L28ET S30 tucked in like stock... only better (pic heavy).
 

I shall call him... "da lil sleeper".

'76 280Z L28ET swap with Z31T ECU & MAF upgrade. Stock bottom end, shaved head .020, 5-way valve grind, rebuilt Garrett T3 turbocharger, stock turbo injectors on a Pallnet fuel rail, soon to have 2.5" exhaust (no cat).

He lives, he runs, he screams, he has no brakes at the moment. Oh, and the original a/c still works too.

Pics are newest to oldest....

EDIT: Sold in June 2010. See a few more final pics here: Selling 76 280ZT Turbo Z31T ecu

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And before the swap (actually... even before I technically owned the car...):


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Older pics of the swap:

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ed&oe=584C3D67

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f9&oe=58416857

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...81&oe=585B2291

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ba&oe=58425EDE

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...28&oe=58470825

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...d9&oe=584BF72A

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c8&oe=58546807

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ab&oe=58488F0C

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...8b&oe=58540F22

Nice Job and congrats! Needs paint tho, bad.

Ah looking so sweet, don't paint it! Leave it uber sleeper ;)

Bah! I've been trying to find a reman 81 brake master cylinder to upgrade the master on this S30... all the local parts stores have to order one in from back east. I might just have to refill the current leaking master so I can at least drive the beast.

i can get one, want me to try? i think they were 50 bux cdn last time i got one.

^^^ New / reman right? I might take you up on that. I'm going to take apart the stock one today to see if the plungers are okay. If they are toast I'm just going to upgrade it.

That looks very good. You're working fast and furious on that one.

So is this going to be you're new go fast car, or are you keeping the s130?

...I think he will sell it and buy another BMW

i just gave my S130 upgraded BMC to Zlover for his 73 turbo s30. it was all i had and im like hmmm, this looks like a ZX one... and gave it to him and he was like OMG!!! haha. so now i have to charge him more money :D but yeah it was brand new looking for the most part. very clean. and jeezus, just looking past the body, that engine bay is a freaking MESS.

nismopick i still have strating problems and general problems with the stock ecu and maf. Can you please make a direct write up on how to do the z31 swap. all the parts needed pictures and how to guild for people like me.. LOL thanks nismopick !

I may do a write up... though when I mentioned it here on ZDriver last fall, several members said it was stupid because there's already write ups on HBZ. :D So I wasn't planning on it.

There is kind of a writeup. I think many of the swap writeups online can still be improved on greatly and have better pictures added.
I'd love to archive an article on my website if you want. I have everything I need for the Z31 swap except for those six resistors... such a big expense at $1.50 each :(

Progress on the car looks good man! Is it going to be a DD, or are you going to keep using the Metro for that? :biggrin:

Nismo619, you basically only 3 parts to make the swap along with a few extra wires. The parts you only need are the maf, ecu and chopper wheel in the distributor. (provided your ZXT is an 82-83) Those are the items needed for the 84-86T ecu. The later ones need the resistors and also a different o2 sensor.

I really want to use it as a DD, but I just have too many cars, so I will likely sell it soon.

Here's a couple other pics of the "adjusted" intake:

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...76&oe=58500E42

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ba&oe=58425EDE

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6a&oe=584EC5CE

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...73&oe=5847DC1F

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...2c&oe=584A1353

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5a&oe=580FF264

looks good keep posting pics

dont sell it. sell a non Z. you need an turbo S30 and you have to much into the s130 to sell it. so by process of elimination....

I agree with Snw. Hopefully you can keep it somehow, it seems like it would be a fun weekend car for spirited driving since it probably has a lot less weight than our ZXs.

Transfer as many parts over from his s130 as he can, sell the rest and sell/recycle the shell. :unibrow:

thats what you and me would do hoov^^^ but i think it has a bit of sentimental value to him, and he put that much work into a 2+2 S130 for some reason so i wouldn't count on that happening. ditch some bimmers or the geo you homo. sheesh

Meh... it's just a Z. :D

I need to get the brakes working and take it for a spin. The brake master is toast, so I'm going to see if I can swap in the 82 booster & master from the turbo donor car.

Good job Nismo, keep it up! I hope one day, to get a Z really cherry. Kind of stuck right now. But all aside, you should try to keep it, after you get it going. I envy your nice car collection. :D

Installed an 82 280ZX Turbo brake booster & master into the 76...

Booster must be clocked 180 degrees for the push rod to fit through the firewall, and the pedal link has to be adjusted out, and even at the very last few threads, the brake pedal is now sunk in more than the clutch.... except I'm now thinking that if I take off the spacer / adapter on the back of the 280zx booster, it would have more adjusting room.

Good thing I didn't fill the system yet. I'm going to take it back apart on Monday & see if I can get a more exact fit w/o the spacer.

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I hated when i had to install the new brake booster and clutch master cylander in my 280zxt. But the worst part by far was adjusting the bolt and screws that connect the pedal to the brake master. i wanted it to be more stiff so i adjusted it about 20 times or so..

fixed.

Doh!

I drove my 280ZT on the road today. I was so impressed, I don't want to sell it now... shiza!

yeah that'll happen...

now just think if it had some minor engine upgrades and a quality wheel and suspension suspension setup...

The engine does have "upgrades"... the head anyway. I was thinking of installing an EBC. :D

A couple more updated pics:
Z31T ecu
Quick connect fuel injector clips
Oil cooler

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Last few pieces going in! Exhaust today... 2.5", no cat, Magnaflow muffler.

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so what's the status on this beast?

i have a buddy that might want to buy it nismo. what did you want for it again? i think i said to him like 3200. and is there an assisted sell reward? lol

How much and what do i need to get a complete L28ET swap for a 260z?

Well, you need the L28ET and EFI harness. :D

"How much" depends on "how much you can buy one for". I've bought several complete 280zx turbo donor cars for $300 - $400.

After that, just swap motors, wire up the EFI, and fab the exhaust you want.

I'm literally doing this exact swap(76 280z-280zxt engine) right now and I'm having difficulty mating the 280z stock ignition harness to the ZXT engine harness. I've searched for about a week and have found plenty of info on the subject, but none pertaining to my exact situation. I was wondering if you had any links that helped you that you could pass along or just advice that will make this go a bit smoother for me. I'm no wiring expert and this project is my first of this kind. I've heard from plenty of people that this is an easy swap, but those same people won't provide much helpful info on how to best do it. Just wanting this to go smooth. Thanks in advance.:icon_super:

Welcome to ZDriver!

This is the thread I and most everyone else has used: A quick FI and ignition 280zxt to S30 turbo swap guide - Turbo/Supercharger - HybridZ

A recent discussion (many "step-by-step" posts :D): https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-...ston-tx-37692/

In a nut shell, you need the entire L28ET efi harness, coil harness, efi relay, and both sides of the fuel pump relay plug including the relay.

The helpful diagram:

https://www.zdriver.com/forums/attac...agram-swap-jpg

I think I'm too noob for the "helpful diagram" to actually help me any. I can't seem to find plugs 1-3 on either of my two harnesses. I have two L28ET complete EFI Harnesses and don't know what year either of them are from. I also have no idea what year the L28ET I have is from. I will take pictures of what I'm working with and post them in a thread I will make, so I don't clutter up yours with my stupity. I know this car will be bananas once I get it running and I know it is just a few hours away. Thanks for the help Nismo. Definitely the most helpful Z forum out there.

This is a full panoramic pic I put together. The "plugs" in question integrate into the body harness, so you need both sides:

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...67240486_o.jpg

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...03276338_o.jpg

That actually helped a lot. Thanks. I have that exact harness, but I think I'm missing that separate loom with the coil ignitor plug attached to it. I'll look through my parts again to make sure and then I will have to buy it if I don't. Thanks a bunch dude. Gave me some new confidence to finally finish this swap. For a second I was starting to feel like all was lost. Haha. :041:

It can be very confusing at first, but realistically once you kind of figure things out, there really isn't very much that needs to be hooked up to put the L28ET efi harness into the S30. One thing that I ended up doing was as I went a long I got some really tiny flat bladed screwdrivers from Sears. The tiniest two they had and I've used them to slowly pull pins and additional wires from the connectors/harness that are no longer needed. Saves me the trouble of taping up and tucking away additional wires.

Well with due diligence and the help I've gotten from different forums(mainly this thread), I'm going to try and finish this come monday. If I run into any snags I'll be sure to come back and hound you guys after I turn every rock to try and do it myself. Haha. :D

so this is where im confused at right now. I have these 3 plugs but don't know where they hook up to. I know the brown and green ( the last plug) goes to the + battery terminal, but am I supposed to slice it in our do I need the female side and write the female side to the + post. then there's the green relay. I'm not sure if im supposed to mess with it or just leave it alone. but the middle plug is the most confusing. the hybrid z thread doesn't seem to follow what the diagram says to do. maybe this other picture has some of the things it goes to. ill add the pics in a bit

I had an entire turbo parts car, so I actually used the 280zxt fusible link box. Otherwise you'd just need to attach them to approprate rated fuses and connect to battery, or use a fuse block distributor (commonly used for car stereos).

The fuel pump relay is left alone, but you do have to run switched power to it, and run the split green wire to the fuel pump wiring plug under the driver's dash.

The middle plug (assuming you are talking about Plug #2 on the diagram) is just for the coil / ignitor. Zoom in on that panoramic pic I posted. I've got a few other close up pics of those plugs I can post tonight.

Can't believe I haven't seen this before. Nice work and thanks for the diagram and panoramic pictures!

Detailed pics of the harnesses...

Noob question... I'm confused as to how to wire something to "switched power". Obviously wiring something to a "12v constant" would just be wiring it to the positive of the battery, but all the "12v switched" wires are confusing me at this point. Where do I wire them and what do I do to make them switch power. I'm speaking of the ones in your very helpful pictures ofcourse. Thanks in advance for your help. I really appreciate it.

Switched power means there is power "when the car is switched on". Key OFF = no power. :D So when the key is ON, there is power (just like wiring up a car stereo).

I used the switched power from the 4 wire plug under the 280Z dash (the same one that you hook into for the fuel pump).

Thanks for the clear pics. It will be a great tool for those doing this swap.

Homework
 

I haven't even got my car, sent check out today, but I am here learning what you guys have done with your cars. No need to recreate the wheel, only want it to turn faster. Learning what works and what doesn't. Nice to see the level of fine workmanship, talent here. :041: