Difference you ask? Well let's see, and this would be just a few okay

Compression, head, intake & exhaust manifolds, exhaust down to cat, airflow meter, vaccum control modular, vaccum control unit, vaccum canister, coil unit (power transmitter), distributor, fusible links & relay box, EFI control unit, are different. Along with block that has an oil feed line for turbo & knock sensor on it. Dash goodies are different too. This is just to name a few.... The tranny, driveshaft, diff, you can use for awhile as it is.
The choice would be up to you and what way you would want to go about adding changes to your ZX.

I did this swap years ago on my 83ZX, but I did it back to factory specs for a 83ZXT. 2 factory manuals side by side to do it right.


Donna

76 280Z
83 280ZXT
92 300Z

 

Thanks for the breakdown Donna !!!

Long time no see

How has your car(s) been coming alone ?

Mike

 

LOL...
Thanks Mike
You might say that was a kinda of small break down?

My Babies are doing fine. The 92 runs awesome along with the 76, but then all Z's are such fun. My PET Z is still under construction, I am waiting for school break to run all her parts up to WA. to get the chill treatment Then I will enjoy putting her back together again since winter is here now. So, since I can't tinker on the ZXT, I started the stripping process for a new color for the 92. LOL you I get bored if I can't play on the cars.

Donna

 

The late n/a (1981-83) has a closed chambered head just like the turbo Z. The earlier Z's all had open chambered heads which will not be good for forced induction.

The n/a runs 8.8:1 compression on the closed chambered engines and the turbo 7.5:1 static compression. The n/a head P79 and the turbo head P90 both have the same combustion chamber design and size. The n/a (still talking 81-83) has round exhaust ports with heated steel liners for emissions while the turbo has slightly larger flowing square exhaust ports.

The n/a uses flat top pistons to achieve the higher compression, so you can guess that the turbo uses dished pistons. Both use the F54 block casting which is a very strong block. However, the turbo pistons have larger upper rings. Both use two rings I believe.

Overall, it is highly recomended that you not try to mix n match n/a and turbo parts to build a mild turbo. Swap in the whole turbo engine and wiring harness into your Z, whatever year it may be. This gets the best results for reliability and potential.

 

I would suggest selling the NA car and buying a turbo car to tinker with. If you keep the NA car you will have to spend alot on bolt ons and still might not be able to achieve the performance of a stock turbo car. You can do so much more with the turbo...

Just my opinion...
-Kel