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A14force
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#35
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
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Quote:

qik1000 wrote:
Well, here's my two-bobs... I agree with a lot of whats been said already, and disagree in some instances. My experiences have been with a race prep A15 and as such only relate to that - not a street or stock motor!

We have broken quite a few head bolts - we were using NEW nissan bolts over tensioned to avoid blowing head gaskets. We've moved to new class 12.9 cap screws for all head bolts except the unusual bolt for the oil flow. For this one we use a new nissan bolt but don't use it for any more than two head bolting applications.

We've broken one crankshaft. We got four years of racing out of that one and expect to replace cranks now every two years.

We've always used old rod bolts with standard tension and (touchwood) haven't yet had a failure. But I feel we've been very lucky although we don't use them more than two applications in race use or two years.

We've also never thrown a flywheel. Other people we race with have thrown them on more than one occation. We over tighten them as well and use new class 12.9 cap screws. Same on the clutch, but I think thats overkill.

the main pulley seems to be cracked every time we pull a motor apart. The key that drives it actually widens the keyway in the crank and causes a local increase in diameter in that region which cracks the pulley through a corner of the keyway. None have come off completely but they don't last long. I'm going to make a new one from a tougher material than the original cast iron.

Hope my experieces can help in someway!

Daniel.

EDIT: Oh yeah, pistons don't have a real long life either in our engines. But they have traditionally been machined down mazda pistons. I'm currently trialing a different idea at the moment!



I don't know if this applies to the "A"'s, but I have heard on some engines that overtightening the head bolts can deform the bores and lead to redued ring sealing. (This was on some crusty old ford engines)

If you've cracking the front pulley, that's a harmonics thing. When I missed a shift with my old S/C A14 and over reved it BIGTIME, the flywheel came loose. When I went to reuse my custom aluminium front pulley on my new engine, I found the keyway had split.
I'd use a custom harmonic damper like D/Man's, but my pulley system wont accomadate it.

Posted on: 2006/8/7 9:39
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Dodgeman
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#34
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Quote:

datsonovic wrote:
I belive the A series was moderized version of the old Austin/Morris A series and the L series was a version of a mercades six.
The J series Datsun was developed from the Austin engine, & an OHC Toyota Crown six engine was derived from the Benz as far as I know, but both the A series & the L series Nissan/Datsun engines were clean-sheet-of-paper designs.

Posted on: 2006/8/7 8:50
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datsonovic
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#33
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Iv never found any major faults with the A series Iv run 30 psi/6500 rpm in it for 6 years and only had one problem with corosion in the head.
saying that iv also got a 240z triples, race cam blah blah blah and i reckon the old l series is pretty damn good too.
I belive the A series was moderized version of the old Austin/Morris A series and the L series was a version of a mercades six.


Posted on: 2006/8/7 8:42
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ddgonzal
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#32
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Open in new window

This is what happens when a clutch explodes at 9000 rpm

Posted on: 2006/8/7 5:16
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sprite63
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#31
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I've been driving A-series engines for 9 years now and have never had any engine issues what-so-ever - and I abuse them. All I do is change the oil and filter every 3 months.
Besides that I have one quick question - if your car spends a lot of time sitting in traffic its a good idea to fit an oil cooler right?

Posted on: 2006/8/7 4:49
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Grunterhunter
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#30
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We had an oil starvation issue to the main bearings in a dry sumped race engine, but we never worked out if it was a problem with the design or an error by the engine builder. Either way, not somthing you hear about on street engines.

Posted on: 2006/8/7 4:10
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qik1000
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#29
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Well, here's my two-bobs... I agree with a lot of whats been said already, and disagree in some instances. My experiences have been with a race prep A15 and as such only relate to that - not a street or stock motor!

We have broken quite a few head bolts - we were using NEW nissan bolts over tensioned to avoid blowing head gaskets. We've moved to new class 12.9 cap screws for all head bolts except the unusual bolt for the oil flow. For this one we use a new nissan bolt but don't use it for any more than two head bolting applications.

We've broken one crankshaft. We got four years of racing out of that one and expect to replace cranks now every two years.

We've always used old rod bolts with standard tension and (touchwood) haven't yet had a failure. But I feel we've been very lucky although we don't use them more than two applications in race use or two years.

We've also never thrown a flywheel. Other people we race with have thrown them on more than one occation. We over tighten them as well and use new class 12.9 cap screws. Same on the clutch, but I think thats overkill.

the main pulley seems to be cracked every time we pull a motor apart. The key that drives it actually widens the keyway in the crank and causes a local increase in diameter in that region which cracks the pulley through a corner of the keyway. None have come off completely but they don't last long. I'm going to make a new one from a tougher material than the original cast iron.

Hope my experieces can help in someway!

Daniel.

EDIT: Oh yeah, pistons don't have a real long life either in our engines. But they have traditionally been machined down mazda pistons. I'm currently trialing a different idea at the moment!

Posted on: 2006/8/7 3:31
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sam1741
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#28
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yeah..
so far i not seen any broke down stock A-series engine before

and i wish it wont happen to my engine also.. :) no money to go for repair


weakness..? i think only weakness is lack of power in stock form, and the revs hard to climbs up.. maybe cause OHV setting? i dono...

Posted on: 2006/8/7 2:33
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phunkdoktaspok
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#27
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Quote:

killer1200 wrote:
Quote:

Dodgeman wrote:
Quote:

blofly wrote:
Craig advised me to use loctite on the threads and the bolt face to insure against a big metal frisbee exiting out the fender during a missed gear change.
If ever an A series flywheel breaks up during a missed shift, the fender will be the least of your worries as that flywheel is prety much in line with your foot.


Thats true.

I couldnt find the photo of the clutch that went bang I'm just thankful I wasnt driving.

Someone else might have more luck.


Do either of you care to show pics of your datsun engine bays? Please mainly focus on your modified engine mounts that sit your engines back.
Both 1200's and 1000's in stock form, mount the engine in a position as that the flywheel is about 2 inches forward of the firewall. 120Y's have even more distance. Well atleast all the ones I have owned or worked on have.
Whats that? Textbooks dont teach you this? Maybe its time to actually work on a datsun and not pay people to do it and then just bring parts home to sit beside your computer.
The pics of the flywheel that came loose, will clearly show that Stirlingmac's engine was well and truely recessed into the firewall.
But what would I know? I cant read.

Posted on: 2006/8/5 12:44
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dattoman_1000
Re: A series engine weaknesses
#26
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Quote:

Dodgeman wrote:
If ever an A series flywheel breaks up during a missed shift, the fender will be the least of your worries as that flywheel is prety much in line with your foot.


My feet will be fine
As the engine is mid mounted the flywheel is infact inline with my testicles
I have already had a flywheel spin off in the racecar and we think we have fixed that issue
It hasn't come loose since and we are starting to turn it harder and harder
The new steel flywheel goes in with the replacement Daiken cushioned ceramic clutch this week.

Well looks like I have all the issues covered then
I already have ARP rod bolts
I already have cured the flywheel issue
I already have roller rockers
I will have an oil cooler inplace soon
New pistons will be sourced for the end of the year freshen up
The new efi system with Motec has a rev limiter so covered that too.

Looks like I'm indestructable......as I knew I was...... lol

On to racing

Posted on: 2006/8/5 11:06
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