KA questions...

[Duke]

Well, I'm not one for motor swaps but it kinda looks like I'm going to be getting one hell of a deal on a KA24de and I have a few questions for the many people running KA's on here.

 

1. How much do trannies cost? I know that pretty much any tranny from a 80+ nissan will fit (naps-z, vg-30?, etc.) but which is the best ratio wise and weight wise?

 

2. How much weight does the whole swap add. Its a carbed engine so that will make it a little lighter than the efi (no ecu, less wiring, manifold a little lighter?) but I really don't want to add alot of weight.

 

3. Does anybody know where you can get blank header flanges for KA's?

[BEEBANI]

I just so happen to make blank header flanges for ka's. Does the de use the same flange as the e?

[nismopu]

no the DE and E are completely different in head design and ports, so no it wont work. However you could buy the ones JGS tools sell for their turbo kits and use those. I dont even wanna ask why your using carbs, lol. peace.

[Duke]

I dont even wanna ask why your using carbs, lol. peace.

 

Cause there is NOTHING like the sound of dual side draughts at full song...efi can't hold a candle to it...and the package comes with a set of mikuni's.

[DISLEXICDIME]

Cause there is NOTHING like the sound of dual side draughts at full song...efi can't hold a candle to it...and the package comes with a set of mikuni's.

 

word i know my su's on my l16 sound aw some at wot

[nismopu]

Cause there is NOTHING like the sound of dual side draughts at full song...efi can't hold a candle to it...and the package comes with a set of mikuni's.

 

so...a vg with individual throttles wouldnt make you nut yourself lol?

 

I can understand if it comes with carbs already but just wouldnt use em myself, prolly turn around and sell em. peace.

[Icehouse]

Cause there is NOTHING like the sound of dual side draughts at full song...efi can't hold a candle to it...and the package comes with a set of mikuni's.

 

 

haha I know Hainz like to remind me every time I bring up EFI haha

 

I say go for it! I doubt the weight is enough to worry about... Ray from Auto Hero Garage has modified a few KA headers to fit around the steering box. I've tried to find weight charts for the different engines, I haven't found any that I believe. In Sport Compact (I think maybe one of the other million honda mags :D ) they had a s13 motor sway section, they said a ka is 40lbs heaver than a sr... and the RB is 150 heavier than the ka..... Thats as good an answer I can give you.... Those numbers don't really seem that accurate to me, but I have never scaled any of my engines... I want a bussa engine for my 1200, can you image that!! yeah :D

[Duke]

I will say that ITB's are better than side draughts, but I ain't rich. I'm picking the engine and tranny up on monday so I have a few more questions for you guys.

 

1. I have a 200sx dogleg tranny in there right now, will the slip joint from that work with the KA tranny?

 

2. What are my options for engine mounts. I have heard that stock mounts work, don't work...not really sure. Also, I'm pretty sure the tranny mount has to be fabbed, but is that correct?

 

3. I'm planning on modifying the oil pan for a rear sump so that the crossmember doesn't have to be flipped...what do people think of this method?

 

Thanks guys.

[nismopu]

from the three dual cam swaps I have been involved with in dimes its always been WAY easier and cleaner looking to flip the crossmember and run the front sump. My buddy joey has some really sweet crossmembers hes made for KA and SR swaps. The only problem with that setup is sourcing a sway bar but I believe DGR fab makes one. We have tried the rear sump idea twice in my friends group and so far the best looking are the front sump ones. On one swap we even started with a froniter dual cam which is a truck rear sump block with a dual cam head. The pan interfered with the crossmember still and had to have a few quarts removed from it until we made a hammer head style sump. Another buddy of mine used a 240sx block so the pump pickup was in front and extended the tube all the way to the rear of the engine and built a new hammer head sump.

 

All these swaps were done with stock engine mounts and a modified tranny crossmember using the chevy tranny mount. the frontiers wasnt needed to be modified since it was the same length as the previous l-series tranny. peace.

[Icehouse]

Also one think to think about is the dip stick when converting to rear sump. I've seen a few custom pans, none that blew my mind but they did the job. I think once anyone has owned a welder, fab work takes on a whole new name :D If my engine had a reservable pan I would do it in a heart beat. The biggest reason is my car has to be as low as possible :D

 

 

so my answers are....

 

1. Yep take off the dust cover to get more penetration :D This is my DL cut for my SR install, I'm sure you've seen it before but I'm going to pull a Hainz and post the same pic 1 million times :D

 

 

notice how i removed the dust dealy.

 

2. Stock mounts work fine. For some reason out of all the engines I've put in or been a part of putting in the KA24DE has the worst binding issues... The sr and ca engine mounts had no binding issues. They also need to be bolted to the lower set of wholes... I don't have a photo of that though.....

 

 

3. Like I said earlier sounds like a great idea to me :D

[Duke]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm still not quite decided as to weather I am going to do a front or rear sump. As Ice said, fab work takes on a whole new meaning once you know how to weld :). Maybe I will just make a whole new tubular front crossmember! Picking up the engine/tranny tonight, I will post some pics when I get a chance.

[Icehouse]

I say go for the rear sump! I know the height of your car ;)

 

 

If I was in your position, cali, no heater aka street track car... I would raise the tranny tunnel, add a exhaust tunnel and also rebuild the crossmember so that it is a few inches higher along with the engine and stuff. But that's just me.

[inline4]

I say go for the rear sump! I know the height of your car ;)

 

 

If I was in your position, cali, no heater aka street track car... I would raise the tranny tunnel, add a exhaust tunnel and also rebuild the crossmember so that it is a few inches higher along with the engine and stuff. But that's just me.

 

I actually want A/C and a heater in my car :hsd:

 

my buddy wants me to find a cleaner shell though.

[fiveoneohray]

Hey are you still wanting to do the dual sidedraft setup? If so I was researching this quite a few years back. All you have to do is just purchase the flanges for the carbs. The dual cam runners actually end up the exact same width apart (or very close) as the dual sidedraft carbs runners. It also fits with the flanges, carbs, and short velocity stacks. Then you dont have to mess with the integrated water outlet with the manifold.

[Duke]

Well, I got it! Looks to be in pretty good shape. The previous owner said it was rebuild about 1000 miles ago...I beleive him, but you never know. All the seals look new though. As you can see from the pics, he loved blue (will end up being black). Also I'm planning on modifying the manifold, as the fab work looks so so on it. I'm going to angle the carbs up a little, for a more direct shot to the ports. So here's another queston for you KA heads. How much room is there between the engine and the hood? Still undecided on wheather or not I'm going to flip the crossmember. So Ice, does the pan hang below the crossmember if you flip it? Here are some pics for you guys...anybody recognise the dizzy, looks like some kind of optical sensor kind of thing, anybody have experience with these?

 

 

 

[Icehouse]

I didn't know the engine came with carbs, it looks cool! Not that I'm a carb expert or anything but won't the tilt effect the floats? How was the previuos owner getting spark? Msd box? I forget how close the pan and the crossmember are higth wise. Maybe we can get Dillon (ka510) the measure his car and find the difference.

[510_Dillon]

i'll take some measurements and pictures today since im going to be doing front brakes,

will have them later.

[Bleach]

The distributor is different than the L-series EI, but wouldn't that just be the standard electronic ignition pickup? Might have a crank angle sensor built in like the Z31's did.

[Duke]

I was told that the distributor was an l-series converted to work with the KA. I will take some pictures of the conversion, but basically it is two dizzies welded together to get the pedestal that works in the KA with a dizzy that doesn't need an ECU.

 

So as long as your taking measurements, can you measure the distance from the top of the valve cover to the hood. And does the bottom of the stock pan (where the sump is) hang below the crossmember?

[]2eDeYe]

Sorry for the jack...but....

 

Ray, What the hell is wrong with your cat???

[datzenmike]

Haven't you gotten drunk and woke up with a tattoo? Cats gone wild!!!

 

Some of the Z24i motors had an optical EI distributor as well as the KAs. The oil pump spindle is different than an L. The L looks like a screw driver blade and the KA has a spline. More accurate (less jitter) timing for EFI emissions.

[fiveoneohray]

its known as a wet cat...they sweat profusely and its a real new breed!

[datzenmike]

Looks like he's related to Bill the cat!!!ACK!

[]2eDeYe]

To funny :D

[s13flyboy]

Hey Duke, would you post those pics of the distributor? I have been looking to build a dizzy like that for my carbed ka but haven't found any good write ups or pics. Thanks!

 

Sorry to drag an old thread up but I figured it would be easier for others to find the info in one thread.