Z22 L-series Head Options

[Jitenshakun]

Hi, 

 

First post... 

 

I've got a 720 w/ a Z22 and given the 510 guys love the Z22 what are my head options? Something off an L20B? Pop dual Webers on it? 

 

I'm stock with a Weber 32/36 but interested to hear if a L-series head is worth it. 

 

Thank you. 

[datzenmike]

The Z series engines lean about 8 degrees to the right of vertical as viewed from the front. This leaves lots of room on the passenger side for the intake manifold and not much is needed for the exhaust on the driver's side.

 

The L series engines lean 12 degrees to the left of vertical. This 12 degree tilt leaves more room on the driver's side for both the intake and exhaust manifolds.

 

If you bolt an L series head and it's two manifolds onto a Z series engine in effect it will be leaning about 18-20 degrees on it's driver's side. The driver's side has the brake booster and brake master cylinder and the steering column on that side and there isn't much room.

 

The best fix for this is to use L series engine brackets on the Z series block and this will lean it 12 degrees to the left. However now the transmission won't sit on the mount because of the 20 degree difference and the shifter is sticking into the passenger's hip. The front case from an L series transmission can be swapped onto the Z series 4 or 5 speed converting it to fit an L series engine properly. Or find an L series transmission.

 

 

This is a lot to take in to make this work. If you had a 510 everything is set up for an L series and you are only swapping a Z22 block in. 

 

As for the head, any open chamber W58, U67 or A87 will work (I prefer the U67) and produce a compression of 9.84  

[Jitenshakun]

Bummer. I guess this is why it doesn't show up on Google that much. I guess it's generally a 1-way swap. 

[datzenmike]

You could try modifying the transmission mount and tilt 20 degrees to the left and bend the shifter lever vertical. Then get L series engine brackets that would move the block over into the L series position. You would need an L series truck oil pan and pick up, L20B front timing cover, chain and guides, L distributor or only use 4 of the Z distributor plug wires, head, both manifolds. I think the Z22 carburetor would fit onto the L intake. Your dip stick will be on the manifold side so check oil when engine is cold. Throttle cable is now on the driver's side. 

[Jitenshakun]

I do know of a few parts stashes and have a timing cover located already. 

 

One of the fun reasons to do this would be to go with DCOE carbies. 

[datzenmike]

There's lots of room on the Z engine passenger side but you would need an intake for them. You have a welder?

[Jitenshakun]

I don't, but am talking to skilled friends. 

 

Pierce Manifolds has a kit in the box to run DCOE on the Z22, but I'm still at 8.5:1 compression. Kind of lipstick on a pig. 

[datzenmike]

You can mill the head down. Stock compression is 8.42.

 

Shave 0.5mm (0.022") raises it to 8.75

Shave 1.0mm (0.040") is 9.08 .... you might gain 2 HP at 5k on a good day

 

But yes the Z series has some serious performance limitations. The bad is poor breathing at 3,500 and above from having the ports too low and close to the block. All have a sharp turn into and out of the combustion chamber.  The good is, dual spark plugs, hemi combustion chamber and cross flow manifolds. Any L head will run circles around it.

[Jitenshakun]

I did not know it was a hemi. 

 

I appreciate the knowledge as I'm new to the Z22 world. 

[datzenmike]

 

Not a perfect hemi but close as you can get.

[Charlie69]

Pierce Manifolds also has a kit for a Weber DGEV 32/36 that has a 2 piece adapter to fit the stock Z20/Z22 intake manifold. Kit # K662

 

[Jitenshakun]

5 hours ago, Charlie69 said:

Pierce Manifolds also has a kit for a Weber DGEV 32/36 that has a 2 piece adapter to fit the stock Z20/Z22 intake manifold. Kit # K662

 

Trick there is you need the Z24 kit to fit an '83 Z22. I popped a DGV on from Pierce Manifolds. 

[datzenmike]

 Hmmm. The Z22 was used in the '81 and '82 model years of the 720. The '82 model year ended at the end of October '82. The '83 model year started in November '82. Check your build date on your driver's door jam. All '83s were Z24 engine. It was also the start of the new 17 character VIN code beginning JN6 N DO 1 S 1 B W 000001...... with the N designating the Z24 engine.

 

The stud pattern for the Z24 carburetor is different from the Z22 stud pattern so a Weber kit for a Z24 will not fit a Z22 intake.

 

Both Z24 and Z22 have the same head intake bolt pattern so a side draft intake will fit either

[Jitenshakun]

I thought Datsuns model years always switched in July? 

 

My truck is a 7/82 build but titled as an '83 and the VIN matcher the dealership uses also pegs it as a' 83.

 

My 1983 FSM matches it nicely, where as the 1st Revision FSM is mostly the new truck. 

 

The stickers all say 2.2L but it was definitely the Z24 weber kit that worked. My engine's carb bolt pattern is the asymmetrical Z24 layout as opposed to the square Z22 pattern. 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Jitenshakun
Detail added

[datzenmike]

Usually June/July but this is not cut in stone.  What does the VIN number say? and what is it king cab, reg cab or long bed?

 

Could it be an '82 with a transplanted Z24 engine, maybe?

 

Are the rear tail lights horizontal under the box, or vertical in the box corners?

[Jitenshakun]

Canadian 4x4 Reg cab. Horizontal Taillights under the tailgate. Emissions sticker says "EPA Regulations to 1983" and "engine displacement 133.4 Cid" JN6MD01Y6DW200102

[datzenmike]

JN6MD01Y6DW200102 

M is the code for a Z22 engine. (N would be a Z24)

D is the code for an '82 (an '83 is E, '84 F and so on)

 

Horizontal tail lights is an '82. (though I suppose the box could have been swapped)

 

The first serial chassis number for a reg cab short wheelbase 4x4 for 7/82 is 200022. The 8/82 beginning chassis number is 200708 so this pegs your chassis number 200102 as being built in the 7th month of '82

 

Just to be sure look between the two pair of exhaust manifold pipes, under exhaust plugs 2 and 3, on the top of the block for the engine displacement...

 

 

Dealerships are idiots.

 

It may be registered as an '83 but it's an '82. It may have a Z24 engine swapped in or a Z24 intake on a Z22. Stranger things have happened.

 

OH yeah the '83 has round gauges, the '82 are square. There were a lot of changes on the '83, a lot so be sure what you have before ordering parts that won't fit.

[Jitenshakun]

6 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

JN6MD01Y6DW200102 

M is the code for a Z22 engine.

D is the code for an '82 (an '83 is E, '84 F and so on)

 

Horizontal tail lights is an '82. (though I suppose the box could have been swapped)

 

The first serial chassis number for a reg cab short wheelbase 4x4 for 7/82 is 200022. The 8/82 beginning chassis number is 200708 so this pegs your chassis as being built in the 7th month of '82

 

Just to be sure look between the two pair of exhaust manifold pipes, under exhaust plugs 2 and 3, on the top of the block for the engine displacement...

 

 

Dealerships are idiots.

Man, do I feel dumb. 

 

On the upside I have a Z24. 317132

[datzenmike]

It is what it is. Yes! I would rather have the Z24 and the '82 has lower 4.375 differential gears. The Z24 is a stump puller of an engine.

[Jitenshakun]

And I just found the engine bay plate. Not an original engine.

 

This explains all the returns on 83 parts. I do have square instruments, different turn signal/light control, etc. 

[Charlie69]

Like Mike said earlier the Z20, Z22, & Z24 all have the same bolt pattern on the head for the intake manifolds.  Manifolds can be swapped although the Port shape is different but the Z24 intake will work on the Z22 and the Z20 head.

[Jitenshakun]

15 hours ago, datzenmike said:

JN6MD01Y6DW200102 

M is the code for a Z22 engine. (N would be a Z24)

D is the code for an '82 (an '83 is E, '84 F and so on)

 

Horizontal tail lights is an '82. (though I suppose the box could have been swapped)

 

The first serial chassis number for a reg cab short wheelbase 4x4 for 7/82 is 200022. The 8/82 beginning chassis number is 200708 so this pegs your chassis number 200102 as being built in the 7th month of '82

I've read the truck VINs were 80-86, so

A - 80

B - 81

C - 82

D - 83

E - 84

F - 85

G - 86

 

 

[datzenmike]

 Well you learn something every day. I wrote this down many years ago from a Hardbody VIN which was J for a 1998 and worked my way back into the 720s. I didn't know that the number 1 and the letter i are not allowed (also OQUZ) to be used in a VIN and this throws it off by one digit. So my bad! 1980 would have started with an A if Nissan had had the 17 digit VIN that year. It wasn't applied till '81. 

[Jitenshakun]

Lol. The write up I found was for a 1980-1986 convention.