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Turbocharging an N/A Motor


Nissan-Fan

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I have a 1978 Datsun 280z, and i am looking into boosting it, but i want to know why dropping a new motor in is so easy compared to turboing an N/A motor? i would either get a turbo manifold from a ZX or get one custom made, plus the exhaust manifold, and a T3, Bov, ect ect. When it comes to the ECU, can they be re-programmed? supposedly a place near by could do it for me. I'm only looking to run about 8-9Psi max. any major concerns?

Thanks.

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becase there are very few shared parts between the two motors. Sure you can turbo any NA z, but it's still not an L28ET. different exhast manifold, intake manifold, ECU, cylinder head, pistons (compression), and then the turbo motor has all the turbo parts. So they share the block, crank, rods... did I miss much?

 

Considering you can get a turbo ZX for under 2k with a decent motor, it's cheeper to just get a whole car and change the motor than buy all the parts individually. You could always hunt down a L28ET motor all by itself, might be pretty cheep depending on where you're getting it from, but should have most the parts you'd need. The biggest difference though is the head.

 

Oh, and you could have searched for you answer.

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most of us just find wrecked 280Zx turbo cars for a few hundred bucks and take everything, I doubt the place down the ioad can reprogram the stock ECU it's old dated technology, the Z31 ecu swap can be chipped but as far as I know the 74.5-83 can not, they are a few tubular exhaust manifolds out there but they cost as much as a complete donor car and they stock manifolds seem to be good for 400whp

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Can be done, especially with lower boost.

 

I had good luck with the stock NA efi system by just locking the ignition timing advance and using a FMU to increase fuel pressure during boost. Runs great but the mpg is poor. 9 to 12 mpg in the city, 16 to 22 on the highway depending how I drive.

 

But the cost of an fmu (200.00) could be applied to the cost of an aftermarket efi which is the better way of doing it.

 

You could also lower engine cr with a head swap since the 75 to 80 Z/Zx engines already have dished pistons. Use a P79 or P90 head to get to the stock turbo cr (7.4:1). Lower compression is safer to use.

 

You will need a turbo oil pan, turbo exhaust and intake manifold, stock turbo with wastegate and down pipe, oil feed line and tee, oil drain line, turbo oil pump, and J-pipe. And as mention already, a complete turbo engine maybe a better way to go.

 

Then the stock clutch is not really up to the task. You should also upgrade to a 2+2 clutch (240mm).

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^ why would you run a turbo intake manifold ? lets say i run 550cc injectors and a custom rail, i wouldnt really need to run a turbo manifold ? also wouldnt i be able to run a thicker headgasket like lets say the stock one is .6mm and i run a 1 or 2mm wouldnt that be safe since it would lower my compression to around 8 or 7:5:1.

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The turbo intake has the pcv port in a position as not to hit the turbo. It can be moved on the NA intake but just simpler to use a turbo intake. I just didn't feel like writting anymore so I didn't go into detail about that. So, yes a NA intake can be used if the pcv port is moved.

 

Sure you can run 550cc injectors if you use an aftermarket efi computer.

 

Yes, a thicker gasket will lower compession. However, 8.3:1 can be turbo charged with an aftermarket efi system with ignition control if low boost is used. I just prefer higher boost and 7.4:1 cr.

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