napship Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Need help with completing a project with a 83ZX turbo engine installed in a 76Z. I tried to install several electric fans, none would fit. No space between water pump pulley/crank pulley and the radiator, nor the front where the intercooler is. I was left with a stock fan that I installed to the turbo engine and it could not turn because of the crank pulley. Not sure if that stock fan was from the non turbo or if turbo stock fan has the same depth. Also, I realized with a stock fan, I will have problems with upper piping to the intercooler. Asking for your expertise to complete this project. Thanks in advance. Napship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I used 2 12" ebay fans installed with a separate frame. The picture is before I added the turbo and the intercooler pipe now runs across parallel to the top efan bracket. The fans are just adequate on days above 90F - would be nice to put a more powerful set in, but this radiator is a 4 row and there just isn't room for any of the OEM fans I've found so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napship Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 I used 2 12" ebay fans installed with a separate frame. The picture is before I added the turbo and the intercooler pipe now runs across parallel to the top efan bracket. The fans are just adequate on days above 90F - would be nice to put a more powerful set in, but this radiator is a 4 row and there just isn't room for any of the OEM fans I've found so far. Thanks for your prompt reply. Before I research on ebay for the dual 12" fans, can you do me another favor to take a picture of your crank pulley? Forward it to me please, the 280ZX turbo crankshaft pulley I installed has a vibration damper where the 76Z does not. (space issue) Did you fabricate the bracket/frame for the dual fans? Looking forward to hearing from you and thank you again for your guidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 With just the damper there was a very tight fit to get the fan belt between it and the aluminum frame, so I notched the frame as you can see in this picture. Some day I may need to change the fan belt on the side of the road and don't want to make it any harder than it needs to be. FYI, this is with a 4 core radiator which is about as thick as they get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Same as Zmanco, 73 240Z with twin 10" fans clear water pump and dampner, on both a 4 core and 3 core radiators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napship Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Same as Zmanco, 73 240Z with twin 10" fans clear water pump and dampner, on both a 4 core and 3 core radiators. Thank you for sharing this with me. I am about to check ebay for the dual 10" or 12" fans. I will keep you posted once I have a chance to purchase and install them. Happy 4th of July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napship Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 With just the damper there was a very tight fit to get the fan belt between it and the aluminum frame, so I notched the frame as you can see in this picture. Some day I may need to change the fan belt on the side of the road and don't want to make it any harder than it needs to be. FYI, this is with a 4 core radiator which is about as thick as they get. Thank you so much for taking the time to send me the photos. I really appreciate it. Now, I can go and research for the dual fans. I noticed you have a distributor less set up.I am thinking of using the same system but not sure if the Dizzy shaft needs to be kept inside the Dizzy hole or just remove the Dizzy and put a plate over the hole. Please advise. Have a blessed 4th of July. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The dizzy shaft also drives the oil pump so you can't remove it. I cut off the top part of the shaft that would drive the distributor as it's not held in alignment once the distributor is removed, but some don't bother. If my description isn't clear, search here for pictures showing the shaft installed in the timing cover and it will make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napship Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 The dizzy shaft also drives the oil pump so you can't remove it. I cut off the top part of the shaft that would drive the distributor as it's not held in alignment once the distributor is removed, but some don't bother. If my description isn't clear, search here for pictures showing the shaft installed in the timing cover and it will make sense. Thanks. I will concentrate on the dual fans for now and move on to the Dizzy. Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben's Z Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Not to hijack this thread, but I didn't know for these swaps it required going to an electric fan. Is this is what you are all saying? I have a 83 parts car I am going to be taking the turbo engine out of here shortly, and want to have my ducks in a row before I get to changing out my N/A L28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgsheen Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 A stock L28ET swap into an S30 doesn't require dumping the stock clutch fan. A different configuration might - radiator thickness, intercooler piping - any modification that limits or impinges on the space between the front of the engine and the radiator... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 It's hard on the 240Z to route the intercooler piping and not interfere with the mechanical fan, hence most go with efans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Thought this was relevant to this thread so I'll add it here - hope it's not too much of a thread jack: Last night I installed an MSA cross flow radiator and the shape of the core is such that my 2 12" fans won't fit. So I decided to go back to the mechanical fan at least until I find an efan solution. As cgsheen said, I was able to route the intercooler pipe behind the fan. However, it just barely clears and I also had to notch each fan blade to clear one of the mounting bolts for the sensor for the 36-1 EDIS wheel on the damper. Car is a 73 and intercooler pipe is 2.25". 2" would give much better margins for clearance. 2.5" probably wouldn't fit without occasional rubs. The notches are a hack job - I just used a box cutter to get it done to see how well it cooled. If I stay with this, I'll go back and do it right with another fan. And please disregard the tacky purple/black BOV. It came with the pipe kit for essentially no extra cost so I just installed it to get the engine up and running. Turns out it works so well that I just can't justify spending money to replace it with a brand name. Black spray paint labeled as "high temp" wasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben's Z Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 So I should go with IC piping no bigger than 2.25"? This should allow me to run my stock mechanical fan? Any cooling issues using the stock S30/280Z radiator? This will be in southeast Texas with A/C. I may look at Evans NPG coolant. Thought this was relevant to this thread so I'll add it here - hope it's not too much of a thread jack: Last night I installed an MSA cross flow radiator and the shape of the core is such that my 2 12" fans won't fit. So I decided to go back to the mechanical fan at least until I find an efan solution. As cgsheen said, I was able to route the intercooler pipe behind the fan. However, it just barely clears and I also had to notch each fan blade to clear one of the mounting bolts for the sensor for the 36-1 EDIS wheel on the damper. Car is a 73 and intercooler pipe is 2.25". 2" would give much better margins for clearance. 2.5" probably wouldn't fit without occasional rubs. The notches are a hack job - I just used a box cutter to get it done to see how well it cooled. If I stay with this, I'll go back and do it right with another fan. And please disregard the tacky purple/black BOV. It came with the pipe kit for essentially no extra cost so I just installed it to get the engine up and running. Turns out it works so well that I just can't justify spending money to replace it with a brand name. Black spray paint labeled as "high temp" wasn't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 It's hard on the 240Z to route the intercooler piping and not interfere with the mechanical fan, hence most go with efans. Not if you run the IC piping under the engine like I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 So I should go with IC piping no bigger than 2.25"? Ideally you will have already decided on your power target which will give you the airflow required. From there you can decide how much of a pressure drop you can accept across the intercooler and piping and still run within an acceptable range for the turbo you have selected. For me, my goal was 325 whp and I was borderline 2 vs. 2.25" pipe. I probably could have gone 2" and if I was to do it again, I would. Any cooling issues using the stock S30/280Z radiator? This will be in southeast Texas with A/C. I may look at Evans NPG coolant. Answer probably depends on a variety of things. For example, is it only street driven with occasional short bursts of WOT? Then a properly maintained stock system should suffice. If you're looking at road courses with 20+ min sessions in the summer, then probably not. Keeping the temps reasonable in traffic with AC on requires a lot of airflow over the radiator. On my 73 when it was stock with the dealer AC, the stock fan and radiator could not keep the engine cool in stop/start traffic on 90 F days with the AC on. But there are people with 280zs and factory AC who get cold air at idle and don't overheat. Not sure what the difference was as I gave up working on it and eventually pulled the AC off the car. But I live in Colorado where it's not as hot and definitely not as humid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voong413 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Sorry not to change the subject back, but when i did my l28et swap into my 73 the stock fan from my 81 wouldn't clear between the radiator. I know for a fact that they fit because i have seen several members with the same swap using the stock clutch fan, now I just wonder if I have reversed the motor mount or the rubber bushing on them are just going bad. When you guys swap the the l28et motor in, did you guys use the mounts off the l28et motor or did you guys use the same one off the car your swapping into? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I used the mounts from the 73. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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