Zenki resurrection (another ka-t build)

[blackoutt]

Mods feel free to pester me about this thread as I know its probably not all that exciting and might not be placed right, still learning my way around these forums. I'm just a college kid doin a budget summer daily/drift build. I bought this car at the beginning of the summer with a bunch of extra body and interior parts. A 95 se with 115k sh*tty catback intake and vlsd (oh yeah and a trailer hitch too haha), and in need of a lot of attention. Best part about it is that it came from maryland so its still fairly clean. The pics show what its condition was when I brought it home, then the body work, coilovers, turbo kit, paint, wheels, aero, and then I blew the motor about a month ago and have been contemplating what to do. I decided on getting my longblock professionally built to be more reliable on boost. As of tonight the motor is stripped down and almost ready to be shipped out. Then the work will begin on the engine bay, and cleaning/painting all the other parts before reassembly. Updates will be added, as well as a more extensive parts list. Oh and the other s14 is my buddies 96 with a built sr20, he needs coilovers and a replacement origin front, but he keeps trying to sell it so he never gets around to it haha.

*Parts list added* 9/30/09
came on car

j30 vlsd
cut off to boso to cut off catback
crappy intake
trailer hitch (removed)
sweet greddy and aem stickers even though there was nothing greddy or aem about it (removed)

my work

new lock set
ebay Stage 3 clutch and lightweight flywheel
turbo kit
-Top mount turbo manifold
-oil line kit
-T3/T4 turbo
-external wastegate
ebay fmic and piping (some modification required)
OBX Vacuum block
Autometer boost gauge
AEM UEGO wideband AFR
Gloshift Dual A-pillar gauge pod
body work
paint - GM North America fleet vehicle gray base with clear
driver side window switch
K-sport coilovers
base model door panels
se gauge cluster with silvia tach
knockoff ssq BOV
E-motor Adjustable Suspension arms kit
Apexi AFC neo fuel controller
NGK colder spark plugs
custom 3inch downpipe
300zx fuel filter
knockoff oil catch can
apexi turbo timer
manual boost controller
delrin transmission mount
mb battle 17/9.5 15 wheels
cheapie tires
version select type 1 body kit
buffed out the headlights
EGR blockoff
Sard 550cc side feed high imp. injectors
Z32 MAFS




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[SidewayZ-s14]

s13 seats in the s14 huh?

[jspaeth]

Looks really, nice, love the color and wheels.

[blackoutt]

haha yeah I dunno it came with s13 front and rear seats. I'm trying to get rid of them for some race buckets, but all my money is going into my motor right now.

The color is a GM fleet vehicle base gray. Very cheap, and easy to lay down. Not bad. And as for the wheels I know battles are so played out but its my style.

[Ceepo]

Looks really good i like it, get some better seats tho i hate s13 seats that fabric tweed crap irritates the hell outta my skin...

[Persona]

Cleaned up real well, get it on the street and some good shots!

[Walperstyle]

need more people like you instead of JDM bolt on fanboys. You have skills, do your thing!

[Orandaman]

Looks good so far,what color is that?

[S14_Kouki]

Thats a small build thats all the pics you got???

[blackoutt]

Thats a small build thats all the pics you got???

haha no I have alot more I just didnt wanna spam too much up there if no one cared. I guess Ill add some more, thanks for the comments guys.


and orandaman, color is one of the shades of GM North America fleet vehicle gray as mentioned ^

[Bushido]

nice color choice. chrome wheels would set it off.

[jzepol1985]

need more people like you instead of JDM bolt on fanboys. You have skills, do your thing!


So true, So true

Different and clean

[blackoutt]

nice color choice. chrome wheels would set it off.

never been a big fan of chrome since I remember polishing the 22's I had on my truck when I was 16, but I agree a 18-19 staggered chrome dish would go with the color. I might find some 18 battles for the rear and paint a 17-18 set either white, or color matched too. but wheels are the least of my worries right now. I NEED INJECTORS AND A MAF!

[s13 @ fullboost]

more pics and specs on the turbo set up plzz =]

[blackoutt]

So I decided to do an update everytime I work on the car since I see that people approve of what I'm doin.

today 10/1/09 I...
removed motor mounts
taped off electrical connections and hoses in engine bay to prep for degreaser
pulled out all the random brackets and such that need degreasing
taped off tranny for degreasing
degreased brackets and tranny (the spray can degreaser didn't do the trick but a little bottle of 93 octane from draining my fuel lines and a toothbrush did, don't tell the EPA)

and I threw back a few during the whole process, then it got dark and cold and I realized summer is gone. :( So I put it all back in the garage and called it a night. Heres a few more dirty shots to hold you over until any real work gets done.
And as far as the turbo setup, specs are uh, ebay and custom. Ebay topmount mani, ebay oil line kit, ebay knockoff 7psi wg, ebay MBC set at 8 psi, ebay t3/t4, custom made 3" stainless downpipe (thanks STCF and Joe @ sinister customs), ebay fmic and pipe with some modifications to work with ka topmount, ebay knockoff ssq bov, stock maf, stock injectors, stock fuel pump, stock fuel filter (most likely why my motor blew huh haha) aaaand apexi afc neo and aem uego wideband for fuel tuning by myself. I know I know "ebay parts blow" but thats only for people who buy them and bolt them on and expect name brand results. I bought them, cleaned them up a little bit, added better grade hardware, and still expected less than name brand results, but got surprised. For the price, and function, I can't complain. Ebay should sponsor my drift car.

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[s13 @ fullboost]

so you kept stock injectors and fuel pump and just did the piggy back on the stock ECU ?

[blackoutt]

so you kept stock injectors and fuel pump and just did the piggy back on the stock ECU ?


Yes and my AFR's were decent except for full throttle from like 5k rpms on; I couldn't keep it safe no matter how much I upped fuel on the afc. I realized my injectors were maxed, so I just didn't push it hard for the next few weeks and it sat while doing the body work and paint. I never sorted it out, and im pretty sure it caused my motors demise with a couple bouts of high rpm pre-det.

For the rebuild I'm going with bigger injectors (sr maybe or 550's), 255lph fuel pump, 300zx fuel filter (in shell now), and a bigger maf (still researching that as well). For tuning I'll stick with slight manual timing retard, and the piggyback because I like it, and I'm all about keeping this project "affordable".

[s13 @ fullboost]

No man don't get me wrong affordable is what I am all about. But the reason your motor blew was because It wasn't set up right. I noticed in your parts list you said a manual boost controller. That is a no go upping boost on a KA with stock injectors and fuel pump. They key with keeping a turbo ka running healthy is a good tune thats like the biggest thing I can stress to you. Especially when its a stock ka. I would say get some sr injectors a 255 fuel pump and get a flash tune for no more then 10psi but since your doing a rebuild you have alot more leverage. As far as a maf goes there are guys who pull of the z32 maf. NO more piggy back haha thats sketchy on a ka need flash or save up for stand alone =] best wishes and good luck car is looking super clean.

[s13 @ fullboost]

haha look at the time of my post :keke:

[nismo 240sx]

:rimshot:........^^^

[blackoutt]

haha look at the time of my post :keke:

Says 5:40 to us right-coasters haha.

You got me thinking about getting a tuned ECU, so I looked into it and found a cheap route: E-mance ECU + s13-s14 adapter. I see that Jason is a long standing member of zilvia.net and also favors ka-t's. I would probably still want to keep my afc for fine fuel tuning, but the allure of plug and play at this point is undeniable. Oh yeah that and I need to whore myself out to afford all these new toys. More work to come on the car tomorrow. Meaning only more cleaning. :rant:

[s13 @ fullboost]

Steve was just bragging about how the AEM unit is the best I am going to have to agree with him. That unit really is the shit when it comes to a KA-T here check out what he had to say http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/282465-some-thoughts-revelations-ka-turbo-cars-tuning.html also if you look at AEM's website after reading what Steve had to say it really makes it sound legit and solid. here is a link to there website AEM - Plug & Play Engine Management Systems (EMS) (http://www.aempower.com/ViewCategory.aspx?CategoryID=62)

[s14_sr20_silvia]

Says 5:40 to us right-coasters haha.


lol... I looked at it for like 5 minutes trying to figure out what was so funny about it being 5:40...

[blackoutt]

Had a lot of non-240-productive things to do today after work. So I just degreased, and scrubbed, and degreased and scrubbed some more.

Here's some gross pics, and a shot of the "international harvester red" I'm contemplating painting my tranny and brackets, that or black for the brackets, hmmm.


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[s13 @ fullboost]

paint em gold with flake =]

[blackoutt]

Painted the brackets flat black. None of that glitter style for me, theres a reason my paint is non-metallic. I decided on leaving the tranny raw aluminum because it actually looks really nice now that its clean, except for painting that steel spacer between the two sections. I will also have no true JDM parts, no hello kitty or comic book wrapped interior, no boso huge pipes, or wood grain, or chrome, or mirrors that take up the entire width of the cabin haha.

flat black brackets
low gloss black engine bay high temp paint (don't mind the rusty hole under the battery tray, that's all getting replaced as soon as soomeee oneeee makes the pan for it)
cleaned up the welds on the downpipe, no holes, sweet.
and a shot up the fender to show the clean line between GM semigloss black and GM gray. What can I say its an american spec car.

Also have the longblock completely stripped and ready to be sent out to HRT Performance, hard crafted racing engines in Durham, NC, as soon as my oil pan gets back from getting the bung welded in/skid plate on the bottom.

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[s13 @ fullboost]

what about a 12" shift knob? haha

[blackoutt]

Small update. I'm sick. I cut out my front bumper support to fit around the intercooler and designed bracing for it. Sent that to get welded up, should get my oil pan and battery tray back today so engine bay can be finished up and motor can be sent out. Then it's onto tackling the intake manifold mess this weekend. EGR blockoff plate, and oil catch can are here.

[thetopcow]

I like reading your first post, where it said, "I'm just a college kid doin a budget summer daily/drift build." O little did you know, there is no budget build...lol. Looks good though.

[blackoutt]

Isn't that so true, all said and done the fully molested car will have about $13k into it. Which I think is good because thats what I had into my FD and that still needed paint, body kit, and wheels to be where this one will get to. Hopefully this will be more reliable too; f rotary.

Updates on the car. Cut out a bowl full of rust from the battery tray, literally, I put it in a bowl for pictures. I undercoated the edges and fit in a new tray, and painted it to match today. Opened up my driver side I/C pipe hole too, I had some rubbing issues there. Also purchased some used Sard 550cc injectors, side feed, high imp. and a z32 MAFS (thanks efrain_n7). 300+hp here I come. And a shot of the sweet ebay egr blockoff, looks like it was ground out on a hand crank grinding stone by a taiwanese infant, but it shoud work. Got my oil pan back with the dents pulled and stainless return bung welded in (thanks dad). Also got my front bumper support brace fitted and gussets for it cut. I have to get ahold of my friend with a welder and weld all that in, then I can cut the rest of the factory support out to clear the IC.

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[blackoutt]

Update:

Swapped the new injectors into the rail
Took apart the upper and lower intake manifolds to get to the egr and blocked that off.
Tried my hand at welding on my front bumper support at my dad's shop. It's nice when you have the right setup, actually came out looking real good.
And last but not least, palleted up the motor, took it down to the shop, banded it down and it's shipping out tomorrow. Bye Bye stock longblock, you won't be missed.

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[borracho]

good shit. . . man

[blackoutt]

Almost a month with no updates? Yeah sorry guys, I've been really busy at work finishing up a major new design project, and waiting for my motor.

Painted and installed front bumper support
Installed walbro 255 fuel pump
Tore out the interior since I sold the carpet, cleaned and reassembled
Installed project silvia motor mounts
Ground out the ports on the ebay mani and checked the welds, no cracks so far after ~1,500 miles of abuse.
Made flat pattern drawings for a fan shroud like the mishimoto one to have cut out
Got silicone rad hoses, z32 maf adapter with filter, 2 12" electric fans with thermostat probe and relay, aluminum radiator should be here monday, e*mance tuned ecu and s13-s14 harness should be here today or monday, motor should be shipped out from NC on monday, so who knows about the shipping on that with thanksgiving week. So I thought I would get it all in next week but now it's looking like I won't have the motor back in time. Can't rush an artform though.

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[wafflez66]

Lookin good man, did you get any parts off from Joe?

[thefro526]

Normally I don't post in threads like this, but I feel that I had to say something.

I have major respect for this build because you used eBay parts and didn't complain about the quality, because you understood that the quality could be iffy because of the price. Secondly, It's awesome that you bought eBay parts, made them better, used them and they work. I'm still not a knock-off fan, but since you're actually putting some attention into the build, and you definitely have some talent, it's cool.

Well done.

[blackoutt]

Nope, no parts from Joe. I want the carbon roof spoiler but don't have the cash to throw at it with my build going. He keeps trying to sell me those starforms for cash and trade his stock se wheels back, but I have 6 tires for the se's so I won't do it haha.

Thefro, Thanks man. I know this is no big brand name build, but I'm proud of the work that I do with the parts that I can afford and like showing it.

As for updates...

First of all I would like to say that I am happy so far with the quality of work that I have seen from HRT performance. Everything is clean and seems to fit well. My only compaint is that the valve cover isn't show quality but hey that's not too hard to pop off and change.
Started assembling parts back onto the longblock, not too much more to go there, just a few loose ends like fabbing a wastegate dump into the downpipe.
My dad got inspired by my work ethic to drive home from college and work on the car all weekend so he decided to start painting my tranny farmall red after all. Thanks dad haha.
Ran into a slight problem with the emance tuned ecu, but hopefully Jason and I can get that worked out before I get the car together.

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[urmyhero4now]

holy jesus that is a bright ass orange/red. I never really understood why people paint there blocks when they rebuild them. Motor looks solid none the less.

[D1S13]

very good, keep it up

[UsJdmTUner]

why is your DP all banged up? i would dump emance and get enthalpy ECU...i have one and it works awesome...

[blackoutt]

I don't understand the painted block either, but it came with the rebuild and looks clean haha. I've never had a car where I could pop my hood and have something to show so I went with red just to not be boring.

The downpipe is full 3 inch and was fish-eyed to miss the brake booster and steering column shaft back when I had sloppy stock motor mounts, probably not necessary anymore but I'm not about to make a new dp or smooth them back out for ~.0001 whp.

As far as the tuning goes, I had to buy an s13 ecu and the conversion harness to s14 and the s13 core I got sent was a little beat up but passed the test when it went out the door. So after I straighten it out a little bit and test it I'll comment on the true meat and potatoes, the tune.

EDIT: update

Today I fabbed the wastegate dump, rerouted my pcv so I can run a catch can properly, gapped plugs and installed, installed distributor hopefully right (it didn't seem like an exact science to me, I have to get a timing light now), cleaned plug wires and installed, oil feed/return, and any other various hoses/brackets/gaskets that were left in the box of parts (amazingly I have no extra parts or bolts left over), bolted on the clutch/flywheel and transmission, made brackets to bolt to the motor to hoist it with, and set it in there. What a pain in the ass it was to get the pins on the motor mounts to go into the holes on the brackets, but it's in!

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[cbcustoms]

Looking good

[vertastics13]

Lookin so good. I think thats my miller lite in the picture, i do apologize for not moving it.

[OBEEWON]

The engine looks so good it makes your stock intake manifold look worse than it probably is.

I love the color of the car.

[blackoutt]

Thaaanks dudududss. Vertastic stopped by today and I made him actually do work and get dirty. Stuff got done.

Traded my vlsd for cash and open diff, took out a welded diff and traded the open even for it, put welded diff in my car, subframe collars, driveshaft, exhaust/wastegate dump, tied up any loose ends under the car and set it down, intercooler, mounted fans on custom slim rad shroud and fabbed brackets, mounted rad and hoses, p/s reservoir bracket, found a crack in my I/C pipe :(, drank some beers, and made a nice immature shift boot. All that's left is to fab an intake pipe, a bunch of wiring, and fluids. Enjoy. and don't mind my sunroof trim...

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[blackoutt]

My brother took the week off work for the Holidays and has been working right along with me for the past few days. We got everything done that was left to be done except intake pipe and catch can. Which means I/C pipe got patched up (thanks Mark @ Southern Tier Custom Fabricators), injectors MAF and fans soldered in, tranny fluid in, shifter in, oil, p/s fluid, coolant, ecu in, battery terminals replaced. Messed with the timing for a long time after that but couldn't get it to turn over until finally I took my uncles advice and shifted my plug wires by two at the distributor, and boom, fired right up. Turns out that everytime I put the motor at TDC and stabbed the dist. shaft in I was on the wrong stroke so I was actually 180* out, now whats the probability of that? Anyway thanks Uncle Stan for your automotive genius. Then the p/s pump was loud because it sucked all the fluid into the lines and was dry, easy fix, and the turbo was loud and not getting enough oil but the line was obstructed by old teflon tape, again easy fix I just hope the turbo is ok or this time I will have to bite the bullet and buy a real one. Still running rough but tomorrow I'm going to find a timing light and finish the break in procedure as well as hook up the catch can to take care of my blowby problems, there's still oil vapors blowing out my valve cover vent? Moral of the story: IT RUNS!

[hybridsk8r]

love the shift boot i did the same thing lol

[blackoutt]

A close to the thread. Sold. New owner had it dynoed at 305 rwhp and 304 ft/lbs tq.

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