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opinions on a potential turbo donor


iwayman

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Im thinking about doing a turbo swap into my 240 and i wanted to get some opinions on this donor car i found.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/2816316920.html

I talked to the owner and he said there is a "bad cylinder" and blown head gasket, claims he's not sure why, but he says its rebuildable.

Engine has 172k and also has FI upgrade in addition to other mods.

 

I wanted to get some opinions on it before i decide to throw money at it so feel free to speak your mind.

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Im thinking about doing a turbo swap into my 240 and i wanted to get some opinions on this donor car i found.

http://sacramento.cr...2816316920.html

I talked to the owner and he said there is a "bad cylinder" and blown head gasket, claims he's not sure why, but he says its rebuildable.

Engine has 172k and also has FI upgrade in addition to other mods.

 

I wanted to get some opinions on it before i decide to throw money at it so feel free to speak your mind.

 

I wouldn't give any more than scrap price for that piece of shit

JK I wouldn't give him that much.

Offer like 150$ for the motor and if he won't take it do 200$ with trans.

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honestly, motor aside... i think the car on its own is pretty much worth it... but adding the motor into the pic.... rebuilding it, machining & parts, could be agood bit of dough... and i never belive anyone selling a car or motor that doesnt run... ive purchased a car with a bad motor and the guy swore it was fine... motor turned over, and it seemed fin, fluxed it... turned out there were a few...ok alot of cracks in the block....

 

but back on subject... id probably buy it... but id be torn 50-50 (buy it-dont buy it) for a few days

 

whoooooah never mind!... just saw the rearend.... low ball the fk out of him...

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Run away.

 

 

Can't be run to see how well the motor runs. Or the 'up-grades' :rolleyes:

Blown h/g can mean coolant leaked into the cylinders and sat and rusted for 4 years.

It was an abused 1/4 car.

 

 

I talked to the owner and he said there is a "bad cylinder" and blown head gasket, claims he's not sure why, but he says its rebuildable.

 

 

Don't believe it, or he would have fixed it. You need a running motor not another engine to re-build.

 

 

 

Offer like 150$ for the motor and if he won't take it do 200$ with trans.

 

You want an automatic???

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Sounds like he put that new turbo on it and blew the bitch up.

I see running/driving turbos for a lot less than that. Not wrecked either.

Second on the coolant thing. 4 years of sitting, blown up, probably doesn't turn.

Maybe buy the intake and turbo set up if that's all you really want

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Run away.

 

 

Can't be run to see how well the motor runs. Or the 'up-grades' :rolleyes:

Blown h/g can mean coolant leaked into the cylinders and sat and rusted for 4 years.

It was an abused 1/4 car.

 

 

 

 

Don't believe it, or he would have fixed it. You need a running motor not another engine to re-build.

 

 

 

 

 

You want an automatic???

 

No. scrap it and get your 50$ back biggrin.gif

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Since i dont know much about rebuilding engines i was also thinking about investing in an already rebuilt engine and then just taking the turbo stuff, ecu, manifolds, efi, etc. and getting this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Nissan-Z-240Z-280Z-P90-L28ET-F54-Long-Block-Rebuilt-Engine-Motor-Turbo-/400270462543?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d31fa8e4f#ht_5197wt_1026

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You can't just slap a turbo on these cars. The EFI will need the turbo ecu and all the wiring, sensors and a high pressure fuel pump for it. This is a major swap over. Why not run your 240 carbs? Basically replace the L24 with an L28.

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You can't just slap a turbo on these cars. The EFI will need the turbo ecu and all the wiring, sensors and a high pressure fuel pump for it. This is a major swap over. Why not run your 240 carbs? Basically replace the L24 with an L28.

 

I agree with mike, Ive had 5 Z's in my day and raced quite a few of the 280zx turbos at the track in my gold 240Z always kicked their ass'es ( this is back in the 1980's ( see pic below ) those turbo motors are nothing to write home about, I guess performance was "ok" for 1981 standards but...my Z was stock internally, had fresh SU's a 5 speed upgrade w/ lightened flywheel and centerforce clutch, header, euro distributor electronic ign. but that was it. you have a 1970 240?

dont go throwing a ZX motor in it...shit dinner rdy i gotta go! mmmm hamburger helper night!

 

oops forgot the vintage pic! circa ummm 1988/89

 

93033301_l.jpg

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lol ive already got l28 with tripples, headers, and 2.5 exhaust. Im just looking for 300 horses laugh.gif

 

I understand...we all want 300 horses in our Z's but putting in a ZX turbo motor isnt the way to do it. It's not an easy or cheap thing to do getting 300 ponies out of an L series motor. my last Z, the one with the 3.1 liter stroker motor which was a very modified motor still only put out 289HP at the flywheel. and that was having a professional builder do the work..(Dave Rebello of Rebelloracing.com) I could have spent more money on a higher output motor and got over 300HP but damm, it gets expensive, ( if your not skilled enough to do the work yourself ) but I will tell you, that 3.1 motor sure did scream...cant even begin to count how many guys with

a loud exhaust system and a cold air intake I beatup on the highway but I always got the thumbs up when they caughtup to me..lol You mentioned above something about

maybe buying a stock rebuilt 2.8 motor from ebay? that wont get you anywhere either its just a stock rebuilt motor. how does your current motor run? L series motors are pretty durable, if its a good running motor with reasonable mileage you might be better off doing some top end work on your existing motor instead of spending 2k on a rebuilt motor. porting, polishing, cam etc...just a thought..the way your set now stock L28 motor with the triples, and big exhaust, you have the problem that you basically bolted on a big fuel delivery system and a big exhaust system onto a "small" head..so you are umm constricting your motor. open up that head and you will be surprised how that motor can get up and go.

 

no turbo! w/ SU's

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10 mpg? I would expect 50% better than that. Perhaps your in town with short trips to work?

 

300hp? Get an LS1 Corvette (or equivelant) motor and transmission. There are tons of sites where this is well documented. Oh an you should be able to pretty much double your current mileage with it.

 

 

The L28 made barely 200hp so forcing it to make another 30% is going to be rough on it and your wallet.

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10 mpg? I would expect 50% better than that. Perhaps your in town with short trips to work?

 

300hp? Get an LS1 Corvette (or equivelant) motor and transmission. There are tons of sites where this is well documented. Oh an you should be able to pretty much double your current mileage with it.

 

 

The L28 made barely 200hp so forcing it to make another 30% is going to be rough on it and your wallet.

 

Ditto the V8, but you want a turbo?

 

Here you go, a turbo 383 V8 Z car that can run in the 9s. You can have the best of both worlds, You might need a brake upgrade though!

 

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