Tell me about......Datsun A14 engines.

[MattW]

Hey guys, I've got an A14 in my 210. I've heard it was essentially the same engine as the old BMC A-Series engine, which I know nothing about. Could you guys tell me what are some easy ways to extract a few more ponies out of it?

Thanks,
Matt.

[HoTWire]

The answer to squeezing power out of the A-Series is in your signature.

Pitroad TS parts..

Sadly they ain't cheap.

Your best starting point is the old stanby of twin webers ..

Also they have no parts in common with the BMC A-Series.

Some good Sunny books detailed here : www.ratdat.com/?p=141 (check the comments).

[Snoozin]

Headwork, cam, and sidedraft Weber's or Dellorto's ftw. Oh decent extractors and a good exhaust will help as well.

As with any older engine though, start with intake and exhaust if you're not wanting to open the engine... see if you can adapt a better carb, get it tuned properly, timing set correctly, new plugs and leads, and do a service...

At the very least, it'l sound like an animal

Also, we have strikingly similar signatures

[MattW]

Haha, we gotta have the TS Cup rivals on here somehow.

As for the modifications, what about removing all the emissions curse word? Over here, after a car is over 25 years old, it doesn't need to take another emissions test.

[Snoozin]

All the emissions gear has been removed from my KP (was Japanese spec emission engine) but it has a non-emissions motor carb on it, and all appropriate vacuum holes blocked up...

As for improvements, I don't really think it did a lot.

[MattW]

Oh, damn. I don't have good money, won't until I graduate and have a full time job, haha. Which is why I am trying to think of quick, really cheap mods to improve the performance in any way on the vehicle.

[devilishdesigner]

related to the datto 1200s and 1500s, which were loosely based on the Morris B series engine.

[Ratdat]

devilishdesigner said:

related to the datto 1200s and 1500s, which were loosely based on the Morris B series engine.

Not quite. The Datsun 1500 is a J series engine which is a development of the E1 which in turn was derived from the E series. The E series was the Austin B series engine with minor changes made by Nissan and all the subsequent varients right through to the J series share the same basic design and have a degree of parts compatability.

The 1200 A series engine has nothing to do with anything BMC at all other than the fact it's called an A series. It shares nothing of the Austin's design, either A series or B series. It has a five bearing crank unlike the BMC A series which has three and it doesn't have siamised ports in the head. The oil pump is external on the side of the block rather than driven off the rear of the came. Totally different engine to the BMC A series.

Probably the single cheapest way to up the power of an A14 would be to shave a bit off the head to bump the compression up. They are only about 8.6:1 stock (it varies depending on market and application). You could swap the stock carb for a Weber but the gains would be small I'd imagine. For any kind of serious gain you'd need different induction completely, a header and a performance cam. If your engine has a round port head (some A14's do) then going to an oval port is an improvement but you'd have to source a matching intake manifold. I think you'd struggle to make any really noticable gains without spending money on it.

-Ed

[HoTWire]

ratdat said:

If your engine has a round port head (some A14's do) then going to an oval port is an improvement but you'd have to source a matching intake manifold. I think you'd struggle to make any really noticable gains without spending money on it.

I guess the only way to find out if I've got a round port head is to whip the carb and bits off and have a look.. no way of telling from the outside/year/model?

[Ratdat]

Yours will probably be oval port as i've not seen many round port engines here. That said I have had a round port one of a B310 saloon once. I don't think there's any way to tell externally. I think I still have a round port A14 head in the shed. I'll take a look at it.

[sammm]

Its not as easy to navigate as this place but there is a huge amount of info here www.datsun1200.com

But the really fun stuff is here wiki.datsun1200.com/index.php/Forced_Induction