JDM KA24DE

[socaldatsun]

Will be on the hunt for a new motor soon. Considering an imported DOHC KA. Did a quick search but was not successful. Only thing i found about that motor was that obviously the valve cover was different, the intake has some minor changes, and injectors are different (but match up to maxima injectors). Af far as I read everything else is the same internally. Can any one point me in the right directions to find out more info on this motor?

can the 240x tranny bolt up?

Wiring and ECU differences?

Im pretty much trying to find out if there is things that i need can it be pulled off or converted from a 240sx?

Thanks in advance!

[Lockleaf]

What goal will the imported version achieve that the us one won't? Is the kade you are looking at specifically a rwd version or fwd? That will also make a difference. But while there are likely to be minor wiring and ecu differences, kade is kade and could be run with American parts.

[Farmer Joe]

the JDM KA is fwd only.. 

 

so its pretty much an 98up altima engine. no benefit at all.. 

 

converting that to RWD is gonna be a pain in the ass...

 

you could prolly find a local to you USDM KA, and have it rebuilt for the price of the import KA.. 

[EastBay521]

I think this guy already has a ka in his truck, assuming that's what the motor is for.......could be wrong though im not sure

[socaldatsun]

well the only reason I'm considering on it is because prices of american kA's are soaring upwards to $500+ for the swap that has fairly high miles and also needs to be rebuilt (+1200 for parts and labor). there is some importers in LA that sell a low milage motor (40K) for about $7-800. think it would be easier to buy a low milage motor to be ready to drop in with a little refreshening (head gasket, water pump, oil pump etc) then to buy a used KA that was beat by some drift punk and is too much of a bi0tch to own up to the rod knock that the motor has. this would be a swap for my already KA'd pick up so most of the work is converting from a sohc to dohc. 

 

P.S, I'm very passionate about buying motors that aren't what they are advertised. first KA i bought was for 500 full swap with the understanding that it was ready to drop in with no issues. after swap was done and finally fired up, i find out that it shot. machine shop said that 2 valves where bent, cam was fucked, all the pistons and rings had to be replaces and the bearings where spun. 

Recent bought a wagon (for a high price) with the understanding that the motor was pretty much new, after 2 hours of driving it back home the day i bought the wagon lost compression of two of the cylinders and previous owner doesn't wanna own up to anything.

[]2eDeYe]

That is some bad luck. You would be ahead of the game just buying a US KA that needs a rebuild or rebuilding the KA you have. Then you also know the exact history of that motor. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I NEVER take someone's word that a motor is good. I need to hear it, drive it, inspect it before I make a motor purchase. If I can't do any of those, I try to get the price down to where it wouldn't kill me to rebuild it, or I work in a clause to get my money back if it's not as advertised.

 

NEVER... I said it again.

[EastBay521]

Just rebuild what you have and do it your self it isn't rocket science. don't start a new thread just rename this one ka rebuilt or something and im sure you will get all the help you need. I don't see the point in paying some one to learn what you can....

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

The OP said he wants to update from KA24E to KA24DE so a rebuild wouldn't do much.

[Farmer Joe]

the JDM kaDE is gonna be a FWD only block. it wont bolt up into a RWD application. 

 

blocks are different. motor mounts are not in the same locations. 

 

240sx trans wont bolt on correctly. 

[docbainey]

Maybe find one here?

 

http://www.jdmenginescorp.com/engines/Nissan

 

or here?

 

http://www.shop.jdm-auto-parts.com/Nissan_c17.htm

 

[EastBay521]

The OP said he wants to update from KA24E to KA24DE so a rebuild wouldn't do much.

Good point i just kinda skimmed through what he was saying

[Lockleaf]

What is it about the de that you want? It only makes about 12 horse more than the single cam. granted that's like 8 percent which isn't bad, but it's not a ton either.

[socaldatsun]

being able to have OBDII system on the motor. its not for sure just doing a bit of research for the time being.

[Lockleaf]

You could run your single cam on 96/97 d21 truck equipment. Ka24e obd2, downside is throttle body fuel injection.

 

Or you could look at sourcing an engine from a frontier. Ka24de, obd2, multi point fuel injection on the later years (I think, somebody correct me if I'm wrong)

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

How about a standalone ECU? Cost about as much as a new motor and less time to install.

[uberkevin]

I understand wanting the de. But I'd just keep the ka24e in there..

What if the de doesn't fit the same, would suck if it didn't fir the same. I guess no real big deal but still. Would be nice to know if you can go from a Ka-e to DE in 52q with no real problems.

Either way I hope you get it figured out..

I'm debating wither or not I keep my 240 block or should I get a truck 'rear sump' block?

Anyone have one??? Hahaha.

[Farmer Joe]

The OP said he wants to update from KA24E to KA24DE so a rebuild wouldn't do much.

 

where does he mention he has a single cam?

[socaldatsun]

I do have a single cam in my 521. I'm am doing research for my truck and possibly for another project i have hidden away. I would like a dual cam in the other project more then my truck. 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

where does he mention he has a single cam?

Post #5 - "this would be a swap for my already KA'd pick up so most of the work is converting from a sohc to dohc."

[Farmer Joe]

Post #5 - "this would be a swap for my already KA'd pick up so most of the work is converting from a sohc to dohc."

 

dang, i did miss that... good eye. 

 

still the case is the same.. fwd engine isnt going to swap into the RWD place without a bunch of work.. 

[socaldatsun]

Bunch of work as in...? My motor mounts are already fabricated for my truck. don't mind making new ones since my motor sits too low as it is. oil pan sits 3-4 inches off the ground with no weight as it is so have to make new ones anyways. the only thing i can see that i might have issues with is the transmission mating with the motor.

[datson4life]

If u have the ka-e, the ka-de should bolt right up with the same mounts, im HIV positive the ka-e, and s13 and s14 ka-de mounts are interchangeable, but if u already have a ka-e, and got extra cash, i would boost the ka-e

[Farmer Joe]

guess im beating a dead horse.. 

 

the FWD block doesnt have the motor mount points cast in the same place as a RWD block. 

 

the head is going to have the water port on the wrong side. 

 

the distributor runs off the exhaust cam. 

 

www.ka-t.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15179

 

forums.nicoclub.com/ka24de-fwd-vs-rwd-t50436.html

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/68873-rwd-vs-fwd-ka24de/

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=fwd+KA24de+vs+rwd&espv=2&biw=1216&bih=684&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=p2FbVbzGMpDfoATKy4GABg&ved=0CAUQ_AUoAA&dpr=1

[Lockleaf]

It's a bunch of work as in engine mounts are in completely different locations on the fwd block, so you will have to fabricate mounting brackets for the engine. The distributor sticks out the back of the head at least 6 inches. This overhangs the trans with no issues in fwd, but that means clearance issues with a firewall when mounted rwd. No one is really sure whether the rwd trans bolt pattern matches the fwd. Most likely it does, but finding out after buying the engine would suck. Also, not well known if the oil pans are interchangeable, if you need a different shaped sump. The upper coolant outlet will be facing the back of the vehicle when installed rwd, this may be as easy to correct as removing it and rotating it, or buying one from a 240sx, but then again it may require a custom one or tons of research. The intake manifold is facing the wrong direction so your throttle body would be facing the firewall. Those are just what I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure you will find lots of small things that have to be moved changed or turned.

 

However, none of that is to say don't do it. I'm a huge fan of going against the grain. But where cost is a large consideration, I'm afraid that by the time you get all those little issues straightened out, you will actually spend more money total than you would just buying rwd.