GrayZee

The knock sensor won't matter at all. All it does is retard the timing if it hears knock. You just have to make sure you have good tuning. Guys that use the z31 ecu don't run the knock sensor anyway.

I had to go back and read bumblezee's post to see what you are talking about. Of course it all came back to me if you read post #4 on that thread you will see that I commented on several things that didn't make sense to me. The 6 pin connector and the ground wire one of them. I know that the coil trigger on a z31 had a dedicated ground wire on the coil ignitor but the 280zxt ignitor only has two pins (one to pin #5 of the ecu, and the other to switched ignition source) I'm sure that is has to be grounded but I guess it gets its ground simply from being bolted to the chassis. Where the wire that bumblezee is taking about goes, I have no idea as I don't have a diagram of a 81 turbo. In fact I think the wiring diagram that bumblezee posted is for a 1982 model (which is the same as a 83) Obviously they are different from a 81 though. My engine started up just fine without a special ground but there is nothing to stop you from running a wire from the ignitor mount directly to the negative battery terminal if it helps you to sleep at night. As for the head temp thing, if you leave that disconnected it will not run properly. I don't know alot on this subject but I guess you can look into two possibilities. #1. The head temp sensor does not screw into the water jacket as many people would assume. It simply measures the temp of the head itself. So perhaps you could get a head temp sensor and find a way of attaching it to the head. Carefully drill and tap a hole? or maybe just get or make a aluminum nut with the same threads as the sensor. Then weld the nut to the side of the head. #2 I seem to remember reading that the ohm values of the head temp sensor are the same as the water temp sensor on the thermostat housing, so perhaps you can use that? You had better confirm that the values are the same before you do that because I'm not sure if what I read was true or not. Do a search, maybe there is a post on the subject.

I've seen ZR8ED's site, awesome job he did on his car. From what I've seen from his swap a Vg30et is not worth the trouble. Simply because of the difficulties faced vs. adding goodies to a L28et to match the power of a Vg30et. Definatly not a job for the average swapper. If anyone were to do that swap again I would suggest that maybe it would be easier to custom make some exhaust manifolds to change the position of where the turbo sits. Also I would suggest getting a intake manifold from a 90's Pathfinder and be able to mount the engine further back. Not trying to bash the job that ZR8ED did but just pointing out another way it could be done. Somewhat like the swap I have in progress to put a Vg30et in a Pathfinder. http://www.members.shaw.ca/icecube/PathyPipes/

Ok, now I know the plugs that you are talking about.. They are both rectangular but one of them has rounded off corners on two sides. First of all the one square corners on all four sides is for the fuel pump modulator. It messes with the fuel pump ground to slow down the fuel pump under low load conditions. Mostly to make it run quieter during idling. Personally I wouldn't bother with it. It makes wiring up the the fuel pump more complicated and I don't find the extra noise of the fuel pump annoying at all. Just leave it unplugged. Second that plug has been explained before in Drax's sticky post about turbo swapping. Here is a quote.. "The wires are as follows: Plug 1= BR 12v power source. Positive G 12v power source. Positive Plug 2=Y start signal (+) GL ground for inhibitor switch YW speed sensor (not necessary) Y A/C signal (+) YW coil (-) (must use ignitor) B fuel pump ground if using modulator Plug 3=LR fuel pump relay G ignition .signal (+) for air regulator W not used Y not used BW ignition signal (+) " The one that you are looking at is plug #2. There are only two wires you need to grab from that plug: Y start signal (just run to the start terminal at the ignition switch) YW coil ignitior (goes to the transistor box on the coil mount) Here is the confusing part, there are two Y and YW wires on that plug. If you hold the plug so that the flat part (the one with square corners) is facing down, then you would want the two wires in the middle of the top row (the row that has the rounded corners) If you are still unsure if you have the right wires you can use a ohm meter to confirm that the the wires conduct to pins 5 and 9 at the ecu plug. If you look closely at the ecu plugs you will see that the pins are numbered.

AAC (don't recall the actual name) but it is for the ecu to control the idle. Perhaps useful if you have air conditioning or something that will load down the engine, but setting the idle with the screw on the throttle shaft does the trick just fine. EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) allows the ecu to control how and when the egr valve opens. This is purely for emission control and most people simply ditch the whole system.

I've seen lots of people get carried away bidding on written off cars at insurance auctions. They buy a car that it totally creamed in the side for the same amount that you could buy one that isn't even smashed! stupid!

You had also mentioned the RB swap. A friend of mine has a 240z with a Rb26dett and that is one crazy car. However it is obviously a much more difficult and expensive swap. For the amount of money a RB swap is you can easily build up a L28et to match the RB and have change to spare (assuming you don't add anything to the RB) However if you want to push it 4, 5 or 600+ HP then the RB would definatly be the way to go. Of course if you wanna build up a RB engine then you'd better have deep pockets.

No, you are in a zx you are basically stuck with 90's in which case you might as well go with 3" 90's

Pictures 1 and 2: Cant really say for sure as the picture isn't all that great. It would help alot to know where abouts on the harness those plugs are. Picture #3 The two prong connector near the ecu is NOT USED even the Nissan service manual will say that. Picture #4 Those two plugs are for the AAC and EGR solenoids. They are not nessesary to make the engine run.

Something wrong with overkill?

Actually I thought it was 2 and 3/8, it's over 2" for sure anyway.

Yes you can use a N/A ecu instead of a turbo, but once again.. ONLY if it is a tuneable ecu. The N/A is programmed with a much more agressive timing advance curve. Not good for a turbo, you want something that will retard the timing as you hit boost otherwise you might grenade your engine. If the ecu is tunable, you can always make a new advance curve. A ecu that is tuneable should have a 28 pin eprom chip on the mainboard. All you have to do is pop the cover off with a 4 phillips screws and have a look. Or you could always get the number part number off of the ecu to find out the year and application.

I've only seen a late 80's maxima MAF from the view of the engine bay, and from that distance they looked a little bit different to me. Never said it wouldn't work though. However by the looks of your pictures I would say not to bother with it. However the fact is that you guys are arguing over the compatibility of the late 80's maf vs. the z31 maf. That was never the question in the first place. The maf that needforZ is talking about is the 90's maf. I've never actually tried fitting one but I have seen them up close, and to me it looks exactly the same as the one that is used on the z32. The z32 maf can be used, has the same rubber boot size but needs a flange one the one side. Plus you will need to re-tune the ecu to read that maf properly. In which case you had better get your hands on a ecu that is retune friendly. (late 80's z31 ecu's are ideal)

I've seen worse. Mind you they were sitting in a wrecking yard and not on Ebay.

they are all the same, the plastic maxima maf you'll need a flange for the one side though.

The L28et afm and z31 maf both fit inside of the the same rubber boot. A 3" tube works well for a air intake.

I think he's using a newer maxima maf. (the plastic kind) Those are good, but definatly need the ecu to be re-tuned to run one of those. The older maxima ecu might not work well with the plastic maf as the ecu may be too old,, and you won't be able to re-tune it. If you can't retune it then you can't run a newer style maf.

I remember when I first got my 3" downpipe. At the time, word around here was.. "it couldn't be done" A friend of mine convinced me to at least try and build one. Hey, I wasn't gonna argue, he welded it up for me! Scottie is right about the room for error. Basically there isn't any. If you are just a hair out on the angle it will be touching the firewall. That's the biggest reason I never really made a huge effort to build them. I also think that the difference between the 2.5" to 3.0" pipe is likely minimal. However if I were to build another one, I would see no reason to go backwards and make a 2.5" downpipe. It does take more time and fitting but I still wouldn't go back. I think that if you have the means to put one together yourself then you should go 3.0" just for the hell of it. All you need is the flange, reducer cone, two 45 degree bends and some straight pipe. If anybody wants these peices I can get them for you guys no problem. In fact, it's only the connection between the top and the first bend that is so critical. I might even be able to get them pre-assembled with the exception of that one connection. Then you could take it to a muffler shop and have them put the rest together. Of course, for anybody who dosn't aready know, a 3" downpipe with two 45 degree bends will only fit on a Z (not a zx) and it MUST be a Nissan tranny and not a Borg Warner. Oh, and if anybody wants parts to build their own 2.5" downpipe, I can get that too.

I don't know about the 90's Maximas but the ones from 87 or so can be used. Although not as good as a z31 ecu. Alot of it depends on what you really want to use it for. It won't be alot of use to you unless you wanna reprogram it. The maxima injectors are smaller than a L28et or Vg30et injector. The maxima Maf will work as well, but it all depends on your setup and if you wanna reprogram the ecu or not. For one thing take the 4 screws out from the ecu cover and look at the board. Does it have a chip that has 28 pins?

Yeah, I love that bodykit, I really want one to ditch my ugly bumpers

yes it's been done.. back in the early 70's there was a company named Crown that actually sold a turbo kit for the 240z. It was a blow through system that only used one of the SU carbs. It was claimed to propel a 240z into the high 14's. Pretty fast for back then.

The panels are pretty much the same, it's only the bumpers that are different. The 280 is also alot heavier. I'm also sure this has been discussed MANY times on this forum

Yes, if the timing chain is out by a tooth it could cause problems like that. Also the distributor could be out, or even the gear that drives the distributor might not be installed properly. I'm only suggesting this because I helped a guy do a turbo swap this summer. He first got the engine rebuilt at a shop. Well perhaps they know their way around a domestic engine but they kinda messed up this one. I couldn't get it running good, later I figured out that the distributor was WAY out and couldn't be adjusted because the drive spline was WAY out too.. I was surprised it even ran. Not only that.. we found that the camshaft sprocket was out by two teeth. At first we were getting about 110psi on a compression check (on a fresh engine?) My engine with over 120,000 miles has 155psi. After we fixed the timing gear to where it should be, we were getting 160psi. I guess if you want something done right, do it yourself. I just think you should explore these possibilities as they all could cause the problems that you are describing.

is it possible that your distributor and/or cam is not installed properly causing your miss firing?

yes but even if you have good connections your efi relay could still be flakey