I know that the ECUs are different between say, an 86 300 ZX
and an 86 Maxima, but other than the obvious (meaning air inlet
tubes, radiator hoses, motor maounts, etc)...

What's different about the 300 ZX engines than the Maxima?

I know you can swap in a same year 300 ZX ECU into a Maxima,
but is there anything else that's "better" on the 300 ZX
engine that will swap over to a Max engine giving the Max
a little more power?

Thanks!
Scott

 

Other than the turbo, no. The differences are :

Intake manifold - upper & lower
Valve covers
Exhaust manifolds
Oil pan

 

Yep, that's about it. Along with how certain things mount, but overall, not much difference at all.

At one point, I remember reading that the Maxima engine was 'detuned' by 17 hp, but who knows. That could just be an ECU thing too. May also have something to do with a possible free'er flowing exhaust on the 300, not sure though.

 

Yeah, the maxima was detuned in 85-86, but that was because of the transverse layout, the plumbing for the intake and the exhaust caused most of the powerloss but it was only by 8hp. ECU was all tuned to better work with the plumbing changes too. I believe they worked out the problems with revised ECU programming for 87-88, explaining why those motors produced 160 instead of 152hp.

 

YAY i have 160...

so if i needed a new engie i could fesable go get a 300ZX and have it fit as well as the origonal?

 

With the above mention parts swapped, yes.

S