Question regarding KA24DE cyl-head on KA24E

[placham]

I'm sure this has been asked, probably many times before. I have searched and could not get a clear answer to this.

1. Will a KA24DE DOHC Cylinder head fit a KA24E SOHC block?2. Does the DOHC head have to be from a specific year or 91 to 98 is ok?3. Are heads from 240's DOHC and SOHC interchangable on KA24 blocks?4. What do I also need besides the Cylinder head (I know Electrical(wires,ECM), PS pump and lines, complete Intake manifold, MAF)?5. Which parts of the front cover do I need (the cover comes in like two pieces right, bottom, and top)?6. The distributor (along with wires) will have to be replaced right?7. Is there any difference between oil pumps, if I recall correctly it sits on bottom (Left side when loking at engine from front)?8. Is the interior wiring from a 95, 96 240sx similar(plug 'n' play) to a 91+ 240sx, because I will have to go with newer gauge cluster because of the tach RPM signal. And I dont think that 95+ gauge cluster fits the older 240's right?

That's as much as I can recall right now, for the information that I think I will need to know. And again SORRY if this was covered before, I though that this would be somewhere in the KA section in sticky or FAQ's, but I culdn't find it.

P.S. I did not mention exhaust manifold because I would be planing on going turbo in future.

THANKS

[neverlift]

way out of order answers. you will need an exhaust manifold for the new head,flange is way different and was changed a couple times. yes it will fit you will need the head ,intake,exhaust,dizzy,ps&lines,timing cover(one piece IIRC),ecu,cluster,plug wires, and other things you would have found if tried to find. Yes its been over. Not going to get on you much seeing you look like you are just reassuring yourself before the build. But like I have and will say, its been over a few times. I still would like to say goodluck with the build, and be glad I didnt tell you its not possible like I did the last few. LOL

[placham]

Yeah I have serached. I have also looked on the net at head gasket and they are very similar, besides the front timing cover part being bigger on the DOHC.

I was planing on geting the head and the cams off of a car in a salvage yard, its the 95 or 96 240sx zenki front end(not sure of the year). I know that it could be a hit and miss because of getting the parts from junkyard, not knowing the condition of them.

The DOHC head with cams is like $58, intake manifold would be $40 plus the electrical wires and components like fuel injectors(Side feed) and distributor.So I'm looking at about $250 in parts about.

I just wanted to make sure that the head fits without any major modifications. Research first is the best way when assemblying something your not entirerly familiar with.

THANKS for the response

[scruffy63]

what is your reason for doing this. A guy named smug or something like that was the first on nico to do this I believe. Your gonna need to make a plate b/c the timing cover won't cover everything I think. I'll just look for the thread.brb.

zerothread?id=40742

there ya go. That will answer all of your question. It looks like you have quite a bit of reading to do. But don't feel too bad. I read it all too(3 years ago LOL) Keep us updated or better yet after you read let us know if you still think its worth it to do this. IMHO its not worth it.the sohc is 1 million times easier to work with. I will never touch a dohc. but thats just me.

[placham]

Hey thanks scruffy63 for the link, for some reason the pics on the first page dont work. Dont realy need them but it would be good to see them. Anyway I got the KA24E in my 90 240sx with Auto trany. Car is currently striped down interior and exterior, engine trany is out and front body panels/hood is off. I guess you can say I'm restoring the car, but I'm doing more of modifications as Iput it back together. It's a '90 car in midwest so it has it's shear of rust on it, seen lots of salt here. Actualy I just bot the car registered today, had some problems with the title/pink slip, guy that sold me the car was not the actualy owner. But I got that streightened out today, besides the condition of the car I'm a happy 240sx owner.

That's a little background on the car. Well the first thing that will go is the trany 5speed will be going in with the engine, if I decide to go with KA. I'm not sure what I want to do eather KA-turbo or RB 20 or 25, defenatly not SR.The money that it will cost me to get RB 20 or 25 and running would equal a nicely built KA-turbo. If I got RB 20,25, I would also have to put extra parts into it to modify it.

I have allready research the RB series motors. And I know exactly what I need to make them work in 240.

Now I'm researching or exploring the possibilities of the KA motor.

I defenetly know if I go with KA I will want to turbo it in future.

About the DOHC or DE, it just seemes easier to turbo them because there is more parts for them on Ebay(which is not the best place to get parts, probably not that good of a quality eather but their cheap)

SOHC have less parts to turbo them, I have seen a turbo manifold on ebay for the SOHC from (I think it was) AutoChrome or something like that (is that good quality part?)

I just want to research the KA24 E/DE and see what works and what does't I'm not knocking on SOHC, after all it's a cast iron block.

By the way I will be doing all the work, by myself except machine work when required or when aplicable. I graduated UTI(Universal Technical Institute), where I gained automotive/diesel knowledge. I guess the school was fine, but it's not the school that can teach ya, it's the student that wants to learn.

THANKS, sorry 4 speling.

[scruffy63]

Well The rb20 should be out of the question unless you just want to be able to say you have an rb. Parts will be a pain in butt to find for it. And if you are on a budget then you don't want the 25. The sr would be the easiest way for you to turbo the car. But if your like me you don't like the sr. All I know is I've never seen or heard of a sr20de pushing more than 130 stock. Since you seem like you want a de you should buy a junk or running ka24de and do a stock rebuild then turbo then drop it in.

According to what azhitman said the cast iron block of the ka does nothing but make the motor heavier. most new engines are all aluminum. I like the single b/c of its simplicity. Its very easy to work on. I can reach anything in my engine bay easily.And I know this may sound stupid but the way I see it, the less parts you have the less parts you have that can go bad. Plus you only gotta buy 1 cam.

[placham]

Yeah rb20 one ebay run for about 1000 to 1300 USD plus shipping which would be another 300USD. ~1500USD or so would equal a nicely built SOHC or DOHC. RB25 is about twice more, plus custom driveshaft. Dont the DOHC have piston squirters, I think I heard that somewhere, dont know about SOHC because never had it apart.

I will go to the junkyard this saturday, thay had a 95-96 240sx. Engine looked complete dont know the odometer reading. I might get the complete DOHC with wiring and ECM and get a manual trany from an older 240 they had. Then I will have a SOHC and a DOHC. If I get it I will turbo the DOHC and have the SOHC as a back-up motor or bare block.

You have a SOHC, I believe it's turbo? How does it run, where did you get parts for it. I have seen valves, valve springs, metal head gaskets, exhaust manifolds on ebay (exhaust manifold probably was not of a good quality).

The SOHC intake manifold reminds me of a CA18DET.