new 240, basic upgrades?

[allenms240]

Just bought a 91 240sx hatch pretty excited about it. I'm all ready to start throwing parts into it. Butwhat kind of intake should i get? Cold air or short ram? and what brand is the most common for intakes? any websites?

What kind of headers should i get too, im gonna throw a full exhaust into it from headers down.and are there any other performance parts to get that are fairly cheap? (<150).Im also gonna throw in some lowering springs in it when i get the chance.

[FolkertSX]

im guessing you have a stock ka? imo i would just save up for an sr or go turbo. its suprisingly going to be alot of money just for quality headers, intake and a catback. and honestly i dont think theyll improve the cars perfromance as much as you'd like.and i also dont think you'll be happy with lowering springs. keep it mind lowering springs only go 2 inches lower than stock at the most. most are between 1 inch and 1.5

[simmode1]

Here's my recommendation: First, go to a new car dealership and test drive something thats actually fast. I'm talking 370Z, 135i, v6 Genesis, or STI. Something with 300hp+.

Then realize that your car will NEVER reach that level of power and/or fun with bolt-ons. Hopefully this will teach you that bolt-ons are a total waste of time on a KA. You're looking at ~15 to 20hp gain. Considering that your car makes about 115-125hp at the wheels, adding 15hp will bring you to a blistering ~145hp. Wow.

Forget about bolt-ons. Make sure everything is mechanically sound first. Start mods/upgrades in this order:

BrakesSuspension and chassisWheels and tiresPower and Looks bringing up the rear. (Turbo/Supercharge/Nitrous your KA or do a swap. VQ power is the future, my friend)

Just my opinion.

[Nali]

Then realize that your car will NEVER reach that level of power and/or fun with bolt-ons. Hopefully this will teach you that bolt-ons are a total waste of time on a KA. You're looking at ~15 to 20hp gain. Considering that your car makes about 115-125hp at the wheels, adding 15hp will bring you to a blistering ~145hp. Wow.

haha, i lold. but that is truth.

[gumby74]

The first chunk of money you should throw at the car should go towards maintenance.

I know it's not as fun as buying a shiny header or intake, but realistically will be far more beneficial. Understand that you are dealing with an almost 20 year old car with a questionable (at best) history. Get her running properly, learn about the cars quirks and then start upgrading from the bottom up. My uncle showed me his way of building up a car and I follow that guideline still.Start with the tires and end under the hood. All else, Simmode pretty much summed up.

[allenms240]

Ouch, not nice o.O. But the truth nonetheless. lol. Made me lawl too.But yea i guess thats true, prolly jsut wait till i can get an SR, and untill then just do maintenence stuff. Work with everything BUT the engine.

[allenms240]

Also, what do you mean by suspension and chassis, like what would you include in that area?

[gumby74]

Your bushings for the most part are going to be on the soft side. Not too much of a concern, but a worthwhile investment. The subframe bushings on the other hand need to be replaced/upgraded. You will definitely notice when these are shot. Wheel hop, clunking as the subframe is literally pounding on the retaining studs will be symptoms. Up front you will notice some similar knocking around usually caused by worn TC rod bushings. Here I definitely would suggest aftermarket rods from Tein or some other manufacturer. You will feel a big difference imediately.

The front ball joints will probably need replacing as well as tie rod ends. The good thing is most of this can be done yourself with some basic tools and mechanical aptitude. The only exception will be replacing the rear control arm bushings. I ended up paying $8 a piece for removal and install. You do the math.

[gumby74]

I would also include motor and transmission mounts in this discussion.

[allenms240]

Sweet man that's really helpful, thanks alot.What kind of brakes and brake componets should i upgrade to?

And what kind of bsuhigns should i use? what are the differences between the solid ones and the rubber ones
Modified by allenms240 at 8:04 PM 8/8/2009

[S13Joe]

Sweet man that's really helpful, thanks alot.What kind of brakes and brake componets should i upgrade to?

And what kind of bsuhigns should i use? what are the differences between the solid ones and the rubber ones

Modified by allenms240 at 8:04 PM 8/8/2009

300zx and energy

[simmode1]

300zx and energy

Energy Suspension bushing kits are great. But you'll have to buy your subframe bushings separately. Their master bushing kit only has subframe inserts, which aren't as good IMO.

Besides bushings, there are other things you can do to make your chassis more firm and better feeling. You can do this adding good bracing, like good sway bars, strut tower bars, upgrading your front tension arm, fender braces, etc... But you gotta crawl before you can walk. Just start doing research first.

For brake upgrades, there's alot of options. Here's 3 common methods starting with a mild setup:

-Hawk HPS brake pads, slotted rotors and steel braided brake lines. Very mild but nice and easy to do. Let's you keep your stock brake calipers and normal rotor size. I have this, but will upgrade again soon.

-Infiniti J30 / Q45 brakes. These calipers are larger than 240 brakes.

-300ZX (Z32) brakes. These are the largest and most common brakes upgrades.

There are also Skyline brakes, but those swaps aren't as common since those can be hard to get.
Modified by simmode1 at 9:08 PM 8/8/2009

[Metal Angel]

Im kinda jacking the thread here but it seemed like a good place to ask as I am in the post-build maintenance stage with my '90 hatch. First of all... I have no wheel hop. When I spin my wheels, peel out, or make sad attempts at drifting my car stays solidly planted to the tarmac. My car has been garage kept since day one and I have an exhaustive maintenance record. My engine runs really good. My single cam makes noticeably more power than my previous '93 hatch dual cam. Anyway... My question is this: What should I start with? I mean yeah I have no wheel hop but Im sure the Energy bushing swap would still be better than 20 year old stock bushings... but should priority of the bushings go down since they seem pretty good? I already got my brakes back to par (just changed the pads but it needed to be done). My shocks and struts are pretty worn but I was planning on waiting on that until I can get some coilovers. My transmission seems a little clunky... not sure how to fix that or if thats just how the s13 transmission is... Also my steering wheel shakes just a tiny bit at around 70mph... not much... I wouldnt even think of it as a problem but I just wanted to see what you guys say...

[allenms240]

But why replace the brake lines though?just curious about that.So would the Z32 brakes be able to work with SE rims, becuase if they are bigger is it possible the rims wouldnt clear the caliper. Also, So i wanna replace the calipers, rotors, and the lines? What the advantage to the Z32 brakes over stock 240sx ones?

When i buy bushing kits for ALL bushings(front and back) the inserts dont always come with the bushings, what point is that lol? thanks Simmode1 for the reply

and is there anything else in suspension and chassis besides bushings, ties rods, ball joints, and strut bars to upgrade?

[simmode1]

Metal Angel, I'd do the bushings. Rarely are they actually a problem, but you'll be surprised at how you didn't realize how crappy your car felt before you replaced your bushings.

Wheel hop, on some cars, is only noticeable under certain conditions. You may not see it during normal driving or even highway runs. But for me? I feel it during certain hard corners at certain speeds. The first time I felt it, it scared the hell out of me. I thought I was gonna lose traction and skid into a curb...

Along with subframe bushing replacement (not the little inserts/collars), I've hear this goes a long way towards elimanting wheel hop:

zer...age=1

I haven't gotten around to fixing mine yet though.

But why replace the brake lines though?just curious about that.So would the Z32 brakes be able to work with SE rims, becuase if they are bigger is it possible the rims wouldnt clear the caliper. Also, So i wanna replace the calipers, rotors, and the lines? What the advantage to the Z32 brakes over stock 240sx ones?

When i buy bushing kits for ALL bushings(front and back) the inserts dont always come with the bushings, what point is that lol? thanks Simmode1 for the reply

and is there anything else in suspension and chassis besides bushings, ties rods, ball joints, and strut bars to upgrade?

To be honest, it's been so long since I've read up on steel braided brakes lines that I've forgotten why they are a good idea. I know they are... I just can't remember why...

I think it has to do with the lines not flexing like the rubber ones do, therefore you get more consistant brake fluid flow and a firmer, more responsive brake pedal. Could be wrong though. Just google it, I guess...

Search 'Z brakes SE wheels". You'll see a really short article on Nico explaining how there are 2 types of s13 SE wheels. One fits with Z brakes and the other doesn't.

The advantage of Z32 brakes is this: they are designed to stop a much heavier and more powerful car pretty quickly. Increasing our car's stopping power is a cake walk. But there is a right and a wrong way to do the upgrade. Screw it up and you'll end up with less braking power than stock. Try looking for the "Ultimate Z brake upgrade thread"

As for the Master Bushings kits, it has all the bushings you need, except when it comes to the subframe bushings, it gives you these little collars/inserts to install. Basically they sandwich into your subframe assembly to keep it from jostling around instead of actually replacing the worn out bushing. Why? Because actually replacing the subframe bushing is a bish and a half.

Another crappy thing about the subframe collars/inserts: They raise your car like a 1/4 of a inch. WTF.

God. I had to type this like 4 times cuz my stupid internet was acting all retarded...

[allenms240]

Lol well, Simmode1, i really appreciate you retypign it over and over. I REALLY hate it when internet fcks up. But thanks alot, I'm learning so much today aha.

All that really helps out a ton, thanks again. Andd subframe bushings such as...what would those include?

[gumby74]

I am actually running the collars myself. But then pretty much every stock link has been replaced with heim joints or had new Energy Suspension bushings pressed in. I upgraded one thing at a time though. I drove the car and pushed it a few times to see what changed and how I had to LEARN to adjust to the changes.

A lot of guys here talk about the superiority of rear wheel drive, but few can actually drive a stock S chassis to it's limits, let alone properly upgrade and control a modified one. For the record, when I speak, I speak in general terms. As the comedian once said I don't have the patience or inclination to cut people up into different groups. If you fit into this category, suck it up, if you are one of the few that actually can drive, I mean you no disrespect.

The braided brake lines is one of those things that you will not really notice. But after 20 years it is a good idea to replace the lines, and the price difference between stock and braided is now pretty insignificant, so you may as well upgrade.

Also, with an open diff, at stock power levels, wheel hop will not be readily noticed. As simmode has said, it can catch you unawares though. A simple way to find out what shape the bushings are in: find an empty parking lot or stretch of asphalt. Accelerate aggressively with someone watch/filming the car. Slam on the brakes quickly. Accelerate in a turning motion both ways. Have your spotter point out or show you what was going on. I am pretty confident you will have at least 2" of rear wheel play (forward and backwards obviously). The front may dive even more when turning and braking. This is where the new bushings will be noticed.

[simmode1]

SPL parts FTW... http://www.splparts.com/main4/index.htm

Solid bushing might be too hardcore for you maybe, but this will give you a visual idea of what we're talking about... This page shows both the little inserts/collars and the actual replacement bushings. Imagine those, but made of polyeurathane instead of solid aluminum.

I'll be going with solids when the time comes. There's some great reviews/info on them on Nico if you search.

Edit: Gumby FTW too! Always with the good info!

[allenms240]

So I was looking at the z32 brake upgrade, and I was wondering, what were the best calipers to go for? I saw slotted rotors on ebay for cheap that work with all calipers except the 26mm, Should i use iron or aluminum, or jsut whatever i can find?

[simmode1]

So I was looking at the z32 brake upgrade, and I was wondering, what were the best calipers to go for? I saw slotted rotors on ebay for cheap that work with all calipers except the 26mm, Should i use iron or aluminum, or jsut whatever i can find?

Hell either would be a great upgrade for the 240, but this might help you:

zer...53055

Man, I wish I was smart enough to look online for this kinda info when I first got my 240! It would be a completely different beast right now...

[Amtk240]

Forget about bolt-ons. Make sure everything is mechanically sound first. Start mods/upgrades in this order:

BrakesSuspension and chassisWheels and tiresPower and Looks bringing up the rear. (Turbo/Supercharge/Nitrous your KA or do a swap. VQ power is the future, my friend)

Just my opinion.

This is the absolute BESY advice you can get. I agree 100% with simmodel1 and couldn't have said it better myself! Listen to this advice and you can't go wrong!

[hbpignosePA]

alright ill be nice

if your looking to save money

z32 brakes are overkill.

get q45's

you KNOW they clear all forms of stock wheels. you dont need to swap out the master cylinder, and you can use stock replacement or SS lines

just save yourself a headache and get re manufactured ones.

and as far as people using the logic that the z32 brakes are the best; the Q was nearly 4000 lbs with a torque happy v8

its all the stopping power you need unless this is your track car.