motomanmike Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Ok guys, don't blast me, i'm not new to Z cars I own 2 240z's and have been through every aspect of them but I am new to this turbo swap L28ET i'm about to do. I'm in the process of gathering all the inventory for this swap and i'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on installing. What I have is a total engine with all accessories, intake, injectors, distributor. F54 block, P90 head with the big finned intake with egr valve. All vacuum lines etc. Almost like they cut the oil lines and pulled. I have the total engine wiring harness with the injector plugs etc, the main harness. I have the air flow meter, ecu. What I think i'm missing is the coil ignitor, the little transistor but what i'm not sure of is if its on or plugs into the main engine harness or if i need another part of the wiring from the car. Any ideas? I'll post pics tonight of what I have. All i'm trying to find out is if that part of the wiring is separate from the main wiring harness that goes to the ECU. I know I need the ignitor because its not in my box of parts and I see it on the diagrams and see posts about it causing firing issues with people. I'm just trying to find out if I'm on a wild goose chase trying to find another part of the wiring harness. I appreciate everyones help. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctc Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 (edited) The inginiton harness is seperate from the main harness that contains the ECU, fuel injector and other connectors. Before you do get flamed, read this swap thread. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/38461-240z-260z-280z-turbo-swap-guide/ ID's all the parts and has pictures of the connector and such. Edited June 28, 2012 by ctc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgsheen Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 And, it's VERY simple... If you don't have the coil/ignitor harness - or have trouble finding one, just build your own. It's only a couple of wires to the ignitor (power and the "trigger" signal from the ECU) and some simple wiring to the coil. (Having said that, if I'd known then what I know now, I'd NEVER have used the stock engine management when I did my turbo swap. Using the ECU, MAF, Coil, & TPS off a VG30e engine is a much better way to go... With a bone stock "A18" ECU & MAF, my L28ET runs much better than the original ECU and AFM - especially under boost.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomanmike Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 The post you linked ctc was the same one I was reading when I said huh, i'm missing that but the pictures aren't very clear of it all. I'm pretty sure I can retrofit a transistor from an old battery charger or old old leece neville truck alt i've got laying around. Or just find an HEI I guess. The main reason i'm getting clarification is i don't want much down time. cgsheen, you touch on a few very interesting points. Over the past 5-6 months i've done nothing but read. I pondered v8 swaps, VG30 swaps, VQ swaps, RB swaps. I chose the L28ET just because of the simplicity of the single cam design and ease of the swap basically foot print being the same but I am seeing so much of the frankensteining (sure I spelled that fake word wrong LOL). Parts interchanging with other series of engines etc. I don't have a base to judge how good things work or what I should modify because I havn't even installed it and got it running yet. I will, i'm more than capable. I appreciate not being flamed. I stopped using another Z site when I first got my first Z years ago because of people being nasty. People have questions. I sell DC electrical parts and rebuild alternators and starter motors. I here the same questions over and over from the same people every day. I smile, lead them to water and hope they don't drown. Thanks for the help, I'll post some pics up in a bit of what I've got going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomanmike Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 (edited) Below is everything i've got. Car its going in, Motor on stand, one side blasted and painted. New oil pan and competition gasket on. I'm about to tear the intake and exhaust manifold off, replace the gasket and paint it. Replace all the gaskets I can, oil pump, water pump, timing set, front and rear main seals and i'll throw it in. We shall see how it goes. Edited June 28, 2012 by motomanmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctc Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 The post you linked ctc was the same one I was reading when I said huh, i'm missing that but the pictures aren't very clear of it all. I'm pretty sure I can retrofit a transistor from an old battery charger or old old leece neville truck alt i've got laying around. Or just find an HEI I guess. The main reason i'm getting clarification is i don't want much down time. cgsheen, you touch on a few very interesting points. Over the past 5-6 months i've done nothing but read. I pondered v8 swaps, VG30 swaps, VQ swaps, RB swaps. I chose the L28ET just because of the simplicity of the single cam design and ease of the swap basically foot print being the same but I am seeing so much of the frankensteining (sure I spelled that fake word wrong LOL). Parts interchanging with other series of engines etc. I don't have a base to judge how good things work or what I should modify because I havn't even installed it and got it running yet. I will, i'm more than capable. I appreciate not being flamed. I stopped using another Z site when I first got my first Z years ago because of people being nasty. People have questions. I sell DC electrical parts and rebuild alternators and starter motors. I here the same questions over and over from the same people every day. I smile, lead them to water and hope they don't drown. Thanks for the help, I'll post some pics up in a bit of what I've got going on. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/104797-turbo-igniter-required/page__p__980549__hl__hei__fromsearch__1?do=findComment&comment=980549 Might try to contact randy 77zt, he might have insight on the HEI module Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgsheen Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think I misunderstood. If it's the Ignitor that you're missing, and you can't find a turbo coil/ignitor, just use the GM HEI module to fire your coil. Simple to wire in the stock harness and a good, inexpensive replacement for the stock ignitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 One more perspective here, going back to the question in your first post - the ignitor is "triggered" by the ECU. So there is most likely (I've not seen an L28ET harness so can't say for sure) a wire from the ECU harness directly out to the ignitor. The other wires from the ignitor connect to the coil. The GM HEI module, if used, will also be controlled by the ECU and attached to the coil, in a similar fashion as the ignitor. A wiring diagram will probably make it clear which wires from the ECU control the ignitor. "skittle" over on zcar.com has a writeup on using the HEI module with the L28ET control system, it might also give you some clues. Seems to work, although I do notice his diagram says "ground wire from ECU" for the power wire. http://www.zcar.com/70-83_tech_discussion_forum/hei_ignition_control_module_swap_info_%20turbos_only%20_876981.0.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billseph Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I had to "make" the ignition portion of my harness while cleaning up a PO's mess. Also during this process I discovered that my ignitor was not working, so I followed the same instructions that NewZed posted up and once finished the engine fired right up. It looks semi confusing, in those drawings, but it really does work. Is this swap from an 81zxt or an 82-83zxt. Reason I ask is cuz mine's an 81 and there are small differences that are noted in the turbo swap guide (mainly having to do with the "plug" for the ignition harness) I believe it's been said already, but the ignitor is on the coil bracket itself, so if you don't have that, you either need to find one (which is gonna cost $$$ and time) or head to Autozone or wherever and get the GM HEI module for like $25 and some female spade connectors and wire that in. My suggestion is get the GM HEI module and do what the pictures tell you to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomanmike Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Mines an 82 block with the CAS on the distributor, which from what I've read isn't the greatest in design but its what I'm working with. GM HEI seems the route I will take, its much cheaper and I don't plan on going much over 5000rpm on this engine for now, apparently these motors don't make much more power past that anyhow in stock form. Thanks again. I'll keep posting pics of the progress. Its getting there.... slowly but i'm taking my time to make sure its all good to go before the install. Its a heck of alot easier to work on the motor on the cradle then in the car for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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