Nic_A31 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 I'm in the process of replacing alot of ancillaries at the moment, and want to get a new distributor.I can only find single spark Z24 distributors on eBay, but I've also found twin spark model distributor caps.Is there any reason why I can't buy a single spark dizzy and put a new twin spark cap onto it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstGenFreak Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Different setup, and they use a different length distributor drive. I actually ran a twin spark engine with a single spark dizzy for a decade, just ran the leads to the drivers (RHD) side set of plugs. Had to change the oil pump/distributor drive. Raised plenty of questions when I lifted the hood haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ije Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 An Australian story: I had a Z24S - running on unleaded gas and LPG - with a rebuilt single spark dizzy from a Nissan Cabstar in it, so a set of spark plugs were unused in the block. Simplified everything and went, but it accelerated flatly / poorly, despite me systematically eliminating reasons / changing all possibilities/consumables over the years, including adding an after market electronic ignition. A few things, once remedied (esp. a hidden vacuum leak), improved it, but it always missed a beat at vital moments accelerating, no matter what fuel was used. Then, years later, while eliminating the mixtures being too lean / rich at a garage, the old time owner mechanic said he knew what it was, and advised me to put in a twin spark dizzy from a Nissan Nomad / Vanette: he said he had seen it before and it was the acceleration curve being out. I was VERY sceptical. But he was absolutely right! I have since tried three separate twin spark distributors in the same engine, and all accelerate cleanly & without grief. I tend to run now on only one coil and set of spark plugs fine, which doubles the life of the cap & rotor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstGenFreak Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Interesting, Mine performed better with the single spark leccy dizzy. Cabstar dizzy may have had a retarded curve on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Reverse Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 In answer to the original question, if the distributor and cap/rotor are like what we had here in North America, the dual spark cap/rotor is physically too big to fit the single distributor. My experience was with my 1980 200sx(Silvia for the rest of the world since it was a hatchback). My car was a federal emissions so had the single spark ignition. 1980 California and 1981 on for NA had the dual ignition on the Z series engines. I crushed the oil pan and wound up welding #2 rod to the crankshaft. So replaced engine. The replacement was a low mileage Japan engine and required lots of changes to work in my car.that one required me to swap the distributor/oil pump drive to fit my distributor to the engine. Move on a few years and the engine I built for that car used the dual spark head and I found the distributor/oil pump shaft was different length between the single and dual spark distributor. I had updated the electrical in the car from an 83, so was easier to swap to a dual spark distributor and drive than make the single spark work with my ECU and wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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