Questionhi Dan, i have a 80 280zx , non turbo. and i was wondering if theres any thing i can do to it to give her a little more pep, without going into the engine, is there any chips i can change etc.
any help would be great, and also do you know where i can get a setup to change my 71 240 from 2 carbs into just 1 2 barrel my other carbs are shot, thaks again ,Andy
AnswerHi Andy:
You're a man after my own heart ! I've had 5 or 6 "Z" cars of one description or another.
Start by getting an exhaust header, and have a 2 1/2' exhaust system built. If you REALLY want to do it right, order a couple of 2 1/2" "mandrel bends" from Jegs High Performance (www.jegs.com) and insist that the muffler shop use them to make all the bends in the system. It involves a lot of cutting and fitting and welding and will not be cheap, but it'll maximize an exhaust system.
Next, get a Weber Throttle Body for the fuel injection system, and when installing it, match the intake side of the manifold log to the size of the throttle body, very important.
Take the guts out of your distributor, and remove one counter weight, put it back together carefully. Now set your ignition timing so that at full advance, it is about 34 degrees advanced. (At about 3000 RPM) Note where that appears with a timing light at a normnal idle, and mark it for future adjustments. You will need a digital timing light on which you can pre-set your timing advance to accomplish this. Don't over do it though, you'll blow the bloody thing up, 34 Degrees is plenty. If you hear pinging, back it up, or use better fuel.
These changes make a noticable difference in your acceleration.
Next thing. When your clutch fails (it will, about every 50,000 miles) remove the flywheel, and have it surfaced, but THEN, take to a michine shop, andhave it lightened. Remove as much material as you dare, from the back side, and along the outside edges. When you're done, it should weigh about 19 Lbs. On the side facing the clutch, have it resurfaced, and have the macninest put in a "step" so that the clutch friction surface is about .025" higher than the mounting surface for the pressure plate. This will help your clutch last longer.
Finally, switch to a good synthetic oil. 10W-40 should be about right. I use Amzoil in my race cars, but Castrol is good too, and cheaper. Do NOT use Mobil One, I've lost two expensive race engines to that crap! Use synthetic in everything, engine, gearbox, rear end, everywhere!! It's simply better than petroleum oil. Change it every 10,000 miles, and change the filter too.
There are no changable chips, you're stuck with the factory 'brain' but with these things you can make her howl, and that's about all you can do without getting inside the engine.
Final thought though. For maximum performance. start looking for ways to reduce weight. Spare tire & jack, upholstery, rugs, passenger seat, all that stuff has to be accelerated, and uses horsepower.
Good luck with it, it's a great car, and properly cared for, should last you 20 years or so.
Thanks for writing, thanks for owning a "Z" !! If you have further questions or ideas, feel free to write again !
Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida
