looking for aftermarket parts

[620deadman]

I'm in the market for an aftermarket cam and head to fit then cam in a L18 i was thinking about motor swapping my 620 but i've decided that with that money and time i'd spend motor swapping it i could just dump some aftermarket parts into the stock L18 and call it a day. now with that being said that's not a lot of aftermarket parts for this motor that i've found if anyone and hook it up with a place for parts for this motor or if any parts for any other datsun motor will interchange let me know 

[620deadman]

1 minute ago, 620deadman said:

I'm in the market for an aftermarket cam and head to fit then cam in a L18 i was thinking about motor swapping my 620 but i've decided that with that money and time i'd spend motor swapping it i could just dump some aftermarket parts into the stock L18 and call it a day. now with that being said that's not a lot of aftermarket parts for this motor that i've found if anyone and hook it up with a place for parts for this motor or if any parts for any other datsun motor will interchange let me know 

apologies for the grammar it's current -13 where i live and i'm working right now so i was shaking and trying to hurry so i could put my glove back on 😂 but i was going to make this post earlier but forgot so decided to do it before i forgot again 

[datzenmike]

I'd just get a Weber 32/36 from Pierce Manifolds and call it good. A cam never satisfies unless you also upgrade intake and exhaust and the new power is moved farther away from the lower RPM range that you would normally drive in. A Weber is just under $300 and will give your L18 a shot in the arm. A new carburetor will solve about half of your running problems. Save up and get one and swap it in the spring.

 

The L18s always had an A87 head and they were fine. The ID is along the bottom edge of the head between number 1 and 2 spark plug. The L20B can is a very mild upgrade for an L18, you probably won't notice it but if you can find an old Datsun and get one for free... why not.

 

Next oil change replace with a higher ZDDP level to better protect your cam and rocker arms. Today's oil is constantly reducing this anti scuff additive and it is at about haalf what it was 30-40 years ago because newer engines don't need it and it ruins their catalytic converters. Our engines do need this protection. Diesel oils still retain the older higher levels and I suggest Shell RotellaT4. It gets cold in Kansas sp 10w30?

 

Keep your L18 tuned up and fix any small things so it is working at maximum.

Never allow it to over heat. Top up only with distilled water to prevent scaling.

Change oil and filter every 5-7000 miles or once a year. Use a quality filter like WIX ir NAPA Gold NEVER use a fram filter!

Change the fuel filter every 3 years. If you have never done it, do it ASAP.

Change the transmission oil with GL-4 NOT GL5. GL5 is for the differential. If you haven't or don't know when the transmission and differential oils were changed last, change them now or ASAP and every 30,000 miles after.

Use only NGK spark plugs and don't buy from Amazon as they are often counterfeit.

Replace the points, rotor and cap with new parts. Plug wires are changed by inspection. Keep the old ones for spares. If they look like crap.. they are. This replacement of the ignition components will solve/prevent the other half of your running problems.

 

NEVER throw old parts away. Never trade in the old parts when getting new. Original parts are better quality than new ones. Often they can be rebuilt properly and kept as spares. A new $60 alternator with a life time guarantee is worth almost nothing. I know people that are on their 3rd alternator an think they are ahead of the game but don't take into account being stuck on the side of the road, getting towed, lost work and time to take off go in order new replacement and time to change it out. A good quality alternator from Nissan is several hundred dollars and will last the life of the vehicle. An original part from a wrecking yard is better quality than a 'rebuilt $60' one.

 

 

[sick620]

best bang for buck aftermarket mod you can do to the l18 is throw a weber on it and an electronic distributor from a 78-79 plus datsun with an L series, preferably 79+ because those have the desired "matchbox" distributor. They sell cheap electronic distributors on amazon now meant to be direct replacements for 79+ datsuns and these amazon distributors are lacking the "matchbox" on the side of them... This is probably because electronics have came a long way and now everything is internal.. I've been interested in seeing someone do an install and say whether these work or not. They are only $60-$90 last time I checked which in most occasions is cheaper than you can find a matchbox unit (and they are getting harder to find) ..... If you do these two mods and are not happy with the outcome there is nothing you can do to make the L18 gain much performance without major expensive reconstruction in the form of a full build (mill head, bore, bigger valves, etc)... So the next budget relatively easy option if you need just a little more oomph is to find an l20b and swap the whole thing in. GIve you a little more power and torque. We are still talking about low 100's on horsepower (to the crank!) but it should be at least a little fun to drive. If you need more horsepower than this mods on datsun engines probably aren't the best path for you currently. Look up LZ23, there are ways to build up Lseries engines with a little power but machining costs and sourcing old parts adds up, and you might as well just order a ca18 or some other JDM engine and make it fit at that point if power for dollar is all you are after. 

 

have you considered rebuilding your engine? chances are its old and tired and freshening it up could breath more life into it than any quick cam swap could, but if you find a cheap l20b cam you could always slap it in while you're already in there. 

[datzenmike]

Points systems are limited by how much power the points can survive and for how long. Arcing and contact wear limits them to around 5 amps. The EI system is at least 3 times this amount forming a much stronger magnetic field in the coil for higher output.

 

EI distributors... for the most part allow you to 'set and forget' them. Low maintenance other than inspect the plug wires, cap and rotor and replace as needed. No points replacement, setting and adjusting needed, worth it just for that. You do need the EI coil that goes with the EI distributor for the higher output. Does it start better? Compared to a perfectly set points distributor? probably the same but again points begin to degrade as soon as you start driving them where the EI is constantly the same. The matchbox would fire plugs that normally would not fire from lack of a strong spark. 

 

The 1980 720 truck also uses the EI matchbox distributor. This was the last year the L20B as used. The '80 A10 (HL510) and the '80 S110 200sx with the single plug Z20 engines uses an EI matchbox distributor. The '81 and on Z20/22 and 24 have 8 plug wires and the 'matchbox' is now internal.... I don't see why you could not use one of these with only the intake or exhaust side wires (4) and a single coil on an L series. It would look a bit strange with unused plug wires but... shrug.