Identifying “Peanut” Heads for L Series

[datsunfreak]

1 minute ago, datzenmike said:

Well, could be then. Info shows only 37cc chamber volume and the stock one was 38.5 so not much compression difference really. Also '68 there was not much concern about compression ratios as there was in the early '70s.

 

Exactly. Not much difference because the chamber on it is not as small as a "regular" peanut head. 

[Soundline]

From Serles:

 

“The early castings of the 210 head had more of a semi-open combustion chamber design, a shape somewhat better than the open chamber.  Later examples were cast with the open chamber design familiar to US 510 owners.  Both types of combustion chamber measured 38.5cc.  Unmodified, these heads are usually avoided for performance applications. The 210 head is believed to be originally designed for the L13, an engine never imported to the US, and the likely reason for the small intake ports and valves.”
 

 

I’ve no idea here if Julian Serles is accurate, but I think this is the kidney shaped chamber.

[datsunfreak]

53 minutes ago, Draker said:

 

 

 

 

I may have W53 and W58 backwards? Whichever one is the round port exhaust is commonly thought of as junk for a performance application. 

[Soundline]

W58 is the smog head. 

[datzenmike]

2 minutes ago, Soundline said:

 

 

So let’s address this from another angle.  Let’s say I’m wrong, which I often am, and relying solely upon Honsowetz isn’t my best option.  Staying in the L20b block, what is the best head to make power for a fun to drive street truck?

 

1 minute ago, datsunfreak said:

 

I think you just need to find a good U67 head, port it a bit, and go on.

 👍

 

Agree, common enough, large enough ports and valves though you can enlarge the ports and go the larger Z car valves. If you want more compression you can mill it down using some math. I would drill out the water passages and run a later W58 intake and the L16 cast header exhaust manifold. This is what I did on my 710 a few years back.

[datzenmike]

Just now, Soundline said:

W58 is the smog head. 

 

Yes but if this is all you have available the liners can be removed. I did this once. Took 45 min the first one but got it down to 15 min on the last. The L16 cast manifold will work on the round ports.

[bilzbobaggins]

There was 2 w58 peanut heads on ebay last year.  I cannot find the completed listings for them.

 

And please correct me if I am wrong, but all the castings have been seen with a "peanut" chamber on them?

[Soundline]

from Serles again:
 

“The W53 casting is marked in the usual spot.  W53 cylinder heads were originally produced for the Japanese domestic market.  The W53 features 32mm (1.25”)” intake ports and square exhaust ports.  These heads usually have 42mm (1.65”) intake valves and 35mm (1.38”) exhaust valves.  The W53 is considered a closed combustion chamber casting with few exceptions.  The closed combustion chamber volume is approximately 41cc.  The W53 isn’t as common in the US as the closed A87 in part because many of the W53 cylinder heads were fitted to EFI versions of the L18, which didn’t tend to be imported in great numbers.

If the W53 head was fitted with an EFI intake manifold at the factory, machining was performed to drill and tap additional intake manifold bolt holes and to cut notches in the intake ports to accommodate the fuel injector nozzles.”

 

This kills my pride to say Mike you’re right about things getting muddied up by US emission standards changing compression and causing heads to be changed by Nissan to meet those standards.

[Soundline]

3 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

Yes but if this is all you have available the liners can be removed. I did this once. Took 45 min the first one but got it down to 15 min on the last. The L16 cast manifold will work on the round ports.

If I’m remembering this correctly you remove the valves and get to work.

 

I’ll post up in the classified section looking for another U67 head. This is my head that’s in the truck right now. I’d like to keep it running while all of this is going on.  So I’ll pick up another engine to work with. 

[datsunfreak]

5 minutes ago, bilzbobaggins said:

And please correct me if I am wrong, but all the castings have been seen with a "peanut" chamber on them?

 

I don't think a peanut U67 exists, since that casting was US-market L20b only. Basically, any casting number with a JDM equivalent likely had a peanut version. 

[datsunfreak]

12 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Agree, (U67 is) common enough, large enough ports and valves though you can enlarge the ports and go the larger Z car valves. If you want more compression you can mill it down using some math. I would drill out the water passages and run a later W58 intake and the L16 cast header exhaust manifold. 

 

This is a good combo, especially with a mild cam upgrade.  👍

 

But I would personally steer you towards a pair of SUs if you can find/afford them. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by datsunfreak

[datzenmike]

4 minutes ago, bilzbobaggins said:

There was 2 w58 peanut heads on ebay last year.  I cannot find the completed listings for them.

 

And please correct me if I am wrong, but all the castings have been seen with a "peanut" chamber on them?

 

We got 210 heads for the L16

A87 for the L18s and early L20B

U67 from '75 to '77 and W58 from '78 through '80.

 

There were closed chamber 210, A87 and W58 heads but I think very unlikely they came on any of our Datsuns but on later import engines. In some cases another open chamber head might have been substituted for a U67 or A87 because this would not affect the compression.

 

I have a set of L18SSS SUs and their intake. These only came on the SSS engines and this is probably how it got to Canada and eventually into my hands. These were only on the 219 head on the L16/18SSS so..... somewhere there's a 219 head on some Datsun.

[datsunfreak]

1 minute ago, datzenmike said:

somewhere there's a 219 head on some Datsun.

 

You'd think, but I haven't heard of anyone finding one in the wild in 10+ years. Have you? 

 

I have found multiple closed A87s in the junkyard. Even have one on my shelf right now...

[datzenmike]

 

That's an interesting ground strap location on the block. Usually just to the rear of the fuel pump on the head. I've never noticed a threaded bolt hole there on the block before.  WTF???

[datzenmike]

Just now, datsunfreak said:

 

You'd think, but I haven't heard of anyone finding one in the wild in 10+ years. Have you? 

 

I have found multiple closed A87s in the junkyard. Even have one on my shelf right now...

 

No. But I meant maybe in the late '70s and likely scrap now.

[datzenmike]

Found my W58 closed. It was sitting in a barn with a leaky roof in the junk yard. It was in bad shape.

 

[datsunfreak]

20 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

No. But I meant maybe in the late '70s and likely scrap now.

 

That makes more sense. 👍

 

17 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Found my W58 closed. It was sitting in a barn with a leaky roof in the junk yard. It was in bad shape.

 

I think they all are by now...  😁

[Soundline]

33 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

 

That's an interesting ground strap location on the block. Usually just to the rear of the fuel pump on the head. I've never noticed a threaded bolt hole there on the block before.  WTF???

 

That’s how it was grounded when I got it.  You think I should put it somewhere else?  Tell me which hole you want me to put it in.

[Draker]

41 minutes ago, datsunfreak said:

 

You'd think, but I haven't heard of anyone finding one in the wild in 10+ years. Have you? 

 

I have found multiple closed A87s in the junkyard. Even have one on my shelf right now...

 

I've seen a few 912s on facepuke. Averaging about $500-1000.

[Soundline]

I ordered a new set of battery cables from Painless Wiring to redo this dogshit. 
 

Im utterly unfamiliar with the SU’s. My tentative research lead me to Weber DCOE 40’s side draft. Admittedly I’ve not done my homework so I didn’t wanna speak out of turn. I TRY not to ask totally stupid questions.

 

As for Cams Keith suggested Isky which, appears to only have one grind, that appears to have been used since the 80’s. 

[datzenmike]

Re: ground.

 

I don't think there is a bolt hole there so someone must have carefully drilled and taped one without hitting the water jacket. No, it's fine there, just different. For that matter my ground in on the started mounting bolt.

 

[Soundline]

1 hour ago, datsunfreak said:

 

You'd think, but I haven't heard of anyone finding one in the wild in 10+ years. Have you? 

 

I have found multiple closed A87s in the junkyard. Even have one on my shelf right now...

If you come across another one I’d be interested.  Datsuns have a way of multiplying...  especially 620’s *cough* @hobospyder *cough*

 
I dunno Mike, it looks like it’s a factory hole to me. 

 

[datzenmike]

It does look factory!

 

Rainy day projects:

 

Here you could remove filter and hose on the right and connect the left hose directly to the pump. Even shorten it. Now cut and fit the filter into the long hose and keep it away from the engine and closer to the fender. The '74 didn't have a return line to keep fresh cooler gas circulating so you want as short a hose as possible collecting heat on hot days... not to mention the eventual chafing on the brake line from vibration.

 

See that capture nut on the dip stick tube? That's to support/hold the return heater hose. Use a black zap strap.

[Soundline]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

It does look factory!

 

Rainy day projects:

 

Here you could remove filter and hose on the right and connect the left hose directly to the pump. Even shorten it. Now cut and fit the filter into the long hose and keep it away from the engine and closer to the fender. The '74 didn't have a return line to keep fresh cooler gas circulating so you want as short a hose as possible collecting heat on hot days... not to mention the eventual chafing on the brake line from vibration.

 

See that capture nut on the dip stick tube? That's to support/hold the return heater hose. Use a black zap strap.

One of these days I’m gonna drive up to Canada so you can drink beer and tell me all the stupid things I need to fix. 
 

I let this slip by in the earlier conversation, and I’m sure someone can address this.  From Honsowetz:

[datsunfreak]

1 hour ago, Soundline said:

One of these days I’m gonna drive up to Canada so you can drink beer and tell me all the stupid things I need to fix. 
 

I let this slip by in the earlier conversation, and I’m sure someone can address this.  From Honsowetz:

 

 

He is full of beans. A U67 head is in no way identical to a 219 head. 😄