I am a new owner of a 300zx right hand drive rb20, stock turbo. Only thing aftermarket is the clutch/exhaust/blow off valve. I was told the reason it may be stalling in the lower rpms and not the highs is cause of how hot it is getting and to replace the ignition coils/plugs/cold air intake. Before I do anything like put in fuel injectors/bigger turbo/headers/fuel injectors,etc. It runs fine when I'm not in stop and go. I think it may be the coils partly but also maybe a vaccum leak that I somehow can't find. It has the old top mount intercooler and as u know the hoodscoop doesn't get much ventilation at all so was going to replace that and setup a front mount. I have friends who work at some nice car shops in san diego but with working full time won't have time for awhile to take it by. Any ideas? Sorry if I was wrong on certain things or went off rambling. I'm still kinda new to this but I plan to get this baby up and running ASAP

So since I've been receiving messages inquiring why I did things certain way, or how to do this and that. I just want to be clear I didn't do any of the work I just know part of what I wanted done and had Charles Plumb of Plumb Performance in east county San Diego did all the work for the swap,the re wiring of the dash everything you see.

 

Forgot to mention the year it's an 87 more commonly known as the 200zr. I'm looking into intake/intercooler first and foremost. Once I fix this possible vaccum leak.

 

Welcome to ZDriver!

Got pics? I thought importing a RHD into California was almost impossible...

 

Yea got some right here, I mainly took these cause I was going to try and sell the tsw zolder rims that are on them.

I'll take some of the inside when I clean it up a bit put in some recaro or corbeau racing seats, engine is just the rb20det with stock turbo, I am trying to get the hks cold air intake powerflow or a K&N system, Greddy Variable Valve manual controller, and either a greddy intercooler or the spearco that everyone is recommending to start. I need to replace the ignition coils and spark plugs for the rb20det, but I can't find just some decent stock ones or cheap aftermarket. I don't need the splitfire ones just yet. It's been a pain trying to find the right parts for the rb20det to start to upgrade.

 

 

any reccomendations for coils/cold air intake/intercooler.

 

Click: Jason's Z Site - RedZ31.Com .. REDZ31.NET JASONBUTTS.COM
Click: ZBUM's New Nissan Z31 300ZX Homepage
Click: www.xenonz31.com

 

ok my main problem with the coils is I need them to fit for the rb20 engine, same with the intake I know almost all intercoolers and some other **** is universal. Also before I upgrade the turbo/fuel injectors among other things should I put in an aftermarket cold air intake and intercooler or is that not necessary. Right now I took off the stock intake that huge bulky metal pos with worn down filter that looks to be blocking it and just hooked up a nice k&n filter.

 

Thank you though for the links I've been using the xenonz31 for ecu and installing the digital dash.

 

really love your classic z btw.

 

so I took it to my friends shop, he said since the stock turbo is a pos I should replace that with either a cheap t3/t4 or get like a nice greddy/stillen/jim wolf/turbonetics. Said I definitely need a new intercooler and intake. If I keep running the car the way it is and I boost over 15 the turbo could and probably will blow. Since it's that old ceramic turbo that could mess up my engine also supposedly. Wanted to know what you guys think. I have the money to say **** it sell my rb20det engine and start fresh with an rb25, or I can go against what they are saying and show them an rb20det has and can work if babied and done right. Not sure which way is cheaper though long term.I was originally just gonna run the rb20det until it broke then upgrade to rb25 or 26.

 

Don't cheap out on the turbo...

Did he give reasons for needing a new turbo, IC, and intake? I don't see why you'd have to replace the intake manifold unless it's cracked... or did he mean the intake boots / pipes?

 

I was reading up on TURBO FAQ: MODIFYING A SERIES I 300ZX TURBO FOR SPEED[6.0]

Scroll down to modified turbos and look at stock limits. With what it's running now I'm lucky I didn't blow it already supposedly. I'm taking it to another shop for a second opinion though. I would like to keep the rb engine get a good turbo intake and intercooler but I don't know what turbo to start with I was only looking at the cheap t3/t4 or the jim wolf technology gt30r http://www.jimwolftechnology.com/customer_results.asp not sure how much this would run me though. The one guy said he could get me some jdm intake and intercooler so I save some money then just buying a greddy intake and intercooler
system for 1000-1500 or whatever.

 

he meant the whole thing. His reason for the turbo was the same thing that the guy in that forum had to say. That past 12-14 psi it can blow and damage my engine.

 

My friend said he would sell me his t3/t4 .42 for like 100-150 he hasn't used it he was gonna put it in his eclipse but he got something else for 400+ hp. Or should I just go with like a jim wolf or turbonetics.

 

How much better is it if I want to reach 300-500 hp to just get an rb 25 I've read and talked to people that the rb20 can handle close to 500 usually only safe around 425-450 but its expensive and can easily just go in the opposite direction quick. Would it be more cost effective if I want to reach those numbers to get an rb25. I wasn't planning on going over 500 hp and I know what the rb25 is capable of.

 

As u can tell I'm not as knowledgeable about some of this stuff or most of it for that matter. I jsut know some of this seems wrong to me and I get alot of contradicting ideas and scenarios from the people close to me. Reading other forums though they all say the rb20det is not worth the hassle I may spend more money trying to get my car up to 400-450 hp then I would just getting an rb25det with some mods and be alot safer.

 

I think since it's my first real car I'ma go the safe route to start work on the rb20 do what I need to do to make it a good running car whether it be the intake,intercooler,upgraded turbo,fuel injectors and controllers. Then once it breaks down I can either rebuild the engine or get the rb25 and go for a lot more power. I was using both these sites to see what would be safe for stock internals but I don't think it all necessarily applies to the rb20. Even though multiple mechanics have told me I should not take it past 450 and not boost over 10-14 on the stock turbo.

TURBO FAQ: POWER MODIFICATIONS FOR THE Z31 300ZX

TURBO FAQ: MODIFYING A SERIES I 300ZX TURBO FOR SPEED[7.0]

Curious what you guys think.

 

if I don't repaint red/black/blue or something I may keep it the white but I'm trying to find rims like these Fresh Meet: A Unique Meet 2012 - YouTube Where the lip is white and the inside is black he may of just painted it like that but I find that very clean.

 

Where are you from? Engine bay pictures?

 

I live in san diego yea I'll take some pics I'm actually bout to head out to get my intercooler and intake right now and still deciding on the turbo. Only things that have been done to the car thus far It had dcuarto springs on it when I got not sure what they are the brand that is. fujitsubo catback exhuast, hks blow off valve, hks turbo timer.

 

 

Took the cover off the engine to try and keep the coils cool until I replace everything.

 

would u reccomend the ngk coils overt he bosch or those spitfire?

 

You mean spark plugs? Yes. Standard NGK seems to be the best for most people.