300zgearhead

I was thinking if it would be possible to drop a 350 chevy small block into my z32. Has it been done? or.. Can it be done? All i would really need to know is if someone sells some kind of special engine mount. I tried looking online i can't come up with anything. Any ideas?

KasbeKZ

been done...

i'll give you a set of the needed mounts for free if you can give me a reason that doing this would make your z a better car.

300zgearhead

I have been having troubles with making the car run right with all of its electronics and everything else that keeps going wrong. My engine is about junk, all of the hoses are dry rotting, the engine was messed up by a couple retards before i saved the car, and it would take a lot of work to make it run right again. Its basicly a project that i can to put my car back on the road. Thats not counting that all of the wiring is screwed up because it was so brittle. good? If not i could buy them if you would sell them but either way i would give you something for them.

KasbeKZ

i don't have the mounts. it would be a much better idea to put another used engine in the car. you're just feeling overwhelmed with problems that you don't know exist. a new wiring harness would probably fix you up. is the compression good? oil pressure?

300zgearhead

.... no the problem with the engine is a scraping sound that could be a worn cam. i'm about to take off the valve covers off. I already have the plenum off. it's just that there is so many things wrong with the engine i like the vg30de it's just that its so big and cramped it's so hard to work on.

ZLover4Life

... because a volumetrically larger block (like a 350) would allow for so much more room in the engine bay...

I've posted pics of V8 Z32s on here before... search hard and you'll find them.

300zgearhead

Ya it's kind of funny how a few mins after i posted this i found some videos. Zlover you have any ideas about finding some mounts?

ZLover4Life

... I'm ZLover, not ZRapist. I know nothing about the details of putting a less worthy engine in that beautiful chassis. I'd bet it's all custom fabrication, though.

I do, however, know a bit about whomping on Corvettes (and other midlife-crisis-mobiles that sport 350's) with a VG30DETT-equipped Z32.

KasbeKZ

woot ^^^

300zgearhead

If i had a tt i wouldn't even think of swaping but a have a N/A. The engine already has compression problems so i'm thinking a swap would be the best thing to do.

KasbeKZ

how do you not recognize though that it would be cheaper and easier to just put in a lower mileage stock engine? i vaguely understand the temptation, but if you think about it enough, you'll realize that you'll be much happier with the stock engine, or with a tt engine if you have to have something different.

ZLover4Life

Buy a TT front clip, convert to TT. Easier, probably cheaper, and with the money you save, you can start modding.

KasbeKZ

or start doing the maintenance you will probably need to do to your used motor.

CanyonCarver

You can't beat the bang-for-the-buck of a small block v-8. The potential far exceeds that of a little 3.0.

I like this site:
http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...locks-C53.aspx

I'm not even against carburetors:
http://www.phoenixengine.com/CratesMain.html

300zgearhead

So the other day i finally got around to a compression check and the # 1 and 2 cylinder had about 40-50 on the tester. All the other cylinders were fine with about 210. I'm thinking my engine is screwed. So i have a 350 that i can use the problem i have is finding what i have to use for mounts i've been looking all over and i tried ls-1 tech it wont let me make posts.

KasbeKZ

210 is not good either. Suggests severe carbon build up. People generally accept that mounts have to be custom made when doing obscure engine swaps

ZLover4Life

I said it before...

Have fun bastardizing your Z.

jverz

Hey! Something I can contribute to since I've got both engines.
Personally, I feel putting a 350 in my Z is the same as putting any OTHER motor in my Firebird. It's a bastardization.

I don't want to hear about the 'potential' of a 350 because it all goes out the window when you put it in a car that it barely fits into in the first place. The only potential I can see is if you intend to drag race which I honestly believe you need your brain examined if you plan on doing that with this build.

First, I think a 350 will ruin the balance and handling of a Z.

I'm pretty sure that after you're finished the cost of time and money for parts and fabrication would far exceed simply converting the car to TT and buying a motor it's made for. In fact, I'll bet the cost of installing a 350 would be more than installing a VG30DETT PLUS upgrades and tuning.

Your car is going to be worthless when it's done. I'm sure that the class of people who get a hard-on for SB Chevy motors will get excited to see it in a Japanese car, but if/when you try to sell the car later everyone will think, "Yeah it's different.. but I could buy a Corvette for cheaper."

However, I'm sure a LOT of people have told you why you shouldn't be doing this already. We're not going to convince you other wise and simply saying, "It's a bad idea," will accomplish nothing. You've probably got your mind made up already. I see this thread as a borderline-flame-bait.

The bottom line is: People think it's fun to drop SB Chevy motors in cars they didn't come with, but if it's already been done there is no point.

Also, If you think the VG30 is such an inferior engine than why the !@$# did you buy a 300ZX in the first place? I mean.. the car is essentially named after the motor!

KasbeKZ

good response.

it's almost understandable though, his drive, seeing as he already has the 350 at his disposal. unfortunately, i think that he'll realize that it STILL won't be cheaper, right about the time that he has torn into the z to the point of no return.

so... what kind of tranny will you be using with this brilliant swap?

and don't take me as a dick. please. as i recall, i've been more helpful than not to you since you've been posting, and i'll continue too. it just doesn't change the fact that i think it's a bad idea to put an american v-8 in a car with an engine capable of over 1k hp. maybe in an rx-7... but the z? nahhhh.

ZLover4Life

... guy on tt.net is dropping an RB26 in his Z32 just to be different... has spent over $20k on it so far, and the motor is basically stock. Has said that if he could go back and do it again, he'd stick with the VG30. And the RB26 would allow more room to work. The small block won't allow you that, it'll cost about as much in fabrication and effort, and in the end, you'll be slower than if you had spent the same amount on a TT conversion and mods.

ZLover4Life

By the way, you wouldn't even be unique in Illinois...


http://www.chicagoz.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18644

... he bought his like that, though. And hasn't posted on ChicagoZ in a long time.

Expensive to do, relatively no cost/performance benefit, and not even unique... just a fail mod in general.

300zgearhead

I'm getting a carbureted 350 so it would all be easy but the mounts.

To put a vg30 back in would mean a lot of work trans rebuild, all of the wiring is about shot and needs replaced, so it would probably end up costing me more money! I can get a good 350 motor cheap because of my workplace. so really all that leaves is the mounts which i could figure something out with them.

The reason i'm so against replacing vg30 with vg30 is that, with all of the bullshit the 300zx packs into the engine bay, something wouldn't get assembled correctly.

I'm not trying to be "unique" i saw videos online and it was something that i wanted to do.

KasbeKZ

none of those excuses made the least bit of sense. really. that's not even a biased statement.

when you give up, i want your 350 wheels.

ZLover4Life

Lmmfao @ wanting to go carbureted!!!

If you're incapable of fixing the car properly, please do us and yourself a favor and sell it. The Z32 simply isn't for you.

jverz

That's actually something I thought of while cruising today. Not to be a dick, but when it comes to motor swaps if you're asking, "How can I swap motors" or "Can I swap these motors" you're already under qualified.

I've had to redo so many motor swaps on kids' cars who just attempted same-make swaps (mostly Honda) that I can't stress enough about how it's not JUST mounts.

I understand you'll be going carburetor to avoid dealing with wiring harnesses but the transmission for a 350 is not small either, and there's not much room under a Z32.. I was shocked when I had to replace my shifter mount and realized that the drive shaft runs right along side of you.

It would probably even be easier to use an automatic tranny (and I cringe to make that suggestion).