a12 petrol engine rebuild (1200cc 4 cylinder inline ohv)

First off check with Nissan if they have a cam for stationary engine work. It will give you better fuel burn and low end torque since you will be running a genset at fixed RPM either 1500 RPM for 50HZ and 1800 for 60Hz. You can expect around 10 KVA depending on torque at the selected RPM.

Biggest refit work will be some kind of governor to hold RPM steady enough to maintain the desired output frequency. What power head do you intend to fit. Stamford will usually bolt up no problem as long as you find the right SAE adaptor flange. Failing that its going to be a challenge welding uo an adaptor. I tried to do the same with a 4 cyl Mitzubishi diesel but the starter bolts to tranny bell housing and without the tranny the starter has to hang on a sky hook. If you are lucky enough to find a t bearing power head you could machine a serpentine belt or perhaps a chain drive would work except the generator becomes larger in footprint.

Good luck!

This was a great lil engine. I pulled one out of my GFs car once without a hoist! but that was 25 years ago... can't imagine there are any still around... good luck on this!

Good engine choice. (I have questions)

I would like to ask if the engine currently has a lot of miles or wear?

Do you plan to rebuild from ground up?

Is the distributer mounted in the front or center of the engine?

Are there 1 or 2 carburetors on your A12 motor?

What country did the engine come from?

There were several A12 motors manufactured in 1974 and they differ depending upon what country the motor was originally manufactured. There are some modifications that can be made to increase efficiency and maintain around 35-39 mph.

For other readers: Hard to believe that in the 1970's there was several cars manufacturers that were building vehicles that were getting almost 60 mph.

Us Petrol-heads have had the technology for 30 years while everybody has been sleeping.

I await your response.

Best Regards,

Tim

hi I would guess its done quite a lot cause its been sitting for about 12years after continous use! I know it needs new piston rings coz you can drive a bus between the gaps!Am not sure how much it would cost to build from the ground up!(if i can find the parts)the bore looks ok,but the cylinder head needs a overhaul!might need a set of big end conecting rod bearings(the half moon ones)apart from that i cant see any other big problems with the machinics!i hear that its the same carb as the madza 323 1989 model which is a single carb a (Hatachi?) regards Trevor

Helo Trevor,

Good to here from you!

Is the distributer mounted in the front or center of the engine?

What country did the engine come from?

This will help us with alternative modifications that can be performed.

Are you ready to rebuild from the ground up?

Or do you have a different Engine in mind.

From what you are telling use the engine sounds rebuildable.

Regards, Tim

The distributer is in the center on the lefthand side when looking at the engine from the fan!the starter,fuel pump and alternator are also on the left!its only the carb and exhaust on the righthand side!a total rebuild would be a bit too expensive for me and nothing seems to be that wrong with it since there is no bore,crankshaft or bearing damage besides needing new big end conecting rod bearings!i was wondering if one could make a metal disc the same size as the clutch,and weld it to the shaft of the generator and than drill holes in it in the same place as the clutch bolt holes on the flywheel and just bolt them together?do you think that could work? regards Trevor

I would be totally surprised if Nissan can supply ANY spares for this engine in 2010, let alone 2014 or later!!

But a major compliment to them if they can......but not being able to repair it in the future might put a really problem on the engine decision....

My suggestion is look for a small modern diesel engine a VW TDI motor for example, far more economical and easier to find parts!! They still make them....

Also the Diesel fuel is far less explosive/does not catch fire so easily like petrol does.

Its actually the same fuel as heating oil, which may be even cheaper to buy where you live (in most countries fuel oil is "marked" to stop it being used for vehicles as it has less tax, that will not bother you in the slightest).....

You might even get it running on old chip shop oil, it will smell like "Frying tonight" when running.....

The exhaust and cooling water heat can top up the heating system in winter, or even run it completely maybe....

Best of luck.

Andy the diesel engine used in my 1982 Datsun truck is also used as as the engine in fork lift trucks, except here its called an industrial engine and service parts are available for much longer than for road vehicles intended for consumers. I was thinking this engine block might have been used as the basis for an industrial propane or natural gas engine. Generator or water pump applications come to mind. If the original poster is able to measure things with a caliper or similar he can check the industrial catalogs for service parts for non road motors. I currently drive a truck with the same engine block as what I had in a 1967 truck except the exterior looks different due to fuel injection, air pollution controls and what have you. My wife's uncle is a heavy duty mechanic and has the same engine block which he has rebuilt once after nearly a million kilometers use. He assures me internal parts are interchangable from old to newer model just the parts number changes to justify gouging more money from consumers who do not know any better.

Good machine shops can often supply parts at prices competitive with what the brand name dealer now charges. The trick is knowing the actual dimensions involved instead of just a part number.

I know this too, but if one stupid but needed part is NOT available, he's screwed......

Having a motor that is still in production now means that he has won a few years.....

But each to his own.....I was just trying to draw his attention to some possible problem areas.

But do remember, he wanted to use a petrol engine and they are more rarely used as "industrial engines" nowadays.....Diesels, even if old, are more likely to be supported.

The TDI motors started out as a normally aspirated engine about 30 odd years ago. The basic block is still the same....as you mentioned, but even there, some parts may be now difficult to source......

True; gasoline engines are less often used industrially but natural gas or propane is often used industrially. Especially for greenhouses where gas heating is used . Both propane and natural gas being spark ignition means any propane or natural gas fuelled engine block uses an adapted gasoline not diesel engine. At least that is how it's often done around here. The emergency back up generators are often fuelled by the same natural gas supply used for heating the buildings.

Propane is often used where fork lift works both inside and outside. Propane produces CO2 not carbon monoxide exhaust and work place safety rules disallow gasoline but outside use sometimes preclude use of electric forklifts. Diesel exhaust is very obnoxious in confined spaces. Propane is not so bad. At least around here propane forklifts are quite prevalent. I have rarely seen an electric forklift with big lugged tractor tires but you often see that on propane powerd machines where the storage yard outside is rough gravel or worse.

Its sometimes easier to bring a 10 or 20 pound tank to the forklift than have power lines run for a charger; if the facility does not normally need it. Landscape suppliers is one place that comes to mind. They have an enclosed warehouse for stuff that must be kept dry but the building does not have any electrical facilities as such. Even if the compound as a whole has perimeter fence security lights it would be expensive to have an electician do a whole code compliant building service just for a charger. Cheaper to buy a propane fuelled forklift in order to be regulation compliant.

Concerning parts availability. I also agree this can be a problem which is why I mentioned a good machine shop. Many times I have been stuck because a part broke or I dropped it where I should not have. Grrr!! However I usually salvaged the situation by machining my own replacement and when it was beyond my skills, having a machine shop fabricate it for me. I still can't do a worm gear.

I learned from a Dutch master. One time I was bemoaning the need for a special dealer only tool for rebuilding my engine. The boss asked me what made the tool so special. After getting me to think about it and giving the relevant dimensions he pointed to the milling machine and lathe saying you have an hour for lunch. Get busy! A lesson I never forgot. A couple of years later the lesson paid off when I was able to design and fabricate my own tooling for a special project I had designed at work. ( same place)

Hello Guest,

There are many pros and cons pertaining to Petrol Vs Diesel engines. Frankly the A12 output should do the trick. The Standard A12 is a 1.2 liter (1171 cc) engine with 73 mm bore, like the previous A10 engine, but the stroke is increased to 70 mm. With five main bearings on a forged steel crankshaft, the engine is extremely smooth and durable. The 2-barrel Hitachi carburetor was significantly improved with the addition of a power valve circuit. It produced 69 hp (51.45 kW) and 70 ft·lbf. (94.9 Nm).

A Diesel engine will provide greater torque, but torque output isn't the issue. If you believe gasoline prices aren't an issue and 51.45 kw output will power your Generator then I feel the A12 is an excellent choice. The fuel savings alone will more than out weight the torque deficiency.

Here are some of the facts pertaining to Diesel Vs Gasoline:

Diesel:

Less expensive to run.

Not as powerful.

Offer more torque.

Vehicles powered by diesel more expensive.

Vehicles are more reliable because less complicated internally.

Vehicles are heavier to build.

Vehicles normally last longer.

Generally less expensive.

Will normally last longer in terms of miles.

Engines are generally loud.

Emits black smoke when engine is throttled.

Fuel is dirtier.

Turbo charged diesel will match standard gas engine in terms of power.

Gasoline Engines:

Produce more horsepower.

Gas engines are more tunable than diesel.

Can get better power increases.

Less expensive in terms of producing power.

Parts are a lot less expensive.

Engine doesn't last as long as a diesel because it is less complicated and less heavy internally.

Fuel is usually more expensive.

Fuel burns cleaner.

Diesel is often thought of as smelly and noisy. Many think that the only place for diesel is in a tractor or a semi, there are many other vehicles that are diesel powered however. Each person must determine what their individual needs are. A person has to do their research before making a purchase of any kind, but especially a large purchase such as a vehicle. You do not want to spend thousands of dollars just to realize later that you made the wrong decision, so take your time and do your research to help you make the best decision for you.

One question that isn't answered here is the emission standards with the black smoke that comes from the diesel engine. The reader is left to wonder if the emission standards are fine or if they are high due to the dirtier burn of diesel. This would be worth investigating. It should also be investigated if noise pollution is a factor with these engines.

When choosing which type of vehicle is what you want you must first determine what your needs are. If what you want is power and tuning options then a gasoline engine is what you are looking for. But if it is power and torque (a force that produces or tends to produce a twisting or turning motion, so in this instance the turning of parts of the motor) that you are looking for then you need a vehicle with a diesel engine. There are certainly plenty of choices out there. Just be sure that you are checking on what your needs are and you will be certain to have the right vehicle for you. Make certain that the vehicle will match your needs and give you the performance necessary to do the job.

Best Regards,

Tim

Tim; the OP stated he wanted to use the A12 engine as a generator. That means he is stuck with either 1500 RPM for a 50 hz machine or 1800 RPM for a 60 Hz generator. Would you happen to have the curve for that engine so we can get a realistic picture of power generation. Also there is going to be a loss of conversion from the theoretical calculation. I was guessing it would be realistic to get 10 - 12 kilowatt of AC power after compensation of losses and inefficiencies at the lower RPM.

Maybe I completely off the mark. I was just comparing it to what is generally available from commercial gensets of that displacement.

Your opinions are sometimes valid if talking about cars, but as the OP wants to drive a generator, maybe in his house, many of your points either do not apply or are simply wrong, sorry.

Some are even wrong for cars, you do not appear to have much experience of modern diesel engines, I have a lot......

Your list with my comments added in heavy type:-

Diesel:

Less expensive to run.

Not as powerful. Completely untrue nowadays with modern Turbo driven diesels, you even mentioned this point yourself later!!

Offer more torque.

Vehicles powered by diesel more expensive. Can be, but the difference is often minimal or almost non existent!!

Vehicles are more reliable because less complicated internally. True, but why did you say the opposide later?????

Vehicles are heavier to build. ???? Makes no sense, only the engines are generally heavier, the vehicle itself is otherwise usually identical to the petrol version...if the engine is removed.

Vehicles normally last longer. Why???? I agree the engines last longer, is that what you meant?

Generally less expensive. To run??? EG. More economical? You already said tha!....you also said more expensive to buy. Nonsense here.....

Will normally last longer in terms of miles. ???? As written, makes no sense. You already said two points above that "Vehicles normally last longer."

Engines are generally loud. Then you have never driven a modern diesel car, totally untrue with GOOD modern diesel cars.....like silk to drive!! Of course some cheap ones are loud.....

Emits black smoke when engine is throttled. Only if not set up properly, or does not have an exhaust filter as most modern diesels have. No need for black smoke ever nowadays....

Fuel is dirtier. ????? Makes no sense as written. Do you happily drink petrol??? I think not.....

Turbo charged diesel will match standard gas engine in terms of power. AGREED, most if not all modern diesels have a Turbo, I personally cannot name one without one off the top of my head that is without a Turbo today...but below you say almost the opposite again!!!!!

Gasoline Engines:

Produce more horsepower. ???? as written, makes no sense.....mostly untrue too with modern Diesels. See point above!!!!

For your education, BHP does not get you going as fast as Torque does.....Diesels have more Torque!!!!

Gas engines are more tunable than diesel. They need to be, but in fact it costs a lot more, most modern diesels can be chip tuned very cheaply if required.

Can get better power increases. Questionable at best, there are chips for making VW diesels up to 100 BHP per liter......and still VERY drivable....petrol engines with such power levels are seldom in my limited experience as much fun or as easy to drive.

Less expensive in terms of producing power. I Disagree.

Parts are a lot less expensive. But diesels live longer, far longer, you said so yourself, also in general they need far less parts which generally works out cheaper for diesels in the long run.....(I have had Diesels since 1987, I am not speaking from a point of inexperience!)

Engine doesn't last as long as a diesel because it is less complicated and less heavy internally. A diesel engine is still less complicated than a Petrol engine in the eyes of most people.....which is probably part of the reason the engines last longer....

Fuel is usually more expensive.

Fuel burns cleaner. Only when a Catalytic converter is used, but this also distributes Rhodium and platinum all over the roads and countrysides, a time bomb waiting to explode on us someday soon.....heavy metals are generally unhealthy when ingested as fine particles....Diesel filters have no heavy metals in them, but they clean the diesel exhaust as well as the petrol exhaust is......

You missed two important points:-

1) Diesel is much less explosive, flash point is around +40°C (from memory). If it catches fire, it usually just burns. As another poster mentioned earlier (I forget who), Diesel and heating fuel are almost the same and in many countries, heating fuel is far, far cheaper than diesel or petrol (Gas). If he has oil fired heating, he does not need to even buy diesel fuel, just connect to the heating oil tanks!!! A lot of agro fixed with a snap of the fingers!!!

2) Petrol has a flash point around -60°C if my memory serves me well. If it catches fire, may even explode under quite normal circumstances....having petrol in a house is far, far too dangerous..........simply suicide to my mind.......legal wise also a no no in most countries.......

A difference of around 100°C between flash points is simply not to be ignored.....don't you agree?.......

So Tim do you by chance have a power curve graph of this engine? It would be interesting to see what the output horsepower is at 1800 RPM.

You'll need reduction because max torque is about 3200 rpm and and rated hp about 6000 rpm. I'd expect 40-45 hp at 3200-3600 rpm and I'd use a flat wide belt too unless transmission is retained.

Bwire I suspect this is not going to be needed. That size engine loping along at 1500 or 1800 RPM will deliver somewhere around 9 - 12 kilowatts of AC power which is more than plenty for most houses.

Concerning belt drives.WHY? Single bearing power heads such as stamford makes bolt up to the normal bell housing with a coupling adaptor to give acess to the bolts needed to fasten the shafts together. You rarely see two bearing generators except as PTO driven farm utility generators and these tend to be more expensive than single bearing styles.

45 HP will drive a 30 kw generator which is really overkill. If the OP actually needed 30 kw or so he has a place so big and expensive I would wonder why he is attempting to build a generator on the cheap by DIYing an old car engine.

Furthermore the industry have already seen examples of small high speed engines being used as generators. They are not popular and have a poor service record. Altogether fast running engines are not recommended for generator use.

Belt drives, reduction gears, and two bearing alternators, simply makes for extra expense, a factor I suspect the OP is looking to avoid.

In retrospec thanks for the detail in this post it will be helpful later this year

I think that the OP is looking for a GenSet as "normal" power, not "emergency"......

"Emergency" implies to me for only very occasional usage.....then I personally would pick a Gas engine....a DG is usually too expensive for just occasional usage....

His Nissan motor would be fine for occasional usage I feel.....

Just a thought!!

Thanks for the GA

I agree with your line of reasoning if the fuel continued to be petrol. Also with the possibility this is likely to be a semi permanent or full time genset. If that is the case the whole project is less than optimal Better approaches are available. However! if the motor is converted to run on methane or natural gas ( assuming it is available) it would have a reasonable service life expectancy. And the A 12 is available from the sounds of it whereas a diesel engine may not be available or afford able.

Propane is another choice but comes closer to being as costly as petrol being a refinery derived fossil fuel. Methane digesters offer a low cost fuel source in rural communities that is renewable and more than likely sustainable. Unfortunately propane as a fuel requires hardened valve seats and spot welding the valve rotator according to the mechanics I spoke to. The age of the engine makes it a question mark if the valve seats are hardened stellite or not. The transition to lead free gasoline in North America began about then. I am not familiar with how global marketing of automotive fuels affected engine design and modifications in various countries.

Hey guest why don't you register?

You also missed a point made by the OP.

The engine is a given. The OP has already decided the 1200 is available and is asking what is involved should he decide to go ahead with the project.

Because the OP has not yet rejoined the discussion and provided us with additional details we can only guess and make recommendation based on our own experience and world perspective.

The question was not should I go find a petrol or diesel engine and what size should I get? The (partially unstated) question was: I have this old A12 engine available and am wondering what is involved in making it into a genset.

So far Bwire has made the most useful contribution with links to a service manual and data related to cam shape.

OP has not given any information as to condition of the engine but was asking specifically about the modifications if any that is needed to make it a genset. one of the biggest change is going to be the speed governor to maintain a steady frequency output. This is something not found on the automobile version.,

Regarding fuel. This is an open ended subject because we do not know if CNG is even available and quoting American Air Quality Regulations is meaningless if the OP is located half way around the world with different (if any) regulations needing compliance to.

We haven't herd from our Guest, perhaps we need to send him a e-mail.

djmingle@gmail.com thanks Trevor

??????????????????

Tim

I did and so far no answer back. Maybe his internet access is somewhat limited.

Here is a link to a workshop manual that can be down loaded: http://www.whedonists.net/images/tnpshow/Files/Datsun1200_70-73_Workshop_Manual-english.pdf

Great engine. I worked as an auto mechanic at a dealership which sold both BMC and Datsun in the 1970's.

I overhauled one Datsun 1200 that was run without oil until the rod bearings welded to the crank. All I had to do was peel the bearing off the crank shaft, polish the journal with 600 grit and install a new set of main and rod bearings.

Hi Snave - I cant seem to get your useful link to work:

http://www.whedonists.net/images/tnpshow/Files/Datsun1200_70-73_Workshop_Manual-english.pdf

It just leads to a load of dead ends - do you have any ideas if that pdf is still available somewhere - I had an official Nisan a12 engine manual but lent it to someone I am no longer in touch with - never a borrower nor a lender be!

Thanks

Yes the link is no longer working. I did a search using "Datsun1200 70-73 Workshop Manual" and found another copy as a scan: http://datsun1200.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=3166

Good luck.

Thanks for the lead - I think(!) ths is the earlier A12 - post 73 or 4 it was slightly different according to my sources anyway - I am sure mine is the later a12

Cheers anyway

much fitting has been done in the past but here we point you to the info...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_A_engine

http://martybugs.net/DatsunMods/engine.cgi

With the constant power requirement the essential engine settings will likely mirror those of the marine variety.

1970-1973 workshop manual .pdf about 20MB

a12 cam grinds, copy the image and resize

Electronic ignition installation instructions (detail)

Be certain to orient the fan to blow forward into the radiator.

Use of modern spark plugs will improve performance and increase maintenance intervals.

Good links bwire,

As I mentioned in Reply 3 there are modifications that can be made to give more HP depending on the type of more our quest has. If you dig deep into bugs link modifications you will find that on some model A12 engines the A15 cyl head can be mounted with larger valves. This will change the power curve ramp angle, depending on cam duration and timing. I believe the torque band can be changed to provide good HP at a lower RPM.

I need more engine type information from our Guest in order to proceed with additional specifications.

Good Job on links...

Best Regards,

Tim

GA

All you Guys think like excellent Mechanics, and offer great points for debate and discussion.

My special thanks to our Guest pertaining to his good point about fire safety. We need Guys like him to keep us focused. Why not join us Guest! Your input is appreciated.

We all are like a GREAT SEARCH ENGINE...

Excellent discussion.

What a team...

I believe that the HP output of this 1200 engine in conjunction with the proper gear ratio; we can run it a 1200 to 1300 RPM and make all the power his home can handle.

But I still need more information from our original guest.

I'll try to contact him through his e-mail

Best Regards,

Tim

Tim why complicate matters. You say:

"I believe that the HP output of this 1200 engine in conjunction with the proper gear ratio; we can run it a 1200 to 1300 RPM and make all the power his home can handle".

You don't need a gear box and the engine can develop in excess of 30 kilowatts at full whack. However it is commonly known that you can get by with as little as 3 kW without air conditioning and only need about 15 Kilowatt to carry the start surge of a hard start 10 ton air conditioning system. A normal home can do with a 5 ton unit. Why make it complicated with gears, belts etc. and run the engine at a weird RPM. If you don't believe me look at the size of generators sold by Cummings to name one company you say you are familiar with. Cummings Generac and Coleman sell natural gas powered emergency power packs for when the grid goes down in a storm. They sell thousands of these sets in Tornado and Hurricane prone areas.

Standard generators run 1800 RPM for 60HZ and 1500 RPM for 50 HZ power. A straight flange or sleeve coupling will suffice to connect a standrard power head bolted up using a regular SAE adaptor ring. This is what millions of other generators use so where is the advantage of being different? Use standard off the shelf parts as much as possible. you might even scrounge them at the scrap yard.

GA

In the spirit of keeping it simple & low cost: If our guest poster has a manual transmission, the transmission or part of the transmission could be used to make the connection to the engine. The full transmission could be used by simply putting it in 4th gear and attaching the generator to the output shaft. Or, just the front housing and the input shaft could be used to make the connection to the generator. The Datsun 1200 transmission is of a style which has the main and secondary shafts mounted on a vertical plate with detachable main case and extension housing.

But why? Leaving off the transmission is the simplest of all. It is not even needed.

Have you tried to marry up the splined output tail shaft to something else. No matter how you slice or dice it you need to cut metal and weld flanges or pulleys. The flywheel / ring gear has to remain to facilitate using the starter motor. So a normal generator bolts up to the flywheel and acess to these bolts is provided by a spacer ring drilled to match the SAE bolt pattern on the bell housing mount. Go look at any one of the gensets available on the market. Why custom fabricate something that can be bought off the shelf or found in the scrap yard?

Going the route you suggest necessitates using a two bearing generator which is much harder to find than a one bearing generator. That is not simplifying it at all.

The further from big urban centers with reliable utility power the original poster is located, the better his chances are to find stand alone gensets. Often these are scrapped because the engine is worn out or is seized from lack of maintenance but the generator power head is still in working condition. I thought all my fellow gearheads were excellent scroungers.

Rural areas where power can be unreliable ae also the place where people use and sometimes scrap generators.

We are digressing from the original question. Trevor asked for information about how to REBUILD the A12 motor specifically. Apart from the fact he will need some kind of governor to hold the speed steady under varying loads the conversion to generator use is fairly straight forward. Normal rebuilding is covered in the manual Bwire provided a link to. It covers timing and other normal engine setups. Either Trevor the OP already has it figured out how to find and bolt up a generator or he is a beginner who is not even familiar with how to rebuild engines in general. In which case he may have a steep learning curve. My suggestion to locate an industrial can was based on my own experience that cam shafts tend to wear faster than most other parts and a good slow speed cam can do wonders for perking up the engine. I hesitate to say performance because the automotive guys always seem to associate performance with high revving and increased horse power. For a stationary genset high torque at low end is far more important. Hence the industrial cam suggestion.

Have you tried to marry up the splined output tail shaft to something else.

It is the norm actually and exemplifies the beauty of the PTO drive .

The further from big urban centers with reliable utility power the original poster is located, the better his chances are to find

PTO drive gen-sets as it's not uncommon that such engines are used for multiple applications when required in out lying areas, at least the adaptability is highly appreciated. Salvaged PTO drive gen-sets often are accompanied by a 540rpm gear reduction too.

I can use the driven wheel of my PU or car to drive the gen-set or the pump or the auger to move granular fuel to the burner. I do have an engine in preparation to accomplish these tasks and having removed the starter will use and impact wrench or an air motor to spin it.

I wonder if this is as prevalent in all parts of Africa or India or Malaysia. Based on the people who I have talked to recently it isn't necessarily so. Our church minister is from Malaysia. A moth ago I spoke to a missionary from Zambawe and last night we spoke to people from Uganda. One of our neighbors have their daughter and son in law running a school in Jordan. The list goes on.

Great concept and I think much of the PTO drive gen-sets due the excessive opportunities to connect.

As you do, I came across this thread whilst searching for relevant material to help me in my quest TO REBUILD an A12 Nissan engine - I have just bought one for very little money but that is not the end of it I am sure, especially after reading this - it does have a reputation as a dependable workhorse and so it has proven for me - I run two of these engines in Prochem steam and vacuum carpet cleaning machines called Performers - one of my engines has 5000 hours and the other less then half that figure - basicly it drives a rootes (vacuum) blower and a Cat pump which drives water thru two heat exchangers - a helicoil copper affair and a catalyst exhaust stainless steel hx - it is very very efficient in terms of heat and they were being used until at least the late 90s in this form and beyond that in other carpet cleaning machines by other companies (Blueline is another (now defunct?) trade name I think). Both engines perform well and I have only bought this engine because it was cheap and I am interested in keeping the two machines going as long as possible - they are powerful enough that for most domestic jobs they are just running at just over idle speed - not sure what that is but the blower needs to run at 1500rpm for optimum performance so it is less than that and there are two more 'stops' on the governor after idle.

As mentioned there are many of these engines used in industrial applications fork lifts etc and I have found a set of rebuilding components on ebay inc. rings, gaskets etc it is produced by Falcon and is item no: 170766237784 - could some clever mechanical brain look at this and give me an opinion as to whether this kit will be useful to me.

I have just got the engine today and have not even looked for the block number which will presumably tell me more about the way forward - btw I have emailed the anon poster who started this thread but not got a reply as yet to see how he got on. Any advice gratefully considered - Isn't the interweb wonderful (hopefully)!

I would only use genuine Nissan parts.

I worked on many Datsun A12 gasoline engines as an auto mechanic working at Datsun dealers from 1970 through 1976. They did not have replaceable cylinder sleeves. The Falcon shows replaceable sleeves. I am not familiar with the A12 diesel. Perhaps they have replaceable cylinders.

Snave - thanks yes I see those in the pic - I was assuming thats what they were - and assuming the pic is of the right kit!

No it is a petrol engine and the kit is listed as being for 'gas' by which I took it they mean petrol and not lpg but now you have me thinking - Im sending them the block numbers to see if they concur

Ah so you think I should not mess with a non-OEM kit? I just assumed the 'proper stuff' is no longer available but I see I will have to look further than the ubiquitous fleabay...thanks again!

I have my engine block number now:

A12 511921 - anyone have any sources or knowledge about what this actually tells me about the engine I have and the way forward - just starting to strip the grime and dismantle

I would like to document it even half as well as the A series (Triumph cars) engine that is obviously the work of a very competent mechanic in this time lapse(!) seen on yootoob

Paste and search for this vid on there:
11 Months, 3000 pictures and a lot of coffee.

did not realize this would appear half-way up the thread!

Hi Snave - I cant seem to get your useful link to work:

http://www.whedonists.net/images/tnpshow/Files/Datsun1200_70-73_Workshop_Manual-english.pdf

It just leads to a load of dead ends - do you have any ideas if that pdf is still available somewhere - I had an official Nisan a12 engine manual but lent it to someone I am no longer in touch with - never a borrower nor a lender be!

Thanks

ALSO - it appears that Falcon use the same picture for all their engine kits so the liners in the picture is a red herring - this is what the kit includes

OUR FORKLIFT MASTER ENGINE KIT - all parts brand NEW in box

KIT-A12

Kit Includes:

1. PISTONS std/020/030/040/060
2. RINGS
3. Piston pins
4. Rod bearings - std/010/020/030/040
5. Main bearings w/thrusts std/010/020/030/040
6. Full gasket set
7. Cam bearings
8. Freeze plugs
9. Oil pump
10. Timing chain

$287 plus $114 carriage plus customs duty here in uk and local delivery

I have made some progress with the carb - it is now unseized and should work with a new gasket set - I am assuming it is a Hitachi but there are no actual markings or part nos. on it aprt from the letters ISO (Int Standards Organisation?) and what I take to be the Hitachi logo - it is the same as the ones I have operating and I know the carb gasket set in one of those was changed recently.

Although the kit has a lot of parts for the price. I would first tear down the engine and see which parts are required. I would think that it is more likely that you would need valves before pistons. And I would not replace pistons or cam bearings unless they show signs of wear.

Replacing pistons: Typically, piston diameters vary quite a bit. But, Nissan/Datsun did a good job holding tolerances. I have no idea how well Falcon holds the tolerance on their piston diameters. The typical process for replacing a piston is for a machinist to measure the diameter of each piston and the required clearance and then bore the cylinder to match each piston.

A feeler gauge can be used between the piston and the cylinder wall to measure for proper clearance.

Thats useful thankyou I will bear that in mind - not having done this before I need to have a plan of action and this gives me one. First off though I want to build some sort of frame to hold the engine.