Guys, I need some HARDCORE advice.

[BlueSix]

Ok, I am *seriously* considering purchasing a turbo kit from NSport.

Here are my reasons for going KA24DET instead of SR20DET:

1: I like higher displacement
2: Less trouble to install
3: I plan on eventually upgrading the pistons and rods so the stronger stock internals of the SR20 becomes a moot point
4: Everyone's getting SR20DET's, I like to not follow the crowd...
5: My tranny is only like 2 years old and I'd hate to just ditch it
6: I don't wanna have any complications with my HICAS system

OK now the first quesion I have is.. Can anyone give me a really good argument AGAINST going with the KA24DET instead of the SR20DET... So far all I've heard is that the internals are better in the SR20.. Like I said that's a moot point for me since I plan on upgrading the internals on either one..  Is there another reason to go with the SR20DET?

The second question is that I would like to know EVERYTHING that I will need to complete the install in addition to the parts I will get in a "Stage one" kit from NSport... (www.nsport.com).. Right now I assume that I will need a new clutch, but I don't know what else... What about stuff like headgaskets? If anyone can give me an idea, I need to know so I can plan my budget...

The third question is, my block has 123,087 miles on it.  What should I / can I do to make sure that it is going to take to this kind of upgrade?  I need to know exactly what I need to do to ensure that it will survive this... I plan on first doing a stage one upgrade, and later going to stages 2 and 3.

Next, if anyone has done this, how hard is it to do?  If it is beyond the scope of the average person who is pretty handy with tools, how much could I expect to pay for a shop to install it?

Next, has anyone here had any experience with the kit?  Heard anything good or bad? The only things that I found were 2 positive reviews on 240SX.org...  They had very little info..

Next, I have a JWT ECU upgrade.. Will this screw up the FMU / timing on the turbo setup??  This is really important since I have NO idea how the 2 things will interact...  I *assume* that JWT could simply reprogram my ECU to deal with the turbo and FMU, but I dunno... BTW anyone know how much they charge to reprogram an ECU they've already done?

I know this is a lot of questions but this is a really big undertaking for me and I need to know this kind of stuff before I can continue, please help me in any way you can... PSI240, I am especially interested in hearing your input since you seem to have a great turbo KA already and probably know some of the stumbling blocks of the process...

MANY THANKS for any info you guys can give me in advance!!!!

[BlueSix]

Sorry the title should read Guys and Gals =D

I dunno what I was thinking...

LOL btw I wrote a book didn't I?

[Archangel]

Thats a tall order of info there!
I personally think that if you are eventually going to upgrade the internals, and don't want to remove the trans, the ka is the way to go.  Rather than spend the money on a swap, just put it into your engine.
How much engine upgrading you need to do to the ka is dependant on how much boost you plan on running.  I believe the KA24DE can handle small amounts of boost stock, but if you're going high, you'll need to upgrade.  Also, i would personally have a professional shop do this for you unless you are pretty confident.  You can do alot of damage to the kit and your engine if it isn't installed and tweaked right.
My best advice is to find a shop who's willing and able to do it and sit down and discuss it with them.
Good luck and let us know what you decide and how it goes.

[Freak Leash 240]

BlueSix,

Indeed that is a lot of info, but I understand where you're coming from.  After doing extensive research on turbocharging (I recommend you buy and read Maximum Boost, by Corky Bell... great book and easy enough to understand) I can tell you the following:
- Your KA engine would handle somewhere around 10 psi boost on stock internals, TY Yap runs 11psi I believe and he puts out close to 300 rwhp.
- Rob Fees, has the F-Max kit on his KA with over 115k miles on it and still running strong.
You don't need to worry about headgaskets unless you're thinking of crazy boost (20-25psi).
- Your ECU will work just fini with the FMU, keep in mind that the FMU only works while under boost... If you send your ECU to JWT again for turbo re-program, then you wouldn't need the FMU anymore, because JWT will make your ECU compensate for this, altough, I'd say you get 370cc injectors and have JWT include this program on your ECU. The ECU route is a bit safer, but more $$$.

For the install, it might run you from $500 to $1200 or more, depends how much the shop wants to bend u over <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> &nbsp;but remember, that if you do it yourself not only will you save big bucks but you'll learn quite a bit. &nbsp;I'd say try to find someone with enough knowledge to guide you and help you out, this way you'll save and learn.

Hope this helps... &nbsp;

[S13Grl]

Jim Wolfe will re-upgrade your ECU with a discounted price, I thought.

If money is no object go ka, you might have to balance the crank shaft. &nbsp;I'm pretty sure the sr20 comes prebalanced, but not the ka. &nbsp;I have also heard that the bottom end on the sr20 is bullet proof, I have not heard the same about the ka24. &nbsp;

[Nismo Tom]

OMG. Nluesix you are god man I wanted to ask teh same thing today but you could not of put it better for me man.

[BlueSix]

yeah S13Grl I thought that JWT said something about reprogramming my ECU for less if I ever needed it redone for whatever, but since I got my ECU like 3 years ago I forgot! I should probably call em up!

[240sxtreme]

uh...I might not know what the h*** I'm talking about...but wouldn't balancing the crank have to do with RPM's? &nbsp;if so, why would you need to do that, unless you're planning on being above 6800-7k?

I guess youre right, but the sr20 in some cases comes with a turbo, the ka was never meant to be turbo charged. &nbsp;So I guess I should say that I would balance it. &nbsp;Just to take out any imperfections. &nbsp;I'm no expert though.

[240sxtreme]

I don't mean to be an a-hole...and I'm not picking on you....but if we never heard of a SR20DET, would you say the same thing about the SR20? &nbsp;I mean, most of our SR20's in the US are SR20DE...not DET...so why would you say the SR20 was &quot;meant&quot; to be turbocharged, and the KA not? &nbsp; Seriously, what do you think makes an engine made to be turbocharged? &nbsp;
&nbsp;don't know about you, but my KA was definately meant to be turbocharged. &nbsp;I think the only reason it didn't come with an optional DET engine is for emissions....and I'm glad..like I've said before in other posts.....I love the insurance costs. &nbsp;I'm willing to put the extra 4-6k and be hella fast, but still be cheaper then a ford escort &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

[konkman]

Bluesix,

I've also been doing some hardcore research into the NSport kit. &nbsp;I talked with someone from NSport they suggested that a shop which can handle and has done turbo kits before should install everything in 6 hours.

But for you in your garage you need an entire weekend with a few friends who know something about mechanics. &nbsp;I would personally do what I could on my own and if you finish with a working product great, but if not, save some cash to tow your baby to the garage to finish the job. &nbsp;

As for extra parts I would invest in a boost gauge and Air/Fuel Ratio gauge. &nbsp;A/F you monitor your engine, and the boost gauge to make sure your not blowing your engine apart by over boosting. &nbsp;And the stock clutch can't handle the added hp.

[Freak Leash 240]

No engine (except specialty racing engines) is &quot;meant&quot; to be turbocharged, any standard engine can be turbocharged if done properly. In some cases (engines with very high compression rates) you might need to:
-Make it breathe better (porting, polishing, cams, valve job, etc.)
-Lower compression, this is as simple as switching t lower-compression pistons.

But for modereate boost levels (1-10psi) this is not needed in most engines, only an intercooler is a MUST for such, especially above 5psi.

[S13Grl]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from 240sxtreme on 12:47 am on Oct. 9, 2001
I don't mean to be an a-hole...and I'm not picking on you....but if we never heard of a SR20DET, would you say the same thing about the SR20? I mean, most of our SR20's in the US are SR20DE...not DET...so why would you say the SR20 was &quot;meant&quot; to be turbocharged, and the KA not? Seriously, what do you think makes an engine made to be turbocharged?
don't know about you, but my KA was definately meant to be turbocharged. I think the only reason it didn't come with an optional DET engine is for emissions....and I'm glad..like I've said before in other posts.....I love the insurance costs. I'm willing to put the extra 4-6k and be hella fast, but still be cheaper then a ford escort <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>
</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

I think what gold was trying to say was that while the SR20DET comes with a factory turbo, the KA does not, so turbo-ing a KA may not be ALL that great. Freak elaborated on that a bit more.

[Gold240se]

You asked what makes an engine made to be turboed? &nbsp;I'm talking about from the factory now. &nbsp;The first thing would be that the stock crank on a sr20 comes balanced, the ka24 does not. &nbsp;Of course you could balance it. &nbsp;That and the stock internals can handle more hp on a sr then a ka. &nbsp;Remember what I said though. &nbsp;If money is no object go ka. &nbsp;I'm also not saying that the ka is stronger then the sr. &nbsp;But again with deep pockets, the sky is the limit. &nbsp;There is also no replacement for displacement. &nbsp;so the ka might be the way to go. &nbsp;Just pay attention to detail, and get the minor stuff out of the way first.

[240sxtreme]

again, I'm not trying to be mean or anything...It just hits a nerve when people say the SR was meant to be turbo'd, and the KA wasn't. &nbsp;From talking to a lot of people, most people want the SR mainly because that's the Japanese engine, and it's what's in the Silvia. &nbsp;Yes, the SR does comes turbo'd from the factory, but what if the KA had the same thing?

also, what does a balanced crank have to do with HP? &nbsp;I don't have any personal experience with crankshaft issues, so I don't fully understand why you'd have to automatically balance the crank? &nbsp;Isn't balancing the crank only beneficial for raising, using higher rpm's? &nbsp;If so, unless you plan on raising your rev limit, why balance? &nbsp;I'm in the 4-6500k range all the time right now, why would more HP ruin the engine if it's in the same rpm range?

I didn't want to come across saying that the ka should not be turboed, that not what I'm saying and I don't think I did. &nbsp;I've said all along that with enough $$ the only thing that matters is what you want. &nbsp;

[S13Grl]

&quot;I love you
You love me
We're a happy family...&quot;