L28 Turbo (L28ET) or VG30 Turbo (VG30ET) Engine Transplant

[OZZ240]

For those that have done these conversions

I'm looking at doing an engine conversion into my 1971 240Z and was wondering what the pros and cons of each engine conversion are.

Is it worth the major change to go for the VG30 over the L28?

It is my daily driver and I intend to circuit race the car a couple of times a year just for fun.

I have both engines sitting around so its just a matter of either bolting in the L28 or a bigger challenge and go for the VG30 I'm not worried about the bigger challenge of fitting the VG30 but more interested in wether the end result is worth the extra effort.

 

Cheers

Ian

[BLOZ UP]

VG: Better combustion chamber design, less prone to detonation (but not the best, by far), better response to mods, a bit harder to work on, uses timing belt.

 

L: Timing chain, sounds cooler, bolt on mods are more available.

[ozzzzz]

What are you HP goals?

[OZZ240]

Max would be around the 350HP happy with 300HP

[sweetleaf]

Search the site. Your goals are easyly achieved with the L28 with much less work and money.

[michaelp]

Search the site. Your goals are easyly achieved with the L28 with much less work and money.

 

Excuse me? Those goals are more achievable with a VG with less work and less money...if it was in a Z31, the work part in this case comes with putting a VG in a S30, but doub't it'd be more money. If you blow a VG, its a lot easier to replace too.

[chrismiller5157]

I have to say go with the L28, much easyer to install over the VG.

 

VG is heavyer also, and i would think you wouldnt want the extra weight in the front if your going autocross or road race your 240.

[michaelp]

I have to say go with the L28, much easyer to install over the VG.

 

VG is heavyer also, and i would think you wouldnt want the extra weight in the front if your going autocross or road race your 240.

 

According to Nissan, the VG30ET is 80lbs lighter than the L28ET. Plus, the VG can be placed further back, behind the front wheels to promote better weight distribution towards the center/rear.

Edited December 6, 2010 by michaelp

[hoov100]

delete

Edited December 6, 2010 by hoov100

[hoov100]

My vote goes to the vg30, I mocked one up my my s30 before I sold it and besides a steering shaft issue it fit beautifully, Also don't let people scare you into thinking the vg30 is more complicated, the timing belt setup only needs to be replaced around 60k miles and is really easy to do. I love the L-series, but the vg is just that big of a step up in design and requires no special parts to make serious power reliably.

[chrismiller5157]

According to Nissan, the VG30ET is 80lbs lighter than the L28ET. Plus, the VG can be placed further back, behind the front wheels to promote better weight distribution towards the center/rear.

 

 

Good point.

[michaelp]

My vote goes to the vg30, I mocked one up my my s30 before I sold it and besides a steering shaft issue it fit beautifully, Also don't let people scare you into thinking the vg30 is more complicated, the timing belt setup only needs to be replaced around 60k miles and is really easy to do. I love the L-series, but the vg is just that big of a step up in design and requires no special parts to make serious power reliably.

 

Make tubular manifolds with a front mounted turbo where you saved all that space, get awesome exhaust sounds and fix the steering shaft issue in one shot

[kamikaZeS30]

My vote is with the VG30ET, as well. Solid motor (not that the L28 isn't), better weight distribution when you're finished. I believe the VG30 is a little bit lighter and the transmissions you have to choose from are better, IMHO. I don't know why everyone is saying parts are not readily available, as they're everywhere (yes, even for the SOHC).

 

In the long run you're going to spend less to get more out of the VG than with the L28. If you're not planning on running many accessories, changing the timing belt on the VG30 is a snap. Even heavily modded the motor runs smooth as cocoa butter due to the hydraulic valve design and far superior fuel injection system (the early Nissan EFI was ghastly). You're already starting with 3 Liters, also, which makes a difference especially with forced induction. You can get a lot of out a stock motor with a few choice mods, like an extrude honed (or swapped) intake manifold, slightly larger turbo and injectors. You could even do a water-injection set-up instead of adding more fuel. That's what I did.

[hoov100]

Make tubular manifolds with a front mounted turbo where you saved all that space, get awesome exhaust sounds and fix the steering shaft issue in one shot

 

Cut 2 inches out of the steering shaft where it hits, weld in a u joint and use a heim joint right before the ujoint and bolt it through the inner fender well. Much easier (IMO) then making a turbo relocation pipe and all the associated fab with it and makes the motor much more drop in.

[OZZ240]

Thanks for the info

Think I had already made my choice in the back of my head VG30ET here I come

As it is going into a right hand drive car the steering shaft wont be a issue with the turbo but it could be with the oil filter and alternater have yet to check.

 

Still interested to hear what others have to say and may help someone else take the jump.

 

Will try to do photos and bit of a write up as i go

[BLOZ UP]

I'm eventually doing this. I have a complete running drivetrain, and an S30...

 

I just don't want to make my S30 non-running for some indefinite time period.

[ozzzzz]

I'm eventually doing this. I have a complete running drivetrain, and an S30...

 

I just don't want to make my S30 non-running for some indefinite time period.

 

The L28 is a direct bolt in. Your HP goals are very modest(& practical of a fast daily driver). Have you ever swapped a non stock motor? Lots of work and details to work out. It is very easy for others to tell you what they think you should or should not due. I can't believe that installing a VG would be cheaper than a L28. Your time must be worth something? Just my .02 . If you alreading have the VG that's a different story all together. If that's what you want go for it. It sounds like a cool mod. Good luck.

[BLOZ UP]

The L28 is a direct bolt in. Your HP goals are very modest(& practical of a fast daily driver). Have you ever swapped a non stock motor? Lots of work and details to work out. It is very easy for others to tell you what they think you should or should not due. I can't believe that installing a VG would be cheaper than a L28. Your time must be worth something? Just my .02 . If you alreading have the VG that's a different story all together. If that's what you want go for it. It sounds like a cool mod. Good luck.

 

You're barking up the wrong tree.

[michaelp]

The L28 is a direct bolt in. Your HP goals are very modest(& practical of a fast daily driver). Have you ever swapped a non stock motor? Lots of work and details to work out. It is very easy for others to tell you what they think you should or should not due. I can't believe that installing a VG would be cheaper than a L28. Your time must be worth something? Just my .02 . If you alreading have the VG that's a different story all together. If that's what you want go for it. It sounds like a cool mod. Good luck.

 

BLOZ UP and I both come from Z31 territory where the VG is proven. No one said it was necessarily cheaper, but its not much more if you can fabricate. And as I said, the VG is all over so if for some reason you blow one up you don't have to search the entire world in hopes of finding a replacement, you can go to any local junkyard and grab a VG from hundreds of vehicles to pick from. Also, the VG33 is a option to replace it with. The VG can make ~500whp on the stock NON-TURBO internals with 9:1 compression, not sacrificing out of boost drivability with a ridiculously low compression ratio like 7.4:1...

[ozzzzz]

BLOZ UP and I both come from Z31 territory where the VG is proven. No one said it was necessarily cheaper, but its not much more if you can fabricate. And as I said, the VG is all over so if for some reason you blow one up you don't have to search the entire world in hopes of finding a replacement, you can go to any local junkyard and grab a VG from hundreds of vehicles to pick from. Also, the VG33 is a option to replace it with. The VG can make ~500whp on the stock NON-TURBO internals with 9:1 compression, not sacrificing out of boost drivability with a ridiculously low compression ratio like 7.4:1...

No despute on the VG being the superior motor. 300whp is easy to make on the L28.No offense ment to you VG boys. Looked into installing 1 in my 260 a while back.