ka24det -vs- vg30ett

[methylprop]

A little while ago I picked up another s12 and a full s14 ka swap. I haven't started the build yet and I'm still driving the s14 donor car. I bought the ka24 with full intentions of doing a proper ka-t build. but i am droping it in in stock form. If I went turbo. I would want pistons at the least for internals, and proper fuel management is a must. It's a 97 s14 ka so it's obd-2 so thats gotta be converted to s13 stuff. It's not cheap I just named off enough parts to buy a ca18det. And I love ca's.

   My buddy has a full vg30e swap with the cross member and sev6 5 lug suspension and brakes for 100 bucks. I am buying the vg swap no matter what, but it was suppose to come with a 86 coupe for another 200 bucks. But no title on the coupe. sucks. My buddy bought a z32 twin turbo  donor car to swap the vg30dett into his s14 (my ka donor car). He is swapping out the turbo's with t28's and the smic's with a stacked front mount. The vg30e is ubber cheap and easy to rebuild and the motor has sat so it needs it. I have a parts car to mock up the vg30ett manifolds so no down time. I love vg's

The ka24de is going in no matter what but should I build this vg30ett on the side or just stick with the ka-t

I'm pretty sure the vg30e pistons are better to boost upon than the ka24de's pistons right??????
I would use the pathfinder manifold with side feed injectors fo the vg and  nistune on both engines.
I'm leaning towards the vg

[Arro]

I see "VG30DETT" and "VG30ETT" there... I think you mean VG30DETT from a Z32. I say stick with the KA-T plans, the VG30DETT has been stuffed into an S12 a couple times years ago, and the fit is super tight. A real pain in the ass to work on.

As far as the VG30E pistons vs. KA24DE pistons, neither are "good" necessarily to boost with. I know, I know... a few people on here have claimed that VG30E's are "bulletproof" and can be boosted "easily" with stock internals, but after reading a lot on other forums, I find this to be largely an urban legend with no real evidence. One or two people have done so, but not with high boost. As it is, most VG30E's aren't rebuilt, are tired, and just itching for an excuse to come apart. I do think they are more solid and stout than CA20E's or CA18ET's, but a KA24DE is a notably newer engine, so most of them are still in better shape than the average VG30E. beyond that, even a freshly rebuilt version of *either* engine in stock form will not be safe with anything more than 5-7 psi. Some engines will survive higher, while others will pop pretty easily. Each individual engine is unique in that respect.

Something to consider.

[Maxpow]

He means a vg30e with a twin setup I believe.

[tommy]

Yeah, the vg30dett will go into an s14, he wants to use the turbos off of it on a vg30e and drop this thing in the s12, since he bought a vg30 crossmember and 5lug conversion plus brake (out of a s12 SE)...

If you have the said crossmember, a complete vg30e with tranny, or at least a bellhousing (since the ca20e uses the same with a diff bellhousing), and are willing to fabricate those headers (you won't have a lot of clearance, but if a vg30dett can fit with both turbos between those suspension towers, I don't see how you couldn't fit the same turbos onto an sohc block in between the same suspension towers), then I'd say go for it... you won't be able to boost a lot if you use the stock piston, but same is true with the ka24... but you can easily make up for it with the 2 extra cyl and 600cc more displacement... plus the VG is very close in weight to a KA, so it won't be a problem handling wise...

if you need to rebuild it, go the extra mile and put some piston in there, you may be able to source stock vg30et piston, which won't be the best thing since sliced bread, but it won't cost a lot and will make a difference.  Stock vg30et are able to cope with more boost than a stock ka24 can and they also make more power...

[Arro]

What he said there is spot-on ^^^