Jason81NA,82RBtt

I know that this is the very old school way of tuning a engine. But a friend of mine has a turbo motor that runs prefect but uses a lot of fuel, because it's running rich on bottom-end and perfect(tested wide band) at 2/3 or more throttle. He wants to keep it simple. I suggest he get a adjustable fuel pressure regulator and lower the base fuel pressure as low as it will go. say about 25psi or so, then use a rasing rate regulator to boost the fuel pressure the where it is now at WOT. I have had good lucking tuning with fuel pressure in the past on turbo and non-turbo projects and feel that this would work. Does anybody see any reason it wouldn't.

I read threads that say people can hook up a 280z speedometer cable to autometer speedometer. I'm installing a speedometer in my 280zx and I've noticed that the end on the factory speedometer cable is much different than the 280z cable. What I was wondering is if someone knows if a 280z speedo cable is long enough to fit a 280zx? I would hate to buy one and it be to short or want to kink.

I've got a RB20 swap in my S130 and I've replaced the factory coil packs with a set of universal Accel wires and a Buick Gran National coil pack. It's a wasted spark set-up. Been working great for years. Now my friend wants to replace the COP set-up on his J30 Maxima VE30DE with this set-up. I've gotten to the point where I need to figure out the pairing of cylinders. On the RB20 it went 1=6 2=5 3=4. But I think V6 fire differently. The VE30DE is suppose to fire 1-2-3-4-5-6 so Would this be correct way to wire the wasted spark. 1=4 2=5 3=6. Just want to confirm this is correct before I cut the wires to length.

I'm sorry I haven't been here in quit a while. I remember the N47 head being the Z N47 and know one really knew that the maxima head was any different. People started calling the new found maxima head the MN47 so I thought maybe the N47 from the Z became the ZN47. Sorry about the confusion. But isn't the N47 one of the worst flowing heads dispite the small combustion chamber and larger valves that the pre E88 heads.

I'm helping a friend of mine build a turbo motor. We are getting ready to order some stainless valves aside from where to order them from, the other question is which head would be better. He is wanting to use a very mildly ported and polished ZN47, while I'm wanting him to use the head I have. It's bone stock P90a that has soild lifters NOT hydo. Also he has a COMP CAM 280S cam he wants to install in one of these heads. Would this be a bad,good,great idea for use in a turbo motor with a upgraded turbo about like a holset. Thanks for any help and advice Jason

I've already gotten a RB20DET installed in my 1982 280zx. I did the wiring myself a few years back, but the engine was pulled from a 240sx. I bought the car with a skip, turned out to be the ECU. Bought a Skyline code BH ECU only to find out my RB20 is from a A31 Cefiro. I have decided that I needed a new harness because if the current harness has been messed with too my for my liking and the A31 and R32 have a few different pins. I've bought a 1993 Skyline computer and harness. Before I remove the old harness I would like to find out what a few of these new plugs are. There is a large black greasey plug that went under the hood. What is this for? Then there are the two S13 style plugs that went to the R32's dash wiring.Does anyone have a pin out of these? Then there is a Z31 style(yellow clips) plug that has space for 12 wires but only had 5. What is this one? Thanks for the help as always. Jason

I've been wanting to get a passenger side fender for my 280zx for quit some time. It looks like I'm not the only one needing 280zx fenders. I'm NOT willing to pay as much for a new fender as for a hood like Black dragon wants. I know there fenders are junk as I've bought one before. I paid ~$60 and I bought a $199 hood from them last year that has seams in it where they can change the dye from 79-81 sytle to the 82-83 hood. So I'll buy a used fender if I can get one for a decent price. no one on Zcar seems to have one. email me at typezx@hotmail.com

I'm needing some advice on getting a broken exhaust stud from the head of a l28 while the engine is in the car. I've never had any luck getting the drill bit to stay centered, most of the time the stud doesn't break evenly enough to get a good start. Any advice would help. Thanks.

I've already completed my RB20 engine swap into my 280zx.I ran great and I was happy. When it rained I found out the hard way the my windshield leaks, when my rb20 computer that was mounted got fried. I happen to have extra one that I replaced because it only runs as 5 cylinders. I paid over $100 for it the ecu that got fried.I also have some wiring harness problems. Nothing major just some driveablty issues. Like I accdently removed the TPS wiring during the harness clean up. And if the computer is pluged in and the engine running and the computer or harness is moved the idle will change and the engine will sometimes die out. My rb20 is from 1989 so the wiring is pretty old . I was wondering what aftermarket ecu you guys would recommend. I'm already running a 3rd gen maxima ignitor and Buick GN coil pack. I would also like to keep the stock CAS , or aleast something simple to install for the CAS.I've thought about MS but not really sure what one would be needed. Thanks for the help.

thanks for the info, that's all I needed to know.

My friend is wanting to install a set of RB20DET coil packs on to his L28. We have found out that the coils still installed on the bracket will line up pefertly with the spark plugs on the motor. we only need to make a plate that will hold that bracket to the valve cover. But here is a question. Does there need to be a bearing or bushing installed where the distributor was under the block off plate, to keep the shaft from wobblin and damaging the front engine cover?

Thanks for info I'm sure it will come in handy as we get started on uping the boost a little. What system are you running now?

I decided in a last ditch effort to reinstall the stock NA computer,harness,AFM,distributor shaft,and distributor. Guess what the motor runs great, GREAT I mean. A little lean at idle but once you step on the throttle it goes over to rich. We have ordered a Vortech FMU so that we can turn up the boost. But I would like to let poeple know that this does indeed work. I guess we will doing the fuel enrichment Ol' Skool style for now. He is going to save up and get a SDS. If we do get spark knock I will loan him my HI6-S that has timing retard built in. I have used this ignition on his brothers car when he got a SDS that only controlled the fuel. That motor ran a 13.1@113mph stock turbo and 14psi. So I know that this will work. This advice could be handy for those that can get there hands on a turbo motor but not a harness and computer. Jason Gillick feel free to email if you have any questions typezx@hotmail.com PS the motor is using the 280cc injectors.

This post is going to be pretty long because it is a last resort. I helped a friend turn his 1979 280zx into a turbo car. I sold him my L28ET, because I'm installing an RB20DET.I toasted the pistons in the L28. I then install a set of dished NA piston into the F54. I bought a HKS 1mm headgasket and a set of total seal rings from a another friends failed NA build up.This is why I didn't use Turbo pistons and the 1mm instead of 2mm gasket. Before I blew up the L28 was running fine, the only reason I blew the motor was the wastegate stuck during a race and I didn't back off(bad idea). Well now the motor has another turbo that doesn't stick, and is intalled into my friend car. Ever since the swap the motor has not run right. It will build 7psi(full)boost under no load. Here is what I have replaced water temp sensor,cap rotor,wires,plugs,coil, and intake manifold and gasket. I have adjusted the valves,tps,timing,cam timing. I have converted to the Z31 stuff and then tested with 2 maf's. I have test the motor without the o2 sensor,tps,knock sensor, and maf. Here is what the motor does.... It will not idle and will run very very rich, blows brown soot and clouds up the yard with. It has fouled a set of NGK iridium plugs. It never ran right with the stock ecu but would not run rich, after the Z31 swap the motor started running rich. If you drive the car it will read lean unless you hold it at WOT then it will slowly build power and boost on the A/F ratio starts to light up from being off the chart lean. it will run perfect from 4k until a false rev limit of 5.5k and sometimes until 6k but never higher than that, even under no load. but if you ever back off the throttle you will have to go through it all again, hold WOT and wait. If you are tring to just drive the car it will be so lean that it start slowing down. If the MAF is unhooked the motor will run off the limp home map and idles fine and will rev up under the 3.5k like it is supose to. once the MAF is hooked up the motor will stumble to a stall. Could it be that the MAF is hooked up wrong??Whats with the boost in neutral??After I checked the cam timing I set it to the #2 pos. and lost some compression, is this right??