280Z GenV L83 Swap

[Fridge Gnome]

I'm using an LS7 clutch, I think most LS clutches are compatible, the important part is the flywheel is 8 bolt, so you need to use a flywheel for the LSx or CTS-V, not 6 bolt like most LS flywheels.

 

I used a Mcleod 1302 for the hydraulics, but if you have a T56 Magnum this is the wrong part, I had to file a ring off the base of the cylinder to get it to mount properly to the magnum and for a while the clutch felt like a compound bow with the give point right at the clutch engagement point which made it very hard to shift smoothly, its broken in or something now and feels much better.

 

That being said, no spacer is needed for the slave cylinder, just get one with the correct throw dimensions, the 1302 has a range of 2.31"-2.5" for reference.

[DAT26OZ]

hey, guys, how are the projects progressing?  any more vids or pics you can share of the builds?

 

A '15 L83 long block fell into my lap so i was going to try and tackle this in a 260z.  Im a novice builder/fabricator at best but with the excellent tips already provided i'm hoping i could finish through with this.

 

having said that, is there a better engine mount option available now to start with? or would it be best to custom fabricate mounts from the start? With what you know now, what would you change from the get go?

 

i did not get a tranny with the engine, i was planning on a T56 magnum but does it make more sense to stick with auto for any reason? 

 

as a novice would i be better off selling off this L83 long block and going with LS?

 

Thank you!

[DAT26OZ]

On 7/26/2020 at 10:45 AM, DonH said:

With the CX racing Kit i was able to get the engine to sit completely behind the crossmember! Could be a challenge with the intake setup here. it also put the shifter way farther back which is great for me considering i'm 6'3" and set my seat all the way back. All in your fabrication skills look great man! Love the exhaust too. Ill be doing my own exhaust as well to get it to tuck nicely. Using the oval shaped exhaust for better ground clearance. 

 

so you used the CX racing kit with the Gen 5 LT?  did you have to fab more than a conversion plate to make this work?  any pics?

 

thank you!

[DAT26OZ]

On 4/11/2020 at 3:53 PM, Fridge Gnome said:

Quick trip home, got a little work done.

 

Clutch master cylinder went in with no issue. Nothing too exciting there. Swapped the push rod for the 280z original one and went in fine.

 

Corvette accelerator pedal is in too. Made an adapter to use the original pedals mounting points on an aluminum plate. The plate is fairly thick, so it doesn't flex. I had to space the pedal forward about 0.4" as it doesn't stick out as much as the original one.

 

could you please expound upon how you combined the 2 together?  How did you attach the Z pedal to the Drive by wire? pivot?fulcrum?idk what to call it.  the corvette is floor mount and operates by pressure being pushed upon it, correct?

 

The '14-17? Silverado is a "hanging" pedal.  Maybe that would be easier to convert??? care to share your thoughts?

 

either way i would assume the pressure/sesitivity would need to be adjusted via the tune/coding, correct?

 

Thank you!

 

 

[Fridge Gnome]

Good new and bad news! Good news I am still here and happy to answer questions. Bad news there was only one car I liked better than the 280Z and well...

 

 

It was cheap and I could resist, but only one project car at a time is in the budget, so the Z is off somewhere in Texas now. The skyline is currently getting an LS swapped into it, so if you were wondering which way I'd go if I did it again that answers that, but the LT is still good and its much more unique than an LS.

 

As far as engine mounts, I'm not sure whats available now. It would certainly be cleaner to fab a custom upper mount to use with the DD lower mount. The mount is already poly. That being said, you probably wouldn't want it any lower than this, since the holley oil pan was already flush with the bottom of the front crossmember.

 

You can see the oil pan on the left here, its already pretty low.

 

Doing it again I would move the engine further back. If you make a custom upper motor mount you can avoid the interference with the LT vacuum pump boss, which should allow for the engine to be moved further back. I think I blamed the high pressure fuel pump as a reason to not do it, but I was just lazy.

 

The only difference between auto and manual would be preference and the engine and ecu are already design for an automatic transmission. So a few tuning things will probably go easier with an auto and you wouldn't need a bellhousing spacer.

 

This was my first(ish) engine swap, and as long as you keep it simple (no A/C, power steering, "while I'm at its", etc) the Z is really a pretty easy car to swap these engines into. LS vs LT is a hard one for me to answer for you. I picked an LT because the LS swap is quite common on the Z and I wanted something different. LT has complications the LS doesn't have, and fewer online resources and aftermarket parts. It's not a huge difference though.

 

The pedal I used is an LS corvette pedal (19417903), they are compatible with the gen V ecu. HPtuner and probably any other tuning tool has an option to quickly calibrate the throw of the pedal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fridge Gnome]

 I'm not particularly good at autox as you can see here, but it made for a fun video.

 

[DAT26OZ]

Thank you Fridge Gnome for responding with more details about your Z swap.. this gives me some decisions to ponder before i fully commit. 

 

Your Z came out great!  best of luck with you next project!