Cant decide on a swap.

[Mazza]

Alright so I have a 95 SE, just hit 201k miles, compression is good, but I just don't like having that many miles, so its time for me to swap,

At first I wanted to get another KA, rebuild and turbo it, but then I got to adding up the numbers and it just doesn't seem like it would be worth it, Mind you I am only really after about 300hp with the possibility to maybe go for more in the future. I have 04 Accord V6 that I can DD most of the time, (I share it)

I've looked at the SR swap for a couple months looking up details and everything spending plenty of time doing research, Seems cheaper and maybe the right thing to do for my power goals? But where I'm from, its mostly straight line stuff, which makes me think the torque of the KA will be kickass.

I have also looked over the RB Swaps, but I just don't think that I need to spend that much for a power goal that I have. Maybe somebody can prove me wrong.

So pretty much my questions are, 1.For my powergoal, is the SR a better choice? However, 2.For my "straight line" fun, would I be making a mistake going with the SR?

Thanks,
James

[badbob2121]

you can easily make 300hp with a sr, and it has plenty to offer in a straight line than just sideways

everyone will tell you something different on what you should do, but they are all only opinions

figure out what you can afford and what you are able to take on mechanically, and go for it

[wv240]

RB all the way. I have an rb20 in my 240 and I have no regrets at all I have done a few things to it but if you want a motor that is well rounded as far as doing drifting, drag racing, highway pulls and so on. I have had my 240 to 180mph on the highway and still had the power to pull on but i ran out of space, Plus it looks sweet when it shoots 3 foot flames out of the exhaust. I have beat the living hell out of my motor and never had any problems with it.

[vocationalzero]

SR has the aftermarket support for replacement parts, as well as KAs. SRs are lighter than the KA motors, so logically it would be better for drag due to the less weight. The power upgrades to the SR for 300 hp is very easy (considering the motor starts at ~200). Mild turbo ugprade, 300ZX MAF, and injectors = 300hp on SR.
I have an SR, I love it. KAs definitely have the torque advantage over the SR, but the weight advantage of the SR over the KA might overcome the torque (KA iron block SR aluminum).
RB if you got the money.
There is definitely plenty of support/information out there for whatever you choose to do.

[arabdrifter]

honestly after having 2 swapped cars w/sr's id do a kaT in a heart beat. with the $$ spent on just finding a decent sr($2500-2800..for a clean one not too killed) you could have a 400+ hp KA!! also dont forget that once you get an sr you would have to do all the maitenence like(gaskets, belts, hoses, and wiring<alone is over 1k from a wire specialist..that is if you dont wanna do it yourself). to me it sounds like you want a fun cruiser.

kaT:
-ebay all the way is your friend for starters..then move on to more expensive/quality parts when your budget increases
-with any swap you go with make sure your car is up to date like..fuel system(walbro 255..most common), brakes, exhaust, and a decent cooling system
-a decent tune, chipped ecu or piggy controller is a must, if you want everything to run right
- also with more hp you re gonna need a decent suspension to get the proper traction( i cant stress how important this fact is!!!) soo many people have like 10k in their motors and forget to do sh*t for their suspension.
- a decent rear end is nice to have too. an lsd is hella sick but, little pricey..worth it in the end. a j30 rear or welded diff will work..and get you by temp

[mixeds14]

look, there goins to be a lot of opinions on wich engine is the best, but there just opinions...u can get all kinds of parts of any of the engine swaps for 240s, is just the matter of how deep ur pocket goes n the knowledge u got to work on them... if u know anyone with any kind of swap on a 240, i recommend either riding or better yet driving the car, that way u get a feel for the engine and that alone would help u make ur decision...

[liquid_cool]

think AFORDABILITY! ...the KA is the best afordable turbo base motor to work with....there are some pro's and cans to this motor..let me explain a few.

Pro's:
#1.) replacment blocks start at $100. bucks
#2.)long stroke = torque
#3) full girdle for support of the crank mains under load.
#4) Valves are bucket over spring design..not rocker arm type.
#5) cam swapp is super cheep $30 bucks.
#6) parts easy to find of most ka powerd vehicle in a junk yard...unlike the SR or rb.

Con's:
#1.) rods oem suck for turbo builds...they need to be upgraded.
#2) headstuds are a must..rod studs bennificial aswell.
#3) you need a bigger maf and a ecu tune..
#4) pistons will not handle boost reliably..they need upgrading

even with the upgrades needed ..its still far cheeper to make 300whp with a ka than to buy a 200hp sr swapp...and if sumping drastic were to go wrong..you could allways pick up a replacment block for cheep..unlike the SR or RB platforms...all the guys on our team drift KA-T's or NA KA's..we do have a few rb guys..but there cars are allways down with parts on the boat from japan..ka-t all the way man.

[Lobo240sx]

Get a ride in someone's similar HP KA and SR turbo car, and get the feel for both. Personally both engines have their pros and cons. After riding in several KAT's and SR's I loved the way the sr sounds, and pulls smoother boosted. The KA to me seemed like it was straining at high rpms. Good bottom end torque though. Rode in several of them same thing.

As far as pricing the sr will be more money trying to find a low mileage engine or finding a blown sr and building it. It is imported so what do people expect?? Since you already have a ka block that is in good condition, I would just rebuild it.

Depends on the situation your engine is in as far as building/swapping it, how much $$$ you want to spend, how fast you want to go. In the end you are going to spend money on both to get it done right. At that point you are just counting apples and oranges.

[Gabes13]

everyone will tell you something different on what you should do, but they are all only opinions

figure out what you can afford and what you are able to take on mechanically, and go for it

This is the best advice in here.

[simmode1]

figure out what you can afford and what you are able to take on mechanically, and go for it

This is the best advice in here.

For real. Personally, I want a VQ30DET swap with a 350Z 6spd transmission. But I just gotta be real with myself here. No one in the US has ever completed this swap. And from what I can tell, everyone who has tried were more experienced and better funded than myself. Taking on a pioneering swap like that as my first major swap is just failure waiting to happen.

For my needs, money & expertise level... a properly prepared T3/04 KA-T motor is the safest and most affordable choice.

[EnjoiNismo]

everyone will tell you something different on what you should do, but they are all only opinions

figure out what you can afford and what you are able to take on mechanically, and go for it

This is the best advice in here.

Agree!

And as one of my friends would state, " Your a grown a** man, you do what you want."

[bersh240]

vq30.

[Mazza]

Thanks everybody for your opinions,
I believe I've narrowed it down to turboing the KA, Still not 100%

More opinions are welcome, I like hearing what everybody else has to say, But I still do have my own input.

Thanks,
James