I'm having problems finding a half deasent turbo L28. I'm thinking of converting my L28 into a turbo. There's a guy selling a 83 l28et without the block and head. So my question is, what do I need to convert it, and would anyone recomend it.

Definitely dished pistons. The head would be a bit of a challenge, as you'd want a detonation-resistant chamber shape with square ports to match the turbo manifold. So the best choice for a turbo build would be...

...the turbo P90 head. Perhaps an E31 head would work too, but it has smaller valves and wouldn't be that much easier to find.

Not speaking from any personal experience or anything like that. Just my own logic-derived thoughts, which could be flawed. FWIW...

There is a guy on Hybridz that goes into great detail about using a box stock n54 block and head, putting a turbo on it and driving it like crazy. I used that site as a reference for doing my 280zt but I had a complete donor car, which helped immensely. Those guys are very rude at that site if you aren't a member of there clique, and I am not. There is also as much mis information as there is correct information, so after doing some searching there, do some more. More arrogance than anything on that site, one of the big reasons I like this one.

2cents and waiting on change

Having been a long time member of both sites, I don't think that's a fair assessment of HybridZ. There's misinformation as well as arrogance on this site too......And I still like them both.

Anthony,

I would recomend finding a turbo motor. To turbo your motor you will need the turbo exhaust manifold, turbo, downpipe (prefferably back to the cat), turbo injectors, turbo AFM, J pipe from turbo to throttle body, throttle body, turbo oil pan, turbo oil supply and return line. By the time you get all that, you might as well just get a turbo motor. The stock motor will hold up under low boost, 5-6 psi, and will be much faster. The turbo motor can handle more boost and will live longer.

I run my car with 77 EFI, not the turbo stuff. You will need to swap the fuel injectors, and do a "guts swap" with a turbo AFM. With a turbo motor, you will need to change the distributer drive shaft with a one from any non turbo L6. That way you can use your stock distributer. I'm sure that there are a few other little things that need to be done, but that it the idea. We recently ran a 77 280Z in a Lemons race with this turbo swap. We dynoed the car before the race, and it put 230hp at the wheels. That surprised all of us as we expected about 180.

My advice is to find a turbo motor, pull the head and have it checked out, then put it back together with a metal headgasket.

Jim

That and if you were going to use stock electronics, you'd have to deal with the fact that the L28ET uses a different system (E.C.C.S) than does your 78 (E.F.I.). Different wiring harnesses, components, ECUs, etc.

If I get the l28 et I would need what. I'm talking about electric.fuel pump ect.harness???

Depends which way you want to go with it. The systems are different, as I and Jim said.

You won't need the fuel pump or any of the electronics, except the AFM. If you haven't replaced your fuel pump, I would suggest doing that with the swap. Your pump may work fine with the demand of your current motor, but with the added requirements of the turbo injectors, it will probably fail soon. I suggest a walbro or a good in line pump. I'm using a lifetime pump from AutoZone. It was originally for a turbo volvo or a caddy motor. It listed for a higher pressure then the ZX turbo pump. If you stick with your EFI, then this is pretty much a weekend swap, other than finishing the exhaust.

I would also look into a good clutch, and not a centerforce. I have an ACT and it seems to work very well. We are now running a spec clutch in our lemons car, and that has held pretty well.

jim

There is a guy on Hybridz that goes into great detail about using a box stock n54 block and head, putting a turbo on it and driving it like crazy. I used that site as a reference for doing my 280zt but I had a complete donor car, which helped immensely. Those guys are very rude at that site if you aren't a member of there clique, and I am not. There is also as much mis information as there is correct information, so after doing some searching there, do some more. More arrogance than anything on that site, one of the big reasons I like this one.

2cents and waiting on change

Thank you Hybridz sucks!!!!!!

Thank you Hybridz sucks!!!!!!

Speaking as the site admin here, and knowing how many people here are members of both sites, I'd have to say that this is one of the most worthless and bad-impression "first posts" I have ever seen. Definitely not one to make the poster many friends, or look like someone people will feel good about helping...

Edited December 26, 201014 yr by Arne

Thanks Arne for your comment that is what I don't like about most other sites, about his comment.

I think the big question is how far are you going to go???

Now I have thought about a turbo L28 engine with a e31 head, with enlarged 280Z valves. The e31 head has good shape and flow dynamics, the biggest problem I see with a stock e31 is head over the turbo head is the higher compression and the valve size. Many times when converting to turbos you need to put in a thicker head gasket or a head spacer to increase quench and lower compression, something a good how to turbo your car book can help out with this will depend on the amount of boost you plan on and pistons (yes you should convert to a dished piston) . . .

Next was the valve size I used to hear on some of these sites, not so much recently on putting 280Z valves in a e31 head. One of the problems that mentioned is the valves would touch the cylinder wall and the question was to notch the wall at the point it hits or leave it alone. The conclusion sounded like it didn't matter either way in this case, now I don't know if you would have this problem with a L28 I think they were talking about L24 block, but this also was some of the confusion that was made, was the different blocks.

Now if your willing to put this amount of time in effort into the engine guess what you need to do the same to the turbo system, yes you can grab a turbo intake or run mukni (sp?) carbs, but you will need a custom exhaust system to fit, which could be better anyways.

If you go to build a custom turbo system with out using the turbo head please post I probably never do this but I'd like to see the progress. I don't make the dough needed to have several Z cars so I can make a turbo car I, want a nice restored one first.