I've been talking about doing a engine swap as I'm sure you've all read, and I've been wondering if it would be better to use a GXL or a Turbo II. I've read through the different things the two cars came with and I've come up with this.

If I choose to use an N/A car over a turbo, all I'd be missing out on are the leather interior or twill interior, hood, different drive shaft, viscous limited slip differential, tires and rims, and body color mirrors and I'd be getting that stupid automatic adjusting suspension. I thought I read somewhere that the transmission was also different too. the advantage are that I'd be getting better seats, a voltmeter, no stupid anti-lock brakes, and no stupid touchy power steering. The GXL is not too much different than the turbo besides looks it seems not to mention GXL's are cheap.

I think I'd still love to have the 10th AE black leather interior, bronze tint, and white paint. I wonder if I could find a blown 10th AE for a swap, seeing as that would be pretty nice. Thanks for the help guys.

 

ah... the GXL is the same thing as a USA spec Turbo, just with a non turbo drive train and non turbo hood and adjustable headrests.

Leather was an option on both the GXL and Turbo, and standard on neither. Not sure what you are thinking on the ABS thing, as it was only standard on the S5 Turbos, and optional on the 87 and later GXL models...

Same thing with the power steering... the S4 GXL used the same steering as the power steering equipped Turbos... Of course some of the S4 Turbos had manual steering.

 

You'd also be missing out on the turbo Unless, of course, you're doing a turbo swap.

 

Engine...obviously.
Transmission
Driveshaft
Rear diff
Rear axles
Instrument cluster
Boost sensor

Almost everything else is the SAME.


-Ted

 

my 88' turbo II doesn't have the auto adjust suspension, i do have ABS and it works very well compared to some cars where it might throw you off in some manueavers, i can still do some trail braking and in a straight line it is awesome not having tires lock up and skid (no more than like 0.2 seconds). powersteering, on the other hand, i don't think i really like it but i'll wait and see next autocross if I want to keep it. the 10th ae would be sweet, they are nice for a white car.

 

If I remember right, they didn't make a leather interior on GXL's did they? Also, the GXL's did come with that auto adjusting suspension didn't they? If so, what can you do to remove that?

 

At the top of this section is a sticky thread with the standard and optional features.

It it, you would have found that just like the Turbos, leather was an option on GXL models (although I have seen more leather on GXL models than Turbos).

To remove the AAS (which was standard on some Turbos in other parts of the world) you simply replace the struts with normal struts, and unplug the AAS controller.

 

Sorry IceMark, that should have said black leather interior on a GXL.

 

i had an 87 gxl white with maroon leather interior with a power drvers side seat

 

The only S4 (86-88) with a black interior (leather or cloth) was the 10thAE.

 

does the vert count because i had black leather seats and all black interior.

 

Alright, so from what I'm reading, to fit my needs, I'm either going to want a 10th AE, or an S5 GXL or S5 turbo so I could get the black leather interior.

 

you could just buy the seats seperate

 

yeah, you would just be missing out on a MUCH BETTER DRVETRAIN. Thats the most important part. The TII is turbo, the tranny is way better, its got a LSD which is way better, the driveshaft is better ect ect. I would get the TII.

 

GXL isn't all bad i've got a pampered 86, but yeah turbo would be nice . . might be picking up a turbo longblock for $150

 

Well alright, dare I say it, but if I ended up doing an LS1 swap, I wouldn't have to worry about the transmission and driftshaft, but I would still want the LSD. I've been told that even though the GXL doesn't have the LSD, the rear end will be able to handle anything I throw at it.

Alright, so in reality, if I was doing that swap and using a GXL, I'd be missing out on the turbo hood, black cloth or black leather interior(S4 model, 10th AE only), possibly manual steering(S4 models only), higher MPH, different tach, and boost gauges, rear differential, rear axles, twill interior, rims and tires, and anti-lock brakes(S5 model only).

If I went with the GXL instead of the turbo, I'd get a voltometer, adjustable headrests, possibly no anti-lock brakes, and the automatic adjusting suspension.

I also saw you said the S4 models had the same power steering, does that mean the S5 models had different power steering set-ups?

 

If you are wanting to do a LS1 swap get a N/A. I think that GTU's have turboII LSD's in them.

 

No; that is not correct.

 

Oh, I thought they did, thats why I said "I think", oh well. Have a ford 9 inch adapted and do a LS1 swap lol. That would be cool.

 

EDIT---oops double post...

 

You want a GXL, trust me, that's what the real men drive.

Turbos are for pussies*

<---- GXL Owner










* by pussies, I mean people that are 10x cooler then me because I really want a TII but the wife would be angry with me .

 

lmao

 

HAHA u are so misguided..i have a 86 gxl and it has a black leather interior as does my friends car which is almost the exact same as mine

 

Black interiors were not available from the factory in 86, so if you have a black interior it was swapped or painted in.

Or you are confusing Charcoal grey interiors with black, as Charcoal grey was a common 86 interior color.

Perhaps next time before running off your mouth and making clueless comments such as calling some one misguided, you should look at a Mazda parts book first... There you would have found that there are no black interior parts (other than standard trim pieces like the radio and gauge surrounds) ever made for the 86 or 87 model years.

Or maybe visit a webstore like Mazdatrix, and see if there are any black 86-87 interiors...

Either way it makes you look pretty dumb, when you make such comments.

 

yeah my 87 turbo don't have power steering ..