Guest Hrod382 Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I'm 18, took classes for college as opposed to vocational school so what I've learned about cars I've learned at home. I'm pretty good with regular motors with carbs (put 350 in my 69 Camaro, wrench on 70 camaro with a 548 every weekend) and I know what I'm doing. Being in the 21st century I would like to actually know how to work on fuel injected motors and I'm considering a 95 lt1 swap into a 280z. The last two nights I've spent from about midnight to 2 looking at what people said about their lt1 swaps and looked at wiring diagrams and to be honest I'm lost (went through a good 1,000 results). Some of the things I read about what you all say might as well be German because I have no clue. Has anyone else started in my position and figured it out for themselves? I know a lot of car guys but they don't mess with fuel injected motors so for the most part I'd be by myself without a clue. If I buy a 95 service manual will it be my bible and my savior? Another one of my big concerns with wiring is how does the stuff you're swapping in incorporate into your dash? I've seen some posts about it but no one elaborated into it. The biggest thing I'd like to accomplish is re-wiring the harness myself but once again I'd have no idea of what I could toss and what I could keep, also editing the computer I don't know a thing about that. I'd really like to learn about these kind of motors and I think this would be a cool way to do so but am I in over my head? I don't want to get this deal started and be on here every night begging you all for help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I have had no electrical training...just putting in a stereo once in a while and tracing problems etc. I installed the a 94 LT1 and T56 in my 240Z and I completely rewired the car from scratch too. Very time consuming, but not difficult......If a moron like me can do, then how hard can it be..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I don't want to get this deal started and be on here every night begging you all for help. That's what we're here for! Ask away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Hrod382, To quote from "The Waterboy" - "You can do it!" On the question about wiring into the dash. Use the Datsun senders for the water temp and oil pressure and install them in the LT1 system. That simplifies that. The tachometer can be modified to take a V8 signal. The speedometer is a different story - depending on the transmission you use. Some have mechanical outputs which will be fairly straight forward to use your stock speedometer. If it's an electronic output then you'll either need to get an electronic speedometer or use a CableX converter to convert the tranny electronic output into a mechanical drive for the speedo. If you stick with your stock fuel tank then the fuel gauge is no problem. If you go to a fuel cell then it becomes more complicated. The fact that the Gen1 dashes have two compound gauges in them really complicates the decision as there are no aftermarket compound gauges available. Keep the Datsun or find other places to mount the aftermarket gauges in addition to the dash. More research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterZ Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 We put a '92 corvette motor in a 280 using a wiring harness company we found in the Jeg's catalog. Good fit and it passed the US smog inspection for a motor swap 1st time through. Not expensive either if I remember correctly. I can't recall the name but I'm sure its available. The harness came with ID tags on all the connectors right down to the electric air pump and reverse lockout solenoid for the Camaro 6 speed gearbox. Too cool. You can order them for many combinations of powertrain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 We put a '92 corvette motor in a 280 using a wiring harness company we found in the Jeg's catalog. Good fit and it passed the US smog inspection for a motor swap 1st time through. Not expensive either if I remember correctly. I can't recall the name but I'm sure its available. The harness came with ID tags on all the connectors right down to the electric air pump and reverse lockout solenoid for the Camaro 6 speed gearbox. Too cool. You can order them for many combinations of powertrain. Did you used the Vette fuel tank and transfer all the emissions stuff to the Z? Did you take the car through the referee certification process? Can you give some anecdotal info on the process? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterZ Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 No, it was pretty easy. I called the BAR and they pretty much said "we want to open the hood and see a '92 corvette smog system". They explained to me that the tank and evaporative system was part of the chassis and not assoociated with the engine swap. It was registered as an engine swap with no problems. One trip to the referee for verification and a door plate decal then anywhere for smogs like any regular car. The BAR was very good about explaining what was needed. The engine had an electric air pump that I had to adapt to the block hugger headers by adding pipe fittings. I angled the aluminum radiator and installed the factory intake including the air filter. The exhaust was allowed headers but (my memory is unclear here) I think I had to use dual catalytic converters because the 'Vette engine had duals. Anything after the converters was allowed. The owner wanted a digital dash and worked nicely with the 6-speed's electronic speedometer and he didn't want to use the adapter for the stock speedo. The harness was a great fit. Even the ECU was labeled. I did have to lengthen the wires a bit to get everything out of sight. I no longer work at the shop where we built it. I got to do most of the fab work, much fun indeed. I see the guys often. The car still gets work done there. It was clocked at 162 MPH at one of the Silver State Challenge events in Nevada. The speed plaque was displayed in the showroom. I'll see if I can get permission to get more info like the who owns the car, etc. It was completed well before june 2000, that's when I left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Wow....my last call to BAR was opposite to what you are saying....they said that the fuel and evap sustem was required, but not the cats (unless it came from and OBDII donor).....damn it!! never know what to think now... [Edit].....actually, my memory is coming back.....the fuel tank and evap system refers to OBDII also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterZ Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 That car was built about 1998 or so. I don't think it had OBDII; I had to put a "Check Engine" light in the dash and don't remember anything with OBDII diagnostics. Maybe the rules have changed. Sorry if that is so but we did nothing with the evap except to connect the hoses to the engine. I remember receiving a two-page info sheet from BAR that we used for the conversion. (Its probably 15 pages by now) The owner of that car didn't like his car being shown around much but would share info when I was working there. I checked the website and his car isn't pictured at all. My Z8 car is pictured, when it was a customer's car. I got it when the owner passed away. RIP, Michael. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.