Need suggestions on upgrading my 95 240sx SE

[ash1y1]

Any help is appreciated. I am looking for horsepower, what new additions can I add. I am thinking of intake system w/extension first, but need suggestions as to what comes next.

[Spectre]

Are you just interested in power? How about handling? Do you care about looks? Do you care about ride quality?.......

[ash1y1]

I do care about ride quality and control, but for starters I would like to add some horsepower and torque. What suggestions do you have for this as well as ride quality and control? Please be as specific as you can, as I am not very knowledgeable. Thanks

[fliprayzin240sx]

Ive had my 97 for a yr and this is what ive done to it so far:

Injen Cold Air IntakeGreddy Header (got my stock back on cuz that b**** kept snapping, ive heard the new hotshot works better)Blitz NUR spec 3 inch catbackUnorthodox Underdrive pulleysDenzo plugs Nology wiresEiback prokitTokico shocksKumho tires 225/50/16 over stock se rims

If you happen to have about $4k just do an sr swap or buy an Nsport turbo kit for giggles. :jump

[ash1y1]

Ok so what do all these things do and how much do they cost?

[UncleBen]

intake, header, and exaust all help better air flow, hence, more power. eibach pro-kit is a spring set from eibach, very popular w/ the 240. lowers the car, increases handling ability. tokico's are better, after market shocks to go with the pro-kit. your OEM shocks won't hold up well with lowering springs. pulley's are lighter and turn easier, hence, more power from the engine because there is less mass to turn. there is probably more to it then that, but thats pretty much it i think. um, if there is anything i missed, i'm sure someone else will answer the question for you. peace

[Spectre]

Intake, header, and exhaust is a common recommendation for our cars as a starter. Exhaust is cheapest from a muffler shop, but ask around for a good one. If you live around a lot of rain and snow you may want to avoid a full cold air intake and just get a normal one. If you find a header that catches your interest, ask around before buying it. How many miles do you have?

[Zebrahead]

Here's my take on things.

1. I first lowered my car (because it looks like a 4x4).I used Eibach Sportlines, because in my opinion, the pro-kit barely makes a difference. Figure about $400 for the total job +/- $50.

2. Start with an Intake. Increases power quite a bit throughout the powerband. Pretty cheap (around $200). Easy do-it-yourself to get you acquianted with your engine bay. Gives your engine a nice rumble.

3. If you can, get a header (Hotshot seems to be the best) and exhaust at the same time. If you can't, I'd go w/ exhaust, becaues you feel a gain. Good for looks/sound. Then go header.Header (around $350) + install (if you don't/can't do it yourself) another $100. Exhaust is around $400-500 for a good quality cat-back system.

4. Clutch. Stock clutch sucks. Get somethign like a Clutchmasters or ACT stage II. Something that won't slip. GOod for a long time. Whole deal around $500.

5. Camgears. Here comes teh real power gains. Increase duration and lift in the firing sequence of your cylinders, so the engine gets more air inside, hence more explosion. Dual cam motor around $350 for cams, plus another $200 for install. Maybe more.

6. Lightened Pulleys/Flywheel reduces mass for engine to move, hence less power drain. You wont see any increased numbers on a sheet, but you'll feel it. ARound $1K for both + install.

7. Compression Compression Compression! Buy the pistons from teh single cam earlier motor (KA24E), install them in your engine, get it overbored and port and polished, and you'll see 20HP to wheels. Figure about $1.5K for this.

8. Suspension. Go buckwild. If you have money left. haha.

With the mods listed, you should be well over 200HP to teh crank, and should have around 200rwhp. A devishly quick little 240.

And it goes w/o saying that you could buy an SR20DET motor, or a CA18DET for about $5K w/ install for about the same amount of HP, but with MUCH more ability to upgrade. THe mods i listed just about top out the HP on the KA motor.

I hope this helped. My god, my fingers are tired.

Nick.

[s14=pimpin']

good list Zebrahead, well writen.

My $.02. If you want about 200HP -250, keep the car NA. Depending on how many miles you have though. I want around the 300HP range, so I'm planning on swapping the KA for an SR. I'm currently working on my suspension at the moment, just so the car can handle the extra power. IMO, a turbo swap is a better upgrade for about the same price as a full NA tune. But the potential is greater with a turbo motor, you can boost it to well over 400HP and still have a street legal daily driver (I wouldn't drive it everyday any more though). Once the suspension is finished, I'll be dumping in the motor, and eventually upgrade to the Q brakes (if not before the motor swap).

It really depends on your budget and your goals. Please give us some more details on what you want your car to do after your done modding it, then we can give you a btter path to take. Drag strip, autocrosser, street beast? I want a nice ride to autocross with and drive on the streets with. Since I'm going to swap engines, I'm leaving the KA motor stock, and dump my funds in other areas, like suspension. Its a waste of cash to spend money on a motor that will be eventually swapped, right? Anyway, hope this helps your way of thinking, once you've decieded on how or where you would like your car to perform, let us know, and we can give you a more detailed idea of how to obtain your goals.

Brakes and suspension are very important with an increase in HP, don't forget that. Gotta make sure to keep power to the ground, and stop as quick as you go, never compromise with safety.

good luck with your project

[ash1y1]

I'm mainly looking for a street beast. I want an increase in horsepower without breaking the bank or my car. I don't want spend $1000's for turbo add-ons, but at the same time would like to add anywhere from 50-100 horsepower.

What are you suggestion as to what I should put on and in what order? I want to know what parts I need to get and what other parts will compliment the purchased parts. As much detail as possible is necessary.

[Silviagirl79]

I'm mainly looking for a street beast. I want an increase in horsepower without breaking the bank or my car. I don't want spend $1000's for turbo add-ons, but at the same time would like to add anywhere from 50-100 horsepower.

What are you suggestion as to what I should put on and in what order? I want to know what parts I need to get and what other parts will compliment the purchased parts. As much detail as possible is necessary.

Uhh 50-100 real hp aint gonna happen unless u spend thousands of dollars.

Ever heard of NOS? Fake hp.

[WhtTrshPunk]

Quote »Ever heard of NOS? Fake hp.[/quote]Most people call it nitrous oxide. Well, except the people of the fast and the furious. And it's not fake hp, it's just an easy way out.

[Silviagirl79]

I call it NOS.

I also call it fake hp.

Engine swap (turbo)=REAL HP

Just my opinion.

[MasterMan]

I'm mainly looking for a street beast. I want an increase in horsepower without breaking the bank or my car. I don't want spend $1000's for turbo add-ons, but at the same time would like to add anywhere from 50-100 horsepower.

What are you suggestion as to what I should put on and in what order? I want to know what parts I need to get and what other parts will compliment the purchased parts. As much detail as possible is necessary.

100 HP for under 1000$? thats gonna be really hard... u could get higher compreson pistons.. new springs new cams and so on.. rebuild your motor..or u could always use N2O but its not the best for your car..

[scruf1986]

Real hp = SR20DET swap, cold air, headers, exhaust, cams, pistons, and other engine stuff,,, then you put the hp to the ground with rims and tires and suspension. Thats how you build a real 240. You can replace the turbo with something else or even a twin turbo but I haven't heard anybody say anything about a twin. But if your gonna swap the engine don't do anything to it right now. Just work in the suspension and rims and tires. The get the swap and then the mods. But if your gonna keep the engine then I would do intake first, the exhaust, then header, the turbo, the cams, the pistons. and thats all i would do

[APEXi240]

Is that nitrous powered car going to run faster than yours? That horsepower will seem real when they are beating you.

There is no way you are getting 50hp without spending thousands.