Tomakze Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I have a '68 roadster, and have been sitting on a KA24E I bought a couple years back with the intention of swapping it in. I have a complete (supposedly) running motor and trans with ECU, MAF, and wiring harness... The guy I bought it from was a really nice guy and was honest with me and said the motor did smoke a little when it was in the car ('89 240sx). So I am mostly ready to go with the swap, but have been dreading all the wiring and extra work involved in doing the swap. (Not that I don't think I can do it, I just am worried something stupid will go wrong and I will spend months chasing wiring ghosts.) I had an idea the other day... one which many people seem to have had already. Carb it! After seeing a few carbed KA's in 510s online, I started doing research. Unfortunately, Webers are PRICEY, and you still have to make an intake manifold for them. This made me wonder if there might be a cheaper and easier alternative... Then it hit me... The KA24 is a 2.4 liter engine, and so is the L24! The R16 motor in the car is running a pair of SU style carbs, and so does the L24... What do you guys think? I have never seen it done, but I really don't think it would be difficult to do. (Well, no more difficult then the webers, anyway. Perhaps easier even!) The SUs are easy to maintain, parts are readily available, and they are easy to tune. All with the added bonus of looking almost like a stock motor! What do you guys think? Anyone foresee anything I didn't? I think the throttle linkage in the car already should work as-is, since it had SU's to begin with. I think this might be a viable low cost and unique alternative when swapping in a KA! :cool: Quote Link to comment
Npdavies. Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Skib was planning on using SU's on his KA24e, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe shoot him a PM. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 The KA use a CAS so how are you going to fire the plugs? Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Its easy to do on a single cam. thats whats going to go into my 510. your still goiing to have to fab a manifold but for spark your just use an L20b oil shaft and an L series matchbox dizzy. with a bit of modification to the KA front cover itl bolt on. Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 the whitebird had SU's on his SR20 Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Fabbing a manifold shouldn't be a big deal, as I have a friend who is a machinist that specializes in aluminum. I'm pretty sure he can build something for me if I spend the time researching and designing it... I'll just have to bribe him! ;) Skib, when you say that is what is going in your 510, do you mean a SOHC with 240z SU carbs specifically? If so, fantastic! If you have a thread for this, PLEASE send me a link... My build won't be for a while, as I am still trying to finish swapping the z32 brakes in my car, plus my wallet is a bit light at the moment. Watching someone else do it always helps. I *hope* to get this going in the next year or so. I am also trying to figure out how to increase the compression ratio of the KA to about 10.5:1 or so, but haven't had much luck finding anything yet. I'd like about 160-170hp out of her. I think the carbs may actually help pick up some power, since the air would have a pretty straight shot into the motor, but I am not sure on this either. (Maybe it is good that I am broke, gives me the time I need to gather information. :P ) Any other thoughts are welcome, I am in the early stages of planning. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Someone on 311s.org found this video and sent it to me... I think this idea is a go for launch! Quote Link to comment
VintageRice Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 Carbs on single slammer KA has been done quite a bit. I'm doing R1 bike carbs. Just got done fabbing the l20b matchbox dizzy up. Super EZ. U can see how I did it here. http://community.ratsun.net/topic/33200-na-ka24e-build/page__st__20 Also search user 510can. He did the SU's on a KA. Just use oil pump shaft from the L motor. have fun! Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I was expecting to use SUs just cuz its hard to find a deal on other side drafts. but, I scored at the swap meet and got a pair of 45 solex carbis for the KA 1 Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Huh... I can "like" posts now... Anyways, score! Solexes are great carbs! What did you pay for 'em, if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment
Z-train Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Stay with the FI.No downside to it. Quote Link to comment
Rustina 510 Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Stay with the FI.No downside to it. Totally. A few carb heads like skib do it because they like carbs. But the fi system is much easier and more reliable with out monthly tuning Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Stay with the FI.No downside to it. Totally. A few carb heads like skib do it because they like carbs. But the fi system is much easier and more reliable with out monthly tuning Monthly tuning? What kind of carbs have you been using!? lol The reason for carbs is simple: less wiring, more vintage look/feel, bulletproof reliability, ease of tuning, and super sexy sound... lol Carbs will make just as much power as EFI if set up correctly. The eventual plan (This would be years down the road, mind you) is increased compression, mild cam, ported and polished head, and headers on a freshly rebuilt block. With carbs I can tune the fuel delivery to match the new performance of the engine without reflashing the ECU or using a stand-alone ECU or anything. A good tune should last for years. There are drawbacks, of course, but people don't give carbs enough credit. I think this is because most cars using carbs these days are old and worn out, which gives people the illusion that they are worse then they really are. The SU carbs on my car now are trash... They are worn WELL beyond their expiration date, and yet the car runs pretty well, all things considered. My carbs don't hold a tune, but that is because they are over 40 years old, and were poorly cared for. Now, they are junk, but despite this, they still work! I think that is a testament to how robust carbs can be. Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Anyways, score! Solexes are great carbs! What did you pay for 'em, if you don't mind me asking? ......... $ 200 :ninja: Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 ......... $ 200 :ninja: Wow, you are a ninja... that is less than I expect to pay for SU's!!! I am jealous... Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 Another option, though perhaps not of interest to you, would be to use a KA24E truck intake manifold. They ran throttle body fuel injection, so just remove the throttle body, have your friend the aluminum machinist make an adaptor to whatever downdraft carb you like, and you're in like flynn. :) I can't find any good pics of it but it looks extremely similar to the Z24i Fuel injection from the early d21/late 720's if that helps give you any idea. Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 Hum, that is an interesting idea! I will probably stick with side drafts just for the look, but for someone less picky than me, that is brilliant! Quote Link to comment
VintageRice Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 Hum, that is an interesting idea! I will probably stick with side drafts just for the look, but for someone less picky CHEAPER than me, that is brilliant! Fixed. :) Quote Link to comment
Tomakze Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Haha! Normally, I would argue, but in this case... yeah, that's true. Generally I am a cheap bastard. B) Quote Link to comment
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