Other motor options for 240sx (aside from SR/CA/RB/KA). Your input needed.

[flohtingPoint]

Through years of wrenching on Nissans, I've grown exceptionally tired of having to deal with a turbo'ed motor. I've had SR20's and CA18's in my cars for close to seven years now and the space constraint of steering column, turbo, exhaust manif, etc is beyond annoying when trying to do maintenance. Working on my 86 rolla GTS is a god-send, hell I can change the oil w/out even getting under the car (drain pin is easily accessible just by popping my hood and reaching down).

Right now, I have a 90 240sx that has been sitting on cinder blocks for the better part of five years as I honestly havent cared about the car for that long. It has a SR20DET in it that I want gone and replaced with something N/A and relatively easy to wrench on. My primary thoughts are the following:

-Blacktop 20v 4age. I have a spare one w/a spun bearing on a motorstand in my living room that I've been picking apart for spare parts for my rolla. I can easily piece it back together and get it in working fashion, pick up a T-50 transmission and get a driveshaft fabbed.

-7AGE. 7AFE block w/4AGE head. I have the wiring harness needed to complete this.

-L28. I have a LD28 crank laying around somewhere in California, so if I get the hankering, I can 3.1 it. Triple weber carb it and it's a formidable weapon.

-Cosworth 2.3 from a 190e. The more interesting choice of the bunch.

-Duratec 2.3L mated to M5OD transmission. Second most interesting of the bunch. I'm not sure if the transmission bellhousing mates to the motor correctly (should in theory, as the Ranger uses it).

I'm looking for constructive criticism from experienced fellow wrenchers. I dont give a damn about "getting sideways" or what's "JDM Tyte". I care about efficiency, ease of work once under my bonnet, accessibility of parts and things of this nature.
Modified by flohtingPoint at 6:42 PM 7/21/2009

[zenki-S13]

7AGEi think this would be kinda cool

[Jadesr20det]

Just get rid of the 240 and pick up a miata or ae and put one of those motors in there I 2nd the 7AGE but in a miata that would be UNIQUE.... 240's are being done to death

[flohtingPoint]

Just get rid of the 240 and pick up a miata or ae and put one of those motors in there I 2nd the 7AGE but in a miata that would be UNIQUE.... 240's are being done to death

Not worried about unique.

If I got rid of my 240, I wouldn't even make a fraction of the cost that I've put into it's suspension. I have cusco zero2's on it, replaced every bushing possible, new lca's, etc. I'm semi stuck with the car.

I've tried several times to trade it for a few vehicles (fx16 w/blacktop 20v, ae92 with blacktop 20v, older miatas, etc), but the thing is so ugly that it doesn't make it past the first initial photo of it (bad paint, semi-gutted interior that still needs to be finished but it's sitting on the opposite side of the country, chopped up bumper to allow air to flow into my smic, etc).

[90notch_5.0]

You cant go wrong with a LS1

[simmode1]

I was gonna say VQ30DET, but since you want non-turbo, I'd say F20C. The AP1 motor is a great choice for your needs. And while I'm not familiar with any of the motors you listed, they sound underpowered by comparison.

http://www.importtuner.com/tec....html

[Crazyirish]

240's are being done to death

Thats what they say about miata's in the mazda forums.

Hmm....

Easy to work on...

plenty of parts...

sounds like time for a KA swap!

[the converted]

Maybe a bmw 4 liter v8 from a 740 or a 2jzge from an IS300? Both should have enough torque to make it fun to drive and easy to find parts.

[flohtingPoint]

No V8's or V6's. As stated in my post, I'm looking for something with ease to work on. I dont want to shoehorn anything into it.

[the converted]

2jzge is a straight 6. With no turbo, should be pretty easy to work with.

[simmode1]

No V8's or V6's. As stated in my post, I'm looking for something with ease to work on. I dont want to shoehorn anything into it.

What? No comment on the F20C?

[the converted]

Torqueless, expensive, and has to rev to get anywhere. Happy now?

[AZ89two4Tsx]

V8

An LS1 or a 302 if you're on a budget. Why d!ck around with those motors ^.

[simmode1]

Torqueless, expensive, and has to rev to get anywhere. Happy now?

I meant in comparison to the one's the OP mentioned. They all seem generally underpowered and unimpressive after looking into them. Hell, I think a KA would be better than those...

At least with an F20C, you'll get something with good stock power output, lightweight, 6spd transmission and and extremely robust aftermarket.

[numbnuts240]

-L28. I have a LD28 crank laying around somewhere in California, so if I get the hankering, I can 3.1 it. Triple weber carb it and it's a formidable weapon.

this would be awesome. i can't wait to start screwing around with my l26.

[flohtingPoint]

Torqueless, expensive, and has to rev to get anywhere. Happy now?

Yea, the expense would be the killer there.

Max Misawa is doing a K20a in rwd fashion, which would be interesting, as K20's are relatively cheap (compared to a F20).

I meant in comparison to the one's the OP mentioned. They all seem generally underpowered and unimpressive after looking into them. Hell, I think a KA would be better than those...

At least with an F20C, you'll get something with good stock power output, lightweight, 6spd transmission and and extremely robust aftermarket.

In stock form, yes, 4 out of the 5 motors I listed are underpowered, but all of them are relatively easy to bring out the life in them. Especially the duratec, which has massive cosworth support. If I were to go the 7AG route, I already have 304 cams for the head (in fact, they might already be in my large port, I haven't been to my storage locker in Cali in several years).

[Pride Racing Motors]

VQ/VG/F22???

[1_bad_4_door]

would deff do 7age.that would be nice

[mattblancarte]

All-aluminum 20b. Should make 300+hp reliably in N/A form.

[simmode1]

Yea, the expense would be the killer there.

Especially the duratec, which has massive cosworth support.

Wait wait... Cosworth makes inexpensive stuff?

What kind of numbers are you looking to make with these swaps?

[flohtingPoint]

Wait wait... Cosworth makes inexpensive stuff?

What kind of numbers are you looking to make with these swaps?

The 2.3L duratec is probably the motor cosworth supports most at the moment.

Nothing outlandish. 175whp. 200whp would be nice, but not necessary. I'm more concerned with how my powerband is rather than peak hp. My 240sx is gutted to hell, impact protection removed, dash/blower gone, lex instead of glass, etc. It's extremely light.

[simmode1]

Are you shooting for some kind of crazy high rpm limit or something?

A goal like that is easily achieved by a moderate N/A build on a KAde or SRde. I/H/E, cams, valvesprings, retainers, ITB setup, electric fan, lightweight flywheel, racing clutch, etc...

No need to reinvent the wheel for 175whp...

[mattblancarte]

No need to reinvent the wheel for 175whp...

I totally agree. Just use a dual cam KA and be done with it. Great powerband, plenty of torque, etc.

[xX RB Xx]

just put int the 20v.

[flohtingPoint]

Are you shooting for some kind of crazy high rpm limit or something?

A goal like that is easily achieved by a moderate N/A build on a KAde or SRde. I/H/E, cams, valvesprings, retainers, ITB setup, electric fan, lightweight flywheel, racing clutch, etc...

No need to reinvent the wheel for 175whp...

KA and SR are out of the question, if I go into specifics, the KA and SR folk will turn this into another stupid "nissan motor 'a' is better than nissan motor 'b'" discussion. To avoid all of this, lets just leave it at they're not an option.

just put int the 20v.

Thinking about it. It's the motor outside of Nissan that I have the largest knowledge base and hands on experience with. Think I have a spare set of velocity stacks somewhere also, unless I left them in Germany.

Doing a lot of reading on the Duratec right now, trying to see how/if someone has setup one from a focus in a RWD application for an affordable amount.
Modified by flohtingPoint at 1:53 AM 7/22/2009

[simmode1]

KA and SR are out of the question, if I go into specifics, the KA and SR folk will turn this into another stupid "nissan motor 'a' is better than nissan motor 'b'" discussion. To avoid all of this, lets just leave it at they're not an option.

In that case, I give up. The point of this build escapes me utterly. Good luck.

[the converted]

If your looking for rwd duratec action check out the locost forums. There are quite a few builds that use that engine and they seem to love it. From what I hear from those guys you can't go wrong with that engine. I guess it comes down to if you want to mess with carbs or computers.

[flohtingPoint]

If your looking for rwd duratec action check out the locost forums. There are quite a few builds that use that engine and they seem to love it. From what I hear from those guys you can't go wrong with that engine. I guess it comes down to if you want to mess with carbs or computers.

Odd you mention that, I was flipping through those forums last night before bed. I found one of my answers, in regards to where to find a bellhousing to mate to the transverse duratec, now I just need to find out the motor mount situation in regards to moving it to a longitudinal fashion.

[SR24DET]

Seems like your pretty set in you way on one of the 5 you picked. I was thinking quad rotor (2 12A engines) would be sick. That is N/A, light, and makes awsome power. But if your thinking of something not so crazy I cant help. I would just go with the KA. Like others said. 175whp, why go through all the work of a swap of KA power?

[flohtingPoint]

Seems like your pretty set in you way on one of the 5 you picked. I was thinking quad rotor (2 12A engines) would be sick. That is N/A, light, and makes awsome power. But if your thinking of something not so crazy I cant help. I would just go with the KA. Like others said. 175whp, why go through all the work of a swap of KA power?

No, I'm very open to suggestions that fall into the guidelines set in my original post, and is cost efficient within reason. Dropping a ton of cash on a S2k motor is not that. This isn't a project that's going to take place this month or next, this will be something I focus on during the off season for motorsports. My full attention right now is focused on my Corolla and the events in the DC metro area.

As stated before, I'm not going to open the door on my opinion of the KA, as the KA zealots (as with any "insert motor here" zealots) cannot take the fact that someone doesn't like their motor and will flood this thread with non-constructive pro-KA propaganda.