doing a DOHC Ka24DET..

[NismoNYCF240]

I have an 89 240sx. (2nd one).... I just ripped the engine out today.. NEED PARTS???? what parts or even Are there any parts that I can save off my 89 to be able to swap into a 92-93 240sx(DOHC)? Also I'm looking for a s13 so if anyone knows where to look I'm all ears... I've been on cars.com E-bay and other links. Can't find My baby.,.,What power am I looking at after I do a Ka24det t3/t4 turbo kit.. Or do you have better Ideas..... $$ is an option for me.....Doing it like this seems more simple....?? Need Help..

[Duce40sx]

The basics:

SR20DET Redtop here in California is $2,500 out the door~

Ka24de block, transmission and salvaging ECU, and etc, would cost you probably more money. More labor.In addition, You have to BUILD the bottom END of the KA, (since you'll be getting a used motor with about 150K+ miles)

Best choice would just get an SR swap like everyone else~If you want to go cheaper...get a CA18det. It's cheaper~ 1.8 vs. 2.0 vs. 2.4

The best for the buck, is the SR redtop. Drive it in and Drive it home.$2,500. Do hassle, No running around Finding parts, and Maybe you get a 90 day warrantizzle

[nesS14a]

Since you're not in California, an SR would be the best choice. But a KA can yield a lot of power, completely stock with a turbo bolted on. As long as you have proper management, etc etc. All in all, proper management, turbo, turbo manifold, and intercooler, equals $$$ and therefore SR, since it's already turbo'd, would probably be the quickest and easiest choice. If you insist on ka-t, look for advice on the ka-t section on nico. You'll find a wealth of info there.

As Duce40sx stated, +1 for SR!

[NismoNYCF240]

The block I can get the rebuilding of it I have someone doing it..... its the tunning of the ECU and what WILL HAVE to get done for it to run smoothly and cheaply.... How is it that THE ka will run me more money then doing a sr conversion? I'll get 200 in change off the sr stock but with a complete overhaul on the KA I should get more power out of it.. right?... It the stupid things that I Want to know... someone who has done it before and knows all the things to watch out for and buy. MY ecu off my 89 can that get tunned for a DOHC.... My guess is NO?... But i have been proven wrong before.... I must say A lot of questions have been answered through you guys... Thank You

[Duce40sx]

It is an inarguable fact that with the KA

1. You must Rebuild the bottom end. I heard that you can have about 295 horsepower with the KA bottom end without Rebuild~ But this is just speculation~

2. You don't know the condition of the KA you're going to buy: Compare 40k-70k miles of a Japanese Engine To the KA that you will buy Which will probably be 100K miles or more~ Just this fact, That Japan~~has Emissions in which they swap motors every 5 years or so, or 40k miles.~ (so I'lve heard)

3. SR20DET = OEM turbo Motor KA24DE -T = Was not designed for Turbo~

4. Thus you have to Design and Tune the KA which would be more of a hassle and more $$$.

5. THe SR20DET is stock, with OEM parts, and Everything FITS, Turbo ECU, etc etc. There won't be much discrepencies and no major Mods.

6. You can make more power with the KA (If you do it RIGHT, and If money is AN OPTION~ you must rule the KA24DET out.) It takes a lot of money to do it correctly opposed to Slapping on an Ebay Turbo.

7. If you're gonna spend money on the KA24DET, make sure you do it RIGHT, and make sure you have Enough money.~

8. I would set easily $4,000 dollars aside for this mod,

Motor / transmission/ ECU : $500Rebuild : $500 (if you do it yourself) FMIC intercooler with Custom Pipings: $500 Engine Management: $500Turbo: $500ECU tuned: $300 Boost, PSI , other Gauges: $200Miscellaneous: $300And Unexpected Cost~::::::$300

LABOR: $1,500 -2,000

SELF LABOR: MANY weeks~ This is not due to the installation itself, the time it takes to get parts, and run to Autozone, and waiting for things.You will definitely Run into some sort of G@y dilemma, Guarranteed.

So that is a Very simple break down~~~~~~

***And don't say "I can't get this and that for Cheaper" You will end up $4,000 give or take~~If you do it RIght ~~

[480sx]

1 - False. We have a guy who ran 20 pounds of boost and neted over 400 hp on the bottom end with the correct mods. Its all in the tune and fuel system mods.

2 - You can quickly figure out the condition of your KA with a compression check.

3 - There is no magic boost valve on the SR that makes it handle boost any differently or better than any other internal combustion engine.

4 - With so many people who have already been down the Ka-T road, you dont have to design or tune anything. You can buy a tuned ECU, install your mods, and drive your car.

5 - No one makes a turbo manifold for the KA that doesnt fit. The big thing you will have to do is fabricate your own downpipe and your own IC piping.

6 - You can make big power with the SR or the KA. However, the KA has a torque curve that puts a SR in second place.

7- True, just like with everything else in life.

8 - You need in upwards of 2500 to build a reliable, DD ka-t. Anything cheaper and your cutting corners that will bite you in the *** later. This is if your doing all the work yourself.

To the OP - With a t3/t4, 550cc injectors and a good tune you can net 300 hp without to much difficulty. You need to get a DOHC ecu however.. Enthalpy tune FTMFW IMO for your ECU. Do alot more research on the Ka-T forum if you want to go that rout.

[Duce40sx]

Well, i am not going to doubt some of your statements which seem correct.

It is a fact that having an SR installed for $2,500 out the door consistsof less labor than doing it yourself and spending $2,500 on the KA.

Which I think is not an accurate estimate for a KA-T. It's going to cost a lot more than that.

Give me a Full parts list COST~ and Labor time.

I want to see how accurate your estimate is~

And you're saying you have a GUY that is Running 20lbs on Stock Pistons? Stock RODS, stock bearings?

Even if this has happend, that is not a smart move. When you BUILD a turbo, you should re-enforce most or all the Components.

This theory is like having a 500 horsepower car...and a single piston Braking system~ Yes, you can do it, but it's not smart. ~

If you're going to spend money~ Why not Build the bottom end?

OEM PARTS WERE NOT MEANT TO EXCESSIVELY EXCEED THE LIMITS. SURE THERE ARE TOLERANCES, BUT THEY ARE TEHRE AS SAFETY. THESE LIMITS ARE LIKE A REDLINE, CAN YOU GO PASS THE REDLINE? SURE, SHOULD YOU? NOT ON PURPOSE AND NOT FREQUENTLY ANYWAY.~

I had friends that slapp turbos and had their Bearings Spun ~Now they are carless. They took it to the track many times without problems, but sure enough,,,,, POOOF!.

You can look good now, but a dumbass later in front of everyone and they will tell you "YOU slap on a big turbo and didn't do the bottom end, WTF?"

( All im saying is 400horsepower on stock bottom is POSSIBLE) but I would not recommend doing. Go to Nissan, and ask them if the Stock KA24de internals were designed to withstand 400hp~) If they say yes, then well, im wrong~

Modified by Duce40sx at 3:17 PM 9/13/2007
Modified by Duce40sx at 3:18 PM 9/13/2007

[Blue Ka-t]

First off im a ka-t man, but also respect the sr.

A daily stock block 300whp ka-t should last 5+ years with a conservative, good tune. Cory on ka-t.org made over 400whp on the stock block for over 2years and finally blew a ring land.

When a ka-t blows its 90% of the time just a ring land, and you can just replace your pistons with some forged units for <$1000 with machine work. Then you should be good to about 400whp(plenty enough for me)

If you only want 180-220whp, go with a stock sr. Its cheaper and its a good motor. However if you want say 300whp, you need to buy a front mount, injectors, fuel management, bigger turbo(t25 ain't gunna get you there)Tack on atleast $1300 dollars to the swap.

Your wisely put to gether ka-t kit already came with 550cc injectors, a t3/t4 good for over 400whp, a front mount intercooler, and a rom tune(get one tuned for 1 bar even if you only plan on running 8psi) that way upping the boost will already be tuned for. If you want 300whp now all you need to buy is a boost controller (mine cost $60).

For under 230whp go with an sr, its probably more cost efficient, and a fun high reving motor.

For over +250whp a simple ka-t starter kit will easily get you there if you buy the right parts the first time, and now you have a 12sec torque monster.

You will need a dohc computer. But i would consider a single slammer turbo. Just rebuild yours (unless you slung a rod or cracked your head) with the money you were going to spend on the dohc.

Whatever way you go do it because you want to, not because what anyone else says. I gave you suggestions as far as cost efficiency goes (with a little bias lol) do what will make you smile when your driving your car and nobody else is around.

[Duce40sx]

If you want to spend $3000+ every two years, by all means, do it.

Blow a motor and rebuild it.

Do it correctly and have an S13 or S14 SR20 that will last you a little longer without any thoughts that your engine might blow up. You can be MR. KA-T but the Nissan Engineers spent years making the KA as it is. Putting Turbos into daily compacts are a regular thing. But my premise is simply saying that Build it right, and not slapping on a Turbo until you build the bottom. Some JE pistons, Rods, and port/polish everything.~

You just proved that His 400hp monster died after 2 years~

If you consider a good investment, 2 years, then it is not a long term thing. (UNLESS you're rich, which I doubt many of Us are)

I love the KA myself. I have Two~ hatch and Coupe~

If you do plan to attemp the KA, just buy a used block, get an engine stand~ build that baby up slowly. Then when the time is right, swap it.If you're planning to buy a Turbo kit an slapping it directly onto your daily driven car, I say go ahead, Maybe it will blow, maybe it wont.

I give it 2 years~ and $4,000 worth of parts and labor in the trash~

I am building my brakes and suspension before I even think about adding 300 or 400 hp under my hood.

EVERYONE thinks that having a 500hp car is soo cool. THEY FORGET ABOUT THE ASSOCIATED COSTS ~~~ Like MAINTENANCE~ and OTHER aspects of the CAR~

Brakes and Suspension is the utmost important aspect of a car. You can go fast, but can you stop? People waste all the energy and money in the motor and then HIT a tree~

If you want a 300hp daily driven car, fine, But if you want a 205 hp daily turbo that is designed for the road, fine.

Your KAT will spank my KA, but trust me, my car is CHERRY~ I could take it off roading and still go to work the next day~



Maybe im old fashion or just tired of a Super car that is not practical~ I LOVE JDM and OEM~

"Anything else would just be trying too hard, like the Altezza tail lights"
Modified by Duce40sx at 10:51 PM 9/13/2007

[Dmurphjr]

Correct me if I'm wrong but say you put $3000 into turboing ur ka and u run all stock internals why if you blow the MOTOR up is it going to cost you another 3grand? You didn't build the motor. Pull off your $3000 in turbo parts, go buy another ka for $200, slap ur parts on that motor and be good for another 2 years.
Now if you blow up an sr20 what are you left with? Can u replace the whole motor for $200 ?