Truck Motor?

[justmerging]

I have a quick question and maybe someone can either confirm or deny my logic here. Everyone says that the KA is a truck motor. Well the fact of the matter is, the 240 saw both versions of the KA long before the hardbody/frontier.

The KA24E in the pignose s13 was released the end of 88 for the 89 model year and lasted until the end of 90. The DE was released in 91 and lasted the rest of the 240's lifespan. Now when the Hardbody was released it came with the Z24i until 91 when it received the SOHC KA. and the DE didn't make it into the truck lineup until 97 when the frontier was released.

Does anyone else see this failed logic or am I just missing a huge part of Nissan's history. Please post your thoughts as this has really been bothering me these past couple of days and I need the peace of mind.

[Nismo_Freak]

They say it's a truck motor because...

1. It was put in the hardbody / frontier 2. It doesn't like to rev3. It has a long stroke 4. It makes alot of midrange but dies up top

Just like a "truck engine".

[justmerging]

but the fact still remains it was in the 240 before the trucks. i would chock the rest of that up to poor engineering on Nissan's part.

[ILikeMy240sx]

maybe Nissan knew that they would put it in a truck or maybe they didn;t but we will never know...

I think the major reason why they decided to make it perform like a "truck" engine is because they wanted to compete with v6 mustangs... making 4 cylinders torquier than other import 4 cylinders.

I think in doing so Nissan just decided to put that motor in a truck later on to save R&D cost... but who knows

[SeVa-S13]

Car companies use the same engine for quite a few cars and always have. The engine in the 350Z is just a tuned up version of what's in the Quest--omg lolol teh 3fiddy is a van omfgrofl. Neg...

[supra brit]

I just think it's funny that people say "truck motor" like it's a bad thing...the Viper's engine is also in a truck, but does anyone bash that? No. I mean, personally, I'd rather have a "truck motor" than, I don't know, a 1.6L 4cyl Honda fart...and cams will solve the lacking of top-end problem.

[justmerging]

I'd rather have 2 fat hamsters than a 1.6l honda chunk of steel. You can't really call it much of a motor.lol.

[98s14inaz]

You don't need to rev high when you make your power down low and have displacement.

[ILikeMy240sx]

I like my KA. who cares if people call it a truck motor... atleast my motor is bigger than a bottle of soda(pop) unlike 1.6L hondahss

[turtl631]

the KA just has a lower powerband than the SR...the total amount of usable power is pretty similar. plus, 6500-6900 rpm redline (depending on KA model/year) isnt too bad, considering that my mom's minivan, my friends saturn, etc, have redlines around 5000-5500. IF the KA redlined that low, then it would be more laughable..

[justmerging]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not laughing at the KA it just kinda bothers me when people refer to it as a truck motor because that is an inaccurate statement. I think the KA can be a very potent motor.

I am actually rebuilding(more like overhauling) a KA for a kid around the corner from me for turbo and it will probably blow my SR out of the water when it's finished. it's got torque, but so does my SR. That's not something Honduh can say. Even there 2.2 doesn't put out but like 135 ft/lbs(don't quote me on that, i don't really know hondas specs on all their motors)

[ILikeMy240sx]

ehhh honda torque=lug-nut torque specs

[justmerging]

[WeldingHank]

what others don't know is, that the SR20 was the engine of choice for the nissan trucks of japan. so pot, call the kettle black.

[justmerging]

I did not know that. hmmmmm. But you don't ever hear the SR being refferred to as a truck motor.

[Nismo_Freak]

what others don't know is, that the SR20 was the engine of choice for the nissan trucks of japan. so pot, call the kettle black.

I have never seen a Navara, or Patrol (Ute versions included) with a stock SR20DE engine in them.

They have RD, ZD, TB, TD, VG, KA, Z, etc.

The only "truck"esque vehicle to have an SR was the X-Trail to my knowledge, and at 280ps it's nothing to scoff at.

Perhaps you can substantuate your claim? I'd be interested to learn something about the Nissan trucks in Japan.

[Nismo_Freak]

maybe Nissan knew that they would put it in a truck or maybe they didn;t but we will never know...

I think the major reason why they decided to make it perform like a "truck" engine is because they wanted to compete with v6 mustangs... making 4 cylinders torquier than other import 4 cylinders.

I think in doing so Nissan just decided to put that motor in a truck later on to save R&D cost... but who knows

V6 Mustangs were not even close to the same market as the 240SX.

The KA was put in the 240 cause Nissan felt they couldn't infringe on n/a 300ZX sales by putting in the stronger SR20DET engine. So they used a readily available motor that made alot of torque (which is what they thought the US market wanted anyways) and slapped it into the 240.

[Nismo_Freak]

I did not know that. hmmmmm. But you don't ever hear the SR being refferred to as a truck motor.

Thats because they rev to 7200 - 7600 in stock trim, and they also rev alot quicker than the KA counterpart. The two engines drive alot differently.

[Nismo_Freak]

I just think it's funny that people say "truck motor" like it's a bad thing...the Viper's engine is also in a truck, but does anyone bash that? No. I mean, personally, I'd rather have a "truck motor" than, I don't know, a 1.6L 4cyl Honda fart...and cams will solve the lacking of top-end problem.

Yeah, honestly there is nothing wrong with the KA. It just isn't blessed with alot of power immediately at the factory. So alot of people give it crap for obvious reasoning.

[Nismo_Freak]

You don't need to rev high when you make your power down low and have displacement.

No but revving high is always an advantage. The higher the engine revs the more power it has the potential to make, and the faster the gear ratios can be.

An obvious case and point to this fact is the "torqueless" Honda motors you guys keep refering to. Using Type-R ratios up in the 4.60's it doesn't take a whole lot of torque to be made a 8000+ rpms for that Honda to humble the "mighty torque monster" KA (or any other motor for that matter), but I guess ignorance is bliss eh?

[Nismo_Freak]

I don't understand why you people put so much stock into what some person calls a particular engine.

So what if it's a truck motor... they are smooth engines and have alot of ability.

[Vkoslak]

Probably more VGs in trucks and SUVs than KAs.:x

my 300zx twin turbo has a SUV motor! :p

And nismofreak is a post whore

[justmerging]

And my pathfinder has a Z motor. sweeeeeeeeet!