Casual Engine Swap

[jhilpert]

I've just got a '90 240 back in November and my stock ka24e has a hairline crack in the head and some other minor issues. It's still totally drivable, although I'm not sure how long. It's got 200,000+ miles on the engine and transmission.

I've been looking into the different engine swaps that are popular on the 240s for the sole reason that my mechanic wants around 2,000 to replace/repair the stock motor or whatever, and I figure if I'm going to spend that much I might as well get some more horsepower out of it.

I'm just a casual driver, I'm 17 years old in my last semester of high school, so I'm not drifting at the track or dragging at the strip every weekend, but I'm still interested in more power for some spirited, but safe, road driving.

I'm leaning towards the sr20det blacktop after the research I've done. It just seems like the best way to go for me and I can see why it seems to be the most done swap. Although I also think it would be mad to swap a rb25det or even a vq (even though I don't know which one would be best).

So yeah, I just wanted to reach out to you guys who are infinitely more well informed on this stuff (I'm not going to pretend I know what I'm talking about, but I'm really eager to learn). What do you guys think?

EDIT: sorry if there was another thread to ask this question in

[Ramonesfreak2010]

You can always swap in a KA24DE for a few hundred bucks...

[simmode1]

You're not going to be able to afford an upgrade from the KA24DE for the same $2k that your mechanic is charging you to replace it. My recommendation is to make sure the KA he's sticking in there has been refreshed/overhauled & then prep it for boost over time. Well prepped KA-T's are no slouch.

[STEEZxIT]

^this idea is good.

i think for 2k you should be getting a reasonably freshened up kade, which is NICE. all too often underrated.

thats plenty of power for going to the sock hop/drive in theater/getting milkshakes/whatever high school students do these days.

[teh smithers]

You're not going to be able to afford an upgrade from the KA24DE for the same $2k that your mechanic is charging you to replace it. My recommendation is to make sure the KA he's sticking in there has been refreshed/overhauled & then prep it for boost over time. Well prepped KA-T's are no slouch.

This, all day. Look no further.

[vJilly]

go ka-t my man. if youre apart of groups on facebook theres ka's and ka-t setups on there daily. ive seen you driving around (green kouki) id go ka-t cause you can get a good ka and boost it for around that 2k your mechanic is asking, hell the guy i sold alol my ka-t stuff wants to sell it back to me for $500 just needs a clutch and the turbo rebuilt and other odds and ends. that $500 includes a $300 ecu, with that being said spend about another $500 on random shit and pick up a KA for $300, my buddy actually might want to sell his extra one if youd be interested, just good for thought. or if you find a good deal on an SR do it just make sure to compression test, leak down etc. i wouldnt go with SR personally, while they are great motors they like to spin bearings a lot. went to a drift event and 5 SR's blew and the one stock KA-T which was pushing 320whp help up all day smashing limiter. just my .02 you can dm on instagram if you like since im local.

[jhilpert]

thanks for the input guys. I have a '90 so the stock motor is just the kae as opposed to the de, which is what my mechanic was talking about putting in it. So I hope swapping in a kade wont be too much of a pain lol.

For right now I think I'm just going to see how long the current engine lasts I think. I'm not really in a hurry.

and to vJilly, its pretty exciting to see a local on the forum! However, the green kouki isnt me, but I know who it is. I'm the white pignose hatch that's in way shittier shape lol.

again, thanks for all of the advice.

[Matej]

How does a gentleman swap an engine?

Very casually.

[vJilly]

me and my brother share an account, feel free to shoot one of us a message or whatever, I know it sucks not knowing many other owners in the area that can lend a hand or get you in touch with the right people, was in your shoes a year ago haha


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[simmode1]

thanks for the input guys. I have a '90 so the stock motor is just the kae as opposed to the de, which is what my mechanic was talking about putting in it. So I hope swapping in a kade wont be too much of a pain lol.

For right now I think I'm just going to see how long the current engine lasts I think. I'm not really in a hurry.

and to vJilly, its pretty exciting to see a local on the forum! However, the green kouki isnt me, but I know who it is. I'm the white pignose hatch that's in way shittier shape lol.

again, thanks for all of the advice.

Hmm... Switching from the E to the DE... It's debateable whether that's actually an upgrade. Yeah, the DE has like 10more hp from the dual cams but it's has more parts as well, so that adds complexity to your maintanence. As for performance, I remember being extremely surprised the first time I test drove a SOHC. Stock versus stock, it felt quite a bit peppier than my really healthy DOHC. It was probably just different power delivery or torque curves, but it felt a tiny bit faster. But I have no idea about how building a turbo SOHC compares to a turbo DOHC.

[jhilpert]

I think what I'm going to try and accomplish at this point is getting a remanufactured kae (or just a used one I know is healthy), and slap a turbo on it and run low boost and eventually build the engine up. but for now I'm probably just going to let the engine that's in there stick around for a bit.

thanks everyone

[Bushido]

you should casually purchase the KA24DE and turbo kit I currently have for sale.

[Rustys14]

Hmm... Switching from the E to the DE... It's debateable whether that's actually an upgrade. Yeah, the DE has like 10more hp from the dual cams but it's has more parts as well, so that adds complexity to your maintanence. As for performance, I remember being extremely surprised the first time I test drove a SOHC. Stock versus stock, it felt quite a bit peppier than my really healthy DOHC. It was probably just different power delivery or torque curves, but it felt a tiny bit faster. But I have no idea about how building a turbo SOHC compares to a turbo DOHC.

I actually prefer the E to the DE. I really like the fact that the single cams use an L series oil pump so you can run the Nissan motorsports/L28 high volume pump. As long as you keep up with maintenance (front main seal, etc) and replace the timing guides with the updated metal backed version from Nissan the damn things are pretty much indestructible. People also pretty much give these motors way because they have it in their head that they're junk. I paid $40 for the last one I swapped in and it ran great after a minor refresh.

I wouldn't waste my time building a turbo single cam though. There really isn't much aftermarket which makes the costs of building RELIABLE one far to high compared to the alternatives. OP, I would just roll with what you have or chuck another single cam in until you can afford to do a SR swap since that will be the easiest and most reliable way to get a turbo motor. Especially since it seems that you have limited mechanical knowledge right now.