Compressor housing differences by year
 

I've currently got a ZX T-3 compressor housing on my Ford 2.3T engine, and I need to pick another one up on my next junkyard visit (assuming a come across one). I seem to recall however that perhaps the later cars used a different turbo, or maybe just a different housing? :017:

Can someone enlighten me on the details? I recall from the last time I dug one of these out it takes some time. I'd like to know I've got the right model year car before I bother yanking too much stuff apart. :s-chainsaw:

84-86 300zx's used t3's if I remember correctly.

I was sorta thinking that as well, so two maybes upgrades it to a "definite maybe". :biggrin:

So do the 87s. Wasn't until the 1988 models did Nissan shift to the smaller T25.

Got it. Only the final 2 years, not three, got the T25. Any quick & easy ways to ID the T25-equipped engines? I recall once that I dug into one for awhile before realizing it was the later car that I had no use for.

The engines themselves? Or just the turbos? IDing the turbos is very simple. The T25s have a section of the charge tube bolted to the housing.

See pictures:
http://www.az-zbum.com/information.differences.shtml

Yea, now that you say that, I remember that the outlet tube was bolted onto the housing for the T25 engines. That should be easy enough to see, even given the tight confines of the engine bay.

Good link with the pics which gives rise to a follow-up question... Does the oil return fitting for the T25 have the same bolt pattern as the T3? It looks like that one for the T25 might have better "universal" use on other turbo installs.

The upper charge tubes are completely different as well. That will be much more obvious. The T3 charge tubes look to be two pressed aluminum pieces welded together. The T25 charge tube appears to be a cast piece.

The pictures are quite old and I haven't held a T25 since. I believe the bolt pattern is the same. But obviously because of the difference in the turbos, there has to be more/less bending to mate up with the stock oil pan fitting depending on which turbo you use.