Briguy280Z

I know what you mean Jeromio...Can't wait to drive for the first time Last weekend i actually got it to start...little problems with the wireing but after awile wrrrummm it started up!!!! I almost pissed my pants when it came to life...no exhaust yet! I have some pics posted...these were taken about 2 weeks ago so i have gotten alot farther. I will talk to my buddy to see if he can grab his digital cam again...maybe I'll have some video. Any requests on photo shots??? Check it out http://fp2k.redshift.com/briguy280z/ Things got alittle close in places it was really hard to fit it in there. Briguy280Z

Good news, I pumped some oil into the engine with a oil pump and hoped it would prime the pump. Turned it over and at first got a little pressure, and after awile got about 30psi. Of corse this is cold oil pressure. I should see quite abit less when its warm. Thanks for the info on the throttle body Good place for good info!!!

Any help would be nice! Status: Engine, electrical, radiator and fuel is in. Ready to go. I noticed that the throttle body has a coolant running throught it. Is this nessessary or can I just cap it off the return line!!!?? Problem: First step i took in starting the engine was to check the fuel to make sure no leeks were present...! I was ok! Second i wanted to make sure the oil pump and pressure was going to be good. I took all the plugs out and turned it over for about 20 seconds. Oil pressure guage never showed anything...getting kind of nervious i checked the oil filter to see if any oil was present. (there was not a drop of oil ) so i filled the filter with oil. So far i have no oil pressure anywhere. Where should i look first or am i being too parinoid? I wanted to prime the pump and engine first before starting it but it is an electrical distributer and no way to turn the oilpump externally. What is the best way to check to see if there is any leeks in the system? FYI In 99 the camaro fuel tanks changed back to a fuel rail regulator with a return line at the fuel rail. In 98 the fuel tank had a regulator at the end of the returnline so you would have 2 fuel regulators one in the front and one in the tank. I got a tank without a fuel regulator and an engine without a return fuel rail. I can eather replace the fuel rail (i took out the return line already) or install a regulator on the return line going to the tank. Just something to think about if you install a camaro gas tank.

Who ever said stick to your project....dont let it grow. I know for a fact that it will. I started off saying "Yeah i am gong to put a V8 into a Z-car" to "Yeah i am going to put a fuel injected V8 into a Z-Car" Now "Yeah i am puting a LS1 V8 into a Z-Car". Things can grow and grow...well what if i do this and this.....add another bunch of cash and 1-2 years on to your project. I started my swap about 5 years ago. I am finally going to start the car this weekend. I am so very nervous that when i turn the key the whole car WILL BURST OUT IM FLAMES !!!!! AHHHHH But it will be fun putting life back into a 280Z again. Stick to your guns do the KISS method Good Luck!!! Briguy280Z

This manual covers all the wireing systems for the whole car. Even for special conditions. What i did was print the parts of the manual that are important and made hard copies. I would like to provide you with this manual if you want. Just about the same price as a haynes. Remember that these manuals are copies all of them none are the originals. I ordered and had to get my money back on 1 set GM Service Manual 1980-2003 Step by Step install and replace parts Tolerances and torque specs 5 CD set of GM Service manuals named SI-2000. This set of CD's is the same set used at GM Dealerships. This is the latest version dated Nov of 2002 , Version # 2002.14 Included on the 5 CD Set is the following information: 1. 1980-Present (Nov. 2002) Service Bulletins & Recall Campaigns 2. 1996 & 1997 Engine & Transmission Sections, which includes drivability, emissions, electrical diagnosis and schematics as well as unit overhaul & repair. 3. 1998 - 2003 Service Manual info. ALL sections of all the manuals. 4. Service information for the 2003 Cadillac CTS, 2003 Chevy & GMC Pickup MD C 4/5/6/7/8, 2003 Pontiac Vibe, 2003 Hummer H2, Saturn ION And if you have any other gm cars that are this new. If you or anyone is interested please dont get ripped off i am willing to supply the same manual. I am not trying to make anything off of this its just something I would wish to share. I paid full price when i got this set just helping with others conversion. bjg28@hotmail.com Briguy280z

Hi Maichor First thing i did was get a GM service manual from E-bay it convers everything you would ever need in a camaro. I would of told you to throw the BCM away if you were not using the instrument cluster. That about everything it does becides the majority of the VATS system. The BCM contains two parts of the VATS system, the starter relay and the fuel enable that runs to the PCM. The BCM looks for the resistance information in the the key. if it doesnt find the specific resistance it will not enable the starter relay or the fuel enable. When it does find the resistance all the BCM does is ground out the starter relay and sends fuel enable signal to the PCM. That is all it does is put it to ground. No information is sent becides the serial port connection, but this isnt required for OBDII operation. If the BCM isnt connected to the PCM it will not throw a Check engine light. I would bypass the relay for starter operation or just perminately ground the wire that connects to the starter relay C11 Yellow black on the main connector of the BCM. For the fuel enable keep it connected to the BCM The clutch is on the same circuit as the starter relay. Just connect the two wires from each side of the switch! Then you wont have to push down the cluch every time you get in the car. I dont know about what is connect to the pedals becides the clutch switch. I dont think it should matter much. I know all of this because i have been working on wireing for the passed week. I am using a stock harness off of a 98 camero I dont have a BCM so i have to figure out how to get the signal to the fuel enable line. Good luck

Man what a day today. Today started off manipulating a fuse/relay box to fit my needs. When that got all finished went out back and made sure that all the part and pieces worked. Connected the clutch accuator to power and POW oops what happend? I connected it backwards and it backfeed the diode in the line...never heard of i diode in the middle of an accuator circuit before...so i went to the store and picked up another 1W diode and fixed the problem. After all of that me and a helper installed the engine in its final destination...Whooot!!! Tomarrow i have a lot of wires to work with, connections and power..Should be long and boring Hey i will have pics tomarrow, a friend will have a camera so i will post next week some time. Cant wait to run over some rice racers when its done. After the big startup i will have paint and wheels to purchase. Good luck on your projects...laters

Well Phantom i guess its u and me to the finish. I just mounted mine today and without any problems. Shifter is in good postion and no hitting or grinding anywhere. Tomarrow i got a long day of cutting and splicing. Not the funnest part of the project but its got to be done. Gas tank is in and all wired up and ready to go. I am looking to start it up by the end of the month. Keep up the good work!

Hi Jeromio I use alot of your information on your site (Good Job) What I am doing is using a camaro tank with a camaro sending unit to a 280Z guage. (Dont know about 240Z or 260Z gauges)The unit uses a 5V supply to the sending unit which provides the PCM a variable .39v Empty/2.9v Full signal. I used a circuit to convert this to the Datsun Guage 3.0v Empty/6.5v Full. It would be impossable to convert the PCM to Gauge signal since it is a pulse. So I used the varible voltage at the sending unit. I used the piggie back method to mounting the engine. Seem to work pretty well if you have your messurements correct! I messed around for about a week trying to get the right height. I had to make some spacers to adjust the height just right for the steering rod. Today I finished the fuel system electrical and hose. I labled the camaro harness to connect all the important stuff, and routed the wires to reach the oil pressure and water sensors. I have to put a Data Link Connector(DLC) in the car..does anyone know where i can find the connector and how to connect it? I pick up a shifter at the junk yard and did some pounding and came out with a hell of a shifter...anyone knows what aftermarket shift lever works good!!! I cant beleave how hard it is to shift into Reverse. Oh and if your missing some connectors junkyards have a ton of them...they are used in newer 92+ GM cars I robbed a GEO...HE HE Thanks for your support!

Hello Everyone Just posting updates on the LS1 Swap Just finished the camaro fuel tank sending unit conversion circuit. The circuit will convert the sending unit power that goes to the PCM (not PCM sig) to the appropriate voltage. Instead of adjusting resistence i am adjusting voltage. Works the same way! I will post this when I acctually insert it into the car. If people are interested please let me know and i will post it earlier. I spent some time working with another electronics genious to make this work. Engine mounting was a little tricky but i got a handle on it. I pulled it out again to adjust the wire harness. Around two years ago i made adjustments to the harness for a SCB motor, now i am having to doing it again. I got another day worth of wire work and hopfully will reinstall by Wednesday. Still got to have a drive line made and install rear disk brakes. I have rebuilt the master cylinder 3 times and i havent even drovin in it yet. If a master cylinder just sits it kills the aluminum Every 6 months or so i check the wheel cylinders and master cylinder to see if there is any corrosion and sure enough white all over the place, Its eather replace with new or go with disks? Disks seem more appealing. A word of wisdom: Do not change you mind in the middle of a Z project because you will tack on about a years worth of work. 350Z 5 years in the making!!! few things for sale Rebuilt SCB 350 RV cam $600 OBO L28 Head and Block $???? OBO Setback plates and Spacers $50 Work as good as JTR California, Fresno Area Location

The engine is finally in and no pics to show It fits farly well in the 78Z frame. The shifter is exactly in the middle of the shifter hole and looks lined up with the rear end very well. The engine is a little lower than jermio's but it fits well. The main pully is about an 1/8th of an inch from the rack, i think i am going to raise it up another 1/8th for good clearance. before i installed i checked my heater core cuz i didnt know how difficult it was going to be to change it with the engine in the car or if i was going to have to sweat on some 90 degree fittings on the end. The engine ended up so low that it missed the fitting and there shouldnt be a problem. The Camero tank does fit well in the rear, i didnt take out the spair tire well out...its smaller in the 78Z they used a expandable tire....actually dont know what they used in the earlier models...but it doesnt sag lower than the rear differential. I am just lengthing the straps and putting some good padding for the top of the tank. Almost think that expandable foam would work well...stuff they use for bath tubs??? What are people using for the power steering idler arm? I know that Hotrod lane wants $120.00 for a pollished idler arm. What is everyone else using...i was thinking of modifying the power steering pump and use it as an idler arm? Next step is to wire this beast...whaaataa party!!! What is required for 17" wheels?? Coilovers...what are they just smaller springs? est time to finish "hopfully before april...west coast motorsport exhibition is comming soon..3 4 5 month down the road." c-ya there

No I do believe that it will work! Instead of using the LED you would connect it to the datsun gauge. The whole idea of the 741 OPAMP is that what ever the voltage varies into the 741 it will proportionatly change the voltage comming out of the OPAMP. You can use the Variable Resister to increase or decrease the voltage comming to the gauge. I will have more specifics this weekend when I try it.

Well looks like it is possable i found a guy that knows his sh-t about electronics. He developed this circuit to turn on an LED. I emailed him to see if it would work in this application and he says definatly!!! Simple Low Fuel or Low Gas Indicator Circuit The camero tank sending unit uses voltage. You couldn't use the pulse that comes out of the PCM. Input 5.0V Empty .34V Full 2.9V Just convert it to the Datsun guage spec's Check it out Thanks for all your help

FYI to all California Zcars owners 93->newer 25 year smog law changes to 30 this year so nothing changes for another few years. First of all I wouldn't recommend doing it. I found out the hard way. I thought i had it made with a out of state car but I was truly wrong! I called up the referee a few days ago and had a little talk with him. I told him i had a non-california car and was planning to put an 98 LS1 engine into the car. After this and that I got the low down on what I would get away with. (Nothing) I can't get away with nothing in this state. I tried to give all the excueses that JTR stated in the manual....He didnt care because it is an OBDII system. OBDII inclued not only the standard emmissions but anything that can cause a code on the on board diagnostic. 1 Fuel Tank pressure sensor/ Fuel Tank level sensor so replaceing the tank with a camero tank it the best bet. Not so bad since I was going to have to buy a new pump and fuel regulator 2 Evap/ Vent Valve/ canister / canister valve So wile your at the auto yard go ahead and save as much as you can wile taking out the fuel tank 3 Catalytic converters/ 4 O2 sensors/ air pump/ air sensor Which is very expensive since there are no such aftermarket to replace oem cats and dealer wants $500 a piece for them. Oh by the way you cant buy them at a junk yard...used cats are illegal to sell! 4 Referee also told me that i would have to put wheel speed sensors at all four wheels...That was not true, ABS is not apart of the OBDII setup so it is not required at least with the camero. I could go on and on but if anyone needs some info on this swap let me know...I have put too much money and removed too much stuff now that I cant change to an LT-1. LT1 is the choice for California 93->newer Zcars Once you enter into the OBDII setup it becomes a lot harder and cost is substancial. I think i will be the first California LS1 280Z Thanks for everyones help so far

Has anyone attempted to connect he Datsun fuel guage to the camero fuel tank?

Well this last weekend was very kewl. I got alot accomplished and feel finaly got some progress. I wish I had a digi cam so i could share some of my accompishments. The crossmember that I made up, was so good that it almost look original. I had two Z bars made up with a 4" Rectangle tube and 4" C-bar for the mounts like Maichor did. I plan on welding covers on the end of the rectangle tube and completely sealing for a finished look. Next weekend plans to be a exciding one. Bringing the MIG down to do some finishing touches after setting the motor in. I noticed that the fuel lines are really close to the passanger side exhaust manifold outlet. Plan on covering with sheetmetal and stuffing it with insulation...any ideas? Some things I finished. 1-Moved stearing firwall bracket 3/8 over to clear motor mount. 2-Cleared area were crossmember attaches 3-Bashed out trans tunnel to fit t56 tranny...at least get a good shot at the differential 4-Removed Camero motor mounts and replaced with S&P Mounts. Trying to predict what i should plan on next. Planning to purchase an Aeromotive Fuel Pump and regulator. Havent thought about converting the oil pressure/volt meter/tachometer anyone got experience in converting these? I plan to use Abbott "Cable X" for the speedometer conversion. I am not sure about doing the JAGS conversion seems like a lot of $$$ Thank for anyone's help

Ok so it might have been a little more expensive to make it the otherway...i think it would of held. I walked around work yesterday and i found some spare parts that i was going to use....These were the exact part that maichor used. These are some changes but minor. Maichor mensioned that it was 6" total hight or from the top of the frame? Well check it out. Thanks for all your help

Maichor and Cyrus or Anyone The forum for mounting an LS1 in a 71 was filled with good information. I am using S&P brackets to mount the LS1 in the car. The following is a link to a bracket that i will make and wondered if anyone can give me some measurements for this brackets from there own conversion...at least I will beable to compare to what i have figured out. I am using original exhaust manifolds so it may not come out the same if you didnt...this is a hard conversion cuz I only have the weekends to work on it...the car isnt at my current residence. I will make all my drawings available for others Thanks for all your help

Phantom or whoever, LS1 Exhaust question My 78 280Z was not a california car and was wondering if i will need to put catalytic converters in it? I am in CA now. After reviewing some smog law I believe that it mentioned that I will need to put everything smog related to the engine...not the exhaust...? The main reason is that the 98 Camero has O2 sensors before and after the cat. To make this work i will have to install that cat and install the O2 sensors. Are these O2 sensors apart of the engine or exhaust...and hows B.A.R. going to react if I dont put them in..(not apart of original equipment).. since they dont know everything about every car? I can easily have them programed out. But I believe i will need the check engine light installed on the vehical....I think they will check for that.

First things first....the forum is great Well lets get down to the nitty gritty. I have had a 78Z for about 8 years doing a complete restore. I have gone through rebuiling a L28 to a JTR conversion and now a LS1 conversion. I picked up this complete bad boy for $2800.00 with a T56 tranny..good price! I just finished checking out the engine and replacing parts that were damaged..Slave cylinder and busted oil pan. Otherwise its in good condition for 36k miles on it. I have picked up alot of info throughout the forum and dont think i'll spend another 8 hours looking through the rest. (Search doesnt work) So i hope you guys will help me out with some redundent questions. Jeromio has some good info on his page and i may refer to it now and again. One of the first questions I have, is what fuel pump is compatable with the LS1. I believe it needs a bypass pressure regulator since it doesnt have a return line at the engine. Does anyone have a suggestion? Next, would be the engine mounting. Since the engine weight is about the same a the L28 I dont believe setting it back all the way is necessary. I am going to align the shifter to where it needs to go and leave it at that. Anyone know of any problems in doing so? (Probably a question i'll need to answer) VATS, will the PCM need to be programmed before i can start the engine, or will it just let it run for awile before shutting it off? Will the original clutch master cylinder work with the t-56 tranny? What electronic speedo will fit into the dashboard so i dont loose the original look? Well maybe I am going a lil overboard for my first post...Just let me know of any concerns that I maybe overlooking. Nice to see so much support for Z-cars Thanks Briguy280Z