azguy

I have a 1983 280zx 2+2 turbo I successfully swaped a 94 LT1 4L60E package into. I used the headers JTR sells that clear the steering shaft. Had a local shop cut/balance a GM driveshaft to fit. JTR didn't have the engine/trans mounts for sale when I did my swap. I used the MSA ones. I would strongly recommend NOT using MSA's for the ZX (I had a hell of a time getting the motor mounts in and had to modify the trans mount for proper driveline angles). I currently have the LT1 out and already have JTR's mount kit for when the motor goes back in. Guy on here has a website about his swap. http://datsun-280zx-lt1.com

Here is a call to anyone out there with a 280zx 2+2 turbo with upgraded springs and/or struts. Everywhere I look, all vendors show tokico etc. for a 280zx but then the dreaded "except 2+2". I can't find ANYTHING that specifically says it will work for the 280zx 2+2. I just want to know if anyone on here has used springs/struts for the 280zx on a 2+2 model and if they fit correctly and how they liked the results. Thanks guys!

Buy mounts from JTR! not MSA! I have the MSA mounts.... I should have known better seeing them labeled for 70-83zx...

I removed all the smog equipment from my LT1 - egr, air pump, evap, and put block off plates. If I had known more about emissions like I do now I wouldn't have taken it all off. If you leave everything except the air pump setup - that's just for cold start emissions lowering, you will get/keep better gas mileage at cruising speeds and the ability to run more advance with less detonation. I am looking into putting my egr back on when I do my rebuild. You do not gain anything by taking the egr off. When working properly it only opens at crusing speeds, and closes at WOT.- it doesn't affect power when you call for it with the gas pedal.

JTR has a sweet kit out for the zx now and I think a manual too.... if not yet then soon (he was writing it when I did my conversion). In my opinion, if your going to do it, just go all the way and get a v8. The sweet sweet sound the first time you fire it up, and from thereafter is Sooooo worth it. Oh yeah, the power too... and the "what you got in there" lines you hear day after day after day.

I have my alternator wires (2) both joined and connected to a single switched power source. No codes, no problems so far. Two years and counting...... Maybe I need to rewire my alternator.... now that I look at that diagram guy put up....

I would not recommend using the MSA tranny mount. You have to cut part of the stock ears to fit the MSA mount in anyways and still are limited on how far back you can put the tranny because it hits the ears. I would highly recommend using the kit from JTR. It requires cutting the ears completely off and making a whole new bracket. This allows much more optimal position of the engine and tranny, at least in my case with the LT1. I have alot more room to push the engine back toward the firewall if I wasn't limited by the MSA mount and the need for the stock ears to mount it. I had to beat the passenger side transmission tunnel a little to clear the transmission cooler lines. I plan on pulling my engine/tranny this summer and using JTR's setup.

Yes a return style fuel system like that on a LT1 will cause miss fires if you are low on gas. I get misses from the air in the gas line when I take a highway clover leaf style off ramp fast and I have less than a quarter tank left. Gets my blood flowing thinking something's wrong every time. Piston- check your ground straps from your engine to the body and your battery to the body to engine. Install more straps if necessary. LT1's love ground straps, and like to throw fits without them. Make sure and hook up the opt venting tube up correctly also, one to a ported vacuum source and one to the intake nipple before the throttle. Opti's are notorious for going out. I've had to change mine twice already.

Jags that run sells headers for the zx swap. That's what I'm using.

JTR is a good start. Is this a 300zx? If it is it's a whole new animal to deal with from what i've heard. JTR doesn't sell anything for the 300zx. Start thinking about power steering adaptation to chevy, relocating the battery for less engine bay clutter. Possible ECU locations if running EFI along with upgrading fuel pump if necessary. Check out local drive shaft shops to get a gm drive shaft cut down and balanced and how they want you to measure for the length. What kind of rear end you’re going to use and what flange out of the diff to use to mate up with the gm type u-joints. Radiator is up to you. The list goes on. Oh yeah.... keep everything from the zx when you doing the swap until you are completely done! You never know what you might need. Label, Label, LABEL everything you disconnect and get very familiar with everything in the engine bay at this time and know what it controls (wiring). You'll figure out what you need and what you don't and what to modify if you know how everything works stock.

Just a note on the knock sensors wiring. WIRE THEM BOTH UP AND SPICE INTO ONE WIRE BACK TO PCM. I ordered a Painless wiring harness for my 94 LT1 install. The harness only came with one knock sensor connector. I had a check engine light on for some time before I figured out why. It kept throwing a code for the knock sensor circuit. I ran freescan which showed me that it was only running default advance of the timing and no more because of the fault code. Something like 17 but depending on rpm. I checked Alldata and found that the knock sensor circuit must have a (I believe) 5 ohm resistance in the circuit. 2.5 ohm from each knock sensor. If the pcm senses below 3 ohm or above 5 ohm it sets a knock sensor code and defaults to programmed timing advance. NO BUENO! So wire them both up to the same wire or wire one up and splice in a 2.5 ohm resistor in the circuit. -- I am guessing on the resistance values, I think they are right but you should double check. It's been a while.

A bit interesting that they have before pictures of the same car... same license plate. What are the odds? I wouldn't think someone other than the owner having before pictures would be in the right place to get some after pictures as well.

I would double check my grounds for the pcm, battery, engine to frame. Bad grounds do funny stuff. Other than that it could be a bad icm. As far as I know there is not a way to test a icm. It was a toss of either opti or icm for me 2 times. Both times it was the opti.

If your looking for a cheap LT1 check local city auctions. They always have some old 9c1 caprice cars complete with @100k miles. Yes that is kinda alot of miles and the police kinda beat their cars but they also keep up with maintenance very well. My engine has 160+k miles and is still going very strong. Doesn't burn oil etc. I rebuilt the tranny because I got a good deal from a friend of mine on doing it. Back where I use to live I went to one auction and kicked myself for not buying some caprice cars. Out of 15 or so old cop cars - Caprices and Crown vics there were 8 94-95 caprice 9c1 cars. All of them went for under $1k average $800-900. Keep in mind this is a full car with LT1 and 4L60e and computer.. cars all ran. When I bought mine for my swap I paid $800. I then took everything out of the donor car that I needed to run... misc. parts - throttle so I could use the stock throttle cable and all the little stuff you never think you need till you need it. I then sold the body of the car for $500. So I got pretty much everything I needed for the engine part of the swap for $300!! That's what I'm talkin about! Make sure you get a REAL LT1 with MPFI if you find a cop car. I saw some that had the same big plastic "V8" covers on them but if you looked at the throttle body it was a TBI and not MPFI. Police 9c1 engines are iron heads and block. Not aluminum heads. I've heard from some that the stock vortec iron heads flow better due to being ported slightly better for more HP because the of the larger caprice weight. My stock intake flowed 225 @ .500 lift. Everyone I talk to that ports heads says it is VERY easy to get the heads to flow over 250 with some quick bowl work. In my looking it was cheaper to buy a cop car at auction then buy a firebird or camaro. This is only if your local law enforcement has run Caprices in the past - they are very well used by police nation wide as far as I know - now being replaced by Crown Victorias. Hope you find a smokin good deal somewhere!

ooooo.... that would make a chinese fire drill real fun with those doors... ya ya... go go go.