Ka24 V Sr20 V Ca18

[CamInHead]

We never got the 2.4 in the UK. The performance N/A were either CA18s or SR20s.
I'm curious how the KA compaires to the SRs and CAs. I presume it's a little less stressed as IIRC it has similar output to the other non-turbos ?

[Xano]

Bore Ãâ€" Stroke: 89.0 Ãâ€" 96.0 mm (3.50393 in. x 3.77952 in.)
Cubic Inch Displacement: 145cid
Max power: 155 hp @ 5600 rpm
Max torque: 160 ftÃ,·lb @ 4400 rpm
Valve Configuration: DOHC, 16 valves

The KA was built with torque in mind, more than HP.  Its definitally a good engine.

I can almost garuntee you that the UK has had at least one vehicle with this engine in it.  It came in quite a few random vehicles, more trucks than anything else.  The Nissan hardbody came with it, as well as some Pathfinders.

Heres some information on models that utilize the KA24 engine.
KA24E
1989ââ,¬â€œ1990 Nissan 240SX
1990ââ,¬â€œ1997 Nissan Hardbody Truck
1990-1995 Nissan Pathfinder
1989ââ,¬â€œ1992 Nissan Axxess
1990ââ,¬â€œ1992 Nissan Stanza (USA-spec)
1989ââ,¬â€œ1992 Nissan Pintara / Ford Corsair

KA24DE
2000-2004 Nissan Xterra
1998-2004 Nissan Frontier
1993-2001 Nissan Altima
1991-1998 Nissan 240SX
1997-2000 Nissan R'nessa (4WD model, Japan)
1998-2001 Nissan Presage U30 (Japan)
1999-2001 Nissan Bassara U30 (Japan)
1993-1997 Nissan Bluebird U13

[David B]

again
wiki it bro

[CamInHead]

Frontier badged as Navara in the UK. Bet it's rare though as they're almost always diesel.

[alfa_1366]

Also consider that people in the US are swapping KA24s out to put in CA18DEs and SR20DEs, why? because the KAs aren't really "performance" engines, as a friend says "Why would you want a truck engine in you're sports car??"

Definitely a good engine but the CAs and SRs have way much better power-to-weight ratio, and way more potential.

[jeffwins24]

Also consider that people in the US are swapping KA24s out to put in CA18DEs and SR20DEs, why? because the KAs aren't really "performance" engines, as a friend says "Why would you want a truck engine in you're sports car??"

Definitely a good engine but the CAs and SRs have way much better power-to-weight ratio, and way more potential.

doesn't matter.

as i would say

no replacement for displacement.

the more air you can stuff in the engine the better off it is for power gains. why does it take so much money to build a 1.6 liter as opposed to a 5.0 and get the 1.6 to the same power level as the 5.0?  

IF you wanna get realistic the SR and CA are also truck engines. the SR was found in a 4x4 in japan making 270ps and the CA in a exa so their all truck engines.

after these pics do you still think it's a truck motor?

and if i may ask how exactly are the SR and CA engines better then a KA?

what about that 1000hp ka? it wasn't swapped out











I've even heard that you can build a 2.8 liter ka with a stroker and boring it.

[ron86_z31t]

i totally agree w/ jeffwins24. they were all truck motors at one time. i mean, how many trucks did the chevy 350 come in? and now it the main power plant for one of the worlds fastest accelerating cars (Ultima GTR) so that truck motor/no performance talk is all BS.

[seishuku]

Um, wasn't the KA24 used in the 240sx BEFORE it was put in a truck?

[jeffwins24]

i totally agree w/ jeffwins24. they were all truck motors at one time. i mean, how many trucks did the chevy 350 come in? and now it the main power plant for one of the worlds fastest accelerating cars (Ultima GTR) so that truck motor/no performance talk is all BS.

don't forget the VH or VK those are also truck motors i guess they don't have any performance    

lol

[seishuku]

And those were also in cars before trucks... That doesn't make them a truck engine.

The exception is the VK56, which was only in trucks, but the others were all in cars well before Nissan started using them in trucks.

[jeffwins24]

And those were also in cars before trucks... That doesn't make them a truck engine.

The exception is the VK56, which was only in trucks, but the others were all in cars well before Nissan started using them in trucks.

but this is the thing. people call the KA a crappy motor and call it "a truck engine" like if it was a bad thing, think about how much trucks have to haul on a daily basis? the engine, tranny, chassis, driver, + loads of what ever is put into the back, also weighing like a van sometimes.

in my opinion a engine is a engine you can't change what engine it is (KA, CA, L, FJ, SR) they are all engines how they react to performance is the way nissan built them, call a engine a truck motor just because it was put into a few trucks and saying it was a bad motor is completely ignorant, hell i use to even say that "it's just a truck engine".

your right though, it was put into cars first  later on down the road they put them in trucks. my point being if your gonna call one engine a truck engine when comparing engine do research because the others could just as well be truck engines know what i mean?

[seishuku]

Of course.

Just tryin to keep the misinformation down, I don't like it when they're call truck engines either. The KA does have it's issues (pistons/rods), but what engine doesn't!

[sideways_s12]

We never got the 2.4 in the UK. The performance N/A were either CA18s or SR20s.
I'm curious how the KA compaires to the SRs and CAs. I presume it's a little less stressed as IIRC it has similar output to the other non-turbos ?

IMO Ka is better iron block better displacement and good amout of torque stock also you can boost the stock block and be good to about 400hp before you need stronger rods also the ka is becoming more popular and alot of 240 guys are keeping them and just boosting them instead of swapping it's cheaper to do than swap to sr or ca. Another thing is you can buy a good running ka for like 3-400 bucks if you know where to look...

[ron86_z31t]

idk. i also think id rather replace the internals with forged ones(ka) as opposed to replacing the valvetrain(sr) but like seishuku said, all engines have their flaws...

[Redneck]

There really isn't that much difference hp wise between the sr20de, ca18de or ka24de. Either way the UK, if I recall correctly, got the ca18det and sr20det. So realistically you got the better motors anyway. The ka24de is a good platform to turbo but the nice thing about the ca18det and sr20det is that they are already turboed from the factory. If you were to ask most USDM s13/s14 owners if they would rather have the ka24de or sr20det I think the answer would be pretty obvious.

[Arro]

The nice thing about the KA24DE is IT'S HERE in the States, so availability of parts is abundant. And nowadays there's some aftermarket for them, in both turbo, super, and NA setups. Of course this is about the UK, so you never had that motor. But the question was if it was as solid an engine....

The KA24DE is beefier internally. The KA24DE uses some of the same electronic systems and fuel control as the SR20DE(T). The KA head is designed more for torque, even the DE version. The SR is more designed around horsepower and higher revs. In NA form, there's more tuneability in the SR20DE. In turbocharged form, both produce great results of similar quality.

The idea that Americans are ditching the KA24DE's out for SR's is true, but the reason stated above is not true. They do it mostly because the SR is a hyped engine, and because they can feel like they have an actual "Silvia" spec car, instead of a US market "240SX". Alot of motor swapping in the American S13/S14 market is due to image influence. The SR20DET and the RB series are big hype engines. Sure, they earn it, but there's no reason why you can't take the original 2.4L DOHC KA and tune that just as successfully. In fact, this has become more known in the US, and so more and more people are hanging onto their KA's. You used to be able to pick up a KA24DE engine, trans, and ECU w/ harness for only a few hundred dollars. In fact, I did. However now, they're selling for more like 400-800 depending on the region and the condition. More guys know you can tune and even boost the KA with moderate to amazing success.


Honestly, of you REALLY want to know the KA and what it's capable of, just go to http://www.ka-t.org and check it out for yourself. Home of the KA superengines.

Now regarding the CA18's, those engines are OLD, and *weird*, as any CA18DE or CA18DET owner will attest to. Fun engines, stout and flow nice, but IMO a more modern engine like an SR20DE or SR20DET, or a KA24DE, is a better choice. The engine control systems are more sophisticated, and the engines themselves are newer.

[jeffwins24]

Now regarding the CA18's, those engines are OLD, and *weird*, as any CA18DE or CA18DET owner will attest to. Fun engines, stout and flow nice, but IMO a more modern engine like an SR20DE or SR20DET, or a KA24DE, is a better choice. The engine control systems are more sophisticated, and the engines themselves are newer.

not to mention tuning is becoming harder to find for them. JWT doesn't even sell anything for them (i just checked too)

[Redneck]

I don't get how the ca18det is weird or strange and the sr20det or ka24de isn't. They all overall share a lot of similarities. The sohc ca with 2 spark plugs per cylinder....that is weird.

And Jeff what are you talking about? Tuning a ca18det is not any harder than the sr20 or ka24. There are plenty of piggyback options available to tune with for reasonable prices. Why would you want to get ripped off by JWT?

[seishuku]

The CA18D can be ROM tuned just as easy as any other ECU, the bad part is the lack of CONSULT support (which KA, SR, and on support).

[Arro]

The CA18D can be ROM tuned just as easy as any other ECU, the bad part is the lack of CONSULT support (which KA, SR, and on support).

For those who don't know what it is:

http://pipingpro.com/shop/blog.php/wire-ni...-240sx-sr20det/


Also, the CA18DE/DET ignition design is very nonstandard, and makes adaption to an S12/240SX tach a bit difficult. There are workarounds for it, but still it's extra stuff to take into account.

It can be tuned tho, sure. But the SR and KADE are more modern engines, with better tuning support within and without the ECU's. They also have much simpler ignitions.