KHCreason

Im going to look at a car tomorrow, ill need my dad to come help cuz its not running but I caNNOT find a tranny for it.

The car is an 88 ZX with the engine form an 87 or 86.

Needs a wiring harness for the engine, but the guy is willing to part with his engine and transmission as aunit instead of the whole car. What is the common concencus fo this swap, is it easy or even reccomended?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Its also a Turbo motor, single.

NismoPick

es de uh... are you buying this Z31 to swap into the 280zx? Why do you need a transmission if the guy will give you the motor and transmission?

KHCreason

my 280ZX needs a transmission and I CANNOT find one. Ive been searching for almost a month now. Maybe a bit longer.

So, if I cannot find a good transmission, or even a dead one that I can rob the rear half of the housing off of, then i may as well swap something else in, since i cant drive it anyway. I've heard good things about the Z31's VG30ET (i believe thats the one) and I've also heard negatives as well.
300zx engine

Another Engine
Another WAY mroe expensive, but luckily thats quite alright considering I work on commission and have a TON coming already, is this style of engine (this is the msot expensive one, there are others such as one with an automatic, but i DO NOT want an auto)
examples:
1
Favortie fo the Toyota one

so, I'm just going over my options. Stil in the spitting out ideas phase.



Hell, If the transmission would fit into my car then id buy the engine and transmission and just pop in the transmission to the L28.

NismoPick

L28ET.... any other motor is going to be a monster headache, and a monster cost. If you are wanting this to be a trailer queen with a 2JZ, I suggest an RB26DETT (T) instead.

and see my post in your transmission wanted thread... $300 and 100miles? from you.

WanganDevilZ

My tranny might be up for grabs...

What all is wrong with yours? As mine had a considerable amount of water inside for a while. Havent checked the gears at all. Still pending me trying to make up my damn mind about my car.

260zturbo

240sx tranny would be a easy swap

KHCreason

Couple things:

1st, a guy called telling me $75 for a 5spd from a '96 S-10. Def not my first choice, but what do you know of that compatibility?

2nd, this will nevah evah be a trailer queen, its gonna be a DD for a long time, and at least a rolling project. Even when/if I stroke it, it'll still be a DD. If i found a running driving Turbo setup, then MAYBE I'd swap it in, but if I keep the L28, I still would rather stroke it.

3rd, to Wangan, my transmission is fine except for the rear houssing, there is a 17mm bolt that was overtightened after being crossthreaded. It screws into the actual transmission casing itself, and broke when I loosened it. The internals are just fine, I only need the back half of the outside.

4th, to 260zturbo, what are the specifics on that swap? I could get one of those easy.

BlueKitsune

1st. It wont fit, its got a VERY different input shaft. that is if you have a T5, but I think the rear housing is the same. so maybe for parts.

4th http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techti...all/index.html

FricFrac

#2 - Turbo - makes way more power and a fraction of the cost of a stroker...... read up on it and all will be revealed....

#3 - Get a screw removal bit and chase the thread or if worse comes to worse just helicoil it - fairly simple fix - probably easier than swapping trannys....

KHCreason

no, it literally broke the housing. There is the output part, and 4 or 5 inches in front of it is a 17mm bolt that protrudes from the side. The housing is formed with it there. It is what holds the shift linkage in the right spot, connected to the gearshifting internals. When i loosened it, it broke. Into three pieces, all of which came OFF the housing. IT cannot be TIG welded b/c nobody has the right tap for it.

Forgive my atrocious description.

Also, I'm going to look at a 1977 280z in Sapulpa sometime after 3. He wants 500 for the whole car, doesn't run b/c of, presumably, a fuel pump. I asked why he thinks that and he said he started it with fuel in the TB. Also, no title. I would either a) need it towed, which would be over 200 bucks, or b)buy a fuel pump form Autozone, which is the cheapest my cursory search found, for 103 dollars.

Its got its engine and transmission in tact and all. Just curious though, cuz I have less money than I thought I did after I paid off our phone bill for my dad. Didn't plan ahead. So ill have to wait either for my draw in a week, or get a steal from something. Which sucks... I wish i was better at planning this stuff...

What are 77 title-less 280z's going for? He said he bought it for its suspension and drive-train for his 510, but never got around to it. So that implies it is in decent shape. But i don't think I want to give him 500. That would bump what we have in the 280ZX up to 2000. Id rather buy a dead transmission, but unless the car itself is in goodish shape and mostly drivable, i could just go that route.

The biggest thing right now is getting a freakin DD. I'm getting tired of ride-sharing.

WanganDevilZ

For gas money and the cost of a uhaul dolly I'd tow it to your house, which would be like, $50.

I know what you mean on the ride sharing, did it for like 4 months.

Also, a little off topic, but are you tired of seeing this;

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/1944510586.html

She posts this car every other day, no WAY is she getting 2k out of an auto, non turbo, with that kind of damage.

KHCreason

haha yeah Mine was in better shape when i bought it for 1k!

But the reason its over 200 is that i don't have a place in Tulsa for it. MAYBE at my apt building if I told them and they approved, but even then only a couple days. I'll make the call this afternoon about 330 or so. If it looks decent, drives decent, and i can slap on a fuel pump or get my dad up here with his dodge, then we can tow-dolly it back like we did with the Granada for the Mustang, I forgot about that option. But for a tower guy to do it from Owasso to Tahlequah is right around 200. Prolly the same from Sapulpa.

And hell, I might even play around with V8-swapping it if the body is okay. Who knows XD

I guess the final call is whether my trans guy will have mine fixed by next Sunday. If not, then hes SOL and I'm picking up something else, be it a 77 280z or... i dunno. w/e. But ill have gotten my next check in a week or so. But im rambling now so yeah.

KHCreason

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/pts/1938225764.html

Huzzah! 150 or 200, i think he said. Couldn't hear him very well. 5spd tranny still in the car. At his buddy's house, gonna call me back and see when we can take a look.

KHCreason

Well, if anyone in the tulsa area is looking for a straight 77 280z, let me know! its that coppery brown color. Very nice looking. The interior is mostly stripped but he has damn near all the pieces. Passed, though, cuz its got a 4spd. And i didn't bother with the 300zx engine. Maybe eventually, but probably not.

Sunday or Monday night ill be inspecting a 5spd from that link i posted to CL. Hes dropping it tonight or something, ready for me. And i know what to look for now, so its all good.

WanganDevilZ

Mmm, damn. I'd love to go get that 280z, keep it stock as *****, as I need a dependable daily driver, and a forum full of helpfull people to go with it.

What is his email, and sapulpa you said?

KHCreason

yeah. it DOES need a fuel pump, though. Two of his friends were there too, and one said he thought the plug wires might be on the wrong cylinders. A fuel pump is $100 bucks. Um... front right tire is flat... No rear bumper, but i think he said they still have it. Its just ugly, or something. What else...

no email addy, just a cell number. He texted me. I don't remember his name though lol. and in fact, i remember the address of the car, too

Also, hes selling a 510 as well, http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/1936909366.html, 1500 for the both of them as of yesterday (Thursday).

Interior really is very nice. But w/e lol.

Thats about all i remember. At the very least, something to check out.

WanganDevilZ

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pts/1948780145.html

?

KHCreason

Wow, exactly what i would need... a bit expensive though... if this one falls through then ill go for that one!

Currently, I'm picking up 2 door panels in great shape + the 5spd trans and boots and whatnot that are both in great condition for $200. This guy has never dropped a trans before, though, and hes doing it right now with very little ground clearance. I can tell from experience that he can't get that out with the wheel on, at the very least! I offered to help, since I've done it 4 times so far on my car. Him and his buddies are planning on making it a track car; hes pulling the dash but he can't find the last bolt... it wont quite come out. I told him I'd look on here because I remember there being a topic on that.

WanganDevilZ

He needs to at least get the front wheels up on ramps, I was able to get my tranny off as such. You have to be prepared, and not tired, at ALL. I almost got stuck under mine. 90 pounds isnt all that much until you barely have clearance, and its on your chest >.<

KHCreason

I was never under mine haha

Did it where it was a little bit past my head, ALOT of back/forth rocking with low leverage strength. I put a bunch of rags under where the bellhousing is so it wouldn't break when it dropped, and the rear too.

Although that car wont go anywhere atm. Engine isn't exactly running all the way lol. Ill let ya know what happens.

WanganDevilZ

Ohhhh. Dropping trannys eh? Get dirty!

And when you get your car running we needa drive. Tulsa needs some S130s back on the road. My friend has a neighbor with one, with 4 flat tires... Hasn't moved in months. When asked he came back with "Yeah, I'm going to rebuild it for my son" or something or-other. But we usually all know how that turns out.

KHCreason

haha yeah, I totally get dirty every time I'm at the shop, whether I do anything or not!

your Z is runnign right now too, or no?

I freakin can't WAIT to get my push button ignition in the mail! but then I'll need to fab up some sort of security switch, but that can wait. I'm freakin stoked! a few more checks, or one good one, and I'll get all four corners of lowering springs and Tokico shocks from MSA, but might look elsewhere for better prices. either way, they'll stay super crappy shocks until i get them all at one time. I know a guy that does Katzkin and Webasto (i think) moonroofs, so once I get her back up and running I'm gonna take it to him and see what he thinks is plausible for both a) recovering my 1991 or so BMW 325i seats, and b) installing a moonroof and headliner that disappears all the way. If nothing else, I could go for one that slides out of the car, but that's not my preference so only if its not expensive compared to the moonroof haha.

WanganDevilZ

Awhs, no, not yet =(

Do your push button correctly, I'm still finding sliced wires from where the previous owner made his >.<

And thats another one of my planned needed expenses for my car, new suspension. I've already got my sway bars, just need the rest ^^

I've seen ebay Tokico sets go for a little less than MSA before... Just have to find them.

But I DO need to get my Z running. I've been driving my dad's oldsmobile to and from work and elsewhere, and every time I see a 350/370z I go chasing after it and then I realize how retarded that must look xD

KHCreason

hahaha nice!

As for the push button... as of right now, I don't see hwo it could be that difficult. I know which wires do what, so it should be something as easy as transfering them to new plugs, so to speak, right?

WanganDevilZ

Makes since. All thats needed is to jump it. Off to the driveway with my lazy *** to try and get it started.