefit of the doubt. The choice of the K cam seems like an odd one though, unless it's a regrind... Seems to pull hard enough anyway, but these cars always do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryant67 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) Ack, double post - sorry about that! Edited January 22, 2015 by ryant67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) F54 block and E31 head. According to the previous owner it's a 3.0L stroker, but again, no way to be sure without opening her up. He had a LOT of money into other parts of the engine and car, so I give benefit of the doubt. The choice of the K cam seems like an odd one though, unless it's a regrind... Seems to pull hard enough anyway, but these cars always do Yea, the K cam seems like a weird choice. I wonder if the crank is stamped LD28. If the crank is marked, I can pull the oil pan and look. Like NewZed said, it probably came factory in one of the year ZX. The probably ran out of the C cam and through a few K's in the mix to keep things going. Edited January 22, 2015 by Project1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceVance Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Yea, the K cam seems like a weird choice. I wonder if the crank is stamped LD28. If the crank is marked, I can pull the oil pan and look. V07 is the cast number on LD cranks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project1 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 V07 is the cast number on LD cranks. I'll pull the pan and see. I would bet money it's stock, but it's worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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