Is there any way to modify the KA engine to put out at least 200 HP short of turboing it? I am still willing to go turbo but would like to know what my options are if I stuck with natural aspiration. And I would be willing to spend quite a bit if I went this way, not just expecting a cheap miracle CAI or something!
Getting the KA to 200 hp
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Maybe switching to an electric fan would free up a few HP. Not sure how much that would net you. That is if these don't have an electric fan already, my 2014 doesn't and I wouldn't think they'd take a step back in technology from one engine to the next. I've been surprised before though.
Then there is the possibility of doing some under drive pulleys if any are available. I'm sure some were made for the car applications the engine was used in, they might fit.
It's a little "Fast and the Furious" sounding, but you could port and polish the intake. Make sure the intake to head gaskets are open enough so they don't impede air flow, same on the exhaust side. Port the heads. Get a valve job done. If you go that far, while the cylinder head is off you would want to have it machined anyway, it would bump up the compression just a tad, but nothing really noticeable.
I don't know what kind of extra HP that would net, it's just some of the basic things I could think of that a lot of people used to do back in the time when I was interested in these things.
My concern with adding a turbo would be the bottom end longevity. Would the crank bearings be able to handle it?
You may be able to accomplish more with a simple gearing change to the rear end. A lower gear ratio would give it the feel of more power, have a better take off, but definitely cut the top speed.
Then there is the possibility of doing some under drive pulleys if any are available. I'm sure some were made for the car applications the engine was used in, they might fit.
It's a little "Fast and the Furious" sounding, but you could port and polish the intake. Make sure the intake to head gaskets are open enough so they don't impede air flow, same on the exhaust side. Port the heads. Get a valve job done. If you go that far, while the cylinder head is off you would want to have it machined anyway, it would bump up the compression just a tad, but nothing really noticeable.
I don't know what kind of extra HP that would net, it's just some of the basic things I could think of that a lot of people used to do back in the time when I was interested in these things.
My concern with adding a turbo would be the bottom end longevity. Would the crank bearings be able to handle it?
You may be able to accomplish more with a simple gearing change to the rear end. A lower gear ratio would give it the feel of more power, have a better take off, but definitely cut the top speed.
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?
You can get the KA24DE to 200HP at the crank... at least the 240SX version of it...
Cams
Header
KA24E SOHC Pistons (11:1 CR)
240SX KA24DE Intake Manifold
ECU tuning
It has been done on the 240SX, but the Intake Manifold, Cams, and Compression Ratio on the Frontier KA are not built for it... I have NO idea what Nissan was thinking when they castrated the Frontier KA like they did...
BTW, I have a '98 Frontier and a '91 240SX... it is like night and day driving them
I will definitely look into that stuff, thanks for the ideas. I guess a good place to start would be the intake, how would I go about porting and polishing it as you said Bojib? Ive heard about people making their own cold air intake so I might do that too I guess. Then I might move to pistons and intake manifold and work from there.
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Nitrous! lol
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The 240 had a dual cam engine and the Fronty a single.
Check out the picture, looks like DOHC to me! You might be thinking of the engine used in earlier D21 HardBodies, it was an SOHC unit.
The Frontier cams have a less aggressive profile than 240SX cams.
My '98 Frontier has good low-end torque but still makes good power at higher rpm, however the 240SX cams would have more lift and duration and I expect really come on at higher engine speeds. At perhaps the penalty of a bit less low-end and poorer mpg. My Frontier KC 5-speed gets 28+ mpg on the hiway.
I wonder if a supercharger would work on these, a blow-thru should be able to be easily fitted. You'd get a ton of torque down-low, where it's very useful when driving.
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yes. I had a d21. I thought the engine was a direct carry over.
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KA24DE Frontier Cams: 216 Intake, 232 Exhaust (WTF were they thinking in a truck?!?!?!?)
KA24DE 240SX Cams (1991-1993): 240 Intake, 248 Exhaust
KA24DE 240sx Cams (1995-1998): 232 Intake, 232 Exhaust
Actually, if the overlap is the same, the power sound be and equal increase across the board... My 240 pulls like a freight train compared to my Frontier... I have a couple sets of 232/232 Cams and 240/248 cams.. I should but some in the truck and find out... maybe just play with the Intake cam.. 240/232 setup... Hmmm.....
My Frontier is up to 232,500 miles... what could possibly go wrong.....?
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Do A bit of research...
1999 Nissan Z Car Concept
It was built on a 1998 240sx Chassis, had a 200hp/180ft.lb. KA24DE. the guy that built it worked at Nissan USA in Cali, I talked to him a couple time way back when I started building my KA...
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