DeckSetter

Hey y'all, haven't been able to drive my Z for a bit because of alternator woes. It had been sitting a month or two (I've only had it 4 months). I went out to start it up a couple of days ago and it KNOCKED!!!!!! Oil level's fine but she sure knocked up a storm.


I figured I'd do a V8 swap sooner or later, now it might just be sooner. I ordered the JTR manual about 30 seconds ago.


Any suggestions for me?

I'm not looking for an all out drag racer right now, but I'll probably want to go faster in the future, hence the SBC conversion now. Also, I DEFINITELY want to stay with a manual trans. If I want to drive an automatic, I'll hop in my Cherokee.


Anyway, I'm just lookin for some input, I'd like to keep this conversion pretty cheap, and I'll probably build up a hotter motor later.


thanks



Jordan

SHADY280

The Chev 350 Is By Far The Cheapest. Go Carb. For Now And Then You Can Upgrad. Dont Use A Truck Motor, Some Are Different (longer Stroke Less Top End). Try And Find Parts At The Scrapyard. And If You Have Ability Get The Vortec Heads Off Of A Later Model Truck, There Aluminum And Flow Great. You Can Make Mounts But Msa Sells A Kit, Dont Know How Well It Works. My Option Is To Use A Rover Motor. All Aluminum And It Only Weighs 310 Complete And 300 Horse No Prob. Good Luck

Lost Vegaz

Oh no, we lost another one

loosenut

if you go this route try the enfamous ELLIS JUAN!!!!! lol

jfairladyz

Hey, atleast he's still driving a Z. As far as I'm concerned as long as you're UPgrading the motor, it's all good. I'm still debating whether to go LS1 or not. Might stick with Nissan, might not. But definitely not going with an L28.

Lost Vegaz

Sorry bro, 1930's pushrod technology does not belong in a Z. Just my opinion anyways

WildmaN

I agree, if you want a Chevy go get a Chevy. Dodge get a Dodge, Ford get a Ford etcc... Don't desecrate a Datsun, because then it is just a shell, and nothing more. With no originality left. I get sick and tired of people telling me. "Put a V-8 in it man!" Give me a break! But that is my opinion.

RodMoyes

By now, I'm sure you all know how I feel about desecrating a Nissan with a Chevy motor... That being said, if you must do it, do it with this....

Rod.

hoov100

or you could pick up a vq and have a 200mph z.

Carl's Z

If your gonna get rid of the L28, you may as well do this....

Not sure about emmissions, though.

jfairladyz

Thats funny But the LS1 is not 1930's technology. The only thing it shares in common with it's 350 SBC bretheren is displacement (and only some of the LS1's dont even share that). None of the parts are interchangeable between the LS series and the older small blocks. Pushrods are not neccessarily a bad thing. Of course on a motor designed to run rocker arms, pushrods are not even a draw back. They're only limiting in comparison to engines without rocker arms. Rocker arms limit RPM just the same as a pushrod. Any motor with rocker arms is not going to have any more of a benefit unless it's running individual cams for intake and exhaust. The L28 uses a SOHC with rocker arms, so it's no better than AN engine (no specific engine) just because that engine has pushrods.

Decksetter, if you're looking for the initially cheapest and least complicated way out then a carbureted engine would be your bag. The LS1 or LT1 obviously have their advantages over the older engines though. The LS1, being all aluminum is alot lighter. And obviously it puts out big numbers right from the factory. You can pick one up for relatively cheap (considering what you're getting). The LT1 would be the compromise between the two. It's alot cheaper than the LS1 and still has the power producing potential. Its not quite as powerful stock but a few mods can change that. It's also an iron block so you lose the weight advantage. But it is fuel injected. Just remember, if you live in a state with emissions, or if you just want to make the swap legal, the engine has to be the same year as the car or newer. Not too many carbed engines to choose from in your case If you're in CA or a state with similar emissions laws you can go online and find out all you need to know about making your swap legit. Good luck.

260DET

Planning a VG30ET for the still to come 280ZX. Engine weighs just 392 lbs*, its compact, has a low C of G, plus its a NISSAN. Will be looking for ~500rwhp with a GT35R.

* thats a fair bit lighter than a L28ET I believe.

SHADY280

I AGREE WITH J. AFTER ALL I SUGESTED A ROVER MOTOR . THAT AND I HELPED WITH A V8 RX7 SWAP. WORKS WELL FOR ME. POWER IS POWER. AND IF YOU KEEP THE HOOD CLOSED NOBODY WILL BE THE WISER. IVE JUST ABOUT KILLED PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT ALL Z'S CAME WITH A FOUR BANGER.

WildmaN

I see where you are coming from J. But the thing is, I already have a v-8 in my Firebird. Great motor, only it sits, because I can't afford the gas. She has to burn premium fuel. So the v-8 in the Z, you lose your mileage, and the other thing that bothers me, is the sound. No roadster sound anymore, just a mean v-8 muscley sound. That is not what I want, but hey it is my opinion. And people can do what they want. I don't want to discourage anybody from doing what they want to do with their cars. But I can still put my 2 cents in anyway.

Lost Vegaz

That's why I stated, ( just my opinion ) I like my Nissan's with Nissan motors. If you want alot of info on doing the swap, check out Hybrid Z.com. They would have all the answers for sure. I do give you respect for atleast keeping the Z up and running, that's good,

and J, WOW, you got upset!!!!!!!!

RodMoyes

Sorry J , but I disagree with a lot of what you wrote. I have no "moral" disagreement with the swap persay. I just don't get it. It's not just the chassis that makes the Z a great car, it's the whole package. Sure, it's not the fastest or quickest car out there, nor is it the best handling. It is however, a great well rounded GT car. I like the phrase "If you want a chevy, buy a chevy" It makes total sense. The fact is that aside from the Z06, chevy CAN'T build a complete car. Yes, even the much loved Z06 has serious reliability issues. It is very fast, very quick and handles very well. It's still a typical half *** American car. Drive it like it's powerband asks you to, and you'll find yourself visiting the dealership quite often for stupid repairs. I know this for fact. Aside from my long experience in the industry, I have had personal experience with these cars and their demons. If you don't mind giving up reliability for all the rest... More power to ya. At least when it runs, it is an awesome car. Different strokes for different folks I always say. If you really want a V8 powered Z then go for it. It just ceases to be a "Z" in my mind at that point. That's just me. With the number of people doing SBC swaps into Z cars, it only furhter demonstrates GM's inability to manufacture a car people would like or love enough to put that much work in to. You don't see guys doing "Upgrade" motor swaps on early 80's Camaro's or Firebird's very often now do you? And that is not to imply that the car wouldn't be made remarkably better by doing so... It's just a turd to start with.

I could care less what people do with their own cars and their own money. Far be it from me to tell someone not to do something. I just get really tired of people nit picking the supposed short comings of a car they obviously went out of their way to own. You don't marry a girl and then tell her to get a boob job and rhynoplasty (unless you're a superficial *******) do you? Put the God Damn V8 in your car already! put two of them in there for all I care. Just don't get shitty with people who have their own opinion about it. They don't have to like what you like and vice versa. If you don't want to hear dissenting opinions, don't post in a public forum either.

By the way, as "great" as the new Z06 is, it STILL GOT OUTHANDLED BY A FWD HYUNDAI!!!!! Maybe we should all buy new Tiburons and drop an LS7 in them!!!

Rod.

DeckSetter

oops, didn't mean to start a fight


I thought long and hard about this swap (my friend's got a complete engine sitting in his garage with an N47 I could talk him out of, but it probably needs a rebuild and he doesn't know what else is in it). I'm probably going to go GM because of parts availability. You can't find much of anything Datsun / Nissan around here. I've only been able to locate 2 ZXs in junkyards (both have been flooded).

If I stay with an L28 I'll have to replace my clutch (it slips already) and probably the trans if I put much power behind it.

This car's most likely going to have the wheels driven off it (I drive 25k+ a year, mostly highway at 60mph) and with a good overdrive and rearend ratio my rpms will be low enough (with the V8 torque) to keep pretty good mileage. Heck, a .5:1 ratio behind an LS1 can get you 30+mpg in a Camaro.

As for staying with another Nissan motor............. Why on earth would I do that? It's not cost effective, there would be just as many parts availability problems, and I really don't want to mess with a turbo, so I wouldn't get the same power output and maintain good driveability.

This will be my first swap and I figure it's probably best to go with a well charted one, so it'll probably be the SBC. I'd consider a Ford 5.0 if it was as well documented.



.......and now I'll grab the popcorn and let y'all argue some more

WildmaN

Amen brother, that is why I love my Z. Even though he is down, but not for long.

DeckSetter

"With the number of people doing SBC swaps into Z cars, it only furhter demonstrates GM's inability to manufacture a car people would like or love enough to put that much work in to."


I agree, that's why I'm looking at building up a DATSUN instead of buying a newer GM. GM has some cool features, but their cars just don't appeal to me. That's why I have a Datsun and a Jeep (well, Chrysler-made Jeep). I fell in love with the car, not the engine and transmission.

007max

My plans for the Z include a V8 but its a 5.6L all nissan one

WildmaN

The SBC seems to be a trend, that I definately don't want to a part of. I am the kind that likes to stick out there. As it shows in my pics of my interior and such. But I have heard of a lot people that have put sbc's in their Z's. And it doesn't impress me one bit. Because I can pop the hood on my '75 Firebird, and see a '69 Buick 350. (whoopeee) Anyway if that is what you like, then I say go for it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. But I will support you nonetheless, just because you are a Z brother. And I am a nice guy, and have no right to judge people.

SHADY280

I Got A Friend With A 5.0 Stang Motor. The Oil Filter Is In The Way Of The Steering, You Need A Remote Mount Kit And The Distributor Is At The Front So The Engine Can Be Mounted Further Back. Mounts Will Have To Be Custom Made But It Really Isnt That Hard. Everyone Used Chev Because Of Cost. Now The 3 American Companies Are The Same Price. So Pick Your Poison. Lots Of Parts For 5.0's From Summit.

lww

What state are you in?

dr. buddha

DeckSetter look if you need any advice pm me ill help you out all i can with the swap. as most know i was one of the first to do the swap in my z31 and its not all that cheap.

now all of you drop the crap and jaking the thred if you can help DeckSetter with his project then do so leave your idas aginst the v8 swap in anouther thread.
you all dont want to get me started.

RodMoyes

J, I wasn't mad... In fact, I thought the whole thing was pretty funny. I just like to come out with both barrells blazing. I thought you got a little too worked up over the whole thing which is why I made the argument I did. In a public forum, opinions are fair game. Like I said, if you want to put a V8 or try and force a Lamborghini V12 in to a Z car, it's all good with me. Your car, your money, your deal. I'm just sort of a "purist" I guess. I love the straight 6. I think it has massive potential. Sure, you can get more power in a cheaper way with an SBC, but then again... Where's the challenge in that? What's so special about a 300-400, even 500HP SBC? Not much in my opinion. It's been done a million times. The only thing "special" about it would be the fact that the nifty motor wouldn't be relegated to a crappy GM platform anymore. I guess in that regard, someone who does the swap in to a Z could consider themselves a liberator or freedom fighter for the SBC...

I have some lofty goals for my little straight 6. When I'm done with it, it will be plenty powerfull and reliable. I don't want to try and get 600HP out of it. I just want it to be quicker, faster and meaner. I don't much care to have a ZX that can do 10's in the 1/4 mile, or can do 180MPH. That is what my 930S is for!

Anyway, don't take offense to what I wrote. It's all a matter of opinion. Besides, you shouldn't be wasting your time reading all this nonsense anyway... You are supposed to be making parts damn it!! Now get back to work.

Rod.