L series engine swap

[Dguy210]

Be aware if you use a non-mid sump pan you may have issues with the oil pan interfering with the front swaybar.

 

You can swap over a 1200 front swaybar (front sump engine) if needed and that will help with some pans.

 

You could also run no sway bar.

 

You might be able to trade also, the flipped crossmember is worth more than stock.

[Dguy210]

 

Maybe look into the 610/710/A10 and S10 X members. All had L series engines. Might be easier to find and modify one yourself.

 

Maybe someone with a 610 can weigh in here, I seem to remember the 610 crossmember having bolt on instead of welded metal towers for the engine mounts and that they were lower than the 510 mounts. I know I pulled some from what I remember being a 610 at the junkyard but it was years ago so I may be misremembering it.

 

Tolkmod do you have a welder/know how to weld (or a buddy who works for beer who can)?  Cutting down the B210 motor mount towers to the correct height might be the cheapest and easiest way if you can weld (essentially free + welding supplies).

[Tolkmod]

Tolkmod do you have a welder/know how to weld (or a buddy who works for beer who can)?  Cutting down the B210 motor mount towers to the correct height might be the cheapest and easiest way if you can weld (essentially free + welding supplies).

 

Yeah my buddy can weld, and he does work pretty cheap :) 

 

As far as cutting things and welding new things goes that's way over my head.  Again, my ignorance when it comes to these things really kills my ability to match up what I want, with what I need.  Also...  money... that stupid green thing that I never seem to have enough of always gets in the way of progress.

[Anonymous Waffle]

Back then engines were rated by Gross HP. That's an engine on a stand, no muffler, no alternator or water pump, no parasitic draw often tuned for power not economy, no air filter no fuel pump.... basically the engine's output under the most ideal conditions. Car makers liked to advertise how much more power their engines made. It got out of hand and people started complaining that their 300 hp car would barely top 100 mph????? So new standards for testing were introduced. Now engines are rated with everything on and working. Exhaust mufflers, water pumps, alternators all drag the readings down a lot but now a 100 hp is a 100 HP and different engines compare more favorably.This is now known as the Net HP rating.

 

Take a look at some stock L series engine dyno charts.... http://www.datsuns.com/tech/datsundyno.htm

 

When they did a dyno on those motors, they ran with no muffler, no alt, no water pump.. but did they run smog equipment or a smog pump?? A stock gross hp l16 that has smog equipment is 96hp, and in 73' l16's they had no smog pump and grossed 100hp.. Would that mean they did a gross hp dyno with a smog pump on? 

[datzenmike]

I think it safe to say they were fast and loose with the numbers. Smog equipment back then barely affected anything and were usually to clean it up after it was made... air injection, catalytic converters. EGR doesn't even work at full throttle. Today's engines are tightly computer controlled and cannot be forced into conditions that make pollution above set limits.

 

In the real world a stock L16 makes about 70 hp, an L18 about 80 and an L20B just over 90. (give or take)

[Tolkmod]

In the real world a stock L16 makes about 70 hp, an L18 about 80 and an L20B just over 90. (give or take)

 

so if that's the case, then in the real world my A13 proly makes about 50... 

 

I wonder if I should swap it out for one of those riding lawn mowers... I hear some of those craftsman mowers are sweet...

[Tolkmod]

would an L28 fit in my B210?     :confused:  :confused:

 

 

hummmmm..... 

[flatcat19]

Only if its a hatchback. Still a tight fit though.

[Tolkmod]

Dang.... :(

 

I guess ill have to keep looking

[flatcat19]

Get a crossmember from a PL510 and find an L16 someone is throwing away.

 

 

Bolted in goodness.

[Tolkmod]

Get a crossmember from a PL510 and find an L16 someone is throwing away.

 

 

Bolted in goodness.

 

was also told that a KA24DE from a 240sx was a perfect fit for a swap, was trying to figure out what the difference is between that and the one from an Altima... 

it's all a little confusing lol

[flatcat19]

You want a KA from a 240sx or a pickup. Not an Altima.

 

 

I suggested the L16 because it will be cheaper and easier.

 

Walk before you run. Read up on KA swap threads here. They are involved. Long and expensive.

[Tolkmod]

i want cheaper and easier...  kinda why i was thinking about an L engine in the first place.  

 

I need to start a shopping list of sorts.

 

1- PL510  Cross-member

2- L16, L18 or L20b Engine

3-

4-

5-

6-

[datzenmike]

 

 

1- PL510  Cross-member

2- L20b Engine. Same amount of work, and no replacement for displacement.

3- 5 speed. FS5W71B from a common 620 or 280/zx or 810/Maxima

4- Shortened driveshaft.

5-

6-

[Tolkmod]

From what I've seen L20b's are a lot more common as well.  

 

Would I have to have the driveshaft shortened or is there one that's a "drop in" kind of thing i need to look for?

[datzenmike]

Shortened and get rid of the 210 driveshaft... the U joints can't be serviced.

[Dguy210]

 

1- PL510 Cross-member

2- L20b Engine. Same amount of work, and no replacement for displacement.

3- 5 speed. FS5W71B from a common 620 or 280/zx or 810/Maxima

4- Shortened driveshaft.

5-

6-

If you can find a early 200sx 63a 5speed it is the same length as the 4/5 speed B210 and uses a 510 or B210 auto driveshaft if you keep the same diff. You could also swap the front cover and change the pilot bearing on an A series 63a if you had it over to an L series one. I've heard the stock diff will live behind a L20b for a while.

[Tolkmod]

Shortened and get rid of the 210 driveshaft... the U joints can't be serviced.

 

shortened 510 driveshaft, correct?

[Tolkmod]

SOooooo  time to awake this beast.

 

I got my PL510 cross member, and a 510 (2door) drive shaft.

 

 

Curious questions about the crossmember....

 

Will I need to use the 510 equipment (tie-rods, swaybar, the stuff that's currently on it now, etc...etc....) or would I need to transfer my B210 equipment over?

 

I want to clean it up and have it painted/powder coated.  What would be the better option?  Paint? Powder coat? If I do the powder coating should I try to wire brush it down or just leave it as is for whoever powder coats it?

 

 

 

[Lockleaf]

Sand blasting is the typical prep method for powder coating.

[docbainey]

Its a Datsun, wire brush the crud off the crossmember and rattle can it. Take the money saved from not powder coating and plow it back into the car minus maybe a case of good beer. Leave the drive shaft alone, check the u joints, grease em or replace if trashed. Wipe off any dirt.