Attn: Ratsun motor gods. Help with Cam.

[Tdatsun1971]

Here is what I have 1971 L16 motor. 32/36 weber downdraft. TP shorty header. Performance clutch on a 4 speed.  Turbo mufler with 2" exhaust. Soon switching to Flowmaster or other. Possible lightened flywheel.

My question is on the cam. Mine is original & I would like to put in a Isky.475 w/ 270 duration. with new lash caps. A slight lope would be fine with me.

Is this worth doing on my motor or is it a waste of 200 bucks. I would like to get up to speed faster for highway driving. Getting tired of always being passed.  Would also like to buy dual sidedraft webers but the cost is keeping me from doing that.

Thanks for your advice in advance, troy

[datzenmike]

I would say get it. Here's why.

 

You may gain 10-15 hp (cam and side drafts) on an L16 but sooner or later you will want an L20B or build a hybrid 2.2 or 2.3. Having a hairy cam and side drafts/header already will get you way more than a 15 hp increase with a larger motor. Byron from the Realm makes 134 RWHP with a 2.2 L head, cam and side drafts.

[Z-train]

THe last thing you want is a FlowBastard on the truck.

[Tdatsun1971]

or other......lol

[datzenmike]

I would run the largest low restriction muffler making the least noise. If Flowmaster then run a glass pack in front and behind to tame that sound.

[MikeRL411]

It's not who passes you at the bottom of that long hill, it's who gets to the top first! As Aesop said, or should have said through the hare's mouth, "Slow and steady wins the race." The faster car will be in a gas station well before you hit the next one on the road.

 

Many times I have driven [carefully, not rapidly] between Santa Barbara and San Bernardino on less than a full tankful of gasoline in my RL411.

[Tdatsun1971]

Yes, very true. I always seem to pull up behind the guy that passes me at the next red light. I see him looking back at me in his mirror. I usually give them a waive or head nod. Wanna try that again! Love it!

[EricJB]

With the weight of the truck, I would advise against the lightened flywheel. Try a Magnaflow muffler. You wont be sorry.

With an L16,  You are not going to get the torque needed to make it move at the pace you desire. Going to need more CC's.

If you want to try a bigger cam, find a stock L20 cam. Good luck.

[Tdatsun1971]

Are there any specific years for that cam i should look for? Im pretty sure i can get one through Rock Auto. Will I be able to use my stock lash pads? thanks again.

[RTB]

Are there any specific years for that cam i should look for? Im pretty sure i can get one through Rock Auto. Will I be able to use my stock lash pads? thanks again.

I have several cams.

[ggzilla]

RockAuto doesn't sell Isky cams ....

 

They do sell stock-equivalent came. All L20B use the same cam profile.

[620Turbo4X4]

I'm running a ISKY 270 in my truck. Excellent DD cam. The duration is not really much more than a stock L20b... The extra lift is what really seems to help. Cam Idles smoothly @ 800 in my L20 with a power range of about 1800-5500 with a long tube header, peanut head w/ mild porting, l18 pistons, and 32/36. The 16 &18 engines use smaller cams do to different rod / stroke / bore ratios, so expect somewhat rougher/ higher idle, and about a 500 rpm higher power range in a 16. You will want some heavier duty springs if your planning on building a high RPM engine. I think the complete Isky kit cost me close to $500

 

The thing I liked about the Isky cams is that they are not regrinds, so the base circle is not super small giving more effective lobe area. However, I didn't care for the springs much, they seem a bit excessive @ 150lbs on the seat!!! The NLA nissan springs for basically the same cam from Nissan are 120lbs seated. Also... wait before buying lash caps. The How to Nissan book recommends a .160 for the same lift… Not a .175 like isky sells. My wipe pattern was way off with the .175's. From the looks if it I needed 160's. Luckily, my head had been shaved just enough so I could get a set of "head saver" shims under the cam towers and that got the wipe pattern back centered. 

 

My recommendation for more power is the same as ErikJB. Start with a larger engine. Pick up a L20b and build that. Caming the 16 will only add power when your revving the piss out of it, and, will be more peaky, with actually less bottom end/mid-range power than before. Torque is whats going to get you up the hill. I'm not getting passed in my truck anymore, even packing around 4 wheel drive and 32" tires...

[banzai510(hainz)]

This is my opinion.

Dont waist your money.Est if just going to keep a 32/36 on there.

Build a L20 on the side and then maybe look at a cam with new rockers and lash pads and retainers for the L20. This will be way more than 200bucks.To do it right.

 

Your turbo muffler is fine what you have. A flowmaster are noisy and rot out from the bottom vains unless you get a stainless model. I like the Dynomax or Thrush(same comepany now) or the cheap Cherry bomb Turbos from JC whitney. They list the small 13incase ones that fit the 510 /510 and 521 perfect.

 

To me the cheapest and fastest way to get power is a 38/38 DGES carb(with head is matchport to 1.5 or close to it

[Tdatsun1971]

I want to thank everyone on here for their input. Sounds like I might just leave my  stock cam alone and just replace the valve seals as they are leaking. I just thought i might upgrade the cam while i had it out.  Dosent sound like i will gain anything with a L20 cam or Hi performance cam like Isky. Im kind of bummed now.

[ggzilla]

No one has suggested you won't gain anything. In fact it was said" You may gain 10-15 hp (cam and side drafts) on an L16". It's just that a bone-stock L20B already has that gain.