ScaryPony Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 (edited) Oh it's an l16 alright. I bet I even have a pic of it somewhere. But this was also confirmed with the bore gauge. Sorry if I mislead. I was only talking L18 pistons after a rebore. But you already convinced me. Oversized 83mm flat tops it is. Edited February 13 by ScaryPony Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 The kitchen table is for eating and for datsun parts. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 On 2/10/2026 at 12:55 PM, banzai510(hainz) said: .190 I can see .290 I dont believe and a cam I would not want. retainers better hold those in there better make sure the valves springs dont compress My measurements could be wrong maybe, but either way I agree. Someday in the future I'll put a cam in it, but for now I just want to get it on the road. The old cam with the "new" (used but from reman head) with tower shims make the wipe nice. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 13 Author Report Share Posted February 13 (edited) On 2/10/2026 at 6:32 PM, Slow Loris said: Need pics have wagonlust. If you go the L18 route you’ll find a lot for L18 on eBay but beware they are probably for L20b with a larger dish. I bought 3 sets for my motor and ended up with only 1 true L18 set with the correct dish. Correct set came from https://www.nzdatsunparts.co.nz/l-series-piston-sets which also has tons of other hard to find stuff, and the exchange rate v. New Zealand dollar makes the prices pretty reasonable for NOS Datsun stuff imo The wagonlust is real. My house is wagon and hatch parking only. . . well trucks are allowed. Mike had me convinced to just go with the 83mm over bore flattops, but that's interesting. How much is the shipping from NZ? I'm also curious what is more beneficial, a little bump in displacement or a little bump in compression? Probably doesn’t matter, it’s not going to blow the doors off either way. Edited February 13 by ScaryPony Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 1/ the block vent is not in the usual L16/18 place on the side of the block. Exiting vertically is what L20Bs do. 2/ it has a '79-'83 thermostat cover but could have been swapped. 3/ Has the later L20B 'fuel rail' between pump and carburetor. Again could have been swapped. Check the block ID behind the dip stick handle. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 get some degreaser and clean that engine bay. I like it not cluttered with misc wires and such, like a datsun hack would do. L16? shit find a L20motor , and use those L18pistons in them if you have them. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 14 Author Report Share Posted February 14 5 hours ago, datzenmike said: 1/ the block vent is not in the usual L16/18 place on the side of the block. Exiting vertically is what L20Bs do. 2/ it has a '79-'83 thermostat cover but could have been swapped. 3/ Has the later L20B 'fuel rail' between pump and carburetor. Again could have been swapped. Check the block ID behind the dip stick handle. 1 Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 14 Author Report Share Posted February 14 5 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said: get some degreaser and clean that engine bay. I like it not cluttered with misc wires and such, like a datsun hack would do. L16? shit find a L20motor , and use those L18pistons in them if you have them. With the motor out I'll give the engine bay a scrub. Probably also make the wiring even less hack-y. For the record I make no claims that I'm not a hack. I like your idea on a bigger L series. I skipped that originally because long term I want EFI, and power, and more gears (I hope that isn't a crime here). Also the L16 lets me relearn engine building without much pressure. If it blows up🤷♂️ But, a running L would get me on the road quick. . . Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 14 Report Share Posted February 14 I wish I did a L20 when they were plentiful. But I did what you are going to do. Is save a L16 and find out its going to be another 15/20years before I wear that out since I too wanted to learn and should have just went with the L20. Quote Link to comment
Slow Loris Posted February 16 Report Share Posted February 16 (edited) On 2/12/2026 at 9:09 PM, ScaryPony said: rom NZ? It was like $35 NZD for the pistons. Definitely recommend that vendor for whatever. Here’s what you do: learn your engine building on the L16, drive the wagon. Buy ANOTHER Datsun without an engine and build out a killer L20B motor. Put it in whichever Datsun ends up being prettier. Everyone wins. And you have two Datsuns. Edited February 16 by Slow Loris 1 Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 On 2/14/2026 at 12:20 PM, banzai510(hainz) said: I wish I did a L20 when they were plentiful. But I did what you are going to do. Is save a L16 and find out its going to be another 15/20years before I wear that out since I too wanted to learn and should have just went with the L20. I would love to say I'll just rock the l16 forever, but I have dreams of a Beams. And a 4-link. And less shit to do. But for now in the world we live in. . . Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 23 hours ago, Slow Loris said: It was like $35 NZD for the pistons. Definitely recommend that vendor for whatever. Here’s what you do: learn your engine building on the L16, drive the wagon. Buy ANOTHER Datsun without an engine and build out a killer L20B motor. Put it in whichever Datsun ends up being prettier. Everyone wins. And you have two Datsuns. Oh man, you had to say it. I just looked and there's another wagon posted in Seattle. There's even a chance it actually runs.. 1 Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 Props again to my wise and white-haired neighbor. I got lazy and left the hood on against my better judgement. It was fine, I totally didn't have to get in the engine bay and front-carry the motor over the rad support. . . . 😑 It all worked out. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 By the way, I linked to this earlier but maybe youtube is a better solution. This was the first run, way back in 2024. I will never not love a side-exit exhaust. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 Ok, additional questions, and maybe these should even be separate topics. I have a 38mm SU flat top pair (not the unit from the Z) I'm interested in de-smogging. Is there a step-by-step or am I R&D the de-smog? Also, any resource for rebuild parts? They are way more interesting than the 32/36 Also, the steering box and the header occupy the same space on right turns. Is there a prescribed solution for this? Want to do anything I can in the bay while the motor is out. I mean, a hammer would do it but maybe something more surgical. . . Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Anyone notice the dip stick location? This explains the block vent exiting upwards instead of out to the side... Might even explain the three bolt thermostat cover and the oil filter boss. This is a much later import engine. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 13 minutes ago, ScaryPony said: What's the intake ID on the left bank? Looks like a K could it be a K14 Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 32 minutes ago, datzenmike said: What's the intake ID on the left bank? Looks like a K could it be a K14 Correct. K14. Also, you've got me interested Mike. Why are the dipstick etc. dead giveaways that its a late motor? What would it look like if it were earlier? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 The dip stick* is beside the starter with the block ID behind it. The block vent on the L16/18 exited straight out to the side. Later L20Bs exit upwards like the one you have. The three bolt thermostat cover was introduced and used from '79 onwards. The oil filter boss that you have was introduced around '80. You probably have a 510 oil pan which would have the oil dip stick farther back... I hope it's front position allows it to reach the bottom of the pan. The K14 dual Hitachi SU intake was used on the later 710 L18 SSS engines. I have one... Like yours the choke cables were cut at the Japanese wrecking yard so it could be removed faster. The little red cap covers the vacuum advance which was only on the front carburetor. That screw thing on the left SU is for adjusting the idle mixture? I'm not sure. One of those outlets connects to the stock air filter. Usually they are removed and aluminum cover plates added. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 5 minutes ago, datzenmike said: The dip stick* is beside the starter with the block ID behind it. The block vent on the L16/18 exited straight out to the side. Later L20Bs exit upwards like the one you have. The three bolt thermostat cover was introduced and used from '79 onwards. The oil filter boss that you have was introduced around '80. You probably have a 510 oil pan which would have the oil dip stick farther back... I hope it's front position allows it to reach the bottom of the pan. The K14 dual Hitachi SU intake was used on the later 710 L18 SSS engines. I have one... Like yours the choke cables were cut at the Japanese wrecking yard so it could be removed faster. The little red cap covers the vacuum advance which was only on the front carburetor. That screw thing on the left SU is for adjusting the idle mixture? I'm not sure. One of those outlets connects to the stock air filter. Usually they are removed and aluminum cover plates added. I'll check the dip stick situation. I'm fairly sure it was functioning correctly but 🤷♂️ Well that helps narrow it down for the SUs. Now at least I can track down service parts. As you have already noted, this car came to me a bit cobbled together. What does the rubber tube connection (removed on yours) connecting the two carbs right over the butterfly sections? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 36 minutes ago, datzenmike said: That screw thing on the left SU is for adjusting the idle mixture? I'm not sure. One of those outlets connects to the stock air filter. Usually they are removed and aluminum cover plates added. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 9 minutes ago, datzenmike said: oh well that clears that up. Quote Link to comment
ScaryPony Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 OHHHH. It actually does clear it up. I looked at mine and they are separate pieces. Gotcha. Well I'll look forward to a bit of fab then. I also reached out to ztherapy to see if they would have parts for it. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 Here's one with the home made covers on. Easier to just plug those pipes. Vacuum advance has disappeared, not sure that is a good idea. Probably better to just leave everything alone than to pull stuff off and degrade performance and never know it. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 17 Report Share Posted February 17 I usually pull the hood. just makes it go in ezer with the head on. If that was it running in the vid it sounds fine to me. Too loud. I put a quiet turbo AP brand muffler on there. SUs are great when they run right. Mikuni side drafts better Quote Link to comment
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