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Ive been looking at a lot of turbo 5.3 builds on here and finally got to a start of my own. I am nowhere near a mechanic I've done my fair share of mechanical work on my Z, but I am no professional. BUUTTT this project will be a DIY kind of job. This will be a fun, street car that won't get smacked by these BMWs out in LA aha. With that being said I'd like to be around 500 hp.
Build List Engine
Junkyard 5.3 (Unknown Miles)
Ls1 Intake Manifold (hood clearance)
Truck Accessories (if I can make it fit) or Fbody Accessories
PAC 1218 Valve Springs
Ls7 Lifters (Just for replacing the pitted old ones)
Ls9 Headgaskets
eBay Procomp Gen III Headstuds
Swap Components
Loj Wiring Harness
Summit Weld In Motor Mounts (refuse to pay 300 bucks for motor mounts plus this will be fun to make)
Loj Trans Adapter (Keep my z32 transmission they hold up to 700 ft lbs same trans as r32)
Some pics of the car this will be going in. Was my first car I ever bought. I've put some much time and money into this car I only deserve to go fast aha.
My goals would be to boost around 5-10 psi on a 5# spring nothing big just want some kick and turbo spooling! If there's anything I've missed that you feel I should add to my parts list lmk or if there's anything not needed. I also just popped the heads open and the cylinder walls were pretty damn rusted so I intend on sending it to the machine shop to get the cylinders bored and honed ( only 15 bucks a cylinder).is this a good idea? Or no
Looks like a fun project!! My engine was pretty nasty inside when I got it so I sent it to the machine shop for a hot tank, cylinder honing, all new bearings and rings and had the crank polished. Nothing special. If you're already breaking it down, take a look at everything and replace what needs to get replaced and reassemble
Looks like a fun project!! My engine was pretty nasty inside when I got it so I sent it to the machine shop for a hot tank, cylinder honing, all new bearings and rings and had the crank polished. Nothing special. If you're already breaking it down, take a look at everything and replace what needs to get replaced and reassemble
How much did you end up paying for all that? and yeah so far I noticed the lifters are pitted so I hope the cam isn't pitted as well. I will be disassembling the whole bottem end tomorrow will have pics.
It was a little over $300 parts and labor. New cam bearings, hot tank, hone, king main and rod bearings, hastings rings. Then I had them do a 3 angle valve job and resurface on my heads and they tossed my btr 660" springs on for $150. My motor was pretty nasty inside, that's the only reason I did all that. still not a bad price considering I got the engine for free lol
Sounds like your way ahead of the game financially on this build. I dig it man. I am wrapping up my 84 300zx "Z31" 5.3 turbo swap right now...my project escalated into a full forged 5.3 w/ 243 heads, twin disc, built t56, megasquirt, custom everything suspension and brakes...so it is taking multiple years longer than originally planned. Keep up the good work!
Sounds like your way ahead of the game financially on this build. I dig it man. I am wrapping up my 84 300zx "Z31" 5.3 turbo swap right now...my project escalated into a full forged 5.3 w/ 243 heads, twin disc, built t56, megasquirt, custom everything suspension and brakes...so it is taking multiple years longer than originally planned. Keep up the good work!
Ive got a lot of info and advice from a lot of your posts and threads actually! I cant wait to see the final results for the z31!
Quick question. Ive read up and seen a lot of guys that don't open up the bottom end at all and make well ove 500 hp. If I can do that I would love to because honestly why machine a junkyard block when I can just run it and get another block (maybe even a gen 4 block) to replace it easily. Now I did remove the heads and discovered the cylinder walls were a bit rusted and had some water in them, would you guys say disassembling this block fully and getting the block hot tanked, bored, and honed would be unnecessary?
For a purely budget engine, I would disassemble, dingle ball the cylinders with some WD-40 to remove the surface rust...hopefully it is just surface rust and no pitting of the cylinders is present. Do as little dingle ball honing as possible, make sure to get a consistent cross-hatch pattern by moving at a contuous speed up and down. Remember that every time you go up and down, the middle of the cylinder gets honed twice and the tops and bottoms only once, so what ened up happening is the cylinders can get egg shaped if you get too crazy with it. I would then use a cylinder bore gauge to measure the diameter, taper, and roundness and determine if you can move forward with factory pistons. i would also use a micrometer on the factory pistons and make sure those are good. then I would remove the factory rings if they are not all rusted into the pistons, and file the ring end gaps to be larger...clean everything real well including piston ring grooves, install everything back exactly where it came from and put it back together. This process is pretty common for a high power stock bottom end build. I would at least pop a piston out and make sure the rings are moving freely and not rusted. Word of advice, be VERY careful with the connecting rod interfaces...they are "cracked" rods and fit together like a microscopic puzzle piece....remove gently and install them back together very gently and slowly snug back together....this will give you a chance to inspect the rod bearings and rod journals as well. If they look good, then reuse the bearings. Hope this helps out!
A few more pics of the madness before it gets stripped down and taken to the machine shop for hot tanking...should I get it honed as well? And what is this orange crap on the lifter hole?
A few more pics of the madness before it gets stripped down and taken to the machine shop for hot tanking...should I get it honed as well? And what is this orange crap on the lifter hole?
If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, let the machine shop do it. Its not a hard process at all but, if you do it wrong you'll make it an oil burner. Are you going to run the stock cam? Lots of guys run engines straight from the junkyard without opening them up. I personally wouldn't , without at least taking a look to see if anything was out of the "norm". The stock parts will handle the power no doubt but That's alot of work just to possibly find out that an engine is knocking or something. Doesnt hurt to take a peak and if all is good, apply boost and have fun lol.. As for the lifter bores I can't really tell what that is from the pic. Rust?? Cylinders definitely needs some attention but If it's going to the machine shop let them have at it
I am going to take it to the machine shop I just want to know what I need to pay for it's a budget build so I don't want to start spend money (that I don't have) on unnecessary things. I would like a fresh block to start from though, I don't want to do two pulls and blow it up.
Tore down the block a bit more to check out the rod bearings and pistons. It all looks nice just two rods had some side to side play but no worries new rod and cam bearings on the way. Sending it off to the machine shop Thursday for a bath and hone. Any one have a ls1 intake manifold for under $200? Aha
01-09-2017, 03:10 AM
Turbo LsX 300zx Build (Sloppy Build) 
