Alright, on my 86, I blew a timing belt and pretty much trashed quite a bit of the valves and damaged a few pistons, etc. A rebuilt head and to fix the pistons looks like it's going to be around 500 bucks. I have a friend who has an 88 with a good motor and no harness that he'll sell me for 600. My question is : is the 88 compatible with the 86? if I were to get it, could it just be a simple swap, or would it be completely different? If it costs just as much as the fix, may as well just swap the engine...

 

Yes it will fit. There are very minor differences, but if you have your 86 motor, any small bit can be changed over.. as far as the hard parts.. the motors are the same.. 89's also made 5 more hp than older 300zx's (not sure what it was.. probably ecu change..)

 

Was all 86's a v-6 or just the last half or so..

(Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question.. just know that's about the time of the switch)

 

All 300ZXs, which were first produced in 1984, used the VG30 motor, a 3-litre V6. Before '84, every Z - the 240Z(L24), the 260Z(L26), 280 and 280ZX(L28E) - used an inline six.
As a point of reference, the engine layout changed at the same time the body style was changed.

- Ben

 

My bad..... Thought it was 86. But I was wrong.

 

another question in this is i've been toying with all possibilities. since there is significant engine damage to the heads and possibly the pistons, i'm definitely considering the engine swap (will know more when i get the heads off, they're almost off). what about a small block chevy? would a V-8 conversion (carb'd, not injected) be a significant problem? what about harnesses and such; obviously the ECM would be pretty much eliminated (i would assume?) because there would be no fuel injection, but what about speedometer, water temp, oil pressure, etc. also, what about transmission-wise, would the Z tranny be adaptable or would I need to go with a definite chevy-compatible tranny. boy it would be quick with that 350 vette engine i've got sitting in the back of the shop...
need ideas! hehe