1962 Datsun U320

[izzo]

Points systems need that. If you go pertronix i think you need to run an EI coil. Pretty sure anyways... Otherwise it burns shat up...

Try and run it with one next time you replace the dizzy or guts in it, see if that calms it down a bit.. if the coil is getting hot, then I think that's the problem... warm maybe, but shouldn't get hot!

[DRIVEN]

Yes, points systems need them. However, all the Pertronix kits I've installed either call to remove or bypass the resistor. There will be a spec given for the coil resistance though. I've either owned or installed probably a dozen Pertronix kits over the years in various vehicles. The only failure I ever had was due to an intermittent short to ground on the neg side that I later found in the steering column going to a tach wire. In fact, I'm not even sure that it actually killed the module.
Coil shouldn't get hot though. I'd look into maybe the matching Pertronix coil just to rule it out.

[wayno]

Points systems need that. If you go pertronix i think you need to run an EI coil. Pretty sure anyways... Otherwise it burns shat up...

Try and run it with one next time you replace the dizzy or guts in it, see if that calms it down a bit.. if the coil is getting hot, then I think that's the problem... warm maybe, but shouldn't get hot!

I have always wondered why the ballast resister is even on that coil, I bought an L20b engine back in the 90s that came with everything to replace the L16 the work truck had when I bought it, I have always assumed that it was an EI coil, as the engine had a matchbox, and they had laid the coil and wiring on top of the engine, it has ran just fine for all these years, so I have taken the attitude of don't fix it if it's not broke, you can see in the photo I am not using that ballast resister, maybe I just put the coil in the bracket that was in the truck, and that's how it ended up this way.
At this time the distributor has points, as I kept screwing up the pertronics units turning the power on and off.
Are all ballast resisters the same if made by Datsun/Nissan in that era?

[izzo]

should be, i do believe the gm hei module is the same.

but as driven said the pertronix kits say to remove them if you use pertronix guts.. so not sure about that. The coil getting hot is not good. I would def hook it up, or the GM HEI module and test it. Are your points frying? the distributor?

[Laecaon]

I do know, You cant gap your plugs to .044 with Pertronix like you can with a matchbox.

There is a pertronix 1 which is a Points replacement, low energy, can be used with a ballast resistor and matching points coil, or a 3 ohm coil.

Then there is the pertronix 2, which is a high energy module, and can be used with things such as MSD Blaster 2 coils.

The Datsun pertronix kits are the low energy ones...

[izzo]

You know what's funny. Is people say to get the NGK plugs gapped at .44 with matchbox. But if you look at the 78-80 matchbox motors, they are all the same gap as the other cars with points systems....

[Laecaon]

If you check the manual, its .039-.043... My friends L16 runs best at .041 with a matchbox.

Im at .045 with my sentra Dizzy...

[wayno]

should be, i do believe the gm hei module is the same.

but as driven said the pertronix kits say to remove them if you use pertronix guts.. so not sure about that. The coil getting hot is not good. I would def hook it up, or the GM HEI module and test it. Are your points frying? the distributor?

Here is the thing, my 63 Datsun L320 has no ballast resister either, the owner of it before I bought it owned it since 1976, like 35 years.
I will remove the ballast resister from the work truck and put it inline, see if it changes anything.
I think that the carb is the weak point here right now, I need them rebuilt on both the 1962 U320, and the 1963 L320, I tried them both on the U320 engine, the 63 carb is even worse, I still don't know my plans for the 63 right now, my original plan was to kingcab it, but then I started getting bad vibes from some, so it got put on hold.
I have not had many issues with the dist. since I put new points/condenser/cap/rotor/wires on it, but that doesn't mean that the carb is actually the issue, it might be the coil getting hot because after I screw around with it for a while I seem to be able to get it started before wearing down the battery, but I think it is the carb myself.

[izzo]

Ah, well if its carb then all this talk about the dizzy isn't gonna help haha. Think about making a weber adapter and using a weber instead?? Or you trying to use the stocker?

[wayno]

At the moment, I have a dist. with points in the U320, I smoked 2 pertronics units, it just got to expensive to keep modifying them to fit into the 320 dist. and have them quit working, you see I was having so much trouble getting the engine to run consistently that I kept turning the power on and off to the unit, it would make this audible click every time power was connected, when I did not hear the click anymore the engine would not start anymore, it seemed like every time I double or triple clicked it fast because the connection to the battery with the alligator clips didn't connect correctly, that is when they quit working.

OK, I will try to tell you all what the issues I have to deal with on this vehicle, everything was painted, I mean everything, even the battery, battery cables, even the battery cable ends, so when I connect alligator clips to the battery, I have to do it in such a way as to find the top of the unpainted top of the battery post, alligator clips like to grab onto edges, well the top of the battery post has no edges, so sometimes the clip slips and grabs onto the cable end clamp that is painted and then disconnects, I know that it is my issue, being so lazy as to not remove the positive cable from the battery and starter relay/solenoid, and taking it to the wire wheel and stripping the paint off, I just thought that it would be easier to get it put together and running, I never thought it would take so much effort, no I know better, so the next pertronics unit I modify will work on the key instead of alligator clips.

I have never actually spent this much time on an engine before, usually I would have scrapped the idea of making this engine run after the first couple days and put in an A series engine/transmission and had a dependable runner that would make it to Canby, but this is going to be left mostly stock, and everything I do to it will be reversible, even the brake lines have been done in such a way to be able to put the stock drum brakes back on using the same brake lines that are on it now, they are stock 320 flexible brake lines on the 85 720 calipers, everything I have done is reversible.

[wayno]

Ah, well if its carb then all this talk about the dizzy isn't gonna help haha. Think about making a weber adapter and using a weber instead?? Or you trying to use the stocker?

Yesterday I went to Baxters to buy a weber, they couldn't seem to find anything for my application, but the NL320 has a weber on it, I spent over an hour trying to find a number on that weber with little mirrors, I cannot find one mark on that carb, it doesn't even say weber on it.
I actually thought about pulling that carb off of it and putting it on the U320 engine for a couple minutes, but since it is RHD, the throttle cable is kinda special, and the one it has is not long enough.
If I had the time, I would just put this on it, but I would get flamed by a couple folks, and I have everything to bolt this right on except the throttle cable.

[izzo]

dude seriously who cares what they think. do what you want to do.. Fuck them!

Lokar makes amazing cables man. Not to out of control price wise and by far the best cables I've ever bought.

[yello620]

Wayno, the reason you can't find Weber markings on that carb is because it is NOT a Weber. It is a Mikuni, similar to a Weber but not the same. I believe that they share the same bolt pattern to the manifold, but that is about it. Pretty sure Mikuni has been out of business since the 90's too, parts might be kinda hard to get for it.

[wayno]

Wayno, the reason you can't find Weber markings on that carb is because it is NOT a Weber. It is a Mikuni, similar to a Weber but not the same. I believe that they share the same bolt pattern to the manifold, but that is about it. Pretty sure Mikuni has been out of business since the 90's too, parts might be kinda hard to get for it.

This is the weber that I cannot find any markings on, Mike K. called it a weber, he is the one that put it on, but maybe it's not a weber.

[izzo]

maybe an empi? idk lol

[wayno]

I put the coil bracket from the work truck with the ballast resister on the U320 today, hooked it up, and the engine still runs.



I put a tow hitch on the 521KC to tow the U320 to Canby, it was a giant hunk of metal hanging down back there, I thought I took a photo of it, but I cannot find one of it on the truck, but here is a photo of it leaning against the fence.

I drove the Volvo over to the neighbors house to see if they could use anything off of it before I scrap it next month, I noticed a tow package on it, so when I got home I removed it and put it on the truck after removing the other one, this one don't look bad at all.


I guess I don't have a build thread for the 521 kingcab here on NWD, thought I did, but have not really done much to this truck except drive it for a while now.

[wayno]

I was driving the U320 up and down the road today, it tried to die once, and I looked at the bowl, and it was over filled, but I kept it running and it fixed itself, anyway while it was out on the street I aligned the toe on the frontend by eye, it drives much better now, then I took a few photos before hiding it behind the fence again.





I am just waiting on parts now, when I get the interior, I will install it, and when I get the chrome, I will install that also.
It may be ugly, but that is all I can do before Canby, it will just have to be ugly.

[izzo]

good lord! Truck central Loving it man keep it up!

[wayno]

good lord! Truck central Loving it man keep it up!

Yea, I have a few trucks, putting that tow hitch on my 521 kingcab makes that truck a possible backup work truck now.

[MicroMachinery]

This thing is too cool.. keep up the good work; she's beautiful.