gottztagetrice Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 i'm a noob to this hybrid z and had a question about a general turbo set up. i have been reading information about my 280zx l28e and always found the simple answer of swapping the engine out but i was wondering why is it so difficult to turbo charge this NA engine. also with turbo charging this particular engine.. if i do manage to set up an turbo NA, would it b possible to run bigger injectors and an after-market fuel pump to run any boost (at the least)? oh yeah and modding the air fuel ratio with a megasquirt system. I want to make a street legal set up which is also a bit of an extreme idea so i am hoping this will be a decent way to get past the visual inspection CA requires for smog. any idea guys? sorry if this idea seems far-fetched... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 The NA engine cant not handle the abuse of the turbo (pistons, cyclinder wall, head, valve, etc.) I mean you can turbo an NA but you will blow something if you go over 7psi. as for visual inspection, what I would do is get my self a turbo engine and do all of the following and when it come to smog check, just take out ur turbo and put in the na, and visa versa and you wont have to worry for another two years. Just my two cents. which part of sac are you from, Im pretty close by Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottztagetrice Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 oh i didnt add the fact that i am going to use turbo forged pistons which is the only real big difference between the engines. the heads are similar in compression and so is the block. i'm just going to do as full turbo upgrade and jus take it all out every 2 years. i mean run a t3/t4 intercooled with a turbo intake manifold, bigger injectors, fuel pump, custom fuel rail, independent comp. management, custom exhaust, etc. should run good. i'm shootin for 300-350 at the wheels. i'm in south sac kinda north of elk grove. i need to double check the stuff i'm adding but hopefully it will work out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbesheer Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 I'm pretty sure the block is the same. But just a side note, is it really hard to pass visual with a turbo engine in a car that could have come turbo had you gotten a different package... It's not like your trying to hide something that doesn't belong. just put turbo badges on lol. or do they cross reference the VIN ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottztagetrice Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 i'm not too sure how smog works to be honest on the record keeping side. i want to try getting away with the turbo but it will mess up the engine if i pull the after market fuel system. i might just revert everything to stock come that time or try to register it out of state Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 some of them do cross ref with the VIN, but as for the visual inspec, find one that doesnt really care. and you should be find. As for internal exchange and all that, you should be find if that what you plan on doing. good luck. My friend place is right off of Sheldon, so I drive by once in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oinojo Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 The NA engine cant not handle the abuse of the turbo (pistons, cyclinder wall, head, valve, etc.) I mean you can turbo an NA but you will blow something if you go over 7psi. as for visual inspection, what I would do is get my self a turbo engine and do all of the following and when it come to smog check, just take out ur turbo and put in the na, and visa versa and you wont have to worry for another two years. Just my two cents. which part of sac are you from, Im pretty close by ive been running my na block w/ felpro headgasket (close to 8.8:1cr-p79/f54flattop) for almost 3 months now on 12lbs of boost. To be honest, i was expecting the headgasket to blow more than anything else and it has held together so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottztagetrice Posted August 25, 2007 Author Share Posted August 25, 2007 hey ben do you or your friend know any place in sac that dosent care about the visual and what? one of my friend's dad's owns a shop where they do smog and everything but he is going off to college. just any suggestions could help. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 Let me check with him, cuz when I did the check smog, I do it here in the san jose. I'll get back to you on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 The NA engine cant not handle the abuse of the turbo (pistons, cyclinder wall, head, valve, etc.) I mean you can turbo an NA but you will blow something if you go over 7psi. as for visual inspection, what I would do is get my self a turbo engine and do all of the following and when it come to smog check, just take out ur turbo and put in the na, and visa versa and you wont have to worry for another two years. Just my two cents. which part of sac are you from, Im pretty close by My gawd! I'm on borrowed time with 42K miles of boosted (17psi and up) on my N/A 77 Block/Pistons/Head.... The California Smog Check is so easy to pass legally just put the parts on, go to the referee, and get the sticker so you don't have to bother with taking all the stuff off every time you smog. I know people who were afraid of the process, and then called me on the celphone afterwards gleeful that they couldn't believe how easy it was to do it legally! I had been telling him it was no big deal, but until you see how easy it really is, you can't really fathom it. I mean, the guy has a 10psi Turbo Maxima WAGON... That is about the most unlikely vehicle for the swap, and his is passing both visual and tailpipe. It really is not big deal. Do it right, register it correctly, and if you ever get stopped in a roadside check you have the sticker that basically keeps your car out of impound for an illegal engine swap! Don't by the gloom, doom, and impending catastrophe naysayers...it's all B.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 ive been running my na block w/ felpro headgasket (close to 8.8:1cr-p79/f54flattop) for almost 3 months now on 12lbs of boost. To be honest, i was expecting the headgasket to blow more than anything else and it has held together so far. That good to hear, but I just want to be on the save side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 My gawd! I'm on borrowed time with 42K miles of boosted (17psi and up) on my N/A 77 Block/Pistons/Head.... The California Smog Check is so easy to pass legally just put the parts on, go to the referee, and get the sticker so you don't have to bother with taking all the stuff off every time you smog. I know people who were afraid of the process, and then called me on the celphone afterwards gleeful that they couldn't believe how easy it was to do it legally! I had been telling him it was no big deal, but until you see how easy it really is, you can't really fathom it. I mean, the guy has a 10psi Turbo Maxima WAGON... That is about the most unlikely vehicle for the swap, and his is passing both visual and tailpipe. It really is not big deal. Do it right, register it correctly, and if you ever get stopped in a roadside check you have the sticker that basically keeps your car out of impound for an illegal engine swap! Don't by the gloom, doom, and impending catastrophe naysayers...it's all B.S. Well said Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottztagetrice Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 hey tony does it matter what parts i add in terms of upgrades? i mean i'm going to run a T3/T4 w/ turbo pistons, after-market fuel system, and MSnS. I'm also planning on running a custom exhaust. I'm assuming i'm supposed to also fab an exhaust that will use a converter? also, what kind of set up are you running may i ask? thanks for the info!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Anything without a CARB E.O. number is illegal to add to your vehicle. Period. Exhaust gets into a grey area as 'replacement parts' are kind of open... Yes, if the car had a catalyst, you need a catalyst...a 3" High-Flow will support more than 600HP and not cut anything appreciably off any sort of power so why not have it on there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robrsx Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Hey Tony I want to do the same with my N/A motor, it is an N42 Block with an N42 head but I am willing to build this motor stonger to with stand turbo. your saying if I get the parts needed .... for example turbo and manifold no matter what turbo it is and run descent boost when showing to the ref that it will pass inspection and make it smog legal no matter what internals i am running? now do I need the turbo ecu and wireing or will it pass with an aftermarket managment system such as the megasquirt? and will it pass with an intercooler as well? thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottztagetrice Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 alright lets say the smog ref passes the visual with the fuel system, will the t3/t4 hybrid be a problem even though the original l28et had a t3 mounted on it? and i was going to weld pretty much everything on the exhaust; do you think i should make space to have the cat a bolt on? i don't mind having it as part of the system since it will be a high flow cat anyways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I don't work in absolutes, I won't say 'no matter what internals I use' because a big cam will shoot your vacuum and give Hc out the ying yang... The guy with the Maxima is running the stock L24E ECU, and will be running Methanol Injection to allow for higher boost levels without an intercooler. The engine bay is crowded enough, this kind of stuff can be easily hidden using spraypaint... But the answer is the thing has to pass out the tailpipe and LOOK stock, as well as have the stuff functional like EGR, etc.... You add an intercooler and go to the referee, or not have a Cat on the car, you are wasting your time. Stock means stock, gentlemen. The closer it stays to stock, the better chance you have of not raising flags. You raise a flag, they clook closer, they look closer, you get screwed. it's that simple. Worry about getting it to pass, and THEN modify it after the Turbo is listed on the Door Jamb with the BAR Sticker. As for as Megasquirt, it's a dead-on illegal modification. It gets found, it fails you. That being said, I 'have heard' of several VW Busses running around a certian "Non-Attainment Region" who have successfully been through two SMOG checks now (DYNO SMOG CHECKS!)...they used a stock-looking wiring harness, or hacked their stock harnesses to do their MS conversion...so letter of the law says "No, Megasquirt is Illegal" but in practice if you can pass it by a dullard then...well... Again, the best way to do it is put everything STOCK in there, and get it to pass. Then screw with what you want to do, and worry about a general smog check by a dullard who is content to look, wiggle, and run the machine. You don't want to screw with the referee, sometimes they will know what they are looking at. But Turbo is Turbo...you have a stock J-Pipe on there, chances are good that is as far as it will go. I mean, c'mon man, the guy put an L28ET into a Maxima Wagon! If it can pass THERE.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David K Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Geeez Tony, so you are are saying the vg30et swap into my 79 isnt illegal in CA and can actually PASS inspection as long as i have a motor from a passenger car and not a truck and all OE emmisions equipment installed and functional just like it says in a zillion threads here on the site? By golly thats wonderful news, i shall rejoice tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Hey TONY, you are the man of these subjects. Thnx for helping the noop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 LOL BTW, Sac'to guys...I'm in the Tracy Holiday Inn Express tonight only! One night only, and I'm off to Vegas in the A.M.! WOO HOO! I get to try and snag tickets to 'Spamalot'.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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