What turbo kit?

[Dave Coleman]

Working on a story for SCC and had a few KA questions for you guys.

1: What turbo kits are most common/popular/good? Or are you just getting manifolds, turbos, intercoolers and all separately? If so, what manifolds?

2: I'm assuming this is all KA24DE turbo fun, not KA24E. How common are KA24E turbos?

3: Anybody want to guess how much power you can make for how much money? Nothing conclusive, just a few data points might be nice.

Thanks.

-Dave Coleman

[S13Ka24e]

Working on a story for SCC and had a few KA questions for you guys.

1: What turbo kits are most common/popular/good? Or are you just getting manifolds, turbos, intercoolers and all separately? If so, what manifolds?

2: I'm assuming this is all KA24DE turbo fun, not KA24E. How common are KA24E turbos?

3: Anybody want to guess how much power you can make for how much money? Nothing conclusive, just a few data points might be nice.

Thanks.

-Dave Coleman

1. Most people who use turbo kits go with an f-max and nsport kits. I feel that nsport is the best kit out there.

But i would say more peolpe piece a kit together because you can usually piece a kit together for far less than the nsport and f-max kits.

It seems that people get there manifolds from all over. Revhard makes one that many people have said that it cracks. It seems more and more people use a "header kit" from http://www.jgstools.com/turbo/ because with a little welding you can get a good manifold for only $250. For the ka24e people a company named realnissan (http://realnissan.com/info.asp) they make ka24de manifolds too but i have never heard of anyone using one. I know Unstable hybrids makes a manifold too (http://unstable-hybrids.com/).

2. Alot of people use the ka24de but this doesn't mean that people don't use the ka24e. In fact one of our monitors have a very fast ka24e (ADAMHU). The company realnissan makes a ka24e turbo kit. I believe on this board we have a few ka24e-T projects this summer and i think we will see more and more of them soon (including myself).

3. Money, how fast you want to go and how reliably. There are people who have made a non i/c kit for less than $1000 and can make over 200hp to the wheels. It seems quite common that people make around 240hp at 7psi. There is one guy here making 262rwhp at one 7psi with a nsport kit. I feel that you can peice together a kit for the 240sx for around $2500-3000 that will make 230-240hp at 7psi safely and reliably. But there are plenty of people who do it for less than $2000.

Good luck with the story, i'm sure other members will add stuff too.

[king_johnthegreat]

It may be common knowledge, but Turbonetics has recently acquired F-Max Fabrications, meaning that they are now the source for all of F-Max's kits. Looking back, I believe that F-Max was using Turbonetics' equipment to piece together their kits (Manifold, turbo, wastegate, likely even intercoolers, etc.). I believe that RealNissan does the same (My company produces kits using Turbonetics parts, and the manifolds appear 100% identical). It is also NOT common knowledge, but Turbonetics manufactures two manifolds that fit the 240SX; one is a T4/Deltagate configuration, and the other is a T3/Deltagate config. All of S13KA24E's figures are correct and accurate, so restating that would be redundant. I have seen stock bottom ends hold around 350 hp, and a few even that have held up to 400, for a time. I've seen kits that price for $3,600 to $4,200 as the highest price bracket. Again, good luck!

[silviaNE]

Alot of people are using revhard manifolds and a variety of turbos, t3/t4 combos are pretty popular. Also many people are buying intercooler kits designed for sr20de s13s,s14s and modifying the piping. Which is real easy espesically on the s14 models. i am runnin g a ka24de in my s14 with a custom tubular manifold and t4 turbonetics with external wastegate. As you mentioned in this months SCC learning how to use a welder is valuable. I made my own manifold with some flanges i bought off of e-bay. It took a bit of time, but the rersults are great. Looks way better then a cast one and the powerband is much nicer then the revhard on the topend. You should mention us in the article. The popularity and parts availibility for ka engines is growing. There are a lot of people who dont want Srs. I like the bottom end tourqe and with a turbo kit the power is great for real world driving. I dont care for engines that you have to rev all the way up to stay in the powerband. You guys get a lot of flak for some of your articles, but your information and opinions are usually very honest and accurate. thanks, and help spread the word of boost.

adam

[DaveEEE]

Fmax and Nsport kits are the most widely used, as stated above. I absolutely love my Nsport kit. The parts and overall quality of everything were very pleasing to me at the time of purchase last summer. I have also heard good things on FMAX, however I am not all that pleased with the turbonetics deal....

A basic bolt on KA24DE turbo kit will get you an easy 230-250rwhp at 0.5bar. It's very nice. Anyway, thanks for dropping in Dave, let us know if you have any more questions.



-Dave, 93 Nsport KA24DET (Now Stage 3)

[nismofan14]

Turbonetics released their own kit for the KA. It looks pretty sweet, uses a t3/4 hybrid turbo with spearco fmic, turbonetics raptor bypass valve, turbontics mark IV external wastegate, additional injectors, injector controller, and ign. controller. 8lbs. of boost but the kit can be custom tailored to your order for bigger turbo or boost level. If ya wanna read more about it check it out in the june issue of SCC or turbonetics . I think i will be going this route instead of an sr. Oh, the kit cost $3799.

[C-Kwik]

IIRC, F-Max was recently acquired by Turbonetics. So their kit may actually be the turbonetics kit. I'm pretty sure the acquisition took place, but I can't verify it since I can't seem to get into the turbonetics site right now. I remember rearing it there.

I personally like a lot of the design aspects of the Nsport Kit. Still not a perfect kit to me, since I'd go with aTiAL wastegate, and a different BOV/DV. The F-Max kit has similar quality, but I prefer the larger T04 turbine.

I'm running an XS Engineering kit now, and it's great, but has really long intercooler piping since it doubles back over the I/C, and the wastegate comes in a divorced set-up. It was rather embarrassing to boost since it got so loud. I've had it plumbed back in since.

Most of the issues with the Rev-Hard Manifold seem to be from the flange being a single piece. Drilling the holes for the head-to-manifold studs can help relieve some stress as well. When I spoke with a turbonetics rep at SEMA a few years ago, they said their manifold for the KA(T4) is a revhard mani. I haven't been able to verify this though. If I have to replace my Rev-hard mani though, I will instead try to get my hands on this:

http://www.executivecleancar.c...x.htm

As far as power, some with F-Max kits with the 50lb injectors and JWT ECU have reached 350 HP at the wheels at 15 psi on stock internals.

[AceInhole]

1. 3 out of 4 KAt's around here that I know of are all built from the ground up. The one using the FMax kit is currently "out of service".

2. Been answered. :p

3: Anybody want to guess how much power you can make for how much money? Nothing conclusive, just a few data points might be nice.

My setup reportedly cost $996

The parts list can be found here: http://www.engr.uconn.edu/~cor...t.txt

Looking back, I probably could've done it for a lot less. Somewhere in the $800's. The needle valve wasn't necessary, as was the turbo rebuild kit. I also found cheaper prices on nitrile hose at commercial truck stores instead of RRE.

None of the parts or prices are "special". Anyone willing to do some searching and waiting should be able to obtain all the same parts at around the same costs.

Right now:Boost is stable at up to 7psi. Had some problems above that but I think they're fixed now. Not bothering to run more than 7 cause without a VLSD, anything more is virtually tire spinning uselessness.0-60 is a very consistent 5.3 (5.1 was the max when boost was turned up slightly). Haven't done a 1/4 mile yet... hoping to soon.Power output I'd say is around 220whp or so. Orion on nearly the same setup did like 225whp with no intercooler. I have a smaller turbo than he does (much smaller) but I've got a sidemount to make it up.

The car is a 1995 240sx with a 1997 KA24DE. It's been autocrossed 5 times so far with the turbo on, and I drive it every day.

And for the record: I've never been beaten by an SR20DET in my class at an autocross.(ok... maybe that was uncalled for....)

[slipsr20]

hey AceInhole are you for real about that set up? that seems pretty low for a ka-t kit!?also were did you get that custom work on the down pipe and the turbo extesion?(if there is one?) also I have a 92 240sx and am looking tword the nsport or go sr20det? I'm not going cheap but would like low cost parts!email at [email protected]! have lots of questions!!!!!!!!and to WD(the moderator) email me on the kits that you will be making? that would be great!

[silviaNE]

Mr Coleman, with all do respect, please due not cause our beloved 240sx to be riced out. I used to be a big honda fan and enjoyed your mag in the mid 90s but after 97 i saw what was happening and moved on to something different. I have been tinkering with 240s for 4 years now and have enjoyed the sleeper status. after your $3000 silvia !!!!!! article the price of sr20s went up the roof. Now if you you do this to rb motors, the same shall happen. Now i do know that if you dont do it, someone else shall. I know that you have a job to do. But dont go advertising cheap rwd hp car ideas. What ever happened to those $800 SR ENGINES YOU TALKED ABOUT?? I dont mean to rant and rave, just that i dont want to move on to some other car. How about you do an articale on people turboing the KA24DE motors instead. Stray away from the (jdm) stuff and focus on what most people have to work with. thanks

[WDRacing]

Thats a sweet list Ace...How does the Nitrile hosing work? Your using that for IC plumbing right?? I used some PVC as well as rubber tubing on my Skyline...I too am a shade tree kinda guy.

This is a great thread, lots of good honest opinions. Although its nice to see Turbonetics getting involved in making turbo kits for our cars, it makes a tad bit more difficult for new tuners like me to get a foot hold. Guess I'll have to sell for even cheaper.

Slip, I think I emailed you already, I don't have a ton of info on the kits yet. Mostly cause I'm in Japan and they don't exist yet. But I pretty much have things sorted out. I just need to figure out my fuel management. I'm pretty sure I'll be the only guy selling a stage 3 kit tuned for 15-20 psi for under what the other guys sell a kit tuned for 5-7...

WD