Intro for my 81 S130
01-04-2013, 02:28 AM
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 51
Intro for my 81 S130
Hey guys, my name is Ross and I drive a 1981 Datsun 280ZX 
The dash claims she has 194,xxx miles but the motor has been freshened up by one of the P/O's. My friend said he knew the guy before the guy I bought it from lol
Bought the car originally for 400$ because he couldn't make it run. (wanted 1300 for it)
Since then the car has seen plenty of little things here and there. I first bought the car with the OEM intake, I slapped a cone filter on (ricer status) and welded a straight pipe on the car. Eventually got annoyed of it being too loud so I got a muffler.
The car came with 2 broken exhaust studs, the first ones from the center of hte motor and I got those fixed at some point. IIRC I blew my welded differential which made me think about just throwing money into a turbo swap. Sure enough got everything, I spent 300+/- 50$ for everything lol
stock manifold, failpro e/i gasket, T3/T4 turbo from a friend and some shittastic home-depot piping that blew up on me not too long ago. I already have the new stuff sitting on my floor as of right now.. Vibrant oil lines (240sx kits fit perfectly fine) Stock fuel pump, I have a walbro 255 sitting around, stock FPR, Turbo injectors, uhhhh N47 intake mani iirc or something like that, still has EGR but has a plate put into it.
Recent pictures, I have some in the daytime but hte camera is in my car.. :facepalm:
everyone is extremely skeptical because the car is running on the STOCK N/A MAF + N/A tune.
but hte car runs extremely well, little rich when cruising but better then lean for me.
Boosting about 10 PSI and never leans out at 5.5K (which is where I set my rev limiter)
Also have a full MSD ignition system, 6AL box, 8910 tach adapter, and SS coil.
Rear tein lowering springs and kyb's from a S13 with the s130 top hat. Little things I'm missing but whatevers
Stock front springs, have KYB strut inserts in the garage.. got for free... muhahaha... not illegal lol
anyways, hey guys!
The dash claims she has 194,xxx miles but the motor has been freshened up by one of the P/O's. My friend said he knew the guy before the guy I bought it from lol
Bought the car originally for 400$ because he couldn't make it run. (wanted 1300 for it)
Since then the car has seen plenty of little things here and there. I first bought the car with the OEM intake, I slapped a cone filter on (ricer status) and welded a straight pipe on the car. Eventually got annoyed of it being too loud so I got a muffler.
The car came with 2 broken exhaust studs, the first ones from the center of hte motor and I got those fixed at some point. IIRC I blew my welded differential which made me think about just throwing money into a turbo swap. Sure enough got everything, I spent 300+/- 50$ for everything lol
stock manifold, failpro e/i gasket, T3/T4 turbo from a friend and some shittastic home-depot piping that blew up on me not too long ago. I already have the new stuff sitting on my floor as of right now.. Vibrant oil lines (240sx kits fit perfectly fine) Stock fuel pump, I have a walbro 255 sitting around, stock FPR, Turbo injectors, uhhhh N47 intake mani iirc or something like that, still has EGR but has a plate put into it.
Recent pictures, I have some in the daytime but hte camera is in my car.. :facepalm:
everyone is extremely skeptical because the car is running on the STOCK N/A MAF + N/A tune.
but hte car runs extremely well, little rich when cruising but better then lean for me.
Boosting about 10 PSI and never leans out at 5.5K (which is where I set my rev limiter)
Also have a full MSD ignition system, 6AL box, 8910 tach adapter, and SS coil.
Rear tein lowering springs and kyb's from a S13 with the s130 top hat. Little things I'm missing but whatevers
Stock front springs, have KYB strut inserts in the garage.. got for free... muhahaha... not illegal lol
anyways, hey guys!
01-04-2013, 12:05 PM
#2
Mr Z++ Wiki
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 2,195
Welcome to the club. Like the down pipe - the intake piping scares me Have you though about running an intercooler? It's a good idea for the L series engines as they are prone to detonate and you'll make more power. If you want to make much more power you're going to need an after market ECU and bigger injectors.
Are you just running rear S13 coilovers or have you done the front already?
Have you though about running an intercooler? It's a good idea for the L series engines as they are prone to detonate and you'll make more power. If you want to make much more power you're going to need an after market ECU and bigger injectors.Are you just running rear S13 coilovers or have you done the front already?
01-04-2013, 03:07 PM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 51
Welcome to the club. Like the down pipe - the intake piping scares me Have you though about running an intercooler? It's a good idea for the L series engines as they are prone to detonate and you'll make more power. If you want to make much more power you're going to need an after market ECU and bigger injectors.
Are you just running rear S13 coilovers or have you done the front already?
Have you though about running an intercooler? It's a good idea for the L series engines as they are prone to detonate and you'll make more power. If you want to make much more power you're going to need an after market ECU and bigger injectors.Are you just running rear S13 coilovers or have you done the front already?
I went ahead and ordered some couplers so I can get a BOV as well. That is only temp as I need a car to drive to work! I haven't had any problems with detonation, I recently gapped the plugs to .034 and wow! What a difference! I plan to get Megasquirt and some 550cc injectors and then a SR20 throttle body and port match that, then cams and a port/polish head From what I've noticed the L28 motor flows too much for a generic .63 ar turbo with a internal wastegate. It'll boost spike all the way to 12-13 PSI and it scares me cause it's untuned so I'm not gonna push it until I get hte intercooler because it should drop the pressure just a tad
01-04-2013, 03:12 PM
#5
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 51
Recently my mom hit my door... :facepalm: she cannot drive for crap! She hit my brother's brand new FRS as well!
Overall the car looks better then when I bought it lol I blew up my daily set so I have these driftos on it
I have a free boost gauge, cheap A/F, and I need to buy a oil pressure gauge
then i'ma get 2 more and put them where the center air vents go, probably oil temperature and coolant temp
I need a radio too -_-
and I blew up a coupler so.. LOL
Currently running royal purple 10-30, going back to 15w-40 whenever spring comes around. When she gets hot I can hear the lifters tickin' a bit
Overall the car looks better then when I bought it lol I blew up my daily set so I have these driftos on it
I have a free boost gauge, cheap A/F, and I need to buy a oil pressure gauge
then i'ma get 2 more and put them where the center air vents go, probably oil temperature and coolant temp
I need a radio too -_-
and I blew up a coupler so.. LOL
Currently running royal purple 10-30, going back to 15w-40 whenever spring comes around. When she gets hot I can hear the lifters tickin' a bit
01-04-2013, 04:20 PM
#6
Mr Z++ Wiki
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 2,195
Don't run 15w40 - you're just making yourself feel better - not the engine. Run 5W30. You can use whatever oil you want - RP is good but there have been a few nightmare stories about RP and turbos but who knows. I've never met anyone who had a problem. Personally I like the Pennzoil Platinum. It has excellent VOA results (read up on Bobistheoilguy if you have countless hours and you can get it at Walmart in the USA for cheap cheap cheap! 95% of what matters about oil isn't the brand, etc it's changing it AND the oil filter regularly.
Spend some time hogging out the intake manifold runners - they are 53% the diameter of your intake valves. That's going to let your stock head breath better, turbo spool quicker, etc, etc.
BOV is a great idea - consider a BOV/Recirc valve instead - keeps your turbo spooled when shifting and essentially gives you more power.
Methanol injection works very well on these cars as well if you're looking for more power....
You can probably get a KA24 TB cheaper and they are 60mm - enough for all but the most extreme builds.
and you can get it at Walmart in the USA for cheap cheap cheap! 95% of what matters about oil isn't the brand, etc it's changing it AND the oil filter regularly.Spend some time hogging out the intake manifold runners - they are 53% the diameter of your intake valves. That's going to let your stock head breath better, turbo spool quicker, etc, etc.
BOV is a great idea - consider a BOV/Recirc valve instead - keeps your turbo spooled when shifting and essentially gives you more power.
Methanol injection works very well on these cars as well if you're looking for more power....
You can probably get a KA24 TB cheaper and they are 60mm - enough for all but the most extreme builds.
01-05-2013, 01:56 AM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 51
Don't run 15w40 - you're just making yourself feel better - not the engine. Run 5W30. You can use whatever oil you want - RP is good but there have been a few nightmare stories about RP and turbos but who knows. I've never met anyone who had a problem. Personally I like the Pennzoil Platinum. It has excellent VOA results (read up on Bobistheoilguy if you have countless hours and you can get it at Walmart in the USA for cheap cheap cheap! 95% of what matters about oil isn't the brand, etc it's changing it AND the oil filter regularly.
Spend some time hogging out the intake manifold runners - they are 53% the diameter of your intake valves. That's going to let your stock head breath better, turbo spool quicker, etc, etc.
BOV is a great idea - consider a BOV/Recirc valve instead - keeps your turbo spooled when shifting and essentially gives you more power.
Methanol injection works very well on these cars as well if you're looking for more power....
You can probably get a KA24 TB cheaper and they are 60mm - enough for all but the most extreme builds.
and you can get it at Walmart in the USA for cheap cheap cheap! 95% of what matters about oil isn't the brand, etc it's changing it AND the oil filter regularly.Spend some time hogging out the intake manifold runners - they are 53% the diameter of your intake valves. That's going to let your stock head breath better, turbo spool quicker, etc, etc.
BOV is a great idea - consider a BOV/Recirc valve instead - keeps your turbo spooled when shifting and essentially gives you more power.
Methanol injection works very well on these cars as well if you're looking for more power....
You can probably get a KA24 TB cheaper and they are 60mm - enough for all but the most extreme builds.
I know the motor has tight tolerances which is why you told me not to run anything thicker then 5w-30, but during the summer I ran 5-30 and got the motor hot then popped the valve cover over to check valve clearances and they were perfect but the car still had valve tick
I'm getting a BOV real soon not really worried about spool time to be honest, this turbo is small lol I need to port out the wastegate hole because it can't flow enough and causes boost spiking. If I do get a new TB i plan to port match the intake mani and tb opening so yes.some of my friends have extra TB's laying around so if a KA one comes up i'll just jump on it
I was reading on this sub-forum about TB's and everyone was like you need this plate for this and that and I really don't like that. Then I came upon a thread where a SR20 one fits without any modifications besides the throttle piece.
01-05-2013, 10:28 AM
#9
Mr Z++ Wiki
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 2,195
I know these two motors are not related by any means but my friend runs 10-40 in his KA and the same for an SR20, both are boosted and run extremely well.
I know the motor has tight tolerances which is why you told me not to run anything thicker then 5w-30, but during the summer I ran 5-30 and got the motor hot then popped the valve cover over to check valve clearances and they were perfect but the car still had valve tick I'm getting a BOV real soon not really worried about spool time to be honest, this turbo is small lol I need to port out the wastegate hole because it can't flow enough and causes boost spiking. If I do get a new TB i plan to port match the intake mani and tb opening so yes.
some of my friends have extra TB's laying around so if a KA one comes up i'll just jump on it
I was reading on this sub-forum about TB's and everyone was like you need this plate for this and that and I really don't like that. Then I came upon a thread where a SR20 one fits without any modifications besides the throttle piece.
I know the motor has tight tolerances which is why you told me not to run anything thicker then 5w-30, but during the summer I ran 5-30 and got the motor hot then popped the valve cover over to check valve clearances and they were perfect but the car still had valve tick
I'm getting a BOV real soon not really worried about spool time to be honest, this turbo is small lol I need to port out the wastegate hole because it can't flow enough and causes boost spiking. If I do get a new TB i plan to port match the intake mani and tb opening so yes.some of my friends have extra TB's laying around so if a KA one comes up i'll just jump on it
I was reading on this sub-forum about TB's and everyone was like you need this plate for this and that and I really don't like that. Then I came upon a thread where a SR20 one fits without any modifications besides the throttle piece.
If the motor got hot figure out why it's getting hot. Running an oil cooler and a thermal plate is a good idea as well. The automatic turbos came stock with the oil cooler.
01-05-2013, 12:40 PM
#12
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 95
Yea i have searched. I suppose thats the answer everyone gets.... just looking for some newer insight. the zxt swaps are not as abundant as they once were. So it may not be is difficult to part together a kit and run lower boost. But either way I guess im just stirring up an old debate. Thanks for the response!
01-05-2013, 12:59 PM
#13
FricFrac just made a thread about all the 280zxt's for sale lately, especially for those who complain about being unable to find one. 
And here's my copy and paste for every time someone asks how to convert the L28E to turbo:
Click: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-...d-boost-33674/
If you want to take a cheaper / riskier route, just get the exhaust manifold and turbocharger... and hope it lasts 10k miles.
And here's my copy and paste for every time someone asks how to convert the L28E to turbo:
Click: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-...d-boost-33674/
Originally Posted by NismoPick
The list is thus:
-Turbocharger
-Downpipe
-Oil in & dump lines
-Oil T from pressure sensor
-Exhaust manifold
-Intake J-Pipe
-Oil pan
-Injectors
-Entire EFI harness (including all relays)
-Coil ignition harness
-ECU
-Fuel pump module
-AFM
-Distributor
-Oil pump w/ distributor shaft
-Coil bracket w/ ignitor
-Fuel pump
Optional parts that would facilitate the process:
-Intake manifold
-AAC / EGR actuator pump (only if you want those items to work)
-AFM to turbocharger accordion connector boot
-Thermostat housing w/ all sensors
-CHTS (if current chassis doesn't have one)
-TPS (n/a is 3 prong, turbo is 2 prong)
Those are all the bare essential components. If you were to buy all that individually at a junk yard, it would probably take you 20hrs+ to remove it all (the actual turbo & oil pan being the worst parts), and I imagine you'd be spending $500-$800 unless you find someone cool enough to just give you a flat rate for a wheelbarrow full of parts. I can usually source a complete L28ET (in the USA) for less than $500. I've done many motor swaps, turbo and n/a, and mixes of all... and when I say it's easier and cheaper to source a complete motor, that's because it is, but you now have the list, so I hope that helps.
Lastly, yes, you would need bigger cc injectors, and an ecu to control them properly... neither of which are cheap. Also, a thinner hg will up the CR a lil bit... probably not enough to make a head gasket job worth the tear down.
-Turbocharger
-Downpipe
-Oil in & dump lines
-Oil T from pressure sensor
-Exhaust manifold
-Intake J-Pipe
-Oil pan
-Injectors
-Entire EFI harness (including all relays)
-Coil ignition harness
-ECU
-Fuel pump module
-AFM
-Distributor
-Oil pump w/ distributor shaft
-Coil bracket w/ ignitor
-Fuel pump
Optional parts that would facilitate the process:
-Intake manifold
-AAC / EGR actuator pump (only if you want those items to work)
-AFM to turbocharger accordion connector boot
-Thermostat housing w/ all sensors
-CHTS (if current chassis doesn't have one)
-TPS (n/a is 3 prong, turbo is 2 prong)
Those are all the bare essential components. If you were to buy all that individually at a junk yard, it would probably take you 20hrs+ to remove it all (the actual turbo & oil pan being the worst parts), and I imagine you'd be spending $500-$800 unless you find someone cool enough to just give you a flat rate for a wheelbarrow full of parts. I can usually source a complete L28ET (in the USA) for less than $500. I've done many motor swaps, turbo and n/a, and mixes of all... and when I say it's easier and cheaper to source a complete motor, that's because it is, but you now have the list, so I hope that helps.
Lastly, yes, you would need bigger cc injectors, and an ecu to control them properly... neither of which are cheap. Also, a thinner hg will up the CR a lil bit... probably not enough to make a head gasket job worth the tear down.
01-05-2013, 02:13 PM
#14
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 95
Haha well i appreciate that! And iv been looking for one in or closet to Illinois for awhile now! But il have to just be patient i suppose. I guess decking out my suspension should be done first anyway. Thanks nismo
01-05-2013, 05:05 PM
#17
Mr Z++ Wiki
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 2,195
If you go for a high compression turbo build I'd recomend running an intercooler and methanol. The purpose built L28ET is prone to knock and the high compresion is going to be WAY worse. Don't forget to mod the oil pan, higher volume fuel pump, higher volume oil pump, ECU, Harness, knock sensor, CAS, injectors, AFM, etc, etc, etc.
Last edited by FricFrac; 01-05-2013 at 05:26 PM.
01-06-2013, 12:19 AM
#18
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 51
So many extras and what not.
it hurts my eyes to see...
My friend is gonna hook me up with some piping, already got an intercooler, gonna run meth injection, oil cooler and stay on the stock tune when I get a new clutch run 12psi
if it blows it blows, another l28 isn't hard to come by lol
it hurts my eyes to see...
My friend is gonna hook me up with some piping, already got an intercooler, gonna run meth injection, oil cooler and stay on the stock tune when I get a new clutch run 12psi
if it blows it blows, another l28 isn't hard to come by lol
Meh, whatever works, right?
01-07-2013, 04:26 AM
#23
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 51
Yes sirs that is indeed a fuel injector.. haha!
It was one of the NA ones that came out, I was a little puzzled on it but I'm guessing it's a aftermarket unit.
I read on a older thread that you can adjust the spring or something in the AFM?
Just wondering about the screw on the side of the AFM too lol.
It was one of the NA ones that came out, I was a little puzzled on it but I'm guessing it's a aftermarket unit.
I read on a older thread that you can adjust the spring or something in the AFM?
Just wondering about the screw on the side of the AFM too lol.
01-07-2013, 06:56 AM
#24
I noticed that too... and a list of other "WTF?!" things. Well, it hasn't blown up yet.
Click: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-...our-afm-15277/
So are you running turbo injectors?
So are you running turbo injectors?
