96 N/A-TT Swap or Different Engine Swap?

[CollinBoz]

Hey Guys, I am currently experimenting with the idea of either an N/A-TT swap or a completly different engine altogether as i want more power and modibility (Is that a word?) but do not want to get rid of this car. The car has both a mint exterior AND interior. Only problem is its a 96 and has the stupid OBDII. I assume this means I cant go buy a 94 VG30DETT and do the swap, right? So do I have to find a 96 TT?
This is probably a studpid question but is it possible to get rid of the comp, and everything that basically makes it a 96? That way I dont have to deal wih these problems? As in buy a 94 TT engine with the comp and well everyting else and mechanically make it an OBDI? I feel like if it was that easy someone would have done it or I would have heard of it....
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I dont know too much about the computer aspect of these cars. Thanks.

[t.mcginley.jr]

So do I have to find a 96 TT?

No, you just need all the stuff associated with a pre-96 TT engine, like the harness and ECU. I'm not sure exactly what else is different besides the engine itself, harness and ECU, but they would be the major components. It will be much easier to come by a pre-96 TT engine than to find one actually from 96. Your 96 also has an extra sensor on the trans (attached to the bellhousing) so if you swapped to pre-96 you would just leave that disconnected. The other controllers like abs, fuel pump, etc. should be the same.

If you just wanted to go pre-96 NA, I think you could just swap the ECU, harness, and cams/vtc solenoids.

[CollinBoz]

That makes sense but it seems like if it was as simple as switching out the ECU, harness, etc... than people would do that more often. And than the 96 would not be as hated as it is.

[t.mcginley.jr]

Yeah but the 96 is hated because it doesn't have VTC, so less power and also the extra cats (I think?). But I'm pretty certain it's just a numbers thing. There were only 2,929 1996's made compared to 83,704 pre-96 Z's. So only 3.5% of all Z32 owners have a 1996, so the chances of finding an owner who has converted to OBD-I is slim. Since the other 96.5% of Z32 owners have pre-96's, you don't hear to much about the 96 because its easier just to buy a previous year.

But one important thing, which state do you live in? Do they have emissions testing??

[Ace2cool]

also the extra cats (I think?).

No, you're thinking extra O2 sensors. one set before the cats and one set after.

[CollinBoz]

So can this easily be done?

[nissanfreak12]

But one important thing, which state do you live in? Do they have emissions testing??

This is gonna be the biggest issue. If your going from OBDII to OBDI, you will fail, car will not be registered and crap like that. Would be pretty worthless then. Otherwise the swap will be a little harder than your typical TT swap, definitely more expensive.

[t.mcginley.jr]

But one important thing, which state do you live in? Do they have emissions testing??

This is gonna be the biggest issue. If your going from OBDII to OBDI, you will fail, car will not be registered and crap like that. Would be pretty worthless then. Otherwise the swap will be a little harder than your typical TT swap, definitely more expensive.

This, basically if you live in California or some other state with decent emissions laws, you can't do this swap. If you live in like Alabama or something it probably doesn't matter. It's because your car is registered as OBDII and when they go to plug their scanner in and you don't have the port they say WTF? and you're car gets impounded or whatever they do in that situation.