Mad Cow! My 67 520.

[datzenmike]

z24 will be easiest, ka24 will be most rewarding, ca20 will be a waste of time

 

ca20 will be a waste of time ..... I can live with that!

 

I'll root for the under dog and say Z24.

[kansascity1]

I'm pulling for the Z24 also, I am kind of partial to that motor. I have owned 4 early hardbody's and loved every one of them.

[kansascity1]

man 521's are close enough! im wondering about shipping here???? i lived in brooklyn for 21 years man.

 

Let me know if you want them.

 

 

I was stationed in Newburgh, bout 70 miles north of Crooklyn

[BEEBANI]

Well, having driven a '97 hb with a ka24 in it for over 5 years; I would say it's the best choice. Low maintenence, massive power for the size, very torquey, and not bad on fuel economy. I had 33" tires on my 4wd and it got anywhere from 17-25 mpg with my foot in it all the time.

 

Jeff says he gets around 20-25 (I think) with his kc/ka and he mostly commutes.

 

I will agree about the power, it's crazy in my long bed, I can't imagine in a 520!

[Fineline]

I vote KA!

[KA620]

+1 for the KA!!!

[tnip]

if it was me, i'd go with the KA. there's enough people on here with enough experience swapping them in that the wiring shouldn't be too difficult to get a handle on. plus the ka has good aftermarket support for making more power, if you choose to.

[kiznook]

get the Z block and the KA head

[drastic520]

well fellas ka it is!!!! the one thing that i was waiting on was a harness and i got lucky. $40 bucks and done deal. cant wait to feel the difference. i have old folks lookin at me on the hwy like im nuts. they tellin me to move. aint that a bi#$%...

 

hey nook give me some insight on that z/ka mix... what are the advantages? is it as simple as bolting both together?

 

yeah tnip, wiring seems pretty simple. i was lookin at the post in how to.

 

hey kansas i used to go out there to party at the colleges all the time back in my days! man those were some good times.

 

oh and i scored these for $150. so they going on this week. just need to bore them and get tires....

[tnip]

i personally prefer the brushed look, like on pugz 521, but the ones youve got there are nice. please spend the lil bit of extra money and get the metal stems, it looks so out of place to me to see a polished wheel with a black rubber stem.

[datzenmike]

get the Z block and the KA head

 

Kiz: the Z24 with a KA head, for all intents and purposes, IS a KA. The KA/Z24 rods and pistons are the same size (not identical). I believe the KA grew out of the Z 24, more or less. With the same bore and stroke, putting a KA head on a Z 24 just changes the block.

[drastic520]

i hear that tnip. i couldnt pass em up. the $ was perfect. for sure its chrome stems for em!

 

as for the motor, im saving myself the trouble and using a stock ka. figure since its only a 2000lb truck, itll move very well. now ive read somewhere here that i need to do some type of crossing between my j13 tranny and the ka. is that a must or can i just keep the ka? does it affect the way the angle of the tranny or is that an issue on just a 4 to 5 speed swap?

[kiznook]

If you can use the Z24 block you can save yourself some trouble with the oilpan, esentially you'd be creating a truck KA, rear sump, no girdle.

 

use the KA transmission. It'll require a little more work for fitment, but it'll be a LOT better in the long run than a ka/j series hybrid (can that even be done?)

 

Scratch that, If you use the Z block, use the Z transmission

[BEEBANI]

I would agree with that kiz, trying to find a napz bellhousing by itself was fun. I like the ka tranny much better for shift ratios also, the 280z tranny is too much like the L tranny (wide shift pattern).

[drastic520]

thats y i ask the gurus here! im stickin to the ka n tranny. i would have to take the motor out of 2 different cars n it just way too much work for what its worth. ka/ka it is! use the computer from the donor car right?

[tnip]

since i remember you saying something about bags up front, the front sump pan won't be that big of a deal as you can just modify whatever's in the way (i think it's the steering link and maybe the crossmember or something like that). there is no "right" way to do a bag setup, but there are a few wrong ways... my point is that when you get to doing the front it seems to me, from other peoples projects on here, that you'll be better off changing up your front suspension components anyway. plus i remember you saying you wanna do rhd swap?... point of my babbling? use the ka24de with the ka tranny. yes you'll need to mod some front components, yes you'll need to mod your tranny mount, but it's well worth it from what everyone is saying. and yes you need the comp from the donor car. unless you're gonna end up with a megasquirt down the road for a custom map, but you might as well get the stock ecu to begin with so you can get it wired and running, worry about the upgrades later, just the stock motor and tranny is gonna be a HUGE upgrade as it is... :D

 

and now i say what i'm required to say... good luck man, sounds like you got a great plan... take lotsa pics and share with the class.

[BEEBANI]

All I had to do was modify the crossover link for the steering to clear the front sump pan. Do make sure that the ECU you get has the right number on it; Jeff informed me after I got into this swap that certain ECU's have a problem where they cut out at certain rpm's. I believe the bad one has a big number 10 on it (I believe that's the one I have) and you want an 11. Mine cuts out when I'm gettin' on it and shifting into 5th. I'll go out and check for sure what the number is and post later.

 

Jeff, help on this??

[drastic520]

you guys are the greates! im telling you i wouldnt know a damn thing about this truck if it wasnt for you all. now i feel confident that im in the right directions. i wanted to map out my game plan so i know step by step what im doing.

 

i know what u mean tnip, done quite a few. i remember my first bag set up i did back in 97 or so. no ready made parts. i guess i did it right cuz it outlasted the truck... i was actually studying the suspension on the 720 to see if it is somewhat swappable. im not to keen of the kingpin thing. anyone has heard or seen any other type swaped into these trucks? i was lookin at all the pics from the japan show and they seem to know something we dont...lol. i did look at the rear on a 84 or 85 200sx. it was a solid axle and it already set up as a 4 link. going back to measure and see how it can be made to fit.

 

as far as the oil pan beebani, i hear u can swap it to a rear sump pan and pick up tube from a hard body. that way theres no modding to the xmembers. what have u heard?

[datzenmike]

The '85 turbo 200sx had a monster C-200 IRS with disc brakes, not sure what the '83 and on non turbo's had in them, probably 180 so be sure to check. Pre '83 had only a small H165 not enough for a KA. The 810 Maximas (pre '85 VGs) had a solid rear axle but with drums, for use with the L24 motor. Don't know the size.

[BEEBANI]

There's no modding to x-members, just the steering. I don't know about changing tubes.

 

I checked, and the ECU I have is a 10 (don't get the 10!!!) get the one marked 11.

[tnip]

what's the deal with the one marked 10? a manufacturer problem?

[kiznook]

don't forget, things might be different on the 520. But I'm sure most of the 620 stuff is the same

[doord521]

Wish I was going to be out here longer... I want your j13 that you are going to pull....

[drastic520]

ok no "10"ecu then. got it! ill be taking a closer look at the rears tomorrow. ill even take some shots of it.

 

hey doord good to hear from ya! hows florida treating you? hey im pretty sure it will be sitting there for a while. not much interest in those engine around here... come get it when u ready!!!!!

[doord521]

Florida has been pretty good so far. When are you going to be pulling it out? I am trying to get over that way this weekend I will give you a call when I get some info....