The Nissan A series of

internal combustion An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combust ...

gasoline engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as ''E ...

s have been used in

Datsun Datsun (, ) was an automobile brand owned by Nissan. Datsun's original production run began in 1931. From 1958 to 1986, only vehicles exported by Nissan were identified as Datsun. Nissan phased out the Datsun brand in March 1986, but relaunche ...

, Nissan and Premier brand vehicles. Displacements of this four-stroke engine family ranged from 1.0-liter to 1.5-liter and have been produced from 1967 till 2009. It is a small-displacement four-cylinder straight engine. It uses a lightweight

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron– carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impur ...

block and an

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...

cylinder head In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head (often abbreviated to simply "head") sits above the cylinders and forms the roof of the combustion chamber. In sidevalve engines, the head is a simple sheet of metal; whereas in more modern ...

, with overhead valves actuated by

pushrods A valvetrain or valve train is a mechanical system that controls the operation of the intake and exhaust valves in an internal combustion engine. The intake valves control the flow of air/fuel mixture (or air alone for direct-injected engines) ...

. The Nissan A engine design is a refined, quiet and durable gasoline engine. It appears to be a modern replacement of the earlier iron-headed Nissan C and Nissan E engines and is of similar dimensions. The 1960s E series was an all-new design from newly acquired

Aichi Kokuki was a Japanese aircraft manufacturer which produced several designs for the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, the company was reorganized as Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd (愛知機械工業) where they made small '' kei'' cars until ...

, and integrated Nissan's improvements to the BMC B-Series engine design of the 1950s (Nissan was a licensee of Austin Motor Company technology), mainly comprising changing the camshaft from the left side to the right side so removing the intrusion of the pushrods from the porting allowing 8 individual ports instead of 5 originally, and moving the oil pump from the rear of the camshaft to the right side of the block. As production continued, 1974 and newer A-series engines had different block castings, with relocated motor mount bosses. __TOC__

A10: the first A-series engine

The A10 is a 1.0-liter (988 cc) engine, released in September 1966 in the 1967

model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...

Datsun 1000. The A10 featured a three main bearing crankshaft. Bore was 73 mm and stroke was 59 mm (same as the

Nissan C engine The Nissan C-series was an inline-four automobile engine produced in the 1950s and into the 1960s. It displaced 1.0 L (988 cc) and produced 37 hp (27.6 kW) and 47.7 to 49 lb·ft (64.7 to 66.4 Nm). It was a pushrod e ...

). With a two-barrel Hitachi carburetor and an 8.5 to 1 compression ratio this engine produced at 6000 rpm and . The Datsun 1000 Coupé, introduced in Sept 1968, was equipped with an uprated A10 engine boasting a free flowing dual outlet exhaust manifold with increased compression, now 9 to 1. With a revised carburetor, this engine produced . Export versions of the A10 as installed in the Datsun 100A produced SAE at 6000 rpm and at 4000 rpm. A belt-driven SOHC version of the A10 was built as the E10 into the early nineties. ;Applications * 1967–1970

Nissan Sunny The is an automobile built by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1966 to 2006. In the early 1980s, the brand changed from Datsun to Nissan in line with other models by the company. Although production of the Sunny in Japan ended in 2006, the na ...

(B10, B20; Datsun 1000) * 1971–1976

Nissan Cherry The Datsun Cherry (チェリー), known later as the Nissan Cherry, was a series of subcompact cars which formed Nissan's first front-wheel drive supermini model line. The Cherry featured the front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. The Cherry li ...

(E10; Datsun 100A) * 1974–1978 Nissan Cherry F-II (F10) * 1978–1981 Nissan Pulsar/Cherry (N10)

A12 (1200): further refinements

The A12 is a engine with a bore, like the previous A10 engine, but with its stroke increased to . With five main bearings on a forged steel crankshaft, the engine is extremely smooth and durable. The two-barrel (twin-choke) Hitachi carburettor was significantly improved with the addition of a power valve circuit. The A12 engine produced and torque. A special version of the A12 called the "A12 GX" engine, was available (A12GX or A12T for front-wheel drive applications). With twin Hitachi sidedraft carburetors, a longer duration camshaft and 10:1 compression ratio, it delivered at 6400 rpm, up 20 percent from a standard A12 engine. The GX engine was offered in

Japanese Domestic Market Japanese domestic market (JDM) refers to Japan's home market for vehicles and vehicle parts. There is a common misconception that any Japanese branded car is JDM; however, this is not true. Only a vehicle made in Japan specifically to be sold i ...

1200 GX sedans and coupes. The identical specification A12T engine was offered in the front-wheel-drive

X-1.

An overbored version of the A12 was used in period race cars, including Nissan factory (

works Works may refer to: People * Caddy Works (1896–1982), American college sports coach * Samuel Works (c. 1781–1868), New York politician Albums * '' ''Works'' (Pink Floyd album)'', a Pink Floyd album from 1983 * ''Works'', a Gary Burton album ...

) racing Sunnys. Many were

overbore Overbore cartridges are those with a relatively large case volume or case capacity, coupled with a relatively small diameter bullet. The case volume or case capacity and barrel bore area can be mathematically related to obtain a case volume to bore ...

d from the original to using Tomei forged pistons for a displacement of , while others used Datsun Competition forged pistons, for a displacement of . These legendary engines competed in Japan's Touring Sedan (TS) class races against the 1200s archrival

Toyota Starlet The is a subcompact car manufactured by Toyota from 1973 until 1999, replacing the Publica, but retaining the Publica's "P" code and generation numbering. The first generation Starlet was sold as the Publica Starlet in some markets. In Japan ...

. Perhaps the most interesting variety of A series engines was the AY12 engine. This was a special race-only Nissan factory (

) racing version with a

crossflow cylinder head A crossflow cylinder head is a cylinder head that features the intake and exhaust ports on opposite sides. The gases can be thought to flow across the head. This is in contrast to reverse-flow cylinder head designs that have the ports on the same ...

. The AY12 was used in an under -class with a bore diameter. The intake valve was and exhaust valves were . The pistons were also a special design and the valve rocker system was different from the standard A12 due to the use of a crossflow layout for the racing engine. ;Applications * 1970–1973

B110, and B120 ( Nissan Sunny Truck) * 1971–1973

E10 (Datsun 120A) * 1970 Nissan 270X concept * 1985-2001 Premier 118NE (Fiat 124)

1974 redesign

For the 1974 model year, the A engine was modified, and all subsequent A engines use the new block style. Since there was increasing need for accessories like air conditioning, anti-pollution air pumps and the like, the distributor was moved from the front side of the engine to the middle of the block to make room for these accessories. Additionally, the motor mount positions were moved slightly. Nissan introduced its emission control technology, called NAPS ( Nissan NAPS) with the redesign. This "new" A12 retained the same bore, stroke and most other specifications of the previous A12. ;Applications * 1974–1978

B210 (Datsun 120Y) (not used in the US model B-210) * 1974–1976

E10 (Datsun 120A) * 1977.11-1982

B310 (Datsun 120Y) (not used in the US model 210) * 1974–1995

Truck * 1978–1982

Nissan Pulsar The is a line of automobiles produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1978 until 2000, when it was replaced by the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy in the Japanese market. Between 2000 and 2005, the name "Pulsar" has been used in Australia and New ...

N10 /

N10 (Datsun 120A) * 1978–1988 Nissan Vanette (C120) – at 5,400 rpm (called Datsun Vanette/Nissan Sunny Vanette/Nissan Cherry Vanette, depending on dealership channel) * Premier 118NE sedan, made by Premier in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

A12A

The A12A is a 1.2-liter (1,237 cc) engine. It used a casting similar to the A12 and same stroke, but used a 75 mm bore (up from 73 mm), for an increase of 66 cc capacity. It too was of an overhead valve design. The A12A also uses a different (stronger) conrod with a larger diameter gudgeon pin. The A12A shared a common block and crankshaft with the redesigned A12 and A13 engines. ;Applications * 1977.11–1980.11 Datsun Sunny B310 – at 6000 rpm * 1979–1982 "Datsun 210", USA and Canada version of Sunny B310. * 1974–1979 “ Nissan Cherry” Second generation (F10, F-II) * 1978–1982 “ Datsun Cherry” Third generation (N10)

A13 (1974): the first tall-deck A engine

The 1974 A13 is a 1.3-liter (1288 cc) engine with 73 mm bore like the A10 and A12 above, but stroke increased to 77 mm, and compression ratio reduced to 8.5:1. This engine features a "tall-block" with a deck height higher than previous A-series engines. Applications * 1974

Datsun B-210 (USA and Canada) Making this engine a . An important fact is that this model only existed in the 1974 model year.

A13 (1979–1982) – short-deck engine

The redesigned A13 is a 1.3-liter engine. It used the same basic block casting as the A12 and same stroke of 70 mm, but used a 76 mm bore for a displacement of 1,270 cc. This engine was also used as the basis for a number of Formula Pacific and Formula 3 race engines. ;Applications * 1980–1982 Nissan Sunny B310

A14

The A14 is a 1.4-liter (1397 cc) engine produced from the 1975

Model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...

through 2008. The bore was increased to 76 mm, up from 73 mm of previous A-series engines. Like the previous A13 engine, the A14 is a "tall-block" variant. It was produced in various ratings from 50

Horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...

to . A twin-carburetor "GX" version of this engine (A14T) was available in some markets. ;Applications * 1975–1978

B210 (140Y or B-210) * 1976-1978 Nissan/Datsun F-10 * 1977.11-1982

Datsun Sunny Sunny is a daytime weather condition. It may refer to: People * Sunny (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Sunny (singer), member of Girls' Generation * Sunny, of Sue and Sunny, who also recorded as a solo artist ...

HB310 (aka Datsun 140Y or Datsun 210) * 1977–1982

N10 (aka Datsun/Nissan Cherry, Datsun 310) 92 PS (JDM) * 1977–1981

Nissan Stanza In poetry, a stanza (; from Italian ''stanza'' , "room") is a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line or indentation. Stanzas can have regular rhyme and metrical schemes, but they are not required to have eit ...

/Auster/Violet, 80 PS (JDM) * 1978–1988 Nissan Vanette (PC120) – at 5400 rpm (originally only in 'Coach' passenger versions) * 1982–2008 Nissan 1400 LDV (model B140. Only sold in South Africa). * Datsun Forklift models (including turbocharged variant). Replaced the A15 normally aspirated engine due to emission controls implemented in the Asian markets. A

fuel-injected Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All com ...

version (A14E) was offered in Asian markets in the B310.

A15 – Stroker motor

The A15 is a 1.5-liter (1,487 cc) engine produced from 1979 till 2009 where it was used in the Malaysian Vanette C22. The stroke was increased by 5 mm from the A14 engine to now measure 82 mm, while the bore remained 76 mm. It produces . It used only a different block casting number, but retained the same "tall-block" deck height, measurements and BMEP as the A14. In the Nissan B120 Sunny "RoadStar" truck it is capable of 49 mpg (17,3 km/L). A

version of the A15 (A15E) was offered in Asian markets. ;Applications *

PB310 ("Datsun 210") *

F10 ("Datsun F10") * Nissan B120 Pickup ("RoadStar" and "SportStar") in New Zealand * 1985-2009

Nissan Vanette The is a cabover van and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1978 until 2011. The first two generations were engineered by Nissan's Aichi Manufacturing Division for private, personal ownership, with the last two genera ...

C22 * Datsun 310 N10 in United States * Nissan forklift: Replaced the commercial J15 engine from 1974 to 1978 * 1988-2000 Grove-Manlift AMZ66 and AMZ56 (31kW, 42.5hp)

References

* ''SP Workshop Manual Series No. 111: Datsun 120Y, Sunny, B210'', . * Service Manual Model A10 and A12 Engine, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd, June 1971 * Datsun Sunny B310 Japan Domestic Market parts catalog, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd, October 1983

External links

Datsun1200.com

New Zealand Datsun Club

Datsun 1200 Asia