sltn87

Alright thanks, you will probably have your writeup way before I will have my MegaSquirt. I can imagine building the ECU would be the hard part and installing would be the tough part, all in all I believe I'm more than capable of the install. At least I know the difference between a capacitor and a resistor . I guess when you think about it $500 or so isn't bad, about the price to build a custom desktop computer. Wow that's nice how it can control fuel only, I might have to invest in that if I ever decide to go distributor-less. I have a lot of time of my hands to spend on the MS website as well, firmware installs hopefully shouldn't be that bad since since I'm very familiar with them in the computer/hardware world. I appreciate everyone's input, I didn't realize the OE efi was THAT bad, luckily I have my 420a DSM to drive while my s130 is down for the count. I truly believe that these big L28s are more than capable of what I need them to do in the N/a world plus it would be nice to build a high compression s130 and be diffrent.

Alright thanks for your response, so basically MegaSquirt is what I'm looking for not MegaSquirtNSpark if I want to retain my distributor correct? Thanks again for baring with me.

Thanks for the input everyone. @ BRAAP: Since the OE efi is not good for anything besides stock I guess I'll invest into getting a programmable efi before I do any serious mods as I do not want to end up like the original poster in that thread you pinpointed me to. In that thread it is mentioned that Mega Squirt is fairly inexpensive if so how inexpensive? Also upon further research I see there are different variants of Mega Squirt, which one is the right one for my N/a application? Can MegaSquirt be installed using wiring diagrams or is there some type of rocket science involved? Lastly, in that thread someone mentions about swapping in a Z31 ecu and tuning it with Nisstune, is that a cheaper alternative to MS? I apologize if these questions have been covered in depth , I appreciate everyone's input. @ 76s30: Yes it's Double Dragon, I'm a huge fan of the series.

Hi, I've been a lurker here for the most part, I've made threads here and there but never really posted nothing really technical as far as L28 tech goes. After searching threads for a LONG time I'd like to ask a few questions specific for my n/a 280ZX as I noticed not many people choose to build n/a 280ZXS around here, okay here goes: I own a 1983 Datsun 280ZX non turbo P79/F54 combo; I'd like to retain that combination as I've heard the P79 has good anti-detonation qualities for n/a applications plus it seems like the perfect head for beginners compared to others such as the MN47. Originally I was going to halfway-turbo it by just getting the turbo manifold and a higher output fpr and just rigging it up to work with the n/a electronics since I didn't feel like doing the complete turbo swap (motor/harness/ecu/afm/etc.). Now I just want to build a mild n/a application while maintaining the stock FI setup (I don't have money for mega squirt or the like). Here's a few things I would like to know: What is the highest stage Cam you can safely run on the stock FI? I'm planning to go with a Stage II but I will go with a stage I if neccessary. Are there any cheaper alternatives compared to megasquirt so I can run a more aggressive cam? What is the stock FI capable of as far as n/a goes? I apologize if these are ignorant questions but it would be nice to have Buildup Stages for my 280zx so I can know where to start, once again I'm not building a track monster just something zippy and fun around the curves.

I'm going to pay him to weld it.

No I cannot weld but I can get a friend to do it for me, yeah the "rust repair arena" isn't no joke, when I was vacuuming out the dust from the 280zx and the nozzle caused a rust chunk to cave in tears almost came to my eyes.

After looking at it again and tapping it with an object to see would it cave in it seems to be surface rust but pretty deep surface rust, it also has eaten the battery holder.

Upon further examination of my 280zx I noticed the rust holes on my floorboard were larger than I thought, and to top it all off I noticed one of my frame rails are being eaten by rust. Can this car be saved? Things like this are making me lean more towards in buying a clean Z31. Any opinions are welcome.

Mine, needs A LOT of work but it's getting there. I plan on building up the p79 N/A.

Alright got it working now:icon44: I borrowed a test light and figured out it was the red wire, I appreciate your help though.

Thanks for your help, but do you have a diagram for a 1983 280zx? The plugs are completly different, sorry I didn't state what car I have.

I just got done installing my APC vacuum gauge, in my auxilary gauge pod where the digital clock was. Does anyone know which color wire feeding the auxilary gauges is the wire I can tap into for power/lighting? Thanks in advance, I apologized if this has already been covered.

Alright, I ordered me a JSK fuel rail for barbed type injectors so I can put it on my N42 manifold (which is not yet installed, still using webbed manifold), now I know there's a sticky on cleaning up the intake manifold plus I searched previous threads but there's still a few questions left to be answered in my case. On the stock manifold there's is an assortment of hoses I noticed that one leads to the charcoal canister, can I do away with the charcoal canister completly? Also I would like to know which bungs can I cap off? Lastly I have an aftermarket vaccum gauge that I would like to install, do I need to keep one of the manifold bungs for that? Thanks in advance, I apologize if this has already been asked.

Yeah I thought they were idiots as well, No I'm not running a header although I do have this custom downpipe from a vg30e 300zx fabbed up to fit a 280zx, I didn't want to go w/ headers because after searching HybridZ most posts said that you just make more noise lose bottom end power from them, plus in one post I found it said that the later 280zx had the best flowing exhaust manifold since they are "equally tuned runners" so I just decided to use them w/ the custom downpipe and run my exhaust from there. So basically running my muffler in the stock location should give me adequete room and give me just as much gain as running them from sidepipes?

Well I'm planning on running a Flowmaster 40 series w/ a high flow cat, I'm going to have 2.5" pipe ran to the muffler and then have pipes exiting from the two outlet chambers of the muffler to sidpipes coming out before the rear tires, any thoughts or concerns that I should think of before getting this done? I took this took a local exhaust shop and they said it cannot be done because the muffler is too big and the cat is not as long as the original one? (I thought that was the whole purpose of a highflow cat??) and they also said I'd have to stick with the factory 2" piping and they will install a round muffler w/ chrome tips using the factory piping and cat which that made no sense to me so I decided to let someone I know run my exhaust, anyways any opinions are welcome.

True on the tranny part, I wish I knew then what I knew now. The Sebring is a good looking car, but it's turning radius is horrible, having a dodge neon motor in a heavy car gives me no passing power, and my tranny leaks and slips.

Ok, mind is made up, I'm going to keep the 280zx , I couldn't bare the thought of it going into the wrong hands, plus I have a lot of stuff I bought for it that I never installed yet. Instead how does this idea sound, sell my 420a Auto DSM (Chrysler Sebring) and get the 300zx, does anyone have any input on the 300zx being a good daily driver as the Sebring? Thanks in advance.

The 300zx is going for $600, everything is fixable but I don't know if I have the time or resources to do it down the road, I was just thinking it would be nice to have a clean Z car that I can just instantly jump to working on the suspension and begin building it up, at the same time I really enjoy my 280zx.

True I guess, I basically just meant it's soft under the car when we put the lift rails under it, the metal flexed a little.

Soft underbody not unibody (as in under the car).

Well not too long ago I recently got me a 1983 N/T 5 speed 280zx, I was very excited to have the car and immediately had big plans for it. After owning it for a few months of owning it I started to wonder was it more trouble restoring it than it's worth, I found out that the drivers side door has a crack that needs to be welded, to big rustholes on the floorboards (passenger and drivers side under the seats) and after putting it on a lift to have the clutch replaced I saw how soft the underbody was lastly I can't find a speedometer cable that screws into the cluster for it (yes little thigns like that annoy me). Here's the deal now, I discovered that a friend of mine has a 1985 Nissan 300zx N/T he is selling for $600 because he is tired of seeing it plus he is going overseas. This car has a newly rebuilt/possibly new engine, digital dash, CLEAN interior, no cracked dash, 15' Momo Rims, no leaky t-tops, you name it, the only problem that it's an automatic which is no problem since I can swap it over, I think it's a deal I can't refuse, what do you all think? I'm going to post pictures of both cars so you can decide for yourself, I apologize for my long post, I just need some insight on what to do. 280zx (currently owned) 300zx (possible purchase)

Hi, I have a 1983 Datsun 280zx N/T 5speed, I'm replacing the front and rear seals for it. At autozone I'm seeing 4 model numbers FS5W71A,FS5W71B,FS5W71C, and FS5R90A. Can anyone help me specify which one is equipped on my 83 N/T? Thanks in advance. I apologize if this has been asked before.

Hi, I just finished installing glow gauges into my 280zx N/T. The following day the speedometer quit working but I could hear a ticking sound behind the cluster as if the speedometer cable was still spinning, I've been told once they are taken out they are prone to breaking but I don't think it's broke since I still hear it, can anyone tell me if the cable just worked itself loose while I floored my car or perhaps the cable is gone for good? Thanks in advance, sorry for the ignorant question.

Hi, does anyone know where can I find a detailed wiring diagram for the vg30e online? Sorry if this has already been asked, thanks in advance.

Thanks, my theory was correct then, the long runners do look restrictive compared to the Pathfinder manifold.