Z in my SX!

[Guest alfred182]

Hey guys! How you doing?

I have an interesting project idea I need some advice on. I'm buying another 240sx soon, and I'm considering putting an L28et in there, you know, for kicks (My current 240sx has a CA18det in it). I know I would need custom motor mounts and a custom driveshaft, but other than that, I'm not really sure how difficult this would be. I don't think this swap has ever been done before into a 240sx.

 

Anyone who has done an L28et swap...any hints on how to go about this?

Anyone have any idea how much an L28et weighs? Won't this be totally sweet?!

[Guest ON3GO]

well the L28ET is gonna be way heavier then the KA and SR20 and CA.

would be cool but i dunno if it would fit.. maybe to long.

would be deff different and cool.

might not be the best choice to make power but if u wanna do it for kicks and to be different it would work.

 

mike

[DatsunBoy77]

The CA is a very good motor. I beleve it is related to the RB series. The L28et would probably not be the best choice, as the sr20 is probably the best. If you want to go I6 go RB. I think Sport Compact Car had a how to drop a rb series motor into you 240sx. It is really a simple swap. But the CA in their currently is a very strong and reliable engine with lots of potential. I would say keep and mod that engine, or go SR20DET depending how deep your pockets are.

[fl327]

i would go with a vg30det in the 240sx for six cyl swap;

ca engine is truly a rb26 with two cyl chopped off. tuners have gotten 500hp out of the stock sr20det block though, and they are newer technology and all alloy, when you go jdm engine, best to get the newest one out you can find, since they are junkyard engines.

betamotorsports.com is in the process of making mounts for sr into zcar

would be a cool swap i think.

L28et in a Maxima auto, thats what im talkin bout.

[Guest alfred182]

VG30det in a 240 would be such a tight fit...LOL it barely fits in the Z32!

 

SR and RB have been done to death

[S30Z Bushido]

i love the L28ET, but i don't think it would make a good combo in an S13 if it would even fit... i'm going to eventually swap an SR20DET into my RS13... i think thats the smartest swap. but if you want to do something not done very much stateside you should do Z31 VG30DET, very good setup with lots of potential if you get it mounted back and down far enough.

mmmm....

[Guest bastaad525]

yep Sport Compact Car DID cover how to swap an RB into a 240sx... a very big article covering lots of info.. I dont know which month but it was recent if I'm not mistaken, last 3-4 mos or so. So, L28 WOULD fit, and it would definately be unique... I agree it might not be the most worthwile swap but you'd definately get cool points for it!

[lifegrddude]

How about jumping manufacterers and stuff a 3sgte motor from a jspec MR2, or a 2JZ ( I have an Option magazine article w/ pics of that 2jz)? That'd be unique, although a CA is pretty rare to see nowadays too. Is your motor going south? Last summer I only saw one CA powered Silvia back home in Japan, the rest were all SR's.

John 82ZXT

[Racin_Jason]

If an inline 6 will fit, I cant believe no one has mentioned the MKIV Supra TT engine (2JZ-GTE i think). You wanna talk bulletbroof and potential? These little 3liters have that in spades. I'm a Muscle head through and through...but...I WILL own a 93-98 Supra TT one of these days. Amazing engine in an amazing package. Has to be driven to be appreciated

 

RJ

[Racin_Jason]

just saw lifegrddude did mention 2JZ...oops. Anyways..if itll fit...that is my choice hands down.

[Guest bastaad525]

yeah supra TT engine is crazy strong... awesome awesome motor with so much potential. There's an article in this months Sport Compact Car where a guy dynoed 900+RWHP on 100% BONE F'ING STOCK BOTTOM END!!! Not too many motors I know of that you can do that on. After reading that I feel like if I ever HAD to put a non nissan motor in my Z it'd have to be the TT motor... That was enough to convince me that it's gotta be one of the best motors ever made.

[CU Zcar]

tuners have gotten 500hp out of the stock sr20det block though, and they are newer technology and all alloy

While the SR20 is newer than the CA engines, I don't know if you can say there is more technology involved. On an S12 (aka 1980's rwd 200SX) forum the debate between proponents of these two engines got pretty heated. What I gleaned from them is that both are great engines, but the SR has a lot of hype that goes along with it (and perhaps larger price tags) while the CA is lesser known but is probably more bulletproof. Also, I'm under the impression that the CA actually had "too much" technology (two sets of intake runners?) in it and that the SR was introduced to make similar power while costing less.

A near-quote from their post was that mod-for-mod, the SR will have the edge over the CA until the SR breaks, and then the CA has farther it can go on the stock internals.

Of course, your mileage may vary

If I had an S12-13-14 (and every now and then I wish I did) I'd probably go with the CA, gotta love the underdog. That's if I didn't turbo the KA instead...

[Guest brianglawson]

the l28et would fit but i would think it would be alot heavier than my sr20 is, i should compare these9note to self compare weight of your motors) to tell you the truth man im putting an sr in my sx right now, but if you have a ca18det by all means keep that, there is a guy on zilvia.net with over 400 hp at the wheels with a ca18.

 

As far as the 2jz is concerened wouldnt the tranny be to big for a lil ole 240sx, hell arent they to big for 240z's........

[karay240]

Yes, the SRs & RBs have, in fact, been played out; however, there's a reason why they're played out. They are really really good motors. I personally like the CA more than the SR. The edge that the SR had though, is that there are waaaaaay more parts available for it. That's why I'm 99% sure that I'm going SR.

 

Many ppl seem to think that the newer engines are somehow superior to that of older engines (RB>L, SR>CA etc etc). When, in reality, the main hinderance in older engines are the supporting divices like the out dated ECUs, and non-computer designed manifolds, etc. If you put as much money into an L series motor as you would getting an RB, I think that it'd be a VERY interesting match.

 

This, of course, means a LOT of motor work to compete w/ the newer motors, like COMPLETELY rebuilding your L motor (from Forged internals to copper valve guides and valve seats).

 

Another thing that the RB has in its favor is that there is a kit to intall it into the 240SX. I've helped w/ this swap a couple of times, and can attest that the mounts make it VERY easy if you have the basic knowledge of doing swaps. The one thing that I suggest in doing these swaps is that you SHOULD (I HIGHLY recommend) knoch out part of the core support to fit a set of electric pull type fans. The push type that many ppl seem to go w/ will NOT flow enough air to the radiator.

 

BTW, I almost forgot of the benefits of using the L series over the RB motor. For the same $$$, you could bore & stroke out the L series motor, and get a 3.1liter single overhead cam I-6 that will be FAR more torquier than the skyline could EVER hope to be.

 

Take that for whatever it's worth. It's $.02 from a guy that works around skylines all day.

[akeizm]

If ya do put an l28et in it. Make sure u put a Z nose on it too.

[Drax240z]

I still think the S13 240sx with a VG30DE (ie: twin cam, 3.0L, V6, DOHC, from Z32 NA's) would be a nice, well balanced car. Not stupid fast or anything, but it would probably be a really nice driver/autocross car.

[Hugh]

tuners have gotten 500hp out of the stock sr20det block though, and they are newer technology and all alloy

While the SR20 is newer than the CA engines, I don't know if you can say there is more technology involved. On an S12 (aka 1980's rwd 200SX) forum the debate between proponents of these two engines got pretty heated. What I gleaned from them is that both are great engines, but the SR has a lot of hype that goes along with it (and perhaps larger price tags) while the CA is lesser known but is probably more bulletproof. Also, I'm under the impression that the CA actually had "too much" technology (two sets of intake runners?) in it and that the SR was introduced to make similar power while costing less.

A near-quote from their post was that mod-for-mod, the SR will have the edge over the CA until the SR breaks, and then the CA has farther it can go on the stock internals.

Of course, your mileage may vary

If I had an S12-13-14 (and every now and then I wish I did) I'd probably go with the CA, gotta love the underdog. That's if I didn't turbo the KA instead...

 

I look at real world performance rather than theories.

 

I lived in Japan for 4 years straight up until this February. I raced MANY many Silvias and 180sx's while living there. I saw them all at the track, the street races late at night, the car shows, etc...

 

The overwelming majority of SR20DET's are always faster than the CA18DET's. Thats not to say there are no fast CA's... but there are way more slow ones.

 

I can seriously quote times that I wasted fully modified CA's with my stock SR20DET. When I say stock, I mean stock internals, stock turbo. Bolt ons allowed the motor to make more power than a bored CA with an aftermarket turbo and professional tuning on numerous occasions.

 

At the track with my (not stock turbo) 395rwhp SR20DET, there would typically be 15-20 cars in the SR/CA class during HKS drag meets. Out of these, there would be 2 CA's that would be in the same range as my car. One of them had some heinously huge turbo and some un-reported amount of horsepower. The other was neck and neck with me, dynoed to over 400rwhp. His motor was blowing up on him repeatedly.. he had already built it and blown it again.

 

The first thing people say is the CA has an iron block. So? This is 2004... Aluminum motors have made stupid amounts of power. The block seems to not help at all in keeping the bottom end together, when the first thing to go is the pistons, rods, or bearings. All of these parts are made of the same materials and the same way as the SR20DET. Even when aftermarket, these are the weak points in the block. Stop knocking... no blowing.

 

The next thing is the SR's valvetrain. Well, for a few hundred dollars, you can go solid lash. That argument is finished. 9000rpm capable. (and enough torque to make power past 8000 with a huge turbo)

 

I then look to the fastest Silvias/180sx's out there. They are all either powered by the SR or the RB26. Same goes for max power output... crazy built SR's are making over 700-800hp. You could count with a couple of fingers the number of times this was accomplished on a CA.

 

Chalk it up to the motor being older, less support, whatever you will... but full internals and such are available, as well as all the bolt ons. Its not that much of a dinosaur.

 

You ever notice how many people with quick CA's have them built in the bottom end? It's funny, but I see more 1.9 liter motors than stock on the internet it seems.

 

You ever notice that people are making 400hp everyday on stock SR's? I did it with stock cams, stock intake, stock throttle body, completely stock bottom end, etc... just a T04S and 20 pounds on it.

 

There are several SR's over 500hp on stock blocks. I don't reccomend this, but it can be done.

 

Sorry for the long post... felt like stating my observations, not opinions of the motors in question.

[Guest Zcarsmakemyheadhurt]

I know a guy doing the L28 and in my own opinion, what a bad idea. I like the L28 alot but come on. Even the KA motor in that car has a ton of potential, put cams and head work. If you want to do a "fun" project do a VG30 SOHC engine swap. The weight transpher is far better and a more modern motor you can find cheap anywhere.

[fl327]

Now that I have time to see more SR cars, I would do the SR20. A lot of parts from the non turbo SR sentras are interchangible and also gaskets.

Once I set up suspension in my s13 I will be going for a 350hp sr20 car, my cousin in HK has a very fast silvia and Ive been driving around with him for a few days and i like it.

Sorry if my english is out of wack, I havent spoken any in about a week!

[Kazuya1274]

I have owned my 93 240SX for the last 6 years, (my first car!) and it has been driven every day for those six years, until I got my 280ZX done, then it takes a break I am not into the 240SX scene much anymore, and the last time I was on the 240sx.org mailing list there were about 2 people who had done an SR20 swap. However, having so much experience in the car, I can tell you this: It needs more power! IMO, Nissan was and still is stupid for not bringing a turbo engine or silvia here. I pay too high of insurance on what I consider a slow car to only have 155 HP. I cannot even outrun a Maxima with this car. A Camaro Z28 costs the same on insurance!!

 

That being said, a Japanese friend of mine has a 240SX, and purchased used SR20 turbo parts on yahoo.jp auctions to turbocharge his KA24DE engine. Using mostly stock Silvia parts, he had it put together in about 2 weeks. After riding in the car, I felt that even at 7 psi an excellent balance of power had been attained. It was a lot quicker than my 240SX, yet still retaining the same powerband of the NA engine.

 

To me, the car would be perfect with about 250HP as a reliable daily driver. I concentrate all my resources into my 280ZX, but someday I would like to do a CA or SR swap. Whether your car has either of these engines, you need to ask yourself what you want the car to be? Do you need it to be a reliable daily driver? Then you should consider my ideal 250 mark and go with an SR20. Getting 250HP shouldn't deteriorate the reliability too much. If the car is a go-fast toy, then by all means try a 6 cylinder swap, or even a SBC swap! The KA engine could also be turbo'd, I just question its overall design sometimes as far as increasing power. But, you have the displacement advantage of 2.4 L, and a lot of low-end to spool the turbo up.

 

I couldn't have lasted 6 years with the car if I didn't think it was a great car and enjoyable to drive. Sometimes I want another car, but I don't think I could let go of the 240SX. It is a great handling car, especially if you lower it and put wider wheels on it. Keep in mind that you could upset its 55/45 F/R weight ratio by installing an I6 engine.