thxone's Turbo Resto/Project
 

I thought I would go ahead and start a dedicated thread for my 1982 Turbo Coupe where I can combine every aspect of the Resto into one thread. In this thread I will attempt to cover the engine, the electrical, the body, the interior and the rest of the drivetrain with step by steps and pics. Who knows, I may just help some of you along the way and maybe some of you can help me.

Let me say this first. When I got my '82 N/A I was happy but it is an auto tranny. I wanted a 5 speed to make up for it and found my '79 N/A....I still wanted a turbo but after a while started accepting the fact that I might not get one. Well I did get one and it has all the things I wanted...T-Tops, 2-seater, 5-speed and black interior. What I am saying is, if you want something, you can have it. It sucks that I have to work outside in the Florida heat to get the things I want but hey...what are you gonna do right?

thxone, Mike Hood

Wow! I wanted a red one but ending up buying white. Obviously you know what you are doing and know these cars.. but if u ever need a pic of something, PM me.. My car is an auto '82 turbo with just 8k miles from new. So hopefully every paint dab, sticker, chalk mark, etc is still on it! (if you are restoring to those standards)

I am looking forward to your resto!!!

Engine
 

Ok, so now on with the project/resto.

What do I need to do....

Ok, the spark plugs, two of which are not firing need to be replaced. According to Advance Auto Parts, they are the same plugs as both my '82 N/A and '79 N/A have so I am going to pull the plugs from my '82 N/A as they have 2 months of run time on them and are NGK plugs. You may be pleased to know that I have a 1982 280zx Service manual that came with the turbo as well as the factory owners manual. According to the service manual the gap is to be set at .044 in. for the Turbo. Though I will not be setting it right now the book also says timing is 20*. I know this has been covered in other threads but I am combining information straight out of the service manual as needed so it is all in one place.

Before I start today I am going to go get a cap and rotor button, it has new NGK plug wires already on the car. I have been looking in the BD catalog and there are many parts I will be getting but hopefully some of you can help me first...like the Turbo AFM...I need this part badly and quickly or I am going to run into a brick wall until I can source one. I can trade parts if needed from my N/A's or pay cash. I want to make it to the next MSA meet so can ya help a brotha out?

P.S. Thanks David

I don't know if you saw, but I responded in the marketplace. I have a spare AFM although I did open it up and adjust according to jfairladyz's guide, but I only slightly moved the carbon track and that was it. It still worked fine. I was swapping between that and my rebuilt one to see if something was wrong with my AFM. If you're interested let me know.

:038: :038: :038: PM Sent!!!!!

hey thxone, you should really sell those other cars off, they will yeild someone else a sweet project car. they really arent in that bad of shape. parting them out would almost be a shame. just swap all the parts you need first. if you are gonna part some stuff, i really need a 79 intermitant wiper amplifier. look in your fsm, it will show you. its attached to the foot pedals. the only thing is it has to be from a 79 with intermitant. 82 ones dont work, i tried. :( good to see you got your dream preoject tho!!!

Plugs
 

Well here are the plugs that were in the car...the guy said they were new :paranoid:

I found a copy of the window sticker from '82 for this car in the paperwork...Over $17,000 new in 1982!!!

Oh and this is an '82 but look at the head ID

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...50/Plugs-1.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...50/Plugs-2.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c140/mwh5150/P90A.jpg

hydraulic lifters, no more valve lash adjustments!!

Cap = No Good - Every plug wire contact inside of the cap is corroded and gouged deep. The rotor button doesn't look too bad but I am getting a new one none the less. The NGK's are now cleaned, gapped and installed in the turbo.

Edit: Bent the tabs in the dizzy cap to make up for the gouge and cleaned it with brake parts cleaner. The engine is 90% smoother and is firing on all 6 cyl's now. Still backfireing through the AFM though. The exhaust note is much smoother also. I know my problem is mostly that damn AFM now.

Afm
 

Here are a few pics of this damn thing...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...5150/AFM-1.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...on-track-1.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...on-track-2.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...on-track-4.jpg

Check this out, I was wrong on the price...this baby went for $18,459 in 1982!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ow-Sticker.jpg

Right on man, glad you fulfilled one of you dreams. And I agree with Shady, don't part out the other 2. Slicktops are are hard to come by, especially after '80-'81. I was lucky to find an '82 slicktop, and I plan on giving it a beefy turbo setup later. It will be pushing close to 300hp hopefully when I am done. Why do you ask? Why not have a slicktop 280zx turbo. How many do you know are out there? This is a suggestion, but it would be cool. And I know it would be a lot of work. But wouldn't it be cool, to make one of the slicktops a turbo? Well like I said, just a thought. I am sure you wont, but it would be sweet.:unibrow:

Anyway I will be following your progress man. People followed my project when I posted updates and such. So it would be cool to watch somebody else come out happy. When they accomplish the goals they have set. Of course my '82 t-top is not finished yet. but will be as soon, as I get my other one on the road. And then find a turbo setup for it. Or another turbo car. All in all good luck bro'. And keep us updated, which I know you will.:)

dude that afm looks used and abused. i woulda said adjust the timing after replacing all the parts, they will make the timing more accurate now. but yeah that afm is sad :(

Woot Woot! Good project for ya Thxone! :038:

my 280zx was backfiring through the afm at startup i adjsuted teh timing and it stopped i think i had it too far retarded

Looking at that AFM though, there's pretty much no doubt that he needs a working one. Also another P90A on board!

Yeah, I had some ticking coming from under the valve cover before I removed the AC Delco plugs and put in the re-gapped and cleaned NGK's, now like I said the engine smoothed out and that tick went away. As soon as I put on the new AFM (fingers crossed) I am going to do the timing and see where she is from there. I will be needing a new water pump or at least a gasket cause there is a very small spray of coolant coming from the back of the pump...very small spray...not even visible till the light hits the spray just right. The oil return line on the bottom of the turbo has a small leak so that needs to be addressed also.

Other than those few what I call minor things she is good under the hood. No other oil leaks other than what I spilled when I put oil in it. No exhaust leaks, the steering rack is all good, and I already replaced some vacuum lines :) one for the EGR and another for that thing that looks like an EGR. I kept the lines just a hair longer than the factory one's were to keep it clean looking and it does. Man I am excited!!!

yeah i think im gonna go out today get me an oil pump gasket and re-do it once again.... maybe this time i can adjust teh timing a bit better though. and stop my oil leak, and celan and re gap my new plugs and maybe the stunble will go away... just mmaybe.

Oil return line is easy to fix, just gotta get under the car, there's real easy access to it and everything. Water pump isn't too hard. I'd say if you have the money just buy a new water pump and replace it while you have it off. I don't think pumps are too much. Lucky that you don't have any exhaust leaks though.

Yeah...It's nice to know that the end result of all this work I will be doing will be a fast turbo car...with t top. I have caught myself just sitting here reading the big ass service manual and look up to see that a few hours have past...those wire diagrams look daunting. I just ordered the dizzy cap...should be here by 6:30pm tonight....I don't know why these auto parts stores cant stock my parts right here in town for me :paranoid:

I was amazed at the difference between the Turbo and the non-turbo. I mean you go from about 145HP to 180HP, but the difference is pretty incredible.

Yeah and the 50+lbs of extra tq help too. Not to mention better gearing in the tranny...man I cant wait.

Gearing in the transmission is slightly different, but the rear gear is higher. It is geared nice for highway driving but I still think for general driving it is too tall. 3.7 would be better.

NismoPick knows all about valve ticking... :(

< shiver ... shiver > stupid cars... I'm buying a horse. :paranoid:

Man...taking a picture of a picture sucks...here is what the Turbo looked like back in the day....and will again one day.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c140/mwh5150/Car.jpg

Damn! That was bad ass back in the 80's!