Carbed KA24DE

Problems, ideas and comments specific to engine swaps.
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by Byron510 »

I was asked by a local engine builder to make one of these a number of years ago - but time did not permit me to do so. I was curious is someone else took up the torch as I have generally seen only fabricated manifolds for the KA engines using twin side drafts.

Thanks.

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Byron510 wrote:I was asked by a local engine builder to make one of these a number of years ago - but time did not permit me to do so. I was curious is someone else took up the torch as I have generally seen only fabricated manifolds for the KA engines using twin side drafts.

Thanks.

Byron
This one looks to be cast which would leed me to believe that there should be others out there.... But cant find em

The other manifold I have is fabricated by ed pink in the small production run he did for Nissan Motorsports and the CORR trucks
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Side note

I need to get under the car to check angles first...

But this could potentially be an option to raise the trans up - looks to be about 2" total height - just need to check the trans mount width

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/71604
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
datsun510
Posts: 194
Joined: 26 Apr 2005 12:19
Location: SoCal

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by datsun510 »

Just went through some pictures and came across a picture of my KA24DE pan.

Image
Image
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Not too much to update on... spent most of the afternoon with a spray can...

Dash painted


Black and Bronze is just such a good look


Also started looking into where to mount the coil pack - Think ive settle on this. Eventually I'd like to get shorter wires... but for now this will have too work.


Also Gauges are order - Here is what they will look like

Speedo - Tach- AFR wideband - Oil Pressure - Oil Temp - Fuel - Water Temp
Last edited by demo243 on 10 Jan 2018 20:34, edited 1 time in total.
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Sorry for the absence - been busy but progress is moving again.

More updates to come soon!

Pan should be here this week- long block is complete except for the pan and a block off plate or two.

Hoping to get the engine in the car by this weekend at the latest.

Then I can start wiring. Wahoo

Moving along.

Anyone have experience with driveshafts from the driveshaft shop?

Will probably just have mine shortened... But if it needs new joints the cost may come close to a custom aluminum one from them....
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Ok - Update time

One of these things is not like the other... not sure how but somewhere in the chain of ownership these pistons ended up with one set of incorrect rings... no big deal just ordered another set.


Bottom end together

Head on



Cams in and timed


Crank pulley with trigger wheel - The shop machine down the inner most belt grove so the tigger wheel was a press fit, then a couple tag welds for safety and then balanced
Last edited by demo243 on 10 Jan 2018 20:34, edited 1 time in total.
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Mostly buttoned up long block


Unused coolant passages from the timing cover blocked off / plugged... wish there was a better way to plug the one straight back... but that thing isnt moving - got a spare rubber cap in the glovebox already just in case


Had a scare with the crank pulley/trigger wheel... not sure if I screwed up or the machine shop did... but the trigger wheel ended up about 2 teeth further before TDC then I wanted... Originally was going to do a bracket similar to Duke's, but with the trigger wheel too BTDC it positioned the sensor too low... spent forever trying to figure out how to mount it... then it clicked and I came up with this, which I think will be better for me since its less fab and I dont need to tap holes... this is just a mock up. Going to cut it out of .625" aluminum bar which should position the sensor just right.
Last edited by demo243 on 10 Jan 2018 20:35, edited 1 time in total.
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Did some work on the manifold - drilled and tapped the linkage mounts for the linkage I got from pierce


Not perfect... but close enough to work.


TPS Sensor Mocked up


Simple throttle cable bracket


Did some header bashing


Teaser shot of the pan - should be here wednesday or thursday
Last edited by demo243 on 10 Jan 2018 20:35, edited 1 time in total.
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
User avatar
Heinrich
Posts: 281
Joined: 11 Jan 2013 03:37

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by Heinrich »

very very nice.
the look of a clean assembled engine is always nice to see.
Progress is slow, but it is progress non the less.
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Well its in- But it didnt go willingly.... and Im not particularly happy with how its sitting...

Pan and Pick-Up showed up - Big Shout out to Trophy24!!! and some nice looking work by Ray at Garage Autohero


Spec Stage 1 Clutch and Fidenza LW Flywheel


Putting up a good fight.... Got it in the car with the header up but then ran into a clearance issue so ended up pulling it off to mess around with positioning.


So its in.... But Im not happy with it... I forgot to snap a photo of it... but I can not get it to mount up on 510 soft mounts with the upper soft mount hole aligned with the lower x-member hole... passenger side will mount up but then the driver is about an inch behind where it needs to be... managed to wrangle it on there but then the driver side mount was super tweaked. Was able to get it in and bolted up with the McKinney Mounts, but this puts it higher then I want and still doesnt give me the clearance I want.... also puts the trans about an inch in front of the trans x-member. --- also I feel it might not be in the engine bay straight either (rear end of the motor kicked to the driver side a hair)


Plenty of clearance on the driver side...


Passenger side it super close though... and it shouldnt be this close based on the photos Ray sent me when he fabbed up the pan


So I am thinking I need some custom block brackets to offset the motor back about an inch --- plenty of room to move it back


I could potentially slot or re-drill the stock block brackets but that ill only get me 1/4-1/2" and I would like to go a full inch back- maybe a hair more... need to take some measurements


But ideally I get something fabbed like what Duke or Creepy did -

Dukes -


Creepys -


Or possibly something like the 620 mounts but those are fully fabbed.
Last edited by demo243 on 10 Jan 2018 20:37, edited 1 time in total.
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

Sorry all- been busy .... lazy... and frustrated.... time for some more updates

Distributor block off-


Trigger wheel sensor


Then came the fun....

Been around with the motor and trans mounts for more hours then Im willing to admit.... this is the most frustrating part... With the T3 trans mount forward it puts the engine way to far forward... with it back facing it actually puts it in a nice spot with the engine pretty close to the fire wall.... but this requires new hard motor mounts... also the t3 trans xmember even with the energy suspension bushing is going to require a spacer... pretty bummed on that.... also in trying to get everythign lined up I may have gotten a bit carried away with the cut off wheel... and this car is gonna need some sheet metal work... Also even with the engine and trans lose it still seems like the drivers side mount is further back then the passenger side.... no matter how I tweak it all

anyway pictures are worth a thousand words or something like that


Lots of clearance this way


The angles are off too on the mounts verses the x-member...


So super frustrated right now... really just want to load it on a trailer and drive it somewhere to have the engine/trans/driveshaft taken care of.... The other option is get some custom mounts fabbed kinda like the ones below... and then drill the holes for the soft mounts myself.... photo stolen from the510realm


If using the stock 510 soft mounts Id like to pull them up to there stock positions too.... but I dont think i can take accurate measurements myself to make this happen.....

Nobody said this would be easy....
Last edited by demo243 on 10 Jan 2018 20:38, edited 1 time in total.
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
User avatar
DADZSUN
Supporter
Posts: 581
Joined: 08 Aug 2011 18:35
Location: Ottawa, ON

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by DADZSUN »

Looking good! I never bothered to balance my trigger-equipped crank pulley as I rarely hit 5K RPM - but it's a good

Two thoughts:
1) My KA sat similar to yours (a little less rear offset due to keeping the cabin heating). However, at that height my OEM D21 exhaust manifold was too close to the steering box - likely not the case with your 'modified' header :-). Now my KA sits about 1" higher and -1/2" less rear offset than yours. I welded an intermediate bracket directly onto the cross member so I could use the stock mounts.
2) This thread should be moved to 'Project Builds' so others can find/see it.
'72 Datsun 510 - MS KA24e, Watanabe, STI R180 & CV axles, R&P assisted steering
'76 Datsun 620 - VQ35DE, CD009, G35 suspension & brakes.
'76 Datsun 280z - Future track toy
Creativity outlet: www.datsunrestomods.com
User avatar
DADZSUN
Supporter
Posts: 581
Joined: 08 Aug 2011 18:35
Location: Ottawa, ON

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by DADZSUN »

Looking good! I never bothered to balance my trigger-equipped crank pulley as I rarely hit 5K RPM - but it's a good investment regardless.

Two thoughts:
1) My KA sat similar to yours (a little less rear offset due to keeping the cabin heating). However, at that height my OEM D21 exhaust manifold was too close to the steering box - likely not the case with your 'modified' header :-). Now my KA sits about 1" higher and -1/2" less rear offset than yours. I welded an intermediate bracket directly onto the cross member so I could use the stock mounts.
2) This thread should be moved to 'Project Builds' so others can find/see it.
'72 Datsun 510 - MS KA24e, Watanabe, STI R180 & CV axles, R&P assisted steering
'76 Datsun 620 - VQ35DE, CD009, G35 suspension & brakes.
'76 Datsun 280z - Future track toy
Creativity outlet: www.datsunrestomods.com
demo243
Posts: 202
Joined: 19 Dec 2012 18:55
Location: Topsfield MA

Re: Carbed KA24DE

Post by demo243 »

DADZSUN wrote:Looking good! I never bothered to balance my trigger-equipped crank pulley as I rarely hit 5K RPM - but it's a good investment regardless.

Two thoughts:
1) My KA sat similar to yours (a little less rear offset due to keeping the cabin heating). However, at that height my OEM D21 exhaust manifold was too close to the steering box - likely not the case with your 'modified' header :-). Now my KA sits about 1" higher and -1/2" less rear offset than yours. I welded an intermediate bracket directly onto the cross member so I could use the stock mounts.
2) This thread should be moved to 'Project Builds' so others can find/see it.
Any chance you have a photo? of your mount? The other option I though of was to drop the Xmember and have a bigger plate welded to the motor mount area to allow more options of placement But I have a spare set of motor hard mounts and I think that is going to be the easier route.

The only issue I have right now with where the engine is placed (So far back) is that the upper trans bolt is very close to the firewall but should not be a problem, just means if I need to drop the trans I will need to pull the motor. But thats not a huge deal since its carb'ed and there are hardly any wires going to it.

As for moving this to the project forum I am cool with that if that where the mod's think it fits best. This has morphed into more of a build thread then a technical thread.

Honestly cant remember if I have build thread here or not... will need to search back in my posts. Got a full thread going on ratsun - http://community.ratsun.net/topic/46032 ... rbs/page-1
'71 4 Door - Street/AutoX/Track Day Romper - Carb'ed KA24DE
Post Reply