COmputoman Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 First off lets start from the beginning. It all started when I got my vary first car... 1982 280zx She was an alright find. $ 1100 Minimal rust, Crappy interior and a running engine. Odometer read 82000 miles. Time went by and I started to fall in love with this car and become a Z fanatic. I did things to improve performance such as a tokico suspension kit, ST sway bars, MSA intake, msa headers and a 2.5 inch catless exhaust. Even took her out to the track once and competed against other Z's. Heres about how the car looked at its prime about a year and a half ago All was going well until one day I was on my way home from work heading over to a friends house to help him take apart his totaled 300zx (some might remember him as the one from the forums who wrapped his 300 around a pole). So here I was waiting at a stop light thinking about how glad I was that my car was still intact when *WHAMP* a large work van smashes into the rear end of my car. My seat reclines by itself and im not so startled. Driver of the other vehicle said he was sorry but he was eating his lunch and didnt realize what he was doing. For the time I spent waiting for insurance money I had a set to 240Z tail lights masking tapped onto my 280zx. This was the most ugly thing you could imagine. After about a week the money started to slowly roll in. Insurance claimed that my car was totaled even though it was only body dammage. With a few G's under my belt I decided rather then fixing the hunk of junk I would get myself the Z I always wanted, so I started my search on craigslist. Eventually I stumbled across a beautiful 260z that I paid 2850 for. Body, interior, wheels, Carbs engine... It was all clean. About 2 and a half weeks into driving my new car I start to hear a tapping noise.. I blow this off for a few days thinking it was loose throttle linkage, but eventually notice that the noise was getting louder. The day I noticed it got louder I parked my car and work and "tried" to drive it home that day. I got off work and started up my car... tapping noise continues. Got down the road and entered the highway. get about 3 or 4 miles down the highway and the noise starts to get to the point where I know something was seriously wrong and I needed to pull over. As I started to edge towards the side of the road my engine cuts out completely.. *coasts to the shoulder.* checked my oil level and all of the oil I had just put in a week before had disappeared. Called a tow truck, got the sucker home and it was back to driving the hideous 280. As time went by I started to realize that I was never going to have the extra cash to fork over for the ass end of the 280 to be redone. Another conclusion was that if I was going to have 1 running car it had better been the sexy one that didnt have a totaled body. As funds were low for me one week and I was waiting for my next pay check to come in I decided this would be a perfect time for the swap. With not enough money for gas I would have my girlfriend drive me to and from work for the next week. I started the swap over at a freinds house.. Luckily his mom didnt hate me before AND after the swap. Here are some pictures that show some crucial moments durring my project Here is my car broken down after blowing the engine The obvious bulge in the engine block which my girlfriend pointed out to me before I even noticed "thanks baby":mrgreen: This engine I hulled about 30 miles into town thinking I could save my car with, but turned out to be a big waste of time. out with the Old Who wants to by a perfectly good piston? I accept Paypal Should my oil pan look like this? Engine swaps are dirty I found this in Cylinder 4 and decieded to eat it.. King ranch chicken.. Must be left over from the previous owner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COmputoman Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 There she blows.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-ya Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Nice job, good story. How is she running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COmputoman Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 At first the engine ran well, then started to run hot and sputter. I realized that the coil was leaking oil from it and smelled like burning electronics. Replaced the coil and it ran well again. After driving it for a few days I decided to venture a little out of town.. on my way out my engine bay started to emit smoke.. I pulled over and my coolant was almost completily gone. Filled the sucker with water and let her sit. drove her the rest of the way there and back. Once back in town I checked all of the hoses and purchased a few caps and fittings to try and resolve the issue. Unfortunatly this resolved nothing as the it was the waterpump that hat the real problem. Checked autozone and they actualy had one in stock . Replaced the water pump and all is well at last! Question. When I over heated I did not crack the head, but after seeing my engine that hot It scares me to think i might have dammaged something. Everything seems to be running fine, but is there anythings I should look for besides increasing and foamy oil levels? PS my temp sensor works now thank god Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaggyZ Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hey! I was there the day you got rear-ended. I'm glad you ended up with a 260Z instead the boat you had before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I would think the easiest way to check for warpage would be a compression check or if it is real bad water may be in the oil. Great story, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 You have to take a picture of the 240Z lights in the 280zx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Yes, you HAVE to take pictures. Go NOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 nice photos! A compression and a leak-down test is always a nice, handy pair of diagnostic tests for any engine "when in doubt." A "wet" compression test is another step, but I would rather not explain the process as it is not one I have actually DONE, so I don't want to get anything wrong. It is a comparison to the dry numbers, to show potential ring wear if the compression number itself is low. The leakdown test is actually more useful than a compression test, in and of itself.. but the tools to do it are not in every toolbox. The leakdown tester needs compressed air, but a compression checker is cheap and requires nothing else to use but a battery and functioning starter on the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COmputoman Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share Posted June 23, 2008 You have to take a picture of the 240Z lights in the 280zx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenshinX Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 So what are you gonna do with your first bride? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COmputoman Posted June 23, 2008 Author Share Posted June 23, 2008 http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=134287 Selling the parts! the shell has been taken away already.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleachZee Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 no parking without wheels. Have you considered using the 280ZX fuel injection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 The tape is such a nice touch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayG1988 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Man, same boat here. I've been threatened about my old 280zx. I need to get rid of her asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COmputoman Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 no parking without wheels. Have you considered using the 280ZX fuel injection? That was my original plan untill I started getting deeper into the swap.. Im using this as my daily, so the quickest of the two was my natural decision. Carbs that were already tuned and self contained? the more easy route was obvious. Although every time I visit the pump I start to think twice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZXT_bean Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 belive it or not.. those tail lights dont look that bad.. nice tape job!! glad to see another living trans plant!! 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.