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Turbo swap, steering question...


naviathan

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I'm getting ready to drop a turbo into my 81ZX and I wasn't sure if the turbo and the steering box would interfere? My ZX has reciprocating ball steering so there's a steering box on the fender well. It looks like it's close to the location the turbo would sit, but I wasn't sure. Does anyone know if there's any clearance issues with this setup?

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naviathan, that site helps a lot make sure to read it plenty of times I did the full turbo swap on my non turbo 81 280zx as well it's pretty simple and straight forward. You can also use the non turbo tranny if you like also subframe is interchangable the turbo models used a R200 3.54 diff make sure to check what kind you have.

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Anytime, I was building and selling the ECUs for a while there. I'm pretty good at diagnosing problems and I haven't met an ECU yet that I couldn't repair. I had one running my old setup for a very short time. That setup died due to overly high compression and old low octane gas, but the MS-II ran it anyway, even after the head gasket blew out around two cylinders. Damn good ECUs...Gotta finish my car...I'm getting antsy again...

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Thanks for the link! At least I know I can keep my reciprocating ball steering and still install the turbo. It's just a tight fit to the waste gate.

 

There really is not much to worry about Just cut that little piece like a square shape so it just goes around the steering box I have a T3/T04E turbo nothing really different but it fits fine with no problems at all you can always buy an external waste gate!

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I like that thought. Are there any disadvantages to an external waste gate? I'll probably throw it in as is and cut the bracket for now, but for future reference this would be good to know.

 

Well for me external waste gates are actually better if you are going to have a build turbo engine plus also gives you room to add a bigger turbo if disiered and they let you run a little more boost. The 280z intake manifold has no EGR which gives room for an external waste gate plus the manifold is smaller takes less room. I know when I have the money to really modify my engine I'm going to do the external waste gate on mine.

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I have a front cross member with R&P, but I don't want to lose my RB setup because it responds soooo much better than the R&P models.

 

Also I have the trans cross member from the turbo car I pulled everything out of. I also have the rear diff, CV shafts, axel stub adapters, etc. etc... I went into this with a pretty good idea of what I needed from the parts car.

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I have a front cross member with R&P, but I don't want to lose my RB setup because it responds soooo much better than the R&P models.

 

Also I have the trans cross member from the turbo car I pulled everything out of. I also have the rear diff, CV shafts, axel stub adapters, etc. etc... I went into this with a pretty good idea of what I needed from the parts car.

 

Your pretty much set, i had a 1983 280zx turbo i used as a donor car and had everything at my disposal besides the engine i also used the T-5 with a new short shifter from Steeda(aftermarket mustang company), driveshaft, CV axles with new boots, kept my stock R200 3.90 Diff, swapped the turbo rear brakes. I'm not completely done since i got another L28ET off a 81 turbo that was rebuild might be using that instead of the one i got in my car now.

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