team_infidel Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Ok so i am new at the l24/datsun engine building trade. I need you guys to break it down barny style for a while. I have a 1972 L24 with E88 head, completely stock. The car will be used for simple autocross events, and just plain old fun. Not meant to be competitive at all. I have a bent valve, so i am looking at a head rebuild at the least. Ok so here is what i am thinking of doing, and i am sure one of you has done it. Take the current head, rebuild it, port polish, maybe have it decked a couple of thousandths. Trying to raise compression to about 10-1. I will most likely have the block checked by a machine shop, have it nicely machined as well, and of course rebuild the bottom end, new bearings, machine the crank if need be, stock rods, maybe performance pistons if i can find them for a decent price. for the cost factor i will probably keep the stock ignition, and upgrade later. I want to get the four barrel intake from azc, and use about a 500 cfm carb. just for ease of tuning. i am new at what cam to use, where to get it, along with springs, keepers, lash pads, rockers. so if you guys could tell me what to do with the head, if useable, and how to have it milled, and a good cam grind, all the technical stuff so i can relay it to the machine shop. I want the power band to be around 2000 to 6000 rpm. car will likely never see more than 7000rpm. thanks guys, and once again please keep it simple, need a good combo to use, and i am definetly a beginner. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinzturbo Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 (edited) well, to start the e88 is a decent head, i built a couple of them and i recommend bigger valves, some mild porting, a mild cam, new valve guides (for unleaded gas), and get the CORRECT lash pads for the cam setup. a good machinist can help with all this. -as for a block i recommend looking for an l28 (2.8 liter) block out of 280z, 280zx, or maxima. theres variations in compression among blocks, because of pistons. theres a flattop pistons, dished pistons, and a turbo dished pistons. listed in order from highest to lowest compression. i would look for a dished "non-turbo" block which is identified by looking at the pistons and reading the side which would say "n42" somewhere... others say f54, those are turbo blocks. l28 engines are cheap and cost the same amount as just freshening up the l24 which has no torque compared to the l28. -if you have a 71'or 72' use the carbs, but get new needles and seats for them, get bigger ones to support the added displacement. (i used stock carbs and they had flat spots in the torque band) -get headers and exhaust. -get a msd coil, some good wires, and a electronic dizzy from a 280z/zx - make sure you use a good harmonic balancer!!!! i broke 3 of them with my l28!!! motorsport auto has a great one for $80 im sure i missed some details so dont quote me on this. everyone has different theories, your best option is to search and learn everything you can and research one certain mod to death, thats how i learned everything i know...and im only 18. this was basically my build and i got close to 170whp on pump gas in a 240z thats still a 15 second car. it would been better for a autocross car though, this setup will have awesome throttle response if built right. my car didnt have any suspension mods and it had blown shocks and cut springs Edited March 2, 2010 by justinzturbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZJoe Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 Ok so i am new at the l24/datsun engine building trade. I need you guys to break it down barny style for a while. I have a 1972 L24 with E88 head, completely stock. The car will be used for simple autocross events, and just plain old fun. Not meant to be competitive at all. I have a bent valve, so i am looking at a head rebuild at the least. Ok so here is what i am thinking of doing, and i am sure one of you has done it. Take the current head, rebuild it, port polish, maybe have it decked a couple of thousandths. Trying to raise compression to about 10-1. I will most likely have the block checked by a machine shop, have it nicely machined as well, and of course rebuild the bottom end, new bearings, machine the crank if need be, stock rods, maybe performance pistons if i can find them for a decent price. for the cost factor i will probably keep the stock ignition, and upgrade later. I want to get the four barrel intake from azc, and use about a 500 cfm carb. just for ease of tuning. i am new at what cam to use, where to get it, along with springs, keepers, lash pads, rockers. so if you guys could tell me what to do with the head, if useable, and how to have it milled, and a good cam grind, all the technical stuff so i can relay it to the machine shop. I want the power band to be around 2000 to 6000 rpm. car will likely never see more than 7000rpm. thanks guys, and once again please keep it simple, need a good combo to use, and i am definetly a beginner. thanks A 500CFM 4bbl is WAAAYYYY too big for the engine. I've got my 2.8L setup similarly to what you've described: 10:1 compression, performance cam and valves, 6-1 headers, AZC intake and Holley 390 carb. I'd have to wind the engine up to 8,000 RPM to pull 390CFM. As it sits I top out at about 340CFM, and I've had to reduce the jets to 47 main and 49 secondaries. With all of that what I've got is around 160HP at the wheels, or close to 200HP at the crank. If you put a 500CFM on there you'll barely ever get the secondaries open and drivability is going to suffer. Bigger isn't always better when it comes to carbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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