View Full Version : Are Ebay KA-T Kits really that bad?
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 12:35 AM
The parts dont seem that bad. Can anyone vouch on these kits such as http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/240sx-s13-s14-ka24de-motor-t25-complete-turbo-kit-new_W0QQitemZ120099947863QQcategoryZ33742QQrdZ1QQc mdZViewItem
Just curious for real answers. Thanks fellas :)
initial_drifter
03-26-2007, 12:40 AM
Get it if you want to
Just don't come back complaining that your motor blew
Cuz the only response you'll pretty much get is "We told you so" x1347890
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 12:43 AM
These are the answers Im not looking for. I need real experienced answers.
gotta240
03-26-2007, 12:54 AM
I would rather piece a kit together for that price.
Get sr injectors
stock sidemount or cheap FMIC
t25 or better yet a t28 turbo
In the end the price will be similar and you won't be stuck with shiny crap.(emphasis on crap).
If you do get any ebay stuff why not start with a fmic, piping, and/or manifold. The manifold may or may not crack on you...but if it does, just weld it imo.
zero86
03-26-2007, 01:06 AM
true i would be worried about the maifold cracking on you. might be good in the mean while but it probably wont last for the long run. i waould just piece one togeather like gotta240 said
1121S13
03-26-2007, 01:07 AM
I don't know what this *real answer* that you seek for but you can assemble a used t25 kit for less than the kit above. It's easy to piece together and makes good amount of power for the budget.
Search is your best friend, GL.
projekt_s13
03-26-2007, 01:11 AM
yea for that price i would piece a kit together, ive heard that the ebay turbos are sometimes glued together. Other then the manifold cracking I haven't really heard anything else about them.
kdashy
03-26-2007, 01:23 AM
I wouldnt worry as much about the manifold, than the random branded turbo exploding into pieces.
ROTTEN EGG
03-26-2007, 03:11 AM
epoxied turbos. end of question.
20 til 3
03-26-2007, 03:47 AM
you are all talking about this, but noone has actually said, i bought the kit and my engine blew the next day..or i bought it and it worked fine for me and i'm still running it
its dumb when you all say its better to go this way when you've never gone the other way
Nachtmensch
03-26-2007, 03:57 AM
i have seen the cars that these kits have taken out. its usually bought by some person who has no idea what theyre buying, and they think it is a good deal.
long story short, turbo explodes, manifold cracks, and a whole slew of other problems occur.
in all, do not buy the turbo kit. not worth it in any way. people think theyre getting a good deal, but they end up spending more replacing shit they broke and buying something that actually works later.
Kn1ves
03-26-2007, 03:59 AM
heres the scenario
us: 'dont jump off the cliff youll die'
you: 'how do you really know you'll die, has any of you done it and died? there's a possibility i might live'
just dont do it.
BustedS13
03-26-2007, 04:08 AM
the turbos are held together by glue. is that really what you want?
markyboi
03-26-2007, 05:05 AM
since he is so persistant about it, let him buy it then..we're trying to help but looks like has his mind set to it..
just go get the kit so you can c which explodes first..(manifold, turbo, block...)
street240
03-26-2007, 05:15 AM
I have used all the pieces but the turbo and the bov. The manifold and everything else was great. But i built my own kit with a real bov for under 1000 check out Gladman's setup on the ka-t forum. Dont waste your money!
gotta240
03-26-2007, 08:11 AM
Fuck. You're an idiot. We are all telling you the same thing trying to SAVE you money and get you a BETTER kit.
Just buy the fucking thing.
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 09:20 AM
^^ Not cool there pal. My intentions are actually not to buy this kit, but I heard a few peeps along the way saying how GREAT they are. With my budget, I personally wouldnt buy this at all. I just wanted some REAL facts.
Thanks for all the input on this.
johngriff
03-26-2007, 09:30 AM
If this is your second car, buy it, get a different turbo (400-1500), and make sure you get something to control the fuel.
Your options, if you choose to accept them are.
*Tuned EProm
*Mega Squirt
*Biki ROm
*Greddy Emanage Ultimate
*AEM EMS
*Wolf 3D
*Tec III
*Haltech EMS
*Motech EMS
Good Luck.
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 09:34 AM
To be quite honest, I own 4 S14's! LOL. However, I wanted just get a feeler about these kits.
johngriff
03-26-2007, 09:38 AM
Well then mr big balla, spend some money on some real racing stuff.
mistaanime
03-26-2007, 09:38 AM
Check out KA-t.org and check out the kits from JGS Precision..i've built a KA-t for 400 bucks..just look around for deals. and piece together.
s13gold
03-26-2007, 09:43 AM
that manifold is made of paper thin materials and will crack.
the turbo is a "no name" so i dont know the real reliability.
those are key parts to the turbo kit that need not go the cheap route.
trust187
03-26-2007, 09:49 AM
honestly its just luck if you get something good on ka-t someone(efeezi i think ?) ran an ebay turbo for a long while(year?) before it blew. Then he found out it wasnt even the turbo. If you want a decent manifold buy it from xo2 extremely cheap. Nice welds (chinese learns fast) compared to the others. Now obx even has lifetime warranties for their turbos. All in all its just luck i guess. Some have blown to shit some have lasted for quite a while. The only piece i would buy from ebay though is the manifold. hope this helps you out .
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 10:44 AM
Well then mr big balla, spend some money on some real racing stuff.
LOL! Its my business - Im not ballin though. If I were, I wouldnt be driving a 240! :)
Thanks guys.
sbanzer123
03-26-2007, 10:51 AM
http://media.putfile.com/Turbo-explosion
do what you want.
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 11:02 AM
THANK YOU! I got the answers I was looking for.
Dream240
03-26-2007, 11:57 AM
Interesting video. Do you know any of the guys in that video? Is that your's or a friend's car? It sounds like he says "50 something pounds of boost" hard to tell the audio is bad.
If that's true, call me crazy but a turbo exploding at around 50 pounds of boost seems like a normal end result. I've never heard of anyone running that much intentionally, but i suppose a boost spike would do the trick.
I'm not bashing you or the video just trying to get all the facts. Consider this, hypothetically, I could take a turbo kit and crank the boost up as far as I could get it, run NOS, poor tuning, and redline the car during a dyno test, the turbo explodes, and then turn around and say "It's bad manufacturing....cheap turbo." See what I mean?
To the OP, I would definitely explore your options with piecing together a kit. You can find great deals on parts, and plus you can learn more about what the different turbo combos are capable of. That's how i'm doing it and I get to learn alot more about turbo setups BEFORE I actually spend my money.
GL.
sbanzer123
03-26-2007, 12:40 PM
no i dont know any of thoose kids or anything my friend was just lookin at videos on putfile and stumbled across it.
tweekgt4
03-26-2007, 04:09 PM
A friend of mine bought an ebay turbo before and after he received it, he sent it over to a turbo rebuild shop to inspect it. The rebuild shop said the turbo components were pretty good but the bearings were crappy. So, he had the turbo rebuilt with better bearings and into the car it went. The car was totaled after a year so it lasted at least a year on new bearings...
I'm putting together a Gladman cheap turbo kit, http://www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10253, and with the HKS SSQV, Blitz DTT, Walbro fuel pump, and spark plugs, I'm sitting about $1,350. This price doesn't include a S-AFC I got from a friend for free. I'm also thinking about putting in a flex pipe on the DP and add the cost of getting the bung for the oil return line welded in.
The quality of the X02 bottom mount turbo manifold and SSAC FMIC kit is not bad in quality. The manifold is reinforced and the welds are pretyy good. The FMIC kit is not bad for $199 shipped. The top bracket needs to be bent and the lower brackets are kinda thin but the core and pipes look nice. The SSAC divided turbo elbow matches up and sits flush with the SR20DET T25 manifold and cheap eBay DP.
You should get the oil line and EGR plug from JGS and make sure the T25 or T28 turbo has the elbows...
As for the chrome bling factor, I'm going to paint the FMIC kit black so it's not so shiny and eye-catching.
Irukandji
03-26-2007, 04:15 PM
This was said before, but the turbo that is included is complete shit.
Mathetai
03-26-2007, 04:15 PM
Pretty nice. So its a T25 from a S13 or what?
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