Turning a totaled out dirt track Datsun into a Hot Rod.(starting on page 15)

[Dirttrack510]

Yeah, they were pulling away, but just barely, if you listen carefullly in the video you can here the rocker starting to tick early in the race. I think it got out of adjustment and kept getting looser till the cam slapped it hard enough to bust it. I can't wait to see how it runs with the A87 closed chamber head. It should be just enough to make the car really competitive. (I hope)

[Dirttrack510]

I got the head swapped out last night, set the cam at 4* advanced. Tonight i'm gonna try to install the manifolds & start it up.

[Dirttrack510]

I thought i had a bigger cam, but as it turns out i'm running a .475 lift ISKY cam. I just read it on the end of the cam.

[Dirttrack510]

I got the header installed, just gotta finished up the intake and hook up all my hoses tonight & it should be ready to race again.

[Rustina 510]

Awesome

[Dirttrack510]

Yeah, i can't wait to get it back on the track. I'm really curious to see if there's much improvement with the A87 closed chamber head vs. the 210 head...

[jun]

I too have a 210 head, and would be curious to know the power increase with the head swap!

[Dirttrack510]

My hope is that my 210 head was limiting the gains of my Edelbrock intake, weber carb, cam, and header... and that i'll pick up around 25 horsepower :hyper: , but I don't know how much more the A87 head will flow than the 210 head. I wish I had access to a dyno, does anyone have any idea if I'm thinking in the right ballpark for horsepower gains? :unsure:

[Laecaon]

I too have a 210 head, and would be curious to know the power increase with the head swap!

 

Jun, if you have a L16, keep the 210 head. By swapping even to a closed chamber you will drop compression.

[Dirttrack510]

Laceon, do you think i'm gonna loose power with the swap?

[Laecaon]

Stock L16 block? Not really sure. If you must keep it a 1.6L get the L24 pistons (flat tops), but now you are in race season.

 

You have some hop ups, and such, and you race in the higher rpms which the 210 just hurts flow there, so I would say in your case it would probably help...time will tell...

[Dirttrack510]

That was my thought since i'm rarely below 5000 rpm's.

[bananahamuck]

yeah , but those looked like neons and an S10 which run a engine that is almost twice as big to start with. and the dodges are twin cams...Even though they are front wheel drive they should be able to pull away in the straights..I think even the 2.5 the S10 has started life with 100 hp from the factory, and the 2.5 iron duke has a huge aftermarket support for them..

 

not meaning to discourage ,,just observing.

[Dirttrack510]

Ok, I got the A87 head installed and it fired right up. I noticed right away that is sounds much more responsive and revs up really nicely. I know pics are nice, but Videos are better, so here ya go....

 

 

http://youtu.be/WZ_QSx4GUg0

 

This is starting to turn into a "Video" build page. lol :D

[wayno]

Sounds good, have fun racing next weekend.

If you can get away with a L20b at least, I would go that route, as there is no substitute for displacement, and I am sure you could get away with an L18, as I beleave it looks the same on the outside, and I am sure you opposition is doing everything they can in that area also.

[Rustina 510]

Or even a single cam Ka would have a long list of parts that can easily be added. And efi. And more horse power.

 

This has been my favorite build and daily read lately "along with the s13 rear disc stuff going on right now" and that wagon is the shit dude.

 

So I'm a fan :) keep the vids coming friend.

[Dirttrack510]

I have a complete L18 & L20, but i already have most the parts for a true, fully race prepped L16 that should SCREAM & I'm not much slower than the neons now.

[Rustina 510]

Use what you have. Run the season and if the results aren't what your looking for then make a adjustment or find a different plan of success.

 

We can't have neons beating us, we are all counting on you.

 

No pressure or anything... ;)

[Dirttrack510]

Lol, i'm workinh on it. It gets a little faster with each modification.

[Dirttrack510]

I'm just curious.My carb is fairly rich, so i was wondering, Would a hotter plug burn more of the fuel & make more power. I don't know shit about hotter plugs.

[troyt]

Do a google search on 'plug heat', lots of good info out there. It has to do with the length of the plug tip that sticks into the combustion chamber, ie the amount of heat the ceramic tip can handle. A hotter plug will NOT cure your rich carb issues, only properly jetting your carbs for the application will fix that. Most racers have a box of carb jets for different track altitudes, different temperatures, and different states of motor tune. It takes a while to get it right, but once you do, then you can fine tune with plug heat.

Keep it up, we love having another Race Wagon on the forum!

[Dirttrack510]

Yeah, i've been collecting jets & slowly tuning the carb. I run Pulstar plugs, with capacator discharge. about $12 a plug.

[Rustina 510]

I always hear that ngk plugs are the best for any l series engine

[Dirttrack510]

I'm gonna swap out the 180 main jets tonight and put in the 170 mains, then take out the 65 idle jets and put in the 50's. That should help the rich condition, then I'll run it for a night and check my plugs again.

[Aaron Datsun]

Loved your first vid sorry the engine decided to do quit on you. I agree with everyone above run what you got, upgrade later. I have spent to much time with my car on the sidelines because I wanted to upgrade something that worked just fine before hand. Keep the video's coming and do us all a favor and stomp some neons next time. We're all counting on you.