82 ZX L28ET & 5 Speed Tranny going into a 77 280Z

[neveragain55]

Hi gang,

Well I just purchased my third (and hopefully) final Z. This is the one I'd like to keep until the end.

I've got major plans for her like putting a ZX Turbo motor and accompanying 5 speed tranny in from a 1982 donor car.

I've restored many cars over the years and me, tools, and engine swaps are very old, close, intimate friends but I've never done a Z before.

If any of you have any insightful tips or advice for me like: how to navigate through all the electrical harness issues, smog equipment, exhaust options, clearance issues etc. etc. etc. I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm actually thinking about eliminating the turbo set-up from the engine because I had an 83 ZX Turbo years ago that was very fast but the turbo gave me nothing but headaches. (jury is still out on this)

I want the motor more for its stronger internals and increased horsepower over the original unit that's in the car now.

Thanks in advance…………..

[IdahoKidd]

Did this conversion. Ditch the zx 5 speed. If you aren't going to use the turbo, ditch the turbo motor too. Get the non turbo zx motor and matching 5 speed. Direct bolt in/swap. Get in and drive. I don't believe anything is any stronger, or even different other than the dished pistons, the head, and the cam (besides the turbo of course). I did the 83 turbo motor into my 77 and although it runs and drives about the yard, then I got interested in restoring my 72 before medical issues sidelined me. There is a ton of information and even more misinformation on Hybrid Z for the swap. Wiring is a matter of swapping the fuel injection harness from one car to the other and eliminating a few stray wires. With a good diagram, could be done in 3-4 hours. Exhaust is straight foreward and not nearly as complicated or tuneable as non turbo car. Typically the smog stuff has to be consistent with the later model, be it the car or the motor, so in your case the motor. Here in Idaho there isn't an inspection of any kind so what was there is gone, mostly for sanitation purposes. If I had it to do all over again, I'd go with the V8 swap. But, I'll finish this up this spring and do that swap some other day.

One guys opinion

[neveragain55]

I really appreciate the advice Idahokidd,

I’m not one of those that are only interested in what I want to hear, and I appreciate the honesty.

Even though the turbo unit on my 83 was glitchy (I lived in South Florida at the time) the car was unbelievably fast when she ran right, and I’m a freak for all things “in-line six.”

The Z-guys I met in Florida all told me that turbo’s don’t like hot weather climates, hence the glitchyness of the turbo.

I own a 1989 BMW 635CSI with the big 3.5 six and even though the car is incredibly heavy, the engines linear, break neck pulling strength gives me goose bumps every time I drive her. There’s just something about the way a 6 pulls vs. any other piston engine layout.

I grew up with all the old American muscle cars and I love them dearly but I’d rather keep a six in the Z.

I’ve done some research on the Datsun/Nissan Z engines and everything I’ve read explained how the turbo motors had beefier journals, walls, bottom ends and internals. Whether any of this is true is another story.

I can only base my opinions on my experience with the turbo that I had. I’ll probably wind up rebuilding at least the top half of the engine, massage the head, and add an exhaust that will allow her to breathe better.

I’ve found a ton of articles on this (what seems to be very popular) swap and a lot of people swear by the increased performance so I think I’m going to go through with it.

I hope whatever health issues you had have all subsided and that everything’s ok now.

Thanks again buddy…….

Edited October 19, 2011 by neveragain55

[IdahoKidd]

I've only had one vehicle that has a turbo, and that is the Duramax in my Chevy. Accordingly, I've not heard all that much about glitches although I am certain I am about to learn. The 54 block, which came out in 79 (?) in the Zx was/is the one you read about with the siamesed cylinder walls, etc. From all that I have been able to gleen for some years is that it is the very same block for the turbo, down to and including the rods and crank. There has been talk about guys taking non turbo motors, putting the turbo (stock) on them and running them without issue. The BW 5 speed from behind the factory turbo car is physically different and apparently very difficult to install in the 77 body style. My donor had an auto and I used an 83 non turbo 5 speed as I have yet to hear of anyone breaking one behind a turbo motor. Probably been done, just haven't heard of it. I put the larger turbo clutch in while I was there. I did track down the non egr intake (much cleaner appearance), intend to use 440 injectors (supra) and an intercooler with a goal of 300-325 rwhp. (and if I don't get there, the bs story will certainly make up for it . I had an 83 donor car sitting right beside mine and it made the wire swap much easier. I am not sure how much knowledge/experience you have with the Z but there are two distinct wire harnessess, one for the fuel injection, one for the body. In the ZX, some of those wires are in the same harness and have to be separated. I don't recall now exactly what gets left out and included. Seems there is only two wires that get clipped permanently and one or two that have to splice back into the original harness. I started right up after the conversion but had an issue with higher rpms. Locally, there are four Z's, one now has tripple webbers and mild cam, one is getting a 350, one of mine is getting the turbo setup, and the other one of mine is getting what is now amounting to a major refreshment (will be a new car essentually-98% stock). The turbo car isn't getting all the candy, oe seat covers, interior, etc, etc, just a nice clean low profile zippy gg to ambush the college kids

I am not a big fan of hybrid z people. I personally think there is an ego that one must have to be on that board and a budget you must have in order to not be completely blown off when you ask a question or even ask about obvious wrong information. I don't aspire to that ego, nor do I justify that budget. Do go there if you haven't and read through some of the posts about the conversion. You'll have to sort the wheat from the chaf. What I have done is to print out the posts and the pictures that I thought were relavent and put them all in a note book binder that I can take to the car with me.

Leonard

[neveragain55]

I’ve only had the one turbo myself, and the odd thing is that I had several opportunities when I was young to own Z28’s or Trans Am’s with Turbo’s but I always turned them down because I didn’t think that Turbo’s were ‘all-that”

The first time I took my 83 Z out for a spin and I felt the wooooosh and heard the ‘whistle’ I was hooked.

I remember passing a Supra on the 95 in Miami headed for South Beach like it was standing still and I was completely blown away at how fast that little Z would go:paranoid:

Like I said in the previous post, hot-rodded straight six’s pull like nothing else. You can literally feel the linearity from the piston layout and the torque. I drool daily, thinking what my little 77 is going to feel like with the 180hp turbo motor in it:classic:

I’ve seen a lot of the post’s on Hybrid-Z, and your absolutely right about the amount of time and money those guys spend on their cars (not that I begrudge money or success) God bless you if you have the means, but a lot of us are working with shoe string budgets so I’ll try to be as fiscally responsible as possible with this project.

As far as the stock, matching 5 speed transmission that’s coming with the motor (picking everything up this Sunday) I’ve actually read a few articles that claim the entire unit will slip in like slipping on an old pair of comfortable gloves so I will definitely be paying attention to that phase of it and doing more research on that based on what you said.

Push come to shove, I’ll just source a 5 speed from another 77 or 78 and bolt in on.

Mind you none of this is going to happen right away so I really appreciate all the tips and info because I’ll be compiling all of this info over the winter and I’ll probably start attacking all of this well into next spring.

I plan on keeping this Z until the end so I want to do it right and really prep the body, rust proof everything, and seal her up as tight as a drum.

Thanks for all the help Leonard……………. Dennis

Edited October 20, 2011 by neveragain55

[MotoManMike]

Did you ever end up finishing this car?

[neveragain55]

I'm still working on it.

This is going to be one of those long, long builds due to lack of funds and time.

I'm rebuilding the turbo engine now, and then I'll have to attack the body, interior and suspension.

I'm not projecting to be done with this thing for at least a couple of years.

[cbuczesk]

Where are you located in the "North East"?

Chuck