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View Full Version : Buying an S14... Need some expertise!


WINTERS14
04-05-2011, 12:28 PM
Hello all,

I've been a long-time lurker on these forums, but just registered so this is my first post. I currently DD a Z32 300ZX, but because of gas prices will be looking to buy an S14 to DD. I found a 1997 Kouki shell that a guy is selling and am seriously considering buying it. Here's a link to the craigslist listing:

***1997 240sx s14*** (http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/2295828882.html)

So here's the deal. When he bought it, it had an SR20DET in it, hence the turbo mods... I, however, want a KA24DE that way I don't have to deal with under-the-table smogging or getting my car impounded should a cop ever get nosey. And besides, I'm looking for a clean DD to save gas at this point. Turbos will come later. I'm wondering about a few things:

1. Will the fuel pump (he doesn't know what it is, but after looking at many SR20 swaps is probably upgraded) work with a KA24DE? I just heard from him via text, and he said the fuel lines are still OEM if that helps.

2. How hard will it be to get the swap to pass smog? From what I understand all Kouki's are OBDII so does that mean I have to specifically find an OBDII KA24DE, just an OBDII ECU, or can I just go with OBDI?

3. And finally, do you guys think the car is worth it? He told me he would come down on the price a little bit, and I could sell the SR20DET harness, ECU, and turbo upgrades that come with it to fund my KA24DE swap. The shell just looks really clean (exactly what I'm looking for) so I'd like to take advantage of the opportunity if I could.

Thanks for all your help guys! (And before anyone suggests the search button, I used it ;))

nikkisixx69
04-05-2011, 01:21 PM
Hello all,

I've been a long-time lurker on these forums, but just registered so this is my first post. I currently DD a Z32 300ZX, but because of gas prices will be looking to buy an S14 to DD. I found a 1997 Kouki shell that a guy is selling and am seriously considering buying it. Here's a link to the craigslist listing:

***1997 240sx s14*** (http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/2295828882.html)

So here's the deal. When he bought it, it had an SR20DET in it, hence the turbo mods... I, however, want a KA24DE that way I don't have to deal with under-the-table smogging or getting my car impounded should a cop ever get nosey. And besides, I'm looking for a clean DD to save gas at this point. Turbos will come later. I'm wondering about a few things:

1. Will the fuel pump (he doesn't know what it is, but after looking at many SR20 swaps is probably upgraded) work with a KA24DE? I just heard from him via text, and he said the fuel lines are still OEM if that helps.

2. How hard will it be to get the swap to pass smog? From what I understand all Kouki's are OBDII so does that mean I have to specifically find an OBDII KA24DE, just an OBDII ECU, or can I just go with OBDI?

3. And finally, do you guys think the car is worth it? He told me he would come down on the price a little bit, and I could sell the SR20DET harness, ECU, and turbo upgrades that come with it to fund my KA24DE swap. The shell just looks really clean (exactly what I'm looking for) so I'd like to take advantage of the opportunity if I could.

Thanks for all your help guys! (And before anyone suggests the search button, I used it ;))

1. im pretty sure all fuel pumps on s-body if its uprated, like a walbro or gtr pump. a general easy way to tell if its uprated is that when you turn the key, there should be a whine coming from the behind the back seats(where the fuel pump is located)

2. cant help u on this as i dont know american laws

3. why bother buying an SR20'd car if your not gonna use the sr20. surely there are plenty of clean, cheaper ka24 240's out there, it would save you a lot of hassle of an engine swap

man up and drive the sr20 :D

WINTERS14
04-05-2011, 01:42 PM
3. why bother buying an SR20'd car if your not gonna use the sr20. surely there are plenty of clean, cheaper ka24 240's out there, it would save you a lot of hassle of an engine swap

man up and drive the sr20 :D

Thanks for the help! The car is SR20 ready but I don't know if I'd call it SR20'd since it's missing the... uhmm... SR20 ;) And like I said, if I ever got caught with it they would impound the car, likely destroy/sell it, and I would face fines and charges. KA24DE's are widely available, cheap, and best of all legal. So I know the OBDI and OBDII computers are different (obviously) but are the engines different as well?

WINTERS14
04-05-2011, 05:47 PM
So apparently the OBDI and OBDII motors have some slight differences. According to this page:

ka24de OBDI to OBDII - Carolinanissans.com (http://www.carolinanissans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13789)

(the third post down) says the only difference is in the manifold. Anyone else know anything about this??

nvmyS14
04-08-2011, 01:59 AM
I've seen this for sale as well. I considered buying it because it looked so clean. If you get it, just swap the sr20 :D

WINTERS14
04-08-2011, 06:55 AM
Like I said before, not really interested in a SR20 because of legality. I currently have a KA24DE (OBDII) with 100XXX lined up in the area as well. Still having a hard time finding a 5-speed though... Anyone?:wavey:

And for the sake of information should anyone else come across this thread:

OBDI and OBDII motors are almost identical. The only difference is the intake manifold and distributors. I spoke with a local BAR representative, and he said it would be perfectly legal to put in an OBDI KA24DE, swap the necessary OBDII parts, and drive it like it's OBDII. And I quote: "A block is a block is a block. As long as all the sensors work correctly when you go to get it smogged, they don't care (don't know or care to know) what year/OBD the block is."

I was also informed that this is not the case with referee stations. They will know the difference.:cops:

migzs14
04-27-2011, 01:26 AM
Hey the car looks clean and I think you should go for it. Worst of all the parts that don't fit the KA (if any) you could sell off. In my 95, I'm running a 97 ka on a obd1 harness and ecu. My local shop just did some minor adjustments and everything worked fine. No check engine light or anything which was really cool.

WINTERS14
04-27-2011, 12:22 PM
Well it turns out the guy didn't have the title... I called the guy the night before and he forgot to mention that he's waiting for the replacement title (he lost it) to come in. And I'm not confortable buying a car from a guy 5 hours away and trusting him that there aren't back fees owed or that it isn't a salvage etc... So I told him to call me when it comes in. :squint:

In the meantime I'm still looking for S14's! Check the sig!:coold:

Drift_86
04-30-2011, 01:00 AM
Omg don't put a Ka in that beutiful silvia

WINTERS14
04-30-2011, 01:18 AM
Omg don't put a Ka in that beutiful silvia

Like I said, I'm looking for a clean DD. That's it. Power can come later, but all I want right now is something reliable, legal, and fuel efficient.

WINTERS14
04-30-2011, 01:19 AM
Also, sell me your S14 :naughty: I want that color...

Drift_86
04-30-2011, 03:23 AM
Ugh... It's not that hard to find a nice dd... Y r u gonna drop a motor in a shell for a daily and then try modifying it after u would try to get it pass smog and shit ur just getting urself into a deeper hole

WINTERS14
04-30-2011, 12:58 PM
I guess I'm missing the magical stockpile of good-looking/clean 240's...

Drift_86
04-30-2011, 09:03 PM
I guess I'm missing the magical stockpile of good-looking/clean 240's...

http://zilvia.net/f/cars-sale/376604-f-s-s14-95-se-no-motor-look-3500obo-no-part-out.html