GrayZee

The reason the 280zx turbo's only had 10 more horses than the 280z was the way the horsepower was rated. Old school method was to measure gross HP, meaning at the flywheel with no alternator, fan, water pump, ect. The newer method was to measure net HP I think the old 240z's only had 129 net HP n/a 280zx's had 135-140 net HP Of course nowadays when people talk about modifying cars for more HP they usually refer to wheel HP (the power that actually reaches the wheels after it loses alot to friction and rotating mass in the tranny, driveshaft, diff, ect.) Wheel HP will be a even lower number than net HP

Ok, it's not finished yet, but the turbo exhaust manifold is finished enough to bolt the turbo on. So I thought I'd post a few pics for you guys to see the progress. The engine bay is pretty cluttered, I'll clean it up as much as I can but it is pretty "busy" in there. You can also see the pipes laid out suggesting where the DP will be. http://members.shaw.ca/icecube/

Simply just running out and buying new parts isn't the answer. First of all how do you know that "the injectors aren't firing" Did you test them? They could be firing with no fuel pressure, or there may be no electical signal from the ecu to the injectors, or... the injectors could be toast. Here are some things you should look at: 1. fuel pressure test 2. injector/ecu electrical test (using a injector test light) 3. if it passes the first two tests, supspect the injectors themselves. (not all that likely, especially if the engine ran recently)

DON'T run the hoses to the auto-trans cooler in the rad! That is designed for a thinner oil and would prove to be a HUGE restriction, not good at all. Easiest solution would be to take the old brass fittings for the oil hoses out and take them to a hydraulics specialty shop, and ask them for a adapter to fit those same threads. The adapter should convert it to a 1/2 flare fitting. With flare fittings you should be able to make yourself a bypass hose. Just ask them for a couple of "90 degree push on fittings" and a couple feet of hose. Here is your shopping list: 2 metric to sae 1/2 flare adapters 2 90 degree push on hose ends 2 feet of oil line hose You can put them together easy enough yourself. You just need to put the fittings in a vise, grease them up, and PUSH the hoses on. It's and very tight fit and no need for any kind of clamp.

All the electrical components from a 300zx and 300zxt are the same other than the programming of the ECU itself, and if the ECU is 87-89 then it can be re-programmed. The injectors are the same too. The o2 sensors are different, but that's minor detail.

I guess if you can find a place to get all the 280zxt parts.. ECU, AFM, injectors, dizzy.. ect then fine, but I'm thinking that they would be harder to come by than a 300zx. A 300zx ecu, maf, injectors, and even dizzy would be alot easier to find. I'm working on a adapter to run a 300zx dizzy on a L engine. Not only would it be easier to find, it's a much better system!

I agree with FL327 that it is easier to just buy a complete 280zx turbo car and swap everything over. However that is not always possible. I've never tried to turbo a N/A engine (yet) but if I did, this is how I would do it.. You pretty much HAVE to get your hands on a turbo exhaust manifold (unless you have the skill to make one) Of course you need a turbo (buy a new one if you have the cash) I wouldn't worry too much about the turbo oil pump (as long as you aren't running a oil cooler or something) However it certainly couldn't hurt to get one either. The n/a oil pan can be modified easily enough to accept a drain port for the turbo. I would get all my injectors, ecu, sensors, ect. straight from a z31 car (better setup and likely alot easier to find) and lastly I would seriously look into getting a intercooler for anything other than stock boost to make up for the higher CR

I agree with Anonymous, I did the same thing, now my locks work like new. If you only have worn out keys and no code, then just pick a key code at random and get ALL your locks keyed to that code. It's very affordable.

I'm sure you don't need 3" intercooler pipes to achieve 450HP

You can tell the ecu's application by vehicle by cross-referencing the code number on the case. Other than that it would be impossible to tell without some special equipment or test it on a car. Changing the internals would not be all that easy to do either.

Perhaps you can make some up for me as my car is a 76?

92 octane @9psi. No intercooler, but the z31 ecu helps alot, I did get some ping with the stock ecu.

I'm not sure what sorts of auto parts stores they have in Ontario, but there has got to be something more professional than Canadian Tire (they sux) Any places like NAPA or something like that? Usually the places that small repair shops get their parts from are good. I know in BC there is a chain of stores called Lordco, here in MB there is Piston Ring, they are good, can get me almost any part for my Z as long as it's something that typically needs replacing (brakes, front end, starters, ect.) I have some parts to do a 5 bolt swap but still need the spacer so I'm stalled out at the moment. I remember pricing out some rotors last year, don't recall the price, but I know they were available. If you still have problems let me know and I'll get you a price. At least shipping from MB won't cost you much at all.

I remember driving with BradD to the truck weigh station and his 73 weighed in at about 2300lbs (no passengers) with a RB26dett not too shabby.

Really? what kind of Z does he drive? I have never really watched that show, I saw them in the Tradgically Hip video though.

Yes, there is no comparison, the turbo engine is WAY more potent. (unless something IS really wrong with it) Another thing about turbo engines is that small upgrades will actually give you a very noticable difference in power. For example, just a exhaust upgrade will make a huge difference, to get similar gains on a N/A engine you would have to do alot more than simply put on some headers and get a cold air intake. To get a N/A engine to put out as much power as a mildly modified turbo engine can be done but it is quite costly and the drivability of the engine will suffer. Even a highly modified turbo engine should be quite drivable in low speed conditions.

I saw one with a aftermarket kit being assembled just yesterday, no idea how it will hold up compared to a Nissan one but I did notice one thing. You know how the chain has two gold colored links to set up your timing marks? Well I guess this supplier (don't know which one) was too cheap to make different colored links. Instead you have to count the links and make sure there are 42 links between the marks on the crank and cam gears.

Yeah, and when you get back you can tell me if people in Fargo really talk like they did in the movie. Actually I always thought the people in that movie talked with a Steinbach accent.

That's awesome, it will be very interesting to see how well that performs compared to the regular L series head. I'm guessing it will be similar to a RB series engine. What else are you planning for it other than the trick head?

I'm sure you'll do fine if you get your hands on a prybar like in the link. Problem with a screwdriver is that most of them are too small and they usually have a shaft that is round. The prybar's shaft is square and alot less likely to slip off the top of the valve.

I've popped rocker arms off many, many times and never thought there was any big deal to it. I didn't use a screwdriver but instead used a prybar. the prybar looks like this: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=13062&R=13062 I can't remember now, but I think I might have stuck two prybars in there just so I had better leverage. Oh.. and no I never had to adjust the backlash first.

I don't know anything about turbo'ing a V8 but I think everyone is gonna tell you that for a turbo application, fuel injection is the way to go. If you want a carb, go with a supercharger.

Yeah, did you hear the story about the four RCMP officers that were shot dead by some crazy a$$ with a assualt rifle? It's the worst loss of life for RCMP officers to happen in one incident in over 100 years.

You can buy a whole house (your own walls) with a garage even cheaper than that.. (If you wanna live in the ghetto) LMAO