HBT

FOUND IT!!! bearings ... number 1 connecting rod bearing was completely gone. number two bearings were broken. Three and four were better with the fourth in the best shape. oil starvation? any way. here are the pics...











here is number two...



and here they are lined up...



crank looked good. all bearings and journals looked good and smooth. the journals on the connecting rods were, well number one and two, looked like they will need to go to the machine shop and inspected. polished...



Now, here is my question. for the sake of knowledge and money. I want to re use the pistons and connecting rods and as much as possible. Get a rebuild kit that includes rings and the such... I just bought the timing chain kit three months ago, should or can I re-use it?? I just want to rebuild this to make sure I can do it. Then once I am comfortable and feel secure enough, pull it again, I will then get the forged this, that and the other. performance this, that and the other as well. I will ask ya'll what to get and spend the money on. I will send the head out and make sure everything is good there in this build of course but what do you all think? Just keep it cheap for right now and make sure I know what I'm doing before I dump big money on top grade stuff??? or do it now. I dont know... So, I will ask for some opinions here.

HBT

Frank... You got it. Bearings.

HBT

Quick update. Talked to a buddy of mine and he said take everything to the machine shop and they can tell me what to reuse. Also have them do the head and port it and he said at minimum get new cams for a mild bump in hp and still pass smog. But, he said, why do it twice??!! Get it all the stuff now... Haha. We'll see. First, I will take it to the shop. Get everything spec'd out. Go from there I guess.

HBT

found out what these switches were... thanks FSM.





so, number 2 is nuetral position switch, then number 3 od position switch and then number 4 is the top position switch, and then number 5 is the reverse lamp switch. So, I had my od position switch not connected I guess... However, I still dont know what #1 is... anyone?

spooled240

dunno what your long-term plans with the car are, but I'd be rebuilding it with forged internals to boost it later down the road

HBT

Well, in California you cant turbo a KA and pass smog. There are ways to get by that, but get pulled over and you get it impounded. So, I'm not sure what to do. I would like to boost it later so your idea is what I would like to do, but... Maybe just work out a nice NA KA with as much as I can get out of it... Not really a speed demon anyway i guess... so, long term plan? I want to start in the engine bay, clean it out. paint it, make it clean. Then suspension, then body, then interior, then wheels. I want a clean, good looking 240 I can drive without looking over my shoulder. but, I may change my mind when I get this thing going. I have time to decide wether I will go forged internals.

HBT

oh crap spooled...I just saw you're from socal too... Duh. what do you think. Is it tough to have a turbo KA here in OC?

vladimir240

#1 is the speed sensor. ill be watcing your build thread and hopefully learning as well. looks like im just a few steps behing you. good luck and keep it up.

HBT

Damn Good Vladi dadi... Thanks homie. I'm going to be out of town this weekend and won't be back on this for about a coupe of weeks. So, you may catch up. ha!!

spooled240

I've had decent luck but I'd study this thread if you want to play it safe:
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=382086

HBT

Holy crap balls... This thead is out of control. I had no idea you can make a sleeper like that. Wow. WELL, this changes everything. I will study this new angle and get back to you. Man, they look amazing spooled. Thanks for the link.

Driftwire

I will probably be jumping into mine as I need it as safe as possible before Aug 29th for an event. Its rather easy once you get comfortable. Your making good progress, the work will all come down to the clearances and torque specs in the FSM. Make sure you have everything torqued properly and not to tight.

Also my KA has a turbo strapped to it and its amazing. Love the car and wouldnt get rid of it.

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Croustibat

LOL

An LS1 in a S13 makes the car better balanced than with any of the 4 pots nissan ever put in down there. Some people put a 2JZ or an RB25/26 in there, and THAT ruins balance (but hey, it has a nissan badge ! ). That is pure jdm integrism, which is kind of funny considering KAs are found only in US S13/S14 nissans. Everywhere else, there is a ca18det or an sr20det, stock.

I said "ls1" because it has a very good power/$$$/reliability/balance relation, and it will be easier to source than any jdm engine. there are also a lot of available parts for the swap. I think i will get one once my ca18det dies (hard to find in France, but it should be cheaper than rebuilding a CA, getting a new turbo and a stronger gearbox).

Anyway, yours is not an opinion, but pure enthusiasm. It would be an opinion if you actually had built some engines - and if you had, you would really not encourage it. So unless you are ready to stand by your enthusiasm, it is not worth a dime: will you pay his parts and machinist labor that are going to be wasted if he makes a single mistake ? If the answer is no, then you should not tell him to do so. The same goes to Rusker.
Being enthusiastic is nice, but you are actually telling someone that has no prior experience in this to throw thousands of $$$ in building something that has high chances to break; and if it does not, it will be lost money anyway, as these engines are not worth much.

Anyway, i just wanted to warn the OP that correctly (re)building an engine is hard, and usually expensive on the first tries because we all make mistakes; meaning you need to triple check everything and take your time. It is not just a swapping parts job. As long as his decision is based on enough infos -not enthusiasm or videos), i am ok with it, whatever the result may be.




Some tips and tricks :

make tons of pictures;
use CLOSING boxes with labels to store bolts and nuts, and write what goes where;
use stickers on engine, connectors and hoses so you can reassemble in the correct order later;
clean bolt holes and check for wear; be ready to rethread them if they are damaged (you don't want something to break in there )

As far as rebuilding the engine goes, control everything. Use plastigauge to find the correct clearances for conrod and crank bearings. Get nissan ones (they actually offer way more sizes than every other maker). Unsure of something ? Do it again. And use assembly lube, tons of it.

Also, consider bearings as fuses. They are the weak link that gets destroyed so that expensive other parts don't (if you are fast enough). although they do wear out with mileage and bad oiling conditions, and if i remember correctly yours has a high mileage. Don't forget to add "oil pump" to your wanted parts list, and have that block cleaned in every oil gallery.

High mileage usually means oval cylinders, meaning you need the cylinders checked for roundness. It probably needs a new bore, meaning new pistons too. Do NOT get the block machined without the new pistons, they need to be adjusted (measurements are one thing, but having both pistons and cylinders measured by the same company is better)

As far as the head goes, have it checked for flatness and corrected if it is not (same goes for engine block). Considering $$$/power ratio, i can't see the point in porting it or changing cam(s), really. That money will be better spent in new pistons and conrods, even if it does not up power.

spooled240

LSx swaps make sense, I'm not gonna lie. It's amazing how light they actually are and the mileage is surprisingly very good for how much power they put down out of the box.


With that being said, I just don't think a 240 should sound like a Camaro lol

SolTNtuz

Deleting post

Croustibat

I'll just post this for the sake of arguing (arguing on the internet... on zilvia... yeah right)

I don't think it is hard, i think it is really easy to overlook something simple, cut corners because of too much time spent / not enough money to buy quality tools / lack of knowledge and so on, and ending up with a 200 miles broken engine.

Thing is, the engines i usually see have a power output of 100HP/L at least, in oem form, and tend to be more on the 300-450HP/L when they get out of the shop. What i do know is that only one engine built by this shop has broken, and it was because the customer chose to bring a second hand block and mismatched block girdle (who would have thought about verifying that ... now they do). I also know that every car with a self assembled engine that comes in or out ends up (badly) broken.

Yes, the steps in themselves are not hard. Putting them together and being anal about everything is mandatory though, and usually skipped.

Now, thousands of $$$. sure, there is less labor by doing yourself, but parts are not free and neither are tools and machinists.

so specific tools, all gaskets, pistons, rods, bearings, surely crank from the look of it, oil pump, water pump, block control, cleaning, bore, hone, deck, head proofing and decking, valves & seats lap, maybe the clutch should be controled and changed while it is out and the flywheel surfaced, cracked exhaust manifold maybe too, various bolts and nuts ... Yes, that equals to thousands of $$$ in my book. It always had, and it always will be.

SolTNtuz

Deleting post.

Croustibat

How to fail building a reliable engine, step 1 : hoping and cutting corners instead of verifying things really are ok.

Ah well. I knew it the second it was typed anyway.

SolTNtuz

CBAT: You are such a ----, when I said hoping the head was OK it is kind of obvious that it should be checked just hoping it would be OK , I can see why you would not attempt to do anything yourself.
I deleted my last posts and will post no other unless to help HBT,
Sorry for polluting your thread. Keep up the good work.

Croustibat

I am quoting this one though, in case you also happen to delete it.

It just shows your true colors. "Giving advice", then promptly delete when someone points out how wrong it is, and insult him. What a wonderful guy you are.

BTW I can't help but notice how you say you want to help the OP, yet delete the posts that were supposed to help him. So ... did they contain bad advice, or do you have an overinflated ego ? Both ?

Though so.

HBT

all right guys... I know I'm in over my head here, and yes... maybe fool-hearted. However, I am doing this with my son, and a very good friend that has a lot of experience with building engines and custom engines if I need him as well. I have labeled everything, have taken 360 videos of my progress when the areas got "advanced" looking. Pictures, pictures, pictures... and I have all of you to stop me from doing something stupid. Breaking this down I KNOW was the extreme easy part... I'm going to do a ton of research and education on the next steps. My local friend here told me not to mess around with the block, head and crank... send it to the machinist. Decked, honed, dipped, balanced crank.... whatever it needs. New pistons, new connecting rods, and so forth as needed... Then... stupid slow steps. I may even only do a couple of steps at a time and then check to recheck and then check with you guys.. Maybe I am throwing a ton of money away, but I have always wanted to do this... I have to start somewhere. why not a cheap engine like this? SolT - I appreciate your enthusiasm. Thanks man. Cbat - You are the voice of reason... Between you both I hear the roar of the crowd and the screech of the brakes... I love it. You both are right in my opinion. This may take a year or more... thats fine. I have time. I will be back my next day off. Let you know maybe what I have going on. Probably sending the block, head, crank, connecting rods out and maybe hear back from them by then... See ya'll later. Thanks a ton to all you guys.

HBT

Damn good stuff here man... NOTED. Thank you

Driftwire

Just let the man rebuild his motor with his son. Ide put my money on the motor being perfectly fine and running awesome when their done. Leave the tedious work to the pros. Strip your motor down and have the engine inspected at a machine shop so they can make sure your clearances are perfect. As long as you follow torque specs and torque patterns for the assembly and removal you wont have any problems. Follow the FSM and dont be afraid to take pics and post any questions you have.

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fricktacular

How is the build coming HBT? I just bought a 240 with 160k miles and will probably need a rebuild or swap in the coming months.. Just need to figure out what kind of budget I'll be able to come up with.

Rusker

Glad to see you're taking it slow. This will be a great learning experience for you and your son.

__________________
1990 S13/SR20

ASRTech

Good stuff, keep it going!

HBT

So, here I go again...

After sitting in my driveway for what seems like forever, I had to do a swap. Ran like shit right away and then died. Replaced MAF, Injectors, Fuel rail, Fuel pump, and still ran like shit and then died. Every sensor I could find was replaced and the spark plugs were replaced like a thousand times because they were being fouled every time and still would not stay running and then it was black smoke and then white smoke and then blue smoke and then rainbow colored smoke and then no smoke and then a genie came out and slapped me and then no start and then I kicked it and dented it on the side and then I apologized and then I killed myself and then put a tarp over it for a year and then... I tried again.

and then FINANLLY!!! Found a wire harness short and replaced it. I swapped it out and it started and ran. For the love of god it was running. Sweet Marion Joseph RUNNING!!

Still a bit rich right now but I will get to that. This son of a bitch has taken me to hell and left me there. Here is where I am right now. May need some help going forward to pass smog.




Still have the old KA and all the parts in my garage and still working on the rebuild. We will see...