Cronic

I was lookin into an upgrade for the Z's turbo, perhaps a straight t4, or maybe a t3/t4. Not sure yet, some of the t4's I was looking at had 1.x Exducer a/r's. Which seemed a lil' huge. (especially since my t3's ex. is .4
I was curious what would be too large for the 280Zx's I6 motor.

Just Dave

A friend of mine went 11.60's at 126mph in a 280z using a "Stage 3" exhaust wheel in a machined stock housing and I believe a 57 Trim T04E compressor wheel. This was on a 225/50/15 drag radial and is daily driven. He is one of the fastest I6 powered cars that people know of.

That car is a downright animal when you want it to be. It drives just like a stocker until you hammer the throttle. I've been in that car skating all over the road at the top of third gear changing lanes without trying.

How much faster do you want to go

Cronic

Sick fast. I want 10's.

Cronic

Im planning to:

150-200 shot
large t4.
copper headgasket
Methanol
Large FMIC

Just Dave

Well if you want 10's using a bottle I would use the same turbo but maybe a P trim T4 turbine shaft and a .83 AR T3 turbine housing. This will keep it somewhat street friendly and give you the free flowing exhaust you need on the bottle.
Jim uses a copper headgasket on his, but it would occasionally lift the head a bit on a pass. It wouldn't blow the gasket, but it would start to leak a little bit of coolant.
We have alcohol injection on the car which works far better than the FMIC he has. It will detonate at 10psi without alky but runs 20+ psi with the alky. I personally would run it on gas and run alky injection under boost, straight alky is expensive and does evil things to a motor.

Jims motor is a bone stock L28 motor from a junkyard that had a copper headgasket installed, no port work, no balancing, no forged internals, nothing. I think 10's could be done with traction (but not too much, the driveshafts are pretty weak) and a bit better motor without the bottle. The only problem we have with Jim's car is after a few passes, it will start to pull the rocker studs out of the head so the rockers will make noise. So far we've just been able to retighten the rockers, but eventually it may be a problem. I would go with screw in rocker studs on a motor too.

Cronic

Turbomax made 11.9's on a larger turbo, a 200shot, and a headgasket, possibly slicks, and a starion FMIC. I believe he ran 20psi on race gas. (110 octane?). Im a newbie, and not looking for 10s' right away, I just know it's possible. So I want it.

Just Dave

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA WHEN did Jeff go 11.9's? I NEVER heard that before and trust me they all hang out together. Plus ask Jeff how long he keeps a shortblock in that thing. I'm not knocking Jeff, he's an allright guy, but his style is much different than mine. He'll throw a junk motor in the car, beat on it until it blows, and swap it out. Jims car has been together for probably 3 years now and has never been apart and gone faster with no nitrous.

If you read through my post, nowhere did I say 10's wasn't possible, in fact, I think I told you what I would do to get there. What I'm telling you is you DON'T need the bottle. The price difference between a mild upgrade turbo and a big one isn't that big, but bottle fills get expensive and annoying after a while not to mention its another system in the car to tune and worry about not working (ask me how reliable nitrous systems can be, the answer is not very).

That Starion intercooler was more of a restriction at that power level than a help. Those things aren't very big considering.

Oh and BTW, if Jim's car ever saw race gas, it was just for insurance at an event while bracket racing (possible hot lapping). We never changed the tune for race gas, so it effectively ran those times on pump gas.

Here's a pic of Jim's car, you've probably seen it around if you are into Z cars.

Cronic

Actually. My Z is Jim's old Z. =)
Yes Ive seen the car. Jeff and Rick have pics of it. As well as video. I believe this is the same person. Your right about Jeff and his junk motors, but he did run 11.9, He also made 317whp/407wtq when I watch his dyno on stock turbo and low boost.