What am I forgetting in KA buildup?

[DaveEEE]

Here goes....

Pauter rodsRoss pistonsNew engine gasket set from nissan (stock headgasket)ARP Head and main studsO-ringed blockNew Timing Chain kit from nissanMSD 72lb injectorsCustom fuel railInjector harnessCobra MAFSJWT ECUApexi SAFCKoyo Aluminum RadiatorFlex-A-Lite dual 12" electric fans

Dear god I hope there isn't something major I am forgetting... Hah.

Thanks.

-David, 93 ka24det

[george]

some decent engine management, fuel pump, if i was you i would ditch the radiator and fans and go with some after market cams and head work, nismo fuel pressure regulator you can get it at JWT. my ka uses stock cooling system and i race in hot weather has never overheated. just my 2 cents

[DaveEEE]

JWT ecu and apexi SAFC is decent for a street car IMO. I already have a walboro fuel pump which came with my nsport kit, as well as the FMU.

-dave

[george]

actually the JWT and afc are complete garbage, sorry to tell you

[george]

$700 to reprogram an ecu that cost JWT $25. wow thats a great deal. sign me up. dude do yourself a favor and go with an SDS system.

[DaveEEE]

ecu re-program is $500...

Gah.

-dave

[BinaryVertigo]

the koyo rad and flex dual 12 are goin to be around 5-6 bills?i say just get some hotrod rad from summit (i forget which but FA should have your answer) and a 15" fan from a truck or something...that should free you up like 300-400 which can be put towards your head work... just very very mild port and POLISH...i emphasize on polish because a radical port isn't all that necessary but a good polish job would do wonders. you might want to port match the RH manifold that you have too if it's not already ported

GL and keep us posted on how it goes-demitri

[WDRacing]

I agree with most of the above. Cams and head work should be a must. But go with Summit and grab a better cooling system. Atleast a decent elec fan. The stock rad should be fine.

SDS is ok, but I like Haltech. I guess it depends on how much cash you have. The HKS SAFR is better then the SAFC just in case you go that way. I've seen a few 500hp Skylines tuned with the SAFC and other similar piggy backs.

One thing I noticed, you said stock headgasket. Does that mean your pistons are going to be a lower CR. If not then go with a thicker metal type headgasket. Also, I was under the impression that an Oringed block coincided with an Oringed head and a special head gasket.

WD

[I am Technoman]

A 2 mill steel head gasket will give you 8.5.1 compression. And the ARP head bolt set will do wonders.

[detforme]

what exactly is oringing the block. Ive never heard that before

[SSDwellah]

what exactly is oringing the block. Ive never heard that before

Well I'm not too familiar with it so bear with me, but it involves cutting a groove in the block and head around the cylinders and then putting a wire in it. So when the head is reinstalled the wire squeezes into the grooves and there will be a strong seal where the cylinders meet the head (stronger than just a head gasket can provide).

[Exar-Kun]

thats how I understand it, that also removed the need for the metal head gasket.

-chet

[cnichols]

O-ringing the block and a metal headgasket aren't necessary in my opinion unless you're running really high amounts of boost. There is no reason the stock head gasket won't hold unless you're detonating. Don't detonate, and you shouldn't have to worry about it.

Also, DO NOT change your compression by changing the head gasket thickness. This is just WRONG. Only change your compression using pistons!!! DO NOT CHANGE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR HEAD GASKET OR USE DIFFERENT ROD LENGTHS TO ACHIEVE A DIFFERENT COMPRESSION RATIO!!!

[WDRacing]

O-ringing the block and a metal headgasket aren't necessary in my opinion unless you're running really high amounts of boost. There is no reason the stock head gasket won't hold unless you're detonating. Don't detonate, and you shouldn't have to worry about it.

Also, DO NOT change your compression by changing the head gasket thickness. This is just WRONG. Only change your compression using pistons!!! DO NOT CHANGE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR HEAD GASKET OR USING DIFFERENT ROD LENGTHS!!

Not that I really disagree, but I just like to argue certain points.

If your not using lower CR pistons then a head gasket will work just fine to lower the CR. Some peope can't afford a new bottom end. So saying you shouldn't or how did you put it, DO NOT use a thicker head gasket, isn't really the best terminology. I'd say it would be better to use pistons...but do what you have to. I put 498HP down with a 2mm headgasket and stock internals.

WD

[george]

you could run up to 25 psi on a stocker head gasket though

[cnichols]

Not that I really disagree, but I just like to argue certain points.

If your not using lower CR pistons then a head gasket will work just fine to lower the CR. Some peope can't afford a new bottom end. So saying you shouldn't or how did you put it, DO NOT use a thicker head gasket, isn't really the best terminology. I'd say it would be better to use pistons...but do what you have to. I put 498HP down with a 2mm headgasket and stock internals.

WD

But certain engines could respond differently to changes in the head gasket thickness...for some engines, the quench area may not be adversely affected...for others...it could be disastrous...who knows. Best to play it safe in my opinion. I just like doing things the right way from the beginning.

[george]

dont fix it if it aint gonna break

[Movingviolation240]

I've replaced WAY too many headgaskets on Turbo KA's to think that the stock one is safe at anything above 20psi.

And David I'd skip out on the ECU and SAFC and go with a Haltech, SDS, or at least a Greddy Emanage and some dyno time. You'll make more HP and spend less money (if you shop around that is) not to mention it would be safer.

A little bit of headwork is good, but go easy on the porting, I've seen a few ported KA heads and almost all of them are cracked now. Definatly do a valvejob and some polishing. You've got a '91 right? so cams wouldn't be required unless you want really big numbers.

PaulOrlando, FL

[lestion]

Guys,

I know this has probably been covered and God knows I searched and found tons of stuff on it, but please just offer me some insight if you would, you guys are vastly more experienced on this topic than I no matter what I read . The car is a '96 240SX with a turbo kit on the way. It is a daily driver that will have forged all bottom end components, 550cc injectors, 255 lph Walbro HP fuel pump, and I would LOVE to see 450hp out of it. I already have an order assigned to me at JWT and was getting ready to send in my payment. PLEASE tell me, am I wasting my money? Will the car run good without it? I don't have the time to spend tuning a Haltec or SDS because of my work schedule, so the JWT thing seemed like a good idea? I beg you one last time to answer a newb and not flame me too badly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

Marc

[DaveEEE]

450hp? You better switch those injectors in favor of some 72lb'ers... They will do you much better.

-dave

[95_240sx]

Personally, I believe in the JWT computer and the S-AFC, But JWT wont tell you to run them together. Chris may has made 438 rwhp with a JWT Computer, no AFC. He could have made more, but the turbo actually cavitated, or started sucking a void where there was no air. So whenever I get ready to put some electronics in car, ill definately be going with the JWT, unless I want to make a full blown race car.

Just me .2cents

Rick

[lestion]

Thanks for the input!! Anyone else? As King Aurthur wielding Excalibur, I call upon your power

[cnichols]

I just picked up a Holley Commander 950 for "4 cylinder imports"....looks pretty damn good so far...going to read up on it tonight. I paid $582 for it...cheaper than JWT...and I would hope a he!! of a lot better due to that adjustability. It's an entire stanadalone engine management system for distributor ignitions....comes with MAP sensor, Serial plug-in for computer tuning (Windows), O2 sensor, etc....

I've got the JWT....getting rid of it if you're interested.

[cnichols]

Personally, I believe in the JWT computer and the S-AFC, But JWT wont tell you to run them together. Chris may has made 438 rwhp with a JWT Computer, no AFC. He could have made more, but the turbo actually cavitated, or started sucking a void where there was no air. So whenever I get ready to put some electronics in car, ill definately be going with the JWT, unless I want to make a full blown race car.

Just me .2cents

Rick

From your mod list it looks like you are building a full blown race car :icesangel

I would hate for you to have all that done only to watch it blow up because JWT's tuning was off. I highly recommend going standalone...yes, it will be a pain in the A$$, but once you're done you'll have that experience, not to mention the added safety of knowing everything that's going on in your engine and an extra 20+ horses.

[ITR_KILLR]

i run a JWT on my DET powered 200SX, with absolutely no prob. I would like to know who thinks that their "tuning is off", i have never heard such. I'm eventually going to add an S-AFC, or use Emanage, but as long as the car is my daily driver, I'm using JWT, its the safest engine management IMO

[WDRacing]

If I paid to have my ECU rewritten, then I wouldn't expect to have to install a SAFC to get it tuned properly.

WD

[ITR_KILLR]

i dont need the AFC to tune it properly, it already is.....i want the AFC to get the LAST LITTLE BIT OF POWER LEFT, the JWT is tuned a little conservatively, WITH GOOD REASON!! do you know anyone who has blown a motor, due to engine management, that used a JWT ecu?????

[ITR_KILLR]

the bottom line is......

different people need different things, hey, if everybody used the same thing, it would be kinda boring, wouldn't it:D , i think the JWT is a great choice for a street car

[george]

ITR killer how much boost are you running? and if you ever decide to run nitrous, or aqua mist, or pick up the top end a little, or run a larger turbo, or tune the car for different racing JWT will charge you four times what you paid for the initial program. i mean its like 700 for the stage 1, then stage 2 is 200 and if you wanna run nitrous its 400 extra. look at how expensive that is just for reprograming. your not even getting a product just Clark Stepller's chip.also the jwt cant adjust to different conditons quick enough to save the engine if something goes wrong. i respect your descision to use it but i think you should look at it like this, you get an infnitely better product for less cash...that cant be bad?

[Movingviolation240]

JWT just runs their motors WAY too rich and IMHO leaves a bit too much ignition timing in the program.