The Ultimate Turbo FAQ/Beginners Guide

[big-phil]

to add a turbo to? Yes you can.

[brians_zx]

i have a 82zx and i plan on picking up a 82 or 83 zxt engine. i know that i have to replace my ecu and pick up an intercooler. my question is do i have to get a new fuel pump, distributer, and maf, or will the zx components work with the zxt? pretty much what i am asking in the case of the zx people is it worth the money to buy the whole doner car or just the basic components? i am planning to put down maybe 250hp. and i have searched but most info is for aftermarket parts or swaps into 240z/260z/280z very few zx.

[Silver Mine Motors]

is it possible to use the stock ecu with 440cc injectors?

[rztmartini]

with an adjustable fuel pressure regulator you could get away with it, not sure how your idle will be affected. you will want to run a lower base pressure than stock.

[therustedgauge]

This has ultimately helped me; I just purchased the exhaust manifold and turbo + return line and down pipe via ebay for $232 US. I researched turbo's long ago and have come to a lot of conclusions about them, but this is sucha great example of 'specific' knowledge on this car which helps so much more!

 

Thanks again for taking the time to throw it all together in one nice package!

[WizardBlack]

Here are a few good threads I saw around that helped with Holset turbos and which are on what vehicles:

 

Variations amongst HX35's

http://www.turboford.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=044842;p=0

 

Z31's Holset FAQ

http://www.z31performance.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=249&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

 

Basic story; HX35's have a bigger turbine housing and were installed on manual trucks whereas HY35's have a smaller turbine housing for use on automatics. There are further variations. Watch the compressor housing you get as some are easier to plumb than others.

 

Hope that's useful to someone.

[dat1gai]

Hello HybridZ members,

 

I recently bought a 1982 Datsun 280zx Non-Turbo Coupe. It's a decent car and I'ev been working on restoring a lot of it and it's almost complete after many hours and burning lots of holes in my wallet (ouch).

 

Now for the next step! I want to make this car run a lot faster! It feels very slow right now, possibily the slowest car in the world! I don't have much knowledge and experience on these Datsun Z cars at all. What are some ways to get this car to run 13s to 14s in the 1/4 mile and still have high reliability.

 

It would be nice if I could just safely slap a turbo kit on it with minor upgrades. Is there a possibility for that? If so, what upgrades should be added to get the car turbo ready?

 

Also, are there very much difference between the turbo and non turbo engines and transmissions? If so, what are the main differences?

 

Thanks! And sorry for the dumb questions!

[Oddmanout84]

Nice writeup, but this link really gets me:

http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/turbo.html

 

In here he states That "You MUST use water injection if you want to use more than about 5 psi of boost". Um, consider me noobish, but 5psi seems like a measily piss-poor level of boost to have a "required" water injection system. Its less than stock! Is this guy just being overly cautious or what? From what I've heard about water injection, it does nothing but decrease the life of your engine. Then again, I do not have much experience with it. Any advice is appreciated, as I'm out to do this swap soon and would *really* like to improve on the stock boost of the L28ET. This article seems almost like its made to scare me out of the project.

 

Furthermore, my uncle has a Porche 944 which he's been tooling around with for a few years. He's rebuilt the entire engine, and as far as I know has not changed the compression ratio, he just got it ported/polished. His setup has a larger turbo, and an intercooler. The thing is a monster, it runs off of pump gas, and the only reason it didn't push almost 500hp at the dyno last time was because the in tank fuel filter imploded (it couldn't take the additional pressure). An axle was also snapped under load at a later time, but NO detonation. And NO water/methanol/nitrous injection either.

 

Granted, its a Porche, but come on... Newer imports even do that without water injection...

 

For me, I'd like to get to 15psi before I start messing with meth/water injection, and up at that point I really don't need to go more than 20. That's of course with an intercooler and oil cooler, as well as some advanced form of ignition management. I'd like to test the waters close to 10 with the stock setup, but limiting to 5psi doesn't even get me out of the kiddie pool.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read elsewhere you could push 10psi into an engine with a static compression ratio of about 8.3-1 before you'd want to think about lowering the compression ratio to accomodate more boost (reliably). This is from general reading on turbocharging, not specificly an L28, but I'd figure the principals would remain the same.

 

I'm off to research this a little more.

[GarageRatt13]

i have an L28 in my 280 that is N/A but its already bored i was hopping to use that engine and just take the parts from a turbo engine and use them on it. Is there any problem with that? or should i just get a the turbo engine and start over.

[WizardBlack]

i have an L28 in my 280 that is N/A but its already bored i was hopping to use that engine and just take the parts from a turbo engine and use them on it. Is there any problem with that? or should i just get a the turbo engine and start over.

 

You need to search for the details on that. Unfortunately, so many people ask the same questions that it is difficult to actually find the answers at times. The short answer is that, yes, you can do that. I have an L28E that is running 12~15 psi with a Holset with no problem.

Again, welcome to the website, but please do search a lot before asking questions.

[WizardBlack]

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read elsewhere you could push 10psi into an engine with a static compression ratio of about 8.3-1 before you'd want to think about lowering the compression ratio to accomodate more boost (reliably). This is from general reading on turbocharging, not specificly an L28, but I'd figure the principals would remain the same.

 

I'm off to research this a little more.

 

It is nowhere near that simple. Some cars run more compression than that and use 21 psi from the factory. There are a host of factors involved; including combustion chamber efficiency, how the entire engine flows, etc. etc. Using boost to determine power output is almost as useful as using oil pressure to determine output. Particularly when you are talking about general case.

 

I've said it before, but I think the turbo FAQ needs updated for specific levels that are safe with EACH engine; not just the turbo motor, etc. The problem is, there are really very few (if any) L28 turbo tuners out there to give you the information. The fact that there are so many different heads and compression ratios floating around makes it even more complicated.

 

I have a '77 L28E on Megasquirt/EDIS and I run 12~15 psi on 93 octane. I could probably do more but my diff whines like a jet engine so I can't really listen for det very well to push it harder.

 

Off topic: 944's are notorious for blowing head gaskets, too.

[GarageRatt13]

ok cool thx Wizard i'll search around.

[lilesrebel]

Ive got a 1974 260z, im using the 260 head on a bored out 280z block.

im using a 4 barrel intake conversion from bob sharp racing with a 600cfm holley carb. i want to put a turbo, or a centrifical super charger on it but Im not sure if it can handle it? with it being carburated. Ive seen it done on v8's but i cant find any thing on the L28 being carburated with forced induction.

 

THANKS lilesrebel

[Oddmanout84]

Search/google the "Turbo Tom kit." It involves turbocharging a carbed L6 engine. So apparently it can be done. If I was really ballsy with about 10 years more experience in working on these things, I might try to make something like it myself.

[Drax240z]

I've been asked for a component list needed to do a basic turbo swap in a 240z, so I am going to add it to this thread as well. If I am missing something, PM me and I'll add it to this post.

 

• 1981-1983 280zx turbo engine - complete including:
  
  • AFM
    
  • ECU
    
  • Wiring Harness
    
  • Downpipe
    
  • Turbo
    
  • Fuel rail, injectors, pressure regulator
    
  • Intake/Exhaust Manifolds
    
  • Stock J-pipe
    
  • Oil cooler (or method to block off existing oil cooler adapter)
    
  • 240mm flywheel/pressure plate recommended
    

  [*]A high pressure, high volume fuel pump. (Stock, Walbro, etc)

  [*]280z baffled fuel tank, or another method of baffling tank for EFI

  [*]Intercooler & piping (optional)

  [*]Piping & air filter will need to be customized

[Soundmasterg]

I've been asked for a component list needed to do a basic turbo swap in a 240z, so I am going to add it to this thread as well. If I am missing something, PM me and I'll add it to this post.

 

• 1981-1983 280zx turbo engine - complete including:
  
  • AFM
    
  • ECU
    
  • Wiring Harness
    
  • Downpipe
    
  • Turbo
    
  • Fuel rail, injectors, pressure regulator
    
  • Intake/Exhaust Manifolds
    
  • Stock J-pipe
    
  • Oil cooler (or method to block off existing oil cooler adapter)
    
  • 240mm flywheel/pressure plate recommended
    

  [*]A high pressure, high volume fuel pump. (Stock, Walbro, etc)

  [*]280z baffled fuel tank, or another method of baffling tank for EFI

  [*]Intercooler & piping (optional)

  [*]Piping & air filter will need to be customized

 

How about taking this list that you just created (thanks a bunch, very helpful) and putting in bold the things that are typically changed for more power and/or improved such as "ECU > Megasquirt" for example? Some of us are just getting started and don't know what all these parts are and which ones are usually changed.

 

Thanks,

 

Greg

[HowlerMonkey]

Add........."280zx turbo oil pump shaft" to the list..........or 1981 280zx turbo crank angle sensor and front pulley.

 

The distributor and oil pump shaft from the L28et is easier than the 1981 solution and it makes running a Z31 or M30 ecu alot easier if you want to go beyond the stock ecu limits.

[Drax240z]

Not familiar with the shaft differences, though iI am using an 81 shaft without issues. Can you elaborate on the differences?

[HowlerMonkey]

The 1982/1983 distributor has a different socket that meets the oil pump shaft than the 1981 and earlier.

 

I have the complete 1981 setup that uses a crank angle sensor and ran it as a standalone but I wanted to use a newer ecu from either a Z31 or M30.

 

To do this, you need to swap over the encoder disc from a z31 distributor to the l28et distributor. The 1981 distributor is empty so you need the 1982 or 1983 distributor.

 

I pushed out the pins on all of the distributor ends and tried to use the later distributor with the earlier shaft but it requires machining and a lot of work which could compromise the precision of the timing.

 

I got the later oil pump shaft and everthing is sweet running a M30 ecu on the L28et..........well.......it's in a M30 car so I thought it best to try that setup first.

[misterZ]

Nice write up! I'm kind of partial to my stock (NA) engine (135K original mi) and leaning towards installing a turbo (not a complete engine swap). My current 'to do' is to install my Pallnet (barbed) rail, (A)FPR and Mallory external EFI fuel pump, 211 LPH @ 60 PSI (purchased from BRAAP). Granted, the rail is barbed so I presume my options are limited(?) on injectors; I intended to look for and install stock 333 injectors from a Z31 (or Z32?). My ultimate goal is ~250rwhp when all is said and done.

 

Regarding this initial fuel delivery upgrade, will the stock ECU handle/pick up the change? I do intend to go with an aftermarket EMS eventually, likely MS, but I'm taking baby steps to get there.

 

On the turbo: would I be better off finding a donor L28ET that I can swap just the turbo parts to my engine or (since I'd rather be patient) keep looking for deals on just the parts I need whether they be new or used? Also, is an I/C a necessity to get this turbo upgrade on the road or can it come after (I do intend to install one but trying to keep initial costs down)? I realize I have a lot more reading to do but as I said, I'm partial to my motor so I'm not really keen on changing it out, I just want a turbo charger for more HP. =/