How to build up ka in a 90 240 for cheap

[Otown240sx]

How do i soup up a stock ka for pretty cheap and light mods looking for 160 - 200 hp range?

[NoStickDrift]

500 Shot of NOZ DAWG!

It aint gonna happen, get a book, sit down, read apon the holy grail of forced induction, if your gonna penny pinch on a NA import motor it aint gonna happen.

[420sxse]

You mean N/A? Dude, the KA has to be modded like Frankensteins monster to make that power N/A (you will be at it's limit with those numbers...race engines notwithstanding). And your gas mileage will suck. Step back...take a deep breath...now be realistic.

[Nanaimo]

You mean N/A? ... Step back...take a deep breath...now be realistic.

The lower end of this range is realistic (crank HP, maybe not wheels). I'm working on a plan to do just that.

(warning... there is no emissions testing where I live. This plan will probably put NO2 over the limit, but reduce CO, HC, and even CO2 (when not driving hard). If emissions testing where you live involves stupid labels on parts instead of actually testing the emissions, it'll be illegal).

The goal is a daily driver SOHC putting down higher than stock torque throughout it's range, and ~140rwHP@6000, with good mileage, good reliability, acceptable noise, good acceleration, and good driveability.

The current plan:

1) Fix the mileage problem on my daily driver (crazy rich in open loop mode).2) Replace the intake on my DD with one that meets my specs (a short cold-air, with the filter under the stock battery location (the battery has been re-located))3) Replace the pluged CAT on my DD with a PDM high-flow.4) Chip the ECU on my DD to tune for 92 Octane. 5) Tune this setup on a dyno. Also tune another chip a little richer. 6) Buy a running 89-90 SOHC engine with to rebuild (engine2).7) Try to find a junkyard 89 240sx SOHC manufactured in 1988 or January 1989, and snag the pistons. If that fails, or they're unuseable, buy nismo flat-tops (after I know whether I need 89.5mm or 90mm).8) Buy a KA24E overhaul kit and timing chain kit, (haven't decided on cam yet, looking for a mild one that's not a regrind).8.b?) I'm considering a solid lifter conversion ( http://www.hybridka.com ) and stronger springs, but I've not decided yet. I don't know if I'll be building the engine to breathe enough to produce useful power at the RPMs solid lifters are a benefit for. If it were a race engine I'd use solid lifters and ITBs for sure. 9) Dis-assemble engine2 and inspect as per FSM overhaul procedure.10) Have the block, head, etc. cleaned and the block, head, and crank magnafluxed.11) Have Crank, Rods, Pistons, Pins, etc ballanced.12) Portmatch Intake side of head and smooth out any casting flash and major bumps, and smooth down a bit (not polish) taking away as little material as possible.13) Remove casting flash from inside of intake manifold and smooth it down a bit (velocity = good, fuel pooling = bad). Judging by the KA's torque, the engineers at Nissan did a great job designing these for a daily driver.14) Get or fabricate some form of header tuned for 3000~5000 RPM with good flow at higher RPM15) Port and polish the exhaust side of the head.16) Multi-angle valve job (and stiffer springs?)17) aquire or design and fabricate a quiet, high velocity exhaust and install it on my DD.18) Assemble engine2, hooking up for temperature, and oil pressure guages. Leave clutch fan off.19) Install an aluminum or chromolly flywheel.20) Install the rich chip in my ECU, and Oil pressure, coolant temp and voltage guages in the pocket under my stereo.21) Install engine2 in my DD, along with electric fans.22) Wrap header.23) Break in engine224) Dyno tune it & re-chip. 25) Break in more

26) once I know it works, sell old engine and/or plans.

It'll probably cost me $2500~$3000.

?? Shocks/struts ... other suspension components??? rebuild transmission/differential/wheel bearings?? Lighter wheels (got teardrops right now)

My engine in my daily driver is fairly strong, so I may skip rebuilding the bottom end and just buy a head and intake runners to rebuild (which rules out bumping the compression ratio, unless I shave it).

I don't know for sure if this is a good plan, I've not built a motor before. I'm just going on my research.

Perhaps DeviousKA could chime in on this one. He's built many built NA KA's before.

[dickie]

yeah but i bet devious has never "souped up a ka" to ~200hp "for real cheap."

[InsanityInc]

You aren't going to turbo a car "for real cheap" either. At least not reliably.

[thekage]

The only way to soup it up.....

[dickie]

the wolf looks pissed... that MUST mean it works!

[SuLoS]

do those really work? i was just look at the ad page but i don't know. 20hp gain would be nice but they say you will probably not get it. anyone try one and does it work???

[Ajax]

the wolf looks pissed... that MUST mean it works!

I think its a tiger, not a wolf- seems to have stripes...

SportCompactCar tried something similar and it did statistically nothing.

[pregmantis]

whats cheap to you? what bout nos?

[nismofly]

160 rwhp:

intake, 3" exhaust, header and test pipe hi-flow cat, cam(s), tuning

probably around $1,000 all said and done

[Nanaimo]

yeah but i bet devious has never "souped up a ka" to ~200hp "for real cheap."

No, probably not.

do those really work?

No, they don't work, but they do break up and get stuck in your valvetrain and/or intake runners.

160 rwhp:

intake, 3" exhaust, header and test pipe hi-flow cat, cam(s), tuning

probably around $1,000 all said and done

That's basically what my plan above does (plus headwork & compression), just making sure it's going to last too.

[nismofly]

oh i forgot pulleys

with headwork and a compression bump, youre getting out of cheap, but youre talking probably closer to 170 or 175 at that point

[Nanaimo]

oh i forgot pulleys

I don't know if pulleys are a good idea on a daily driver. Maybe a track/autocross car that's mostly run at high RPM, but the waterpump and alternator have to still turn at idle for a daily driver.

Maybe with an electric fan conversion you'd be able to get at them easy enough to swap in when you get to the track on track days. If you're going to do that, maybe pull out the alternator entirely on track days and just bring a spare battery (no lights/wipers/heat/no nothing when racing though).

with headwork and a compression bump, youre getting out of cheap

Headwork at least only takes wrenches, a torque wrench, a spring compressor, a dremel tool, some sanding wheels, a little money at a machine shop, and a whole lotta time.

youre talking probably closer to 170 or 175 at that point

That depends on how high you're willing to rev your precious and only daily driver.

[nismofly]

the little money at the machine shop being for flow bench testing?

remember you can go too far with porting and everything

also with the revs, were not talking a 9,000 rpm CORR engine, ive seen these kind of numbers on street engines

[Nanaimo]

the little money at the machine shop being for flow bench testing?

No, I was talking about a very mild porting (basically just remove casting flash and smooth a little). The money would be for a valve job and valve seating.

[Nanaimo]

also with the revs, were not talking a 9,000 rpm CORR engine

No, I'm thinking of leaving the stock rev limit, unless you go solid lifter and forged rods. Again I have NO experience building KAs, I've just been researching what others have done. If you want to know how high you can go on a KA and how to get there, the best person I know of to ask is probably DeviousKA (I've read his posts and website and he sounds knowlegeable).

ive seen these kind of numbers on street engines

What kind of intake & runners? ITBs or stock?

[jamied311]

The only way to soup it up.....

lol.... thats about as cheap as it gets

[nismofly]

oh i forgot you had sohc, yeah mine really wont be seeing more than 6k ever either, being still a street engine even though gradually this will become a time attack, etc. car

however half of that statement comes in the cam, you either have to get some milling done on the towers to fit the cam, or as an alternative get solid lifters, so im just going to do the lifters while im in there...but no mine still will have a rev limit at 6500 until i get my rods in in a couple years

well ive seen 163 rwhp on a dohc with cams, exhaust, intake, header, pulleys, and tuning

as far as sohc, a nice cam, just a CAI will work, nice open exhaust, the head work youre talking about, youll be able to do 160 ish at least

itb's are more for the people shooting to get as close to 200 as they can, and of course people attempting to go over, unfortunately Gabe doesnt have a dyno because he could probably do it

what kind of compression are you thinking? ive seen 150-155 rw on an sohc with .5 over, so if youre thinking like 10.5:1 youll probably be up around 165-ish, iirc the average for these engines is about 10 hp per point of compression, so thatd be close to 20 right there if all goes according to plan

as for Gabe, im buying at least his street cam and possibly seeing if i can go through him to get a custom colt grind, as far as ive seen nobody knows more than him about this engine so youre right to look through his info

[boznuttz]

Getting those numbers from a n/a SOHC KA just seems a little on the expensive side. New Cams, tuning, intake, catback exhaust, lightened pully, auto ecu(for cheap, lol) or a stand alone. I mean, you might be able to coax around 150 to the wheels, but not without spending a good 2,000 first.

[thekage]

Here is my plan. In no particular order.

Stuff I have... OBX Headers5Zigen 3" Exhaustcat delete pipeInjen IntakeASP Pulley

Stuff for the future:CamsWindage tray and crank scraperEGR and AIV RemovalCustom tuned ECUPort and polishRebuild with High CompressionBored to 2.5Colder ThermostatCoolant Temp sensor replacedITBS with a custom plenum and a short ram intake or custome plenum and a q45 tb.Maxima MafFidanza Flywheel and ACT ClutchLight wheels

I think the bigest bump will come from the high compression and the custom tuning.

I got to get a car first! hahaha

[sxcoupe]

how cheap is cheap, i dont think you can really get (hp) gains for "cheap". if thats what you wont, try one of those ebay chips that claim to give you up to(20hp). i never put one on my ride. but thats cheapest thing i know, i think there about $15-$20 shiped.

[sxcoupe]

i dont think you are going to get (200hp) without turbo, and there not cheap. forget about horse power, think performece upgade. get short ram air, you can even make your oun. look at (installs) on this site, then upgrade plugs & wires. then invest in catback exhoust. bottom line if you want to improve on stock (ka24de) you cant be "cheap".

[Mikoriad]

The only way to soup it up.....

Definitely a tiger

[Ezzo]

NOOO not one of those ebay resistors...... please dont do that and talk your friends out of doing the same, you can buy one for about .50c at your local radio shack. treat your 240 well and it will return the favor. Don't cheap out on it if you ever expect to rely on it

[mmm240]

NOOO not one of those ebay resistors...... please dont do that and talk your friends out of doing the same, you can buy one for about .50c at your local radio shack. treat your 240 well and it will return the favor. Don't cheap out on it if you ever expect to rely on it

what he said

but seriously hp doesn't come cheap. if you want your vehicle to be fast out of the box, buy a fast vehicle to start. if you are happy with making your vehicle faster and more fun than it was (like me) do your mods step by step

this is coming from a guy that's first vehicle was a chevy cavalier (auto trans). i'm just happy with a rear drive stick shift, a sport compact (240) almost a sports car, i really like the handling of rear drive (understeer (front drive vehicles) sucks)

[sxcoupe]

the only reson i said chip becase he said cheap, i would not put one of those on my car. the best advice i read on this thread was from (mmm240) do what he said.

[Ezzo]

haha its all good I wasnt taking a shot at you, I figured you had to be joking.

edit: i watched someone wreck a 96 Celica motor with one of those resistors. they wreak havoc on MAP engines