Long post for a quick question, sorry...

My engine in my 81 280ZX went south in June. Picked up an N42 engine from a local Z guy to get me back on the road (going to rebuild the ZX block sometime next year hopefully). The engine is in; had to swap a few things over to get everything in, not too bad really. But right now I'm stuck with the throttle body.

The N42 TB is bigger (maybe 1/4 inch) then the P79. The problem is the boot for the N42 TB won't work with the stock AFM placement.

Is the slightly bigger TB worth the work of trying to get a boot to fit between the AFM and TB, or should I just stick to the P79 TB? If bigger is better, anyone have suggestions on a replacement boot, or how to get the stock boot to fit between the TB and AFM?

I haven't really gone too far into it to know if cutting the boot is going to work or not, just started messing with it last night...

On a side note, I found this in the oil pan of the ZX engine, any ideas on where to look for the bolt or stud it belongs on?

 

Do you have any pics of the throttle body? Are you sure it's not a Weber?

I would just measure the outer diameters, and grab a silicone coupler from ebay... $10 and a week later it's done.

As for that nut... what size is it? Did you clean it? Because if it came from the oil pan, and has been there a while, it would have the oil film on it. Could be a connecting rod nut, or maybe someone accidentally dropped it down the timing cover.

 

I'll get a picture for you, but i won't be able to post till Monday... How would I know if it's a Weber?

Found a picture of the big bore weber and it isn't one...

 

.... or a 240SX TB - that's a common swap. I think the Maxima had a similar but different TB than the 280ZX but I'd have to look.