Please Read! Need help! ZX L-28 n\a performance upgrades?

[zxjuiced]

Hi HybridZ members;

I`m intrested on pick the minds of all you that care to leave your input!

I`ve done the search thing and read many of your post here! But it seems that a topic starts out on a good note but seems to always get changed to something else before the original post has be fully answered!With that said I would only like to hear about this topic in hand! Don`t ty to sway me into something else cause you may think it`s not worth it,or the cost is to great or for whatever reason! Just please try to keep it on the topic at hand and keep it real! thank you. Ok to start I have a 1980 280ZX L-28 NA efi. The block is a N-42 and the head is a N-47.Basicly all stock.I had the engine out for restoration and while the engine was out I replaced all the gaskets and seals.I did the normal tune up,performance wires,plus cap, etc. sent the injecters out for cleaning and calibrate.added 6-1 header and 2 12 exhaust system.Cold air induction and new clutch,pressure plate and flywheel.That about sums it up! This engine is the original engine and it only has 56,000 miles on it.There for it`s a strong motor and I like to keep this one in there for that reason.It`s not a daily runner, It`s going to be my open lap day for the weekend enthusiast. Now with all that said, lets get down to the meat of the topic!

 

I would like to gain more horsepower and quicker throttle response using bolt on performance parts! where do I want to start? head work, cam kit, fuel system, throttle body, bigger injecters, electronics or gears? I would like to leave the bottom end alone at this time. Just consentrate on the top end! sinse it already back in the engine bay! Cost? Sure everyone has their limit, I would like to do this in stages as the cash come avaliable. Please be specific when addressing what you would do to the head! or bigger injecters, how big? fuel delivery?electronics? so on and so on! I`m mechanicly inclined,but I`m far from a performance guru! Like I stated earlier. I`ll be running this set-up on a road course at the local race track on open lap day.Pressing the envelope of the car and driver (Me) for shits and giggles. Not out to try to smoke 5.0 cobra`s or teenagers in their juiced up honda`s.

 

So what do you have for me? Throw it all at me. except please don`t reply: put a V8 in her, or do a turbo swap! Keep it all about the NA performance upgrades. I`m intrested in hearing about all of your performance ideas! THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT REPLY!

[Guest bastaad525]

this isn't a complicated question and doesn't have a complicated answer. You seem to know enough here to answer you're own question, really.

 

Performance bolt ons for N/A cars, all N/A cars, usually follow the same path, no mystery or magic involved with the N/A L28.

 

Better intake (free flow air filter, bigger throttle body), better exhaust (headers, free flow cat, free flow muffler, bigger pipe, mandrel bent pipe), head modifcations (port and polishing, hotter cam), drivetrain upgrades (light flywheel, higher rear end gear), then the BIG mods if you still want more (bore and stroke, tripple carbs). For what you want to do with the car, suspension and brakes will be as important if not more so than wringing serious power out of her, I would think.

 

Where you will start depends on YOU, how much you have to spend at any given time, how fast you can save, luck you have finding good deals on used parts if you go that way, are you doing the work yourself, etc. The usual path involves upgrading the intake and exhaust first... these would be the cheapest and easiest things to mod first and would get you a 'seat of the pants' noticeable increase in power and throttle response. Again... just follow the typical path that any person modding there car bit by bit would go. No voodoo in doing it with the L28. And... do some more searching... there is TONS of info that you have passed and are passing up by not going thru the archives a bit more thoroughly, 99% of which you will miss because most people don't want to retype it for the 100th time.

[Guest 240zt]

I agree with bastaad

[zxjuiced]

BASTAAD! Thanks for your comments! But, When you say: upgrade the intake are you saying theres a better efi intake to use than the stock one I`m using now! Is there a aftermarket one or what? Or are you saying ditch the efi and go tripples???

 

When I asked to be specific, Be specific! Like what`s the best TB to use, A stock unit of another car? or aftermarket?? Size? Best fit! etc. Injecters? type? size? Electronic? hotter spark!what brand?? What else???

 

I`ve already up graded the exhaust,2 12 mandrel tubing ,6-1 header,.Added cold air induction. I was think my next upgrade would be to get a Maxima N-47 cylinder head.put in new Z N-47 intake valves and new exhaust valve, new springs, new rockers,new lash pads,new lifters and a hot cam. maybe stage 2 from MSA! Machine head for the bigger intake valves,ported and polished! Am i missing a step here on the head??

 

Again I appriciate all your ideas and suggestions! I`m hoping to hear from alot of you guy`s,Especialy the guy`s who have built a NA L-28 and had success with their performance gains!

 

So come on guy`s let`s see how many good ideas and replys this post can generate! thx again!

[Guest bastaad525]

There's a few different options for the intake. The stock manifold should be great and would accomodate a lot of power... there are custom manifolds out there, but they are pricey, and I can't say how much of an improvement they'd be over a nicely ported stock intake. The major upgrade is the throttle body. Get either the big bore TB from a place like Motorsport auto, or preferably, save a lot of money and get yourself a 60mm TB from a 240sx. You need an adapter plate to use it, but there's a guy who makes them. All this info can be found in the searches easily.

 

tripples are a good option for a built engine, when you want more power on top, and have a good cam to get there and an engine built to flow. A mildly modded engine would do better on the EFI, IMO.