Hi people, I am in the beginning stages of an engine swap project and I'm trying to decide on what engine to put my time and money into. Because the car is a Datsun 280Z and it is being built from the ground up The front clip will be built to fit whatever engine I decide on, I need to know the engine weight and dimensions of a dressed 4.6 SOHC, DOHC engines along with the weight and dimensions of both 4 and the new 5 speed automatics and the 5 and 6 speed manual gearboxes. I have decided not to use a Windsor based engine nor an early small-block Chevy which are the recommended engines. These are way to common and I want something a bit different than transplanting them or a new 350Z V6 turbo setup.

Now I have very little working knowledge about the 4.6 engines as most of my work over the years have been on the OHV variety. I understand that some versions of the engines have aluminum blocks which is definitely something I'm interested in as weight is an issue. I want to use a Ford as my other choice as of right now is the Chevy LS2 based engine which I would rather not use for obvious GM reasons. Now for you naysayers, please don't start off talking expense as I understand a well built stroker will not be cheap to build. I understand this and accept it as a given as a price I have to pay to be different. What I need now is hard data so I can plan for the swap. So please any data or useful suggestions will be appreciated. For any of the Windsor crowd who'll thinks I'm nuts, I have another project you will scream at me about where I'm thinking of replacing one for a 385 engine in a street cruiser. [sm=lildevil.gif]
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This might help.
http://www.sullivanperformance.com/YVS450/tech/tech.htm

 

Definitely just skip a SOHC and just drop something DOHC in, either a 4.6 or (space permitting) a 5.4. You will have one nasty combo with something like that. As for the tranmission, automatic, get something bulit from the get go to handle w/e you want to throw at it.As for a 5 or 6 speed, look into either a TKO or a Viper-spec T56

 

Thanks chopper for the tech article as it answered a lot of questions and it is giving me a lot of the data I was searching for.

Now for the idea of dropping a 5.4 in the car 4.698GT, I'm not against the idea, but by what I'm finding out the difference between an aluminum blocked 4.6 and an iron block5.4 SOHC motor is 100 lbs. and if we are talking a 5.4 DOHC if I could even put my hands on one is still 115lbs. and weight is a major issue. I'd rather take4.6 and stroke an aluminum block than try and figure how to loose that much extra weight off the nose of this car, It will have a lot of fiberglass and carbon fiber to begin with and the braces are being made from aluminum in an effort to cut front sprung weight. It is my intentions to hit the streets witha car weighing in under 2500 lbs. As it is a Datsun Z in stock form weighs in at around 3100 lbs so I have to put it on a strict diet and especially on the nose so as to keep the balance of the car. I want it to handle as well as go straight.To that end I have already purchased a 9" that is set up as a independent rear suspension setup using CV joints. It will be interfaced into the new rear suspension we are installing. The new suspension setup will eliminate about 50 lbs of substructure after it is tied into the roll cage/rear clip, but most of my weight will have to be eliminated from the front and from the center of the car. So engine weight is very critical. [sm=lildevil.gif]