"Thought of going SR, then sobered up."

[spooled240]

Well as some of you already know my engine has some worn/bad rings and i'm gonna need a rebuild soon.compression numbers:#1: 150#2: 150#3: 150#4: 95Doesn't seem too bad but the other day I noticed a lot more oil from blow-by collecting in my catch tank after some hard driving..it just seems like it's getting worse and worse. My transmission is also messed up from running on no oil on the freeway(long story, but it whines pretty loud now and shifts half decent sometimes) my ka-t setup is high maintenance (leaks here and there, exhaust leaks, bolts coming loose, some detonation problem etc.) and i have an issue with the 4th cylinder pinging at 12 psi that i still haven't checked since i'm only running 9 psi now.

So now I'm kinda wondering if i should rebuild the ka, sure it would be cheaper than a sr20 swap but with the swap I'll get a good engine, trans, turbo, and OEM reliability which i need more than power at this point. I'm trying to get the s14 sr20 swap for about 2K (kind of a stretch but they are out there) but it's still all up in the air:

1000 bux for a bottom end rebuild for the ka with some problems vs. 2,000 for a complete sr20det swap

[DroptopDrifting]

well, since you've already gone the ka-t route, maybe now it's time to try somethin else. an s14 sr is a good motorset. try it out, see how you like it. if you ever blow that or get bored of it, try an rb, or a ca. a 240sx is a never ending project car. if anyone ever tells you they've built their car and they're finished, they aren't true 240 enthusiasts

[DevilMB3017]

If you scour enough you can eventually find KA trans for cheap. I'd keep hitting up Craigslist and eBay.

In the meantime, try three quarts Royal Purple gear oil, and one quart of yellow Penzoil Synromesh gear oil. That combination has saved a couple trans that I know of. (Assuming it's 5-speed)

The blow-by you're getting is probably from your shot rings.

Don't give up man! You're almost done!

[sorrowfulkiller]

how is 95 psi in #4 NOT BAD?!

that being said.... if its a full sr20 swap, go for it

[Charlie240sxt]

http://www.car-parts.com

Find a salvage yard ka look hard there are good ones ut there, i found one with 18k once for 600 bucks.but If you where to spend 1.5k on a block and head 500 transmission (used) then bolt back on all the parts u have then you could reach higher power levels later on if you wanted. plus you already know your way around the ka right? 2000 doller s14 sr swap doesnt sound anymore reliable then a rebuild.

[LongIsland240]

spend the money and rebuild the KA with some new rods/pistons/studs, junkyard trans and away you go.

/that 95psi is the cracked ring lands //been there, bring her back!

[GTR PrYdE]

Oem reliability? Come on, when you start to upgrade anything, oem reliabilty goes out the window. So stock sr... yeah reliable, upgraded it will be the same as a kat..

[spooled240]

i consulted my dad and he even thinks I should rebuild. It's making more sense to me...in the end it I will have a rebuilt ka capable of 450 whp and a daily 300 rwhp while still being cheaper than a sr20 swap.

I even modified my brake master cylinder and made a custom bracket for my power steering reservoir to allow the top mount t3/t4 to fit, even the trans can be fixed/replaced for cheap. A lot of blood, sweat, tears and money has went into this ka-t and I feel that rebuilding it would be the right thing to do...this ka24 has NEVER let me down and stranded me so I should return the favor lol.

I'm compiling a list of parts for a rebuild and so far i've come up with:-JE pistons/rings-Brian Crower rods-Bearings (clevite/OEM/etc)-valve seals (need em bad)-timing chain kit? OEM tensioner and chain is like 380? =/

dammit i should make a new thread but oh well

[DroptopDrifting]

$380 for the timing stuff!?!?! where is this? from normal autoparts stores is like a little over 300, from ams its alil over 300 and from frsport its in the 200's. the frsport package doesnt come with gears though.

[Razi]

AMS doesn't include the gears either.FRsport and AMS include pretty much the same things in their kits, but FRsport is like $150 I think.

[DroptopDrifting]

yeah frsport was crazy cheap when i bought mine. that was 3 yrs ago though so i forgot exactly how much, 150 sounds right

[GTR PrYdE]

AMS doesn't include the gears either.FRsport and AMS include pretty much the same things in their kits, but FRsport is like $150 I think.

I just bought the 150 timing kit off frsport, looked nice, and all the reviews i've found on OSK, I didn't find any failures..

I've only put 200 miles on the car, so i'll report later if anything happens

[GTR PrYdE]

Is there a reason BC rods are $100 more than Eagle? Are they any better?

[DevilMB3017]

Is there a reason BC rods are $100 more than Eagle? Are they any better?

BC Rods, AFAIK, are just re-badged Manley parts. Manley part number 14401-4. You should try calling them up and see how much they are direct. (http://www.manleyperformance.com/contact.shtml)

[sunnys14]

Its $2000 for a complete SR20 BONE STOCK engine swap.

I went from ka-t to SR and back to ka-t because SR20's didn't have the wow factor I thought it had. The torque that the ka-t has just won't be there in a SR20.

Rebuild time.

[spooled240]

the sprockets don't seem like they would need to be replaced

Its $2000 for a complete SR20 BONE STOCK engine swap.

I went from ka-t to SR and back to ka-t because SR20's didn't have the wow factor I thought it had. The torque that the ka-t has just won't be there in a SR20.

Rebuild time.

I see, to be honest with you I have never ridden in a sr powered car so I can't really compare...but I have grown accustomed to the daily driven 250-270 whp which is a pretty far cry from the bone stock 170 whp the sr20 would give me.

[1mansho]

i say rebuild the ka. sr20's are high in mileage anyway for what it is and chances are your gonna have to rebuild it. Id rather have a built ka-t than a stock sr20. If you think about it, looking at all the ka-t's that have made great power and reliably at over 100k miles is pretty darn good. Sr's at that mileage would definately break down.

[WDRacing]

Pop the head off, Pop the pan off, run a flex hone through the bad cylinder, install a used rod/piston/ring combo and press on. I've done this exact thing on a few RB20's. Worked like a champ and its cheaper/easier then rebuilding the whole damn motor. I guarantee someone right here on NICO can give you a rod/piston combo. Then just buy some new rings...done and done.

WD

[spooled240]

i say rebuild the ka. sr20's are high in mileage anyway for what it is and chances are your gonna have to rebuild it. Id rather have a built ka-t than a stock sr20. If you think about it, looking at all the ka-t's that have made great power and reliably at over 100k miles is pretty darn good. Sr's at that mileage would definately break down.

my thoughts exactly..It would be MORE expensive and MORE work for a 170whp stock sr20 swap and cheaper to rebuild the ka. Plus I hear the sr20det's aren't all that crazy with the stock turbo's.

Pop the head off, Pop the pan off, run a flex hone through the bad cylinder, install a used rod/piston/ring combo and press on. I've done this exact thing on a few RB20's. Worked like a champ and its cheaper/easier then rebuilding the whole damn motor. I guarantee someone right here on NICO can give you a rod/piston combo. Then just buy some new rings...done and done.

WD

hmmmm you got me thinking now WD..My goal for this car is 300 rwhp tops so should I even buy forged rods? I hear the stock rods can handle 350 hp and I doubt I would break them at 280-300rwhp..and plus I'm on a pretty tight budget so saving 400 bucks would be nice.

If I were to go that route I could just replace the stock pistons with some 9.5:1 JE stock bore forged pistons and rings and i'll be set.

[WDRacing]

Dude...for 300whp goals use ALL stock parts. Hell use stock USED parts if they are available. The stock rods bend at or near 450 FOOT Lbs...thats important to remember. The rpm that the rotating assembly is taken to will also determine the life span. Under 7k rpm and 350whp means you can run stock parts ALL day long brosef.

The pistons aren't nearly as fragile as people make them out to be. If you avoid detonation they will last longer then the rods. Tuning Tuning Tuning!!!

WD

[DevilMB3017]

I think the name of this thread should be changed now...

"Thought of going SR, then sobered up."

[WDRacing]

I think the name of this thread should be changed now...

"Thought of going SR, then sobered up."

Agreed...

[TwoFoutyEsEx]

Yeah well If you post this topic in the SR section I bet youd recieve a lot of SR biased replys as well.

[WDRacing]

Only from people that biased because of ignorance. The SR is a great motor, but definitly not worth it when all you have to do is rebuild the current KAT. $2000 vs like $150 isn't even compareable...

It's not a SR vs KAT thread, just a "what are my options" kinda thing.

[DevilMB3017]

Only from people that biased because of ignorance. The SR is a great motor, but definitly not worth it when all you have to do is rebuild the current KAT. $2000 vs like $150 isn't even compareable...

It's not a SR vs KAT thread, just a "what are my options" kinda thing.

And that $150 will net more hp/tq then an SR swap...Not to mention the tons less work involved.

If I had a stock KA that blew up, I'd highly consider going SR because it's a good price/amount of work as a starting point. We don't tend to hate on SR's in here... lol

Btw WD, glad you agreed on the title

[WDRacing]

Btw WD, glad you agreed on the title

[spooled240]

LMAO at the title

I didn't want to post this up in the sr section cuz 1) I don't know any of those guys2) Most of those guys don't really know the potential of the ka (everyone knows about the sr tho)3) I am 99% sure I would've gotten swarmed with "Go sr mang!!"

the sr is not a bad motor but considering my options and budget at this point it only seems practical to drop the money on a rebuild...which can be even cheaper if I keep the stock parts like WD said. This is definitely NOT a KA vs. SR thread nor do I want it to be..I know the pro's and con's of each motor and I wouldn't mind going with either of them. But 3K for a stock 170whp s14 sr20det swap is just too much for me.

I have 140,000 miles on my motor, if I were to do the "bare essentials build" I would need:-rings (maybe "total seal" rings? hehe) $100-ish-pistons (or maybe only one for #4?) OEM piston $60-timing chain kit $150-full gasket set $200total= about 500 bucks with all new rings and gaskets/seals

**my #4 did go through some pinging at 12 psi for a little while I might need to bore that b**** =/

[Razi]

Hilarious title.

Good info in it too.

[240sxvaj]

i got my transmission for $50 because the guy went sr and it works perfect!!!i like Ka-t. i think you should get racing lower comp. pistons, rods, etc....have a fully built bottom block. you will be happy when you decide to up the boost.

it's all up to you.

[sorrowfulkiller]

don't forget that you're gonna need bearings, headstuds, and it would be a good idea to swap out the water pump and/or oil pump depending on how many miles are on them