Guest Perry Posted October 14, 2002 Share Posted October 14, 2002 Saturday, after about 2.5 years of working on the car, I put a battery in it for the first time since it pulled in with the Turbo 6 long ago-and nothing caught fire. so I checked things over again and turned the key to "on", the long dormant ignition relay closed with a click and things were looking good. After a moment of debate about going to get the witnesses, I figured if it started they'd come running anyway and if it didn't they wouldn't be the wiser so I turned the key and after a half turn or so of the crank it roared to life. The open headers drew the attention of all my "witnesses", who came running. I went through the usual drill, check timing, set the idle screw for a fast idle, look around for leaks, watch the header paint burn off. Then I finally got to sit behind the wheel, on my old bellhousing used as a seat, and stab the gas a few times. man does that feel good. now I'm back into making a list of all the stuff that has to happen to get it on the road, eventually it'll get there. at least now when I go over to work on it I can fire it up for a minute or two and get motivated. Plus most of my inlaws just lost a big bet, it runs!!! Perry 77 280Z- was turbo, now 350 chevy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted October 14, 2002 Share Posted October 14, 2002 Alright!! Feels great the first time starting it doesn't it?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted October 14, 2002 Share Posted October 14, 2002 Congrats, Perry! I love hearing startup stories! BTW, you're the only person I can ever remember doing a turbo L6 and then going to the V8. Care to elaborate on why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
383 240z Posted October 15, 2002 Share Posted October 15, 2002 Hey Perry did you figure out the starter problem or was it a voltage issue? Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted October 15, 2002 Share Posted October 15, 2002 Originally posted by pparaska:You're the only person I can ever remember doing a turbo L6 and then going to the V8. Care to elaborate on why? Whaddya trying to do here, Pete, start another "turbo vs. V8" war? I'm just getting the fire retardent washed out of my hair from the last one! (but I gotta admit, I'm curious too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Perry Posted October 15, 2002 Share Posted October 15, 2002 why turbo then V8? I'll try to keep this short but it has been more about my situation than anything else. I guess it went like this, I drove the car a couple of years and desperately needed more power(don't we all). I was in college and had very little cash. I had ridden in a 240 with a v8 scarab style that my uncle built, and instantly fell in love. I had also heard that you could turbo swap pretty easy and knew that might be better (less work to install) since the car was my daily transport. I had been debating over the v8 or turbo issue when a friend told me about this 280ZX sitting near his house for a few years, so I rode over and soon had a rusty 82 280ZXT for $200. The owner parked it due to a "bad head or something" that showed up when he had a muffler installed. I took it home, cut off the clogged cat and voila it runs great. The debate was over and a few weekends later I pulled the car in on friday night after work non turbo and drove to work monday morning turbo. I swapped in the 82 injection and entire engine, used my 5 speed that was already in the car, and ran a 3 inch exhaust with flowmaster. I picked up lots of performance with that swap and had lots of fun for a while. I considered more mods and started collecting stuff to do an intercooler etc.. but was in the process of getting married so the engine stayed relatively stock except for 10 psi boost. It ran great 90% of the time but occasionally would hesitate a little and lose power, which drove me nuts. I spent a lot of time chasing this nagging problem, which never left me stranded, but would embarass me occasionally at a stoplight drag. I needed more speed and always wondered about the V8 option... Fast forward a year or two and I'm on my way home (PA) from Michigan when the turbo shaft bearings finally get sloppy enough to ruin the oil seal and throw up a smoke screen the batmobile would be proud of. I got it home and the turbo had crashed the housing but the engine seemed OK. I decided to fix "just a little rust" on the frame rails and while doing so the debate continued to rage on in my head, Now would be an excellent time to try the V8. well without really deciding I threw an ad up on zcar.com and my turbo engine setup was quickly sold to a guy a few miles from me for $400. A few weeks later I found a yard with an "all you can carry" for $25 event every other month. ever carry a complete 350 chevy 12 feet before? Ok I had some help, 2 of us carried it out(I think he finally healed up from that). Then I made a secong trip and got my T5-trans, radiator, electric taurus fan, some door panels, starter, etc.. for another $25 (frame pack and lots-o-rope). from there on it is a long story that involves rust then welding then rust.... I'll let you know how the V8 compares to the turbo. Then who knows maybe I'll turbo the V8 for fun. I really liked the turbo, sounded cool and was fast, made a woosh sound, gave me a boost guage to mystify my passengers with. but I think I'll like the approximately 400 ft-lbs of torque that V8 makes too. Perry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Perry Posted October 15, 2002 Share Posted October 15, 2002 Oh yea the starter issue- turns over slow. seems to be drawing a lot of current. worked the first few starts then got slower, now won't start. 350 chev with about 10:1 Here's the interesting part- Mini starters so common to the small block chevy known as the "Hitachi" style are actually 280ZX turbo starters with a machined aluminum block replacing the snout. I bought a discount starter at a swap meet that appears to have originated from Summit racing as their "mini starter". I pulled it apart to check brushes etc and it just looks cheap inside, rough machining, sloppy insulating potting compound, etc.. It also seems to me that the zxt starter I replaced a few years ago was much snappier on the benchtop jumper cable test. I think I'll replace the motor section with a genuine hitachi unit from the junkyard with new brushes and see if that helps. Thought yall might like to know about the zxt to chevy connection Perry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted October 20, 2002 Share Posted October 20, 2002 Perry, I drive a turbo car as a daily driver (92 Eclipse GSX). It's a great daily driver. But I absolutely hate the Jekyll/Hyde personality. Turn on the A/C, sit in traffic, and if the compressor's running, ITS A DOG. I know a trubo doesn't HAVE to be like that, but I wanted instant, full time (independent of ambient temps, etc., etc.) low end torque. I don't know of a cheaper more trouble free way to do that besides normally aspirated cubic inches. No slam to the turbo guys (I drive one!). I just wanted my torque served the very simple way, NA lots of cubes, for my Z! Thanks for sharing your story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 ...Actually Pete is a closet member of the Anti Turbo movement, a deep underground movement geared at doing away with anything that makes power besides cubic inches! Couldn't resist... I'm a little loopy tonight, on muscel relaxers after my back tightened up today... OUCH! Mike PS, did I mention I DON'T want to sell my Zcar project???? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Mike, sounds like you missed your Prozac too I lost my bottle recently . Heck, give me Scottie-GNZ's car and I'd be tickled pink! Mike, glad to hear you DON'T want to sell you Z projects. You need to drive mine to revive your interest. Of course, it's about 150hp shy of what yours was. I'm working on that though (406 SBC in the planning stages)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Of course you can always boost the V8 to have the best of both worlds! I am working on that very concept, although "working" counts as gathering parts and dreaming for the time being. I have to liberate my engine stand first (get the 350 into the 240Z first) and then do a 400/377 build first. I talked with Mike D the other day and he said that he recently let go a couple of 400 SBC's!! Man, I could have cried right there. Still, it's always good to have friends that are on the lookout for you when you need something With Lone's help, I have become a little bit more turbo saavy, although I'm far from any of the genuine turbo guys in the forum. EFI is actually the hurdle....no, an engine management system is actually the main hurdle. The manfold is actually easy and just requires a mild bit of fabrication. I'd like to use a manifold with nitrous bungs as FI ports... I just realized I heisted this thread sorry, I just get carried away with topics I get excited about! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 I'd have to agree Davy, a boosted 350-383 on only about 12 pounds will make good horsepower in the neighborhood of five hundred hp pretty easily, at least IMHO. With MUCH boost and a good bottom end, who knows nine hundred hp? It might be a bit scarey when the boost comes in all the way though. Anyway I'd like to see one done, I'm sure its been done but I'd like some picts of a turbo v8 in a Z. I'd think it'd be a E ticket ride ! Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Originally posted by LoneInAZ:I'd have to agree Davy...It might be a bit scarey when the boost comes in all the way though. Yeah, I thought about the 'controlability' (real word?) punching the throttle coming out of a corner and I just about wet myself. I'll experiment with the n/a motor and get 'used to it' before boosting a V8. It is still the plan though... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug71zt Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Just to stray a little farther off topic - I'm involved in a stroker 440 mopar build-up which is getting a pair of t04's and SDS EFI. It's going in a poor little 66 Valiant 2door. It made just over 500HP NA with a 2x4 tunnel ram. Any guesses what it will make with two turbos at 10 pounds? Big V8 + Boost = BIG DIRTY FUN. BTW - Welcome back to the land of the living! Hope your Z hits the street soon! Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayz Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Hi guys, for your information about turbo/supercharged zcars, look for "Darius 240z" on google and you'll find it. 600rwhp, 580...pd/ft After seing that car on this video, I fall in love with it and I actually wns 2 rebuildable Zcar!!! Sorry I don't have the link!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Perry Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 I have some experience building custom turbo setups for FSAE at school. I've been chewing on turboing a V8 for a while now. My daily ride at the moment is a 1979 malibu with 31,000 miles. A big turd of a car (but I like it) but it has that V8 and all that engine compartment room just begging to become a rolling test bed for a turbo project. If a deal on a couple appropriate turbos fell in my lap right now I'd be in real trouble. Plus I still have a couple intercoolers and miscellaneous parts on the shelf from my turbo days. It's one of those projects that one day I will get bored or find a deal on parts and be on my way to a turbo small block before I realize what I'm doing. Perry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zfan Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 Oh what a feeling, love it when you first fire it. A total adrenaline rush! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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