DATSUN ZCAR CYLINDER HEAD TIMELINE
1970-1983 NISSAN L-series engines
Datsunzgarage.us
1970-1983 NISSAN L-series engines
Datsunzgarage.us
The E30 is a head that appeared on from the Japanese Fairlady 2.0 6-cylinder motor.
The E31 is an uncommon, desirable head that came on the first 10,00 or so 1970 240's. It's chambers were high-quench designs. The valves were smaller than the 260 and 280 heads requiring that larger seats and intake valves be installed when used on a L28. 42cc chambers I believe. With square exhaust ports it uses an external oil spray bar.
The E88 came on the 1971-73 240s and the 1974 260Z. It came with a small intake valves on the 240 and larger intake valves on the 260. It's open-style chambers are the same cc size as later N42 and 47 heads. With square exhaust ports it has an external oil spray bar.- The larger valve N42 came on the 1975-76 280Z. 48 state U.S. 280Zs didn't use a catalytic converter until 1977 and the head came with softer brass valve seats like the E31 and E88. Many people like these for performance because of it's square exhaust ports. And as a easy mod, putting it on a flattop L28 motor puts compression in the mid 10's. It uses an external oil spray bar.
The N47 came on the 1977-80 280Z(X). It has diamond-shaped exhaust ports with emission liners that heat red-hot to reduce emissions. This head came with steel valve seats for use with unleaded gas. Like the N42, putting it on a flattop L28 motor puts compression in the mid 10's. This head changed to an internal oiling system with a small hole on each cam lobe.
The P79 came on 1981-83 flattop piston L28 (F54) blocks. It has a 53.5cc chamber and must be used with flattop pistons as compression drops to 7.8:1 with dished pistons. The exhaust ports/liners are diamond shaped like the N47 and uses an internally oiled cam. See my P79 page.
The P90 is the turbo head from the 1981-82 280ZX. It has the same combustion chambers as the P79, but has square exhaust ports like the N42. It uses an internally oiled cam. My P90 page.
The P90a is an interesting turbo head which came out in 1983 only. It has hydraulic valve lifters which make the engine almost silent. It has identical chambers and ports to the P90 and uses an internally oiled cam. I think with a low lift, higher duration cam this head would be a hot setup. But the manuals say nothing about servicing it and replacement lifters do not exist anymore.
Y70, E80 I've heard these heads were used on Zs sold in the Australia/New Zealand market. Interestingly, while the 260 was only sold in the States in 1974 the model was sold until 1978 or so in Oz. A friend of mine has an E88 with injector ports on his L24, he suspects it came from an Australian motor.Datsunzgarage.us © 1997-2022All mods are illustrative only, perform at your own risk.
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