New Zealand Datsun Club

Right, so the J15 in the datsun 620 just lost a cylinder (in the red on a compression test)...

...and frankly after the last wallet emptying exerise upgrading the naffed 35amp alt to new 50amp, a new coil, and reconded dizzy
I just dont know weather I can be bothered with the 1500 atm

dont know what to do... rebuild a engine im not excited by
... find a L20b and convert to 5 on floor (stil not excited but at least ill get up hills without muttering you can do it)
... get a turn key VQ or VH package (wallet looks unhappy)

So any suggestions welcomed with any possible solution

My 620 has got a L20 from factory being a USDM and to be honest I cant complain. Pretty happy with it.
I could be wrong but I dont think they are easy to come across these days!??

What is it used for, I like the VH45 option but if it is a Daily maybe an SR 20 with 5 on the tree would be a better option.

The L20B is getting hard to find, and pretty expensive nowdays. Plus they're up to fuck all in my opinion.
Best bang for buck IMO would be an SR20DE. You can pick up a motor for around the $400 mark. And they run rings around the L20B all day.
I bought a 620, and I'm going to do this conversion myself too.

It was spose to be a daily ride, buy maintain and drive but its a rotten lemon.

So im fixing it back to daily ride. Engine conversion would be a factory setup with no or next to no mods to whichever engine (if any) chosen

Depending on the engine conversion, would need to work out prices :
Cost of Engine, Gearbox, Mininumin Electrics needed to Run (ECU, loom, etc)
Hardware installation costs (pay someone) vs Time (do myself)
Wiring installation will have to be someone else if its a modern engine, could prolly handle something simple likea L18 or L20b

If you're not up to doing the wiring yourself, then a carby motor is probably a lot more simple.

Simple Wiring I like lol, Im ending up more as a fabricator at the engineering firm I work for, just whats turning up at work,
not really getting any opportunties to learn any other aspects yet.

Was round at the ol mans, talking about the ute with him, hes talked me round to keeping a factory option engine to retain the value of the ute
So looking for a full L18 or L20b setup. Prolly prefer a L20b but also eyeing up Mint16's L18 on the parts for sale board but need a couple weeks to start getting funds

Lastly apart from the obvious engine and gearbox to do this, if anyone swaped these over with a J15 what other bits will I need?
Prefer to source factory stuff, otherwise will fabricate

Cheers

Keeping factory can retain value, especially if the vehicle is mint factory original. See a thread on here recently on the value of 1200 Coupes and people's view of values.
If you have fab skills fitting a modern SR type motor could make this an awesome truck and if done right of increased value.
Seeing as you are faced with engine cost no matter what I would suggest the SR, fab cost would be similar to L series but I would consider end result would be of more value, if you can get complete wiring loom and diagram wiring shouldn't be too daunting or expensive, depending which path you took.
I have a soft spot for the 620, I wouldn't be interested in rocking a J series, i love Ls but if I was going to the trouble of repowering, it would be an SR or QR with 5 speed, you can even get column chage SR 5 speeds I think.
My 2 cents worth, remember opinions are like Bottoms, everyone has one.

classicdat wrote:... i love Ls but if I was going to the trouble of repowering, it would be an SR or QR with 5 speed, you can even get column chage SR 5 speeds I think.
My 2 cents worth, remember opinions are like Bottoms, everyone has one.

Possible Methods column shift methods offhand :

1: FWD linkage system attached to a RWD box. I need to see both to see if i could attach the first to the latter

2: A mirror (imput>output) linkage system

Ems thread mentions a SR box from a Serena or the like that is linkage, so there are probably a few of them.