Posted February 18, 200916 yr comment_274722 Hi Folks.....I've been thinking about an engine swap for my Z, for a while now... There's a 77 ZX non-turbo being parted out in the locale area. The owner is advertising it as having low miles.I'm still running the stock engine in the car, I swapped out the stock 4-speed for a 5-speed, but I do still have the original 4 speed stored in the garage somewhere, if I do the swap I'll be keeping the original engine in case I want to go back to the original engine and tranny sometime down the road.The seller is asking 300 bucks for the engine, do you guy's think this asking price is reasonable ??Thanks-Phil Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 18, 200916 yr comment_274747 Yes, that's a fair price. Find out how many miles and/or if everything is proper (e.g., not seized). I'd doubt there's anything major given that the bottom-end of an L motor is about bulletproof, and the head is easy to have refreshed. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274747 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 18, 200916 yr comment_274752 If you want to go FI then remember to get all what's needed, harness, ECU etc.Chris Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274752 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 18, 200916 yr Author comment_274787 thanks for the input guy's... I'll be staying with a SU setup Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274787 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 19, 200916 yr comment_274790 Does the engine run now? Can you run a compression test? Listen for noises? Look for smoke? Because if you don't have any clue how good it is, $300 could be too much. If it burns oil, has bad compression, needs a valve job, or something like that, $300 is a pretty expensive core.Plus a '77 would have originally been a round-port head. Even if you ignore the "conventional wisdom" that says round-port heads suck, you won't be able to use your existing exhaust either. Not that the exhaust should be a deal-breaker, but it's something to consider. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274790 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 19, 200916 yr comment_274792 And also find out if it's a 79' ZX or 77' Z. No such thing as a 77' ZX. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274792 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 19, 200916 yr Author comment_274794 And also find out if it's a 79' ZX or 77' Z. No such thing as a 77' ZX.I boo-booed... it's a 77 280Z, Not sure if the engine is runnable since the guy is parting the car out.. I was planning on making the engine a part time hobby learn how to rebuild an engine when I don't have anything better to do time killer.I was planning on using as many of the bolt on engine components from the L24 as I could.. mainly the distributor, intake, and exhaust manifold's.I was considering heading to a pick & pull to get my guinea pig subject, but I sort of thought that getting an engine from a private party part-out might be a safer route (?) I'm checking to see if the engine can be started up.Thanks guy's Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274794 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 19, 200916 yr comment_274798 Your 240Z exhaust manifold will not fit (properly) if it is a round-port head. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274798 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 19, 200916 yr Author comment_274805 Thanks Arne, I just did some reading in my Datsun books, and it would seem my options if I were to pickup this engine would be to source a a 76 or earlier head with the square exhaust ports, or make sure I get the stock exhaust manifold with the engine, and plan on redoing the exhaust system when I make the swap (?) Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274805 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 19, 200916 yr comment_274809 Yup, that's how I se it too. A third option would be a round port header, and still some exhaust work. As I said, not a deal-breaker, but you need to allow for that in your offer. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/30870-possible-engine-swap-candidate/#findComment-274809 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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