Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Custom & Modified Register: for those with Modifed Minors and/or more radical Customised cars.
Forum rules
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
Post Reply
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by morrisman1 »

Over the last few weeks ive been gathering parts and getting machining done for my engine rebuild. This isnt just an ordinary rebuild, well it is in most areas with just a rebore, deck reface, new main and b/e bearings, new pistons oversize, new cam bearings. Ive had the cam ground to a rather aggressive custom profile to suit the engine and the head has been ported out and planed 0.5mm.

Now datsun engines didnt come out factory efi in most cases (theres the odd efi setup from japan floating around but are very rare and expensive) so i chose to do my own. The options were individual throttle bodies to suit my dual DCOE manifold or to adapt an existing setup. individual throttle bodies are expensive, around $1800 new zealand dollars for a set without injectors so my solution was to adapt a factory efi manifold from another engine. The mitsubishi 4g15 8-valve engine seemed to fit the bill quite nicely - the port spacings were about correct but the manifold did require A LOT of modification to make everything fit. I had to make and port match an adapter plate to smoothly adapt the different port shapes and make everything play happily with each other.

The computer running this setup is a megasquirt MS-1 v2.2 PCB which isnt the latest and greatest but will certainly do the job. The computer set me back $500 and is completely tunable and quite flexible. I can upgrade it to the MS-2 processor very easily if i want to at a later date which would give me more options with tuning and things like ignition control or more accurate injection calculations etc.

Image

Im pretty sure this is the only EFI datsun a15 engine in a morris minor in new zealand.

Ive almost finished the engine and it will be ready to drop into the morry in the next few days i hope.
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
Kevin
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 7592
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2002 12:00 am
Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
MMOC Member: No

Post by Kevin »

Well that sounds interesting and not cheap I expect will it powered through Datsun running gear.
Cheers

Kevin
Lovejoy 1968 Smoke Grey Traveller (gone to a new home after13 years)

Herts Branch Member
Moderator MMOC 44706
dp
Minor Legend
Posts: 1057
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:26 pm
Location: Southend
MMOC Member: No

Post by dp »

That's an impressive setup:)

I think Megasquirt will run sparks for you, if not directly then via GM's HEI off the distributor or Ford EDIS off the crank wheel.

http://www.megamanual.com/ms2/Ignition.htm

Probably easier to get it running with a normal distributor first. Look forward to hearing more about this.
Image
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Post by morrisman1 »

kevin, of course its not morry running gear, id expect this engine to leave morry gearboxes as piles of metal filings on the floor!

DP, yea megasquirt will run spark if i have the MS-2 processor. Ive only got the MS-1 at this stage but its an easy upgrade.

I think the engine will be floating around the 130hp area, ill get it to a dyno once im absolutely happy with my tune on it so i can see what its supplying. It would also be interesting to see what it does on the 1/4 mile but im not keen to 'race' it with that being very hard on the driveline. Perhaps ill just mark out 400m on my private road and time it with a stopwatch for a rough figure
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by morrisman1 »

hey guys, just an update. Ive got the engine in and arent too far from finishing all the things that go with it like re-engineering half the damn setup! All those things that all take time and you just have to tackle one at a time.

The wiring wasnt as time consuming as i thought it would be so that was pleasing. Im probably about a week from firing up the beast all going well. Although there aint much work to do now I dont like saying i can get it done tomorrow because it will never happen - slow and steady wins the race.

Image
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
jonathon
Minor Legend
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:43 pm
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by jonathon »

Very nice, look forward to hearing about the first road test :D

bmcecosse
Minor Maniac
Posts: 46561
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:24 pm
Location: ML9
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by bmcecosse »

Keep the updates coming!
ImageImage
Image
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by morrisman1 »

one thing you really notice with such a setup is how tricky it is to keep everything tidy!!!
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by morrisman1 »

a bit of progress, ive booted the computer in the car and all seems to be well. The throttle position sensor needed calibrated and sensors seem to read about 10° high but that could just be because the cars been sitting in the hot 27° invercargill heat today.

i dunno if the laptop looks like it belongs in the Morry!
Image
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
MarkyB
Minor Maniac
Posts: 7845
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:18 pm
Location: South East London
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by MarkyB »

A Macbook running Windows seems the ideal tool for a Morris with a Datsun engine.
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by morrisman1 »

heres an update. Ive kind of been neglecting this board and keeping to the datsun board because the members there are more interested in the engine mods than they morry guys are on here, possibly because the datsun engine isnt common in the UK like it is here but never mind.

its running and its driving, the computer tune requires more work but its not too far out although it runs rich throughout the fueling table. It pulls like a school boy with a p0rno and thats keeping excitement under control and engine revs under 3500 because the engine is still in run-in stage. No problem breaking loose with moderate amounts of throttle.

heres a vid of the car running in my driveway, I havn't got one of it on the road yet but that will come in due course, probably when the fuel map is closer and more work is completed to make it look legal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9i_fte_ScA
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
bmcecosse
Minor Maniac
Posts: 46561
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:24 pm
Location: ML9
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by bmcecosse »

Sounds very 'tappety' - is that just the recording ? Looks a great installation though - full credit to you!
ImageImage
Image
jonathon
Minor Legend
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:43 pm
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by jonathon »

Might be the injectors BM , they do click off and on sounding similar to tappets
Very nice project, and well executed, don't run it too rich and get bore wash though. Had this on a 1.4 k series (not good) :D

bmcecosse
Minor Maniac
Posts: 46561
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:24 pm
Location: ML9
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by bmcecosse »

Injectors ??? Wot - no SU carb ?? I see the point - but my moderns seem to have these new fangled 'injectors' - and they don't make that noise !
ImageImage
Image
morrisman1
Minor Fan
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:11 am
Location: New Zealand
MMOC Member: No

Re: Rebuilt datsun a15e engine for my morry

Post by morrisman1 »

Injectors are noisy things but so are tappets, on modern cars they usually have hydraulic lifters which are silent, yes you can hear injectors on modern cars but every injector is different. It could also be your speakers, on the laptop here the car sounds crap but on a proper stereo you can hear the exhaust burble in the background and suddenly the engine doesnt sound so clicky either
Image
Fuel Injected Datsun a15 engine, 5 speed 60 series datsun gearbox
dp
Minor Legend
Posts: 1057
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:26 pm
Location: Southend
MMOC Member: No

Re:

Post by dp »

morrisman1 wrote:
DP, yea megasquirt will run spark if i have the MS-2 processor. Ive only got the MS-1 at this stage but its an easy upgrade.
MS1 V3 will run EDIS, you don't need MS-2


See
http://www.msextra.com/doc/ms1extra/MS_ ... al.htm#wtf

And for EDIS info do a search on Megasquirt 'n' EDIS
Image
Post Reply