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MG MGB Technical - MGB / Datsun engine

Anyone done any research on the Datsun 1800 engine that was developed from the MGB engine? I believe it was SOHC.

Maybe someone is using one in an MGB? What about a 16 valve head that might fit with a few mods?

Colin
Colin Parkinson

Colin,

I am not an authority, but I don't think the SOHC Datsun is the one that had the MG connection. I think the SOHC engine first showed up in the Datsun 510.

The engine that was like the MG was in the 444 and the 311. The 311 was a sports car (aka Fairlady) and the 444 was a sedan. I don't recall they were ever 1800cc. I think they were all 1600cc. They had Hitachi copies of SU carbs. I had a 1967 SSS 444 for a while. Some of them had aluminum heads and I believe the head is a direct bolt on fit to an MG, though I don't know about valve size.

Charley
C R Huff

Charley that is a good start! So would the head have been a 5 port or 8 port? Crossflow maybe??

Colin
Colin Parkinson

Colin,

I don't know those details. I did replace the cracked aluminum head with an iron one when I first got the car, but that was in the mid-70s and my memory is not that good. It probably shouldn't be too hard to find a photo online. If I had to guess, I would say it was a copy of the MG head.

Charley
C R Huff

Of the ones that came to Australia there was the 1600 Fairlady and the Cedric sedan 1900cc both motors based on the "B" series. I know some parts were interchangeable, such as the cam. I owned a Cedric and looked after a couple of the sports, they were all good cars although not as good as the B on road. Then came the 2000cc fairlady with a completely different OHC engine. Denis
Denis4

Colin
With all the good bits and pieces that are available now for "b" series engines, why would you bother swapping out for some old Dato clunker
If you were going the Dato way surely a SR20 twincam would be the go available as non turbo or turbo
Cheap as chips and fast/reliable
But you can't beat the sound and feel of a well worked 'B' engine---------------in my opimion
willy
William Revit

Hello,

In fact Datsun SRL311 known as Datsun 2000 in Canada was a sportscar competitor of MGB; starting in 1965 with a 1600 cc engine and later with a 2000cc engine. Datsun engine do not have anything in common with MGB. MGB Like many British cars are undersquare with B/S ratio 3.16"/3.50" and Datsun 2000 B/S RATIO: 3.42/3.27 wich is oversquare. a typical engine characteristic of Japanese cars, producing low torque engine. Cylinder head was aluminum but the only thing similar to MGB was a non-crossflow head.I remember many people tought they were British origin due to SU-Hitachi carburetters. The only improvement was a 5 speeds gearbox. Some companies were offering gearbox swap to MGB but now it is obsolete as this gearboxes type is a rarity.

Cheers,

Jean G.

P.S. Colin a 2000CC swap is not a slicht affair as Datsun SOHC was chain driven and not of same design than MGB and as you have noticed a larger BORE. Futhermore, they were not trouble-free as I had to replace Head Gasket at 50K miles due to poor gasket issues. I suggest the easiest way, to modify a MGB, is to find a complete 2000 drivetrain with 133 HP. and 5 sp gearbox.

J. G. Catford

Would have to agree with Willy, you cant beat the feel and sound of a well worked B series engine. Might not be the fastest but they feel like they are. Denis
Denis4

Colin,

I did not read correctly your post and my answer was partially out of topic.

I agree with Will and Denis. I'd prefer to stay in MGB environment than swapping.

Jean G.
J. G. Catford

Link to a little background inc the pushrod engine.
http://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/austinnissan.html
Colin, I have a Datsun 'B' series head if you want to look at one.
Info on the 1500 B series look alike...same bore and stroke as B series 1500.
The 1H is not related to the later H engines. It was also an all-iron, OHV engine, but with a bore and stroke of 73 and 89 mm it displaced 1,489 cc. Power was 50 PS (37 kW) at 4,400 rpm in 1956, but this increased to 50 PS (37 kW) in August 1958.[1]

Peter
Peter Burgess Tuning

The J series engine was a licensed copy of the Austin B series engine. In the US, it was used in 67 and 68 pickups. Also in some sedans, but Datsun sold fre sedans until the 510 (which had the L series lump).There were also some sedans, but not many, sold with an 1800 version (J-18 in the US).

The A-series used in the Fairlady roadsters (1300, 1500., 1600) I'm not familiar with, have been told it too was similar but I am not sure I believe that since (I've been told) there are considerable differences between J and A series. I personally have never had a Fairlady.

The L series SOHC engine had nothing in common with the earlier pushrod engines, other than experience in designing/redesigning and engine.

I had a 68 J13 engined truck. I one time tried to put an MGB head on it and it fit nicely but the bores didn't get along and the engine seized solid in 10 miles. But iut was 109 miles closer to home<G>). I did have no problem with an MGB rocker shaft assy on the Datsun.

Had to scrap the truck due to smog issues that, today, would not have bothered it due to exemptions. Would love to install a B engine and maybe a 280Z 5-speed in one.
WMT Townsend

This thread was discussed between 11/04/2015 and 13/04/2015

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