Just got this 240...now what?!?!

Hey all! I'm new to AF and i need a lil advice. I got the 90' 240sx, you know the one with the crappy looking front bumper. I need to know where i can buy the bumper off a 91-93 model cuz i've already looked in junkyards around here and turned up nothing. I hear it bolts right up with no trouble at all. Also i need to know wat i should do to this car first to get atleast 180 Hp out of it without doing an engine swap cuz i got college so i aint rich but this damn KA24 is slow. Should i just save up for the SR20 or invest a lil into this KA. Thx all, i appreciate the help.

you might want to save up for a SR if you have an sohc imo. but 180 to the crank is not hard at all, 180 to the wheels isnt that hard either. cai,full exhaust(headers & such), port &polish, complete tune up (spark plugs/wires etc), new clutch/lightened flywheel, and then get lsd, and you'll see a big difference in power and feel.

yeah, you'll be closer to 180whp than before with things like that.. i know there are some guys out there with ka24e-t's but not too sure how reliable they are.. i'd say look for a KA24DE and turbo that.. you could get more than 180whp with a basic turbo setup on stock internals.. hell you could make over 180whp N/A with the right parts inside..
i'm a fan of the ka (vs sr) cause i see it as "there's no replacement for displacement"..

a pignose is not all that crappy!!!!!! The engine things up to you. Do more research and you will be able to see what better suits your budget. I would say KA personally. But thats me.

I just saw that video that shows off all these KA24DE-T's and DAMN thats wat i want. Can i still drift with the KA-DE? I heard it only has the power at higher rpm's so its not as ideal for drifting as the SR is. Even still, i think ill save up for the KA, but does anybody know where i can get one cuz i've looked at all the sites i know that sell engines and i cant find one. I dont mind it it comes turbo charged or not cuz i would be uprgrading the turbo anyway, in time. Thx all, i appreciate your input.

If youre talking about the "KAUltimate" video i watch that everyday when i get up now and a good2-3 times during the day...showed it to my friend and now hes gone from muscle cars to Imports :D...I plan to invade the muscle heads by storm...anyways...If i were you I would go check around the salvage yards for the KA24DE...

DUDE YOU HAVE TO MAKE A KA-T....NO ONE SELLS THEM...whoops caps sorry lol.

maybe your over thinking it maybe hes saying...its already been KA-T'd dont always assume that hes an idiot.

Thx monooxide that IS wat i was saying. But anyways, there's no website where i can just buy one of those KA's? I mean damn how good a motor am i goin to find in a junk yard? Is it pretty much a straight forward swap or does stuff gotta get moved around and cut and all that crap? I'm sorry if this thread is annoying anybody but for the longest time i was wanting a civic or prelude until i saw the light. I dont know much bout nissan yet. Also...does anybody know of any good tuner shops around houston? Much obliged peeps.

You need the 91-94 power steering lines and reservoir, the ECU and the harness I think, along with the engine and tranny (I dunno if they have the same tranny). Besides that it's pretty straightforward, another thing is that if you get a junkyard engine, just rebuild it, I know it's expensive, but it's better to do it now then after you drop it in.

it really depends on where you live. my friend just recently bought 2 KA24DE's with tranny's for 250 bucks each. you gotta look for them at shops that do alot of SR swaps. as for swapping the twin cams into single cam's i dont know anything about it.

however think about it this way, you need to buy a SR for around 1500 bucks. you can buy a KA for 250, that still puts you 1200 below the SR budget, you can buy all the rebuild parts such as pistons, head gasket, and head, and rod bolts for it. now all you gotta do is pay for labor to have the whole engine rebuilt. that should cost around 2500 bucks including engine. so now you have a engine that can handle 400+ hp, and just swap the KA in. the problem is, since you have a single cam, i should honestly say the SR is probrably still the cheaper route.

if you have a twin cam KA i would say stick with it, but its too much of a hassle to swap in a KA24DE and build it, then turbo it. with the SR you can do it one shot.

the reason why its easier for us is becusae we can turbo our twin cams, blow it up, and have a spare engine for 200 bucks to build and sit int eh garage, then just swap it in. you know what i'm saying?

whats wrong with pig noze??

GET SR, really its a good motor, turbo stock. can't go wrong with it (its illegal in most states dough!)

I've wanted an sr for awhile but after seeing that video... I don't remember seeing any sr videos that show them kicking that much ass. I think that i still want the KA tho. Which one has more potential? I plan to keep this car through for awhile and tune it through the years but the first thing i want to do is the engine wether it be swaping it or watever. In response to what TatII said, I see what you mean when you said that if you blow your motor you still got another one but if there's a chance that my car could be as fast as the ones in that video then i'll take the risk.

LOL the Undying question....
SR... More expensive, but way better for drifting because it has a lot lower power band. Its ways less and is only 2 Litre.

KA... Less Expensive, way better for drifting because it has a lot Higher Power Band and is good for Dragging. 2.4 Litre, remember no replacement for displacement!

The KA overall i think has more potential then the SR..and plus the fact that alot of people are so set on SR and think that theyre better is another reason to step away from the crowd and go with the KA-T.
Monooxide gives the KA 9 out of 10.
I also give the SR 8.2 out of 10.

8.2?

i think you're pushing it.. more like 8.1

well, if you have a 90 with the original motor(sohc) youll need to swap it no matter what. it would cost about the same to swap a ka24de in as an sr, but then youd have to turbo the ka and thats an extra 3000+ with injectors and parts. The ka has more potential, being it has more displacement, a 7000 redline, and a better head design(flow bench), but if you push more than 230hp to the wheels, youll probably want to do some interior engine work to the ka. With cost in mind, and the whole sr crowd, i am stepping away from them both, and in the spring (graduation) i am swapping an RB into my 91. not sure which(25 or 26). i found a credible shop an hour away that will put an rb25det in my car for $4200, and it can make some serious power. whatever your choice, research your options, cause your speending a lot of money.

lataz

hey i got a 93 front bumper i will sell you its black let me know e-mail me at [email protected]

nismozt its not as expensive to swap the ka as the sr.. you could buy a KA in great shape for $500, have it put in for however much more.. the sr swap is minimum $2500 for a good engine that will last.. all said and done with the RB, you're not gonna be lookin at $4600. its gonna be over $5000, i'd say closer to $5500.. but if you've got the money then good on you. go for it.

Ya I think Ill try to find some busted up ass, broken down 95' 240sx somewhere and rebuild the motor. Thanx for your input everyone, I appreciate it much all!!

good luck on that find...

when i was young and dumb...the RB seemed like a great choice but then i noticed it was gonna be like 6000-8000 so i was like...hmm f that

SR20s are illegal in CA.

Ya I dont think the SR will pass emissions here in Texas either so that would be another plus for the KA i guess. Anybody that has the bumper from a 91-93 an wants to sell it can e-mail me at [email protected] cuz i want a better looking front than the pignose. Some people like that better but it isnt smooth and sleek enough for me. Also, if anybody knows anybody or anywhere that is selling a KA24DE let me know. I guess the tranny too seeing as how I'll need it. Thx all