Help Help Help, KA-T detonation, I'm a newb

[superfasteddie]

Hey guys, first real post, be nice. Just bought an s13 a month ago. Have a few bucks to spend and need to make her reliable and safe. I think she started a little detonation problem today and I need help.

the car:
1992 DOHC KA new head gasket, timing chain, etc. etc. 130k miles
T25 from sr20
RHD manifold
3" DP straight back
2" hotside
frount mount intercooler
2.5" cold side
Greddy BOV
Walbro 255
Blitz turbo gauge
clutch/suspension blah blah blah
I always buy brand name 91 Octane (duh)
Timing is retarded, running 16-17 I think

SO: don't laugh I didn't build it, but need to fix some things. It has no fuel management ie stock fuel pressure regulation, stock ecu, stock MAF, stock injectors, and I'm running .54 bar on the boost gauge at peak.

I drive like granny 80% of the time. It was hot today here in Socal and I heard some detonation as I rolled on the boost on the highway. This was the first time I've ever heard this, and it scared me. I will check plugs/gaps, but want other ideas for now.

What should I spend money on for safe reliable boost now? I hear different stories everytime I'm on here. Z32 MAF? SAFC-2? 370's? E-manage? I am not shooting for max hp, but a good safe setup with the t25 I already have. Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

[Jung918]

Your stock FPR and maf is okay with that small turbo. You should get some sr injectors and a safc if you want to go cheap. There are many options out there for tuning ie Enthalpy, JWT, AEM, Greddy, Haltech, etc. It all depends on how much you want to spend. The one thing you should not cheap out on is tuning.
check out ka-t.org for more info.

[JesusFreakDrifter]

not enough fuel can cause kaboom; if you dont have a wideband, and oil psi, obtain one; walbro go for 85 on this site; search; safc is recommended for tune, you can get n60 maf or z32 which ever is available to you, z32 tt fuel filter, leave fpr alone, get higher cc injectors, defintie must, leave ecu alone unless going to jwt, but then again if you searched you would know that. no emanage necessary, and i would look into the tick tick ticking sound before its goes... well you know.

[NemeGuero]

Stock MAF is good for about 200hp I believe. You should be fine with that boost. Don't need to upgrade FPR as Jung said.

Cheap way to go is an MSD boost timing master (and set your timing back to base!!) and an SAFC.

Get a walboro..

[Jung918]

He has a walbro. You can always retard your timing on your distributer. 1/2 a degree for ever pound of boost I think. Getting a wideband would be a good option also.

[tiresmokes13]

check your spark plug gap. Please.

[superfasteddie]

I'm going to check my plugs/ gap later today, what should the gap be. I've heard 30, but I've also read 28. Also, what is a wideband? I have RRPR and Boost Controller UNINSTALLED, should I hold off on both of those? Yes, money is an issue, but I'm not a cheap guy. I figure I'll get some 370's and an SAFC to start, leaving the MAF and ECU alone for now. Should I add the wideband to this combo then?

[S14DB]

Don't need to upgrade FPR as Jung said.

Cheap way to go is an MSD boost timing master (and set your timing back to base!!) and an SAFC.

Get a walboro..
I totally agree with the BTM. KA ecu advances timing like woah. Some even say that the ECU will compensate for the base timing being off. Set it back to base and get the BTM.

If you get a Walbro you will need a FPR. The pump will blow out the stocker. Nismo works well for the cost. DO NOT GET A RISING RATE TO TUNE WITH. I will beat you with a stick.

SAFC and some 370's will give you some head room. Maybe a lager maf too. Ultimately in the long run I would save up for an AEM EMS. Save on gas millage and it will be much more safe than piggybacks.

[sideview_180sx]

haha you have no idea what a wideband is, yet you have a rising rate pressure regulator and a boost controller. seems like you want to have the power, but not for very long. sell those 2 items and get the things everyone mentioned initially. also. try ka-t.org

[superfasteddie]

I did mention that the RRPR and boost controller were NOT INSTALLED? They came with the car in a box, don't give me shit for NOT INSTALLING them.

So I am reading into this so far. Start with 370's and an SAFC. Then... whatever I have money for? After reading about a wideband, it seems a little far down the road yeah? Let's say a little too precise (and expensive for now) for this application? Or is it a must. You say get rid of the RRPR, but then the Walbro is maxing out the stocker? What FPR do I need.

Thanks for the responses guys, let's keep this going, but PLEASE READ all the details before giving your 2 cents.

[S14DB]

Start by getting a MSD BTM and setting your Base back to stock.

When you install the Walboro install a Nismo FPR.

Your smoking crack if you think a wideband is to precise to put off. Ether goto a tuner/dyno and get it tuned or get a wideband. Who knows what your mixture is now.

[Jung918]

Start by getting a MSD BTM and setting your Base back to stock.

When you install the Walboro install a Nismo FPR.

Your smoking crack if you think a wideband is to precise to put off. Ether goto a tuner/dyno and get it tuned or get a wideband. Who knows what your mixture is now.

Isn't the nismo a 1:1 rising rate also? Same for the SR fpr? I have heard many people use the stock fpr with the walbro with no problems. This is with the t25 setup.

A wideband is needed to see what mixture your engine is getting. Your car has a narrowband but it is not good enough for proper tuning. If you run too lean you run the risk of ruining your engine. People that do not know what they are doing have also blown engines with the safc. That is why people are telling you to do more research and find the best option for your buget.

[CylonFrakker]

OK this is what you need to do:

1. Get soem 720cc injectors that will give you room to grow and allow you maximize the fuel delivery
http://www.deatschwerks.com/nissan41.htm

2. Get the Power House Racing Map ECU (Elimantes Maf and allows fuel mgmt)
http://www.powerhouseracing.com/files/tech.php?catagory=Electronics&id=5


3. Get some NGK R spark plugs start at .030" and increase the gap till you are not blowing out spark. The bigger the gap the better to a point!

4. Wideband to monitor AFR not that shit from autometer that sucks balls.
The FJO wideband is probably the best but the most expensive. The AEM is crap and I would rather run the Zietronix, PLX, or LC-1 with display gauge. Titanmotorsports has the best deals on the widebands I have seen. Plus they have a huge selection.

5. Get a tune up: Rotor, Cap, Wires, and Plugs, do the service and make sure that you are also running stock timing and make sure all is well in the land of oil. I run 20W50 just because my car sees sustained high rpm racing at the strip.

PM me if you have any questions.

[NemeGuero]

^hella overkill for what this guy wants..

1:1 doesn't seem like a rising rate.. 'cuz its 1:1..
At least how I understand it.

[JesusFreakDrifter]

for the safc this should help
ultimate safc guide
http://www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8089&highlight=safc,
see i would be giving you grief about not knowing but i need some help with my ka-t as well, but the difference is i researched first and asked fewer q's later.
dohc turbo for dummies
http://www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6263
sohc turbo for dummies - (almost like the dohc)
http://www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5597
n60 maf wiring
http://www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17318
how to SAFELY tune your piggyback setup
http://www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18270
for anybody who needs this (walbro install)
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/180256
fuel injector install
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/179894
i dont know i can also add the zilvia thread as well
http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=62609&highlight=ka24det
and there you go

[superfasteddie]

Wow homies, thanks. I've read the whole list and I'm working on it. IF I decide to get this thing tuned when I install SAFC, injectors, etc. Anyone know of an LA based dyno tuner that is worth it? As this is my daily driver I don't want to blow anything up by thinking I can tune this myself. I have also heard that I would be able to use the dyno shop's wideband instead of purchasing one? Any thoughts? Don't be mean.

[JesusFreakDrifter]

gap is .044mm or something not 30, ngk iridium spark plugs or whatever tickles your fancy, new wires and shyte and tune up, most important, it would have been easier if you put it together yourself, you would be able to source problems immediately instead of "eating the leftovers off someone elses tray".

Pix as well please, and dont thank me just add to rep. +1

[superfasteddie]

Wow! Yeah, I got NGK 6's and gapped em to .30 Car idled like shiznit and grugled and spit. I drove around the block a bit to see how she acted and unless I was WOT, it was ugly. Clutch in and she nearly dipped and died. I came straight home and pulled em and regapped to .37ish. Idle is not perfect, but much cleaner and she hauls ass. I noticed the plugs when pulled had only been in for 5 minutes and were ash white? Am I lean as hell? any ideas?

Side note, if anyone reads this. I'm getting 370's this week. Do I need to splice in the injector connections to the KA fuel rail, or are they plug in? I will research myself, just need some confirmation. Thanks

[JesusFreakDrifter]

bro .44 is what the gap supposed be, read your fsm

[Jung918]

As far as I know they are plug and play. You should really invest in new o-rings for the injectors. Don't forget to use vasoline on them before you put them in.

[superfasteddie]

Cool, yeah I'm gonna get new O rings and grease em up. I was under the impression gapping plugs at oem .44 was not optimal for a KA-T setup. All the tuning guys have said start at .30 and go from there. They are one range colder (6) than stock so wouldn't I want to go smaller anyway?

[Neejay]

As far as I know they are plug and play. You should really invest in new o-rings for the injectors. Don't forget to use vasoline on them before you put them in.
Vasoline where, exactly? On the o-rings?

[Jung918]

Vasoline where, exactly? On the o-rings?

It is so you don't tear the o rings when you are putting them in. Just like what you do to the oil filter before you install a new one.

[shayrgob240]

I'm pretty sure you can also use oil.

[Jung918]

I'm pretty sure you can also use oil.

I'm pretty sure you can also use astroglide. It was just something that was recommended to me. Not the astroglide but the vasoline.

[NemeGuero]

HE said start at low gap and increase because you can get blow out (extinguish the spark) under boost with too much gap.

Increase gap size till you can't do it no mo'..