Dropping an '87 z24i into an '84 nissan

[chevygirl85]

Hello everyone :) I have just joined the site and am Really hoping that you guys can help me out cause frankly I'm stumped...

 

I have an '84 Nissan truck that I am in the process of installing an '87 z24i engine into. The truck originally came with the z24 but unfortunately blew up from lack of maint. from the previous owners. We already have the z24i installed and all wired up but cannot get this thing to give us any spark out of the coils. We have left this engine carburated and would like it keep it this way if possible. So pretty much what I am saying is we took the FI engine and installed the carb intake on it and have not changed anything over on this truck as far as wiring, fuel pump or computer (it's all still the '84 set up). So the dizzy is the newer electronic one instead of the older vacuum advanced one that the truck originally had.

 

We have come to find out that the dizzy off of the FI engine (the 87 z24i) uses a LED (digital) sensor in the dizzy while the '84 system uses an analog signal. Is this correct? Only the FI dizzy will fit into this engine because of the drive gear it has in it, and if it is digital versus analog is there any way to wire this thing up to run off of the older system? We have tried wiring this thing up in who knows how many different ways with no success before I found out this whole digital/analog problem..I have come to the conclusion that as far as wiring the dizzy and the coils to my knowledge it would be wired black/white to black, red to red, green to blue and white to white? We have tried wiring it up this way but just let the smoke out from the black wire when it is wired like this so either this is a no go for straight wiring or possibly a short somewhere?

 

This truck has sat for about 3-4 years before doing the swap but just visually looking everywhere I cannot find any signs of mice getting into the truck or anything and no wire damage is present that I can see..Nobody has touched the truck or taken anything off of it so I don't see how a wire could have gotten crossed but then again anything is possible when working on cars I know lol...

 

I have been reading more and more about MSD ignition set ups on these truck and was wondering if this would fix my problem and I would just need one unit for each coil or is there a way I can straight wire the dizzy up with something else p[ossibly a little cheaper while keeping the old system? Or am I just running around and pulling my hair out for something that cannot be accomplished with the fully electronic dizzy on a carb engine??

 

Thanks in advance!!