My future build - opinions?

[Chugpuppy]

Ok, so heres my story so far...

I'm a high school student who's fairly mechanically and technically oriented, so I got a summer job and saved up enough money to buy a car. After much debate and trips to see s***ty maximas, I finally found the car I had always been looking for: a black 1991 240sx SE. Granted, it has two dents in the fenders and the interior isn't beautiful, but besides that, its near perfect. Nearly rust-free, engine has only 55k and high compression, body has 150k, included 17" rims, came pre-wired for a kickass sound system. The cost? 1800. It was perfect for me, so I emptied my bank account and drove it home. Only needed wipers and a little fooling around with the window controls to make it pass inspection.

My decision...

So, I'll be making around 3 grand next summer, give or take a bit due to a possible raise or a new job, and have decided to sink it into my car. The engine is my first concern, as it seems that it's one of the only weak points 240s have. The decision is whether or not to go KAT or SR20. First, I wanted the JDM-tyteness of the sr20, along with its high-revving drifter status, but now I'm looking towards the KAT. I'm leaning towards building up my KA for several reasons:

-parts availability-torque (I dont have any money to pay for drifting tires, so autoX and drag will have to be my strong points.)-the fact that I have a stable engine already (60k miles and 185 compression on each cylinder [to be confirmed...])-cheaper than an sr20 (?)

The Question-

I plan on doing most, if not all, of the work myself. I hear that boosting a KA can yield just as much/more power than swapping in an sr20, and can be just as reliable (if tuned right), at a lower cost. Do I have my facts right? What are your opinions on this issue?

Edit: I'm looking for around 300 reliable hp, and its going to be a dd.

[240sxJoe91]

Welcome to NICO and That is one thing we all agree on

[superhicas15]

What are your plans after high school? Do have any suspension mods? If you're going to compete in auto-x then go in with a bone stock or really close to stock car and learn the car first. Don't worry about power yet. I know everyone says "suspension first" and I agree.. I bought Stance gr+ pro's for my s14 and is was my first "mod". If I would have boosted it I would have had about $4000 in a swap or a nice kat set up.. To do a nice kat, without ebay parts, you're going to pay a decent amount of money if you don't find bargains...

The KAt and SR are both great engines. Both can make great power and both can be reliable.. I personally would go KAt due to the fact that I won't have to splice wires, rebuild (well... With the miles you have), or have to worry about anything random happening and not having a way to fix it as soon as it happens..

AGAIN, I say suspension first...

[simmode1]

My opinion:-Get the car mechanically sound and road worthy first.-upgrade suspension and brakes. Stance LX+ on a daily driver FTW.-worthy about power when you're making real money. Focus on reliabilty for now.

[Chugpuppy]

Ok, so here are the extras that came with the car (as far as I know...) -

-17" racing rims (cant remember what brand, they're off for the winter)- Injen CAI- alpine headunit, tv, and kenwood speakers- chrome exhaust tip - possible aftermarket rear brakes (have to clean them off)- s***ty glued-on spoiler (which had a lot of holes i had to weld shut under it)

So far, the tv has been removed, spoiler has been removed and the holes under it have been welded, then that part primered black. Rims have been taken off for the winter, replaced with stock wheels painted black and some snow tires, then I've done some stuff with the sound system. Interior was taken out, underneath was cleaned, seats were scrubbed, etc.

Besides that, I haven't done much. I just SeaFoamed it today, but havent gotten past the valve covers yet.

I think I want to upgrade the pistons, maf, fuel pump, injectors, etc, then buy a small turbo to start out with and upgrade later. 250-300 hp is what I'm looking for in this car, with a fair amount of reliability. Also, I will probably not be pushing it too hard (drift etc), so I don't need full-race-quality parts.

Suspension is another option, although it seems way less exciting...

and because ...

Modified by Chugpuppy at 4:14 PM 1/5/2010
Modified by Chugpuppy at 4:27 PM 1/5/2010

[240sxJoe91]

That is so clean lol Post more pics lol.

[Chugpuppy]

Yeah, thats after 2 days of washing and waxing it... it looked like s*** before. The spoiler came off, there was a little rust, but its fixed now. Welded and painted over it with primer. Also, you cant see it but there is a HUGE web-like series of cracks in the paint on the front bumper. I'm not sure what to do about those...

edit: I don't have any more pics, thats the best of a bunch that were all taken at the same angle.

I do have pics of the car before I got it though lol...

nvm, have to upload. Ill do it after dinner.

[SR24DET]

I wouldnt worry about any power adders. A car that handels well is more fun to drive. I agree with ^. Coilovers first.

[1Vinny]

holy 4x4 status batman!other then that clean..

[Chugpuppy]

holy 4x4 status batman!other then that clean..

Some suspension changes definitely need to be made lol. I was thinking about taking some scissors to the springs... but iunno

The OG craigslist pics are being uploaded now...

[Chugpuppy]

OK, the OG craigslist pics for all the "pics or GTFO" guys out there lol

[s13 iDRIFT]

looks fairly clean, good choice!!

good luck with and be sure when you do stuff to it to take some pics and update us on it,

[Chugpuppy]

I guess if I could find some cheap(er) used coilovers then I might look into suspension, but new those things are crazy expensive... I'll probably get some ebay sway bars and exhaust first tho. Stock, rusty exhaust all the way to a 5" tip right now lol...

[simmode1]

I was thinking about taking some scissors to the springs... but iunno

That idea =

Stance LX+ for the low and comfy daily driver.

[brandonDavid]

your interior, i want it. my brown dash has a crack. and the seats are torn.

[Chugpuppy]

Uhhh... 1,300 for just coilovers? I could nearly finish a turbo build for that! I'm going to have to find something much cheaper... anybody got any used coilovers lol? what do they usually go for, and what are some other suspension options? 1,300 to make my car a little lower and stiffer seems a little disproportional to me...

b-metts: ill trade it to you for a black one lol. I hate the s***-brown interior... but beggars cant be choosers. My driver's side is torn too otherwise the interior is fine, minus a few spills.

[brandonDavid]

b-metts: ill trade it to you for a black one lol. I hate the s***-brown interior... but beggars cant be choosers. My driver's side is torn too otherwise the interior is fine, minus a few spills.

i need to find a black dash for you then. i love my poo brown interior.

[ashibah83]

if you cut the springs on that car and ruin a clean hatch, i swear.....by the dosty breath of my fore-fathers, that i will not rest till i drive my car up there(my family lives in biddeford/saco), and execute a perfect falcon kick to your dome.......

clean car BTW.....much nicer than mine was when i got it

[Chugpuppy]

lol, wheres the ricer in you!?!

but seriously, ill probably keep my 4x4 status for now, until i can pick up some cheap(er) coilovers or some springs.

Oh yeah, my transmission grinds when I shift from first to second anywhere above 2.5k rpm, or downshift into second (sometimes), and the shifter is really floppy. Like I can flick it and it will flop back and forth, I dont know if there are supposed to be springs holding it in place or what. (on my dad's golf, the shifter stays in one spot and it feels smooth when you shift - mine catches sometimes, won't go into reverse sometimes, etc.) It annoys the hell out of me. Any ideas? I did some research awhile back and came to the conclusion that its the gears that equalize gear speed while shifting (that are causing the grinding), but I forgot the goddamn name. There must be springs or something for the floppy shifter tho...

I'm tempted to just buy a used KA transmission. They're only like a couple hundred or so cause everyone wants an SR lol.

[ashibah83]

2nd gear syncro's are probably wearing down, and your shifter situation is probably nothing more than a nylon bushing, however it would probably be easier to get a decent "short" shifter, but i would pickup another transmission first

[TheRealNap0le0n]

i need to find a black dash for you then. i love my poo brown interior.

+1000000 I <3 my domo brown interior.... i even have a domo tat on my forearm lol

b-metts: ill trade it to you for a black one lol. I hate the s***-brown interior... but beggars cant be choosers. My driver's side is torn too otherwise the interior is fine, minus a few spills.

Im so jealous of your dash lol....

and coils are expensive but worth the money.... i cut my springs but i bought some decent shocks to replace the blown out stock ones... but i want the adjustability of coils

lol, wheres the ricer in you!?!

but seriously, ill probably keep my 4x4 status for now, until i can pick up some cheap(er) coilovers or some springs.

Oh yeah, my transmission grinds when I shift from first to second anywhere above 2.5k rpm, or downshift into second (sometimes), and the shifter is really floppy. Like I can flick it and it will flop back and forth, I dont know if there are supposed to be springs holding it in place or what. (on my dad's golf, the shifter stays in one spot and it feels smooth when you shift - mine catches sometimes, won't go into reverse sometimes, etc.) It annoys the hell out of me. Any ideas? I did some research awhile back and came to the conclusion that its the gears that equalize gear speed while shifting (that are causing the grinding), but I forgot the goddamn name. There must be springs or something for the floppy shifter tho...

I'm tempted to just buy a used KA transmission. They're only like a couple hundred or so cause everyone wants an SR lol.

the shifter flops around because you need to replace the bushing in the bottom of the shifter, its a $3 part from the Nissan Dealer.

the grinding into 2nd might be the synchros going bad but the fact that it fights you to get into reverse also hints that you are needing a clutch. is there a lot of freeplay in the clutch pedal or does it feel really low

also +10000 to you for not being the typical HS kid into "ricey" things and also big props for having a decent amount of technical skill
Modified by TheRealNap0le0n at 8:03 PM 1/5/2010

[Chugpuppy]

2nd gear syncro's are probably wearing down, and your shifter situation is probably nothing more than a nylon bushing, however it would probably be easier to get a decent "short" shifter, but i would pickup another transmission first

Would it be worth it to rebuild my transmission, or just buy a new one? Im planning on getting a short shifter in the near future, but I'd like to get this figured out first...

Edit: Who says im not a ricer?! I own some neon! its on my pc though lol. But I do have some leftover green cold cathode tubes I could put in there...Aaaanyways, about my clutch... it's kind of touchy, it slowly engages up until a certain point, where it just kind of catches all at once. I don't know if this is normal, but (again) my dad's golf is so much smoother when you let out the clutch, it makes it seem broken.
Modified by Chugpuppy at 8:10 PM 1/5/2010

[simmode1]

Uhhh... 1,300 for just coilovers? I could nearly finish a turbo build for that! I'm going to have to find something much cheaper... anybody got any used coilovers lol? what do they usually go for, and what are some other suspension options? 1,300 to make my car a little lower and stiffer seems a little disproportional to me...

God... kids these days. And those are entry level coilovers...

Look, you can go scrape the bottum of the barrel with some Megans, K-Sports or Godspeeds if you want. But if you want a low & comfy ride for a DD, Stance LX+ is where it's at.

[Chugpuppy]

God... kids these days. And those are entry level coilovers...

Look, you can go scrape the bottum of the barrel with some Megans, K-Sports or Godspeeds if you want. But if you want a low & comfy ride for a DD, Stance LX+ is where it's at.

Ok, well I have two problems with investing in suspension. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to carve sick turns that make people fly around in the back seat, but suspension is a tough decision for me. Again, I only make a little less than 3 grand during the summer, give or take some:

1. it won't make me go fast2. maine roads suck, which leads me to sub-reasons a, b, and c A. My undercarriage will get raped (I once saw a stock focus get its muffler ripped off on a frost heave on my road - its pretty bad) B. Ride quality will suck. Hell, it sucks stock with stock rims and winter tires. C. They will wear out fast, as the car is a DD on s***ty roads.

I might be able to squeeze coilovers in, but I'm going to have to rethink my budget and priorities.

[simmode1]

Ok, well I have two problems with investing in suspension. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to carve sick turns that make people fly around in the back seat, but suspension is a tough decision for me. Again, I only make a little less than 3 grand during the summer, give or take some:

1. it won't make me go fast2. maine roads suck, which leads me to sub-reasons a, b, and c A. My undercarriage will get raped (I once saw a stock focus get its muffler ripped off on a frost heave on my road - its pretty bad) B. Ride quality will suck. Hell, it sucks stock with stock rims and winter tires. C. They will wear out fast, as the car is a DD on s***ty roads.

I might be able to squeeze coilovers in, but I'm going to have to rethink my budget and priorities.

Sorry... just needed to quote all this to preserve the evidence of your noob mentality thinking.

[Chugpuppy]

(reason 1 was a joke... aha... ha...aaa...)

[S13_love]

If you are really going to go for that sr20 or whatever motor swap you go with (or boosting the ka)...then at least upgrade the brakes of course. That's my .02 cents.

Do you plan on going to any racing events(autocross, etc.) btw? If so, then I would consider getting coilovers at some point; if not, then don't worry about them.

[TheRealNap0le0n]

Ok, well I have two problems with investing in suspension. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to carve sick turns that make people fly around in the back seat, but suspension is a tough decision for me. Again, I only make a little less than 3 grand during the summer, give or take some:

1. it won't make me go fast2. maine roads suck, which leads me to sub-reasons a, b, and c A. My undercarriage will get raped (I once saw a stock focus get its muffler ripped off on a frost heave on my road - its pretty bad) B. Ride quality will suck. Hell, it sucks stock with stock rims and winter tires. C. They will wear out fast, as the car is a DD on s***ty roads.

I might be able to squeeze coilovers in, but I'm going to have to rethink my budget and priorities.

slow is fast boy.... lol speed is nothing without a suspension to put the power to the ground.

ride quality will not suck.... it wont be stock, but it wont feel like you are hitting every pebble.... if you want plushy ride get a caddy

they wont wear out any faster than the stock stuff if you get quality stuff

[Chugpuppy]

If you are really going to go for that sr20 or whatever motor swap you go with...then at least upgrade the brakes of course. That's my .02 cents.

Do you plan on going to any racing events(autocross, etc.) btw? If so, then I would consider getting coilovers at some point; if not, then don't worry about them.

I might join an autocross league, but I don't intend to be very competitive or anything, mostly for the fun of it. (thats where I would want to get the coilovers) For the most part, this car is about having fun and building mechanical knowledge, not necessarily competition. Brakes are definitely going to go in, and I plan on doing a mediocre KA24DET build, but it hasn't been solidified yet.

[bersh240]

maine has inspection?when i was there for nefr i saw cars without doors driving around...and maine roads do suck. no low for you my friend.

edit. GET BASH PLATES!!! then low