How to make a Datsun 240Z rev like a Honda S2000 (and not blow up)

Yes, you can make a Datsun 240Z rev past 8000 rpm without detonating it. No, you don't need witchcraft to do so.

Instead, start by mating a custom head based on Honda K-series technology to a Datsun L-series bottom end.

Besides the improved flow rate offered by a modern valvetrain, this unique piece of engineering effectively transforms the single-overhead-cam L-series into a …

Read the rest of the story

I had clicked on this expecting to see it was a 240Z with a Honda motor swapped in. That could be interesting, but this is WAY more impressive.

This is incredibly cool but in today's world I don't know that there's really a market for $9,000.00 engine upgrades that only deliver 350 HP to the wheels.  I just don't know if there's enough people who are willing to drop that kind of coin on cool.  I hope I'm wrong though.

I am going back and forth. $9K seems like a lot for a cylinder head and some parts, but then again an engine swap is going to cost you a bunch if you ditch the L.

APEowner said:

This is incredibly cool but in today's world I don't know that there's really a market for $9,000.00 engine upgrades that only deliver 350 HP to the wheels.  I just don't know if there's enough people who are willing to drop that kind of coin on cool.  I hope I'm wrong though.

You might be amazed at what some people will spend.  I was told that a certain Fiat shop was getting $10k for X1/9 engine rebuilds.  That's a lot of money for 100hp or so.

Subject takes me back to when I was interested in 240Zs because a friend had bought one.  Someone found a Japanese company that made a setup that eliminated the timing chain guides in favor of one or two idler sprockets, making the chain drive good up to 14,000rpm, or at least, so they claimed.  Commentary on 240Z forum:  "So all I need is this to allow me to rev that high?"  No, you need a lot more than that, but this is one of the things that will help you get there.

I mean, personally, the first thing I'd do would be to get the heavy, high-friction chain out of there and install a belt drive, but what do I know?

You'd be surprised at what some people will spend on a Swift GT engine. And while it will rev and make fun noises, it will never make any meaningful power.

Is $9k too much? Yes.

Will hard cores spend it? Yes.

Mr Asa - you have a bogey. 

dude kind of drives like an shiny happy person, but it sounds wonderful.

It's not terribly hard to build an L24 that will run 8,000rpm...

Hubba, hubba.

A modern crossflow head is always what that L series needed. It's so bloody expensive but probably worth it for the improvement. Obviously not for max hp numbers but I think I'm starting to get to the age where I don't just want to swap the biggest/most hp engine into a car but meddle around with a weird swap or mod to see what it can achieve.

I remember looking through the Nismo catalogs back in the 80s and drooling over the OS Giken head for the L24-28s back then.  Good to know there's at least one other super expensive, unobtanium head for the Z... 

I starting to think $9000 isn't much these days.  After this video I'd rock it.  

I also have the OS Giken brochure and it's sweet.  
 

Saw the title and figured I'd see a 240Z with an S54 engine in it, maybe with a turbo.  Or perhaps  2JZ engine.

Impressed that the bottom end holds up well to that sort of rpm use, though.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Subject takes me back to when I was interested in 240Zs because a friend had bought one.  Someone found a Japanese company that made a setup that eliminated the timing chain guides in favor of one or two idler sprockets, making the chain drive good up to 14,000rpm, or at least, so they claimed. 

Was it this setup from OS Giken? I think they made a single cam version as well.

That sounds so good

Datsun guys are spending more for less horsepower now; mostly on vintage race engines but in this realm that's not a lot of money.

Wow.

Spendy, but wow.

j_tso said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Subject takes me back to when I was interested in 240Zs because a friend had bought one.  Someone found a Japanese company that made a setup that eliminated the timing chain guides in favor of one or two idler sprockets, making the chain drive good up to 14,000rpm, or at least, so they claimed. 

Was it this setup from OS Giken? I think they made a single cam version as well.

 

Cool, but no.  The link was to a Japanese website (and you know how awesome those were 20 years ago!) and it was not a geardrive, it was idler sprocket(s) for the existing chain, to eliminate the guides.

I would think that you NEED the guides to prevent the chain from resonating all over the place, you know?

Edit:  Or... I could just start searching around for L24 cam chain idler and see what happens.

KAMEARI Twin Idler Gear Setup

Eliminates the timing chain tensioner in favor of a manually adjustable setup.

There's a hack for Ecotec timing chain tensioners that converts them to a manually adjusted unit with an external screw, and something similar for Duratecs, for the same problem this company is solving.

Pff. My entire rebello L28 engine revved to 9,000rpm and only cost me $10k, and used a Datsun n42 head. 
 

neat to see, but let's hope those "10 kits" don't go the way of the old OS Giken dohc head

was there ever a factory  Nissan straight 6 Motor with DOHC  

its a neat idea  just spendy !

californiamilleghia said:

was there ever a factory  Nissan straight 6 Motor with DOHC 

Most of the RB series motors.

MadScientistMatt said:

californiamilleghia said:

was there ever a factory  Nissan straight 6 Motor with DOHC 

Most of the RB series motors.

Which are, apparently, an evolution of the L series sixes.

Also, the S20, used in the Skyline GT-R and the Fairlady Z432.  I used to think this was just a DOHC version of the L20, but it turns out, the Nissan L20 had problems, so when Nissan acquired Prince, they redesigned the engine using the Prince G-engine as a starting point - the L-series (starting with L20A) and the S20 are both based on that Prince engine, but the Prince engine came first.

Apparently there'd been a lot of cross-company rivalry between the former Prince company (which made the Skyline) and the old Nissan company (which made the Fairlady), which is why they often got completely different engines.

Sounds nice ....

In reply to Colin Wood :

Is the bottom end strong enough stock to take 9,000 rpm?   Am I to assume it will go over 9,000 because people do miss shifts etc. 

Wow that's cool.