CaptainJoe87 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I have a 1980 280ZX with efi. My goal is as close to 250hp as I can get. I mainly use my car for street but plan to track it in the future. I have some parts already that I can use if they would help. I have a stock l28 with flat tops and a p79 head. I have an N42 head and headers. Since mega squirt is so expensive and requires a lot of wiring I was thinking about going carb, installing the N42 head, and a larger cam so it doesn't detonate. If I go that route, what cam would you recommend? Is there any easier or cheaper ways to achieve 250hp while keeping the car naturally aspirated? Any other advice, knowledge, or links to threads I didn't find about getting in the 250-300hp range without going turbo would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernier Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 If your planning to go with triples, mega squirt or aem v1 is wayyyyy cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tecreatta Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Stroker, High Compression, and Cam would be a start. Then aftermarket ems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 250hp? Turbo is cheaper and probably easier. Just bolting on a head with some headers and tossing in a big cam won't get you very far. You'd be lucky to hit 150hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvemfast Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I currently have 250hp (at the flywheel) and its not so easy, or cheap, to get that. ø89mm bore, longer rods, cutsom pistons, high lift cam, valves, retainers, porting, triple Mikuni's, headers etc etc etc All adds up. If Mega squirt is out of your league........ think you may be kidding yourself! Just go buy a Rebello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) 250rwhp is not cheap staying NA. First step is to buy some turbo stuff and put it on. I need to go do a dyno session on my new turbo swap. All stock but damn it feels so much faster. I'm actually looking into a megasquirt system now as I've been on and off the phone with matt at DIY about everything needed, how to wire stuff up etc. Edited April 12, 2013 by BluDestiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) My friend spent about $3k in machine work, carbs, paying to have the carbs rebuilt and fairly long dyno session to tune the carbs. He made about 213rwhp. In comparison I spent around $2.5k for a similar setup (triple webers, light headwork, cam) and made 180rwhp. My stock turbo swap cost me maybe $400. Just adding parts to my previously NA engine. Oil pan, turbo manifold, turbo, jpipe (will be replaced with an intercooler soon), got a oil feed line made for $5 using some line that was laying around my friends shop. Edited April 12, 2013 by BluDestiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainJoe87 Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Well then, scratch that idea I guess.Thanks for the input guys, looks like I'm either going to keep saving for a swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 "Since mega squirt is so expensive" That one kinda killed the "250 N/A HP" formula right there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainJoe87 Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) The only thing I don't understand is that ove read a few posts in a couple threads talking about being lucky to get 150hp with some add ons. An l28 should be making somewhere around 145hp stock. I know you lose up over time but my motor only has 24k miles on it so I shouldn't be too far off from that as is. I would think upgrading the intake, exhaust, and cam should give more than 5-15hp boost. Edited April 12, 2013 by CaptainJoe87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I did a baseline dyno on my l26 with su's and made 147 rwhp. That was 1 year after I bought he car and put like 10k miles on an unknown mileage motor. I'd consider that very happy. I never got a chance to test my 280zx in na form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainJoe87 Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 I just don't understand how a bigger/ better cam, headers, higher compression, and some decent carbs wouldn't give much more Hp than what everyone is saying. I guess I have a lot more research to do about all this before I start buying anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) The baseline on my L28 was 147 as well.... But 1/4 Mile times show 200 ish with the trap speed (2695#, 15:50, 89.988mph) That is a stock machine with a 2.5" crush bent exhaust! You don't pick up 100HP (75% increase) by simply bolting crap on... In fact, most cars aren't optimized to get the most out of the STOCK setup before they start slapping parts on and wondering why the performance is lackluster. It's not a 2+2 = 4 Equation... doesn't work like that. 2+2 = 1 for some people, and 2+2 = 7 for someone else in terms of performance. John C has posted ITS engine specs for L24's and L28's online before, which by definition are 'stock'---and in most cases they are making more REAL HP than guys with all sorts of aftermarket modifications for "performance improvement"! If you can tune the base motor to it's maximum potential, FIRST.... Then you have the skillset to take it to the next level. Bolt-on's rarely perform without proper TUNING. And in reality, a properly tuned stocker outperforms many bolt-on franken-machines! Edited April 12, 2013 by Tony D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainJoe87 Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Thanks Tony, do you have any links that might be helpful in getting the most out of the stock motor. If that is where you say I should start, its worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexter72 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 If you add up the cost of putting together a turbo engine with megasquirt, i bet it will be cheaper than putting together an high performance n/a engine. Also you can run an n/a turbo engine on stock electronics without megasquirt, You lock the advance up in the n/a distributor. You can do that until you can afford that expensive megasquirt unit. I ran my n/a turbo engine that way for 3 years, until i bought a megasquirt. Do a lot more research, search for n/a turbo or adding a turbo. You will have a lot of reading to do. Save the posts you find that are helpful to you, so you can have all your info together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perfect240z Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I agree, just bolting on parts onto your l series you won't be getting really any high hp numbers, your going to need to spend some money on motor work, head porting, the triples etc. And then you have to get to doing the tuning on the carbs, timing and go onto dyno sessions to get to those numbers. Cheaper to go turbo and either get megasquirt or haltec. Unless you want an NA set then better get to saving. Do you want a NA set up or turbo set up? If your thinking sr or rb swap, that'll probably be in amounts of 5-10k by the time its all said and done and driving. What's your end goal to have in your car? Yea tony! I need to see some sites I want to see what I can get out of my stock numbers matching L24. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZGhost623 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) Hmm I swore I read something somewhere in my early research when I started my project last year, (and y'all know the internet speaks the truth on everything) that anything over 200hp on a NA and stock computer, it just doesnt know how to handle that. Something about the power curve not knowing what to do above a certain level... ? Edited April 12, 2013 by AZGhost623 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone028 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 As a small point of reference, I've already spent +$800 on getting my triple webers ready to be installed. I already owned the triples, manifold, and linkage. The additional cost comes from the small things: carb rebuild kits, air horns, filters, heat shield, etc. I haven't even bought new jets etc. I would figure out what you really want as a goal, then start mapping out the different ways to get there. Then estimate the cost, and multiply by 1.5 or 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
str8pipez Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Since it will eventually need to be done anyway, are there any gains (besides tuning knowledge and experience) by adding a stand alone ECU right away to an essentially stock engine? I assume it makes no difference in this regard if you use MS, SDS, etc. Seems like you may as well jump that hurdle straight out of the gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZGhost623 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Thats what I did, DCOE 152's and Electromotive XDI kit. Didnt want to deal with the distributor mods so I went this way and its a lot much nicer setup IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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