# unlock horsepower



## TheNose247 (Jun 19, 2004)

i was wonderin if anyone new ways to unlock free/cheap horsepower on the ka motors, i know bolt-on don't do much but anything would be apriciated(sp?)


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

appreciated*

there's no really cheap way of making the ka better. you either gotta swap it out or go turbo.


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## s3v3rth3stars (Mar 13, 2003)

come on guys wtf! this happens to every new guy on the board. why can't you just help him or stfu and not post in his thread?! 

bro power from the ka is not very cheap. most people go the route of an sr20det or an rb series (skyline) engine or a ca18det. i myself think i will be building a turbo ka if not the sr. that is not to say an all motor 200 hp ka would not be possible. 

the following are a good start for an all engine set up but are not free. 

high comp pistons
3 way valve job
port n polish head and intake manifold
headers
intake
catback exhaust sytem (or you can straight pipe.. my favorite.)
agressive cams from jim wolfe 

this is a start for an all engine build. all engine build ups are going to cost you way more than a swap or a turbo ka. as for free power it is virtually unexistant, the only thing i can think of is a good tune up with KnN filters and a good synthetic oil. this will probably regain some lost hp but i would say even 10 hp is much. 

there is a golden saying around here:

cheap, fast , reliable pick any two 

with that said i hope these guys didnt flame you to the point of crying or leaving the forums permanantly so welcome tothe nissan family.

(a word of advice my friend do a bit of searching or you will get flamed and people can be very harsh.)


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## s3v3rth3stars (Mar 13, 2003)

i sound stupid now.. i guess a mod deleted all the flames. :fluffy:


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## Harris (Nov 11, 2002)

s3v3rth3stars said:


> i sound stupid now.. i guess a mod deleted all the flames. :fluffy:



No you don't. These idiots should know better than to break forum rules.


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

he should also know to search. i mean come on its the number one rule right...


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## Harris (Nov 11, 2002)

Kelso said:


> he should also know to search. i mean come on its the number one rule right...



Remind new members nicely. Don't flame them. You are not exempt from the rules as well. Flaming is not allowed in the technical forums.


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## augimatic (Mar 23, 2004)

I think he's asking for smaller HP gains then what was listed.

There are a few cheap ways you can get some but not a lot of "performance"

Tighten the throttle cable, alittle.
K&N drop in, and then take the sound restriction stuff off and cover it up with duct tape or something else.
You can get colder plugs, bigger plug wires.
Use octane boost
remove back seat and all sound proofing stuff around the car, spare tire etc.

These are general things that can be done on ANY car. I don't know if that is what you are asking. it's not much. But when it comes to power, cars, girls....nothing is free or cheap.


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

s3v3rth3stars said:


> come on guys wtf! this happens to every new guy on the board. why can't you just help him or stfu and not post in his thread?!


because noobs dont follow forum rules. now stfu noob 

there's no really much point in going NA ka24(d)e.. you will spend lots of money and won't get passed 200hp to the wheels..

here are ur options, according to price, from cheapest to expensive
1. ca18det
2. rb20det
3. ka24det / sr20det
4. rb25det
5. s15 sr20det / rb26dett if u can afford it.

sr prices has gone up thnx to TF&TF's comment about "sr20". sr20det price will depend on which clip you get. s13 redtop, s13 blacktop, or s14. options 1-3 will cost between 3k to 5k. rb25det costs a little bit more than that..around 5k-6.5k. s15 sr20det / rb26dett..anywhere from 
8k to 10k. these prices are prices of clip + install labor. if you think that's way too much, it could be..just make sure that ur shop knows what ur doing


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## augimatic (Mar 23, 2004)

I know a shop in Phoenix that can get you a good deal on a RB20DET if you're interested. I'm still thinking about it. Just blew the mother load getting my car back to LA....not sure if that was the right choice or not.


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## Harris (Nov 11, 2002)

vsp3c said:


> because noobs dont follow forum rules. now stfu noob


And since when have you "regulars" been following the rules, especially the one rule about not flaming in technical forums? 

I'm serious you guys, enough of this BS. If you can't follow our rules, go to another forum with this immature behavior you all have.


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

augimatic said:


> I know a shop in Phoenix that can get you a good deal on a RB20DET if you're interested. I'm still thinking about it. Just blew the mother load getting my car back to LA....not sure if that was the right choice or not.


if it's night's shop, no
if it's opium's shop, yes


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## 93blackSER (Feb 1, 2003)

vsp3c said:


> if it's night's shop, no
> if it's opium's shop, yes


i second that one. Night is a rip off.


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

Do the simple things first, then other mods will respond better

-High performance spark plug leads
-Upgrade ignition system (inc high performance coil)
-2.5 inch mandrel exhaust system
-New points and plugs and filters 
-Replace all fluids with high quality stuff
-Replace broken sensors
-Replace split or old vacuum hoses
-Replace belts
-Carbon clean
-Improve earth cable
-use better quality (higher octane) fuel

youd be suprised at the difference this will make. Your car will love you too


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

harris i know your tired of the flaming, and it actually calmed down some from what it used to be...i try not to but honestly. nobody is searching. they arent following the rules and theyre not getting punished.i attached rule #1 to my signiature hoping either the mods would enforce it, or noobs would see it and act upon that. some really stupid question have been asked lately and if that stops, flaming stops.

anyways back to the topic. the guy is looking for free horsepower. on the ka, its really inexistent. but taking off the noise resonator thingy on the intake will help some, but isnt really going to get you power, just lets the engine get air.all you can do is use the high quality stuff on your car and dont go the cheap route... although my brother was telling me some horsepower secrets from his smokey yunik book. the guy would like drill holes in the exhaust to introduce more oxygen or soemthing. he would also weaight all the different points of the car and find the lightest spot and put the exhaust exiting right there so the vacuum would pull it out. but i guess thats just when you get into the high hudreds of horsepower and even over a thousand. smokey yunik was a smart performance tuner....


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## augimatic (Mar 23, 2004)

vsp3c said:


> if it's night's shop, no
> if it's opium's shop, yes


Todd and Dave :thumbup: 

I was gonna take it there and just pay them to do the RB if I didn't get my car running.

Turns out it was the coolant temp sensor...in a way I'm bummed.....almost "HAD" to get an engine swap....

could of said things like,

"Sorry honey we can't go out I HAVE to get this engine swap now...."  

Maybe next time... :fluffy:


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## TheNose247 (Jun 19, 2004)

well thanks guys to all of those that answered my question. damn KA!...it takes a lot of money, i think i'm just gonna build the motor....


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## augimatic (Mar 23, 2004)

TheNose247 said:


> well thanks guys to all of those that answered my question. damn KA!...it takes a lot of money, i think i'm just gonna build the motor....


Get headers, they're not that much and they give a good punch, I was in a KA with headers and it was nice.


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## joerc240sx (Jan 19, 2003)

I have had little luck with bolt-on on my 240. Here is a little comparison for you.

I have a 90 FB (loaded) with K&N cone filter, JWT cam, headers, catback (n1 dual), flywheel, under drive pulley, JWT ECU, removed PS, removed AC, and Redline tranny fluid.

My girlfriend has 93 coupe base model that is stock, and in need of a new timing chain.

When we race it’s almost dead even, I pull on her just a little. My built KA didn’t do much better with a P&P head with 3 angle valve job, secondary butterfly removed, portmatched intake/exhaust ports, forged JE pistons (9:0), and puater rods.

Sure the CR was near stock, but for the money spent, it didn’t do much better then a stock engine. Maybe if I lived at sea level I might have noticed more, living at 4500ft above has its disadvantages.


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## 2Fast2Furious (Jun 27, 2004)

joerc240sx said:


> removed PS, removed AC


Joerc240sx, How did you go about removing the power steering? Did you need a new rack and pinion or just plug the holes???

Also, what about the AC and remaining lines after removal???

Thanks!


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## TheNose247 (Jun 19, 2004)

joerc240sx said:


> I have had little luck with bolt-on on my 240. Here is a little comparison for you.
> 
> I have a 90 FB (loaded) with K&N cone filter, JWT cam, headers, catback (n1 dual), flywheel, under drive pulley, JWT ECU, removed PS, removed AC, and Redline tranny fluid.
> 
> ...


yeah i mean from what i heard bolt-on don't do anything for the ka


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

As much as you guys would love to believe... a 10 year old engine rarely has its quoted factory power figure. So rather than making CAI's out of pvc water pipe, do your car a favour and replace all the old worn-out bits.


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## joerc240sx (Jan 19, 2003)

On the PS removal, i removed everything but the rack. The pump, lines and resivore tanks all leaked and made a mess of the engine bay. i just put 2 plugs in the rack, but it might be better to make a little loop back system, and try and keep fluid in the rack. I dont plan on reusing that rack so i really didnt care what happens to it.

The AC removal, i removed the condenser (pump) (clutch was bad, and low R12), and the lines going from it to the firewall, then i removed the line and the little tank that go from the firewall to the radiator support on the passenger side, then just covered the lines/holes going into the engine bay.

On my rebuilt engine most things have been replaced, if your talking sensors, maybe 1/5 have been replaced. 
My belief as to why the KA does not respond well to bolt-ons is that the engine does not flow enough air at high RPMs like other engines, and the stock intake, and exhaust where engined to work with the engine setup. I think if you inlarged the valves, match the flow of the valves with head work, and get a cam that matches them, things like CAI, Headers, Full exhaust would become a more noticable engine mod as the engine would now need more air then the stock system is able to provide it. the problem is that most if not all low end power would be lost with this setup, making the car less daily drivable.


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## 2Fast2Furious (Jun 27, 2004)

joerc240sx said:


> On the PS removal, i removed everything but the rack. The pump, lines and resivore tanks all leaked and made a mess of the engine bay. i just put 2 plugs in the rack, but it might be better to make a little loop back system, and try and keep fluid in the rack. I dont plan on reusing that rack so i really didnt care what happens to it.
> 
> The AC removal, i removed the condenser (pump) (clutch was bad, and low R12), and the lines going from it to the firewall, then i removed the line and the little tank that go from the firewall to the radiator support on the passenger side, then just covered the lines/holes going into the engine bay.
> 
> ...



Ya, I would like to disconnect my PS, but have heard that with the gear ratio for our '90 240's, it is nearly impossible to steer. I'll have to take off the belt first and try it myself I guess... Thanks for the info dude!!!!!


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## joerc240sx (Jan 19, 2003)

Its hard, but its not to bad, you get used to it. I am waiting to put PS back in because I am might swap to an SR or KAde. Plus i want to use the HICAS rack.


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