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I've been trying to sell my 84 300zx turbo for a while and, I guess, subconsciously don't want to. I've been bouncing back and forth on what swap I wanted. Mainly the main ones that tend to pop up from S30 owners. You know. Big blocks to RB,SR,28et,stock and maybe even KA.

 

I came across someone who wanted it for the ecu and wiring and some other thing/s I forget. They bailed out last minute on me, for good reason.

 

Now, I think I want to go VG30ET into the 73. I've seen a couple topics about this swap. One of the best documented was Zr8eds. Not sure if that's the correct spelling. Unfortunately, it was for a 280z. Unsure of the year.

 

Still not quite certain if I wanted to go on and tackle this, but it's sounds fairly "simple". I dont mean that at all. I know what task this will be. Words are great, but I would like to see pictures of mounting.

 

I've heard a KA alternator bracket for clearing the frame rail;using the pathfinder or the vg plenums to clear hood latch; not putting the swap too far back for turbo clearance of the steering rack.

 

I have a complete vg30et car. I was wondering if anyone ever known of someone that just subrame, with the mounts, from the z31 and mounted it somehow to the s30.

 

If the swap was aligned to meet diff to driveshaft to transmission will the motor mounts align better?

 

More questions, but I'll start from there. Thanks for the time folks. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Try not to hurt my feelings. Haha

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I think bloz up did do one, I want to say six shooter (sp) did one as well?

 

Depends on what you want out of it. The Vg30 has some problems, but a lot of the complaint is that it is difficult to work on/get access. That kind of goes away when you put it in the enormous engine bay of the 240z. You would loose the CV axles going to the 240z, and run into other swap limitations. 

 

Is there anything wrong with the 300zx turbo? I see them fetch a pretty penny up here once in a while.

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I think bloz up did do one, I want to say six shooter (sp) did one as well?

 

Depends on what you want out of it. The Vg30 has some problems, but a lot of the complaint is that it is difficult to work on/get access. That kind of goes away when you put it in the enormous engine bay of the 240z. You would loose the CV axles going to the 240z, and run into other swap limitations.

 

Is there anything wrong with the 300zx turbo? I see them fetch a pretty penny up here once in a while.

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Whoops. I guess a reply is needed there.

 

I thought about that, being difficult to work on and also eliminating that factor once in the s30.

 

There's a vacuum leak somewhere that will be fixed before swapping.

 

My plan, if I'm able to, was to swap the whole differential and shafts hoping to get a 5 lug set up.

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Oh wow, so a full subframe swap. That is fairly involved. The factory S30 subframe is spot welded in, so you would either have to undo the spot welds or cut out interference points. I would then look for Sixshooter (sp?) build, at least I think that is him, he has a brown S30 with the 300zx wheels, he swapped over everything and I think he's running a GM ECU.

 

Something I would suggest is sitting down and thinking about the why's behind the swap. It is a fair amount of work, would be a bummer if you were not happy with your engine choice.

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Oh wow, so a full subframe swap. That is fairly involved. The factory S30 subframe is spot welded in, so you would either have to undo the spot welds or cut out interference points. I would then look for Sixshooter (sp?) build, at least I think that is him, he has a brown S30 with the 300zx wheels, he swapped over everything and I think he's running a GM ECU.

 

Something I would suggest is sitting down and thinking about the why's behind the swap. It is a fair amount of work, would be a bummer if you were not happy with your engine choice.

I was more curious to see what people did and what issues in the aftermath with and if anyone has done that. Even if anyone has the zx mounts on the s30. I'll check out sixshooters and get some info.

 

I thought about so many motors and decided on the l28et. I mean, why not. Drop in and have fun.

 

Sr20

Expensive in comparison to the above and the next that follows. Produces less torque than the rest.

 

KA

Needs more work to be ready for boost. I like this motor a lot, as much as the vg.

 

Rb

$ $ $ and work

 

VG30ET

In the garage. Hahaha. Torque, boosted already. More powerful than the l28et including part for part upgrades.

 

From the research, I concluded that the vg would be as much work as the others to swap. So long as you don't buy mckinney or cx stuff. I didn't plan on spending anything except for maintenence things.

 

Thanks for the response and lead.

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Couple members have shown you can do a 2jz swap for pretty cheap. I think the current record is about a grand or less including trans and engine.

 

I'm a big fan of more cylinders, so stepping down to a 4 cylinder doesn't appeal to me much.

 

So from that list there is the:

 

VG30ET, has a pretty stout transmission option, relatively known and worked on, can make decent power, you have the engine and related pieces in your possession. Could be potentially loosing out on sale price of the whole car by parting it out.

 

RB, quite expensive to get certain parts, the RB25 literally bolts in so it has that going for it. You would have to import the engine so that could be a problem. Can make pretty good power on stock internals.

 

Toyota motors 7m, 1jz, 2jz, they don't bolt in, not sure where he gets that impression, need either an adapter or a cross member, depending on access you could make mounts for 50, or you could buy a kit for 1500. For the 2jz and the 7m at least you can buy parts locally. They have really really stout transmission options, very very plentiful.

 

L28et, literally the same engine just with turbo bits, transmission options start to become limited unless 240hoke gets to developing the CD009 adapters, the T5 can handle a bit of power, fits and has car specific adapter parts aka down pipe etc to fit a 280zx L28et into a S30.

 

The key here is the statement you use "as much work to swap" if an engine is as much work as another engine with the exception of a few (L28et and the RB25 since they are actually bolt in), you might as well pick the engine you really really like, that you will either want to keep in there for the foreseeable future, or would have decent resale value. 

 

For re-sale I think it is hard to beat the L28et, VQ35, or the RB26.

 

I think the point is, make sure you are not settling.

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Rb25? Bolt in? I was leaning towards the l28et. Resale value and according to research can pack a mean punch. Bang for your buck sort of thing. Unfortunately, not easy to look for.

 

I was willing to trade the 300zx for a complete L28et swap.

Edited by doliente1102
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It might be the RB20 now that I think about it, you just have to slot one of the engine mount bolts and it will bolt to the stock cross member. 

 

Basically research and search around, if someone drops a piece of information you don't want to sit and regret that you would have gone another route "if only you had known." 

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THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BOLT-IN ENGINE SWAP!  Why do some guys keep saying that?  I've put all the engines above (except the KA) into various S30s (plus 13Bs, LS and LTs) and NONE of them are a bolt in swap, not even the L28ET.

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I'm thinking from a purely engine mounts point of view, is that incorrect terminology?

 

I guess to clarify, the mounts can be bolted onto the stock cross member is a more correct statement. For the L28ET I guess depending on the transmission option, you would have to modify or make a new trans cross member and play with the drive shaft, potentially the same with the RB20.

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And then there is the:

1.  Engine wiring harness.

2.  Fuel system plumbing.

3.  Cooling system plumbing.

4.  Throttle linkage.

5.  Driveline.

6.  Gauges and senders.

7.  A lot more...

 

Physically installing the engine and transmission is the easy part.

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