KunoZ

Didn’t think 280Z/ZX's ECU's were reprogrammable. Not sure on the reason why just so I was told. I do know the Z31 ECU’s are though. The 88-89 Z31 ECU w/nistune is a good alternative for the L28 as well.

If your on a REAL budget you can pick up an old intercooler from a volvo, like you said, get some exhuast pipe and last some random radiator hose's from your local parts store for your bends. Most def gonna be cheap. Just dont run a crap ton of boost with it and should be good. Seen it done to a friend of mines and worked fine with no trouble for years.

Freon, if you’re talking about R-12, is def compatible with R-134a. It's just the old mineral that it is not compatible with. Your condenser, evaporator, and the rest of the system are good for the use of R-134a, just that the condenser needs drained (if nothing comes out when tilted up its good) and the compressor. Also the accumulator or A/C drier needs replaced anytime the system is open. The only thing you need to really worry about when retro fitting old R-12 systems is the amount of R-134a you put in. Should be a label to how much refrigerant you should put in. When charging the system, the R134a charge will be 10% less than the R12 charge. As, for pressure testing the condenser it's really up to you. Depending on how well the condition of it, it should be checked. If it is badly dented, scourged, or cracked I would pressure test it. Some would just put it on and put a vacuum on the system with a vacuum pump or machine, just depends on you really. Your evaporator is good. If you feel the need to you can drain it, but wouldn’t think anything would really come out. Your best bet if you don’t know much about A/C systems is just have the shop do it. They have the equipment to do it right and it not all leak out. Just ask for them to put dye in it just in case the refrigerant leaks all out you can see where the leak comes from. Also it is illegal to work on any automotive A/C system without being ASE certified, but really who does get caught by the EPA?! LOL! FYI Im not trying to be rude in any way just a lot of people get misinformed or misinterpreted with Freon and R12. Freon is a brand of refrigerant made by DuPont and R12 is the old refrigerant that was essentially phased out. But in all regards I hope I helped. Good day!

So, we have both determined that it is definitely burning oil, due to the oil on ALL the plugs and the grey/white smoke. The white smoke could be due to a lean mixture since there is no evidence of water in the oil, like you said. Also if the mixture of oil is heavy enough it can burn just white smoke, but like I said it has to be pretty heavy, which in your case it sounds like it. Just in case if you can do a simple check, remove one of the spark plugs (preferably #6 cylinder) and the radiator cap. Turn the engine over slowly by hand with a rachet at the crank pulley and hold your thumb over the spark plug hole until you get pressure out. Connect an air line snuggly to the spark plug hole and see if air bubbles or antifreeze comes out of the radiator fill cap. Simple check if you have an air compressor that is. If no fluid is pushed out or no bubbles we can rule out that it is burning antifreeze. But anyways, how many miles does this engine have if you know? My concern is that maybe the previous owner of the engine may have ran it dry without oil or the engine is just plain worn out. Good day and good luck!

Sounds like your head is warped. Theres no other place for the coolant to come through other than the cylinder wall or through the head, but as you said the compression is good and runs good too, so that eliminates any hole in a cylinder wall and leaves you with the head. You also mentioned that the smoke is mostly white/grey, the white which is technically steam and or coolant and the grey is oil, both cirulate through the head. Smell your exhaust as well, if the smell is sweet then its def coolant. An engine can still run good if it has a leaking head gasket and from my knowledge even still have good compression. What I would do in your case, is pull the head, have it milled or A.K.A. resurfaced by a machine shop, install a good quality head gasket and go from there. Should def solve your problem. Its hard to tell how the previous owner maintained the engine if it came from the junk yard. Could have overheated it pretty bad and in turn warp your head. Although I've seen these engines run pretty hot and still not warp or blow a head gasket, but nothing is unbreakable though. Hope I helped and if anybody else that has some insight it is appreciated.

I think growing the mullet is a task in itself my friend! HA!

Check out crawford Z in Nashville. Pretty good place! They specialize in Z cars so you should have no problem geting your engine put back together. From what I have heard they are very good at what they do. They host a the middle tennessee club also. Here's the link to crawford My link

Changing the shocks out shouldn't have done anything. All shocks do is contol the rebound of the springs. But I do think that 19762802+2 is correct. Maybe you do have the coupe springs and it may also be possible that you have the springs in the wrong places. The ones for the rear should be a little taller than the ones for the front. Wouldnt know unless you took them completely off though.

I'd get brand new injector connectors if I were you. Swapping out old used ones could just cause more problems down the road. You can pick up an entire set for around $14.00-$20.00 on ebay so they arent that expensive. It's where I picked up my set and they worked perfect. Now as for the issue with your car is, check for a vacuum leak. Rubber on these old cars can be pretty dry rotted. Also, check your ignition timing out if you can. Maybe you bumped the distributor while replacing the A/C compressor. Check the connection to the AFM too. Take it off and inspect it. Hope I helped.

There are no fitment issue's because they are the same size, if not a little bit smaller, than the filament type bulb's.

Also just a little side note from personal experience, I'd suggest using the 45-LED Tower Type. The LED type that has LED's on the side and top, that way it reflects light off the mirror inside the tail light just like a bulb, otherwise your just going to have a small circle coming out of the tail light. Kind of hard to see, but unlees of course if that's waht your going for though. Hell, they might even be able to be picked up at your local parts store.

As for removing the drive shaft flange it is easy, just you need a puller set to get it off. A simple steering wheel puller at your local parts store should do the trick and a 27MM socket for the nut if I do believe, an impact would be highly encouraged. And as for your half shaft flanges they'll just pop right out. Stick a crow bar between the flange and diff. Not sure on the bolt pattern, if they are the u-joint type they will be four. I know the 280ZXT CV's are 6. I dont think the Z31 axles are the same length, they are a bit longer. Hope I helped. Good to help out another fellow Airman.

Hey guys hooping some one out here in the HybridZ world can help me out. Im looking for at the minimum one door lock and matching key. It would be great if I could find the entire lock set (both left and right door locks, rear hatch lock, gas cap and igntion switch w/keys), but beggers cant be choosers. Thanks guys for the help!! Good day!

Also pull the intake hose off going to the to turbo and see if the compressor wheel isnt damaged. May have accidently droped something in it while doing the swap and chewed the compressor wheel up. Just a guess.

Just put the 88SS R200VLSD in my 83' ZX. I had to kind of merge two axles together or in other words I had to find a either a late 94, 95, or 96 Infiniti J30 differential for the stub axles and J30 axles them selves. I took the ends off the J30 axles and put them on my ZXT axles and put the stub axles in and just bolted right. Kind of alot of work but it pays off though. Heres the site that I got all my info from. http://www.88hybrid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=87755&sid=a4ea4180b8efd1370218379f5c2311a2 Just scroll on down to Part II about the axles and you'll see what Im talking about. But Part I talks about taking the guts out of a short nose R200V and putting them in a long nose R200 too if thats what your interested in. Hope I helped!

I do believe that the 88SS CV axles have a 30 spline count as aposed to the 29 which all R200's have except for the 88SS. So if it has 29 you got the wrong axles. I just picked up an 88SS vlsd with axles last monday and I can post some pics on here later tonight if you'd like and confirm that you have the correct axles.

Does anybody know if the Z31 comapanion flanges can be interchanged, turbo or non turbo to the 280ZX?? Has anybody done this?? If so Z31 CV's are readily available in junk yards, but the turbo models are the strongest.

Well still my question has not been answered after searching all night. It seems that I may have to adapt my 280ZXT axles to the 88SS 4 bolt style axles if I even can. Or another alternative is that I might be able to switch the inner hubs out so the bolts hole can be lmatched, but Im not sure if the 280ZXT inner hubs and the 300ZXT SS inner hubs can be interchanged. Will not be able to find out until I get it all torn down this weekend.

I had the MSA twice pipes on my ZX. It seemed pretty good to me, although they are different though. I had to run it under the rear differential and sway bar instead of running it above like the ZX's do, but all in all it can be done. Still had plenty of ground clearance and flow considering the pipes are only about an inch and a half in diameter a piece. I just took mine off only becuase it was just to quiet for me. I still have the set up if your interested. The only thing is that you may have to make an extension for it considering that you have a 2+2 model. And another thing it is pretty rusty too considering its probably made out of mild steel. Id hate to throw it out though.

Got 143,XXX on the odometer. Kind of high but should still work. I'll check the springs out when I go get the diff and axles. In my opinion I like the viscous type over the clutch type. Dont have to worry about the clutches being worn out. Still havent heard or seen any hard evidence that one is better than the other though. Other than just peoples opinions, but like I always said opinions are like A**HOLES everybody's got one! LOL! Thanks for the help guys.

Well, I happened to go to my local junk yard today, which was no more than a whole eight miles from my house and I was looking for a 88-89 Z31 NA ecu, becuase I think mine is shot, unfortunatly I didnt find one but a still had a little luck on my side and happen to have ran into the Suro special Z31! I know wow! The car was trashed and could tell it had been sittin there awhile even the beautiful recaro seats were unsalvagable, but the one of the few things that were still intact was the rare R200 viscous type limited slip that only comes in the Suro special Z31's. Well, I havent gotten yet but they are going to pull it out for me for only $25 and Im going to pick it up tomorrow. It comes with both axles and all for only $250! So to get to my question, I know this differential has a different spline count and has to be used with the axles for it, so can I adapt these axles to my 280ZX?? I dont think they bolt right up, but I could be wrong. Any input will be highly appreciated! Thanks!!

POR-15 makes rusty Z cars happy again!! Love the stuff but never really considered spraying it though. I always though it was just supposed to be brushed on, but what ever works eh?

The way I look at it everyone is going to have their own opinions and look at the S30 and S130 a different way. It's really like that with anything, especially with cars. In my opinion I like both the cars 240Z-280Z's AND the 280ZX's. I like to look at things from other peoples point of views, and of course mine as well, to help me better understand whats good and whats not. I have had both a 280Z and my current car a 280ZX. Like said in my opinion I like them both. They both have there pros and cons as with anything does. As for 90% of 240Z car owners being teenagers, Im going to have to go with biohazard on this one and agree that there are alot of 240Z owners with some of the cleanest Z's Ive seen and with just knowing that you gotta think they have to know what they are doing eh??

Only 82 and 83 ecu's can be interchanged. If anything later than that no, since becuase the 79-81 ZX's use a external crank angle sensor (CAS) but as for the 82-83 ecu's use an internal sensor inside the ditributer for the engine timing. So, your in the clear man. Hoped this helped!

Got the exact same set up on mine. Originally I had a 78' 280Z and had ended up selling it. I never ended up putting it on, so after buying a 83' 280ZX turbo, having that exhuast system sitting in that MSA box for so long, and not having an exhaust system after custom making my 2.5" down pipe I said what the heck I'll give it a try considering both body styles had some similarities. Amazingly had no issues at all with the install. The inlet pipe was just a little over 2.5" on the set up so it just slipped right on my down pipe. Only really had to make a straight pipe extension so it would be long enough with for my car. I really like the set although I do miss the way my exhaust sounded and the way my turbo SCREAMED with JUST the down pipe installed, but really a good set up in my opinion even for us ZX folks! Also I would really think about painting it with some really high temp paint because mine have gotten REALLY rusty over the years. Must be made with mild steel.