Yeah a few weeks ago I posted a smug message about what a great deal I got on my 280Z. Today, I realize I'm the biggest sucker in the world.

The heater inlet hose sprung a leak yesterday, so I stopped by my new favorite auto parts store this morning and found a replacement from their stock, and got a couple of new hose clamps to replace the rusty ones.

While I was working at that corner of the engine, I thought I'd find the serial number and just see if it was a numbers-matching car. I was never planning on a concours restoration, so it wasn't a requirement. I cleared away the grease and no surprise, the numbers didn't match. However, there was a big surprise. I blinked, I looked again, I cleaned off the numbers again, I blinked again.

L24.

What. The. Heck.

Really? Someone sold me a 280Z with some kind of L24-block franken-engine in it? Really!?

I feel sick, I am so angry.

My plan when I bought the car was to have a nice, normal driver. A fun classic sports car, with only light mods to update it and not affect its reliability.

And now this.

I'll of course contact the guy and try and get him to make things better, but who knows if I'll have any success. It's almost certainly not worth the time and trouble of taking him to small-claims court.

I'm so bummed I have gone from loving the car to hating the car in the span of a day.

What the heck do I do now?

Hi Chris:

If matching numbers didn't mean anything to you, and having driven the car you were happy with it - what does it matter if its an L24 or L28 block? It's still the same car...

Looked at another way - you can start saving your money for a rebuild on a spare L28.. and when its done drop it into your car - should be a noticeable performance difference!!

I have to admit that it is kind of strange to put an L24 in a "280Z" body... but what the heck - it made for a great deal - right?

Don't let it bother you - we all make the same kind of mistakes. Sometimes they turn out being good things in the end.

FWIW,

Carl B.

What head is it running?

Yeah...the original HP #'s weren't dramatically different (peak HP is actually higher out of the L24 given lower emission standards). Of course, possible HP is higher out of the L28, but unless you are going to bore it, stroke it and juice up the induction side, an L24 will move the car around fine.

I'd follow Carl's advice, go find a cheap L28 (or a turbo...?) and build yourself an engine.

In the immortal words of the ad...enjoy the ride...

Well I've driven the car and I noticed problems with it, but I thought they would be fixable. I thought I had a solid basis that I could make better over time. But now it seems like I've got a car with a heart problem that may only be fixable with a transplant.

It's an N47 head. So, hmm. What does that mean? That's the right head for my '78, right? But the bore of the L24 is different than the L28. Can you use an N47 head with a stock L24? Would it have had to have been bored out?

I guess I'll just keep driving it for now. I have some time to think about it.

Maybe I should ask for ideas over at HybridZ

N47 is good, It means you have the same compression ratio as the E88 (standard L24) head, but bigger valves.

Honestly, unless your were trying aiming to build the most powerful engine you could, its not worth getting so annoyed about. Some would say the L24 revs better than the L28 anyway.

If all you want is a "nice, normal driver. A fun classic sports car, with only light mods to update it and not affect its reliability" then leave the L24 in there and enjoy the car.

It looks like you got a pretty good car for the price anyway, no matter what engine was in it.

N47 is good, It means you have the same compression ratio as the E88 (standard L24) head, but bigger valves.

Honestly, unless your were trying aiming to build the most powerful engine you could, its not worth getting so annoyed about. Some would say the L24 revs better than the L28 anyway.

If all you want is a "nice, normal driver. A fun classic sports car, with only light mods to update it and not affect its reliability" then leave the L24 in there and enjoy the car.

It looks like you got a pretty good car for the price anyway, no matter what engine was in it.

I agree....my L28's build more power, but the L24's rev higher and are more fun to drive (IMO). I'm currenly building a similar engine...L24 bored .040 over....E31 with L28 valves (similar to your setup) ,throw in a Isky Stage II and voila....I can't wait to fire it up!!

Edited July 26, 200915 yr by Diseazd

You likely have an L24E from an 810/RWD Maxima. Same EFI system as the 280Z L28E and fairly easy to put in an S30. That engine might have been easier to find 'back in the day'. It's not a bad engine. I put 40000+ miles on one in the 6+ years I owned my 810 with no major problems. I also had a 78 280Z with an L28E. The L28E is more powerful than the L24E. I'm not sure I'd commit to the 'rev higher-more fun' thing that others have mentioned. I think they're comparing an L28 to an earlier L24, not the EFI version. Drive it, enjoy it. Stock vs. stock, the difference would be minimal.

I'll of course contact the guy and try and get him to make things better, but who knows if I'll have any success. It's almost certainly not worth the time and trouble of taking him to small-claims court.

On what grounds would you take him to court? Did he promise you that it had an L28?

Edited July 26, 200915 yr by sblake01

Just drive it. Still enough power and a great car. Not really worth the effort to change it out or go to court.

I have to agree with everyone else. You liked the car before you discovered what engine it had - keep liking it. Had you not looked at the numbers, you wouldn't have known the difference. After all, it's a Z! Live the sports car life - just don't let anyone analyze your engine block number ).

Dennis

Y'all are right.

Nothing has really changed. The rust still needs fixing. The interior still needs work. The engine bay still needs sorting. I can still put some suspension mods on and enjoy them. I was looking forward to all those projects, and I still can!

And if/when I do want to replace the engine or do other mods, I don't have to listen to anyone complaining that I should keep it stock!

I am liberated! All right then, back to the driving!

And there you have it. You found the light among the darkness. Focus on getting the car running and safe, then enjoy it a while before you start tearing it apart to create your dream.