Guest bushy Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Hi all, Considering a swap into a 76 260z and was thinking of 3 main options. 1. L28 Boring and been done way too many times before, but is by far the easiest swap. By the time you add carbs exhaust, cam, valvesprings, lifters..... makes the extra .2L seem very expensive considering the options. 2. VG30DE (naturally aspirated-hate turbos) heard they are very hard to ft into the engine bay, and if you do they are a very tight fit. 200hp and reliability is worth the effort. Not a common swap though, is there a reason for this? 3. 3.5 Rover V8/Buick 215 the V8 will always appeal to me. Please dont post replies saying how good a 350 chev is, im in Australia and chev parts are not as cheap or easily available as they are in the US, Rover parts are about the same price, and a small V8 is quite appealing to me with fuel prices going where they are. Apparantly the Rover swap is relatively straight foward (no kits available though), and with cam, carbs and exhaust 250ponies at the flywheel is acheivable, guesing just under 200 at the wheels. All this and the car will loose weight due to an aluminium block. Gotta love that. They all have their goods and bads. Im after a car with handling rather than straight line performance, but the V8 will always appeal to me. As well as this, im a carb man, injection is just too complicated to me... Any help, ideas, or comments would be greatly appreciated. Bushy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 If you want simplicity, in your case an L28 + 240sx pistons + maxima diesel crank would probably be the best bet. With proper tuning and bolt on mods you could squeeze out 200hp out of the 3 liter motor. Since you're an aussie, what about an rb30de? or rb25de? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 [broken record]If you build up a 2.8 and build up a 3.1 equally, the difference in power is going to be ~10%, which is the difference in displacement. So you have to figure out how much it will cost to add that 10% in power and then figure out if it is worth it to you. If you are running a really built street L engine with triple sidedrafts you might see something like 280 hp for the 3.1 and 250 for the 2.8. This is assuming similar headwork, cam, etc. So the question is: How much more do you have to pay for the bottom end work and parts to get the extra 30 hp, and is that worth it to you?[/broken record] I think auxilary is talking about building a stroker, but that would use the maxima diesel crank, not cam. From your choices, I'd choose the built L series. Sounds like it should make quite a bit more power than the V8. I knew those 215s were weak, but under 200 hp to the wheels is pretty pathetic. I wouldn't bother stroking your motor if it costs more than $1000 for that part of the build. You will spend quite a bit on the headwork and IMO you'll get more hp out of that then you will the stroker. It will eventually all boil down to how much money you have to spend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 sorry jon, not sure why i wrote cam when i meant crank you know what i meant, hehe. the advantage of building a hybrid stroker as i mentioned above would be a motor rebuild at the same time. Basically, renewing the block while you're at it. Although, I do think getting an rb25de that already produces upwards of 200hp stock would be ideal for his scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bushy Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 as far as ive been able to find out, the diesel maxima was never brought to Australia, so as far as that goes stroking would require and import crank or a custom one. Both expensive options, and for the extra horses its not worth the money. Building an L28 would cost around the same as a V8 by the time you ad tripple webbers (you only need one carb for a V8, either holley or edelbrock, unless you go quad downdraft carbs which is way too expensive). An RB25DE is an option i hadnt considered, but it does seem a bit of a boring swap. I was after something that looked kinda different. Has anyone done this swap, how easy is it? Probably similar to the L series, just need different mounts etc. What kind of performance will a z get with a RB25DE. As well as this, it seems relatively pointless to swap a 2.6 straight 6 for a different 2.5 or 3.0 straight 6. In Oz you need an engineers certificate for an engine swap different to stock, so all the effort seems a bit pointless. 200 ponies is motivation though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 did AU ever get ka24 motor? if so, pistons shouldn't be too difficult to outsource. The crank you can buy from the states, lots of people pull them from junkyards in decent shape, or perhaps see what courtesy nissan sells them for? here's a complete LD28 stroker write up on zhome: http://zhome.com/rnt/3.1HanveyProject.htm Someone on hybridZ was selling one earlier: http://classifieds.hybridz.org/showproduct.php?product=1832&cat=all the 3.1L stroker kit that MSA sells is too expensive, imo: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/PEM05 but since we're talking different motors anyway, what about a ford 302 block? should be plenty available in AU, and alsil on hybridZ sells the mounts for a relatively low price (believe me, it's cheap) It's too bad you're staying away from turbo options, because in your case it'd open up a world of cheap possibilies (ie. sr20det, rb20det, etc) The rb25de is a pretty direct swap, you'd need to check the nissan 6cyl forum for more information about rb motor swaps. What you get with the rb25 is better fuel economy, EFI vs. carb (no need to tune it), and better flowing head/modern technology. You're not going to squeeze out 200hp out of the l26 without building it up internally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b__sosick Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 VG30! DO IT! seriously. why not? :] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifton Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 1UZ swaps are pretty popular over there. They are cheap and lighter than an L28 and stock make more HP and torque than either a 215 or worked L28. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 If a V8 is what is appealing to you, then go with the Rover V8. In your original post you said "the V8 will always appeal to me" twice. Get what you like or you'll regret it sometime down the road. Maybe you'll be happy with something else for a while, but then you'll see someone else in a nice zed with a V8 in it and you'll wonder why you didn't go that route as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bushy Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Perhapse a V8 is the way to go. nothing else sounds that good, or has the same feel. your only kidding yourself if you think otherwise. The VG30 would be a nice option aswell though, however i think it would be a very difficult swap because its such a wide engine, and i have no experience with fuel injection. I just want the car fun to drive, so around 200ponies at the wheels and as light as possible. With an aluminium block, the engine should weigh the same or less than the L series, and power to weight should be fairly good no matter what i choose. From what ive found, the Rover engine is quite a standard swap, although nothing is really available for it. The VG30 is less common, and with all the Z people here you think it would be quite common if it was any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg55_99 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 How about the P76 4.4L V8. Pretty torquey motor and available down your way. http://www.leylandp76.com/technical/tech-rickv8dyno.html Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Has anyone tried a Ford six? I mean, I'm here in the States and I'm measuring up for a BA-series six in my 280ZX, and in possession of an XD six (EFI) I'm putting into a Mercury Zephyr (although I'm first dangling it in the 280ZX engine bay to compare clearances). I can't believe that no one in Oz has done this yet, it seems like a natural swap to me. Light engine, heaps of aftermarket, easy to get your hands on, comparatively cheap. Please don't tell me you need a Yank to swap in an Aussie engine before you get to it...you've had 20 years' head start! Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum380Z Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 This may have been said,but what about the Lexus V-8 or the newer Rover engine/BMW V8. or Maybe audi? imo these engines start out making more power than the 3.5. correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUSSJZ-ZED Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Even if you could find a BMW v8 in Australia, the initial price, and cost of installing would be WAAAAY top heavy, Anyone down here that wants to go V8, should not go past a 4 litre Toyota, can be picked up for $1500 ,Drop in easy, this is a great engine,Technically 100 years ahead of the Rover, Unlimited parts availability here in OZ, As light as the Rover, with 3 more cams, and 16 more valves. The P76 was last manufactured 32 years ago, that's a giant step backwards. And As I pointed out to Bushie on ClassicZ, Rover,Primative,thirsty, English rubbish, named after a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sack face Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Go the rover V8, who cares if its not as powerfull as other engine options, it will go better than your original motor and sound beautifull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z48LT-1 Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Agree with sack face, although I'd'a said "Buick". It sounds like you've got passion about the little V-8, and isn't that what being a car guy is all about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bushy Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I aggree about the sound of the buick, it would sound amazing in a z car. The toyota V8 was something i never even thought of, quad cam and 32 valve is nice relaiable and powerful technology, but becomes a little expensive if the engine needs modification. Although i suppose all that new technology would give it some decent ponies to start off with so performance mods probably wouldnt be nesscessary. I would guess aswell, that the newer motor would be better on fuel, a big plus with the rising prices these days. Has anyone done a LPG or Propane conversion, i heard these days you can get almost as much power, but much better fuel economy. With a duel fuel set up it allows the donk to be efficiant on the LPG, then switch over to petrol when your after a horsepower kick. sort of a poor mans nitrous system but much crappier... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sack face Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I fitted a toyota V8 (1UZFE) into my mazda MX5 / Maita and the fuel economy was amazing, the engines run so efficient, not like that of a carburettored engine of the same capicity. My frend has just fitted a Rover V8 (early P6 3.5) to his mazda bongo truck. Both the toyota and rover V8 sound nice but also sound very different, The rover has a thud thud thud thud type sound, like a deep rumbly V8 but the toyota sounds smooth, and at high revs its sounds similar to a formulat 1 car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Gad Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 VQ35 might make an interesting swap as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veritech-z Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I think somebody needs to find a way to make a QR25DE rear wheel drive. Not so much for a z, but that would be killer in a 510. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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