HELP!!!! 1990 240sx virgin here.....

[ssnnooppyy]

Geez, where do I start... I love my 1990 240sx, but I just got it as a result of a weird business deal... so I know NOTHING about it! Like, how do I find out what engine I have? The dash lights don't work.. HELP!!! I've had the dash apart a dozen times, checked all the fuses, connections, etc... the glovebox light works, the ashtray light works, but no cluster lights (except warning lights) and the clock lights up until I turn on the parking lights, then it goes off!!! What is the best cold air intake? What is the best performance upgrade that won't break the bank or the car? Turbo? Nitrous? How much nitrous? HELP!!!!! I am a 240 virgin, but I do love this little car already! Talk about handling... like a slot car! help and thanks!

ssnnooppyy

[ShifDown96240SE]

engine: KA24eintake: injenno nosno turbo, swap to an SR or CA if u want that kind of powerdont ask so many questions before i go out and look a little on your ownbut have fun, stay sidewayz

[ssnnooppyy]

yes, yes, I bit off more than I can chew with the entire car, so forgive my ranting barrage of questions.... I appreciate the info so far... I have heard of some folks using a fifty shot of nitrous to help in the power end, but no one usinga turbo on this car... must be a reason, huh? I will hit up my local (gulp) euro shop for an intake and whatnot... but NO ALTEZZA TAILS!!!!!! I would like to remain true to the beauty of the 240sx, not the rice-boy image that everyone is desperate to emulate. They're a little like lemmings.... hmmm..... thanks for the info!!!!

ya know what's funny? I do the sticker thing... I design graphics for the ricers in town.... 5hp per sticker, and a full graphics kit is like adding a blower to a big block!!!!

[ssnnooppyy]

sarcasm, cute. Yes, as I was receiving notification of your reply, I was in fact in the faq section, reading about the turbos. lots of problems it seems.... maybe just a tornado and an electric supercharger for me then. I also will be sure to get a section of panythose and cover the intake, removing the air filter of course, so as to gain even more flow.... air=power!!!! The sticker deal is my job, so no can do on the anti-rice boy deal.... my family eats 'cause those morons have money!!! Kinda like the fur industry... dead animals are cool as speed bumps, but clothes.....nah. UNLESS------people will buy them! lol

[SpeedRacer1]

Just put a 100 shot of NOS on your car and dont retard the timing.

[Team503]

sarcasm, cute. Yes, as I was receiving notification of your reply, I was in fact in the faq section, reading about the turbos. lots of problems it seems.... maybe just a tornado and an electric supercharger for me then. I also will be sure to get a section of panythose and cover the intake, removing the air filter of course, so as to gain even more flow.... air=power!!!! The sticker deal is my job, so no can do on the anti-rice boy deal.... my family eats 'cause those morons have money!!! Kinda like the fur industry... dead animals are cool as speed bumps, but clothes.....nah. UNLESS------people will buy them! lol

Tornado = JunkElectric Supercharger???? BWBWBWAHBAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHA!

To attempt to answer your myriad questions:

There are lots of things that can be done to improve the performance of your car. Start by figuring out what you want out of the car. You want power? Ok, what kind of power? Always there power, that can haul azz on a road course? Quick out of the hole power? Top end? Low end?

Removing your intake filter is not the most intelligent thing to do. While you may gain a few horses, you're going to suck a rock up through your throttle body, and the engine you love so much will be about as powerful as a rock. Get a cold air intake, or even just a K&N drop in filter.

A good start may just be an intake, header, and exhaust. That's a nice little ~15hp bump over stock, and will give you a nice sound.

Also understand, that as a rule WITH NO EXCEPTIONS, the faster you go and more power you make over stock, the more crap breaks. Want a nice little 50hp shot of nitrous? Fine - nothing will break so long as your clutch can take it and you know how to use it. Want a 500 rear wheel horsepower? Prepare to replace axles, transmissions, clutches wear like paper, motors wear out (valve tap, etc), etc.

And anyone who tells you different is lying their azz off and trying to sell you something.

Oh yeah, and there is someone who makes the KA motors fast with turbos. His name is Jason, and he built the 10 second stock block turbo KA. Car was sold last time I heard, but if anyone wants in contact with him, I can arrage it.

[ssnnooppyy]

cool. I appreciate you guys not hosing me for bein' too illiterate on the whole nis experience. In just the past few days I have driven the pizz out of my little 240 and have loved every hugged corner and zipped intersection!! I was COMPLETELY kidding about the electric supercharger and removing my air filter.... I am a 240 virgin, not a 240 IDIOT! I have a buddy that works at a (cringe) rice shop locally, and he's checkin' out a 50 shot dry system. I have used NOS (pronounced Nitrous Oxide Systems, not "naws") before, and have liked the results (duh), but was leery about a 12 year old car, regardless of make and model, being able to handle it. I have ordered the injen intake, and a few other goodies. Thanks again for all the help.....

[MasterMan]

first thing u will want is air intake and headers and exost.. go for the apexi dule N1 or sigal N1 u will want 2.5" piping... because you will be runing NA... what did u drive b4 the 240? a bus? lol

[ssnnooppyy]

I should have my injen intake in the next couple of days, and I will then look into a header. I have found a few places that say stillen makes a 4-2-1 header, and that seems to be the preferred setup, but the n1 is also extremely popular for some reason. Some retard with euro clears on his 240 told me to just hang a two chamber flowmaster under it with a fart cannon tip... no thanks. A flow would probably have a nice sound... but..... anywho, the NOS kit will be in next week, so we'll see..... I may have to do the intake and NOS first, then the exhaust... probably not the best arrangement, but the itch has gotten pretty bad....must.....scratch.....need.....performance......

as a side note, to respond to the last post... I drove a 1981 BMW 320i. 5 speed, nitrous, ported, polished, hotter cam, hotter igniton, adjustable konis with adjustable coil springs, beefy sway bars, strut bars, no air, no power, no radio...lots of cornering power... another rear wheel drive go fast goody car... yum.

[TrueSlide]

KA really doesnt have that much problems when turboing, Its only stuff from the weak factory, Pistons, head gasket, etc. It can perform up their w/ the SRs and CAs, it just needs to be taken well care of.

[MaineExport]

KA really doesnt have that much problems when turboing, Its only stuff from the weak factory, Pistons, head gasket, etc. It can perform up their w/ the SRs and CAs, it just needs to be taken well care of.

With the right built it won't be "up there" with the SR and CA... It will DOMINATE them!!!!! Yes it has its problems, but so does every engine... this topic has been beaten down over and over, and we shouldn't start another debate in this thread... so I'll save everybody the time and effort.... the KA is the best engine in the world!!!

[MasterMan]

stillen headers are alright just dont get their cat back system its sh1t.. my dad had it on his 200SX and it fell apart within a year.. go with hotshot headers.. they r probily the best.. IMO